Survivors call America to stand with persecuted Christians in Nigeria

As a Christian and a assemblage president, I judge nary 1 should endure for their faith, particularly those who travel the One who said, "If they persecuted me, they volition persecute you" (John 15:20). Yet successful Nigeria, thousands of believers look brutal unit for doing conscionable that.

President Donald Trump precocious declared that the United States volition nary longer basal by portion Christians are being targeted. He has called for a halt to overseas assistance and has asked the Pentagon to hole for imaginable subject involution to halt what helium described arsenic the "mass slaughter" of Christians successful Nigeria. His words are not lone politically important but morally urgent.

This contented is not abstract to me. I’ve had the privilege of knowing 2 young women who lived done that persecution and whose courageousness present challenges each of us. Their names are Joy Bishara and Lydia Pogu.

Injured victims of a termination weaponry onslaught person attraction astatine a infirmary successful Maiduguri, Nigeria, connected June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Joshua Omiri)

In 2014, Boko Haram terrorists attacked a girls’ schoolhouse successful Chibok, Nigeria, and kidnapped implicit 270 students. The sanction Boko Haram means "Western acquisition is forbidden." That night, these militants burned classrooms, terrorized families and loaded terrified girls into trucks. Many were ne'er seen again. But immoderate escaped. Joy and Lydia were among them.

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In the backmost of a truck, Joy cried retired to a God she did not yet cognize personally. "If You prevention me," she prayed, "I volition travel You." Then she sensed a elemental but wide command: Jump. She obeyed. Injured and alone, she ran done the dark. Lydia followed. Bloodied and barefoot, they fled into the unknown, believing that God had a intent beyond the pain.

Eventually, the girls were relocated to the United States and enrolled successful a tiny Christian precocious schoolhouse successful Oregon. When it came clip for college, they faced a caller test. The Nigerian government, which had been progressive successful their resettlement, pressured them to prosecute a way that did not align with their convictions. They stood firm. Having risked their lives for state and faith, they would not compromise connected either.

That’s erstwhile we astatine Southeastern University became alert of their story. We offered Joy and Lydia afloat scholarships to proceed their acquisition successful an situation that respected their convictions. Since then, I’ve watched these 2 young women turn into leaders. Joy studied societal work, determined to assistance others flooded trauma. Lydia pursued ineligible studies, preparing to advocator for girls similar herself who had nary voice.

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Their communicative didn’t enactment successful the classroom. They were invited to talk astatine the United Nations, wherever they shared their grounds with planetary leaders and called for enactment to support spiritual state and susceptible children. While there, they met President Trump successful person, a infinitesimal of encouragement and alignment betwixt their courageousness and his nationalist committedness to ending Christian persecution. Their connection was elemental and urgent: persecution is real, and the satellite indispensable not look away.

According to the Nigerian-based International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, implicit 7,000 Christians were killed successful Nigeria successful the archetypal 7 months of this year. Churches person been destroyed, pastors murdered and full communities displaced. While the struggle involves analyzable governmental and economical factors, the targeting of Christian believers is accordant and undeniable. Nigeria remains 1 of the astir unsafe places connected Earth to beryllium a follower of Jesus.

This is wherefore President Trump’s connection matters. The United States should not supply assistance to governments that allow, disregard oregon lend to spiritual violence. Our overseas argumentation indispensable bespeak not lone our nationalist involvement but besides our motivation responsibility.

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As a Christian assemblage president, I besides judge this infinitesimal calls the religion to thing deeper. It is clip to amended our students and communities astir the realities of planetary persecution. It is clip to commune without ceasing for the suffering church. And it is clip to rise our voices, not successful fearfulness oregon anger, but successful condemnation and truth.

Joy and Lydia person shown america what courageous religion looks like. They did not let fearfulness to specify them. They did not fto persecution soundlessness them. They are surviving impervious that God tin crook trauma into testimony.

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President Trump has spoken. Now the question is whether we volition act. Will we retrieve those who endure for their faith? Will we basal for spiritual freedom, not conscionable successful mentation but successful practice? Will we rise a procreation acceptable to pb with motivation clarity successful a breached world?

Joy and Lydia already have. May we beryllium recovered conscionable arsenic faithful.

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