“We never received such gifts” – Fedalia profoundly impacted by your generosity

Fedalia says her family’s ‘heart is at rest’ after being among more than 2,000 displaced believers in Nigeria who received support from Open Doors local partners. Thank you for the crucial role you are playing in helping stop the violence and start the healing in sub-Saharan Africa.

Until May last year, Fedalia and her family lived peacefully in their village of Kantoma, in Nigeria’s Plateau State. “Our way of living was exciting,” she remembers. “Any visitor was welcomed. Everyone loved Kantoma. We were happy, we paid all our bills, we sent our children to school and we attended church.”

On Tuesday 26 May, Fedalia began noticing unusual activity. “I went out and opened my shop at 7am. I was in the shop when we saw a Muslim woman with her belongings and kid behind her back and she was the first person to leave Kantoma. We thought she was just going on a journey.”

As further movements and rumours ensued, Fedalia and her family knew they had to escape. Just as they did, people in Kantoma started being killed by Fulani militants. “We heard gunshots all round,” she shares. “Houses were being burned and seized.”

Like other violence in sub-Saharan Africa, the attack disproportionately affected Christians. “Only three Muslims were affected, but all our churches have been destroyed,” says Fedalia. “Their [Muslims’] houses weren’t burned, their things were intact, their mosque was also untouched. But all the churches in Kantoma were burned down. The only church they were unable to burn is the Baptist church, but all the things inside the church were burnt.

“My prayer is that God will open the eyes of those responsible for these attacks,” she continues. “They should ask for forgiveness. But if they refuse, we still won’t judge them but rather our Father in heaven will on the last day.”

“We are really happy”

Having fled, Fedalia, her husband and their four children now count amongst the estimated 16.2 million Christians in sub-Saharan Africa displaced by violence and conflict – an alarming figure largely unnoticed by the world, hence the importance of the Open Doors Arise Africa campaign.

“We didn’t find it easy, but we thank God because we are okay and we have good health,” says Fedalia, who now lives with her family in a camp for internally displaced people. Like so many camps in sub-Saharan Africa, it’s ill-equipped to care for people, but your support of local partners through the ongoing Arise Africa campaign is helping some of the urgent needs – and Fedalia is immensely grateful.

“You took us as your children and worked together with us peacefully,” she says. “A lot of people, more than 2,000 of us, you treated us well and didn’t want anything bad to happen to us. You followed us patiently and, since we were staying here, we never received such type of gifts. We are really happy and our mind is now at rest.

“We are happy for the rice, beans, maize, palm oil, salt, blanket, mosquito net, Bible, bathing bucket, soap, pots, bath to wash my children’s cloth and even pads for women,” continues Fedalia. “All these things have made us so happy and we promise to make good use of them starting from now.”         

Precious Bibles

For Fedalia and many others, among the most precious gifts is a new Bible. “This Bible, if we are troubled and we read it, especially me, it calms me down. And this Bible will be with me from now till the day I die. It is one of the biggest gifts that has really encouraged us, because whenever you are troubled you can just open the Bible and you will feel as if your heart will be at rest.”         

Fedalia lost her brother, uncle and another relative in the attacks on Kantoma. “They were the pillars of our family,” she says. “They were our strength, but we thank God because each time we take our Bible to read it, our mind becomes at rest.             

“Even with what happened to me, my faith wasn’t shaken. My mind has been set on Christ, because I know He will do even more for me, as it is said whatever happens is for a reason.

“We have seen how God has protected us and blessed us. Gifts keep coming from places we don’t know about – that is why our heart is at rest. The things that were given to us yesterday, when I entered the gate and saw the things on the floor, I said we too shall eat well.”

A prayer for more open doors

“Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we are grateful for what you have done for us,” adds Fedalia. “Our prayer is that God will continue to open doors for you where there seems to be no way. We weren’t the only ones who were helped, but others too, so our prayer is that may God open more doors, so you can help those in need.”

The profound impact your prayers and support are having on Fedalia is reflected in the lives of so many others in sub-Saharan Africa. Thank you! Please continue to stand with our persecuted family in the region – be that through your gifts, prayers or signing the Arise Africa petition, or by letting others know the invaluable role they can play in helping to stop the violence and start the healing.  

Head to our Arise Africa page for more information about the campaign. It features a downloadable month of prayer, stories, videos, plus much more to equip you in your support for our African family.