A native missionary in a Muslim-majority country in sub-Saharan Africa could have guessed what persecution awaited him when he put his faith in Christ, but he never imagined what would follow.
In the years since Ibrahim Kabore* received Christ’s salvation as a newly married young man, he helped plant 13 churches. The initial cost of accepting Christ was steep.
“My wife and everything I had was taken away from me,” Kabore said. “I was forced to flee to save my life.”
He went to a nearby country where he lived for two years, cultivating his faith through regular attendance at a local church. When he returned to his hometown, renewed persecution drove him hundreds of miles to another part of his native country – and into contact with a local ministry that trains workers not only for gospel outreach but in setting up businesses to support themselves.
“I was trained in church planting at their center, and I have received training and support for my business,” Kabore said.
As he helped to establish new congregations, Kabore began training emerging leaders. He also started three more shops where those leaders now work.
“When I look back, I praise God and thank Him for His faithfulness,” he said. “He has helped me to plant 13 churches, train many young leaders, set up businesses, and everything that my family took from me in the beginning – my wife, cattle and belongings – has now been returned to me.”
Other church planters remain in areas where danger levels remain high from Islamic extremist groups.
Despite the challenges of terrorist attacks and famine, the ministry was able to train 123 workers at the first level and 49 others at the second in the past year, the leader said.
“We are very grateful for your gifts, which enabled us to run the training, host the participants and provide business start-up kits at the end of the training,” he said. “Some of the trainees are now confident in their skills of shopkeeping, restaurant work, tailoring or carpentry, and some have already been sent out to the field to plant churches. God is good!”
Please consider a donation today to equip and encourage workers facing dangers as they bring the gospel to the unreached in Africa.
*Name changed for security reasons