persecution.com

A Family on the Frontlines

When Mahmud initially heard the gospel from a missionary, he resisted and felt afraid. He didn’t want to lose his Muslim identity, which was intertwined with his identity as a Fulani living in the African country of Niger.

Later, when he discussed the Quran and the Bible with the missionary, Mahmud became convinced that the Bible was the truth, and he decided to follow Jesus Christ. His wife and 11 children also put their faith in Christ.

“Since I accepted Christ, I’ve never had a fear to share the gospel or to do something to bring God glory,” he said. “What I felt in my heart when I accepted Jesus was to go and share the gospel and to pray for those who are sick.”

Mahmud worked side by side with the missionary for the next 16 years, living with him for much of that time. And as Mahmud’s children became adults, five of them joined him in sharing the gospel with the Fulani.

Mahmud is unsure how many Fulani he has helped lead to Christ, but he and his family believe the number to be in the thousands. Each of his children said they have led hundreds of people to Christ themselves. These victories for God’s kingdom have not been won without a cost, however.

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Although many Nigerien Fulani are receptive to the gospel, those who place their faith in Christ are not immune to the kind of treatment faced by their brothers and sisters in other Islamic contexts. “I have found many cases of persecution,” Mahmud said. “A lot of the people are persecuted by their family. Many of them are chased away.”

Mahmud said he and his children often tell new Christians they should expect persecution. “If Christ Himself was persecuted, it is natural [that His followers will be persecuted],” he said.

Though Mahmud hasn’t experienced much persecution, some of his children have. And despite the likelihood of additional persecution, Mahmud and his family continue to share the gospel. VOM provides them with audio Bibles and motorcycles to help them reach more villages.

Mahmud shows no signs of slowing down, and he said he’ll continue sharing the gospel as long as God allows. “When I do the work of God,” he said, “I never get tired and I don’t feel hungry. All the family knows about that. I even forget to eat. They come and say, ‘You should eat.’”

You can partner with families like Mahmud’s as they work to advance God’s kingdom. When you support the ongoing efforts of front-line workers with a monthly gift, you’ll receive VOM’s Global Prayer Journal.

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