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Sele in Nigeria was very young when his father was murdered for his faith
This Christmas, there will be an empty chair not only at the table for Rafif’s family in Iraq but also Sele’s family in Nigeria. Both of their fathers were killed for their faith. Sele has never known his dad. But you can spark hope for him, and thousands of other persecuted Christian children.
Sele is 13-year-old now. He loves the Christmas period. “My favourite thing about Christmas is the dramas we watch in church and the songs we sing,” he says. But as he and his mum prepare for Christmas, they also have an empty seat at their festive table.
“Sele never knew his dad, Solomon” Cecelia, Sele’s mum.
“He was only two years old when his father was shot and killed in 2011, part of a wave of extreme violence that engulfed Nigeria’s Plateau State at the time. Christians in the region still face kidnap, attack or murder from different groups of Islamic extremists.”
“I was preparing food,” remembers Cecelia. “We began to hear gunshots everywhere. The last call we had, Solomon said I should go home and take care of our children. He said everything in town was on fire, but I should stay calm.”
It was the final call she received from her husband. The next day, she heard confirmation that he had been killed.
“When my husband was alive, we were living peacefully,” remembers Cecelia. “He was a farmer and provided for all our needs.”
Without the family breadwinner, Cecelia had to take over the farming herself. Many people might have despaired – but she knew that God will not abandon her.
“I decided to hold on to Jesus,” Cecelia says simply.
Sele has to help his mother with difficult farm work but, thanks to the gifts and prayers of Open Doors supporters, there is also money to send him to school. And Sele has big dreams that show his caring heart.
“One day, I want to be a doctor,” he says. “I want to save lives and help people. I love my school – my teachers teach me very well, and they are helping me to become what I want to be. If I don’t go to school, I will feel very sad, because I will not become the doctor I want to be.”
And it’s not just science that Sele is learning: he attends a Christian school, where he can hear more about God and live out his faith openly. The story he likes best is one that many children around the world also love reading: “My favorite Bible story is David and Goliath, because I want to be like David who had faith in God and defeated Goliath.”
Sele is thriving at the school. Cecelia shares: “When he receives exam results, he asks me if I can call the office [Open Doors local partners] to tell them he came first in his class. I thank God for Open Doors – they constantly come and visit me, and always support me with Sele’s school fees.”
“I want to say thank you to the brothers and sisters who are helping me,” adds Sele. “Merry Christmas everybody – may God bless you!”
God is certainly blessing Sele and Rafif through you – and hundreds of other young persecuted Christians. There are so many more children who need to know that God is with them as they face discrimination, persecution or grief simply because they and their family follow Jesus.
With your support, Open Doors brings short-term care and long-term hope and provision for the next generation of believers. It’s vital because God loves these courageous boys and girls – and because we have to invest in the next generation to ensure the survival of the church.
This Christmas, can you help remind Christian children that God will never leave them – and neither will their worldwide family?
PLEASE PRAY
