21ST CENTURY WILBERFORCE INITIATIVE | 405 NORTH WASHINGTON ST., SUITE 300, FALLS CHURCH, VA 22046 571-297-3177 | [email protected] | WWW.21WILBERFORCE.ORG

SPEAKFREEDOM

TEXASHeLostHisHandbutHeMinisteredtoHisAttackersCollectedbythe21stCenturyWilberforceInitiative,July2015Tags:Ethiopia,MobAttackSomeyearsago,duringachurchserviceinsouthernEthiopia,acommunitymobattackedalocalchurchwhichislocatedinaveryruralarea.TheattackwastheculminationofrisingtensionwithsomeinthecommunitytakingactivestepstotargettheChristians.ThemostimmediatecauseforalarmwasthatayoungteenageboywhowasaChristianhadbeenkilledandhisbodyleftinalocalriver.Nonetheless,thelocalchurchremaincommittedtocorporateworship.OnthatparticularSunday,amobwasformedandrightinthemiddleoftheworshipservicelaunchedanattackontheworshipservice.Thechoirhadjustfinishedtheirsongandweremovingtositdownandthepastorwasrisingtopreach.Themobburstin,machetesraisedandthejoyofworshipwasreplacedwiththewailsoflament.Oneofthechoirmemberswaskilled.Manyreceivedpermanentdamagefromtheblunttraumaoftheblade.Oneofthemosttraumaticcaseswasthatofayoungboywholosthishandintheattack.Stillachild,hewouldfacetherealityofhislifewithonlyonehand.Hisfatherwaspresentduringtheattackandduringtheinterview,thefatherwasasked,“Ifyoucouldseeyourattackerstodaywhatwouldyoutellthem?”Hereplied:

“Ihaven’tseenthembut…Ilovethem…[TheLord]hasbroughtsomanygoodthingsinourlives.IfIsawthemIwouldaskthemtorejoiceandknowmyLord.”

AnothermanwhowaspresentduringthatattackandduringthisinterviewwasnamedNoru.Norualsolosthislefthandduringthismobattackonthechurch.Hedescribedthatafterwardshewastakentothehospitalforsurgery.Afteraperiodofrecuperationhereturnedtohishomevillagebuthewasunabletowork.Mostofthoseinthevillagearefarmersandhisabilitytosuccessfullyfarmwassignificantlycurtailedbecauseofthelossofhishand.However,Norulearnedthatoneoftheindividualswhohadplannedandorchestratedthisattackandwhohadparticipatedhadasonwhohadbecomeverysick.Noruneededthatthisfatherwouldneedtofarminordertotakecareoftherestofhisfamily.Sincehewasunabletowork,Noruvolunteeredtohavethesickchildofamanwhohadlaunchedanattackonhislifebroughtintohishome.Norupersonallynurturedthisyoungboybacktofullhealth.Afterdescribingthatheexperiencehesimplystated,

“WhateverthecostIwillstandforJesus.”

Followingthisattackandtheactionsofthesebelievers,thetensioninthecommunitycompletelydisappearedandthechurchexperiencedrapidgrowthasmanyinthecommunity–includingsomewhowereconnectedtothosewhoparticipatedintheattack–turnedtoChristforthefirsttime.