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Recap: “Night with the Persecuted Church” BC Tour

By Gary Stagg, Director of Open Doors Canada

On the weekend of June 8-11 I, along with a couple of colleagues from Open Doors Canada, flew to British Columbia on our Night with the Persecuted Church tour. During our four days in BC, we visited five churches. 

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, we presented Night with the Persecuted Church. Sharing stories from believers experiencing high levels of persecution and statistics from our World Watch Research, Night with the Persecuted Church helps connect believers to their persecuted family. It is intended to inform believers in Canada about the current realities of Christians around the world who are boldly following Christ in places where faith costs the most, so they can pray for them. 

On Sunday, we were able to speak in services at two churches, sharing about the work we do and how Canadians can get involved in supporting persecuted believers. 

I appreciate trips like these because it allows us an opportunity to connect with so many of our dear supporters who we rarely get to see in person. Some of whom travelled a long way to come see us. A few of the faces we saw over the weekend attend our monthly prayer meetings on Zoom, so it was great to be with them in person!  

We also had a great time making new friends. So many people came to chat with us after the services, asking questions and looking for ways to become more involved in supporting the persecuted church. We were so moved by the response! 

I was especially grateful to have time during these services to pray collectively for our persecuted brothers and sisters. Time and time again when we ask our persecuted family what we can do for them, they answer one thing: pray. 

This is the reason we do a tour like this, so that we can connect with believers across Canada and pray together and provide them with resources so that they can continue to pray. 

I want to thank the churches that invited us and were such gracious hosts; Evangel Church in Kelowna, Living Waters Church in Langley, New Westminster CRC in Burnaby, Richmond Pentecostal Church and Emmanuel Christian Community in Richmond. We are blessed to have friends like you! 

In September we are off to Alberta and look forward to connecting with believers in churches there! 

To learn more about Night with the Persecuted Church click here. If you’d like Open Doors Canada to come speak at your church visit us here. 

-Gary 

Allied Democratic Forces: Five things to know about the Terrorist Group

On Friday June 16, members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), attacked a school in the Kasese district, western Uganda killing at least 40 people, mainly children. In the late hours of Friday evening at least five ADF militants attacked Lhubiriha Secondary School at the Nyabugando Parish in Mpondwe. Our field sources share that at least 42 people, mainly boys from the school, count among the deceased; several girls abducted; and others critically injured.

The ADF have been active in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo for decades. Here are five things to know about the group.

1.The group originated in DRC but has Ugandan roots

“The ADF formed in eastern DRC in 1995 through an agreement between portions of Uganda’s Tabliq Islamic sect and the National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (NALU) to fight the Ugandan government of President Yoweri Museveni. The ADF received early training and logistical support from the Sudanese government and translated these capabilities into violent attacks beginning in 1996,” explains Jared Thompson of the CSIS.

2. Now mostly active in the North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Finding refuge in the Ruwenzori mountains of Democratic Republic of Congo, close to the Ugandan border since 1996, the government, with the help of a UN force have failed to secure the area. The size of the group ebbs and flows, and nobody seems to know exactly how many fighters they have. But despite the capture of their leader in April 2015, they continued to show surprising strength. “The ADF’s ability to merge with civilian communities allows them to lie low when necessary, and to re-emerge when conditions are more favourable,” said Michael Mutyaba, a Ugandan researcher and political analyst. “This explains why it’s proving resilient.”

3. The group’s leadership has an Islamic expansionist agenda

The ADF’s ideology has historically contained some Salafi-jihadist elements. And while the Islamic agenda has been debated by many, the group pledged allegiance to ISIL in 2019, and in 2021 the USA declared it an international terrorist organization.

4. The effects of their violence have been ferocious

In the 2023 Global Terrorism Report, DRC ranked 7th on the global list of hotspots for terrorism. According to a UN situation report published earlier in Jun, at least 2.3 million people have been displaced in North Kivu alone. Earlier this year, UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch commented, “It seems that since the beginning of the year they have gone on a rampage in terms of raiding villages, killing civilians, kidnapping people, leaving people injured behind and the consequences are really, really clear on the desperate population who have to flee, in cases many times from each location to another.”

He said women and children constitute the majority of those fleeing their homes. The men, he said, stay behind to protect their property. Baloch notes displaced people are living in dire conditions without shelter, food, water or health care. “In the context of Ebola and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the lack of access to toilets, clean water or soap and menstrual hygiene products is particularly of concern,” Baloch said. “In addition, families do not have enough essential items like blankets, sleeping mats or cooking materials.”

5. Christians count among the most severely affected 

Increasing Islamic extremism is among the more significant trends in persecution over the last few years.

The DRC is number 37 on the 2023 World Watch List and was the 8th most violent place. The DRC is home to an important Christian pocket in Africa, who has now been under attack for two and a half decades. It is estimated that that at least 300 people have been killed in ADF attacks in North Kivu province of the DRC alone since the beginning of the year, most of them Christians. On Jan 15 a bomb was planted at a CECA church in Kasindi in North Kivu. In October last year a Catholic mission hospital was also attacked and a nun killed along with six others.

Praying for ADF

Brother Andrew, founder of Open Doors, often made a point of praying not only for the persecuted but for the persecutor. Jesus said to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you – maybe we should take that seriously. 

Will you pray today for the members of the Allied Democratic Forces? Pray that each individual will somehow encounter the life-changing love of Jesus, and that their attacks will cease and that eventually the organization would crumble. 

Pray also for their victims – specifically those in the attack on a Ugandan school on June 16. Pray for healing for the injured, freedom for the captives, and comfort for those who lost loved ones. 

 

Family of Five Arrested in North Korea

Five North Korean Christians have been arrested and charged with “promoting an underground prayer service”.

The five family members met early Sunday morning, 30 April, to pray together at a farm in Tongam village, central South Pyongan province, when police raided their meeting. They were taken by the authorities, as well as Christian literature found in their possession, reported Radio Free Asia after the news broke last week.

Sources told the broadcaster that the small group had been meeting weekly and that the arrest followed a tip-off by an informant.  

North Korea is the most difficult country to live in as a Christian. Christians in the country are actively targeted for their faith.

When caught meeting with others or having a Bible, they are severely punished and their families as well. They can expect deportation to a labour camp or being killed immediately.

It is not clear where the five are being held, but they reportedly have refused to renounce their faith. “A staff member of the judicial agency told us that the [believers] refused to tell where they got their Bibles and said, ‘All for Jesus, even in death,’” a source told RFA.

“This case is only one of the many religious freedom violations happening in North Korea,” says Simon Lee, OD coordinator for North Korea whose real name is withheld for security reasons. “As Open Doors we are aware of many similar incidents that have taken place all over the country in recent years. We do, however, not publish any details as they might put the local Christians in danger. But what is clear is that continuous prayer and attention for the plight of North Korea’s secret believers should never stop,” Lee said. 

Earlier this month a US Government report referenced a report by human rights organisation Korea Future, describing how a Christian family, including a two-year-old child, was arrested in 2009 for practicing their faith and possessing a Bible. They were reportedly all sentenced to life in a prison camp.

A monument to the North Korean leaders.

Be in prayer

Please be praying for this dear family, and for all North Koreans who are in captivity because of their faith. 

June 25th is One With Them Sunday – a day that Open Doors sets aside to pray for Christian Captives around the world. Will you commit to praying for them too? 

You can take the One With Them prayer pledge and add your name to Christians across Canada praying for our brothers and sisters who are held captive for their faith. As a thank you, we’ll send you a free One With Them prayer guide – five days of scripture readings, stories, and prayer points from around the world. 

Pledge to pray for christian captives

Militant Atheist meets Jesus in Nicaragua

Former militant atheist meets Jesus in Nicaragua

The mark on Pastor Dario’s house is more than just paint. It’s a symbol of transformation—both life and heart change. In Nicaragua, where the church is under intense scrutiny, the mark is also a beacon for brutal and persistent persecution. Pastor Dario* and his family know this too well.
The painted symbol identifies the church leader as a member of the opposition to the Nicaraguan government led by President Daniel Ortega. Dario’s family receives daily threats, and armed police officers, as well as various paramilitary groups, maintain constant surveillance on his home.

A former life

But Pastor Dario wasn’t always seen as an opponent to Ortega’s government. At one time, he was part of the group that now targets him.

Like many young people at the time, Dario proudly joined the 1979 revolution to fight against the Somoza family dictatorship that brutally ruled the country for 42 years. He was only 14 when he was recruited into the Sandinista Liberation Front. Back then, he declared himself an atheist and quickly rose through the ranks of the rebel movement, as the guerilla group fought for 11 years before finally overthrowing the Somoza regime.

But God had other plans.

A new beginning

Still working in the Sandinista movement, Dario met and married his wife. But it wasn’t long before the couple started having problems.

Ironically, their conflict would be the beginning of the next part of Dario’s life. Looking for help for herself and her marriage, his wife met Jesus. But her conversion didn’t sway her husband.
“From the moment my wife met Jesus, I did not want to go to church or know anything about Him,” he remembers. “I pressured her to leave Christianity.”
Still, she stood firm and continued growing in her newfound faith while Dario stood staunch in his beliefs.

So, what happened five years later surprised everyone. Dario began attending church services with his wife. In the beginning, he says he went to keep an eye on her. “I started going with her to see if she was in church for some other man,” he says. “Every time I went, my intention was to make her jealous and bother her.” But God used that time to work in Dario, and eventually his heart changed. He joined his wife in following Jesus. 

Despite persecution in Nigeria, pastors like Dario (not pictured here) are remaining faithful.

A church under siege

During the dead 2018 mass protests against President Ortega’s government, Pastor Dario felt God was asking him to pray for his city. So he took his Bible and a group of fellow Christians and went to the streets, publicly and boldly praying for protestors and anyone wounded in the protests. He believed his mission as a pastor was to pray and bring hope to the country.

Dario’s three children, all university students at the time, expressed a desire to join the demonstrations. Although Dario knew the very real risks of protesting against the violent group he was once a part of, he agreed with his children that they had the right to raise their voices.

“I don’t like injustice,” Pastor Dario says.
As expected, Dario’s and his family’s actions didn’t go unnoticed by Ortega’s suspicious regime. He was accused of inciting violence and labeled an enemy of the government. The protests were the start of the ongoing feud between the church and the government.

Pastor Dario is one of numerous church leaders the government has targeted. Authorities cracked down on the church, imposing a ban on religious processions in the street, preventing church leaders from holding services or masses and summoning them for regular questioning.

Currently in Nicaragua, the church remains under siege. President Ortega, who has been in power since 2007, has declared war on anyone opposing his government, including clergy members and other religious leaders who dare to speak up and criticize him.

Today, clergy members, pastors, missionaries, parishioners and entire congregations live in fear of harassment and persecution. The surveillance continues. As a result, many feel that professing their faith openly is becoming increasingly dangerous.

Despite the pressure and the mark on his house, Dario continues the work and mission he was called to years ago as he and his wife lead the church.

“We are dedicated to pastoring, however we are aware that we are in the crosshairs of my former Sandinista companions,” Dario explains. “They sometimes go to the church to listen to my sermon to see what I’m preaching.” He remembers how on one occasion he prayed for a police officer.

“She accepted the Lord and converted,” he says. “We never saw her again, but this drives me to continue [our ministry]. We are clinging to God and devote much time to prayer and evangelism. We believe prayer has helped us endure this persecution.”

Petition for Nigerian Captives Delivered in Parliament

Our Nigerian Captives Petition was presented at the House of Commons!

Thank you for your support of our Petition for Nigerian Captives. We are so thankful to all who signed it, shared it with others, and committed it to prayer.

We collected 1336 signatures!

On Tuesday, October 11th, 2022, we were able to deliver the petition to Member of Parliament, Hon. John McKay, and we are pleased to report now that on April 27th, he presented it to our parliamentarians at the House of Commons.

We are thankful to the Canadian government for listening to our call for action for captives in Nigeria asking them to encourage Nigerian officials to ask after these captives and keep their families informed as to the status of the situation.

Leah Sharibu was on 13 when she was taken captive from her secondary school along with 109 others on February 19, 2018. She has spent the last four years as a captive by ISWAP, a splinter group of Boko Haram. She is the only one who has not been released because she as refused to renounced Christ. Alice Ngaddah, a mother of two, was working as a nurse with the United Nations when she was taken on March 1, 2018. ISWAP has declared the intent to keep both women as captives for life.

April 14, 2022, marked 8 years since Boko Haram stormed the Chibok Girls’ State Secondary School. Posing as government security forces, they escorted 230 girls onto trucks and took them away. Today, around 111 of those girls remain unaccounted for.

Their families, and families of others taken captive, often wait for years without hearing any news as to the fate of their loved ones.

We hope this will serve as an encouragement to the families of Leah, Alice and the Chibok Girls who remain in captivity, as they see believers in Canada are concerned about them, are speaking out for them and remembering them in prayer.

The Hon. John McKay (left) with Open Doors Canada Executive Director Gary Stagg.

We continue to hope for the release of Alice, Leah and the Chibok girls.

Thank you once again for using your voice to advocate for Nigerian captives! You are making an impact!

Have you prayed for Kim Jong Un today?

One radical way to support Christians where faith costs the most.

Brother Andrew, better known as “God’s Smuggler” and the founder of Open Doors, was known for arranging meetings with people the world regards as terrorists and enemies. Just because someone violently attacked the people of God or led violent campaigns didn’t mean Brother Andrew didn’t want to share the gospel with him—in fact, it made him want to share the love of Jesus even more!

From guerrillas in Latin America to brutal militia leaders in Africa to the heads of terrorist organizations in the Middle East and the Gulf, Andrew insisted on meeting with them. He would tell them about Jesus, give them a Bible and pray for them. As he was fond of saying: “Better a Bible than a bomb.”
The one person he really wanted to meet but was never able to was Osama bin Laden, the notorious leader of Islamic extremist group Al Qaeda. However, Andrew prayed for him every day—and challenged others to do the same with a simple question: “Have you prayed today for Osama Bin Laden?”

Though bin Laden was killed in 2011, and Brother Andrew passed away in 2022, this question should still challenge us to pray for those whom we call our enemies. After all, it echoes Jesus’ command in Matthew 5:44: “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Brother Andrew chats with a guerilla in El Salvador, 1980s.
Throughout his life, Brother Andrew made a point of showing Jesus’ love to everyone – even those who might be considered “enemies”.

If we were to take that command and Brother Andrew’s question seriously, who would we pray for today?

How about Kim Jong Un, the brutal leader of North Korea, ranked No. 1 on the 2023 World Watch List? 

Kim Jong Un is the third ruler of North Korea who has come from the Kim dynasty. His father Kim Jong-Il, led North Korea from 1994 to 2011. And Kim Jong Un’s grandfather, Kim Il Sung, founded the modern North Korea in 1948—and built a cult of personality around the Kim family during his nearly 60-year rule.

But it might surprise you to learn that this part of the Korean peninsula hasn’t always been known for brutality toward Christians. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Christianity flourished—in the first half of the 20th century, it was even called the “Jerusalem of the East.”

After World War II, Korea was split into two: the north was occupied by the Soviet Union, and the south was occupied by the Western Allies. Eventually, this led to the creation of the two-nation peninsula that continues: a communist North, ruled by the Kim family; and a democratic South that is allied with much of the West.

Since then, North Korea has seen brutal persecution of Christians, including imprisonment in labour camps, and even execution. 

So how should we pray? 

Our experts in the region who work with North Koreans through our secret networks in China have spent time considering this question. And they’ve given us six ways we can pray for Kim Jong Un, right now. 

1. Pray for the heart, mind and soul of Kim Jong-Un. It is rare for the most severe persecutors to become believers, but it happens. Pray that Jong-Un will finally see the truth.

2. Pray for Kim’s family, his wife, his three children, and his brother and sisters. Pray they will turn from their ways and rely on God for their salvation. Also pray for their protection. Pray against the indoctrination of Kim’s children. Pray that God will protect their minds, hearts and souls.

3. Pray that North Korea will soon abandon its evil policies. Pray for protection of the Christians and other citizens of North Korea.

4. Pray that North Korea’s elite will be saved and/or that they have to step down from their positions. Change often occurs from the top down.

5. Pray for the prayer movement inside and outside of North Korea. Pray that God’s Spirit will motivate and give strength to North Korean Christians, so that they can pray for their government and their country. Pray for healing.

6. Also pray that God will inspire millions of Jesus followers around the world to pray for Kim Jong-Un, his family and his regime.

Brother Andrew said, “Our prayers can go where we cannot…there are no borders, no prison walls, no doors that are closed to us when we pray.” If we as Christians truly believe this, then what choice do we have than to fall to our knees, praying for Kim Jong Un and for the country of North Korea?

Will you join us in this radical act?

Pastor Killed in Burkina Faso

On May 25 seven people were killed, including a local pastor when jihadists attacked Molokadou village in northern Burkina Faso.

The village came under attack at around 4pm. One local church leader was able to share with Open Doors partners that “The terrorists encircled the village, shooting in the air to create panic. Then, they entered a compound where they killed two people. A third person who was there fled and got to the pastor’s compound. The jihadists followed him to the church leader’s compound… with no response, they went in and shot the young man and pastor dead, in front of his wife.”

Pastor Jonas Yaro (39) served the Apostolic Church in the village for eight years and leaves behind a wife and three children.

Molokadou village is situated about 60km from Bobo Dioulassou, along the Bobo-Dedougou Road.

Besides Pastor Yaro, one other victim has been confirmed as a Christian. The identities of the others are still unclear.
Update on Burkina Faso

The insurgency in Burkina Faso has continued unabated. The insecurity has also led to two coups resulting from the governments’ failure to deal with the insurgency. On May 15, 2023, jihadists attacked the village of Silmidougou, also situated in northern Burkina Faso, and killed three Christians, including Pastor Antoine Kouma Ouedraogo of the Assemblies of God Church in Silmidougou.

Open Doors partners were able to visit Pastor Yaro’s wife to pray for her.

The growing insecurity has emptied many villages in the north and caused mass displacement. According to the National Council for Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation (CONASUR) in Burkina Faso, the number of Internally Displaced People have surpassed 2 million in the last two months.

​​​ What is Open Doors doing?

Open Doors started working in Burkina Faso in 2019 as jihadist violence increased radically. Our vision is to see the Church become increasingly able to respond biblically to persecution by spiritually empowering her members, and caring for the most affected through training, relief efforts, and spiritual and trauma care.

The Open Doors Arise Africa campaign is a call for the global Church to be aware of what is happening in Burkina Faso and other Sahel countries. The aim is “to see that the global community acknowledges and acts against the extreme violence and supports the church to persevere through severe persecution and be resilient, resourceful, and influential”. We’ve started this first year with a focus on Christian youth in the Greater Sahel region (Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Cameroon, and neighboring countries) to launch urgent interventions to bring hope through integrated care.

Violence rising in Manipur, India

Our local partners in India have brought us an urgent prayer need from Manipur, a state in northeastern India. At least 17 Christians have been killed, and more than 100 churches have been burned down, according to our partners. Additionally, more than 300 houses, Christian organizations and pastoral homes were also burned down. In total, at least 62 people have been killed, and more than 35,000 people have been displaced.

The violence has stemmed from the conflict between several ethnic groups who live in Manipur. The ethnic group with the biggest population, the Meitei, are mostly Hindu. One of the other groups, the Kuki tribe, are majority Christian. Their primary disagreements are about who qualifies for preferential treatment from the government, which is usually reserved for less prosperous groups like the Kuki. The Kuki held a rally on May 3 to protest changes to these policies—and they were attacked violently.

These protests and disagreements turned violent at the beginning of May. Some Kuki protestors burned vehicles and buildings, and extremists from the Hindu Meitei responded by burning down entire Kuki villages, including churches. One Open Doors local partner says: “No social media or news channel is reporting the persecution that the Christians are facing. The situation is gruesome … [Christians] have lost their churches, houses and belongings.”

India ranks No. 11 on Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List. In recent years there has been a big increase in Hindutva, an ideology that believes only Hindus are true Indians, and that Christians, Muslims and other religious minorities have “foreign” roots and must be expelled. Hindu extremists seem able to attack others with impunity, even using extreme violence in some parts of the country.

Our Open Doors local partners have asked Christians around the world to speak out about what’s happening—and to pray. “People are living in fear and are skeptical of what the next hour holds,” Neha says. “We need your help in raising a voice against the injustice and atrocities faced by the Christians.”

Pray

Here is how you can pray.

Please pray for the situation to calm down; there are several Open Doors partners and persecuted believers from Myanmar and India living in and around the affected areas.

Pray for the tribal Christian refugees who are taking shelter in the refugee camps as their houses are burned and destroyed.

Pray for the Christian families whose members have been killed in the violence.

Pray for the peace in the affected areas as the clashes turn into religious persecution.

Ask God that His people would be instruments of His peace.

Two Iranian Christians freed from prison!

An Iranian Christian couple who were serving prison time for being part of a house church were acquitted this week by an Iranian appeal court.

Homayoun Zhaveh, 64, and his wife Sara Ahmadi, 45, walked out of Tehran’s Evin prison on May 9 after the Court of Appeal ruled that there was nothing criminal about their meetings with fellow Christians and having Christian literature in their home [Article18].

In November 2020, a court sentenced Homayoun and Sara to two and eleven years in prison, respectively, for being part of and leading a house church.
On appeal, one month later, Sara’s prison sentence was reduced to eight years as the court upheld the maximum sentence that she received for one of the charges. The sentencing was particularly difficult as Homayoun suffers from advanced Parkinson’s disease.

The judges of the 34th branch of the Tehran’s court of Appeal, however, did not find them guilty of any of the charges. This includes the charge of acting against the country’s security, something the Iranian regime has used before to target religious minorities.
“The reports by the officers of the Ministry of Intelligence about organisation of home-groups to promote Christianity, membership, and participation in home-groups, are not considered as acts against the country’s security, and the law has not recognised them as criminal activity,” the judges said in the ruling.

While this was a joyful day, “no one should be subjected to the torture they have endured,” said Article18’s Advocacy Director Mansour Borji in a response to the verdict.

He said he was grateful for the few judges who acknowledged the rights of Christians but pointed out how “[t]his latest verdict demonstrates yet again the arbitrary nature of the ruling that has sent a considerable number of Christians to prison, many of them suffering from the effects of their trauma years later”.

Leah Sharibu turns 20 while in captivity

On the day her life changed forever, Leah Sharibu was 14. She was at her school, Government Girls Science Technical College in Dapchi, Nigeria. Life was full optimism.

But on the evening of February 18, 2018, those dreams ended when militants attacked the school. More than 100 students were taken into captivity. A month later, to the relief of many grieving parents, most of the students were released through backchannel efforts.

Except Leah.

That morning as the girls loaded up in trucks to return home, Leah stayed behind. Her captors knew she was a Christian, and told her to renounce that identity. She refused. “I am a Christian,” she said. And so she remained in captivity.

On May 14, Leah will turn 20 — marking 1,911 days since she was taken. For her mother and father, the heartache continues each day. Sadly, the widespread support and campaigning for Leah’s release has gradually waned since the story became international news five years ago.

Nathan and Rebecca Sharibu still live in Dapchi, waiting for Leah to return. Earlier this year, Open Doors workers had the opportunity to visit Rebecca and Nathan to encourage them, pray with the family and to let them know that Open Doors supporters continue to pray for Leah and their family.

“Who is a Christian?”

Rebecca still recalls the events of the day the rest of the girls were freed: “When all the parents ran to the school to see their daughters, I was told Leah is not among them. Leah was not returned. I asked the girls that came back, ‘How come Leah is not back?’ “The girls told me, ‘We all gathered, and they asked us who is a Christian? Leah raised her hands, but we rebuked her and said that we are all Muslims.’ But she refused.”

The girls told Rebecca that after her declaration of faith, Leah was crying. “We were all crying as they put us in the van and left,” one of Leah’s classmates said.

Two months later, ISWAP released a proof of life video in which Leah begged for the government’s help and asked the public to “help my mother, father, my younger brother and relatives.” Two weeks later, the militant group warned they would kill Leah, 15 at the time, if their demands were not met. After the deadline, ISWAP released another video saying that Leah would be their “slave for life.”

Rebecca has yet to see or hear from her daughter personally. “Only the video released some days after their abduction, that was the first and last time I saw her face and heard her voice,” she says.
“Nothing is too big for God.”

Despite everything that has happened — knowing that her daughter would be with her right now if Leah had renounced her faith — Rebecca says she is proud.

“I am thankful to Leah for the decision she took,” Rebecca says, still visibly traumatized. “Her strong faith makes me feel very happy.”

The Sharibus’ faith in God is unwavering—a true testimony of what faithfulness looks like. They continue to pray for their daughter’s return. “We are praying for her; nothing is too big for God to do. I know one day she will come back,” she says resolutely.

But don’t mistake strength for happiness. Walking the path of suffering carries with it immeasurable pain. “Honestly, we are not happy…” Rebecca admits. “We are just managing our lives here.”

Yet she doesn’t live in despair. Instead, her suffering has brought her renewed perspective that often only comes through crisis and dependence: “God has been our source of strength in everything we are doing,” she says. “Looking at my walk with God, I can say this is the time I became closer to Him.” Like so many persecuted believers trying to navigate the loss of a family member, Rebecca turns to her community and God’s Word for support: “Joining the women’s fellowship church, I have been really encouraged and strengthened,” she shares. “Staying alone at home will not strengthen or encourage me.”

Rebecca Sharibu holds a portrait of her daughter Leah. Open Doors workers had the chance to visit Rebecca to pray for her.

Rebecca has a powerful message to supporters who have not ceased praying for Leah: “I give thanks to God. May the Lord protect and preserve you, wherever you are. We are praying for you, day and night. I am pleading with everyone around the world, I know people have been praying, I am still pleading that we should keep praying. That God will help and rescue her one day from her captors. Not only for Leah.”

In Nigeria, and throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, abduction has become a profitable business. Each year, thousands of Christians, as well as moderate Muslims, are kidnapped by Islamic radicals for ransom payments. In Nigeria alone, 2,510 Christians were kidnapped in 2022.

“I want to say a big thank you to Open Doors who have been praying with us, may God bless you all. Our thanksgiving is the only thing I can give. I lack how best to say thank you.”

Open Doors continues to advocate for the Nigerian government to create a position within its structure for solely maintaining an active family liaison and an open and accessible channel of communication with the traumatized parents of all Christian hostages.
Prayer

– Rebecca Sharibu shares: “My request morning and night is that you keep praying for Leah, as you have been doing in the past. I know that one day God will answer and rescue my daughter.”

– Pray for Leah and the countless other persecuted believers in Nigeria who refuse to deny Christ despite the dangers and persecution they face.

– But while she remains captive, pray that she will experience God’s grace and encouragement daily.

– Pray that the Nigerian government will find new and effective ways to protect and take care of its citizens.

· Pray for peace and an end to the violence of militant groups across Nigeria.
Arise Africa

In recent years, violent persecution has been increasing in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. Growing numbers of attacks and abductions are hurting the church in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Arise Africa is a four-year campaign from Open Doors International with the goal of strengthening four million African Christians – spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

We are asking Christians across Canada to join us in supporting our persecuted family in Africa. Visit the Arise Africa campaign page to learn how you can be strengthening the church in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Nigerian church attacked, 16 Christians kidnapped

On Sunday, May 7, Fulani militants attacked and kidnapped worshippers from the Bege Baptist Church in Kaduna state, Nigeria.

The violent attack happened while believers gathered for Sunday worship. One of the congregants our field partners interviewed, shared that the attack was a living nightmare, “the Fulani militants came in their numbers and operated unhindered because they were wielding automatic weapons”.

The militants kidnapped at least 40 people from the church. However, reports indicate that since the attack, 24 people have been able to escape. As of writing, 16 people remain in captivity: 4 men, 4 women, and 8 children. Thus far there have been no demands made.

The Bege Baptist Church is situated in Madala village, in Chikun local government area of Kaduna State.

In the northwest of Nigeria, it is sadly common for Fulani militants to violently attack, kidnap and then demand ransom from families, and religious minorities make easy targets. Those who are kidnapped are usually subjected to emotional, physical and sexual abuse, and when families try to assemble a ransom it often impoverishes them. 

Increasing violent attacks in Sub-Saharan Africa are weakening the church. An Open Doors’ spokesperson for the work in Sub-Saharan Africa said “This latest attack on Christians in Nigeria underscores the crushing violence the Church is up against. We condemn this attack in the strongest terms possible and call on the Nigerian government to take a strong stance against all violence, bring perpetrators to book, and fulfil their obligation to protect all citizens. We ask the wider Body of Christ to join us in fervent and earnest prayer, especially as we are in the middle of a week of prayer for Africa and the situation the Church in Nigeria and the wider Sahel is facing.”

Pray

  • Please pray for the protection of those that have been kidnapped. Pray that they will experience the presence of God’s Spirit and that they will encourage each other, and that they would soon be freed.
  • Pray that God will intervene in the situation of the Christians in the northern Nigeria and bring an end to the suffering of His children. 
  • Pray for the church leaders that must minister and lead traumatized believers that cry out and ask ‘how long?’ (Psalm 79) Pray that they will care for believers with a deep love, grace and commitment.

Learn more

The church in Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing increasing violent persecution. The Arise Africa campaign is a four-year campaign from Open Doors that seeks to support the church in Sub Saharan Africa. Our goal is to strengthen 4 million African Christians spiritually, physically, and emotionally. 

Learn more about Arise Africa, and join us in standing with our persecuted family.

 

Learn More

A Mother’s Testimony

Nur* is one of our local partners who has been heavily involved with reaching out to believers in a particular country in Southeast Asia. She runs an “underground church” for those of similar background as her. This is a story of her journey as a mother through the struggle of being a Christ follower in her home country.

I accepted Christ as my saviour when I had to journey with my husband who was a new Muslim convert at the time and he was learning about Islam. Somehow through that journey, God led me to Him, and my life changed. I felt His peace and comfort wherever I went. I built a relationship with the Almighty. But life has never been easy since.

Living in a country where apostasy is illegal, I was careful in sharing God’s words. I followed His guidance when I do reach out to those who were like me. But eventually the authorities caught up with me and God told me to leave the country.

But I have my girls.

One was 15 years old and the other was 25 years old at the time. I have never been apart from them. They are my babies no matter how old they are. It ripped my heart to leave them.

My daughters have also both accepted Christ, but I have always kept their faith a secret. In this country, the government can take your kids away if you are considered a bad influence on your child and being a Christian is considered to be a bad influence on a child’s life. For my 15-year-old, my ex-husband – a Muslim – may be given full custody if they found out about our faith and how she found Christ through me sharing with her.

Leaving my girls was the hardest thing I had to do.

 I cried as they were sending me to the airport. Watching their faces and wondering when I will see them again. But I held on to God’s promise, that He will take care of everything as long as I keep my eyes on Him. True enough, a few years later God have made way for me to be reunited with my girls. I was able to bring both of them to the country where I resided.

Today, I am still actively involved with the ministry in my country. I have brought many of those of similar background to mine to our Lord Jesus Christ. With the help of Open Doors partners, I have been able to carefully move in and out of the country. I will spend a few years in the country I was born in and then leave when I hear God’s calling. My two girls are both deep in their own journey with God, and I pray that they will be the light to our community.

Praise God for Nur and her courage to keep sharing the good news despite the challenges she faces and has faced in her lifetime. Please continue to pray for her and the many other women like her in South East Asia.   

Pray

  1. Pray that Nur’s family will always be under the protection of God.
  2. Pray for Nur’s church, that it will continue to grow and be fruitful.
  3. Please continue to pray for other mothers who struggle with the same issues or worse than her. Pray that God would being wisdom and peace upon their lives.
  4. Pray also for the children who would face persecution and struggles because of their faith. 

YOUR YEAR-END GIFT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.

Persecution is growing, and so are the needs of persecuted believers. More Christians need Bibles, discipleship, trauma counselling, and relief aid as they face violence, displacement, and loss. 

The Canada Post strikes slowed the arrival of gifts during this critical time of year. Will you help?

Your support will empower persecuted believers through Bibles, training, relief aid, trauma counselling, and more. 

Give a Year-end gift

Your year-end gift is more important than ever.

Persecution is growing, and so are the needs of persecuted believers. More Christians need Bibles, discipleship, trauma counselling, and relief aid as they face violence, displacement, and loss. 

The Canada Post strikes slowed the arrival of gifts during this critical time of year. Will you help?

Your support will empower persecuted believers through Bibles, training, relief aid, trauma counselling, and more. 

Give a year-end gift