Stand with the families of the martyrs

Pastor Michée holds a photo of his late father and asks an urgent question...

“Thousands of Christians are being killed across Africa. We are talking about it. Will you?”

Last year, at least 4,491 Christians were killed for their faith in Sub-Saharan Africa. Now Pastor Michée is sharing his story to wake us up to what’s happening.

31 Christians murdered

Michée’s father, Filibert, was a committed believer. His church of 600 people lived peacefully alongside their neighbours, in Burkina Faso. But one day, militant Fulani extremists launched a deadly attack.

“In the blink of an eye more than 100 terrorists entered the village,” said Michée. “They handcuffed people, brought them to church, and shot them dead. Thirty-one people were killed. The women and children were all dispersed in the bush.”

Michée received a phone call to say his father had been murdered. Then, a picture...

“Tears came to my eyes and my heart was deeply in pain,” he said. “I recognised my father by his shoes.”

Doubting God

The brutality of that day had a devastating impact. Not only were lives taken, but the village was destroyed. Believers felt abandoned. Even Pastor Michée began to doubt...

“I was wondering, ‘Why has God allowed this to happen?’ It felt like God had let us down,” says Michée.

His heart was hurting and God seemed silent.

“Prayer was no longer meaningful to me. I was uttering words but, deep down, I was doubting. I had bitterness in my heart. I wanted to take revenge for my people.”

Healing

When Open Doors partners heard about the attack on Pastor Michée’s village, they came alongside the surviving villagers, offering relief aid and trauma care for the people bearing emotional scars from the attack. Michée was invited to join trauma care training.

This training changed his life.

“An untreated trauma is contagious. The trauma I was going through almost destroyed my faith in God, my ministry, even my relationship with my family. I lacked forgiveness and had revenge in mind. All that was gone. I had fear, and anytime I would hear a gunshot, I was stressed. Thanks to the training, all of that has changed. I have been renewed,” Michée confesses.

He is now providing trauma care for 16 people in his village, including several widows. With the power of the Holy Spirit, their hearts and souls are in the process of healing and their faith remains.

“Going through hard times does not mean God has forsaken us,” he says. “God is faithful. In times of despair, suffering and hardship, God is by our side. God still loves us. Jesus said, because He suffered, we also are going to suffer. And all the sufferings we are facing today were foreseen in the Word of God.”

Pastor Michée conducting a trauma care session for believers in his village

Arise Africa

Across the region, violent persecution is shaking people’s faith. Christians are traumatised. Widows and orphans are left behind. The church is in danger of being smothered by despair and grief.

Your prayers and gifts are vital.

Since 2023, we’ve been calling Christians everywhere to stand alongside our brothers and sisters against violent persecution – as part of the Arise Africa campaign.

Our vision is to provide spiritual, emotional and practical support to four million Christians being persecuted for their faith. We also want to raise a million petitions and prayers to ensure violent Christian persecution in Sub-Saharan Africa can no longer be ignored.

Today, your support can help stop the violence and start the healing – for Michée and others.

“My relationship with God was revived through trauma care. I realised there is much more love that God still has for me, and I re-found hope in God,” says Michée.

“Now I would like to honour the people we lost in the attack. We are raising our voices and talking about. Will you join us?”

REMEMBERING THE MARTYRS

Filibert – A songwriter and one of the church founders.

Abel – A father and husband who played the drums in church.

Thomas – A father, husband, and committed Christian.

Speak out

Sign the Arise Africa campaign before Monday 2 November.

The petition calls for Christians and other vulnerable individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa to be treated with dignity and respect through:

1. Protection: Provide robust protection from violent militant attacks.
2. Justice: Ensure justice through fair prosecutions of the attackers.
3. Restoration: Bring healing and restoration to all affected communities.

If you have already signed – thank you. Could you encourage someone else to sign today?