The world has been gripped by the news of what's happening in Nigeria - 276 teenage school girls kidnapped by an extreme terrorist group called Boko Haram (which means 'western education is sinful'), who are looking to implement a strict Muslim state.
If you've listened to LIFE for a while, the name Boko Haram is not new to you. You've heard it several times on 'Beyond the Comfort Zone', where I look at the struggles and persecutions of Christians around the world. Nigeria is one of the worst places because of Boko Haram, and every couple of weeks a new story emerges of Christians being slaughtered, churches being burned, etc... Hundreds of Christians are chased down, and brutally tortured and murdered by this group every year. (In fact, the group kills thousands of people each year - a quick internet search will turn up dozens of stories, many of them recent.)
Now there's this story of the captured teenage girls. It's maddening that this still happens in our day and age. It's infuriating that people still haven't learned to treat each other with respect, that some see themselves as better than others. And it's frustrating that it takes the capture of almost 300 teenage girls for the world to finally take notice of one of the worst terrorist groups in the world.
Now on the positive side of that last frustration, it's good that the world has finally noticed, and is doing something about it (better late than never). Canada, the US, and Britain have all offered help in finding the girls. There is mounting pressure on the Nigerian government, international news coverage, and several social media campaigns. We pray for the safe return of these girls. And we pray that this will be the catalyst for the world to start to take note of Boko Haram, their religious extremism, and their persecution of Christians.
If you've listened to LIFE for a while, the name Boko Haram is not new to you. You've heard it several times on 'Beyond the Comfort Zone', where I look at the struggles and persecutions of Christians around the world. Nigeria is one of the worst places because of Boko Haram, and every couple of weeks a new story emerges of Christians being slaughtered, churches being burned, etc... Hundreds of Christians are chased down, and brutally tortured and murdered by this group every year. (In fact, the group kills thousands of people each year - a quick internet search will turn up dozens of stories, many of them recent.)
Now there's this story of the captured teenage girls. It's maddening that this still happens in our day and age. It's infuriating that people still haven't learned to treat each other with respect, that some see themselves as better than others. And it's frustrating that it takes the capture of almost 300 teenage girls for the world to finally take notice of one of the worst terrorist groups in the world.
Now on the positive side of that last frustration, it's good that the world has finally noticed, and is doing something about it (better late than never). Canada, the US, and Britain have all offered help in finding the girls. There is mounting pressure on the Nigerian government, international news coverage, and several social media campaigns. We pray for the safe return of these girls. And we pray that this will be the catalyst for the world to start to take note of Boko Haram, their religious extremism, and their persecution of Christians.
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