The first group were those who hadn't read the Bible because it seemed too distant, irrelevant, and antiquated. He hoped to bring the New Testament to life for two different types of people. His primary goal was to capture the tone of the text and the original conversational feel of the Greek, in contemporary English. The Message provides a fresh and unique Bible-reading experience.ДЇor more than two years, Eugene Peterson devoted all his efforts to The MessageВ® New Testament. This is largely down to an increase in reported incidents of violence, which reflects the growing influence of Islamic extremist groups in the country.The Message is a paraphrase from the original languages written by Eugene, H. Is it getting harder to be a Christian in Burkina Faso?ДЄlthough the country hasnвЂ™t changed rank, the persecution of Christians in Burkina Faso has worsened slightly over the past year.

Open DoorsвЂЇworks through local partners to strengthenвЂЇChristians in Burkina Faso by providing persecution survival training, relief aid, and spiritual and trauma care. Your gifts and prayers make an enormous difference to those following Jesus no matter the cost. Please keep praying for your brothers and sisters in Burkina Faso.

*Name changed for security reasons How can I help Christians in Burkina Faso? Please pray for Salamata to see the reality of GodвЂ™s deep and unending love for her. I can only hope that God will eventually have compassion on us and wipe away our tears.вЂќ But I refused, because in my life it looks like God doesnвЂ™t hear peopleвЂ™s prayersвЂ¦ Where has God gone? In our lives, we know only tears and suffering. To me it feels like, from my childhood until now, God refuses to see or understand. She received some basic trauma care too, but still struggles with many unanswered questions. At the end of 2020, Open Doors partners were able to deliver aid packages to help 1,000 families, including Salamata. Many live in camps for internally displaced people, where Covid-19 has exposed them to even more hardship. Since 2016, many Christians and moderate Muslims have fled their homes in the face of increasing jihadist attacks. She fainted when she saw that they had killed all the men.вЂќ After the attackers left, the pastorвЂ™s wife went to see what had happened. We were still seated when we heard gunshots behind the church. вЂњSome of the attackers surrounded us, while others burned the motorbikes that they did not want to loot. But jihadists attacked the pastorвЂ™s church and singled out the Christian men. When she became a Christian, she was sent to live with a pastor in another village where she could attend high school. Salamata* (19) from Burkina Faso is from a Muslim family. Meet 'Salamata' вЂњThey told us we deserved what happened to us because the jihadists told us to stop making noise.вЂќ Salamata is a teenager - her church was looted and burned down by jihadists, who then killed all the men WhatвЂ™s life like for Christians in Burkina Faso? Christian men and boys can be targeted both for recruitment by Islamic militant groups, as well as physical attacks.

These extremists might also force a Christian woman or girl into marriage. Many are afraid to express their faith in public because of such threats.Д¬hristian women and girls often face sexual violence, which is used by Islamic militants as a method of attacking a wider Christian community. Family and community members often reject them and try to force them to renounce their Christian faith. There are over a million internally displaced people in Burkina Faso, many of whom are Christians.Д«elievers who've converted from Islam face the most persecution. This has led to hundreds of church closures - while many Christians are among those who've fled their homes because of extremist attacks. Jihadist violence has been rapidly increasing in recent years, and extremists have exploited the government's weakness during the Covid-19 crisis to gain control of the countryвЂ™s infrastructure. The central government is very weak, particular in the east of the country where Islamic law is informally implemented by groups who've gained control over these areas. How are Christians persecuted in Burkina Faso?Д«urkina FasoВ is located in a region where Islamist groups have a huge and growing influence. How many Christians are there in Burkina Faso?ДЄround a quarter of people in Burkina Faso are Christians вЂ“ just over 5 million from a population of 21.5 million.

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