The brutal slaughter of 295 innocent Nigerian Christians, including women, children and those unable to flee, leaves us all reeling in grief and outrage.
That the attacks were deliberately timed to take place at Christmas, when families were preparing to celebrate the birth of our Saviour and Prince of Peace Jesus Christ, makes it even more shocking.
Yet in the face of terrible loss, the Christian communities of Plateau State stand firm in their faith and refuse to be consumed by anger, despair or thoughts of vengeance. Their words, echoing Psalm 46, resonate, “The Lord is our help and our refuge.”
Christian mother Nanchin recovers in hospital with two of her daughters from machete wounds inflicted on Christmas Eve by Islamist militants who attacked their village, killing more than 20 people, mainly women and children.
Nanchin’s third daughter is receiving treatment for critical injures at a major hospital in Jos, the capital of Plateau State. Nanchin’s husband narrowly escaped unhurt. However, their home, food, livestock and farm were destroyed. “Life for us is like starting from the beginning all over again,” she said
The Bible does not tell us that we, as Christians, will be spared difficult times, but it does promise that we can depend on God as our strength and fortress, an ever-present help in trouble.
We stand in prayer with our brothers and sisters in northern and Middle Belt Nigeria who face the threat of violence on a daily basis.
We pray for solace and comfort for families who have lost loved ones, pray for physical and emotional healing for the injured, pray for the safety of the displaced and ask that their needs are met.
We give thanks that by His grace and with the help of our supporters, Barnabas Aid is able to continue to send practical help to our suffering Church family in Nigeria, and in many other parts of the world.
