Today's People Group

Usman stood proud, knowing to whom he belonged. He is a Sokoto Fulani, a member of the tribe that is a custodian of Islam. His ancestor, Usman dan Fodio, established an Islamic Caliphate in 1809. It stretched far and wide in West Africa for nearly 100 years. Usman dan Fodio’s religious fervor fueled the jihads responsible for the Fulani Islamic expansion. Now, however, another Islamic Caliphate has risen in Nigeria, Boko Haram. Three years ago Usman joined this group. But Usman had been having dreams of Isa (Jesus). He is now prepared to return to Boko Haram to tell his brothers that he belongs to Jesus, and face the consequences.
The nearly 375,000 Sokoto Fulani live in northwestern Nigeria’s Sokoto State. They are comprised of the ruling class (Toroobe) and the semi-nomadic shepherds (Bororo). They are 99.9 percent Muslim; only a handful of Christian believers exist in this group.
Some Sokoto Fulani, even those who have joined Boko Haram like Usman, have been encountering Christ in dreams. Some have joined discipleship programs of ministries reaching the Sokoto Fulani. Some even return to their village as secret witnesses to their own people, even though they are facing the threat of persecution.


Pray for the destruction of the satanic spirits that have ensnared the Sokoto Fulani. Pray that they will be replaced by a firm faith in Jesus Christ. Pray for wisdom to be given to the ministries reaching out to the Sokoto Fulani. Pray for boldness and protection for all Fulani believers.
Today's Intercession: The Persecuted: We shall be praying for Persecuted belivers in Afghanistan using opendoor worldwatch list. Fine details of this country on opendoorsusa.org
A secret church exists in Afghanistan, but nobody knows exactly how big it is. This is one of the reasons why Open Doors supports partner organizations, enabling them to broadcast Christian radio programs and do follow-up by phone. God uses these programs to transform people and bring them closer to Him.

Saif* has a remarkable tale to tell. Like every good story, it begins with a shocking event that turned his world upside-down. The moment was when he brought the gospel (or good news) to his house.

He desired to share what God’s Word had miraculously done in his family. Unable to tell anyone else, he called the follow-up team from the Christian radio: “One of my seven children was disabled and could not walk. When I brought the New Testament into my house, she started to move. I began to read from the Bible, and she started to walk!”

After listening to Saif’s story, they prayed together. After a few days, Saif called again. “People in my village want to know how my daughter was healed. What do I tell them? We’ve been to so many doctors and nobody was able to help her. And now she walks.”

“Miracles happen to the glory of God,” the counselor said. “Share about your experience with Jesus.”

“But I am so afraid,” said Saif. “I believe in Jesus now, and my wife also, but I still go to the mosque to pray five times a day.”

“If you have to go to the mosque, pray to Jesus,” the counselor recommended.

Suddenly, there was silence. Saif did not contact the radio counselor anymore. They contacted his wife, who explained that Saif had been kidnapped.

Unexpectedly, Saif called again. “I was abducted by extremists. They wanted to kill me and my wife, also. The men forced me into a car and we started driving. All of a sudden we ran into a soldier’s patrol. The soldiers and extremists started shooting at each other. Then my kidnappers ran off. The soldiers wanted to know why I was taken by these men and I had to lie. I told them it was because I supported the government.”

Saif was taken to the hospital and later reunited with his wife. They still follow Jesus, even though they have no church or small group to meet with. But they do belong to a fellowship: the fellowship of the radio.

*Representative names and photo to protect persecuted Christians
Today's Prayer Quote: "You can do more than pray after you'veprayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed." John Bunyan