We partnered with a church in Nigeria to get relief to areas impacted by terrorist attacks. Attached is our release.
Donn Hallman
714-222-5079
Wycliffe Associates Partnering with Nigerian Church to Bring Relief and Hope to Victims of Islamic Militant Attacks
(Orlando, Florida, USA)—Wycliffe Associates, an international organization that empowers mother-tongue Bible translators and partners with local churches in the advancement of Bible translation, is working to relieve suffering for Nigerian Christians through its Emergency 911 Fund.
Between January and August of 2021, more than 267 people in Nigeria have been killed, 246 houses have been burned, and more than 20,000 hectares of farmlands have been destroyed by Fulani Jihadists. In August, 2021, Fulani Jihadists attacked more than 17 villages and killed 70 people. Fifteen communities within the Zonzon and Zonkwa districts have been completely razed.
“Bible translators and their families have been on the run—trying to find safe shelter and security wherever they can,” says Tabitha Price, Vice President of Translation Services at Wycliffe Associates. “Fear and terror have gripped these believers as they suffer tragic losses and hopelessness.”
The crisis has been created by a twofold problem: Islamic militant groups like the Fulani Jihadists and Boko Haram are intent on eradicating Christianity, and dwindling grazing lands are forcing Fulani herdsmen into Christian communities
In addition, Boko Haram has publicly declared its mission of eliminating Christianity in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, and entrenching Shariah law throughout the nation, which is 53.5 percent Muslim.
The Southern Kaduna region of Nigeria has become a hot spot where militants are carrying out killing, banditry, kidnapping, and destruction almost daily. Meanwhile, a case study in the Miango community has recorded more than 200 widows and approximately 800 orphans.
Wycliffe Associates has partnered with the relief foundation of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Nigeria to provide emergency aid to those who have been attacked or affected by the attacks, especially widows and orphans. Wycliffe Associates is currently raising funds to send to the ECWA.
The ECWA is the largest single evangelical church in the northern part of Nigeria and has suffered severe attacks and casualties, including the murders of its own church members and an ECWA pastor.
Along with providing food, bedding, and clothes, ECWA hopes to purchase building materials to help victims renovate their houses when security improves, and they can return to their villages.
About Wycliffe Associates
One of the world’s leading Bible translation organizations, Wycliffe Associates was organized in 1967 by friends of Bible translators to accelerate the work of Bible translation. Wycliffe Associates empowers national Bible translators to provide God’s Word in their own language, partners with the local church to direct and guard translation work, harnessing their passion and desire for God’s Word, and engages people from all around the world to provide resources, technology, training, and support for Bible translation.
Because millions of people around the world still wait to have the Scriptures in the language of their hearts, Wycliffe Associates is working as quickly as it can to see every verse of God’s Word translated into every tongue to speak to every heart. Wycliffe Associates is directly involved with speeding Bible translation by providing technology, training, resources, logistics, networking, expertise, volunteers, discipleship, church planting, and support. Wycliffe Associates staff and volunteers are currently accelerating Bible translations in 64 countries. For more information, please see www.wycliffeassociates.org.
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