Voice of the Martyrs, October 10th, 2024
Hawa is a Christian convert from Islam who maintains a farm in a rural area of Somalia. Though raised as a Muslim, Hawa became a follower of Christ through her son’s witness. Hawa’s Muslim husband divorced her and kicked her out of the house when he learned of her newfound faith.
Through another Christian woman, Hawa came to help work and maintain the farm, which also houses 19 Christian widows whose husbands had been killed by al-Shabab, a terrorist group active in Somalia and Kenya. Hawa disciples the widows and actively shares her faith with other women who work on neighbouring farms.
In March 2024, fighting broke out between al-Shabab and the Somali government, destroying some of the crops, displacing Hawa and the widows, and killing one of the women. VOM helped provide food and shelter for the displaced Christians until they could return to the farm and begin replanting crops.
After years of drought and civil war, more Somalis live outside Somalia than within its borders, and Somalis often take their Islamist cultural norms with them wherever they go. Therefore, those who faithfully serve Christ or convert from Islam in Somali communities throughout the world face severe persecution regardless of national laws.
Even so, the dispersion of Somali people has also created unique opportunities to reach them with the gospel. Somalis are more reachable and open than ever before, and many have chosen to follow Christ, including some who are willing to reach out to other Somalis at any cost.