Voice of the Martyrs, 25 November 2021
Boko Haram has been regrouping in Nigeria and increasing attacks there have correlated with increasing attacks in Cameroon. Boko Haram’s previous incursions into Cameroon had not been well organized, but recent, organized attacks have specifically targeted churches and Christian activity. In a typical attack, Christians are killed, churches burned, homes destroyed and Christians displaced.
Several Christian villages have been abandoned completely after suffering repeated attacks. From January 2018 to November 2019, 7 predominantly Christian villages were attacked in one northern region. The attackers killed 10 people and kidnapped 7 others, while burning 575 houses, 7 churches, 2 schools and 1 evangelical hospital.
Most of Cameroon has a thriving Christian presence and many churches. But Christians living along the Nigerian border have experienced repeated, brutal attacks by Boko Haram. In these villages 50 to 80 miles from the border, men, women and children are attacked simply for being known as Christians.
Bibles are generally available but distributing them in the north is challenging because of security issues. Many people cannot afford a Bible and would prefer the Scriptures in a local language rather than French or English. Bible translation ministries have done great work translating the Bible into local languages, such as the local Fulani dialect, in both Roman and Arabic script.