Thursday, July 24, 2008

Steve Godbold Released

For release: July 25, 2008 The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM) is very pleased to announce the release of Cash Stephen Godbold, a missionary held captive in northern Chad for more than nine months.

Godbold was released by his captors in Chad on Thursday evening, July 24th. He was released near the town of Bardai in northern Chad, and is presently a guest of local officials in Bardai. Arrangements are in process to send an aircraft to Bardai to evacuate Godbold to N'Djamena. From there he will travel to the United States via Europe for reunion with family and colleagues, debriefings and medical checks.

Godbold was captured on October 10, 2007 in Zoumri in the Tibesti region of Northern Chad. He was assisting a Chadian non-governmental organization transporting water well drilling equipment into the Tibesti in order to provide clean and safe water to residents of the region. He is 49 years old and has served in Chad since 1991. He is married and has four children.

The Movement for Democracy and Justice in T'Chad (MDJT) claimed responsibility for Godbold's captivity. Mr. Choua Dazi, the President of the MDJT, made numerous statements to the international media and others during the months of captivity, reporting that Godbold would be released as early as last November. No explanation for the failure of the MDJT to honor those promises has been provided. Godbold was ultimately released following extensive negotiations between his captors and TEAM. TEAM emphasizes that Godbold's release was unconditional and that no ransom was paid and no concessions of any type were made to secure his release.

Dr. Charles Davis, International Director of TEAM, expressed gratitude and appreciation for the efforts of many organizations and individuals in Chad and the United States: "Governments, the church, other faith-based organizations and individuals worked together to make sure that Steve was kept safe and ultimately released. We are so very grateful for this assistance and praise God for every person and agency that helped bring Steve home."

Additional information will be provided as it becomes available during the repatriation and debriefing processes.

Click here to give towards crisis contingency expenses.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Dear family and friends of Steve Godbold,

Last week we sent a plane to Bardai in the Tibesti region of northern Chad to facilitate Steve's evacuation in the event of his release. But Steve was not released and the plane returned to its home base in southern Chad.

We continue to dialogue with all parties concerned in Steve's detention.

Eighty years ago, Victor and Florence Veary pioneered TEAM's work in Chad. Mrs. Veary once said that God is the author of our starts and stops. She knew first hand the frustration of seemingly endless interruptions to the day and meaningless obstacles that hinder a noble cause. Although God might not measure time like we do, He is well aware of its importance.

The Word of God says something very specific to the subject of time when the apostle wrote, "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

We covet your prayers for Steve and his family, and for all of us on the Crisis Management Team. We keep our eye focused on the Master and trust Him to move when He knows the time is right.

The CMT

francais

TEAM Sends Plane For Hostage Steve Godbold Following MDJT Announcement

For Immediate Release April 30, 2008

The faith-based organization TEAM, located in the United States, announces that it has arranged for an aircraft operated by a medical non-governmental organization in Chad to fly to Bardai to receive Steve Godbold, who has been detained by rebel forces since October 10, 2007. TEAM also offers to allow a representative of the international media to accompany this flight to observe the process.

On April 28, 2008 the President of the MDJT, Mr. Choua Dazi, stated in an interview published by Liberté sans frontières and posted at www.dabio.net that Mr. Godbold is “free” and that the MDJT is seeking a means to facilitate his departure from the Tibesti region of Chad.

Mr. Godbold is a missionary with TEAM and has lived and worked in Chad for a number of years. On October 10, 2007 he was on a humanitarian mission, delivering equipment for water wells in the Tibesti when he was detained by MDJT forces in Zoumri. Mr. Godbold has been in the custody of the MDJT ever since.

During this period, spokesmen for the MDJT have promised several times to release Mr. Godbold: On October 18, 2007 Mr. Dazi told a reporter from RFI “This is the beginning of our investigation. I think that in a week’s time it will be decided. If he is innocent, then he will be freed, no problem.” On October 24, 2007 Mr. Dazi told a reporter from Reuters “In two or three days we will conclude (our investigation) and then we’ll see what preparations we can make to free him”. On November 5, 2007 Mr. Hissein Yaya Barka, Assistant General Secretary of the MDJT, told a French website “After a two-week investigation we have made the decision to liberate (Mr. Godbold) in the coming days.” On January 8, 2008 Mr. Barka issued a press release that said “On November 5th, 2007, we made the decision to release him (Godbold)”. During this time, leaders of the MDJT also made private promises to a large humanitarian organization to release Mr. Godbold.

TEAM issued this statement today: “Although we do not understand why the MDJT did not follow through on its earlier public promises to release Steve, we appreciate and respect Mr. Dazi’s announcement yesterday that Steve is ‘free’. We have arranged for an airplane from a medical NGO based at a hospital in Chad to fly to Bardai as quickly as possible so that the MDJT can complete its commitment and return Steve to freedom. The airplane will go to Bardai on Friday, May 2. We call on Mr. Dazi and the rest of the leadership of the MDJT to honor their promise and their commitment and send Steve to Bardai to meet this plane.” TEAM also confirmed that it is seeking a member of the international media to accompany the flight as a guarantee of transparency and good faith in the process.

For further information, contact:
Keith Rascher, TEAM
(+1) 626.345.1297
cmt.presse@googlemail.com

Communiqué de Presse - Steve Godbold - Tchad

La Mission TEAM envoie un avion pour l'hôtage Steve Godbold suite à l'annonce du MDJT

Pour publication immédiate 30 avril 2008

L'organisation religieuse TEAM, basée aux Etats-Unis, annonce qu'elle a arrangé avec une organisation non gouvernementale médicale au Tchad d'envoyer un avion à Bardai pour recevoir Steve Godbold, qui a été retenu par des forces rebelles depuis le 10 Octobre 2007. La TEAM offre aussi qu'un représentant des médias internationaux accompagne ce vol pour observer le processus.

Le 28 Avril 2008, le président du MDJT, M. Choua Dazi, a exprimé dans un interview, publié par Liberté sans frontières sur www.dabio.net, que M Godbold est "libre" et que le MDJT est "à la recherche d'une voie" pour faciliter son départ de la région du Tibesti au Tchad.

M Godbold est un missionnaire de la TEAM et a travaillé au Tchad depuis plusieurs années. En Octobre 10, 2007, il participait à une mission humanitaire, transportant des matériaux pour l'installation de puits au Tibesti, quand il fût arrêté par les forces du MDJT à Zoumri. Depuis ce jour, M Godbold se trouve retenu prisonnier par le MDJT.

Pendant cette période, des portes paroles du MDJT ont promis à plusieurs occasions de libérer M Godbold: Le 18 octobre 2007, M Dazi a dit à la radio RFI: "... c’est le début de l’enquête, bon… je pense d’ici dans une semaine, ça sera déterminé. S’il est innocent, à ce moment là il sera libéré, il n’y a pas de problème.> Le 24 octobre 2007, M. Dazi a dit à un journaliste de Reuters: "Dans deux ou trois jours nous allons achever (nos recherches) et puis nous allons voir les préparations que nous pouvons faire pour le libérer." Le 5 novembre 2007, M. Hissein Yaya Barka, Secrétaire Général Adjoint de l'MDJT, a dit à un site web Français: "Apres une enquête pendant deux semaines nous avons pris une décision pour sa libération dans les jours qui viennent." Le 8 janvier 2008, M Barka a publié un communiqué de presse sur AlWihda dans lequel il a constaté: "Nous avons pris la décision de sa (i.e. Steve Godbold) libération le 05-11-2007." Pendant ces mois, les dirigeants de l'MDJT ont aussi fait des promesses personnelles à une grande organisation humanitaire de libérer M Godbold.

TEAM a édité aujourd'hui l'avis suivant: "Bien que nous ne comprenons pas pourquoi le MDJT n'a pas tenu ses promesses publiques de libérer Steve, nous apprécions et respectons l'annonce de M Choua Dazi, qu'il a fait hier, que Steve est "libre". Nous avons arrangé avec une ONG médicale basée à un hôpital au Tchad, d'envoyer un avion à Bardai aussi vite que possible pour que le MDJT puisse accomplir son engagement et rendre la liberté à Steve. L'avion ira a Bardai ce vendredi, le 2 mai. Nous faisons appel à M Dazi et les autres responsables du MDJT à honorer leurs promesses et à envoyer Steve à Bardai pour y rencontrer cet avion." La TEAM a aussi confirmé qu'ils sont à la recherché d'un membre des médias internationaux pour accompagner ce vol pour garantir la transparence et l'honnêteté dans le processus.

Pour des informations supplémentaires, contactez
Keith Rascher, TEAM
(+1) 626.345.1297
cmt.presse@googlemail.com