In May 2016, a team from Open Doors Australia went to visit Christians in the Middle East.
Steve Chong from RICE Movement was on the trip to the Middle East, and shared his journey with the persecuted church on Facebook throughout the week the team was there. Continue reading
This year Open Doors is asking churches and small groups in Australia and New Zealand to participate in A Dedicated Faith. We want to see Muslims who are seeking God, find who He truly is and come learn the truth about Jesus. We also want to uplift Christians living in Islamic countries throughout Ramadan.
Ramadan is a month in the Islamic calendar running from 6 June – 5 July. During these 30 days, Muslims will fast during sunlight hours, and pray in order to get closer to Allah. Muslim’s believe that it was during Ramadan that the first revelations of the Quran were made to Muhammad.
Comfort*, a 50-year-old widow from Mubi, Nigeria was among many Christian women from her village abducted by Boko Haram militants.
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One night in October 2014, Comfort heard gunshots and loud screaming in her village. Alarmed, she sought advice from her neighbours. When the screaming drew closer, her husband decided they should flee. Together with their 25 year old twin sons Jerry and Eric, they ran to the car.
Comfort* from Nigeria.
They shot my husband and sons…
Before the family could drive away, the car was surrounded by Boko Haram rebels. They were told to get out of the car and were forced to the ground. “As we lay there, I heard them shooting. I thought they were just shooting in the air, not realising that it was my husband and my twin sons who had been shot.” Continue reading
In 2015, they were arrested, forced to undergo months of flawed court proceedings, facing the death penalty for so-called crimes against the state, and endured 8 months of imprisonment in a notoriously difficult prison in Sudan.
But South Sudanese pastors Peter Yen and Michael Yat say that those who imprisoned them, blessed them mightily.
Pastor Peter Yen (left) and Pastor Michael Yat, imprisoned for 8 months in Sudan.
Warning: This blog contains content that may distress some readers.
Mercy endured the unthinkable brutality of abduction, forced Islamisation and marriage by Boko Haram rebels.
At 22 years old, most young women are establishing their dreams for the future. Mercy at 22, is a Displaced Person, homeless with no family and no idea what her future holds. Her miraculous testimony of survival is helping her to trust God in the uncertainty.
22-year-old Mercy from Nigeria, who endured 5 months captivity by Boko Haram.
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