Praying for the Persecuted Church

Yesterday was the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, and so as part of our service we used material prepared by Open Doors, a charity which supports persecuted Christians in more than seventy countries. This year they focused on Africa, as they believe that on average twelve Christians a day are killed for their faith in sub-Saharan Africa alone. We heard a little about four people known to Open Doors, then spent some time offering silent and spoken prayer. You can join our prayers for them by reading below.

An attack on a church in Ethiopia did make it into the headlines last week, but so often the plight of persecuted Christians goes unseen and unheard. Open Doors wants to change that, so they are inviting you to sign and share their Arise Africa petition. You need to be quick as it closes today, 2 November.

This is Nathalie, from Burkina Faso. When Nathalie’s village was attacked, she went to the church and started to pray, but terrorists ordered her out of the church, and laughed when she said she believed God would answer her prayer. She says: “It was very difficult to bear. How could I take care of my children? There were moments when I used to cry.” Nathalie was helped with trauma support from Open Doors partners. Sadly, her husband Thomas was killed in the attack, and her house was burnt to the ground, but thankfully her children were safe in the neighbouring village. “When something bad happens to you, and you keep it inside you, in your heart, it will eventually end up in suffering,” she says. “You should share your pains with other people, that will be helpful to you. By the end of the training our hearts were freed.” 

Lord God, we hold before you Nathalie and all Christians who have been forced from their homes. Keep them safe from harm and help them find food to eat and somewhere to live. Amen.

This is Pastor Hamza from Cameroon. Thousands of Christians in Far North Cameroon are displaced due to attacks from extremist groups. They need physical care – food, medicine, hygiene. But they also need spiritual care. “They don’t have any hope”, says Pastor Hamza. “I can’t leave them in their despair.” Another minister, Pastor Moustafa, says: “We frequently travel to our persecuted brothers and sisters, just to be there and to spend time with them and pray with them. You cry with orphans. You cry with widows. You sit down with them on their mat or even in the dirt on the ground. Helping their brothers and sisters in times of grief and loss is physically, emotionally and spiritually demanding. The faith of many has weakened. Pray that they will persevere and that we will have the strength to bear the suffering. Also pray for protection and the amount of suffering will decrease. Pray that our people can find food to eat.” 

Lord God, thank you for Pastor Hamza and all who look after churches in places of persecution. Please give strength to those who minister in such difficult circumstances so that they can restore hope to those they minister to. Amen.

This is Mariam from the Democratic Republic of Congo, on the right. In eastern DRC, many Christians have been driven out of their communities by violence. Mariam has spent nearly ten years on the move. In 2017, she had to leave her home and her job as a cocoa farmer when extremists attacked and killed her neighbours. Since then, she and her seven children have repeatedly had to flee. Their latest journey saw them travelling over 280km before they eventually found safety in the grounds of a church. Mariam became ill through the trauma, so the church helped her with medical care. Mariam and her family were also among the 3,000 families who Open Doors was able to help with food and material for clothing. She is also being helped to start up a small business, selling fish, tomatoes and onions. “Today, Christians far from us have made us happy”, she said. “I know that there are Christians like us who pray for us and who have just wiped away our tears during this difficult time.” 

Lord God, we lament that Mariam and so many people like her don’t have enough to eat or a safe place to live. Help us to wipe away the tears of others through our prayers and our actions. Amen.

This is Asabe from Nigeria. Asabe was badly injured when armed militants attacked her community and set fire to her home. She and her six year-old daughter Joanna escaped, but sadly her husband and three other children died. They are among thousands of Nigerian Christians who have been targeted for their faith. After the attack, Joanna helped her mother to see hope, reminding her that, one day, the family will be reunited. Asabe was helped by trauma counselling and through gifts of food and clothing. “I didn’t know people could love like this,” she says. “There are many widows like me in Nigeria. Please pray that God will strengthen us, and that God will make these attacks stop, so that we can go back to our home.” They have suffered so much, but they continue to trust in God. “God has left me for a purpose,” she says, “and I am asking Him to help me fulfil that purpose.” 

Lord God, may Asabe and Joanna remind us to thank you for our families and for strangers who care for us as though we were family. Guide us to those that we can care for. Amen.