If you’re like me, you’ve seen the social media posts, seen celebrities speak out, caught a glimpse on the news, but perhaps didn’t know what it was really all about. “Bring Back Our Girls” has been in the forefront of news and social media, but for Christian multi-media, this story should take on even more prominence. Here’s why:
On April 21, 2014 over 200 Nigerian girls were kidnapped from a boarding school in the village of Chobok by members of the Muslim terrorist group Boko Haram. The girls, mostly Christian, are ages 16-20
Parents of the girls have pleaded for help from the government but the governments attempts are so far futile.
The Boko Haram has targeted Christian girls and women as a direct disrespect and handicap to Christian community. Many of the women kidnapped are forced to convert to Islam and marry members of the Muslim sect. Boko Haram’s goal is to create an Islamic state in Nigeria. Boko Haram, in the Hausa language, literally means “Western education is sin.” Boko Haram also targets churches, individual Christians, and Muslims that disagree with the group’s message.
So this story is largely about the ability to be Christian in the global landscape. It is about religious freedoms and the entities internationally that hope to quell them. Be aware. Be praying.
We pray that the abducted girls will be returned home safely.
