Palm Sunday Massacre Near Our Orphanage

In the most sacred week of the year, we are falling to our knees.

Even before the sun rose on Palm Sunday, the shadow of violence had already begun to reach our community. On Saturday night, one of our orphanage security guards was attacked by Fulani Terrorists on his way home from work. He was beaten and his phone was taken, but we are deeply grateful to God that he is alive. We have just received word that his surgery was successful, and he is now being discharged from the hospital to continue his recovery.

This personal tragedy was followed just 24 hours later by a larger wave of darkness over Jos, Nigeria. On Palm Sunday evening, gunmen stormed the Gari Ya Waye community in Angwan Rukuba, taking the lives of at least 20 people and leaving many more shattered by violence.

This tragedy occurred just a short distance from our orphanage. Our children and staff heard the echoes of a community in mourning, and today, they are living under a government-ordered 48-hour curfew.

We cannot remain silent while the Body of Christ is under fire.

We believe in a God who hears the cries of the brokenhearted. We are asking you to join us in a targeted circle of intercession for Plateau State:

Pray for the Mourning: Ask for the “peace that passes all understanding” to guard the hearts of those in Angwan Rukuba who are burying loved ones this week.
Pray for the Injured: Intercede for those fighting for their lives in local hospitals. We especially ask for your prayers for our orphanage security guard as he continues to recover from his injuries.
Pray for Protection: Specifically, please pray for the children at our orphanage. Pray for a hedge of protection around them and for the peace of Christ to settle their fears.
Pray for the Persecutors: As Christ did on the cross, we pray for those who carry out these attacks—that their hearts would be struck by conviction and transformed by His grace.

While we pray, we must also act.

As the hands and feet of Jesus, we are preparing for what is to come after the terror that has overtaken Jos. We know that in the wake of this violence, there will be more orphans left behind who have lost everything. We must prepare now to welcome, protect, and provide for these children who will need our help in the days and weeks ahead.

In this season of Holy Week, we are reminded that the darkness of Friday is always followed by the light of Sunday. Thank you for standing in the gap with us through your prayers and your generosity.

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” – James 5:16

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