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MARCH 2015
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Radical Islam Plants
Death in Kenya Devastating Attacks Lead to Opportunities to Rebuild
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THEY’VE LEFT US
Bare As Skeletons ICC visits with the survivors of a Christian community in Kenya that was devastated by Islamic militants. By Cameron Thomas, Regional Manager for Africa
I
magine waking to the sound of gunshots in the distance, hiding your grandchildren in their beds, and then waiting by the door, praying armed men don’t break in to kill you for your faith. As ICC staff members, we have the opportunity to meet with persecuted brothers and sisters to hear and share their stories with the free Church, but sometimes their stories are unimaginable. The story of those that survived the Hindi massacre is one that I never could have imagined before standing in the ash of Pastor Elizabeth’s burned-down home, staring 2
at the charred remains of her grandchildren’s bed frames.
The Sound of Gunshots
Within 20 minutes of hearing the first gunshots erupt in the distance, knuckles rapped on Pastor Elizabeth’s door as she sat praying for the Lord’s protection. The previous month, militants affiliated with the Somalia-based, radical Islamic insurgency, al-Shabaab, had driven through the local area, bombing hotels and killing anyone unable to recite from the Quran. In total, 56
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non-Muslims, many of whom were professed Christians, were killed. “Who’s there?” Pastor Elizabeth asked. “The police,” a man responded from just beyond the door. With a sigh of relief, Elizabeth threw open the door and stared out at the four armed men clad in navy blue uniforms. She quickly invited the men in, thankful for the Lord’s provision. Once inside, the men began to scour the house, rifling through the pastor’s belongings. Confused, Elizabeth asked the men what it was they were looking for. MARCH 2015
“Burn It All” “You are a pastor, are you not?” The man who appeared to be the leader of the group asked in response. “Yes, I am a servant of the Lord,” Elizabeth responded. After a long pause, the leader said flatly, “If you do not agree to stop preaching, we are going to burn down your house, with you inside it.” As if cued, two of the men began to pile everything Elizabeth owned into a corner of
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the house as a third furnished a gas can which he now held ominously overhead. Faced with the realization that it wasn’t police officers she had invited into her home, but militants who had come to kill her and her grandchildren, Pastor Elizabeth said a last prayer before turning to address the leader. “I am a servant of the Lord. If it is either stop serving the Lord or have it burned, then I say: burn it all.” And they did.
‘I am a servant of the Lord. If it is either stop serving the Lord or have it burned, then I say: burn it all.’ 3
In the span of two hours on the night of July 3, 2014, the Christian community of Hindi was devastated: its homes burned to the ground, its men murdered and its church left in ruins. In all, throngs of armed Islamic militants disguised as police officers burned down the homes of 13 members of Pastor Elizabeth’s church, widowing nine women and orphaning dozens of children in the process.
HINDI MASSACRE
ICC Visits Hindi
In November, ICC staff drove for two days on some of the roughest roads in Kenya to meet with the Hindi Christian community and hear the stories of their survival and loss. Caked in dust and exhausted from the long journey, staff stumbled through the bush to Pastor Elizabeth’s new home (a gift from a member of the community), where victims of the attack had gathered to share their suffering. Assembled in a half-circle, men, women and children sat staring vacantly as they stood one-by-one to tell our staff what they had lost in the attack: homes, possessions, incomes, loved ones, senses of security and hope. As Pastor Elizabeth remarked, the militants had “taken [their] flesh” in the attack, “leaving [them] bare as skeletons.” Pressed for time by the 6 p.m. curfew enforced by Kenya’s less-than-forgiving defense forces, staff quickly recorded the damages reported by those gathered before piling themselves and those without a ride into their rental car to drive past the burnt-out shells of downtown Mpeketoni as the sun set over the Swahili Coast. After a night spent tossing and turning in the sweltering coastal humidity, ICC staff disembarked at sunrise to meet Pastor Elizabeth and survivors of the attack at the foot of the path that leads to the burnt remains of their decimated church. After exchanging hellos the African way — laughing at the Mzungus’ failed attempts to speak in broken Swahili — the group set out on foot, hoping to outpace the ascending sun, which rose almost as quickly as the heat.
The militants had ‘taken [their] flesh’ in the attack, ‘leaving [them] bare as skeletons.’
Hindi, Kenya
The scene of a brutal attack on a Christian village by Islamic militants
10 Christian Men Killed
9 Women Made Widows
13 Homes Destroyed
– Pastor Elizabeth’s description of the damage done to Christians in the attack on their village
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MARCH 2015
Led by Pastor Elizabeth, the group blazed a pathway through the grass, overgrown in the absence of members’ Sunday marches to and from the church. Excepting the “wisp” sound of the grass being bent back, the group’s silence marked the sense of abandonment that hung over the neglected fields. Fatigued by the heat, ICC staff fought to keep up with the locals, pushing through the chest-high grass like characters in a postapocalyptic Hollywood scene — with an American flag bandana tied loosely around his neck, ICC’s regional manager for Asia looked as if he actually were. To break the silence, a local pastor explained that the church owns nearly nine acres of land that, prior to the attack, was cultivated by male members of the congregation. In the wake of so many of their deaths, however, the fields had gone to waste and now needed to be cleared by renting a local tractor that the church membership could not afford. Working with local partners, ICC has arranged for the church’s land to be cleared, plowed and seeded this month in preparation for the rainy season.
Meeting the Survivors
Shortly thereafter, a cluster of thatched roofs emerged from the brush. Funneled from the makeshift pathway into a clearing, ICC staff were greeted by a young couple with an infant son pinned against his mother’s hip with one arm as his older brother’s hand clung to the other hanging loosely by her side. They stood in front of the burnt-out shell of the home they had built with the intention of starting their life together, raising a family and growing old within its walls. Their faces were grim, their hands tense and their feet coated in ash — a look ICC staff would later refer to as “the Hindi uniform” after seeing everyone wearing it. Of the 13 homes burned down in the attack, ICC staff were able to personally visit five while in Hindi. Each spoke louder than the last of the devastation wrought upon the community by young men radicalized by a theology of hate and a creed of violence. For years, Kenya’s predominantly Islamic coast has been increasingly exposed to radically conservative teachings imported from Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States and Somalia. Overwhelmed by advocates of conservative forms of Islam, in 2010 the Kenyan government failed to repeal Sharia as law in the coastal and Somali regions of Kenya, which include Hindi, a majority-Christian town embedded within an increasingly radi-
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Deeper into the fields lay the burnt remains of the church, its cross lying face down in the ash, as if mourning … A survivor holds a small remnant of his village after radicals attacked.
cally Islamic coast. The decision to maintain Islamic courts and the enforcement of Sharia law on the coast affirms the motto of the Mombasa Republican Council (a political movement accused of supporting a militant wing trained and funded by al-Shabaab): “Pwani si Kenya.” The phrase is translated in English as, “The coast is not Kenya.”
A Church in Ashes
One of the massacre’s survivors shares her story of suffering.
Members of the church burned by radicals inspect the cross which now rests in ashes.
Deeper into the fields lay the burnt remains of the church, its cross lying face down in the ash, as if mourning the desecration of the Lord’s house. The scene was both gruesome and beautiful. The women of the group, clad in brightly colored dresses, sang hymns as they sorted through the rubble while the men smiled as they picked up pangas (short knives) left behind in the militants’ rampage. From between tufts of grass and strings of purple flowers, the church’s charred trussing still protruded despite Africa’s best attempt to destroy any evidence of the evil committed there. Even if the burnt remains that still litter Hindi today were swept away, the fields cleared and the ash washed away, the survivors of the attack carry the loss of their homes and loved ones with them. ICC is committed to rebuilding much of what was destroyed in the Hindi massacre, and we hope that you will consider partnering with us to fulfill that commitment, but the work will never be done until the hearts of the victims have been healed in God’s timing.
Calling All Intercessors
In 2015, ICC has pledged to raise up 1,000 prayer warriors across the world to intercede on behalf of the persecuted. We would be honored by your decision to take the pledge and to become a prayer warrior for Hindi and for so many other Christian communities ravaged for their faith. Commit today to praying Ephesians 3:14-19 over the survivors of the Hindi massacre, that the Lord, in His good will and perfect timing, would heal their scars and restore their hope for better things to come. 5
Abdi Weli: A Martyr Remembered “I felt something hit me in the chest, but did not feel pain. I was in shock. Then I saw a hand reach across me, pointing a pistol at Abdi. The hand was shaking, and then the pistol fired six more bullets into Abdi.” By William Stark
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MARCH 2015
Pastor Ibrahim recounts the martyrdom of his friend and outreach pastor, Abdi Weli, who was shot to death by Muslim radicals.
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“S
o what are you doing here?”
This was a question posed to me by a missionary during a recent trip to Kenya after explaining ICC’s mission to assist persecuted Christians worldwide. For many, including this missionary, Kenya isn’t a country typically associated with Christian persecution. For most, the image of the savanna littered with African wildlife is what comes to mind first. Instead of reciting every incident of persecution that had taken place in Kenya over the past year, which by itself would have explained my presence in Kenya, I decided to tell the missionary where I was traveling the next day. “Well, tomorrow I will be heading out to Garissa to meet with the local church there,” I responded. At this, the missionary’s eyes widened. “Oh… well that makes sense,” the missionary said. “Just be careful out there,” he concluded as we finished eating our meal and went our separate ways.
Kenya’s Most Dangerous City for Christians With a population dominated by ethnic Somalis, Garissa is by far and away a Muslim-majority city. Located in the North Eastern Province, it is considered to be both a hotbed of persecution and Kenya’s most dangerous city for Christians. To back up this deadly reputation, Garissa has been the location of many lethal incidents of persecution, including the murder of Pastor Abdi Weli in February 2013. The drive from Nairobi to Garissa took seven hours and gave me plenty of time to prepare to meet the Christians of Garissa. Chief among these meetings was a meeting with a local pastor named Pastor Ibrahim Makunyi, the senior pastor of the East Africa Pentecostal Church (EAPC) in Garissa. Pastor Ibrahim and his church endure persecution on a daily basis. Just being a Christian in a city like Garissa guarantees that. What makes Pastor Ibrahim and his church different is that they are not only willing to endure this general persecution, they are also willing 8
‘Life is not easy here. We must endure persecution every day here in Garissa.’ – PASTOR IBRAHIM OF THE EAST AFRICA PENTECOSTAL CHURCH IN GARISSA
to share the Gospel with their Somali Muslim neighbors. That willingness has guaranteed that the church and its members would face a higher intensity of persecution. It was this level of persecution that claimed the life of Pastor Abdi Weli, the Muslim outreach pastor at EAPC, and almost claimed Pastor Ibrahim’s life on February 7, 2013.
Garissa’s Boldest Evangelist
When I finally drove through the security
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gate at EAPC, I saw Pastor Ibrahim waiting to greet me outside his church. After quick greetings were exchanged, Pastor Ibrahim led me inside. “Life is not easy here,” Pastor Ibrahim sighed as he took his seat. “We must endure persecution every day here in Garissa.” The murder of Pastor Abdi Weli marked the latest ‘intense’ incident of persecution directed at EAPC and was something to which Pastor Ibrahim was a firsthand witness. MARCH 2015
Garissa, Kenya
Top Left The
front of the East Africa Pentecostal Church (EAPC) in Garissa. The church is persecuted for its willingness to share the Gospel with its Somali Muslim neighbors.
Top Right
Pastor Ibrahim, the senior pastor of EAPC, was shot by gunmen in 2013. Though Ibrahim survived the attack, the church’s Muslim outreach pastor was killed.
Bottom Left
Pastor Ibrahim meets an ICC staff member at the security gate to EAPC.
Bottom Right
ICC staff meet with Pastor Ibrahim and other EAPC church members to learn of the persecution they’ve faced.
“The morning of the attack, Abdi and I drove to the bank in Garissa,” Pastor Ibrahim said as he recalled the day of the incident. “On our way, we noticed that there was a car following us. This made us very nervous.” Because of their willingness to reach out to Garissa’s Somali Muslims, the pastors were the targets of multiple death threats from alShabaab, a radical group that continues to be active in Garissa. Threats got so bad on several occasions that both pastors had to flee Garissa for months at a time. “Abdi was driving, so I kept an eye on the car that was following us,” Pastor Ibrahim continued. “I told Abdi to drive to the market where there were lots of people. My wife was also at one of the local shops, so I thought we
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could pick her up as well and go to safety.” “When we stopped in front of the shop where my wife was, the car following us also stopped,” Pastor Ibrahim said. “I opened the door, stepped out of the car, and noticed that the men in the other car had also gotten out. That’s when I saw they had guns.” “Before I could react, these men shot at us point-blank,” Pastor Ibrahim continued. “I felt something hit me in the chest, but did not feel pain. I was in shock. Suddenly, I couldn’t stand anymore and slumped back into the passenger seat of the car.” “Everything was in slow motion,” Pastor Ibrahim recalled. “I saw my wife scream and run away. I looked over to Abdi and saw him wounded, leaning forward on the steering
wheel. I couldn’t move. Then I saw a hand reach across me, pointing a pistol at Abdi. The hand was shaking and then the pistol fired six more bullets into Abdi.” “When the hand disappeared, I looked back at Abdi,” Pastor Ibrahim continued. “He gave a weak sigh and leaned harder into the steering wheel. At that moment, I knew my friend was dead.” “Everyone stayed away from our car right after the attack,” Pastor Ibrahim said. “I thought I was going to die because no one was coming to help us. Then a Christian woman looked in the car, and I looked her in the eyes. She screamed, ‘Pastor is alive!’ Several people dragged me out of the car and brought me to the hospital. Local Christians had to take me by motorcycle because the ambulance was too afraid to come and help.”
A Pastor Returns to Garissa
When ICC heard about the attack on Pastor Ibrahim and Pastor Abdi Weli in 2013, we took immediate action and were able to assist Pastor Ibrahim with his medical care. Today, over two years later, Pastor Ibrahim is in good health and is planning on returning to EAPC in Garissa. “I want to return to the church,” Pastor Ibrahim told me. “I don’t care if those who killed Abdi are gone or not.” As I left EAPC and Pastor Ibrahim, I reflected for a moment on the challenges they will face because of their willingness to spread to Gospel to Somali Muslims. Church attendance at EAPC dropped from 100 to 30 members following the murder of Pastor Abdi Weli. This means consistent support for Pastor Ibrahim is becoming harder and harder to collect. Death threats continue to be received by Pastor Ibrahim and EAPC, causing police protection to be a necessity to hold a Sunday church service. Despite these challenges, I walked away from my meeting with Pastor Ibrahim filled with joy. Even though the price of spreading the Gospel in places like Garissa is steep, it is truly a blessing to know God has raised up leaders like Pastor Ibrahim and Pastor Abdi Weli who are ready and willing to pay that price. 9
President’s Letter
“If you do not agree to stop preaching, we are going to burn down your house, with you inside it.” Two of the men began to pile everything she owned into a corner of the house, and a third held up a gas can, ready to douse her possessions in fuel. Pastor Elizabeth said a last prayer before turning to the leader. “I am a servant of the Lord. If it is either stop serving the Lord or have it burned, then I say: burn it all.”
Jeff King, President International Christian Concern
And they did.
Pastor Elizabeth (page 10) is the kind of Christian we love. She long ago decided to go “all in” with God. The enemy can burn down her home or her body, but she cannot stop sharing about Jesus or turn away from Him. Where would she go, what would she do? She has found the answer to life and is determined to have the fullness of Him. Elizabeth will pay any price to stay close to the Father and to keep telling others of the secret path to life. This attitude is why we are passionate about the persecuted Church. They have discovered the great secret of the true Christian life and the secret of life in general. To truly live, you must have Him at the center. He must be your treasure rather than the trinkets of homes and cars (or even your family and relationships) that can be piled into the proverbial corner of your life and burned. Please stop and think about that in your own life. Is He truly your treasure? What is the one thing you cannot lose in this life? Is it your home, your wealth, your standing in the community, or even your children and the relationships with those you dearly love? There are many substitute treasures, and some of them are truly priceless (your loved ones), but they must all fade to second place. He must be your first and true treasure and the thing you will hold onto above all else. See Matthew 10:37, Luke 14:26, and Matthew 6:21. Please join with us as we bandage and build His persecuted Church: those willing to pay the ultimate price to retain the true treasure of life. As always, your donations will be used efficiently, effectively and ethically. I promise!
Jeff King President, International Christian Concern www.persecution.org
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