A week ago, last Wednesday night, was a night we’ll remember for a while. At 9PM, we began hearing loud blasts. At first, someone thought it was thunder, then that there were fireworks going off for the Muslim holiday. But an hour and a half later, the blasts were still going on, oftentimes with such a strong shockwave that our windows rattled and we heard screams. The guard next door was in a panic as I tried to reassure him that we would be OK, not actually knowing what in the world was going on.

Finally, as we continued to search for an answer, we learned that an Army ammunition depot near the airport which was filled with bombs and missiles was exploding. Apparently, one bomb had somehow been set off which triggered a chain reaction igniting other bombs and missiles, sending shrapnel and firing rockets all over the area, in some cases 10 or more miles away.

The end result? At least 25 killed, hundreds injured, thousands fled their homes in mass stampede, with more trampled underfoot. Parents were separated from children, and more than 4000 sought shelter in the national stadium. Many homes and a school were destroyed, as well as most of the Army base. The amazing thing is that the same thing happened at another army base nearby in 2009. You’d think someone would learn from the mistake the first time?!

Our family was safe, in fact somehow the kids slept through the whole episode. But this past weekend I was doing a leaders training in a church just a few kilometers from where the explosion happened, and people shared many stories of running down the road with their kids, trying to dodge the blasts and shooting bombs. What a scary experience!

As we continue in life and ministry here in Dar, we are reminded that life is fragile, and we must follow the old quote: “Only one life, ’twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Pressing on by God’s grace, Eric