From ECWA Archive: Originally published December 14, 2012
Most, if not all of you, have been aware of the terrible attacks of Christians by the Muslim Boko Haram Movement in Northern and Middle Belt Regions of Nigeria. Of recent, there has been a very vicious onslaught of Christians and the church in Yobe State of Nigeria. Concerned about the situation there, the EMS North East Regional Coordinator, Rev Zaka Maji, was asked during our monthly management meeting last Tuesday how the missionaries were fairing in Yobe and if any has had to be evacuated from his mission station because of the attacks and danger to their lives and families.
The Regional Co-ordinator responded that all of the missionaries were at their various stations, God has so far graciously protected them and none has left . Furthermore, he said it was actually the missionaries who were the ones encouraging him to stand firm. The missionaries told him that they were trusting the Lord for support and protection and infact were ready to pay the price with their lives if that be the Lord’s will.
To our greatest surprise, against all odds, the Yobe Church was able to raise funds and pay for all its 9 (nine) missionaries last month. If you know the severe persecution that the Yobe Brethren are experiencing today, you would know that this is a miracle. Our missionaries’ stand and this miracle of provision through faithful severely persecuted Christian Brethren in Yobe state, who are literally living under siege of the devil, cannot be anything but the AMAZING GRACE OF GOD.
We in EMS are totally humbled by the testimony of the Yobe Mission Field. Please join us in praising and thanking GOD FOR HIS AMAZING GRACE.
We urge you to continue to pray for these dedicated servants of God and their families and for all these faithful Brethren in Yobe State and the entire Yobe Church leadership and members. Pray that God will fill them with power to continue to be His bold witnesses in the most dangerous circumstances just as in Acts 45:23 -31.
Pray that God would comfort our Yobe Brethren who have lost their loved ones, some brutally killed right in from of their wives and family members because they would not renounce Christ or simply bear His name -Christians.
Pray for the protection of Church leaders and for them to stand firm in the present most difficult and trying times. Indeed continue in prayer for all EMS Missionaries and Brethren living and laboring in various challenging Missions Fields in the world.
Remain in His abundant Grace.
Editor’s Note:
The long drawn-out Boko Haram insurgency in Northern Nigeria has created an ongoing humanitarian disaster. In the northern state of Yobe, one of the three worst affected states, Christians who have finally returned to their destroyed and severely damaged communities are facing added pressure for their faith since no restructuring has taken place there by the Nigerian Government. To further complicate the issues several Christians who had been employed in government jobs were dismissed because they did not come to work during the insurgency but no Muslims were dismissed for this reason.
Author: Rev. Stephen Baba Panya
Rev. Stephen Panya Baba is the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) President. Before his election, he was the Evangelical Missionary Society (EMS) Cross Boarder Mission President, as well as ECWA Television Coordinator.
