Our hospital sits in a remote, isolated Muslim majority (>99%) region, in a country where Muslims are a minority. Our staff are majority Muslim from a UPG but with a few Christians (defined locally as non-Muslims) from distant parts of the country. Although not a faith based institution, a recent clinical meeting was ended in prayer in Arabic to Allah by our Muslim anaesthetist. The other day another meeting was also closed in prayer, this time by a nursing officer not from our UPG, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord & Saviour. Both times respect and reverence was shown by all during the prayers.

In a country where tribal and religious differences are exploited for power and governed by fear, may such mutual respect grow and lead to greater sharing of the heart of the good news, person to person.