NIAMEY, NIGER - DECEMBER 09: Student writing in her exercise book at a Nigerian school on December 09, 2013, in Niamey, Niger. Photo by Ute Grabowsky/Photothek via Getty Images)***Local Caption*** via Adotei Akwei of Amnesty International Nigeria: Bring Back Our Girls! |
On April 14 more than 230 Nigerian girls were abducted from their Chibok boarding school by the Islamist armed group Boko Haram. A man claiming to be Abubaker Shekau, leader of Boko Haram, said in a video that the schoolgirls were "slaves" whom he planned to sell in the market. "I will marry off a woman at the age of 12. I will marry off a girl at the age of nine," he said at another point in the video.
Chilling, isn't it?
I've spent most of today reading up on the horror of what happened. I won't repeat the details here. If you're interested in learning more, Adotei Akwei of Amnesty International has blogged Nigeria: Bring Back Our Girls! You can find out more there. Or do a search on Google and check the news services for reports of the abduction.
The above photo of a girl bent over her school work is on Akwei's post. She appears to be my granddaughter's age. That could be my Emma -- young, bright, focused. Dedicated to her schoolwork and hopeful of her future. There were 200+ girls like Emma ripped from their beds and thrown into vehicles the night of April 14. They vanished into the forest with their abductors and haven't been seen since. Their families are sick with worry and overwhelmed with fear.
Too many days it's easy for me to detach myself from the reality of evil like this. To say "It's terrible, but there's nothing I can do." Today is different. I can't go and rescue those Nigerian girls, but I can pray and ask God to do so. I'm a woman of faith. I believe in the power of prayer.
Today I think:
What if one of those girls were my Emma? What if she were my granddaughter? Wouldn't I want someone to care? Even if it was someone on the other side of the world, wouldn't I want that person -- that grandmother -- to pray for my girl?
Today I'm praying as if all those missing girls are my granddaughters. I'm praying that God will crash the gates of Hell and save those precious girls. That He'll bring them back home to safety and the freedom to see their dreams come true.
And this will be my daily prayer until my granddaughters are free.
Powerful post, Nancy. I too am guilty of shutting myself off the horrors of the real world. It is much more pleasant to get my "news" via my blogroll and instagram photos. Unfortunately, there are days when it is essential to hear what is going on in the world, to be informed, to be prepared and perhaps to pray.
ReplyDeleteNancy, I knew nothing of this and it just breaks my heart! Marrying girls off at age 9 and 12. This just sickens me! I too have granddaughters that age. I am a woman of faith also and will have them in my prayers as well. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
Thank you Nancy . . . thoughtful, poignant, powerful . . .
ReplyDeleteLet's Pray . . .
I pray for these girls and their families. I have one granddaughter and I am so angry that anyone can be sold. I pray for the safety of my grandchildren each and every day. Thank you for your post.
ReplyDeleteI have granddaughters 9 and 12, and younger. We DO need to be praying for these little girls, and their families. What a travesty! It is difficult to imagine such evil. Praise God for women like you bringing this to the attention of others, and causing us to stand in agreement against the wiles of the devil.
ReplyDeleteWhere two or more are gathered, in His Name, there He is in the midst of them.
Debbie
xo
I just feel sick when I imagine how afraid those girls must be.
ReplyDeleteWe do need to faithfully pray for these girls. Thank you for holding them up to heaven...and touching many hearts like mine to stop and pray daily for them.
ReplyDeleteHuman trafficking is my heart-of-hearts pet project to pray about! And this event really hurt me as well, knowing these children were being subjected to all manner of atrocities and being dehumanized. They should be happy young girls, going to school and living their lives without fear. In fact, all young people (boys and girls) going through sexual abuse and torture of any kind need our prayers, and I pray for them daily. I'm glad you posted this. Most people don't want to see anything posted except flowers, animals, scenery, birds and happy grandchildren. And though I love all those things and enjoy my blogging friends tremendously, the attitude of "if it's something bad, I don't want to see it" really bothers me! I've tried a few times. I'll get one or two comments on such posts, and then they all breathe a sigh of relief and go back to commenting when my next post is something beautiful or fun. I think that's sad. Why can't we all be brothers and sisters of this world, praying for one another, and sharing the burdens of evil by trying to be aware and helping where we can? Oh, well, I'll get off my soap box. :-) Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteNancy, I wasn't yet following your blog when you posted this, so I missed it. Thank you for mentioning it! These girls' story grieved me when it happened—and it grieves me now. Thank you for all you and your church family are doing on behalf of trafficked girls! If everyone would do something...
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