For this blog, I am reflecting on an article on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Link is provided below.
As I read the article, I could not help but to picture myself in the situation of the Christians in Nigeria. I tried to imagine living in that environment in which when a group of people assumed I was a Christian, I was on their hit list. I remember exactly what I was doing on the Eve of Christmas 2010, I was writing in my journal about how Christmas was all about Christ and how God has given the ultimate gift to be received. On the other part of the world on that same day in Nigeria, 200 Christians preparing for the celebration of Christmas were being murdered at the hand of Muslim extremists who claimed to be protesting. As I write this blog, there is probably someone in Nigeria, or perhaps in another part of the world being persecuted for their faith.
What surprised me most about the article was the involvement of the youth in the persecutions. The article states “Muslim youths stabbed two students at the University of Jos on the assumption that they were Christians.” Also, “clashes between students and Hausa Muslim youths followed an attack by the youths on Jan. 28th [leaving] at least four persons dead and 20 injured.” The basis of the attack “was due to the university being seen as an institution controlled and dominated by Christians.” I can try to imagine what Christians in these parts of the world that do not have religious freedom go through but the reality is I am still here in Texas at ETBU where you might be praised for being a follower of Christ. My prayers and sincere thoughts go out to those in Nigeria and in other parts of the world who are being persecuted, and I pray Christians in Texas and in the United States have similar reactions towards persecuted Christians. Together we can request that God will watch over them and bring up leaders who will call for religious freedom.
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