This week we publish the first of two articles by Open Doors SA ahead of the Amka Afrika Prayer Event for persecuted Christians in Africa on September 14
See also: Mary’s story
In sub-Saharan Africa alone, more than 16 million Christians had been driven from their homes by the end of 2022. The Islamic insurgency and growth of jihadist groups have also meant that there’s never been more violence or religious persecution across our continent. And while the ongoing conflict in Sudan has received a lot of media attention, millions of Africans have been displaced in other countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. It’s hard to know how we should respond, whether you belong to the church in Africa or not. One organisation that is working hard to put a stop to all this violence and start a process of healing is Open Doors SA. This article tells one of the many stories they’ve been involved in, and what we can do for those affected.
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‘Forgotten’ victims in refugee camps
Refugee camps are a tragically-common sight across Africa. Pastor Barnabas inhabits one of them, with his wife and five children, in Nigeria. Flimsy makeshift tents sprawl in every direction, offering little relief from the ferocious heat. A sense of hopelessness hangs in the air. There is not enough food; little to no running water; too few toilets; and disease is rife. Many Africans, like Barnabas, call these appalling conditions “home.” But every day is a struggle to survive; every night is an ordeal to endure. Though a family of seven, the floorspace of Barnabas’s tent is no bigger than a double mattress. So three of his children stay with him and his wife at night and the other two stay with his neighbour. They’ve lived here for four years.
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“Each person you see here,” Pastor Barnabas says, “ is a Christian. We are here because of violence. Millions of Christians are displaced here in Nigeria. But the news doesn’t care. Politicians don’t talk about it. Nobody talks about it. We are remaining in darkness. How would you feel to be forgotten?”
Violently chased from his home and ancestral land, Barnabas is like countless other Africans: displaced and abandoned. In the same way that ISIS attempted to take over the Middle -East a few years ago, Islamic terror groups such as Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram are seeking to establish Islamic states across Africa. Unsurprisingly, Christians have no place in Islamic states, leading to them facing unprecedented violence and persecution. Almost half of Burkina Faso (40%) is now ruled by terror groups, while militants seem to act throughout countries like Nigeria with impunity. Regrettably, displacement is only part of the story.
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Christians are being attacked, kidnapped and murdered by these terrorist groups. Christian villages and schools are being put to the torch. Pastor Barnabas knows first hand how dangerous it is for believers. After all, it was a deadly attack on his farm that drove him to the refugee camp that is now his only home. “Militants surrounded us,” he remembers. “Some with guns, some with machetes, some with sticks. My brother was shot dead. His wife was shot, then macheted and killed. I kept running and was attacked with a stick. My hand was broken.”
“I lost everything,” Barnabas continues. “Everything in my home was burned. Now I cannot take care of my family. I cannot feed them. My children no longer go to school.” There has been devastating long-term impact on Barnabas and his family. And his story isn’t exceptional, it’s tragically common. Like so many other Africans, Barnabas bears the physical marks of the violence, permanent injuries. Added to that is a trauma that those living outside of his situation can’t even imagine. Only he still has to live and provide, work and survive.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Pastor Barnabas pauses for a moment. Then he continues, “As a pastor, I am supposed to take care of my sheep. But people are losing their hope in God because of the situation they are in. I don’t have anything to give them. We can only pray and share the word. I feel very, very bad.”
Arise Africa campaign
Sub-Saharan Africa is facing a displacement or refugee crisis, amid escalating violence and religious extremism. It’s hardly an overstatement to say that the future of the African church is at risk, together with those very nations engulfed by terrorism. These challenges are growing on the back of other entrenched issues, such as our education and healthcare crises. Insecurity and instability are poisoning the future of our continent. But what can you do?
Pastor Barnabas, together with Christian leaders across sub-Saharan Africa are calling on the Church to act through the Arise Africa campaign. This is an invitation to share in both the pain and prayers of Africans like Barnabas. It is also an opportunity to speak out against violence and religious persecution on our continent. Your gifts, prayers and actions can help stop the violence and start the healing.
Open Doors’ local partners have already provided emergency food and medical help to Pastor Barnabas and other refugees. Skills training and trauma healing are also coming soon. With your support, persecuted Christians in sub-Saharan Africa can be helped to remain strong and resilient.
“God has sustained me and kept me,” Barnabas tells us. “I will not lose my confidence in him. Our eyes and our hope are on God. If God will fight this battle for us, a day shall come when we will live a good life.”
Will you stand with the Church in Africa?
Your brothers and sisters need you. Stand with them through Open Doors’ Arise Africa campaign. By partnering in this global campaign, you can:
- Enter into solidarity with the millions of displaced Christians
- Provide spiritual, emotional and physical support to four million believers by 2027
- Strengthen the Church in sub-Saharan African to be resilient, resourceful and influential
- Pray for perseverance in suffering, justice for the afflicted, and peace.
– Next week we will post Mary’s story
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