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Somalia

  • Somali Christian shot and killed

    Afgyoye, SomaliaInternational Christian Concern (ICC) is reporting that Islamists shot and killed a Muslim convert to Christianity on July 10 in Afgyoye, a town 18 miles from Mogadishu, Somalia's capital. Twenty-eight-year-old Sayid Ali Sheik Luqman Hussein came to Christ from Islam in 2004 and had actively evangelized in the community in which he was working as a teacher. According to the July 28 report by ICC, on July 8, two Muslim men approached Mr. Hussein and asked him if he faces Mecca when he prays. Hussein told them that, as a Christian, he does not have to face a specific direction to pray because God is omnipresent. The two Muslim men returned on July 10 armed with an AK-47 assault rifle and a semi-automatic handgun and shot Hussein to death. Hussein's wife went into premature labour and delivered a stillborn baby upon hearing of her husband's murder.

    Please remember to pray for Hussein's wife during this doubly tragic time in her life. Pray that she would know God as Emmanuel (God with us) in her grief. Pray for other Christians in Somalia. Hussein is the fifth Christian martyred in the country in the last nine months.

    Go to the Somalia Country Report to discover more about the persecution of Christians in Somalia.
  • Christian Killed by Muslim Militants

    David Abdulwahab Mohamed Ali (29), a convert to Christianity from Islam, was killed by Muslim militants on April 22 at approximately 4:30 p.m. in the Somali town of Baidawa, according to an April 29 report from International Christian Concern. A cousin of Ali and two members of Al-Shabaab, a militant Islamic organization affiliated with Al-Qaeda, were reportedly responsible for the murder. Ali, an evangelist who had helped to lead many to Christ, had been living in Ethiopia since 2000 and was in Somalia to visit family members.

    Pray that those who mourn for Ali will rest in the knowledge that those who die in the Lord will be raised with Him (1 Corinthians 15:50-58). Pray that God will embolden Somali Christians to follow the example of those who were martyred for Him (Ephesians 4:1).

    For more information on the persecution of Christians in Somalia, go to theSomalia Country Report.
  • Four Teachers Killed
    Daud Hassan Ali and his wife
    Photo from the    Birmingham Post

    Four teachers, two British citizens of Somali origin - Mr. Daud Hassan Ali (64) and Ms. Rehana Ahmed (32) - and two unidentified Kenyans, were shot and killed by Islamist insurgents during a midnight raid on the Hakab Private English School in the town of Beledweyne, south-central Somalia on April 13. Al-Shabaab, the militant Islamic group responsible for the violence, alleged that they fired indiscriminately and that the teachers were killed in cross-fire. Local people, however, believe that the teachers were singled out for their suspected evangelistic work. The wife of Daud Hassan Ali alleged that her husband was targeted because he was a Muslim-born convert to Christianity.

    Pray that the families of those killed will rest in the knowledge that those who die in the Lord will be raised with Him (1 Cor. 15:50-58). Pray that the perpetrators of this attack will come to repentance and salvation, just as Paul did. Pray for wisdom and protection for those serving Christ in Somalia at great risk.

    For more information on the persecution of Christians in Somalia, go to theSomalia Country Report.
  • Convert to Christianity Martyred

    Eleven months ago, Ali Mustaf Maka'il converted from Islam to Christianity. The twenty-two year old student and cloth merchant from the Somali capital of Mogadishu became actively involved in a small house church in the city. Because of severe persecution, churches in Somalia remain very small for security reasons.

    On September 7, Muslims gathered in the street chanting Quranic verses in honour of the lunar eclipse. When Ali refused to join in the prayers, he was shot and killed. The gunman was apparently loyal to the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), an Islamic organization which has taken control of much of southern Somalia. The UIC refused to had over the body to his grieving family for twenty-four hours.

    VOMC sources in the region have confirmed the attack and report that the other members of the house church are concerned for their safety. The small church consisting of less than ten members has temporarily suspended their weekly meetings.

    Ask God to comfort Ali's brothers and sisters in Christ in the knowledge that they will be united again at the coming of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). Ask God to provide the congregation with a way to continue meeting in order to encourage one another (Hebrews 10:23-25). Pray that the testimony of believers in Somalia will shine even in this dangerous country in such a way that others will see the Lord and come to love and honour Him (Matthew 5:14-16).

    For more information on the persecution of Christians in Somalia,click here.
  • Islamic Control Brings Concerns for Christians
    Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys

    For several years, Somalia has been ruled by a number of guerrilla groups and militias based on traditional ethnic and clan loyalties. As a result, the country is considered the most lawless nation in the world. In mid-June, however, a coalition of Islamic groups referred to as the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) took control of the capital, Mogadishu, along with the southern cities of Jawhar and Baidoa. As the ICU takes increasing control of the country, many international observers have seen this as a positive move that will bring stability to the country. For Christians and other religious minorities, however, the rise of this militant Islamic power with alleged links to al-Qaeda is a matter of grave concern.

    Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, head of the ICU, has publicly stated that Sharia law will be enforced upon all citizens. Islamic militias have reportedly begun forcing Islamic dress codes and practices upon the citizens. There have also been recent reports that children of Somali Christian refugees living in Kenya have been kidnapped by Muslim relatives and taken to Islamic institutions in Somalia for "rehabilitation."

    Pray for VOMC as we are presently strategizing on how we can most effectively minister to the church in Somalia. Pray that Sharia law will not be forced on the people of Somalia. Pray that the children who have been taken from their families will be returned safely.

    For more information on the persecution of Christians in Somalia,click here.
  • Pastor Murdered for Evangelistic Work

    According to reports received this week by The Voice of the Martyrs, Pastor Shueb Maalim Madkheyr was killed and his body burned beyond recognition on April 25 in the Dinsor district in southern Somalia.

    Starting in mid-April, Pastor Shueb had been going into villages in the area, seeking to plant underground churches and sharing the Gospel with teenagers. Word began to spread that Shueb was teaching the Bible to children. On April 25, he was confronted by two armed men and accused of poisoning the minds of young teenagers. According to witnesses, a heated discussion on religion ensued. One of the armed men then shot and killed him. It is believed that the armed men may have been part of an Islamic militia group.

    Pastor Shueb was married to Dhaba Dimbile and had five children between the ages of eight months and thirteen years.

    Pray for the friends and family of Pastor Shueb as they deal with this tragic loss. Pray for the continued ministry of sharing the Gospel in this difficult country. Shueb was actively involved with the Kenyan office of World in Need, working in relief work as a way to spread the Gospel. Pray that those responsible for his death will discover the love and forgiveness found through Jesus Christ.

    For more information on the persecution of Christians in Somalia,click here.

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