Let's pray that Tunisia comes home to democracy

Tunisians opposite City Road Methodist Church celebrate

As we left church this morning we were greeted by a Tunisian flag hanging outside a rented flat opposite.

Our little church, just like the rest of the world, await the outcome of the week's events. Carol our preacher this morning is even more concerned, she and Roy are due to fly out for a fortnight's holiday in a few weeks time. Tunisia was very much in our prayers this morning.

Will Tunisia sink into chaos followed by repression? Or is something new happening?

I remember my father telling me how he and colleagues in the British Eighth Army fought to liberate North Africa from the Nazis, somewhere we have a picture of him in Tunisia.  Since then that "liberation" has been very mixed. Most of North Africa have authoritarian governments of varying degrees with a great deal of corruption.

Recent events suggest that there is a mood for change in Tunisia. If Tunsisians can manage the hazardous path to democracy it will have enormous implications across the Middle East, where Israel remains the sole example.

Christians will recall that the whole Mediterranean basin was a unified political state under Rome. For many years the area now known as Tunisia had a thriving Christian community centred on Carthage.

The creation of a democratic Tunisia will provide new opportunities for trade and could lead to peace across the Mediterranean.

Let's keep praying!