Somalia – The Forgotten Crisis
Somalia is the producer of warlords, child soldiers, endless refugees, broken lives and Christian martyrs.
In Somalia the number of marginalized people is very high. The country has been devastated by war, famine, drought, flooding, assassinations and suicide bombings over the years. There are 1 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and 1.4 million in need of food. United Nations officials who work in Somalia have said that the country has higher malnutrition rates, more current bloodshed and fewer aid workers than in Darfur. There are only four doctors per 100,000 people.
"The situation in Somalia is the worst on the continent (Africa)," Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, a top U.N. official for Somalia, told the New York Times last fall.
Somalia has no constitution or any legal provision for the protection of religious freedom. Somalia is the only country in the world that has been without a government for the last 17 years.
Somalia is 99.96 percent Muslim with just 4,000 to 5,000 Christians. The conditions for Christians and others in war-torn Somalia have continued to deteriorate; yet the country gets very few headlines or notice on the world stage. At this moment there are pockets of believers living under extremely dangerous conditions. Many young converts of Christ have lost their lives shortly after coming to faith in Him and most converts are secret believers.
Despite all the difficulties, Christian workers continue to faithfully labor among the Somali people throughout the Horn of Africa and the Lord is doing signs and miracles among the Somali people. The Lord is touching the hearts of Somalis and drawing them to Himself.
There are some house churches where Christians gather to study God's Word, to worship and to pray for one another. Generally, Somali believers enjoy singing, are gifted in writing poems and sometimes create songs spontaneously; worshipping in their own language with their own spiritual songs and in their own style. Somalis are not used to long sermons, but they like discussion which can become heated because emotions are always involved.
During the last two months, people around the world are praying for the transformation of the Somali nation, thanks to a prayer campaign launched by Open Doors. Looking at the country and its people it seems that there is no hope for this nation. Decades of war has left the country in ruins. The conflict and spiritual darkness of the land have also left the people with little hope.
Fighting between government forces and the Union of Islamic courts has continued unabated throughout April and May. Scores of people have died. Thousands have been displaced.
Somalis are not only at war with other countries, other regions and other clans; they are also in conflict with their neighbors, their brothers and clearly, themselves. Islam offers them no peace. We know that it is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ alone that can make a difference in this part of the world.
Though very little is known about the Church in Somalia, we can take courage in the knowledge that Christ is being true to His promises to build His Church and that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. He is honoring this promise, even in Somalia.
Over the past few weeks several of our Open Doors partners have written us to tell us of Somalis who have come to Christ. Other reports tell of Somalis growing firm in the faith despite the difficult circumstances they are facing.
In reading these reports one is moved by the fact that just like all of God's children, these believers learn to walk with Him while they are feeling strong, but also when they are going through doubt and pain and the proverbial valley of the shadow of death.
While some are feeling despondent, others have hope that God will restore their nation and bring the stability that is such a distant dream right now.
One Somali brother wrote, "My many difficulties make me love God who has become my protection. Brother, to witness about my faith, I feel a power that goes with me and keeps me from falling. Another thing for which I am very happy is that I do feel different and I'm not the person I was before. After I found a Bible written in Somali, and an English one...this gave me healing in many ways... brother, I know that my changing situation will stabilize one day."
You can join thousands of Christians globally who will be praying in 2008 for God's intervention in Somalia, ranked No. 12 on Open Doors' World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. To participate in the prayer campaign for Somalia, go to www.OpenDoorsUSA.org or http://www.opendoorsusa.org/content/view/480
_______________________________________________
Dr. Carl Moeller is president/CEO of Open Doors USA
