James 3:14-18 says:

" But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.  Such 'wisdom' does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.  But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.  Peace makers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."

A long quote from the scriptures, but a very appropriate one for what we are seeing in our region in recent days.  The Kenyan post election violence and continued internally displaced people, the violence in Sudan, the ongoing violence and hardships for Zimbabwe and now the out break of xenophobic action in South Africa all display that selfish ambition and bitter envy.

The Bible states that bitter envy and selfishness is from the devil and where you find it you also find every evil practice.  But heavenly wisdom is peace loving and impartial; peacemakers sowing in peace raise a harvest of righteousness!

We have some peacemakers and places of peace in our region.  One such place is Pinelands Baptist Church in Cape Town, South Africa.  When the xenophobic violence hit Cape Town they opened  their doors.  They are housing 60 refugees in their fellowship hall.  Through their gifts, funds from Baptist Global Response and the International Mission Board these refugees are being fed and cared for. 

One IMB worker writes that she was moved to tears as she drove onto the church property and saw some of these refugees out working on the church grounds pulling weeds, trimming bushes and cutting grass using only scissors.  They wanted to give something back (a thank you) to the church for opening their doors to them in their time of need.

God is blessing in this time of crisis.  After a showing of the Jesus film 22 refugees asked Christ to come into their hearts.  These now form the beginnings of a new discipleship group where they will learn about God and His plan for their lives.  God has even put in place a missionary and a seminary graduate who speak the heart language of these new disciples (Shona) from Zimbabwe, to help them along in their spiritual growth. You see nothing takes our God by surprise!

Pray for these who are being persecuted for their nationality.  Pray for those who are coming to the Lord through hardship.  Pray for those who are fleeing and those who have already fled back to their homelands, especially those from Zimbabwe, that they may find peace.