“The attacks are incessant. When they attack, we can only run and hide.”
– Samuel, African believer
While Cameroon is officially a secular country, there are predominantly Muslim areas where Islamic extremism is growing. In the north, the extremist group Boko Haram is a violent presence—abducting, attacking, or killing Christians, as well as disrupting church activities.
There is a lack of strong governance, adding to the vulnerability faced by persecuted Christians. Christians who’ve converted from Islam are at great risk if they tell anyone about their new faith, or if Bibles are discovered in their possession.
Christians in the far north are most vulnerable to Islamic extremist violence, but the risk of persecution is also growing in the northwest and southwest, partly due to weak governance and insecurity.
Boko Haram regularly abducts and sexually assaults women and girls, forcing them into marriage with its members. Men are abducted and subjected to forced labour, or forcibly recruited as soldiers. Many Christians are forced to flee because of the threats of these things against them.
– Pray that the government will take concrete measures to protect vulnerable Christian communities.
– Pray that church leaders will receive God’s wisdom and strength to minister to those who’ve faced trauma.
– Pray for discernment for local partners as they determine ways to serve the persecuted church.
