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Kids of Courage

Kids of Courage is a division of The Voice of the Martyrs, Inc. (VOM), a Christian missionary organization dedicated to serving today’s persecuted church.

BBoolldd BBeelliieevveerrssiinn NNiiggeerriiaa

Kids of Courage/The Voice of the Martyrs, Inc.P.O. Box 443

Bartlesville, OK 74005Tel: (918) 337-8015Fax: (918) 338-8832

Email: [email protected]: www.kidsofcourage.com

Unless otherwise marked, all Scripture verses are from theNew King James Version.

Reproduction of the materials in this book is permissible for home or classroom use except for material that is noted as being reproduced,

adapted, or used with permission. For any other use, please contact The Voice of the Martyrs.

© Copyright 2006, The Voice of the Martyrs

33TThhee VVooiiccee ooff tthhee MMaarrttyyrrss BBoolldd BBeelliieevveerrss iinn NNiiggeerriiaa

TTaabbllee ooff CCoonntteennttssNigeria Facts 4Flag of Nigeria Prayer Reminder 5Map of Nigeria 6Nigeria Crossword Clues and Puzzle 7Bold Believer Stories & Activities

1. Mary Slessor 14

Activity: Fascinating Food

2. Godswill 17

Activity: Mancala

3. Saul of Nigeria 20

Activity: Make an African Bead Necklace

4. Joshua 22

Activity: Forward and Backward

5. Hausa Hannah 24

Activity: Nigerian Groups and Languages

6. A Miraculous Change 28

Activity: A Nigerian Game

7. Helping the Widows and the Fatherless 30

Activity: Pray for Nigeria

8. Former Spy Urges Love for Muslims 36

Activities: Muslim Beliefs at a Glance and What Muslims Do Not Believe

9. Bridgett…Pork and Shariah 40

Activity: Learning About Shariah Q and A

10. After the Persecution 44

Activity: What Would Jesus Say?

Additional Coloring Pages & Activities 49Answer Key 56


NNiiggeerriiaa FFaaccttssCapital: Abuja is the current capital. Lagos, the largest city, was the capital

until 1991.

Size: In area Nigeria is larger than Texas and smaller than Alaska. Nigeriahas the largest population of any country in Africa.

Time: At 6:00 a.m. U.S. Central Standard Time, it is 1:00 p.m. in Nigeria.

Religion: Southern Nigeria: About 70 percent of the people are Christian,and 20 percent are Muslim.

Central Nigeria: About 55 percent are Christian, and 30 percentare Muslim.

Northern Nigeria: About 70 percent are Muslim, and 15 percentare Christian.

Shariah: Muslims and Christians get along peacefully in some parts of Nigeria.However, some Muslims in Nigeria would like their entire nation to beruled by Muslim law, called “Shariah (shah-REE-uh) Law.” A law inone state said all public school girls, even non-Muslims, must wearMuslim headscarves, and all students must take classes in Islam.(Islam is the religion of Muslims.)

Suffering Christians:

At times Christians have protested against Shariah Law. They havealso disagreed with Muslims on other issues. As a result of the disagreements, riots have occurred and Christians’ homes, stores,and churches have been destroyed. Many Christian families have suffered greatly.

To make a flag of Nigeria: Draw two vertical lines on a rectangular piece of paper, dividing the paper into three equal sections. Color the outer sections green and leave the middle section white. Hang up your flag as a reminder to pray for the people of Nigeria.

Make a small Nigerian flag to use as a bookmark in your Bible or in a devotional book.

Laminate a larger-size flag to use as a placemat. Pray for Nigeria at mealtimes.

Tape small flags to toothpicks and give them to Christian friends as prayer reminders.


FFllaagg ooff NNiiggeerriiaa


Nigeria became an independent country in 1960. The country was divided into only afew regions at that time. By 1996, Nigerians had split their land into 36 states and oneterritory. The states and territory are shown on the map below. Color the states on themap, perhaps one each day. Pray for the people in each state.

Many strict Muslims live in the states north of Kwara, Abuja, Nassarawa, Taraba,Plateau, and Adamawa. Pray the leaders in those states will treat the Christians in their states fairly.

MMaapp ooff NNiiggeerriiaa

SOKOTO

YOBE

BORNO

BAUCHIGOMBE

ADAMAWA

TARABA

PLATEAU

KADUNA

KANO

NASSARAWA

ABUJA

(F.C.T.)*

KOGI

BENUE

EBONYI

DELTA

AKWA IBOM

BAYELSA

LAGOS

RIVERSABIA

CROSSRIVER

ANAMBRA

IMOENUGU

NIGER

KWARA

OYO

OGUN

EDO

ONDO

EKITIOSUN

JIGAWA

KATSINA

ZAMFARAKEBBI

*F.C.T. stands for Federal Capital Territory

= Nigeria was named after the Niger River. Niger is also the name of a country north of Nigeria.

= Another main river of Nigeria is the Benue River. Benue is also the name of one of Nigeria’s states.

= Lagos, the largest city in Nigeria, used to be the capital. Abuja became the new capital in 1991.

= Nigeria is just a little north of the equator. The equator is an imaginary horizontal line that divides the earth in half.

= The Atlantic Ocean is between Nigeria and the U.S.

= Nigeria is north of the Gulf of Guinea.

= Chad and Cameroon are east of Nigeria.

= Nigeria has an Army, a Navy, and an Air Force.

= The unit of money in Nigeria is the naira. Approximately 130 naira equal $1.00 in U.S. money; or one naira equals .007 U.S. dollars.

= Popular sports in Nigeria are soccer, basketball, field hockey, rugby, and volleyball. Nigerians also enjoy watching track and field competitions and boxing matches. Many Nigerians play table tennis and billiards in their spare time.

= Hakeem Olajuwon was a famous National Basketball Association All-Star player in


NNiiggeerriiaa PPuuzzzzllee CClluueess

Niger River

Nigerian naira and kobo(100 kobo equal 1 naira.)

Coins are rarely used in Nigeria any more.


the U.S. He was born in Nigeria and is a Muslim.

= The Nigerian government is joining forces with an American computer company to try to stop dishonest Nigerians from robbing people by e-mail. The Nigerian thieves send people false stories by e-mail and ask for money from those who receive the e-mails. They promise great rewards in return for the money, but their intent is to rob people.

= Some of the main farm crops of Nigeria are corn, cocoa, nuts, beans, rice, sorghum,yams, and plantains.

= Parts of Nigeria have a rainy season from about April until October.

= Nigeria has the largest population of any country on the continent of Africa.

= The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is a Christian group in Nigeria. CAN’s leaders try to see that Christians are treated fairly in their country.

= English is the official language of Nigeria, but there are more than 250 languages spoken. Names of some lesser known Nigerian languages are Sha, Boga, Pe, Fum, Koma, Kwa, Uda, Wom, and Dong.

= Three main languages of Nigeria are Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa. “Welcome” in Yoruba can be spelled “ekaabo.” It is pronounced “ay-KAH-boh.”

= Both Christian and Muslim holidays are celebrated in Nigeria. Ramadan is a holy month of fasting to Muslims. At the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate a holiday called “Eid el Fitr.”


Boys watering crops


= “One uses their horn more often than their brake when driving in Nigeria,” said one visitor to the country. “It is madness, no doubt about it,” a Nigerian official in Lagos said about the traffic there. Traffic jams, poor roads, and reckless drivers make driving difficult in some parts of Nigeria.

Traffic in Nigeria(Photos courtesy of

Motherland Nigeria Web


Read the facts about Nigeria on the previous pages. Then solve the following puzzleusing the facts to help you.

ACROSS1. River in Nigeria, or country north of Nigeria.6. Lagos is Nigeria’s largest _____.8. The imaginary line south of Nigeria.10. E-mail scammers intend to ___ people.13. Nigeria has an Air Force. Abbreviation for “Air Force.”15. Sha, Boga, and ___ are three languages in Nigeria.17. Eid __ Fitr is a Muslim holiday.19. Beans and rice are ___ crops in Nigeria.23. The new capital of Nigeria.26. Nigeria gets much ___ between April and October.27. The main color of the Nigerian flag.28. ___ is a Nigerian crop. Hot chocolate is made with it.30. Billiards is popular in Nigeria. A billiards stick is called a ___.32. ___ and it will be given to you (Luke 11:9).33. Abbreviation for a country across the Atlantic Ocean from Nigeria.35. Olajuwon was an NBA All-Star. Abbreviation for “All-Star.”36. Parts of Nigeria get more than 100 inches of rain yearly. Abbreviation for

“inches.”37. Chad is ___ of Nigeria. (Hint: a direction)

DOWN1. Abuja is the ___ capital of Nigeria; not old.2. An “intelligence test” measures this.3. The ___ of Guinea is south of Nigeria.4. Each naira equals about .007 U.S. dollars. Abbreviation for “each.”5. Sudan is to the right (east) of Nigeria on the map. Abbreviation for “right.”6. Corn is a main farm ___ in Nigeria.7. Homonym for “too” and “two.”9. Distress __ persecution shall not separate us from the love of Christ

(Romans 8:35).11. A main river of Nigeria.12. Nigeria is near the Atlantic ___.14. Egypt is northeast of Nigeria. Abbreviation for “northeast.”


NNiiggeerriiaa CCrroosssswwoorrdd PPuuzzzzllee

16. Nigeria’s continent.18. Nigeria’s old capital.20. “Welcome” in Yoruba can be spelled EK__ __BO.21. A food crop in Nigeria; rhymes with “nice.”22. Three of the four middle letters of the alphabet.24. Nigeria drivers are said to use the horn more than the ___.25. Some Nigerians are persecuted for their faith in ___.29. Abbreviation for the Christian Association of Nigeria.31. Deliver __ from evil (Matthew 6:13).34. Borno and Delta are states in Nigeria. Abbreviation for “state.”


NNiiggeerriiaa CCrroosssswwoorrdd PPuuzzzzllee


BBoolldd BBeelliieevveerrSSttoorriieess && AAccttiivviittiieess

REMEMBER THEM THAT ARE IN BONDS, AS BOUND

WITH THEM; AND THEM WHICH SUFFER ADVERSITY, AS BEING YOURSELVES ALSO IN THE BODY.

HEBREWS 13:3(KJV)

In the following stories and activities, some of the names have been changed to protect the identities of the people involved.


MMaarryy SSlleessssoorrWorking for GodMary Slessor was the second oldest of seven children. Her family livedin Scotland in the late 1800s. They were poor and unhappy.

At the age of 11, Mary had to go to work to help support her family. When she gotpaid, she hid the money from her father who was an alcoholic. He wanted to spendthe money on liquor instead of food for his family.

Mary became a Christian through the influence of a neighbor woman. She then hada strong desire to follow God’s will for her life.

One day Mary and her church group decided to clean a dirty hallway as a serviceproject. The group’s leader objected, saying it was not a job for “ladies.” Mary disagreed. She did not think any job done in God’s service was beneath her. She was willing to work hard and take on difficult challenges.

Paving the Way for OthersWhen she was a young woman, Mary volunteered to be a missionary to Calabar, apart of what is now Nigeria. Mary’s willingness to work hard was useful in Calabar!She had to wash her clothes in river water, hack her way through jungle trails, andlearn an African tribal language.

Mary started schools in Calabar, nursed the sick, adopted seven homeless children, and visited tribes that had never heard about Jesus. She struggled withhomesickness, loneliness, and illness.

Mary also fought witchcraft and superstition among the tribes ofCalabar. Cruel customs were part oftheir tribal religions. Little by littlebecause of Mary’s teachings one tribegave up some of their superstitions.

Mary saw herself as a pioneer. Shewanted to make things easier for missionaries who traveled to Calabarafter she was gone. She died in

SSttoorryy 11

Mary Slessor with Nigerian girls

Photo courtesy of Dundee Central Library


Africa in 1915, at the age of 66. Today Nigerian churches send more than 1,000 missionaries to other nations. They spread the Good News brought to them by Maryand the brave missionaries who followed her to Calabar.

Activity: Fascinating Food

Missionaries to foreign countries are often offered foods that are unfamiliar. Some ofthe foods are delicious to them, but others may take some time to get used to. “Ourfamily has eaten dog, sea slugs, chicken feet, snake, eel, and monkey,” said one missionary from the U.S.

Mary Slessor was once invited to a tribal feast in Calabar. She handled the situationin a way that allowed her to make friends with the chief of the tribe. A book aboutMiss Slessor describes what happened:

“Lord, give me strength,” prayed Mary as she studied the platters and bowls. She must eat anything that was offered….

Mary stared at a soup that looked like tar. What was in it? She couldn’t tell. She ladled some of the soup into a bowl. She pretended the thick black soup was split-pea soup.

“Excellent!” she exclaimed.

But she soon discovered she was expected to take a portion of everything. Another soup was served, this one a slurry of manioc (a plant) and fish heads.

“Superb,” she gushed, avoiding the staring fish eyes.

(Source: Mary Slessor: Queen of Calabar by Sam Wellman (Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Publishing, 1998).

You may want to try one of these less challenging recipes on the next page!


Chin Chin: A Nigerian SnackCombine 2 cups flour, 1 1/3 sticks softenedbutter, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/3

cup water, 1/3 cup milk, and 1/4 cup sugar.Mix until smooth. Knead the dough about20 times on a floured surface, then roll itout until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Cut thedough into 1/2- to 1-inch squares. Fry thecubes in a deep fryer until golden brown.Drain on paper towels before serving.

Baked Plantain SnackPeel a plantain and bake it in a shallow pan at 350 degrees until it is golden brown. Slice and eat.Serves one or two.

Mango DessertPeel and slice one mango and twobananas, then mix them together.Sprinkle with 1 tbsp. lemon juiceand 4 tbsp. orange juice. Serve overice cream.

Note: Plantains are just one of many cropsgrown in Nigeria. See the Additional ColoringPages and Activities section for a word search activity aboutcrops in Nigeria.


GGooddsswwiillllGodswill Elisha is a Christian boy wholives in Nigeria. He has written abouthis life and about a riot in his town inwhich radical Muslims attacked Christians. Thefollowing story is edited from what he wrote.

“Before I was born, my mother gave birth totwins who did not live. Then for nine years shedid not bear a child. She dreamed that anangel appeared to her and told her she wouldhave a baby named ‘God’s Will.’ I was born onFebruary 15, 1992. My mother named meGodswill.

“My father was an active Christian communityleader. He had a broken leg. When he heardthere was a riot, he went out to help his

Christian brothers. There were three going to help, but when the other two sawthe rioters rushing toward them, they ran away. My father could not run due tohis bad leg. He was ‘arrested’ by the rioters and killed.

“Now I live in a hostel (dormitory) at a Christian boarding school. Five boys live inthe room where I sleep. We have houseparents to help us.

“We eat in a dining hall. It is a large room with chairs to sit down on. I like thehall where we eat.

“We take the following subjects: math, English, literature, science, home economics, social studies, agriculture, technology, French, Nigerian languages,fine arts, music, physical education, computer, secretarial studies, and Christianknowledge.

“These are some of the things I have learned at home and at school about following Jesus. I have learned that the day you accept Jesus as your Savior, youare saved. Once you know Christ, you are a new creature and God will be withyou. There will be peace and joy in your life.”

SSttoorryy 22

Godswill


Activity: Mancala

Godswill and his friends at school live, learn, pray, and play games together.

Children in many parts of Africa play a game called mancala. (The game is known bydifferent names in different countries.)

Mancala game boards consist of two rows of six cups each. Sometimes fancy boards carved out of wood and gemstones are used as game pieces. But many times children simply dig two rows of six holes in the ground and use seeds orpebbles as game pieces or markers.

Preparing to PlayYou may use an empty egg carton with the lid cut off as a mancala game board.Place four small objects like buttons or beans in each of the 12 cups as markers. Set a bowl or other container at each end of the carton to store captured markers.

Mancala is played by two people who sit on opposite sides of the board. The six cups closest to a player belong to that player. The players also “own” the storagecontainer to their right.

Different rules for mancala are used in different countries. Two common versions areshown below. You may also invent your own version. A made-up version is alsodescribed on the next page.

Mancala Rules—Version 11. Decide which player will go first. Players take turns.

2. The first player picks up all the markers from any one of his cups. He then places one marker in each of the next four cups, moving counterclockwise. As the game continues, the number of markers in the cups will vary.

3. While dropping markers, if a player comes to his own storage bowl, he drops a marker in it. But he may skip his opponent’s storage bowl. If the last of the markers from a cup is placed in an empty cup on that player’s own side, he gets to take all his opponent’s markers in the cup directly opposite it. He puts them, plus the last marker he placed, in his storage bowl.


4. The second player takes a turn. The game ends when one player has no more markers. The other player then takes all the markers that are left on his side and puts them in his storage bowl. Whoever has the most markers in his bowl wins.

Mancala Rules—Version 2Version 2 is the same as Version 1, except for Step 3. In Version 2, there is an additional way to capture an opponent’s markers. If the last marker is placed in oneof the cups that has either two or three markers in it, the player whose turn it istakes all the markers in that cup and puts them in his storage bowl.

An Easy Made-Up Version1. Using crayons or felt-tip markers, players number the cups on their side with the

numbers one through six.

2. Use a number cube or spinner with the numbers one through six on it. The first player rolls the cube or spins the spinner. The player then takes all the markers out of the opponent’s cup that is numbered with the same number that he rolled or spun. He places the markers in his storage bowl.

3. The second player tries to capture some of his opponent’s markers in the same way.

4. If a cup is empty when the opponent rolls or spins that cup’s number, no markers are captured and that player’s turn ends.

5. Players continue taking turns until one player has no more markers. The other player is the winner.

A mancala board


Saul was the tenth of sixteen children froma family in northern Nigeria. He devotedhimself to the study of the Koran at an early age. TheKoran is the Muslim holy book. By age 10, he couldrecite the entire book from memory.

Saul went to a university to study Higher IslamicEducation. He was specially trained to debate and challenge the Christian faith.

After he graduated, his imam sent him to a Christianmeeting to disrupt it. (An imam is a Muslim leader.)Saul’s assignment was to interrupt the sermon by askingone question after another.

He carried out his assignment very well, but he felt no peace in his heart as he interrupted the preacher. After the meeting, Saul prayed to God, “If You are there,reveal Yourself to me. Give me courage. If I follow You, I will die.” Muslims who convert to Christianity in Nigeria are often severely persecuted.

The next day was Sunday. Saul went to a Christian church and told the pastor, “Ihave come to meet Jesus.”

Some of the people inside the church were afraid. They feared they would beattacked if radical Muslims discovered a new Christian in their midst. A few boldChristians stayed at the church, but others fled.

Muslims had seen Saul going into the church. A group of them began to surroundthe building. “Lock the doors,” said the pastor. “We will die with you. We are ready.”

The police came and stopped the Muslims from attacking that day. However, whenSaul went back to his home, he found all his belongings destroyed. The Muslimsoffered to give money to anyone who would kill him, so the pastor took Saul to asafe hideout.

Even though he is suffering persecution, Saul has the peace of Jesus in his heart. Heattended Bible college, and he now leads several churches where he shares his peaceand joy with others.

SSaauull ooff NNiiggeerriiaaSSttoorryy 33

Nigerian boy


Activity: Make an African Bead Necklace

Nigerians frequently wear jewelry with traditional clothing. You can make a colorfulchain to use as a necklace, bracelet, or witnessing tool.

Instructions1. To make “beads,” cut strips of paper about 1-inch

wide and about 8 inches long. Use colorful strips from magazine pages, gift wrap, origami paper, wallpaper samples, or construction paper.

2. Place a straw on one end of a paper strip, perpendicular to the strip. Fold the end of thestrip over the straw and tape it to the strip. Roll up the straw in the paper to the other end of the strip. Tape the end shut, then gently pull the straw out.

3. Repeat with more strips. String the “beads” on yarn, ribbon, fishing line, or thin wire. You may string other objects between the beads, such as buttons, metal washers, macaroni, paper clips, or sequins.

Note: If you want to make a “witness chain,” make your beads yellow, black, red,white, and green.

YellowYellow represents heaven, where God lives and everything is perfect.

BlackBlack stands for sin, which is not allowed in heaven.

RedRed symbolizes the blood that Jesus shed to save those who believe in Him sothey can be with Him in heaven forever.

WWWWhhhhiiii tttteeee represents the clean heart of those who admit their sin to God, believe inHis Son Jesus, and call on Him to save them from sin.

GreenGreen is the color of growing things. Your relationship with God grows when youpray, read the Bible, gather with other believers for worship, and share the GoodNews of Jesus with others.


Joshua had no place to go. Like Jesus, he had nowhere to lay his head(Luke 9:58).

His Muslim family did not want him anymore. His father, who was a teacher of Islam,had kicked Joshua out of his house.

Joshua, at age 13, was no longer welcome in his own home because he had becomea Christian. After his family rejected him, his church sent him to a Christian townwhere they thought he would be safe.

Radical Muslims in Nigeria sometimes attack ex-Muslims who decide to follow Christ.Joshua’s new town turned out not to be safe from those who wanted to harm him.

He was passed from church to church and from town to town until he finally foundsafety in the home of a pastor named Keith. Pastor Keith took care of other formerMuslims and taught them about the Christian faith. The pastor helped Joshua enrollin school and start a new life.

While staying with Pastor Keith, Joshua completed five grades of school in two years.“He catches on quickly,” said Pastor Keith.

Joshua’s troubles were not over. His father wasstill angry, so he spread a false rumor thatChristians had kidnapped Joshua. Joshua had togo to a police station to clear up the matter.

Christians in Nigeria pray for the salvation ofMuslims who seek to harm them. Pray God willgive Nigerian Christians opportunities to sharethe Good News of Jesus with those who don’tknow His peace.

JJoosshhuuaaSSttoorryy 44

NigerianBoy


Activity: Forward and BackwardJoshua lived in a number of towns in Nigeria. Many Nigerian towns have interestingand unusual names. The following is a list of places in Nigeria:

All the names in the list have something in common that you can discover by lookingat them. Do you know what it is?

All the names are palindromes. A palindrome is a word, phrase, or sentence thatreads the same forward or backward.

Some three-letter palindromes: eye, pop, mom, gag.Some four-letter palindromes: noon, sees, peep, deed.Some five-letter palindromes: level, solos, kayak, civic.

The sentences below are palindromes, but they are unfinished. To finish them, fill in the blanks by reversing the order of the letters at the front of the sentence. Hint: It might be easier to start by filling in the last blank with the first letter of the sentence, then filling in the next to the last blank with the second letter of thesentence, and so on. Answers are in the Answer Key.

1. Step on ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.

2. Was it a bat ___ ___ ___ ___?

3. Too bad I hid ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.

4. Madam, in Eden ___ ’ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.

5. Live not ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.

ElebeleUburubu

IzziKulluk

Okomoko

AkatakaAmassama

EfifeAbiribaAakaa


Hannah is a young Christian woman wholives in northern Nigeria where most ofthe people are Muslims. She belongs to the Hausa tribe, the largest tribe of people in Nigeria.

Hannah’s Trip to the VillageHannah loves Jesus and wants everyone to know aboutHim! One day she walked many miles to a Muslim village. She stopped at every house in the village to askthe people if they would like to hear about Jesus.

The villagers laughed at Hannah. No one invited herinside, so she had to sleep in the “bush” (woods) thatnight. A thief stole all her belongings while she was

asleep. He even stole a stack of Bibles she had hoped to share with the villagers!

At the MarketHannah did not give up. She went to the village marketplace the next morning. Shesang a Christian song and talked about the Good News of Jesus—right in the middleof the marketplace! The words to her Hausa song said:

Truly Jesus saves.We are calling on women, men, rich, and poor to come.

Jesus truly saves.Jesus is the solution to every problem.

Again the villagers mocked and laughed at her.

God Works Through HannahAs Hannah turned to leave the marketplace, a village elder stopped her. He wantedto hear more about Jesus! As a result of Hannah’s bold witness, the elder gave his life to Christ. Others followed his example, and a new church was started in the village.

Hannah slept in the home of a villager instead of in the bush that night. She learnedthat a very sick child lived in the village. The child’s parents had tried everything theyknew to help him get well. Nothing had worked, and the child was near death.

HHaauussaa HHaannnnaahhSSttoorryy 55

Hannah


The parents brought the boy to Hannah. “Will you please pray for him?” they asked.Hannah prayed. The child did not die, but instead began to get better! The nextmorning, Hannah found all her stolen Bibles dropped outside the door of the housewhere she was staying. The thief had returned them.

Struggles for the New BelieversSoon Hannah left the village to share the Good News in other places. The newbelievers she left behind discovered how difficult it can be to follow Christ in aMuslim village. Their relatives and neighbors laughed at them because of their newfaith, just as they had mocked Hannah.

When the Christian villagers gathered for worship on Christmas Eve, a mob of menattacked them. The men had been hired by the village chief.

Policemen arrived, but not to arrest the mob. Instead, they arrested the Christians!Hannah came to the police station and asked the police to release the Christians,and she offered to take their place in jail.

Hannah’s FutureThankfully, the Christians were released, and Hannah did not go to jail. She did not stop telling people about Jesus, either. A new church started in another villageshe visited.

“The future is in the hands of the Lord,” said Hannah. “In the past I was greatly persecuted, but now many people are asking questions and coming to the Lord.”

In Bible times, God gave another Hannah the strength to bear her burdens and faith to continue trusting Him. Her son Samuel changed the course of a nation. (See1 Samuel 1.) Praise God for the faith and perseverance He gives Nigerian Christianslike Hannah. Pray they will continue to bring the light of Jesus to the areas of darkness in their nation.


Activity: Nigerian Groups andLanguages

English is the official language of Nigeria, butmany of the more than 250 ethnic groups alsohave their own main language. Three of thelargest groups are the Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba,and Igbo (pronounced “EE-boh” and sometimesspelled “Ibo”). Most Hausa/Fulani people areMuslims, and many Yoruba and Igbo peopleare Christians.

Say it in HausaJesus loves me:YAY-soo YEHN-ah KOW-nah-tahJesus loves you (to a woman):YAY-soo YEHN-ah KOW-nah-keeJesus loves you (to a man):YAY-soo YEHN-ah KOW-nah-kah

WazobiaFor many years members of the main ethnic groups (tribes) in Nigeria have beenrivals in politics and other areas of life. “Wazobia” is an invented word that emphasizes welcoming members of other groups as fellow Nigerians instead of fighting with them.

The word for “come” in three Nigerian languages = “wazobia”

Yoruba Come = “wa”

Hausa Come = “zo”

Igbo Come = “bia”

Nigerian boy reading a Bible storybook


Yoruba—A Tonal LanguageYoruba is a tonal language. In tonal languages, the same word can have differentmeanings if it is spoken in different tones (pitches), or if a different syllable is accented.

For example, Ogun (oh-goon) is the name of one of Nigeria’s 36 states. It is also the name of a Nigerian River. In addition, depending on the tones used to say it, theword can have the following meanings:

= A basket used to catch lobster= An inheritance= Medicine= Sweat= War= Twenty

(Source: The Web site of Motherland Nigeria)

Yoruba MannersIn some languages it is rude for children to use the same words when talking toolder people as when talking to people their own age. For example, ose and ese aretwo ways to say “thank you” in Yoruba.

Ose (pronounced oh-shay) is used by children talking to someone their own age oryounger.

Ese (pronounced eh-shay) is the way children say “thank you” to someone older.

Practice using the Yoruba words for thank you, choosing the correct form, dependingon the age of the person you are thanking.

Note: See the AdditionalColoring Pages and Activitiessection for a Yoruba activity.


Nasara was sad. She wept throughoutthe 10-hour ride from her boarding school in Lagos, to her home in Kaduna, Nigeria. She had received theworst grade in her class on her final exams! The students who came in first, second, and third receivedprizes. But Nasara got nothing.

Something even sadder had happened when Nasaralived with her parents, her brother, and her three sisters. Radical Muslims attacked Christians in Kadunaand killed her father.

“My father was a farmer,” said Nasara. “He was known as an active Christian in the community. He waskilled by the rioters when he was coming home fromthe farm.”

After the riot, Nasara and her brother, Yashim, went to a Christian boarding school.

King David said, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see thegoodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13). No one would haveblamed Nasara if she had lost heart after experiencing sadness and failure, but Godhelped Nasara to trust Him.

Things were different when she went back to school for the next term. “There was amiraculous change in her life,” said Mr. Isaac, the founder of the school. At the endof the next school term, Nasara came in first on her exams. “I changed to do betterby listening to my teacher,” she said.

Nasara didn’t forget about the prize for students who come in first! “Where is mygift, Big Uncle?” she cheerfully asked Mr. Isaac. (Nigerian children call respectedadults “Aunt” and “Uncle.”) She was delighted to receive her prize package of pencils,a pen, a ruler, and books.

Nasara, now 10 years old, regularly comes in first in her classes. She looks up to Jobin the Bible as an example. Job also trusted God, even when sad things happened tohim. “He feared God and stayed away from evil,” said Nasara.

AA MMiirraaccuulloouuss CChhaannggeeSSttoorryy 66

Nasara


Nasara now has hope for the future. “I want to become a nurse,” she said.

Praise God for helping Nasara during her sad times. Pray she and the other Nigerianchildren will continue to experience God’s “miraculous changes” in their lives.

Activity: A Nigerian Game

One player is chosen from the group to be “It,” and another is chosen to be the“Baby.” “It” hides where he or she cannot see the other players. “Baby” lies down on the ground or on a large piece of paper or cardboard. Using sticks, chalk, ormarkers, the other players draw around “Baby” to make an outline. “Baby” gets up,and “It” comes out of hiding and guesses whose outline is on the ground. If theguess is correct, “It” gets another turn. If not, another “It” is chosen to continue the game. (Source: Web site of Motherland Nigeria)


Note: Parents and teachers may want to preview the stories below before sharing them with younger students.

Many Christian families have been left fatherless afterMuslim attacks in Nigeria. Christian workers from TheVoice of the Martyrs in Nigeria help widows, orphans, andfatherless children whose families are suffering becauseof the attacks. More than 100 children from those familiesare students at a school that was started to help riot victims. The name of the school is Stephen CenterInternational (SCI).

Many of the children speak out about their lives, theirstruggles and their faith. Some of their comments and stories are shown below.

Benjamin’s Family“My sister was a choir leader in the church. During a riot,the rioters surrounded our house. When they came, theycouldn’t enter our house. My father said he would preferto die for the whole family so that my mother can takecare of us. He stood in defense of the family and wasshot. The rioters rushed in and I fell into the burning firebut I was saved by my brother.”

Benjamin’s mother, Hajara, had to find a way to take care of her children after her husband sacrificed his life for his family.

“When the poor—the widows in particular—cry out, ourheavenly Father always pays attention,” said a worker fromThe Voice of the Martyrs in Nigeria. VOM opened a vocational school where Hajara is learning to sew. “Hajarais now able to handle the sewing machine well,” said aVOM representative. She will be able to earn money totake care of her family with her new skill.

“All Things Are Possible”Sarah is another widow who is learning to sew. She has

HHeellppiinngg tthhee WWiiddoowwss aanndd tthhee FFaatthheerrlleessssSSttoorryy 77

Benjamin

Sarah

Elizabeth

Hajara

Sign outside SCI .


seven children. One of her children, Elizabeth, is 7 years old.

“My father was a teacher,” said Elizabeth. “He was shot whilewe were trying to escape the rioters. The rest of the familyescaped.”

Dennis is Elizabeth’s 13-year-old brother. He and Elizabeth areworking hard to do well in school in order to be a blessing totheir mother. “I spend much time doing my homework to becareful not to fail it,” said Dennis. “My favorite Bible story isDaniel in the Lion’s Den. It tells me with God by your side, allthings are possible.”

Jenipha and Jessica“My father was wounded during the riot. He managed to gethome. But he could not be taken to the hospital because ofthe rioters. He died at home.”—Jenipha, age 5

Jenipha and her 9-year-old sister Jessica speak both Hausa and English. Their mother, Janet, is taking computertraining. Jessica is also learning to use computers, and shewould like to be a teacher when she grows up. Her favoritesong is, “Lord I Give You My Life.”

Bold Brothers and SistersJoseph, age 13, and Monday, age 10, are brothers. Theyhave two sisters, Alheri, age 15, and Deborah, age 8. Theirfamily comes from the Nigerian state of Kano, where Islamis very strong.

In May 2004, radical Muslims attacked Christian homesand churches in Kano. Some Muslim youth approachedthe children’s father, Mathias. The youth orderedMathias to deny Jesus by reciting the Muslim statement,“There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is hisprophet.” (Muslims worship Allah, whom they believecreated the world. Mohammed was the man who started Islam about 600 years after Christ rose from the dead.)

Dennis

Janet

Jessica

Jenipha

Alheri

Joseph

Monday Deborah


Mathias refused to deny his Lord and Savior. The Muslims attacked him, and he diedfrom his injuries. Now his children attend the SCI school. They miss their father butknow they can see him again someday in heaven.

Alheri, the oldest of the children, has a very special birthday. She was born onDecember 25. Her favorite subjects are science and business. She wants to be a doctor when she finishes school.

“My prayer to God is for my life to be pure,” said Alheri. “I would ask students in theU.S. to pray that God would give me wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. I willpray that God will cover them with the blood of Jesus and provide for their houses.”

“Always Be Faithful”Muslims in Kaduna celebrated when Shariah (Muslim law) became the law in their part of Nigeria.Christians held demonstrations to peacefully protestShariah. Riots began, and many Christian familiessuffered.

“My father was a reverend (pastor) in Kaduna,” said11-year-old Gevah. He went out on the first day ofShariah riots in Kaduna, and that was the last timewe saw him.

“We are three in number now,” Gevah said of herfamily.

Gevah’s favorite Bible verse is Psalm 91:7, “A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand atyour right hand. But it shall not come near you.”

“It assures me that God is my refuge,” said Gevah.

Gevah’s favorite toy is her teddy bear, and her favorite subject is science. She wouldlike to be an economist someday.

When asked if she had a message for other youth, Gevah said, “I would like to tellpeople to win more souls for Christ and always be faithful.”

Best Friends in Hard Times“My father loved me so much, and he was ready to educate me to any level. But he

Gevah and her brother

Revel


was shot by the rioters and died. When I heard it, Ifelt it. Well, I forgive those who killed my father. I askGod to forgive them. My best friend is Noroh. I like herbecause she is kind to me.”—Esther, age 9

“My father was one of the church elders who servedGod with his whole heart. He was ready to die for thetruth. My father was coming from the hospital aftervisiting his sister who was operated on. Then he metthe rioters who caught him.”—Noroh, age 9

More comments from Nigerian students who lived through riots in Nigeria “Sometimes I am scared. God has helped me findpeace with myself and other people.”—Ruth, age 15

“I want to tell you that your Bible should be yourfriend. When you are in trouble, believe that God isthere with you, and you should not be afraid. I wantyou to know that Jesus is the Savior, and He is theonly way that can save you.”—Tabitah, age 13

“My favorite Bible story is about Ruth and Naomi. I like it, because it teaches me how to be faithful to someone. God helps me when I’m scared by letting me know I am worth more than many sparrows.”—Blessing, age 11

“I want to remind you that God created heaven andearth and the Son of Man is coming soon. He said, ‘Inmy Father’s house, there are many mansions.’”—Peter,age 14

“My family lived in Kaduna. My father was a pastor atthe Baptist Church in the Army barracks. He was a soldier in the Nigerian Army. He died in the 2002 riot. My mother died in 2003. Then I lived with my brothers and sisters. My sister later married.

“I want to become a teacher. My school subjects are

Esther

Noroh

Ruth

Peter

Blessing

Tabitah


English, mathematics, social studies, science, verbal reasoning,health, agriculture, Yoruba, and French.”—Nancy, age 11

“I want to be a surgeon. My favorite Bible stories are the Prodigal Son and how Jesus overcame temptation. The Bible teaches that we should not be greedy and we shouldalways be content with everything people give to us andappreciate it. It also teaches us about temptation.Temptation is not a sin. It is when we listen and accepttemptation that it becomes a sin.”—Joshua, age 11

“When I feel scared, I immediately take my Holy Bibleand read and pray. That is the way I find peace when Ifeel scared.”—Nicodemus, age 15

“God has set me free from the way of trouble.”—Joseph,age 15

Nancy

Nicodemus

Joseph

Activity: Pray forNigeria

Use the 30 prayer squares onthe following page to help you

pray for Nigeria. You maywant to photocopy the page,cut out the squares, and glueor tape them on a calendar.

Ask friends or family membersto join with you in person or

on the phone to pray regularlyfor the Nigerian people.


PPrraayyeerr CCaalleennddaarr

Pray Nigerianorphans will

feel theirHeavenlyFather’s comfort.

Churches inNigeria sendout Christianmissionaries.Pray for their

work.

Pray NigerianMuslim children

will learn ofGod’s love for

them.

Muslims havemissionaries inNigeria. Praythey will learn

the truth.

Ask God to help Nigerian

Christians forgive theirpersecutors.

Pray for translators who are

working onBibles for allNigerians.

Ask God to provide forChristians

whose homeshave beenburned.

Pray Muslimschoolteachers

will be kind to Christian students.

Ask thatNigerian

Christians work together

in unity.

Pray the president and

leaders ofNigeria will do

God’s will.

Millions havebecome

Christians in the past 50years. Praise

God!

Ask God toreveal Himself

to Muslims who don’t know Him.

Pray people’sdesire for

Jesus will bestronger thantheir desire for money.

Ask God to provide for children too

poor to go toschool.

Pray Nigerianswon’t followsuperstitions

and false religions.

Pray Christianradio and TVprograms willreach moreNigerians.

Pray Nigerianjudges and

courts will befair to

Christians.

Pray Nigeria will have truefreedom of

religion.

Pray for pastors whose

churches were burned

in riots.

Pray Muslimyouth will not use

violence to get their way.

Pray Nigerianofficials will

be honest andnot corrupt.

Ask God to protect

Christians who witness to Muslims.

Many Nigeriansdon’t have jobs. Pray their needs will be met.

Some tribalgroups are

hostile to eachother. Pray for peace.

Pray persecutedyouth will stand firm

in their faith.

Ask God to comfortChristian widows inNigeria.

Pray AmericanChristians

will help theirNigerian

brothers andsisters.

Pray forNigerians who use

e-mail andother means to get money dishonestly.

Pray God’speace will rulein the hearts of Nigerians.

Muslims whobecome

Christians arepersecuted.

Pray for them.


Solomon was a spy. His fellow Muslim leaders told him to join aChristian church so he could pretend he was a Christian.

Solomon was well-trained in Islam. The Bible says, “The time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God a service” (John 16:2). Like other radical Muslim terrorists, Solomon believed Allah would let him into paradise if hedestroyed Christians.

So Solomon spent five years in the Christian church, reporting the activities of theChristians to his fellow radicals. He told the radicals the best ways to attack theChristians. He even led some of the attacks! Then on Sundays he returned to churchand pretended to be a Christian again.

Freed From SinOne day in church, the pastor began to talk about making a decision to follow Christ.“How long will you remain undecided between two opinions?” he preached.

Solomon felt the pastor must be talking directly to him about his double life. He wasoverwhelmed by his own sinfulness and his need for Christ. He stood up and wentforward to confess his sins and to receive Jesus as his Savior!

Showing Love to MuslimsSolomon enrolled in a Bible college and began to seriously study the Bible. He nowteaches pastors the best ways to lead Muslims to Christ. As a result, his formerMuslim friends hate him.

One day Muslim rioters surrounded his house. They were prepared to kill him. By thegrace of God, Solomon escaped unharmed, but the rioters destroyed his house.

Solomon is not bitter toward his former friends. “My message to the Christian community is this,” he said. “Let them love the Muslims, because many of them fightChristians out of ignorance. Show love to them.”

To Think AboutSolomon said, “If Christians are Christians in words and deeds, there will be noMuslims.” What did Solomon mean by this? Do you think it is a true statement?

FFoorrmmeerr SSppyy UUrrggeess LLoovvee ffoorr MMuusslliimmssSSttoorryy 88


Activities: Muslim Beliefs at a Glance and What Muslims Do Not Believe

Muslim Beliefs at a GlanceA Muslim is someone who follows the teachings of a religion called “Islam.” Thefounder of Islam was Mohammed, a man who lived from about 570 to 632 A.D.Mohammed was born in the city of Mecca, in a region that is now part of SaudiArabia.

Muslims believe in:= Allah as the creator of the universe.= Angels.= The Muslim holy book (the Koran) and other Scriptures.= Mohammed and many other prophets as messengers of God.= A Day of Judgment.

Those beliefs are mentioned in Chapters 2 and 4 of the Koran. Many Muslims alsobelieve that good and evil are the will of Allah and are decided by him in advance.

Muslims believe they must do five things in order to be good Muslims:= Recite: There is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his messenger.= Pray five times a day at certain times while facing Mecca.= Give money to the poor.= Fast from sunrise to sunset during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.= Take a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.

What Muslims Do Not BelieveThe following pages contain information about what Muslims do not believe. You maywant to photocopy the pages and cut them apart on the lines to make cards, thenlaminate them or glue them to thick paper. Use the cards as prayer reminders toguide your prayers for Muslims.

For example, one card says, “Muslims do not believe that Allah loves those who aresinners.” That card could remind you to pray: “Dear God, thank You for loving allpeople, including Muslims, while we were still sinners. Thank You for sending Jesusto save us. Please send workers to share this Good News with Muslims and otherswho haven’t heard it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.


MMuusslliimmss ddoo nnoott bbeelliieevvee……

…that they can know Allah as a loving father. They believe they canonly know about him. Christiansbelieve God is a loving Father whoenjoys giving His children good gifts.(See Matthew 7:11 and James 1:17.)


…that Jesus is the Son of God. TheKoran makes it clear that Muslimsbelieve Jesus was just a prophet.Christians believe, “God so loved the world that He gave His onlybegotten Son, that whoever believesin Him should not perish but haveeverlasting life” (John 3:16).


…that Jesus was crucified (Koran4:157). Many Muslims believe Allahsubstituted someone else for Jesuson the cross so it would just looklike Jesus died. They think Allah tookJesus to heaven before He died.Christians believe, “Christ died forour sins according to the Scriptures”(1 Corinthians 15:3; also seePhilippians 2:8).


…that Allah loves those who are sinners or who don’t love him first(Koran 3:32 and 4:107). Christiansbelieve “God demonstrates His ownlove toward us, in that while wewere still sinners, Christ died for us”(Romans 5:8; also see Ephesians2:4,5).



…people are saved by the grace ofGod through faith in His Son Jesus,as Christians believe (Ephesians 2:8,9). Muslims believe they are savedby doing good deeds rather thanbad ones. The Koran talks of scalesthat will be used to weigh gooddeeds on Judgment Day (Koran 7:8,21:47, and 23:102). Christiansbelieve that no one can do enoughgood works to deserve eternal life(Ephesians 2:8,9).


…that Jesus’ death on the crosscould be a victory. Such a deathwould be a disgrace and a failure,Muslims believe. Christians believewe can have victory over sin anddeath because Jesus died, wasburied, and rose again on the thirdday. (See 1 Corinthians 15:56,57.)


…that today’s Bible is true. Muslimssay they believe in some Jewish andChristian holy books. However, theBible does not agree with the Koran.So Muslims are falsely taught thatChristians have changed the Bible.Christians believe that the Bible isinspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16).They agree with the findings ofarchaeologists which show that theteachings in the Bible have notchanged throughout the centuriessince they were first written down.


…that forgiveness of one’s enemiesis required by Allah. Koran 42:37-43says that it is good to forgive thosewho have wronged a Muslim, but it is also quite acceptable to getrevenge. Chapter 24:22 tells Muslimsto forgive relatives and otherMuslims, while 2:179 and 22:60speak well of revenge. Jesus commands love and forgivenesstoward enemies and persecutors.(See Matthew 5:38-47 and Matthew18:21,22.)


One day, radical Muslimscame to the home of 16-year-old BridgettOsagie of Nigeria. The Muslims accusedBridgett, a Christian, of selling pork. Eating pork is against Muslim Shariah Law. Bridgett’s family says she has neversold pork.

The Muslims who came to Bridgett’s househad pronounced a “death sentence” on her family. The “sentence” was not handedout in a Shariah court. In fact, the stateBridgett lived in was not even one of theNigerian states ruled by Shariah. In addition, Christians are not subject toMuslim law. Therefore, the radicals wereacting outside the laws of their state.

Bridgett had fled her home when she heard about the “sentence,” so she was notharmed. “Fortunately, we had already sent her into hiding,” said her father. “I wasbeaten up, but the timely intervention of our Christian neighbors saved me.”

Mr. Osagie reported the attack to the police, but nothing was done about it. Fearingfurther attacks, Bridgett stayed hidden. “She cannot go to school, attend a churchservice, or even (go outside),” said her father. (Sources include the Charisma Now Web site.)

BBrriiddggeetttt......PPoorrkk aanndd SShhaarriiaahhSSttoorryy 99

A Nigerian girl


Activity: Learning About Shariah Q and A

Question: What does the word “Shariah” mean in Arabic?

Answer: Some definitions from various sources are:= The path to a watering hole.= The right path.= The path on sand created by camels walking to water spots.= A break in a riverbank allowing access to water.

Q: What is “Shariah Law?”

A: Shariah Law is a set of rules and guidelines for following a traditional Islamic way of life. In some countries, the rules are the law of the land and are enforced by government officials and courts.

Q: Who makes the rules?

A: 1. Some of the rules are found in the Koran.2. Others come from the Hadith and the Sunnah. The Hadith are written records

of the things Mohammed did and said. Several Hadith collectors compiled reports of Mohammed’s life, just as Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote different accounts of Jesus. A man named Bukhari compiled the collection that is probably the most accepted and most used. Bukhari lived in the ninth century. Sunnah is the word used to describe Mohammed’s teaching and way of life. The Hadith is the main source of information about the Sunnah.

3. A third source of Shariah rules is the consensus—or general agreement—of Muslim scholars in authority. The Arabic word for this source is ijma.

4. A fourth source is opinions based on previous Shariah cases. Different kinds of reasoning and logic are used to form these opinions, called qiyas.

Q: Is there a book or collection of books containing all the Shariah rules ?

A: No. For one thing, Muslim rules differ from place to place in the same way that U.S. states have different laws. Not all Muslim scholars follow the same set of


ideas about how Shariah cases should be decided.

Like students of non-Muslim law, Muslims can go to school to learn how to apply Shariah Law in Shariah courts. Just as a non-Shariah law library has many books to help lawyers learn and interpret the law, knowledge from many sources is available to guide Shariah legal scholars.

Q: What types of cases are heard in Shariah courts?

A: Shariah Law has rules for all areas of life, including worship, clothing, banking, family life, eating, criminal law, war, and other activities.

Some Muslim-majority countries around the world have both Shariah courts and non-Shariah courts. In those countries, the Shariah courts deal mainly with marriage, divorce, and other family matters. In recent years Muslims have tried toget government permission to set up voluntary Shariah-based courts for Muslims in Canada. More than 75 percent of Canada’s population is Christian.

A few countries have Shariah courts that cover all areas of Shariah Law. Saudi Arabia and Iran are two of those countries.

Q: What kinds of activities are not allowed under Shariah Law?

A: Shariah Law does not deal only with forbidden behavior. It also spells out what behaviors are allowed and required. According to Muslim belief, all behavior falls into one of the categories shown on the chart (see next page), though the rules may differ from place to place. For example, some Muslim leaders say it is wrong to play music or watch television. Others say those activities are permitted.

Another word for “permitted” or “lawful” is halal. Halal food is food that contains no ingredients forbidden to Muslims. Halal meat is meat that has been slaughtered and prepared according to Muslim rules. Eating in school cafeterias orrestaurants can be a problem for Muslims in places where most people are not Muslims because the food might not be halal.


Types if Behavior Under Shariah Law

Q: What are the punishments for haram activities?

A: Shariah courts may enforce harsh punishments, though in most Muslim-majority countries, they do not often do so. However, in 2001, a man in Nigeria was sentenced to have his hand cut off for stealing a $40.00 goat. Others in Nigeria have also suffered very harsh punishments.

Category of Behavior(Arabic Word)

Meaning Punishment/Reward (in this life

and/or in the “hereafter”)

Examples ofbehavior (may

differ from place to place)

Fardh Required actions thatmust be done.

Doing is rewarded. Notdoing is punished.

Praying five times aday. Men supportingtheir families.

Mandub Recommended ordesirable.

Doing is rewarded. Nopunishment for notdoing.

Extra prayer and fasting. Keeping written records ofdebts (Koran 2:282).

Mubah Allowed. Neither rewarded or punished.

Eating apples.Drinking Coca-Cola.Using the Internet fordecent purposes.

Makruh Not recommended.Hated, but not forbidden.

No punishment fordoing. Reward foravoiding.

Divorce. Growing long fingernails.Proposing marriage to someone who isalready engaged.

Haram Forbidden. Punishment for doing.Reward for avoiding.

Stealing. Lying.Drinking alcohol.Eating pork. Menwearing gold jewelry.Attending a prom.


Below are portions of news reports published about Nigeria in recent years.

Thousands Seek Nigeria SanctuarySome 22,000 people have sought shelter in police stations in the northern Nigeriancity of Kano. They are mostly Christians from other parts of Nigeria who fled Muslimyouths with knives and machetes. (Source: BBC News)

Nigeria Explodes in Violence AgainDespite massive efforts by security officers in the northern Nigerian city of Kano,Muslims continue a deadly riot against Christians in the suburbs of the city. It lookslike the violence will get worse before it gets better. “Everywhere the hoodlums aretaking laws into their own hands,” Kano’s police chief told reporters. (Source: Christianity Today Web site)

When violence breaks out in Nigeria, hundreds of newspapers around the worldreport it. But few report what happens after the riots.

What do the Christians do AFTER the persecution?

A Difficult TimeEarly one year Nigerian Christians held a peaceful demonstration in downtownKaduna. They were protesting the Muslims’ plan to rule their state with Shariah Law.(Learn more about Shariah in the activity following the story “Bridgett…Pork andShariah.”)

Suddenly the Christian demonstrators noticed smoke coming from the area wheretheir homes and churches were located. Some of the women quickly gatheredtogether to pray for their families and neighborhood.

Soon they discovered that radical Muslims had destroyed their churches, cars, homes, and businesses. Christians who were not at the demonstrations wereattacked as well.

It was a very difficult time for the Christians.

AAfftteerr tthhee PPeerrsseeccuuttiioonnSSttoorryy 1100


One Year LaterThe Kaduna Christians struggled to get their lives back in order after the rioting.Some fled the area to find homes in safer places.

After a year the Nigerians had not yetbeen able to rebuild their churches. Buton Sundays, the congregation at onechurch put on their best clothes, went to the site of their crumbled church, andsat on stones to worship. Their woodenpews had burned.

At another church the worshippersmade an altar out of the rubble that was left after their church wasdestroyed. They, too, gathered together to praise God.

Some Muslims were not happy thatthe Christians continued to worshipamid the destruction and debris.Muslims returned to one churchdestroyed in the riots and knockeddown the few remaining walls. Thenext Sunday the Christians sweptaside the rubble, then prayed andworshipped in their roofless churchwith no walls. The Nigerians did not“forsake the assembling” of their congregations (Hebrews 10:25).

Persecution Not Accomplishing Its PurposeThe radical Muslims want to discourage the Christians. But the persecution isnot accomplishing its purpose.

The membership in one pastor’s church increased after his church was burned. “The

Worshippers dressin their best

clothes to worshipGod sitting on

stones instead ofon the pews they

used to have.


Word of God becomes real” to Christians suffering persecution, said the pastor.

According to a Christian in Kano, fewer Muslims went to mosques after radicalMuslims attacked Christians in the city. “Muslims are coming to Christ,” said a persecuted Nigerian Christian, “Christians are more united and show more boldness in winning souls since the attack on their church.”

Pray Nigerian Christians will continue their bold yet gracious witness during times of violence in their land.

Activity: What Did Jesus Say?

To find out one thing Jesus said about persecution, complete the math under eachletter on the next page. The answer stands for the letter above it. Use this information to decode the words from the Bible verse. One letter has been done foryou. The answer is in the Answer Key.

“Christians are more united

and show more boldness in

winning souls since the attack

on their church.”- Nigerian

Christian


WWhhaatt WWoouulldd JJeessuuss SSaayy??

AA

2 + 5 =

BB

3 + 2 =

CC

9 - 1 =

DD

8 - 7 =

EE

25 + 1 =

FF

6 - 3 =

GG

2 + 2 =

HH

5 + 5 =

II

22 - 1 =

JJ

9 + 8 =

KK

4 - 4 =

LL

7 + 6 =

MM

17 - 1 =

NN

9 + 9 =

OO

20 + 3 =

PP

6 + 6 = 12

QQ

22 + 2 =

RR

3 + 3 =

SS

2 + 0 =

TT

6 + 3 =

UU

10 + 10 =

VV

7 + 7 =

WW

6 + 5 =

XX

10 + 5 =

YY

11 + 11 =

ZZ

30 - 5 =

P


AAddddiittiioonnaallCCoolloorriinngg PPaaggeess

&& AAccttiivviittiieess


Coloring page by Naomi S.

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ad t

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atch

ou

t fo

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ppop

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uses

try

ing

to c

apsi

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Activity: Yoruba – A Tonal Language

Yoruba is a tonal language. In tonal languages, the same word can have differentmeanings if it is spoken in different tones (pitches) or if a different syllable is accented.

For example, ogun [oh-goon], depending on the tones used, can mean all of the following:

a. Ogun (one of Nigeria’s 36 states)b. the name of a Nigerian riverc. a basket used to catch lobsterd. an inheritancee. medicinef. sweatg. warh. twenty

Fill in the blanks in the sentences below with the letter beside the meaning of ogunthat best fits in the sentence. Discuss with your family or class what might happen if someone used the wrong ogun in the sentence. Answers are in the Answer Key.

1. The lobster was stuck in the ______.

2. We saw a flock of ______ birds.

3. He sailed the toy boat on the ______.

4. When the hot sun came out, ______ poured down our faces.

5. Her grandfather left her ______ when he died.

6. Many people died in the ______.

7. The ______ made the sick man well.

8. We went to see relatives in ______ on our vacation.


G R O U N D N U T S

P L A N T A I N S O

B Z C Y C X D K W R

C O C O A E V O F G

B E A N S M U L R H

R G S T H H S A U U

I S S I E R J N B M

C Q A K W P L U B Z

E O V A S M N T E B

Y M A I Z E C S R X

BEANS

CASHEWS

CASSAVA

COCOA

GROUNDNUTS

KOLA NUTS

MAISE

PLANTAINS

RICE

RUBBER

SORGHUM

YAMS

Activity: Crops of Nigeria

Find the hidden words below that name crops grown in Nigeria. The crops to find arelisted on this page. The words can be found running up and down (vertically), fromleft to right (horizontally), or diagonally. Answers are in the Answer Key.


CCoolloorriinngg PPaaggee

Coloring page by Naom

i S.

A postage stamp from Nigeria


Activity: Animals of Nigeria

Nigeria has many animals with unusual names. Try to draw a line from the names of the Nigerian animals below to the correct description of the animal. Their namescontain clues about what they look like. Answers are in the Answer Key.

1. Red-capped Mangabey

2. Goliath Heron

3. Western Grey Plantain Eater

4. Bar-tailed Trogon

5. Side-striped Jackal

6. White-headed Vulture

7. Piapiac

a. a pink-faced bird with a white head; eats animal scraps

b. smoky colored bird that feeds on fruit

c. a dog-like animal with one stripe on its flank

d. monkey with a chestnut-colored crown

e. forest bird that has a tail with black and white bands

f. a bird whose call sounds like “pea-up pea-ack”

g. with a length of 4’8” from bill to tail, this bird is the longest of its kind in the world

Some of the animals in Nigeria are named in the Bible. Using the biblical clues below to find Nigerian animals, write the name of each animal in the blank. Scripturereferences are from the KJV. Answers are in the Answer Key.

1. The third bird named in Leviticus 11:16 ______________

2. The animal named in 2 Timothy 4:17 _____________

3. A spotted animal in Jeremiah 13:23 ________________

4. The first animal named in Matthew 7:6; some of these are wild in Nigeria ______

5. The last bird named in Isaiah 34:15 ________


CCoolloorriinngg PPaaggee

Coloring page by Naom

i S.

Baobab trees grow on the dry savannas of Nigeria. The trees provide food for giraffes.


G R O U N D N U T S

P L A N T A I N S O

B Z C Y C X D K W R

C O C O A E V O F G

B E A N S M U L R H

R G S T H H S A U U

I S S I E R J N B M

C Q A K W P L U B Z

E O V A S M N T E B

Y M A I Z E C S R X

Crops of Nigeria:

Nigeria Crossword Puzzle:

What Would Jesus Say?:“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake” (Matthew 5:10, KJV).

Forward and Backward:1. Step on no pets. 2. Was it a bat I saw? 3. Too bad I hid a boot. 4. Madam, in Eden I’m Adam. 5. Live not on evil.

Animals of Nigeria:

1. Cuckoo; 2. Lion; 3. Leopard; 4. Dog; 5. Vulture

Yoruba – A Tonal Lanuage:

AAnnsswweerr KKeeyy

1. C2. H3. B4. F

5. D6. G7. E8. A

1. D2. G3. B4. E

5. C6. A7. F

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