When Hatred Crosses the Border

Terrorists do not allow their goals to be defined by national borders.  To them, they are no more than lines drawn on a map.  Abdou and his wife Halima learned this lesson.  The two are citizens of Niger, and it was last in the Spring of 2021 that Abdou learned Jihadist militants had crossed over the border from Mali & launched targeted massacres against Christians.  Jihadists identified Christians by looking for those who wore crosses.  When Abdou learned about this, he chose not to hide his faith, but to proclaim it.  He fastened his own cross necklace and began to wear it.  One of his daughters asked why Abdou chose to do this, knowing that it was placing him in grave danger.  Abdou said to her "If I have to die, I want to die with a cross hanging from my neck."  Three days later, on the final day of Ramadan in 2021, this prophecy was fulfilled.  

On May 12, 2021, 18 Jihadist militants rode in on motorcycles and attacked their village.  The militants entered the local church, stripped out all of the Bibles and Hymnals, then took them outside & set them on fire.  As the militants began attacking the village Christians, Abdou rushed to aid one of his neighbors, only to be caught and shot by the militants.  Abdou and four other Christians were killed in the attack.  The following month, on June 22, the militants returned and again targeted Christians as well as Muslims who had friendly relations with the Christian community, such those who were married to Christian women.  

Halima Mourns the Loss of her Husband

The 40 Christian families who lived in this village are now scattered across the region, many of which are now living in camps for displaced people.  Many cannot return to their village.  Even if the Jihadists are kept out there are no crops to harvest as farmers were unable to grow their crops due to the ongoing attacks, and on top of that the Jihadists stole much of their livestock.  The families have received aid from International organizations and the families are praying for peace in the region, many are even praying for their attackers, following the command of Jesus to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors.  They are determined to continue following the ways of Jesus despite the tragedy that they've endured.  

Sources: 

"When Hate Crosses the Border."  Voice of the Martyrs.  March 2022.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Honor Killing in Chicago

Image
On Jan. 23rd, 2024, 63-year-old Palestinian-Muslim resident Maher Kassem was arrested by the police for murdering his wife Majeda Kassem as well as his three adult daughters.  Police report this to be a clear case of domestic violence while Maher is on record stating that he felt his family didn't appreciate him and treat him in the manner that he deserved to be treated.   "The defendant was recorded volunteering things about having just retired, and that 'She treats me like a [expletive] dog," said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Scott Clark. "'I worked 40 years.' and 'I worked all my life to give my family a better home, and they treat me like  [expletive].'"   A family member of Majeda Kassem said there was constant verbal abuse going on in the home - adding that Kassem's wife contemplated leaving, but stayed for the sake of her children. Maher Kassem Maher Kassem & His Three Daughters Muslim-American activists claim tha...
Read more

Apartheid in the Middle East

Image
THE MIDDLE EAST'S REAL APARTHEID By Efraim Karsh "Israel Apartheid Week his cities and campuses throughout the world.  This charge, of course, is not only completely false, but the inverse of the truth.  If apartheid is indeed a crime against humanity, Israel is actually the only apartheid-free state in the Middle East.  By contrast, apartheid has been an integral part of the Middle East for over a millennium, and the Arab Muslim nations continue to legally, politically, and socially enforce this discriminatory practice against their hapless minorities. Religious Intolerance:  Muslims historically viewed themselves as distinct from, and superior to, all non-Muslims.  Non-Muslims, known in history as "Dhimmis," never enjoyed equal rights under Islam.  Even non-ruling Muslim factions have been historically oppressed by their dominant co-religionists Ethnic inequality:  This legacy of intolerance extends beyond the religious sphere...
Read more

ISIS Terrorists Slaughter Christians in the Congo

Image
For years the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been a region of great instability & violence with a dozen armed groups and over 100 criminal gangs operating in the Eastern region of the DRC alone.  Among those groups is the Allied Democratic Forces, a Jihadists terrorist organization that pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2018.  During the month of June, the group claimed responsibility for attacks that killed over 150 Christian villagers, 38 killed on the 8th of June alone.  The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) recently released images posted by the Allied Democratic Forces on a Telegram account that detailed some of the recent horrific attacks.   Christian Villagers Slaughtered by the ADF Militants These Jihadists Militants, armed with guns & machetes, attacked soldiers and civilians alike.  Images revealed dozens of victims, some of whom were shot while others had their hands tied behind their backs & their throats slashed, clearl...
Read more