When Pastor Zachariah came home to find his wife and son dead and his home village destroyed, he was devastated. However, trauma help brought hope and healing.
Pastor Zachariah cannot forget the day his life changed forever. As he was returning from an overnight trip to his home in central Nigeria, he saw a stream of people as he approached the village.
“Most were barefoot. They were muddy because they had escaped by crawling. The closer I got to my home, the more injured people I saw. And then bodies on the sides of the road.” The sight was terrifying. However, nothing prepared Pastor Zachariah for what he faced next.
“It felt like God had abandoned me.”
“My house had burned to the ground. I looked for my wife and son in every room. I found their lifeless bodies in the kitchen. I cried then more than ever in my life. Death is a painful thing.”
Pastor Zachariah’s home village in Plateau State had come under attack by Fulani fighters. It is believed that these tried to force the Christians out of the area. In May 2023, the fighters destroyed a total of 27 villages in the Mangu area and 125 people were killed. The brutality of the attack reflects the extreme violence of the persecution in Nigeria. Earth is one of the most dangerous places in the world to follow Jesus.
The events were a shocking experience for Pastor Zachariah. “It felt like God had abandoned me. Why did he allow these people to attack us? I couldn’t sleep and thought about it all the time, then I did whatever I wanted.”
With the support of Open Doors, pastor Zachariah was able to deal with what happened in the trauma center maintained by Open Doors. He is finally finding peace. “After coming to the center, my mind found rest,” he says.
A faithful pastor is now able to encourage and support his congregation. He urges people to stay close to God. Miraculously, he has also gained the power to forgive the men who murdered his beloved wife and son. “I am asking now that God forgives the attackers and that they enter the kingdom of God and do not die as sinners,” he says.
“I now ask that God forgive the attackers.”
“I pray that we can rely on God because He is the purpose of our whole life. If we believe that He is Almighty, we will not break,” Pastor Zachariah says in conclusion.
Pray
Pray for Pastor Zachariah that God will meet him in his sorrow and bring healing and courage.
Pray for the traumatized and displaced Christians living in the Mangu region. Ask God to comfort them.
Pray for those at the Open Doors trauma center that their faith will be strengthened and they will be given new hope.
Source: Tukena kaikkein synkimmissä paikoissa | Open Doors Finland
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