Friday

Friday morning was very quiet. We went to church like normal, although there were considerably fewer people in attendance. There was no fellowship after the service; instead people were encouraged to just head home. Around noon on Friday, a pro-government really began in Juffair, near the Grand Mosque. Tons of people flooded the area, waving the flag and holding pictures of the ruling family. Many decorated cars also circled the area, sporting Bahrain decorations, honking their horns, and cheering for Bahrain.

On the other side of the city, things were not so cheerful however. Thousands more people were gathered for the funeral procession of one of the men who was killed earlier this week. At some point, the procession decided to head back to Pearl Roundabout where the protesters had been camped earlier in the week. As soon as they came within sight of the Pearl, the army opened fire on them. This time they were not using tear gas or rubber bullets but live ammunition. Unknown numbers of people were taken to the hospital; the number of dead and injured still has not been confirmed. The hospital became the new center of the protest movement. Thousands flocked to the hospital compound. They came in such droves that doctors complained of not being able to work and ambulances were not able to get through. While there are many stories circulating about the exact events of last night, we all know, things are not looking good.