Tragedies,
crises, heartbreaks—these are the moments in life where we must answer this one
question: Where is our hope?
When all else is stripped
away, we know that the conditions and promises of this world cannot sustain us
or heal us. This is the reality for many Nigerians—both Christian and
Muslim—living in refugee and IDP camps.
Carl Moeller of Biblica reminds us that despite the uncertainty
these people face, there’s something we can do to give them hope.
Moeller says, “As many people will no doubt be aware, […]
radical Islam is moving dramatically from northern Africa into southern parts
of Africa. And Nigeria is really a fault line, a dividing line between
radical Islam and the Christian-majority southern part of Nigeria where
Evangelical and Pentecostal Christianity is really very vibrant.”
Terror: a daily reality in
Nigeria
Christians in the north
have faced constant persecution from radical Muslims, mostly belonging to Boko
Haram.
They’ve been forced to
leave their villages. Their churches have been burned and their homes and
possessions taken from them.
One story most people
remember from two years ago is about the kidnapping of nearly 300 girls from a
Christian school in Chibok. Moeller says most have not been heard from again,
and they’ve likely been enslaved.
This was not an isolated
incident of violence, and while the general population has forgotten the plight
of Nigerians, they continue to suffer.
“Many of them live in
refugee camps. In fact, over 700,000 people by internal estimates in Nigeria
are displaced and well over 20 churches that we know of were burned to the
ground during that time,” Moeller says.
Christians are one targeted
group. When they are on the run, their Bibles are left behind with the
rest of their possessions.
One question that arises in
light of this is why the daily reality of terror attacks in Africa garners
little attention?
While Moeller has his
suspicions, he says, “Our purpose is not to necessarily wonder why the world
doesn’t care. We need to start creating opportunities for the world to do something
and to raise the awareness of the situation here by helping organizations,
churches, and other NGOs provide the resources that those people need.”
While they are working with
churches to provide for the physical needs, Biblica’s focus is to provide the
spiritual help these people need.
An answer to the greatest
need
“The situation in these camps is frighteningly desperate. And
among the other needs besides the physical needs of food, clothing, and shelter
and even psychological counseling, the thing most desperately needed in a camp
like that is hope.”
Biblica needs a total of
12,000 Bibles to distribute in the camps.
“We know that each Bible
distributed will impact many, many dozens of people. Our current project– We
need 12,000 people to provide a Bible for some of these refugees who have been
displaced. It’s a tragic situation, but again they can’t live one minute
without the hope found in God’s word, and they must be given the opportunity to
find Jesus there.”
Because of a generous donor, each Bible you buy will be matched.
This promotion is especially for those who have never given through Biblica
before.
“We really do need
thousands of people to respond to the call for Bibles,” Moeller says.
One thing Moeller says is
often overlooked is that it’s not just Christians who are targets of Islamic
extremism, but moderate Muslims as well. “This is a problem across Africa
and across the Middle East and now it’s coming into Europe.”
While this is a tragic
reality, it’s important to realize it’s also an opportunity to share the Truth
with people.
“During these times of
great crisis, people look for hope. They look for something that will bring
some ray of good news into their lives. And when we are there to provide for
them a Bible in their mother tongue–in this case Hausa and also English–the
hope that is transmitted through that act, people are desperate and they find
Jesus Christ as the anchor for their souls.”
Praying for Hope
Please pray for the men and
women in these camps to find true, unfailing hope so their lives can be
changed.
Pray for more people
to join the initiative in funding Bible distribution.
Pray for the Church in
Nigeria, that they would stand and serve these refugees and other victims of
hardship.
Pray for Biblica to
continue to work effectively in these places with their partners. Ask God to
protect their frontline workers who are working in the camps and are at risk
every moment
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