 However, "hundreds of thousands of defenseless BEC members were killed by state-sponsored, U.S.-trained and supported military, paramilitary, and police forces in no less than ten Latin American countries," including missionaries from the United States, local pastors, and a bishop.Many authors have pointed out the "sacramental service station" model of church established by colonialism, contrary to the African cultural preference for close, participatory community.When The Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) Documentation Service "circulated a questionnaire in 1975 to ascertain how the dioceses ranked their priorities they were pleased to find that the highest priority in AMECEA was ‘building Christian communities’."