Terror Attack Leads to Baptism The terror attack on the government buildings and the youth


camp for the Social Democratic Party in Norway on July 22 left many footprints. One footprint was left on the life of Mina Bakhtiar, who fi nally made a decision to be baptized on her confession of faith.


Mina, who came to Norway as a refugee from Iran about 10


years ago, worked in the cafeteria of the government building. After the explosion, the building was in total ruin. Mina was supposed to be there. On Friday, July 22, she went home early. That saved her. Her place of work was blown to pieces. This triggered Mina’s plans to get baptized. She insisted on


traveling to the north of Norway, where she was fi rst introduced to her savior. Her pastor, Øystein Lode of Sortland Baptist Church, was asked to perform the baptism. He was fi lled with joy as he said yes. It was a profound baptism where the congregation listened,


with tears in their eyes, to her testimony. “It was at a Christian meeting on a traveling evangelist boat that I met Jesus,” said Mina. But somehow baptism did not happen. Mina had moved to Oslo fi ve years earlier and got the job as leader of the cafeteria in the government building.


— Roger Dahl


Mina Bakhtiar left work early on July 22, saving her life when her workplace was demolished by the bombing. This was the deciding factor leading her to be baptized by Pastor Øystein Lode in Sortland Baptist Church.


in our Scandinavian country. More than 80 percent of our citizens belong to the Lutheran Church. This does not mean that Baptists have not been responding


to the catastrophe. At Kvæfjord Baptist Church in the north of Norway, Pastor Magnus Lund participated in a multicultural memorial service. “The location was packed,” and there were “songs by immigrants from Africa and Burma and prayer for those directly touched by the tragedy,” Lund said. Local authorities and the Lutheran priest participated, and there was lighting of candles for all the victims of the terror attack on July 22. The summer gathering at the Baptist Church in Andenes also became a memorial. “It became especially profound, as the


grandchild of one of the ladies in the assembly was present at the shooting,” said the church’s pastor, Hermod Bakkevoll. “The grandchild was injured in the shooting and she shared the fear and anxiety experienced in the minutes before knowing that their boy was safely on his way to hospital in an ambulance.” “It has warmed our hearts to see the engagement in


the aftermath of July 22, not only from Norwegians, but also through greetings, condolences and prayers from the community of faith and Baptists all around the world,” said Terje Aadne, general secretary of the Baptist Union of Norway. Roger Dahl is the head of information for the Baptist Union of Norway


BW


“We have decided to meet hate with fellowship. We have made a choice to show our values” — Crown Prince Håkon


Nothing was left of the cafeteria in the government building. A rainy summer day 69 young people were brutally slain on this island.


OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2011


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