Wave of persecution sweeps across the Middle East and North Africa

(Image courtesy Open Doors USA)

Nigeria (MNN) ― Believers in northeast Nigeria are reeling after Islamic militants killed their pastor and his son, and set fire to their church building and five homes.

The Associated Press reports Islamic militants attacked the church in Yobe state just before dawn yesterday; the incident went unnoticed by nearly all major media outlets.

Dr. David Curry, President and CEO of Open Doors USA, points to the attack as the latest in a rising tide of persecution sweeping the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

"We've had situations in the last three weeks in Iraq, in Syria, in Pakistan, and now last night in northern Nigeria, where people are targeting believers," says Curry. "My greatest concern is that there won't be any pressure to follow-up on this attack.

"Attack after attack on Christians seems to go by the wayside."

Thousands have fallen in Nigeria alone at the hands of the Islamic terrorist group, Boko Haram. Their name means "Western education is sinful," and their four-year-old terror campaign seeks to rid northeast Nigeria of all who follow Christ.

Yobe is one of three northeastern states currently under emergency rule, as Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan tries to quell Boko Haram insurgents.

"The threat of terrorism in a few states in the northeastern part of our country has proven to be a challenge to national stability," Jonathan told UN leaders earlier this week. "We will spare no effort in addressing this menace."

Terror goes by a different name in the nearby Central African Republic: Seleka. This band of Islamic terrorists rose to national power in March following the ouster of former President Francois Bozize.

Their primary target soon became the Church.

"The various atrocities that preceded, accompanied, and followed Seleka's rise to power have been specifically aimed at the Christian population," states a letter from the CAR Evangelical Alliance to Seleka Islamist leader and CAR President Michel Djotodia.

"Churches and Christian institutions have been desecrated and plundered, priests and pastors have been assaulted, and nuns raped."

In CAR, 50% of the population is Christian and 15% are Muslim. Despite outnumbering the followers of Islam, Christian communities in CAR claim their Muslim neighbors are joining Seleka’s violent campaigns.

"It’s not like Christianity is a minority religion, but ever since the coup in March, the Muslims have increased their persecution of Christians," said Open Doors spokesman Jerry Dykstra in a July 5 article.

To the north, a similar situation unfolds as violence against Christians in Egypt reaches historic levels. Members of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) were quick to blame Coptic Christians for the July removal of MB proponent and former President Mohamed Morsi from office.

It was a summer of rage for many believers as they endured beatings, their homes and businesses were looted and destroyed, and churches were set aflame. In August, one church was forced to close its doors for the first time in 1,600 years.

And yet, most believers and secular media alike remain unaware of the deadly trend.

"Open Doors has been trying to raise this awareness among Western believers and the media in general," says Curry. "We believe it's worthwhile asking the question: 'Are these attacks coordinated?' Certainly they seem to be intentional and directed at believers.

"Over the last decades…the population of Christians in the Middle East has gone from 20% to 4%. Why is that? It is because there is a concerted effort to force Christians to convert. There is a concerted effort to persecute Christians, to drive them from their home."

As the plight of believers in the MENA continues on, largely unnoticed, you can take action.

"There are so many ways we can support the Persecuted Church," Curry states, "but you won't know how until you get this International Day of Prayer packet, an IDOP packet."

The International Day of the Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) gathers believers worldwide in continuous prayer for those who are persecuted. This year, IDOP falls on November 3.

"What we're asking is that every believer in the Western world that worships in freedom takes part on November 3rd in praying and supporting the Persecuted Church," explains Curry.

"We're not a political organization, but what we can do is rally believers to defend and to pray and support their brothers and sisters in the Persecuted Church."

Is a ceasefire a reality with Nigeria's Boko Haram?

(Images courtesy Compass Direct News)

Nigeria (MNN) ― After three years of incessant attacks on places of worship and other public places, Nigeria's Boko Haram sect has called a truce.

The price of the ceasefire: freedom for the arrested members of the group and the rebuilding of the destroyed mosque of its leader, Mohammed Yusuf.

Too high a price to pay? For its part, the embattled Nigerian government said it would not make a formal pronouncement yet on the ceasefire until it had time to study the conditions. "It seems the government and the military are working on the assumption that this is a legitimate ceasefire offer. The military there has kind of taken a 30-day "wait and see,'" notes Voice of the Martyrs spokesman, Todd Nettleton.

"If there are no incidents, if there are no attacks, if there are no church bombings for the next 30 days, then we'll know they're serious and then we can move forward," adds Nettleton.

Boko Haram is loosely translated "Western education is sinful" in Hausa. The group had its origins in Borno state, and under the banner of fighting to impose Islamic law on Nigeria, spread to Adamawa, Abuja, Bauchi, Niger, Kano, Yobe, Kadun,a and throughout other parts of Nigeria's northeast.

However, since the ceasefire was announced 17 days ago, nine women taking part in a polio vaccination exercise in Kano city were murdered, and three Korean medical doctors were killed in Yobe state. These attacks bear the hallmarks of the extremist group, but security forces admit that the violence could also have been a criminal gang profiting from the growing lawlessness in Nigeria's northeast.

That raises doubts about how much effect a ceasefire would have on security. Nettleton agrees. He goes on to explain, "They want westerners out of northern Nigeria, and they want to push for Sharia law in northern Nigeria. It is hard to imagine, for me at least, a situation where they stop short of that and agree to some form of compromise. So this may just be a small period of them sort of regrouping, but again, it's just so early that we don't know how this is all going to play out."

As to the reason this story has flown under the radar? Past history and several broken accords litter this road paved with good intentions. Nobody knows who backed the idea or who will cooperate with the truce. "Is this widespread? Is this going to come down from the top to everybody? Is this one small group that wants to have some peace, and maybe there are others who don't?" Nettleton asks.

There is some cautious optimism. Nettleton says partners have been sending back reports. "In the city of Maiduguri, which is kind of the headquarters of Boko Haram, there are stories of businesses returning to somewhat normal business hours, people in the markets, people in the streets, more so than they have been."

Still, the instability has taken its toll. "One of the impacts of the violence is that a lot of Christians have left the area. They simply have said, ‘We don't have a future here,' so there's that. When you talk about outreach, it complicates things--even simply to have someone come visit your church."

People are jittery, especially those who gather on Sunday in church. "Any guests at a church right now in northern Nigeria are watched with some apprehension and even fear. I've heard of churches that are putting in metal detectors. I've heard of churches where the Christians literally are taking machetes with them to church in case there's a battle that breaks out during the service, in case they have to fight their way out of the building."

Please pray for God's protection, regardless of whether the cease-fire holds. Pray that Muslims there will be reached with the Gospel. What's interesting, says Nettleton, is that more and more, Muslims are disenchanted with the things they're hearing from the al-Qaeda-linked Boko Haram. "The truth of Islam is coming out, and that can be a time of seed planting and even a time of revival."

Terror spreads to Central Nigeria

Nigeria (MNN) ― There's been yet another attack on churches in Nigeria.

According to police, gunmen fired on a Bible study at Deeper Life Church in central Nigeria Monday, killing at least 19 people--including the pastor--and wounding others. Hours later, bombers struck a primary school in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi state. There's also been an unconfirmed media report of another bomb discovered at the Revival Church in the same area.

The attacks represent a move into the central region of the country. Although no one has claimed it, the attack fits the style of Boko Haram, a radical Islamist sect.

Boko Haram, whose name in Hausa means "Western education is sacrilege," is responsible for more than 660 killings this year alone in Nigeria, many of them at churches.

In preparation for this story, Christian Aid Mission Africa Director Rae Burnett spoke with the head of the mission agency they support to ask about the latest incident. While not dismissive of the tragedy, he indicated that there's more violence than what occasionally gets reported in the media. "'If we told you every time an attack occurs, or every time that shots are fired or bombs are thrown, cars are hijacked or people are just killed, I would do nothing but sit at my computer.'"

The tension levels are reaching critical mass. "Everybody is fearful--" explains Burnett, "Christians and non-Christians because you can be at the wrong place at the wrong time. It's not just churches that are being attacked."

Boko Haram has a singular focus: to re-create Nigeria as an Islamic state, instill Sharia law, and eradicate the Christian population. Despite U.S. sanctions imposed on three leaders of the group, they appear unfazed. In fact, says Burnett, "Just this past week they threatened the president and said that he has to convert to Islam and rule under Sharia."

The conundrum: the attacks open doors for the Gospel, but also have been problematic. This particular ministry partner also indicated that because they're using resources to assist the attack victims in multiple areas, they can't maintain the work goals they wanted to achieve. 

Even so, Burnett says, "These missionaries are even more committed to expending every ounce of their own lives for the Gospel of the Lord, so they're not at all intimidated."

The work of this ministry partner has now expanded geographically to cover most of the Islamic north of Nigeria. With 100 missionaries to oversee, there's a lot at stake. Burnett explains: "The headquarters is in extreme danger because people do know what it is. Tthey hardly even go to their office, but he needs to have a headquarters in which to operate."   

Christian Aid Mission helped buy land for a new building, but then funds ran dry. The partner reports that more than 50 pastors and missionary leaders have so far died at the hands of Boko Haram.Burnett says, "This is really a crucial thing for them. They're in extreme danger where they are now. It has nothing to do with the missionary leaving the field. It's not the field. It's the headquarters of the ministry. None of the missionaries have left the field and their places of ministry."

Boko Haram issues yet another grim warning in Nigeria

File footage of June's attacks (Courtesy Compass Direct News)

Nigeria (MNN) ― Nigeria's Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for weekend attacks in Jos, Plateau state. It was the latest outbreak of anger in a violent cycle of aggression and reprisals.

In a press release by a Boko Haram leader, the sect said, "We thank God for our success in the attack on Christians at Barikin Ladi and Riyom, whereby security agents, Christians, and two state and national assembly members were killed."

This is what makes the recent attacks noteworthy. Todd Nettleton, Communications Manager for the Voice of the Martyrs USA, says the extremists are bent on removing Christian presence in the north. In this latest press release, Boko Haram also essentially told Christians that they must either convert to Islam or "they will not know peace again."

It is a jihad, a religious war against Christians for refusing to embrace Islam. Nettleton explains, "In other words, 'We're going to keep up these attacks; we're going to keep up this violence until every single Christian in northern Nigeria has either converted to Islam, left the area, or been killed.'"

Attacks occurred during  a Saturday mass funeral of 63 Birom church members. Birom reprisals raised the weekend death toll to 200. Word of talks between the government and the sect were not independently confirmed. Because the government has not had an effective security response, people in the north and central Nigeria are feeling vulnerable. 

    

There were reports that some churches were beginning to go empty on Sundays in Kaduna, Bauchi, and Kano States.

However, in Jos, Nettleton says, "I spoke with a Nigerian Christian recently who said the people were taking machetes with them when they went to church because they knew that in just the act of going to church, they could become a target. They wanted to some type of way of defending themselves if there was an attack while they were at church."

The face that believers have not been intimidated away from their churches in Plateau State is interesting. It's part of the "paradox of persecution," explains Nettleton. "It changes your entire mindset if going to church means 'I could be killed.' 

That really does raise the significant issue of how important is it to gather with other believers for worship, Bible study, and for other things when it literally means you could give your life."

The scale of persecution of Christians by Muslims has accelerated and is expected to continue. It has caused the death of thousands--including pastors, and the destruction of hundreds--even thousands, of churches. More than 2,000 people have been killed since the Boko Haram insurgency began in late 2009.

On the up side, says Nettleton, the threat does two things: "Nominal Christians become more serious about their faith and make it much more personal. The other thing: Gospel activity can produce fruit because in times of upheaval, people are thinking about eternity."

The ministry has an active presence in Nigeria. VOM Medical helps victims of persecution, and they partner with a school to help orphans whose parents were martyred for their faith. "The other thing that we're involved in is Bible distribution and providing Gospel material, children's Bibles, full Bibles, New Testaments, and other Gospel presentations for the churches there."

Pray for wisdom and guidance for Nigeria's Christian president, Goodluck Jonathan, and for all those who serve with him as leaders of this nation. Pray that Christians will not retaliate but will demonstrate Christ's love and peace.

The Voice of the Martyrs can always use help. Check our Featured Links Section for details.

Christians repond to Muslim offer of protection in Garissa, Kenya

(Photos courtesy of Christian Aid Mission)

Kenya (MNN) ― Garissa has long had a perilous reputation in Kenya. A small outpost down near the Somalia border, the area has been filled with dangerous people for over a decade.

Africa Director for Christian Aid Mission Rae Burnett notes that was even before the Islamic terrorist group al-Shabaab came into prominence.

Al-Shabaab is the Somalia-based cell of al-Qaeda hunting down Christians in both Somalia and now, in Kenya. The group has been getting bolder and more organized. Burnett explains, "There's been a huge, huge influx of Somalis that have overrun the country, I mean even into Nairobi. They stick together, and they are told by their government that now that there's so many of them there, they really need to take over the country and establish Sharia."

It seems that the Kenyan town of Garissa, right on the border with Somalia, was getting less and less friendly to non-Muslims. "This is a town, that when I hear the name, I know there's danger there," says Burnett. She adds that in the 15 years she's been aware of the changing conditions there, Gospel inroads have been made. "Missionaries have been putting churches there, trying to bring people to Christ for years. They have now become a target of the Muslim extremists."

However, that didn't always sit well with the local population. "When doing any kind of evangelical work, the Muslims have sent their children to stone them." An indigenous ministry leader helped by Christian Aid told Burnett that the most recent attack was more evidence of the hostilities in the region toward Christians. "He said that plans to burn the churches were executed inside the mosque. Their thinking is that this is just totally for the outside world to hear."

Seventeen people were killed July 1 in Garissa as terrorists threw grenades into two churches and opened fire. It appears to be an effort to deepen rifts between Muslims and Christians in Kenya. These same people are also blamed for attacks on secular entertainment venues as well as the kidnapping and murder of aid workers.

Communication with indigenous ministries (supported by Christian Aid Mission) indicates increasing alarm among believers and disruption to Gospel work.

In the wake of the latest incident, one leader wrote:

This is big blow to our ministry vision, and our outreaches among the Muslims in the northern frontiers of Kenya. We are so much concerned at the trend of constant attacks on the churches in Kenya by al Shabaab terror group. I was planning another outreach in that area. So many of them have never been reached with the Gospel.

We are praying and planning to evacuate the wife and her children for some time till the situation improves. Please pray for our security. Any help extended to this family will be appreciated as we move in to assist.

Another sent this message:

Most of our churches in Northern Kenya have closed down due to attacks by the al Shabaab terrorists. The most affected areas are Wajir, Modogashe, Liboi, Garbatulla, Merti, Turbi, parts of Marsabit and some parts of Isiolo where you have spent so much time with the Samburu believers. Most Christians had to evacuate to safer areas. Missionaries and pastors who have been serving there had to relocate.

Now, there's word that Muslim leaders are offering to protect Christians following the attacks. But, says Burnett, Christians are incredulous. "Even if Muslims did offer something like that, no one would accept it because they would believe it to be a threat based on their experience with them in the past, particularly in an area like that where everyone (the Muslim community) is so close knit."

Burnett notes that Christian workers explained why they're so distrustful. "As these churches were being attacked, the Garissa women...(I'm reading directly here) 'after the attacks in Garissa, young men and women were celebrating in the streets.'"

Additionally, reprisal violence could be the spark that sets the tinder box aflame. "The nominal Christians are often the ones that cause so much of the problem. Those who really know the Lord, they understand the risk, and they're willing to bring people to Christ and to risk their lives for that."  

Gospel work continues, but believers are going to have to tread carefully. Burnett says prayer is the best defense. "Everyone, as a believer, needs wisdom and protection. We're always in such danger, whether we know it or not. These men and women and children who are on the forefront of this violence really need to know the Lord's will and that Christ will be seen."

Check our Featured Links section for ways you can help.

Mission base in Nigeria under terrorist attack

Nigeria (MNN) ― "Just as I am writing this evening, a whole village in southern Kaduna is fighting."

Those are the words of a missionary leader in Nigeria affiliated with Christian Aid Mission.

The leader goes on to say, "We have five missionaries there now whose work among local unreached Muslim tribes has been very successful. They are helping to comfort and shelter unprepared villagers who fled in terror as heavily-armed Muslim militants invaded without warning. No police or soldiers have come, and it is doubtful they will."

Due to the influx in violence by terror group Boko Haram, the team wants to move missionaries out of the dangerous area. But there are no funds to do so.

Missionaries in nearby fighting areas have been moved already. They are planning to return soon, but for now they are struggling in a new place with their children and Muslim converts that left with them.

"When the killing began in the main city, Muslims in the small town started intimidating our people," the missionary leader adds. "They told them to leave or be blamed for the killing because we are making their people Christians. The village chief has welcomed and accepted our people, but he was afraid of the militants, so we temporarily retreated the missionaries."

At the same time, there is good news. Many Muslims have come to Christ and are now safe from harm in a discipleship center. But there are unmet needs there, also. The new believers are in need of mosquito nets, school supplies, and medical supplies.

"We are so grateful for the many years of loving prayer and financial support from Christian Aid," the missionary continues. "We are just reeling with unbelief at the horrors our country is experiencing at the hands of these terrorist murderers. We know our Lord will use it all for good." 

Pray for the peace in Nigeria. To help bring missionaries out of harm's way and to provide for the basic needs of new believers, click here, or call 800-977-5650. Click here to learn more about Christian Aid's work around the globe.

Nigeria imposes curfew to stem religious violence

Ministry to Fulani in Nigeria (File footage by Christian Aid Mission)

Nigeria (CAM/MNN) ― Two cities in Northern Nigeria remained under curfew Wednesday after rioting and reprisal killings followed deadly church bombings on Sunday.  

Kaduna and Damaturu were under lock down 24-hours-a-day, while soldiers patrolled the nearly deserted streets.

The Sunday bombings struck three churches in Kaduna State, killing at least 21, presumably all of them Christians. 

Boko Haram claimed the attacks, saying they're fighting for an Islamic state under Sharia law. The extremist group does not recognize the Nigerian government or the constitution. The group is also well-funded and organized. According to Christian Aid Mission, the government is ignoring the threat.

The church bombings are a serious threat to the stability of Nigeria due to the current religious divisions. The danger is that this week's retaliatory attacks will continue, spiraling out of control.

Rae Burnett, Africa director for Christian Aid Mission, says the good news is that missionaries of the indigenous Nigerian ministries they help have not been directly targeted by Boko Haram. However, several supporters have been murdered, and random terrorist shootings have come close, too. Burnett goes on to note that these missionaries have not involved themselves at all in politics, only the Gospel, and they have kept a low profile until now.

Burnett shares a dispatch she just received from a *ministry leaderwho has been her friend since 1996.

Terrorists have struck again. This time we had to evacuate our missionaries from Kandawa fields as Muslim militants discovered the work and threatened them. Right now, we need your prayers as Chris (the overseer of all ministry work in the northern Islamic area) is still trapped in the fields with several missionaries, some with infants.

On Sunday, three churches were bombed in Kaduna and Zaria, killing several people. This led to reprisals and killings all over the place. Yet the government is doing nothing.

More than 65 people are already confirmed dead. A 24 hour curfew has been declared, and we do not know how to reach the converts in the war zone.

Before today, Boko Haram had not done so much damage to us in this part of the country. We are appealing for funds to buy mattresses, blankets, mosquito nets, and food for our converts that are about to move out.

This is urgent. We have dispatched three other staff, but there is no access to the area. Fighting and fighting. Please we need your prayers for Nigeria. I am writing this in the midnight asking for all our friends to pray and help. You can also send support to them. Our staff for the first time are affected in this kind of killing. Help and ask believers to pray and support. We need your support and we need your prayers.

The converts too need prayers. We do hope you will pray for Nigeria now.

We need to relocate quickly. I am currently in Abuja (the capital city) and will go to Kebbi state to rescue our staff as soon as possible, but no going in or out of the area for now. We want to be ready immediately when they can escape with their converts.

We are so grateful for the property Christian Aid enabled us to buy, but we must have resources to build our simple headquarters and a place to help these victims of terrorism.

Thanks for your prayers for Nigeria and others around us.

This indigenous Nigerian ministry has experienced tremendous open doors for the Gospel in Islamic strongholds that have never before been evangelized. However, because of Boko Haram, they have to move their headquarters from an Islamic state where they have been in peace for more than 25 years, to a centralized and neutral place better suited to direct the work.

Christian Aid has provided the land, but $35,000 is needed to provide a simple headquarters building where the leader and staff would also live.

After so many years, the work is well-known and could be targeted at any time. Please pray for these heroes of the faith as they continue to press forward with the Gospel in this time of extraordinary danger.

*The ministry name is not mentioned for security.

Nigerian worshippers attacked

Mission Network News: "Nigeria (MNN) ― Coordinated attacks on Sunday left at least 19 dead in areas where Christian Aid Mission is working.

In both attacks, Christians were targeted while they were attending worship services in Kano and Maiduguri, the capital of Northeast Borno state."

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Bomber targets Christians in Jos, Nigeria

Mission Network News: "Nigeria (MNN) -- Bombers struck again in Jos, Nigeria last Tuesday.

One person was killed and nine others were injured after suspected Islamic extremists attacked a TV viewing center in a Christian area of Jos where a crowd had gathered to watch a soccer game."

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