Weekend attacks rock northern Nigeria

Nigeria (MNN) ― A roadside blast and two separate gun attacks rocked Nigeria's Maiduguri Sunday.

(Story photo courtesy Voice of the Martyrs USA)

Todd Nettleton is a spokesman for Voice of the Martyrs USA. He describes one of the attacks outside the Church of Christ in Nigeria. "[It] seems to be a husband, and a wife, and their child who were shot as they were leaving their church in Maiduguri, Nigeria." 

The same day, the Nigerian army confirmed an early morning assault on a mosque that killed over 20 people. One attack seemed to be more military, the other more personal in nature. Nettleton says, "At this point, Boko Haram has not publicly taken credit for this. But it looks like what they've done in the past, so the assumption is that Boko Haram was behind it."

The city in Nigeria's restive northeast is a bastion for Boko Haram. The terrorist group has ties to al Qaeda and is known for their open declaration of war on Christians, among others. They want to create an Islamic state in the mainly Muslim north of Nigeria. These Islamists have also vowed to kill many of Nigeria's traditional Muslim leaders, many of whom they accuse of betraying Islam by submitting to the authority of a secular government.

The attack on the family brought its own question: was it personal? "Is there some connection to this particular family that they were being targeted, rather than indiscriminately targeting Christians as they were leaving church? Both of those are possibilities with Boko Haram." Nettleton says answering that question is up to the authorities.

Boko Haram is known for two kinds of attacks: "There are attacks just indiscriminately just seeking to create chaos, seeking to create a high body count. There are other attacks that target specific people that they don't like, or people who have advocated philosophies that they don't like."

Boko Haram is blamed for killing more than 1,400 people in Nigeria since 2010. Maiduguri is considered the group's base. The group may be succeeding in accomplishing one aim in their campaign to eradicate Christians, says Nettleton. "I think the first goal is to create fear and to make the Christians fearful."

Pray that believers will not be overcome with fear, but that they will sense God's presence and peace. "Scriptures tell us that when one part of the body of Christ is hurting, we're all supposed to connect with that. We're all supposed to feel that pain. So if you think about a husband and wife and a child who were shot and killed as they left church, their family is hurting, their church family is hurting, and we're a part of that family."

So, continue to pray. It's the first thing believers are asking for, says Nettleton. "Pray for our Christian brothers and sisters there, that they won't succumb to that fear, that they won't be overwhelmed by a sense of fear and a sense of hopelessness." At the same time, there's the realization that "when there is chaos, that can be a time when people are open to the Gospel, and it can be a time when people ask questions about eternity and about life after death."

Please lift up Nigerian Christians in your prayers for God's protection and consolation. Remember the families of the believers who have lost their lives as a result of these attacks. Pray that the government will take steps to protect Christians from further violence.

VOM assists hundreds of Nigerian pastors and also provides food, clothing, and medical aid to Nigerian Christians who are attacked by Muslim extremists. There's more. Check our Featured Links Section for details.

Lebanese believers make dangerous trek into Syria

(Story photo courtesy Christian Aid
 Mission / Cover photo by Freedom House)

Syria (MNN) ― Over the weekend, food packages, medicine, and evangelistic materials were delivered to Syrian Christians as Lebanese Christians bravely risked their lives to deliver what they could.

"A series of house meetings were held," says Bill Bray withChristian Aid Mission. "Over 600 emergency relief packages were delivered from missionaries in Lebanon who crossed the border, and they brought in medicine and conducted these meetings."

With far over 9,000 Syrians dead from atrocity after atrocity, thousands have fled the warring nation; but others cannot afford the risk of leaving. The meetings that took place over the weekend were a way to physically reach out to suffering believers who are trapped in Syria.

The work was incredibly dangerous. Syrians leaving the country face the risk of death by shooting or mines. Those same risks cannot be far from Lebanese trying to cross into the guarded nation.

Christians are at particular risk, says Bray. The government is unlikely to attack, but believers are an easy target for extremists when the government's unable to protect them. In fact, Bray says, "There is a rise, an increase in attacks on Christians."

Despite the extreme threats facing the Lebanese believers coming into Syria and the Syrians in turn leaving the nation to stay with Lebanese church members, Christian Aid contacts have not backed down.

One missionary leader who left Lebanon to help Syrian Christians told Christian Aid, "The word ‘safe' is not in our dictionary. We live every single day in faith, not safety."

Their extreme faith and courage has not gone unrewarded. "A lot of refugees from Syria that are coming across the border are Bedouin, gypsies, and Muslim-background Syrians. They are coming to the Lord, they are accepting the Christian message, and their hearts are very open," says Bray.

In the midst of unprecedented violence, people from all backgrounds in Syria are clinging to the peace they see in Christ. While aid was distributed over the weekend, many people were also being baptized at the string of house meetings.

The church is growing quickly, but it can only grow if it is physically well, too. Medicine is particularly difficult to come by in Syria. Christian Aid is trying to provide as much as possible, but the ministry still needs a great deal of help.

Bray says one Syrian boy came down with a fever, but since his parents couldn't afford medicine, his easily-cured ailment ended up paralyzing him. If Christian Aid had been able to supply medication, says Bray, that never would have happened.

Christians are in dire need of aid and prayer. Help them physically by giving to Christian Aid with the CAMCode "400REF." Pray with them for peace in the nation, and for strength for new followers of Jesus. 

Bad feelings cause serious aid lull to Syria

Mission Network News: "Syria (MNN) ― After weeks of gunfire and bombings, the United Nations has finally admitted that the three-week-old ceasefire in Syria may not be holding up, reports AFP News.

The U.N. will continue to send in observers, but the admission of a failed truce is just one more confirmation that the situation in Syria is not going away any time soon. In the meantime, refugees will continue to pile up in bordering countries, creating another large-scale crisis outside of Syria."

Read more...

Burmese Diplomat Defects to U.S.

Burma (MNN) ― A high-level Burmese diplomat has defected to the United States, fearing democratic change in his country is stillborn.

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Kyaw Win is seeking asylum. The Burmese junta repeatedly rejected his efforts to build bridges with the international community, labeling him "dangerous."

Cover photo: Burma's leader,
 General Than Shwe. Story photo:
 Burned-out Karen village.
 (Photos courtesy of Worldwide Impact Now)

Information from the Associated Press confirms this move came about because of his stand on reform issues relating to democracy, human rights, and individual liberties. The second-ranking official at the Burmese embassy in Washington, Win supported an investigation into human rights abuses against the ethnic minorities and warned against continued oppression.

Patrick Klein of Vision Beyond Borders says the timing is interesting. "What I'm reading is that a lot people are defecting from the military. The soldiers don't want to go into these villages and kill any more people. They've been forced to do it by the government, and I think people are starting to stand up and say, ‘We don't want to be a part of this. This is wrong, and we will not.'" That's about 15% of the military that seem to be of the same mind as the former Ambassador Win. 

Vision Beyond Borders partners with a ministry in Thailand that works in the refugee camps. Klein says they're "openly sharing the Gospel with these people. A lot of the Karen are coming to Christ because they see that it is the Christians who are really coming to their aid."

VBB ministry partners estimate that roughly 40% of the Karen are Christians. They're also the ethnic minority and are in the government crosshairs.

We asked Klein why the junta decided to eradicate the Karen. He explains, "They're living on land that the government wants because there are a lot of natural resources there. There's gold, there are gems and timber. Now, they're putting in dams because China needs hydro-electric power. Instead of compensating people and relocating them, it's easier to just go in and wipe out whole villages."

Aside from the obvious physical aspect of this genocide, there is also a spiritual side. Klein says, "From what I'm hearing, the generals are very involved in the occult, listening to astrologers and all these people, and they [the military] are just going in and wiping out the Christians."

Other reports coming to Klein's ears are worthy of war crimes investigation. Klein explains, "We've heard stories of [the military] going to the Buddhist children, giving them arms, and turning them against the Christians, [then] having the Buddhist kids go in and shoot these Christians indiscriminately."

Win says the military is on a campaign to silence "the voices seeking democracy, human rights, and individual liberties." That's no surprise, and it creates a backdrop against which hope shines brightly. As people are drawn to the hope of Christ, Klein says he's confident the Gospel will also spread. He shares about the commitment of a village evangelist they met on a recent trip. "He lost both of his hands and both of his eyes in a landmine that blew up in his face. Yet, he still goes around the village, sharing the Gospel with Buddhist people."

Pray for the strength of Christians to stand firm in their faith, despite the lawlessness around them. Pray that freedom will come to Burma. Pray for ministry opportunities for Christians to share their faith with others