SPECIAL MISSIONS REPORT

Nigeria: Father Murdered by Boko Haram Terrorists, Christian Boy Escapes Enslavement, Needs Our Help

By Rae Burnett, Africa Director for Christian Aid Mission

Just a few weeks ago, the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram murdered Suleman Asmaul.

Nigeria: Africa Director Rae Burnett took this photo of a Kanuri woman who just heard the gospel for the first time from indigenous missionaries..

A serious convert from Islam, Suleman spent time in discipleship training where he determined to take the gospel back to his own unreached and highly resistant Kanuri tribe. The Kanuri are 100% Muslims based in Maiduguri, where most of the Boko Haram terrorist attacks have taken place until recently.

Suleman was totally committed, working daily to lead his people to an understanding of the Savior who had died that they might have Eternal Life.

Suddenly, with no warning, a group of three Islamic terrorists entered his house in broad daylight and shot him and one of his two sons in cold blood.

After his death, Muslim relatives handed Suleman's only remaining child, 13 year old Umar, over to an imam (a Muslim cleric) to "reconvert" him to Islam. For two weeks the young boy endured hard labor and beatings to compel him to forsake Christianity. Finally, to save his life, he broke and told them what they wanted to hear.

Just a few days ago, the imam sent Umar to the well to fetch water. As soon as Umar was out of sight, he dropped the bucket and ran like fire to a nearby church whose pastor contacted a native missionary ministry supported by Christian Aid. Identities and locations are kept secret for the sake of security.

When questioned, Umar said, "The bullet that killed my father made me strong in Jesus. I am ready to die the same way because my father discipled me even to die for Christ. But I want to die bravely, confessing Christ and leading others to receive Him as my father did, not as a boy-slave whose life is destroyed before I have a chance to lead others to know Him. That is why I pretended. So I could escape."

The ministry leader tells me, "This situation both rejoices and breaks my heart. Umar is a great gift from God to us, ready to die in the Lord as his father did. Thank God he escaped! This boy is very intelligent. He was going to secondary school and can read and write English very well. His mother is a Muslim who abandoned him to the iman after the murders and wants nothing to do with him as a Christian.

"For now we are hiding him and need assistance from God's people to care for Umar and train him through University level (under a different name) and school of missions. I have adopted him, but as ministry leader, my finances are limited and designated for the mission field.

"Can you please help Umar go to school? He will be safest in a Christian boarding school ($800/year) so no one will see him on the road going to and fro. He will need clothing, uniforms, books and some few start-up items. The teachers and headmaster will help us to lovingly minister to this young boy to help him recover from this terrible trauma and to grow in the Lord.

"I am so grateful that Christian Aid is always there both for regular support for our missionary work to unreached tribes and emergency help when needed. School reopens next week. Can you help Umar?"