*Representative Photo to Protect Identity
By Janelle P in Africa
Mercy is from Gwoza in the violent northeastern area of Nigeria. She and others who used to call Gwoza home watched helplessly as the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram set up camp in the hills to the east of the town. Boko Haram forces soon began encroaching on their area. In June 2014, the militants claimed the town and declared a caliphate there.
The insurgents arrived in Mercy’s neighborhood in the middle of the night.
“Everyone in the town ran helter-skelter to save themselves,” recalls Mercy. My dad and I were separated. I do not know what happened to him. I think he died the same way many others died – they refused to deny Christ.”
The attackers abducted Mercy, 22, and other women and took them to the near-by town of Mubi, which had also fallen.
Mercy says: “They asked if we agreed to become Muslims and to marry Boko Haram members. I pleaded that they allow me to remain a Christian, but my pleas fell on deaf ears. They beat me and told me to never mention Christianity in the camp again. Then they told me that they would arrange a husband for me. I received a husband a few weeks later.”
She doesn’t want to give details about the arranged marriage. All she says was, “Every single day came with tears and fears for the unknown.”
She witnessed how Christian men who refused to deny Christ were killed. She could not endure the torture and gave in to their demands.
“I knew God saw my heart, but still I could not sleep,” Mercy stated. “I prayed and fasted like never before. I kept pleading with God to intervene.”
Mercy's story continues: https://www.opendoorsusa.org/newsroom/
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