Summary

SummaryI am Deborah, and my life was forever changed when ADF fighters struck our village in North Kivu, DRC. πŸ’” One day, I returned home to find my husband’s workshop soaked in bloodβ€”he had been struck with a hammer and killed. Not long after, my father, mother, and most of my siblings were also murdered. I still remember the horror of hiding in the dark house, unable to do anything as I saw it all happen.

Since 2022, more than 2.6 million people have been displaced in North Kivuβ€”Christians like me and my brother Jonathan* had nowhere to turn. Our home was gone, and every morning I walked to school, returning at 2 p.m. to search for any piece of work I could find: sometimes helping build a mud house, other times begging for food. I often cried, too weak to work, relying on neighbors to give me cassava leaves and palm oil so I could feed my younger siblings.

Yet in the midst of this pain, God became my comfort. πŸ™ When I felt like I had no strength, I lifted my eyes to the mountains and remembered Psalm 121: β€œMy help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” People from Open Doors and local partners brought us emergency aid and trauma care. Sometimes a stranger would give me cassava leaves, or someone else would give us half a bottle of palm oilβ€”each gift was God’s grace sustaining us.

Now, I still weep for my lost loved ones, but I comfort my children by telling them their father is in heaven, and one day we will join him. πŸ•ŠοΈ I pray that God would turn the hearts of the militants, and I ask believers everywhere: please pray for provision, for healing, and for peace in the DRC. Even though my family was shattered, my faith remains unbroken. God’s promises are alive, and He carries me through each day. ❀️

[Please note, this video contains details of persecution that you may find particularly distressing.]

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, radical ADF fighters linked with Islamic State often
target Christian communities. North Kivu province has seen more than 2.6 million people displaced by violence since 2022. Among them are Christians like Deborah* and Jonathan* whose families were attacked – but your prayers and support are helping to sustain them.

Open Doors Prayer News 304 (September-October 2024)

www.opendoorsuk.org/prayernews

*Name changed for security reasons

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Open Doors UK & Ireland
Open Doors is an international ministry serving persecuted Christians and churches worldwide. We supply Bibles, leadership training, literacy programmes, livelihood support and advocacy services. We also seek to mobilise the church in the UK & Ireland to serve Christians living under religious persecution.
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