S e r v i n g t h e P e r s e c u t e d C h u r c h W o r l d w i d e M a y

Transcription

1 SUSTAINING Serving the Persecuted Church Worldwide May 2016

2 Fear Not! The following is an encouraging message from Greg Musselman, VOM Canada s Vice President of Media and Domestic Ministry. Over the years, I ve heard many stories that defy human understanding in my travels to countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith in Jesus. These ordinary people should be terrified and full of fear, but many of them aren t. Why? I ve come to realize that it s their faith in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit that causes them to respond with great courage. One such person is Saratu. Saratu s Story At just 16 years old, and with a gun pointed at her head, Saratu refused to convert to Islam. She was one of the three girls who were left behind when the militant Islamic group, Boko Haram, kidnapped more than 270 girls, most of them Christians from a government secondary school in the town of Chibok, Borno State, located within northeast Nigeria. While some girls managed to escape while being taken to a jihadist camp, more than 200 of them are still missing since the April 2014 abduction. Many of them were forced to convert to Islam and marry their captors. Due to a lack of room on the trucks that transported these young ladies two years ago, Saratu and two others were left behind. The Boko Haram soldiers involved in the abduction asked the two other girls if they were Christians or Muslims. The first girl responded by saying she was a Muslim, which was true. The second girl said the same, even though she was a Christian. Both girls were told to leave immediately or be killed. Unwavering Faith Then it was Saratu s turn. One of the men interrogated her: Today your end has come. Kneel down. Are you a Christian or a Muslim? Surprisingly, the teen boldly answered, Yes, I am a Christian. The angry Boko Haram soldier was persistent. Will you change? he further questioned. To this she responded, I can t change my religion. No, I will not repent. A gun was then placed on her chest, and Saratu was given one more chance to accept Islam, Repent or I will shoot you! Knowing her life was likely over, she repeated, I won t change my religion. The two Boko Haram soldiers were stunned by her refusal to become a Muslim, and they soon began to argue among themselves about what to do with this defiant Christian. One of them 2 VOM Canada May 2016

3 The Voice of the Martyrs P.O. Box 608 Streetsville, ON L5M 2C1 Tel: Toll Free Fax: Internet: Founders: Klaas & Nellie Brobbel with Pastor Richard Wurmbrand Chief Executive Officer: Doug J. McKenzie Director of Communications and Publications: Karyn Marianne Communications Assistant: Merrin Joy Graphic Design: Big Footprints Inc. Special thanks to VOM's international team for contributing to this issue. wanted to kill her, the other didn t. In the midst of the argument, Saratu was told by one of the men, Run, but don t look back or I ll shoot you! Saratu quickly ran into the bush. Fortunately, she had her cell phone hidden in her clothing and was able to call home. Upon hearing the voice of their daughter, the relieved parents advised her to calm down and follow the sounds of people from the search party. At 7 a.m. in the morning, she arrived safely home. Boldness from the Holy Spirit This brave young lady refused to be bound by fear because of her love and commitment to Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit in her life. Following her ordeal, which could have ended with death, Saratu made this bold declaration: I will never forget the goodness of God. Because of the miraculous way I have been delivered, there is joy in my heart. She then concludes by making reference to the kidnapped girls, I am always praying for the others. Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. ~ Isaiah 41:10 NKJV Saratu is an example of what God can do in the midst of life s most difficult challenges and dangers. This teenage girl decided that she was not going to be bound by fear in this extremely dangerous situation but rather had opted to rely on the Lord for strength. What a wonderful example she is to the rest of us who periodically need to be reminded of the fact that we can also rely on Him, no matter what challenges we face in life. The goals of VOMC are expressed in our Ministry Purposes as follows: 1. To encourage and empower Christians to fulfill the Great Commission. 2. To give relief to families of Christian martyrs. 3. To undertake projects of encouragement, helping persecuted Christians rebuild their lives and witness. 4. To equip persecuted Christians to love and lead their enemies (persecutors) to Christ. 5. To promote the fellowship of all Christian believers. 6. To infuse, distribute and exhibit to the Canadian church constituency the faith and testimony of those Christians in the world who are persecuted for Christ. 7. To give voice to those Christians whose cries of pain and proclamation of praise go unheard. Spending of funds is confined to board-approved programs and projects. Each restricted contribution designated towards a board-approved program or project will be used as designated with the understanding that when the need for such a program or project has been met, or cannot be completed for any reason determined by the board, the remaining restricted contributions designated for such program or project will be used where needed most. Gifts from individual donors of $10 and more are acknowledged and receipted with an official receipt for income tax purposes. The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter is the flagship publication of The Voice of the Martyrs in Canada. Published monthly, it is available free of charge and without obligation in one-year subscriptions to anyone in Canada who requests it. Recycle your newsletter: share it with a friend!

4 Aspirations BECOMING A REALITY BY AARON BEST, COORDINATOR OF INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS VOM Canada is partnering with the Education Must Continue Initiative by providing college scholarships for promising students from Nigeria who are overcoming terrorist victimization. By the time you read this, it will have been over 730 days since the kidnapping of 276 teenage girls by the terrorist group, Boko Haram, from their school dormitories in Chibok, Borno State, Nigeria. It was exam week at the Government Girls Secondary School. Many of the girls were still studying when, in the middle of the night on April 14, 2014, a group of armed men stormed in pretending to be soldiers. The students had been instructed to wait for teachers or security personnel in case of an emergency, so they waited. But no one came except the men with guns. About a hundred Boko Haram militants told the girls that if they tried to leave, they would all be killed. Terrified into submission, the girls were rounded up and loaded onto trucks while the men burned the school buildings in their wake. As the trucks drove into the night, some girls debated whether to jump off and risk getting killed or remain captive. The trucks were travelling slowly, possibly because the drivers were themselves unwilling captives. Despite the danger, some of the girls risked The compound of the Government Girls Secondary School where the attack (and the abduction of the schoolgirls) took place. the jump and ran off on the dusty roads whose clouds masked their escape. Still others were taken all the way to the jihadists camp before finding an opportunity to run. In these ways, a little over 50 of them managed to escape. The mass of the tragedy, the faces of the kidnapped, and the heroic accompanying stories lit up the news media and the Internet. The social media hashtag #BringBackOurGirls began trending. Even the United States First Lady, Michelle Obama, was photographed holding a sign bringing attention to the story. Celebrities tweeted and news networks ran the story daily. But then time went on and more atrocities by other Muslim militants stole the headlines. For over 730 long days, mothers and fathers, most of them Christians, have tearfully wondered about the fate of their missing daughters while new Twitter trends have come and gone, and the fate of the 219 girls remaining unaccounted for became the concern of yesteryear. Over a dozen heartbroken parents have 4 VOM Canada May 2016

5 Some members of the Boko Haram terrorist group. since died. Maybe it s time for another hashtag: #BringBackBringBackOurGirls. Since that tragedy, not much has improved, especially for Christians in the north. In fact, it is Boko Haram, and not the dreaded ISIS terrorist group, which currently has a monopoly on being the most deadly in the world. If the reports are true, the January 2015 terror attack in Baga, Borno State, could be the worst since 9/11. It has been reported that as many as 2,000 people were killed in this incident alone. The death toll continues to rise this year. In February, Chibok village, the community of the kidnapped schoolgirls, was attacked again. The cruel irony is that these most recent attacks in Chibok were carried out by female suicide bombers. Just three days before, an attack on Dalori village in northeastern Nigeria resulted in the loss of at least 86 people including children burnt alive and hundreds more seriously injured. The mass of the genocidal attacks in Nigeria are overwhelming, but there is still hope in the midst of the chaos. International human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe has been directly involved in helping the victims of Boko Haram s violence against Nigeria s Christians. By assisting some of the Chibok escapees and other victims of anti-christian violence to become educated, Emmanuel believes the goals of terrorist groups like Boko Haram are being frustrated. With a desire to spread the love of God through education, Emmanuel, along with local victims of Boko Haram, started the Education Must Continue Initiative. In 2014, Emmanuel brought several victims, including 10 of the escaped abductees from the Chibok kidnapping, to the United States for high school. In 2016, when it was time to develop a college program for girls who excelled, VOM Canada has been pleased to offer scholarships to young promising Christian students still recovering from the trauma of the Boko Haram violence. Pictured here with human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe are ten of the escaped Chibok schoolgirls. VOMC is providing college scholarships so the promising students can have a brighter future. One of the girls named Zee was the first to witness men from Boko Haram scale the fence of her family s home. After forcing their way into the home, they executed her father (a pastor) in front of her and her family. One of last memories she recalls of her father was seeing her mother performing CPR on him to no avail. During the attack, Zee herself was shot in the head and had to have surgery to extract the pellet. Since then, her community has faced violence repeatedly. Zee s father had always wanted her to become a doctor. This has become her dream as well. As she is presently attending college in the States, Emmanuel s message to VOM Canada donors is, You are literally fulfilling the dream of a martyred pastor who is no longer here to care for his daughter. Saa, an escapee from the 2014 Chibok kidnapping, is also attending college this year for the first time. At the beginning of the year, she wrote VOM Canada a letter in which she expresses her gratitude: Thank you once again for your generosity. I promise I will work hard to prove worthy of this opportunity you have given me. I am looking forward to the day I am able to help others, just as you have helped me. In the face of the greatest kinds of evil, Zee and Saa are receiving education, discipleship, and a loving home environment. The road ahead isn t easy. There is a lot of trauma to work through. But these young ladies are praising the Lord despite their trials, and they are thanking God and you for the opportunities they ve been given. May 2016 VOM Canada 5

6 The two Nigerian women featured in this testimonial article had been taken captive by Boko Haram terrorists. And although they successfully escaped captivity, it wasn t until experiencing God s unfailing love and forgiveness that they were truly set free. Naomi glanced at her daughter Ruth. She was scared, exhausted and thought they were about to be killed. Convert to Islam or you will die! one of the kidnappers shouted at them. Masked men carrying assault weapons had abducted Naomi and Ruth from their home in the middle of the night. Judging by the brutality of their abductors, Naomi was sure they were members of Boko Haram, the militant Muslim group that has cruelly massacred, maimed and abducted thousands of innocent Nigerians during recent years. In an attempt to take over territory within northern Nigeria, with the purpose of creating a pure Islamic state based on ultra-strict principles, the terrorists have especially targeted Christians in the attacks. However, even moderate Muslims who don t adhere to Boko Haram s militant views are not exempt. For the militants have also waged war against the country s government institutions and any mosques they deem too liberal in comparison. Naomi knew that Christians were being primarily targeted by Boko Haram, as she had heard repeated stories of these terrorists entering Christian villages and killing everyone in sight. Would she and Ruth be next? After being forced to march for hours through the bush until they reached the Boko Haram camp, the men proceeded to rape both women. Now their kidnappers were demanding they convert to Islam. Naomi knew these men were serious about killing them. When she and Ruth were taken captive, she witnessed the horror of others in their village being brutally shot and even decapitated. Fearing for her life and that of her daughter, Naomi told them what they wanted to hear: There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet. Ruth repeated the same words after her. Satisfied, their kidnappers sent them to work with the other women who were serving in the Boko Haram camp. During the militant group s four-year insurgency in Nigeria, hundreds of women have been abducted by 6 VOM Canada May 2016

7 Boko Haram. Some have been sold as slaves to generate income for the group, while others have been kept as wives and servants. Some have been able to return home months after their abduction, often pregnant or having already borne a child. MINISTERING AGENTS The Voice of the Martyrs is ministering to several girls who have managed to escape from Boko Haram captivity. Some of the girls are presently living at a VOM-supported safehouse, while others are being helped through the ministry s several strategically placed offices within northern Nigeria. These girls are receiving vocational training, counselling and other assistance as they work through the trauma and stigma of terrorism abuse. When the girls return to their communities, it is often difficult for them to settle with a spouse and receive the economic stability that accompanies marriage. Therefore, VOM s in-country partners work closely with local churches to provide them further emotional support and spiritual encouragement. Thankfully, Naomi and Ruth didn t have to wait months for their living nightmare to end. After about two weeks, some of the Boko Haram wives helped them to escape the camp. Although the mother and daughter did successfully get away, they felt enormously ashamed. The freed women had regrettably denied Christ, and weren t sure if they could ever forgive themselves or if Jesus would forgive them. GOD-INSPIRED MISSION Several months after Naomi and Ruth had escaped, VOM s Nigerian ministry partners asked them to share their story with three visiting mission workers Simon, Ray and Denise. When we walked into the room, they didn t look at us, Ray reports, recognizing their brokenness and shame. They kept their eyes down. After their escape from Boko Haram captivity, this mother and daughter are being compassionately ministered to in this symbolic manner by one of our VOMC ministry partners. The three visitors were briefed in advance of the meeting as to what had happened to Naomi and Ruth. Wanting to serve and honour these two women who had suffered so terribly, Denise asked them if she could wash their feet. Naomi and Ruth were surprised by the kindness of the visitor s gesture. In their stratified society, these Nigerian women considered themselves to be lower in rank and, therefore, would have typically served their foreign visitors. Yet, here was this visiting Christian woman someone they had just met humbly sitting at their feet and serving them pouring soothing warm water over their weary calloused soles. The compassionate gesture seemed to open the floodgates of their repressed emotions. The women tearfully poured out their inner souls, expressing all that had happened to them. They admitted to not feeling worthy of forgiveness for denying Christ and converting to Islam, expressing their agonizing struggle over whether Jesus could ever accept them again. Denise and Simon then reminded the distraught women about the story of the disciple Peter, who was forgiven after denying Christ in the high priest s courtyard during Jesus interrogation by Caiphas. It was an unforgettable time of ministry and fellowship, Simon acknowledges. We were able to minister to them and reassure them of the Lord s forgiveness. Naomi and Ruth wept as they prayed with the visiting VOM mission workers, realizing that the question they were asking themselves had already been answered. They were indeed forgiven by the Risen Saviour who well knows the frailty of humanity and their sincerely repentant hearts. In fact, because His love is so great, He also offers them needed healing from the painful ordeal of their captivity. Having been meaningfully reassured of God s unfailing love and forgiveness, these Nigerian women are grateful that they are now well on their way to wholeness and true freedom. May 2016 VOM Canada 7

8 Expressing the Joy Strength-Imparting Joy Prior to the raid, Danjuma was a typical Nigerian boy. He lived with his widowed mother and enjoyed playing with friends. He often went on fishing trips with fishermen from his village. It was after one of these trips that the attack occurred. While the attackers stole so much from Danjuma, they didn t succeed at taking away his joy. It is very evident on his face and in his voice. The joy comes from the Lord, he acknowledges. Danjuma continues by explaining that his relaof the Lord! Thankfully Danjuma s grave is still empty. Villagers had dug the 13-year-old boy s final resting place after he was critically wounded during a January 2015 attack on their Nigerian village. When they found his mangled, lifeless body covered in blood, they fully expected him to die. But God had other plans. Several months after the attack, Danjuma s face is still marked by horrendous scars where his right eye was carved out and yet, despite having experienced such a traumatic event, he greets our VOM team with a beaming smile. The young teen s memories of the sudden attack, which took place at about 6 a.m. that fateful day, begin with the recollection of loud gunshots breaking the peaceful silence of early dawn. He then remembers how, while running for his life, he was confronted by some of the thousand Islamic insurgents who mercilessly attacked his Christian village burning homes and killing villagers who didn t manage to escape. Although his memories of the attack are incomplete, one thing he ll never forget is the pain caused by a machete slicing through the left side of his head. By God s grace, he doesn t recall the rest of the attack. Overcoming Inhumane Brutality Fortunately, Danjuma has no recollection of the attackers hacking at his left arm with a machete, nor any memory of them cutting his right eye and genitals. This child is among the thousands of Nigerians who have been brutalized in violent riots, bombings and village raids since 1999, the year Islamic militants began their campaign to establish an Islamic territory in the north. The insurgency escalated in 2009 with the rise of the Boko Haram extremist group. In spite of all he has suffered, Danjuma s faith is strong. He is certain that God is still in control. The teen also has no anger toward his attackers. There is no problem, he says peaceably. I have allowed God to handle everything. Danjuma not only forgives his attackers but almost pities them for the sad condition of their hearts. I forgive them because they don t know what they are doing, he adds, echoing the words of Christ. If they had love, they wouldn t behave that way. Following this particular attack, which had left 23 villagers dead and 38 injured, survivors began to dig graves for those killed. Villagers had walked past Danjuma s body, assuming he was dead. But later they heard him crying and shouting. He had somehow regained consciousness. So they immediately transported him and others suffering serious wounds to the nearest city about 15 miles away for medical treatment. They couldn t believe that the boy would come back alive after all of this, says Hadila, a manager at the hospital where Danjuma was treated. He bled so much. It is a miracle. That s why he calls himself Miracle. 8 VOM Canada May 2016

9 Danjuma, pictured here with his mother, is a vibrant testimony of the Lord s special ministry (through you) in the lives of many maimed victims of persecution. tionship with God has only grown stronger since the attack. He still prays regularly and seeks God s guidance. God continues to guide and protect, he adds. Danjuma s life is much different now. A catheter extends from his lower abdomen, draining urine into a bag that he must carry with him wherever he goes. He is fully dependent on God, his mother, and the care of others around him. The VOM ministry team wants to ensure that Danjuma is helped as much as possible by contributing to the medical costs and assisting his mother with his care. Danjuma asks VOM supporters to pray that his faith will continue to grow: Pray for me for my [broken heart] and that I have strength to serve the Lord. Danjuma hopes that everyone reading his story will realize that Christ can get them through any trial. If they find themselves in such a situation, they should embrace God, he says still smiling. The God who created us knows everything about us. So let s be faithful and let s be kind. Embrace God, and accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour and Lord. As Danjuma personally attests, the joy of the Lord is sustaining him providing the strength he needs to live each new day to the fullest. INCREASE IN VIOLENCE INCREASE OF AID Since the uprising of Boko Haram s war against Christianity in recent years, thousands of Nigerians have been killed, hundreds kidnapped, and numerous others seriously injured. In a previous issue, we featured the testimony of Naya and her sister who were kidnapped from their home by members of the militant group. They spent 22 days in captivity before escaping. Naya says of their ordeal, We did what they told us because we were worried we would be flogged. Thankfully, the girls are now living in another city and receiving help from VOM s in-country ministry partners. Violence against Christians in northern Nigeria has increased exponentially. And since the violence has increased, so has VOM s response. Our medical workers have been especially busy identifying victims, assessing their needs, and helping them to obtain the medical care they so desperately need. Thank you for joining us in this crucial work through your compassionate response.

10 KENYA: Standing with Families of Martyrs Just as 61-year-old Elizabeth Odipo rushed the last of her five grandchildren from her burning home, the roof collapsed. The flames consumed everything she owned her bed, kitchen utensils and clothing. I have nothing, except a Bible, she says of the extensive fire damage that took place. I lost everything I had, but I m grateful I have life. Elizabeth was one of the estimated 3,000 people who fled the attacks that night during a raid on the village of Hindi, which is located in Lamu County, Kenya. The July 2014 attacks left 13 men and a teenage boy dead. That same night, Elizabeth watched in horror as the church where she taught Sunday school had burned to the ground. The fires were set by young Muslim men believed to be members of al-shabab, a militant group from the neighbouring country of Somalia. They wanted me to change my faith from Christianity to Islam, but I couldn t, she adds. Since the fire, this grandmother has been praying for inner peace. However, along with other victims who have survived the attacks, Elizabeth admits that she s struggling. If you have a little money, you rent. If you don t have any, you sleep here today; tomorrow you sleep there. You become like a butterfly, she says. We just stay waiting for our Almighty God to remember us. While Elizabeth waits on God s provision, she prays for those who tried to destroy her life: Islam has a different god because the Bible says, Don t kill. So I feel like [asking] the Lord to remember them to change them. Although tragic, Elizabeth s story is not uncommon. A growing number of Christians in various parts of Africa are facing severe persecution. With your help, VOM is meeting the needs of our African brothers and sisters in Christ as they live out their faith in circumstances most of us can t even imagine. Through VOM s Families of Martyrs fund, you can provide assistance to Elizabeth and numerous other survivors of terrorism whose lives have been terribly affected by the horrific attacks perpetrated against them by the opposing militants. This fund makes it possible for them to receive food, shelter, mattresses, blankets, mosquito nets, and other important necessities. Will you join us in Elizabeth, pictured here with her five grandchildren, rewriting the stories of is very thankful they survived the attack. these persecuted family members across the globe, giving them the opportunity to testify of God s provision and express their gratitude for how He is using you in response to their prayers? Editor's Note: Anna, the widowed woman featured on this month s front cover, is another Christian who fled the attacks in the village of Hindi. Unfortunately, Anna s husband was beheaded during the attack. 10 VOM Canada May 2016

11 Closer to the Fire Lessons from the Persecuted Church $11 In this compelling VOMC book, Closer to the Fire: Lessons of the Persecuted Church, Greg Musselman takes readers on an unforgettable journey across the globe. While visiting different countries along the way, he introduces individual Christians whose stories of faithfulness amid persecution have greatly impacted his life. As you read the real-life stories of these tried-and-true heroes of the faith, who ve stood strong in the face of opposition for the sake of the Gospel, your own resolve to follow Christ will be greatly strengthened. (Paperback, 146 pages) Reaching Toward the Heights Daily Meditations on God s Word and His Love $10 Reaching Toward the Heights: Daily Meditations on God s Word and His Love features the insightful teachings of Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, the originating founder of The Voice of the Martyrs international ministry. In this 365-day devotional, Pastor Wurmbrand draws from his own personal experiences in prison, as well as the testimonies of other persecuted Christians, to encourage us all in our relationship with the Lord. By looking upward toward the heavens for our daily sustenance, we can be assured of God s ongoing presence, guidance, strength and love elevating us to greater heights spiritually! (Paperback, 383 pages) For more helpful resources, please check our online catalogue at:

12 The Voice of the Martyrs Canada Presents... Register Today! Olympic Faith June 3-5, 2016 Women s Ministry Retreat Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV) Registration Early Bird Special (deadline is May 2 nd ) $130 Registration Cost $150 Scan to register! Ingrid Hajen Women s Ministry Coordinator Vanessa Brobbel Special Events Coordinator Training women for the foot race of overcoming hurdles and standing boldly for their faith in Canada... while partnering and connecting internationally to provide a fourday retreat for female ministry workers, wives of persecuted pastors, widows of martyrs, and other women facing persecution in Sri Lanka. Location: Providence Theological Seminary 10 College Crescent Otterburne, MB R0A 1G0 Jo Phillips Executive Assistant Any offerings collected at this event will support the Women s Camp (in Sri Lanka) events@vomcanada.org