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Niger

• Protesters Set Fire to Church

  

  A mob in the Zaria district of Niger's second largest city, Maradi, set fire to an Assemblies of God church in retaliation for the arrest of a prominent imam. In addition to the destruction of the church building, the pastor's car was also torched. Witnesses say that groups of young people also set up barricades with burning tires in protest.

• Church Ransacked and Burned

  

  For years, the small Christian minority in the west African nation of Niger has lived peacefully alongside the Muslim majority. In recent years, however, the rise of jihadist groups such as Boko Haram has led to an escalation in tension, including the destruction of church buildings and violent attacks on Christians.

• Restored Churches Emerge from the Ashes

  

  New buildings have emerged in Niger from the rubble of churches that were destroyed three years ago in the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, France. On the weekend of January 16th and 17th in 2015, more than 70 churches were ransacked by hundreds of militant Islamists who were angered that Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou, joined by five other African heads of state, met in Paris for meetings. A previous prayer alert report on the destruction and chaos that took place in Niger may be reviewed here.

• Kidnapped Pastor's Daughter Located!

  

  On October 16th, the teenage daughter of a pastor was kidnapped in southeastern Niger. Security forces were alerted at the time of the incident and the 17-year-old, Aphodiya Garba Maida, was thankfully found alive and well about ten kilometres away from Diffa a day later. At the time of receiving this updated report, Aphodiya was in the care of authorities.

• Training Effectively Equipping Leaders

  After attending VOM-led training sessions with her husband, "Christina" began to meet with women in four villages, teaching Christians and witnessing to non-believers. Before attending the training sessions, she had been afraid to openly share the Gospel. The non-Christian women had frightened Christina by showing her the graves of missionaries, and some vendors in the local market had stopped accepting her money after discovering that she was a believer.

  However, Christina gained much encouragement from the sessions on evangelism and church planting, and she praises God for the new method of sharing the Gospel that she had learned during the training. The training sessions -- which included more than a hundred participating pastors, evangelists and their wives -- offered courses in Biblical storytelling, church planting and worship with traditional instruments, among other relevant topics.

  May this ministry training continue to be an effective means of reaching even more villagers for Christ so that they, too, will be able to personally testify of His life-saving grace.

• Missionary Abducted by Unknown Assailants

  
  Jeff Woodke
  Photo: Jeff Woodke / Facebook via
  World Watch Monitor

  Jeff Woodke, who works for Jeunesse en Mission Entraide et Developpement, a branch of the U.S.-based organization Youth With A Mission (YWAM), was abducted from the town of Abalak in northern Niger by unknown assailants late in the evening of October 14th.

  Bilou Mohamed, the mayor of Abalak, announced that the community has "suffered a terrible tragedy" and that locals "wept with sorrow, lamenting the loss of a friend" the day after his abduction. He then spoke of the 55-year-old missionary's dedicated service: "This man has lived among us for years, even when it has been difficult to accompany vulnerable populations.... Everyone knows his goodness."

  According to Niger's interior minister, Mohamed Bazoum, a group of armed men -- believed to be from a radical Islamic group called Mujao -- burst into Jeff's home at around 9 p.m. After killing two security guards, including a member of the National Guard who was stationed there, the kidnappers took Jeff by force and drove towards eastern Mali, where Mujao has a stronghold.

  Known in Abalak for his devotion to Niger and its nomadic populations, Jeff runs several development projects among the Tuareg people, focussing on farming, health, literacy, primary school education and access to drinking water.

  Please uphold Jeff in prayer as he faces this time of uncertainty in captivity. May he experience the assuring presence of our Lord, whom we pray will surround him with an angelic wall of protection. Also lift up the missionary's concerned family, friends, colleagues and community members, asking that they be comforted and granted the "peace that surpasses all understanding" while his whereabouts are sought and his safe release pursued.

• Equipping Persecuted Christian Workers

  Pastors and other Christian workers, who are facing increased persecution in this Muslim-majority nation, were able to attend VOM-sponsored training sessions this past June. At the request of local Christian leaders, 12 conferences were made available throughout Niger. As a result, 120 churches have received practical training and resources to help them respond to persecution and spread the Gospel. Please join us in praying for these pastors and Christian workers as they continue to plant churches, evangelize, and educate Christians on how to live as effective Christ-followers in a predominantly Islamic society.

• Christian Community Targeted in Violent Raids

  The minority Christian population in Niger was targeted in violent raids after a French satirical magazine depicted controversial images of Islam's prophet Mohammed. Dozens of churches were burned down, along with numerous other Christian-owned buildings, including homes, schools and those used by organizations. At least 10 people were killed in the rioting, which centered around the capital city of Niamey and the southern city of Zinder, also extending to various towns across the country. Similar protests were held in several other nations, including Algeria, Senegal, Pakistan, Somalia and Sudan.

  Many in Niger's Christian communities have fled their homes and remain very fearful of further attack. There are reports that the homes belonging to Christians have been marked for destruction, and that mosque loudspeakers have broadcasted extremist sermons promoting jihad against the already victimized believers.

  Pray that God will bring healing to the members of Niger's traumatized Christian communities. Specifically, may all those who have been affected by this senseless violence experience the everlasting love of the Father, the comfort of a personal relationship with His Son Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit to continue living wholeheartedly for Him. Ask the Lord to lead and empower the country's authorities so they will be used as instruments of His peace while providing needed protection to all of its citizens during this time of tremendous unrest. Please also request that He will use this tragic situation for His greater purposes by touching the hearts of those who have yet to receive His eternal salvation. In essence, may this trial not discourage the church in Niger, but rather be mightily used to further strengthen, refine and embolden all of the believers in this country so they will live in steadfast devotion to our Lord and, therefore, serve as vibrant testimonies of His amazing grace.