SWAZILAND COMPUTERS STOLEN IN ATTACK ON MISSIONARIES http://www.ncnnews.com/Article.aspx?id=2976
Last week, news of a February burglary and attack on missionaries David and Pat Taylor of the Nazarene College of Theology (NCT) in Siteki, Swaziland was released in the E-mail edition of NCN News.

The Taylors were victims of a home invasion where thieves terrorized them as they stole the couple’s valuables, including their computers, and several hundred dollars in personal and donated project money. David sustained a near fatal machete wound to his neck, but recovered after being briefly hospitalized. He was also treated for injuries to his head and ear. He considered it a miracle that he survived the attack. Pat, who was threatened with a knife, received various bruises.

Upon leaving the Taylors home, the thieves threatened to kill the couple if they reported the incident.

Additional security precautions were instituted on the NCT campus and the Taylor’s home. Prayer was requested for the couple, who have battled post-traumatic stress disorder. After staying with friends until they felt safe, the Taylors returned to their home.

On Monday, March 12, the thieves returned.

David Taylor described the incident in a communication to family and friends (communication was forwarded to NCN News):

“What I am about to share with you may be hard for you to believe but nevertheless, it is so. Around 1:45 A.M. Monday morning, Pat was awakened by a variety of metallic sounding noises from different places around the house. About 2:10, while she was still out of bed, I was awakened by a loud clanging of metal and Pat sensed there was someone in the house. I looked through the keyhole of our locked bedroom door and saw a silhouette of a man approaching our door. Within seconds he was smashing at the door with a crowbar, attempting to pry it open.

“While I am desperately pushing against the door, Pat called a missionary co-worker who lives across the lawn from us to come help us. We are both screaming as loud as we possibly could, the door was cracking and just before it broke open the invaders ran away. As one bolted through the backyard, Pat recognized him as the same one who attacked us three weeks and two days before.

“We realize now that they first entered our house by breaking the burglar bars in the office and had stolen the college computer I had borrowed from the college as well as our printer, and had piled them outside on the lawn. They walked around the house avoiding the new security structures in place and broke out the burglar bars in the guest bedroom and then came at the master bedroom door. Their primary motive we think may not have been robbery because they had already taken everything of value on their previous assault. They had threatened to come back to kill us.

“Just the Friday before, we were encouraged by the trauma counsellor to find another living arrangement because she believed we could not heal emotionally living in this house that had so many horrid memories.

“Now with this additional trauma, the only solution for healing is to return to our homeland and to our families. This decision was endorsed by the trauma counsellor and supported by the Africa Regional Office. We do not know what the future holds, but once again we are trusting the One who does, and we desperately solicit your continued prayers.”

On Wednesday, March 15, the Taylors gave an emotional farewell to the students, faculty, and staff of NTC. On Thursday, they began their journey home to Canada.

According to World Mission Security, World Mission Director Louie E. Bustle and Africa Regional Director Eugenio Duarte immediately heightened security measures and safety precautions for the remaining missionaries and NTC. They will continue to assess the situation and make further modifications as necessary, but for the time being World Mission is confident remaining missionaries are safe.
--NCN News, World Mission Department