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        <title>Christian Daily International | Africa</title>
        <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/africa</link>
        <description><![CDATA[Africa news from Christian Daily International providing biblical, factual and personal news, stories and perspectives from every region, focusing on religious freedom, integrated gospel and other issues that are relevant for the global Church today.]]></description>
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                <title><![CDATA[CEOs of persecution ministries launch joint prayer effort, emphasize unity at global consultation]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/ceos-of-persecution-ministries-launch-joint-prayer-effort-emphasize-unity-at-global-consultation</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/ceos-of-persecution-ministries-launch-joint-prayer-effort-emphasize-unity-at-global-consultation</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[WWL 2026]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Open Doors International ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ The Open Doors World Watch List 2026 highlights regions where Christians face the most severe persecution. A new joint prayer initiative by ministry leaders aims to strengthen unity in responding to these challenges. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:48:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Senior leaders of Christian ministries serving persecuted believers have begun a new joint prayer initiative, bringing together chief executives from multiple organizations in a move aimed at strengthening cooperation across the sector.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Senior leaders of Christian ministries serving persecuted believers have begun a new joint prayer initiative, bringing together chief executives from multiple organizations in a move aimed at strengthening cooperation across the sector.
The effort, initiated by International Christian Concern (ICC), was shared during remarks by its president, Shawn Wright, at the recent annual consultation of the Religious Liberty Partnership (RLP).
According to participants, nine ministry CEOs met online for prayer on April 27, with plans to continue meeting regularly. The initiative is intended to foster deeper alignment among organizations serving an estimated 388 million Christians facing persecution worldwide.
The announcement came days after the RLP marked its 20th anniversary during its consultation in Prague, held April 20–23. The network, founded in 2006, connects dozens of Christian organizations working in religious freedom advocacy and support for persecuted believers, emphasizing collaboration, information-sharing and coordinated response.
Wright presented the prayer initiative as one expression of that broader collaborative ethos, encouraging leaders to move beyond institutional silos.
“I believe God gave me a burden for ICC to holistically serve 10 million persecuted Christians,” Wright said, describing a period of prayer and discernment early in his tenure. Reflecting on that figure, he said it led him to consider the wider global need.
“What about all the other persecuted Christians? How can we choose not to help them?” he said.
While many organizations are already engaged in what Wright described as “God-ordained, meaningful projects,” he noted that efforts can at times overlap or lack strategic coordination.
The joint prayer gatherings, he said, are intended as a starting point—bringing leaders together spiritually before exploring practical collaboration.
“To first pray together, then discuss and partner on initiatives from the global field to Capitol Hill and everywhere in between,” Wright said.
The initiative builds on existing cooperation within the RLP, which was established to encourage trust and partnership among ministries working in complex and often sensitive environments.
Over the past two decades, the network has facilitated joint advocacy efforts, shared research and coordinated responses to crises affecting Christian communities. Its annual consultations provide a forum for leaders to exchange information and identify opportunities for collaboration.
The new CEO-level prayer meetings, Wright said, represent a further step in that direction, with a particular emphasis on unity at the leadership level.
“Because Jesus did not envision a divided effort,” he said. “He makes His expectation crystal clear … ‘that all of them may be one.’ Unity is not optional.”
“Our unity is not just about effectiveness — it is about our witness,” Wright added. “When we are aligned, the world believes. When we are divided, the message is damaged.”
As the RLP enters its third decade, the emphasis on unity—expressed through both longstanding partnerships and new initiatives such as the CEO prayer gatherings—was highlighted as a continuing priority for Christian organizations seeking to respond to the global realities of religious persecution.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Algeria shuts protestant churches as Christians are pushed underground]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/algeria-shuts-protestant-churches-as-christians-are-pushed-underground</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/algeria-shuts-protestant-churches-as-christians-are-pushed-underground</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/45/4500.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Algerian Pastor Youssef Ourahmane pastor arrested]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ ADF International ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Pastor Youssef Ourahmane, a Christian convert and pastor in the Protestant Church of Algeria, was arrested in 2024 and sentenced to heavy fines and a prison sentence for the so-called crime of “illegal worship” for leading his church. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 03:45:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Nearly all Protestant churches in Algeria have been forced to close, pushing thousands of Christians into private homes and informal gatherings as authorities tighten control over non-Muslim worship.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Nearly all Protestant churches in Algeria have been forced to close, pushing thousands of Christians into private homes and informal gatherings as authorities tighten control over non-Muslim worship.
The closures, which have been systematic from 2017, are not isolated incidents but part of what a 2026 report by the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) describes as “a restrictive legal and administrative system incompatible with international standards on freedom of religion.” 
The report documents what it calls a widening gap between Algeria’s constitutional guarantees and the lived reality of its Christian minority.
Since 2006, at least 58 Protestant churches have been shut down by authorities, including nearly all those affiliated with the Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA). By January 2025, the last remaining evangelical churches had effectively ceased operations. 
The result is a quiet but sweeping transformation of Christian life. Prayer meetings now take place in private homes, improvised spaces or outdoors. Some believers gather in what the report describes as “house churches,” while others meet in remote areas, “churches under olive trees.” 
“We try to live our fellowship as best we can; the most important thing is to be together,” an EPA representative said in testimony cited by the report. 
Algerian law requires non-Muslim worship to be authorized by the state, but Christians say such approvals are rarely granted.
Under a 2006 ordinance, any religious activity must take place in officially approved buildings, while a 2012 law requires religious associations to register with authorities, a process critics say has been effectively blocked.
“In practice, the Algerian authorities have refused all applications for the opening of new places of worship,” the report states. 
Without legal recognition, even small gatherings can be treated as violations.
Pastors and worshippers have faced prosecution for holding services without authorization, while police raids on prayer meetings have led to detentions and interrogations.
In one recent case, a group of Christians was detained for hours following a religious gathering, underscoring the risks associated with communal worship. 
Beyond restrictions on worship, the report highlights laws that criminalize certain forms of religious expression.
Algerian legislation makes it an offense to “undermine the faith of a Muslim” or attempt to convert Muslims, with penalties including prison sentences and fines. The scope of these provisions is broad.
“Any expression of Christian faith may be regarded as an attempt to ‘undermine the faith of a Muslim’… and may result in prosecution,” the report notes. 
Authorities have used these laws to pursue cases involving social media posts, distribution of religious materials and public discussion of Christianity.
Christians often avoid displaying religious symbols or speaking openly about their beliefs, fearing legal consequences or social backlash.
Growing underground Christian community
Despite mounting restrictions, Algeria’s Christian population has grown in recent decades, particularly among evangelical Protestants.
The community now numbers an estimated 156,000 people, or about 0.3 percent of the population, according to figures cited in the report. 
Much of this growth has occurred in Kabylia, a region with a distinct cultural identity and a history of religious diversity.
“The social fabric was damaged during the civil war, making the ground fertile for religious change,” historian Karima Dirèche is quoted as saying in the report. 
Yet that growth has taken place largely outside official structures, as churches lose legal status and public visibility.
Converts from Islam to Christianity face particular challenges. While conversion is not explicitly outlawed, it is widely perceived as a challenge to Algeria’s religious and social order. The report notes that converts may face pressure from both authorities and their communities. Christians often encounter discrimination within legal and social systems that assume all citizens are Muslim.
Across North Africa, governments generally guarantee freedom of worship while maintaining strong oversight of religious life.
In Tunisia, the constitution protects freedom of belief, but proselytism remains sensitive and converts can face social pressure. In Morocco, the state permits limited Christian activity but restricts efforts to convert Muslims and closely monitors religious groups.
Algeria, however, stands out for the scale of enforcement. The widespread closure of Protestant churches and the consistent use of legal provisions against unregistered worship have created one of the most restrictive environments for Christians in the region.
Algeria has ratified international agreements protecting religious freedom, but the report says these commitments are not fully implemented.
Reactions from international bodies have been “largely symbolic and non-binding,” allowing the situation to persist. 
The issue has drawn renewed global attention in recent weeks following a historic papal visit to the country, which highlighted Algeria’s Christian heritage and emphasized interfaith dialogue.
But on the ground, little has changed.
For many Christians in Algeria, religious life now unfolds beyond public view. Without access to recognized places of worship and under the risk of legal consequences, believers have adapted by forming decentralized, often discreet communities.
The report concludes that the pressures facing Christians are not incidental but systemic.
“The oppression of Christians in Algeria cannot be understood as a series of isolated incidents,” it states, “but rather as the result of a restrictive legal and administrative system.” 
As international attention grows, the future of religious freedom in Algeria remains uncertain and for many believers, increasingly private.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[New hospital in Rwanda set to be the hub of faith-based healthcare and training in Africa]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/new-hospital-in-rwanda-set-to-be-the-hub-of-faith-based-healthcare-and-training-in-africa</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/new-hospital-in-rwanda-set-to-be-the-hub-of-faith-based-healthcare-and-training-in-africa</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/44/4478.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[GFA Rwanda hospital]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ GFA ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ GFA World said it plans to open a 300-bed specialist hospital in June as part of a broader effort to establish a medical university and research center in the country. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 02:55:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A U.S.-based Christian mission organization is launching an ambitious healthcare initiative in Rwanda, aiming to train thousands of African medical workers and expand access to care across underserved communities.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A U.S.-based Christian mission organization is launching an ambitious healthcare initiative in Rwanda, aiming to train thousands of African medical workers and expand access to care across underserved communities.
GFA World said it plans to open a 300-bed specialist hospital by the end of 2026 as part of a broader effort to establish a medical university and research center in the country.
The organization described the project as a vision to launch “Christ-centered healthcare” and help bring “transformation to communities across Africa.” 
The Rwanda facility is expected to serve as a continental hub, training African doctors, nurses and researchers while supporting outreach programs in remote areas.
“This hospital will be a catalyst for impact, bringing both much-needed medical care as well as the love of Christ to people in need of both,” said Bishop Daniel, president of GFA World. 
The hospital will offer specialized services including cardiology, neurology and intensive care, with the organization projecting that it will treat more than 500,000 patients within its first two years.
The project is part of a wider 10-year plan that includes training 10,000 African missionaries and reaching 100,000 communities through medical programs such as clinics and outreach camps.
GFA World said the initiative also aims to provide clean drinking water for millions through projects such as “Jesus Wells” and other water systems. The organization framed the effort as both a healthcare and spiritual mission.
The Rwanda project is intended to serve as a launchpad for expansion across the continent.
“The new medical hub in Rwanda will be the launchpad for community projects across Africa - creating a sustainable model for faith-based healthcare,” the organization said. 
Plans for the site extend beyond the hospital itself. The organization said it will include a medical university and an advanced research center focused on areas such as oncology and transplants. The goal is to equip African professionals to lead future efforts.
“The project includes building a network of local and international partnerships, training thousands of new African medical professionals and missionaries, with African nationals central to the future,” the organization said. 
The initiative traces its origins to 2019, when church leaders in Rwanda invited the organization to begin work in the country.
“The organization’s vision began to take shape in 2019 when Rwandan church leaders extended an invitation to begin working in Rwanda, including establishing a hospital to serve the nation,” the statement said. 
The hospital is modeled after a similar facility in Asia that has been operating for more than a decade and serves about 2,000 outpatients daily.
The announcement comes as Africa continues to face major healthcare challenges, including workforce shortages and limited access to essential services.
Access to healthcare services remains uneven. Africa continues to face significant healthcare workforce gaps. The World Health Organization and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimate the continent could face a shortfall of more than 6 million health workers by 2030. 
A 2024 study published in BMJ Global Health found the region needed about 9.75 million health workers in 2022 but had only 4.17 million, leaving a gap of more than 5 million. 
In many countries, workforce density remains low, with fewer than 2.3 health workers per 1,000 people, according to World Bank data. Doctor-to-patient ratios remain far below global averages, with some regions having fewer than one doctor per 1,000 people.
These challenges have created space for faith-based organizations to play a larger role in delivering healthcare. GFA World said its model focuses on combining medical care with long-term community development.
“Together, we can lay the foundation for transformational, Christ-centered change across the continent,” Bishop Daniel said. 
The organization said it has already seen early impact in Rwanda through existing programs.
“We’re already seeing community transformation in Rwanda, through the brothers and sisters ministering there now,” Bishop Daniel said. 
The expansion reflects a broader trend of faith-based groups investing in healthcare infrastructure across Africa, particularly in areas where government systems face constraints.
By focusing on training local professionals, the Rwanda project aims to build long-term capacity while extending services into underserved regions.
The inclusion of clean water initiatives also addresses underlying health challenges linked to waterborne diseases and sanitation.
As construction nears completion, the hospital is expected to begin operations in June, marking a significant step in the organization’s plans to scale its model across the continent.
For GFA World, the Rwanda facility is considered a starting point that is intended to serve as a foundation for a wider effort to expand healthcare access while advancing its mission.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Children taken from Christian orphanage still in gov’t custody after failed handover]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/children-taken-from-christian-orphanage-still-in-govt-custody-after-failed-handover</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/children-taken-from-christian-orphanage-still-in-govt-custody-after-failed-handover</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[School in Nigeria]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Photo: Open Doors partners ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ School in Nigeria in this undated photo. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:25:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Seven children seized from a Christian orphanage network in northern Nigeria more than six years ago remain in the custody of Kano State authorities after a meeting convened to finalize their return ended without a handover.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Seven children seized from a Christian orphanage network in northern Nigeria more than six years ago remain in the custody of Kano State authorities after a meeting convened to finalize their return ended without a handover.
The children were removed from the Du Merci Centres for vulnerable children in Kano and Kaduna states on Dec. 25 and 31, 2019, by police officers and agents of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, according to the United Kingdom-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). At the time, Professor Solomon Tarfa, who co-founded the Du Merci Centres with his wife, Mercy, was arrested on spurious charges.
A total of 27 children were seized in the raids and placed in the Nassarawa government orphanage, where advocates say they experienced mistreatment, neglect and sustained pressure to convert to Islam. Those who reached the age of majority were eventually released, leaving 16 minors in the government facility.
Eight of the older remaining children were released on Aug. 13, 2025, after one began experiencing mental health challenges. The eight youngest were required to stay at the orphanage pending a review by the Kano State attorney general of a 2025 consent judgment. The judgment, delivered by a Kano State High Court, ordered the formal return of all children to the Tarfas’ care on or before March 19, 2025.
One of the children, 13-year-old David Solomon Tarfa, died in January after the orphanage’s authorities did not provide urgently needed medical attention.
The Tarfas were informed earlier this month that the attorney general of Kano State had requested their presence at a meeting last Wednesday for the handover of the seven surviving children. Prof. Tarfa was unable to attend due to ill health. Mrs. Tarfa attended with the family lawyer, the couple’s eldest son and an older daughter who had been released from the government orphanage in 2025.
A document stating that the children had been returned to the Tarfas was finalized during the meeting, bearing the signatures of the attorney general, the commissioner for women’s affairs and social development, the solicitor general, the permanent secretary of the Ministry for Women’s Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Tarfa, her lawyer and the Tarfas’ son.
However, the commissioner left the proceedings before they concluded, taking all of the children with her.
Unfortunately, the Commissioner for Women’s Affairs had reportedly spent the previous night with the children, persuading them not to return to Du Merci.
Also attending the meeting was American pastor and religious freedom advocate Bill Devlin and human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe, who both traveled from the United States to oversee the handoff. 
In an email to The Christian Post, Devlin alleged that the commissioner had reportedly spent the previous night with the children, persuading them not to return to Du Merci.
"During the meeting, for which she procured several members of the press, both the Commissioner for Women’s Affairs and the Attorney General of Kano State confirmed their signatures on an updated consent agreement," Devlin said.
"However, when cameras were turned on, the Commissioner asked the children if they wanted to go. The children began to cry and said, 'No, we do not want to go.' The meeting then abruptly ended, and the Commissioner’s team spirited the children back to the Nasarawa Children’s Home, defying the signed decree.  Interestingly enough, none of the children had their belongings with them."
Ogebe and Devlin requested an appeal with the attorney general's staff, demanding to know "how a state government could disregard a signed consent decree issued by a court."
"The Attorney General promised to intervene in the situation," Devlin wrote. 
During their six years at the government facility, the children faced consistent pressure to convert, CSW states. The youngest eight were described as the most vulnerable to that pressure.
Children who had converted were told before last week’s meeting that they would be killed if they returned to the Du Merci Centre, either for having converted to Islam or if they reverted to Christianity.
A coroner’s inquest into David’s death began on April 8. The inquest has reportedly concluded, though its findings have not been made public. The letter produced at last week’s meeting stated that David’s body would not be released because of the ongoing inquest.
The Kano State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and the state’s attorney general had previously filed a suit at the juvenile court seeking an order directing the orphanage to release the body for burial in accordance with Islamic rites, but later withdrew it.
Legal proceedings to return the remaining children have been repeatedly deferred. In one instance, the Tarfas’ lawyer was informed on April 2 that the case had been adjourned indefinitely because the presiding judge was observing Hajj in Mecca. That was the fifth deferral in five months.
Among the points of contention at the meeting this month was the authorities’ refusal to hand over the four eldest children on the grounds that three were nearly 18.
CSW Chief Executive Officer Scot Bower said Kano State authorities had “disregarded the High Court ruling for far too long” and called for the urgent and unconditional return of the seven children, the handover of David Tarfa’s body in accordance with his family’s wishes, an end to what he described as harassment and legal persecution of the family, and compensation commensurate with the trauma inflicted on the Tarfas and their children.
Originally published by The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Evangelist killed after gospel event in Kampala, Uganda]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/evangelist-killed-after-gospel-event-in-kampala-uganda</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/evangelist-killed-after-gospel-event-in-kampala-uganda</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/44/4473.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Uganda National Mosque in Kampala.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Tusk media, Creative Commons ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Uganda National Mosque in Kampala. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:11:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Suspected Muslim extremists posing as moto-taxi drivers on April 9 killed an evangelist in central Uganda shortly after he preached at a gospel event, sources said.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Suspected Muslim extremists posing as moto-taxi drivers on April 9 killed an evangelist in central Uganda shortly after he preached at a gospel event, sources said.
Alfred Kitenga was beaten and stabbed at about 9:30 p.m. along the Northern Bypass in Kawaala, Wakiso District, after he and his wife, Anna Grace Nabirye, were returning home from preaching in the Namungoona area of Kampala, she said.
After the couple spent the evening preaching in Namungoona as part of an evangelistic team, four people who identified themselves as motorcycle taxi drivers approached them, saying they were Christians who had attended the event, and offered them free transport home, according to Nabirye.
“We believed them because they said they were fellow believers who had listened to the message,” Nabirye told Morning Star News.
During the journey, the riders suggested an alternative route through Kasangati, citing traffic congestion and the late hour, she said, and the couple agreed to the change.
Nabirye said she later became uneasy when one of the drivers repeatedly spoke by phone in a language she did not understand. Shortly afterward, three additional men showed up.
“What followed was sudden and violent,” she said.
The attackers turned on the couple, beating them severely, and during the assault they fatally wounded Kitenga with knives, Nabirye said, adding that they later took her away and left her near her home, enabling her to survive.
She alerted church leaders who rushed to the site of the attack and found Kitinga’s body lying along a roadside. They notified police, who took the body to a mortuary for postmortem examination.
Church leaders expressed shock and grief, describing Kitenga as a dedicated evangelist committed to spreading the gospel, particularly among Muslim communities.
“This is a painful loss for the body of Christ,” one local church leader said, calling for prayers and support for the bereaved family.
Authorities have launched investigations into the killing. At this writing no motive has been confirmed, and no suspects arrested.
The incident sparked concern among Christian groups about the safety of evangelists, especially those conducting outreach missions in the evening hours. Some leaders are now urging greater caution and security measures for ministry teams operating in the field.
As investigations continue, the death of Kitenga has left his family, church and wider Christian community in mourning.
The attack was the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented.
Uganda’s constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate one’s faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12 percent of Uganda’s population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Africa leads global trend as Easter Week marked highest YouVersion Bible engagement]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/africa-leads-global-trend-as-easter-week-marked-highest-youversion-bible-engagement</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/africa-leads-global-trend-as-easter-week-marked-highest-youversion-bible-engagement</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/44/4436.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Easter Bible Verse]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ YouVersion ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Certain verses stand out each year as the most popular during the Easter holiday season. In 2026, the top verse was Matthew 28:6, “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:15:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[YouVersion, creator of the world’s most popular Bible App, hit new records throughout the Holy Week, with an average of 18.7 million people engaging with the Bible each day through its Family of Apps.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
YouVersion, creator of the world’s most popular Bible App, hit new records throughout the Holy Week, with an average of 18.7 million people engaging with the Bible each day through its Family of Apps. 
On Easter Sunday, Bible engagement surged to more than 21.6 million people, a new record for the holiday and the most engaged day in YouVersion history. Building on the momentum of one billion installs across the YouVersion Family of Apps last year, all 10 of the highest days for Bible engagement in YouVersion's history have happened so far in 2026.
Across the globe, Bible engagement during Holy Week grew by 15% compared to last year. Every region of the world saw significant increases, including Sub-Saharan Africa with 37% year-over-year growth and Latin America up 22%, representing millions of people engaging with God's Word in each region.
In several African countries, Easter Sunday was the number one day for Bible engagement, including in Uganda, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. In Kenya, Palm Sunday, which marks the beginning of Holy Week, ranks as the top day for Bible engagement, while Easter Sunday ranks second.
Bible App Lite, the YouVersion app designed for offline use, has also been ranked multiple times this year as the number one most downloaded app in several African countries. Most notably, it was number one in nine African countries on Easter Sunday, including Kenya, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, highlighting a surge in engagement across the region.
Easter is one of the most significant events on the Christian calendar, and many people, whether lifelong Christians or simply curious about the Easter story, engage with Scripture more deeply during Lent and Holy Week. Certain verses stand out each year as the most popular during the Easter holiday season.
Last year, John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends", was the most popular verse in Kenya during Holy Week. In 2026, the top verse was Matthew 28:6, “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”
Joseph Gachira, YouVersion‘s Kenya Hub Leader said: “We’ve seen steady growth in interest across Kenya, and the engagement we saw over Easter is a reflection of the trend that we’re witnessing globally.
This is particularly significant at Easter, when both committed Christians and those simply wanting to understand the Easter story may be engaging with the Bible to find encouragement, guidance and answers. Seeing so many Kenyans turn to Scripture is a great reminder of why we do what we do”.
The Bible App provides access to the Bible in more than 2,400 different languages and more than 3,750 translations, plus video content and Bible Plans offered in partnership with ministries all over the globe.
YouVersion is powered by tens of thousands of partners around the world, and this Holy Week, featured video content from The Chosen, BibleProject, and Museum of the Bible brought the Easter story to life for millions of people in the Bible App.
YouVersion Founder and CEO Bobby Gruenewald says: “Historically, Easter is one of the highest days for engagement each year. It’s encouraging to see interest and engagement in God’s Word increase every year, especially around Easter when we remember Jesus’ sacrifice and love for the world. For anyone who isn’t already engaging with the Bible daily, there’s no better time to start than today.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Assemblies of God Nigeria reviewing Ughelli church clash involving pastor and church members]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/assemblies-of-god-nigeria-reviewing-ughelli-church-clash-involving-pastor-and-church-members</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/assemblies-of-god-nigeria-reviewing-ughelli-church-clash-involving-pastor-and-church-members</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Obed Minchakpu]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[The pastor of an Assemblies of God congregation in Ughelli, Delta state, is seen amid a confrontation with uniformed individuals—alleged to be affiliated with Royal Rangers—in a video circulating on April 12, 2026, as authorities investigate the incident.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ The pastor of an Assemblies of God congregation in Ughelli, Delta state, is seen amid a confrontation with uniformed individuals—alleged to be affiliated with Royal Rangers—in a video circulating on April 12, 2026, as authorities investigate the incident. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:45:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A worship service at an Assemblies of God congregation in Ughelli, Delta state, was disrupted Sunday (April 12) after a violent altercation involving church members and uniformed personnel left a pastor and his wife affected by tear gas, prompting internal investigations by church leadership and Royal Rangers Nigeria.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A worship service at an Assemblies of God congregation in Ughelli, Delta state, was disrupted Sunday (April 12) after a violent altercation involving church members and uniformed personnel left a pastor and his wife affected by tear gas, prompting internal investigations by church leadership and Royal Rangers Nigeria.
Both Assemblies of God Nigeria and Royal Rangers Nigeria confirmed the incident in separate statements, describing it as under review and urging the public to avoid speculation while facts are being established.
A video circulating widely on social media shows a chaotic scene inside the church, with individuals exchanging blows. At one point, the pastor’s wife is seen seated on the floor in distress, while the pastor appears to be coughing, seemingly after exposure to tear gas.
The cause of the confrontation remains unclear. Voices in the video allege that men in uniform attempted to abduct some individuals, though these claims have not been independently verified.
A church member, Dan Ok, identified the uniformed individuals as members of Royal Rangers, a church-affiliated paramilitary-style youth organization within the Assemblies of God Nigeria.
In a statement dated April 12, Royal Rangers Nigeria said the conduct of those involved “does not reflect the values, discipline, and code of conduct of the organization.” The group said its district leadership has launched a “thorough review” to establish the facts and determine appropriate action.
“Appropriate measures will be taken in line with established procedures,” the statement said, adding that the public should refrain from spreading unverified information while the review is ongoing.
Assemblies of God Nigeria also confirmed it is investigating the incident, describing the situation as an internal matter being handled through established church structures.
“The leadership of the Church … are fully aware of the situation and are actively handling it with the wisdom, maturity, and spiritual oversight required,” the church said in a statement issued by its Corporate Ministries and Planning Department.
The denomination urged members and the public to avoid “speculation, sensationalism, or drawing premature conclusions based on partial information,” and called for prayers as the process unfolds.
Some congregants expressed concern over the use of force during the incident. One member questioned the use of tear gas inside a place of worship, while another called for disputes to be handled “calmly and peacefully” without escalation.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Terrorists mount more deadly raids in Plateau state, Nigeria]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/terrorists-mount-more-deadly-raids-in-plateau-state-nigeria</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/terrorists-mount-more-deadly-raids-in-plateau-state-nigeria</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Christian Daily International / Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Geoffrey Infinity was killed in Jol, Riyom County, Plateau state, Nigeria on April 11, 2026.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Geoffrey Infinity was killed in Jol, Riyom County, Plateau state, Nigeria on April 11, 2026. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:01:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Fulani terrorists killed eight Christians in Plateau state, Nigeria from April 3 to Saturday (April 11), including three in a district that had been attacked just days before.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Fulani terrorists killed eight Christians in Plateau state, Nigeria from April 3 to Saturday (April 11), including three in a district that had been attacked just days before.
The assailants attacked Jol village, Riyom County on Saturday night (April 11), killing Geoffrey Infinity and another Christian identified only as Kefas, area residents said.
“Last night, April 11, there were gunshots everywhere by Fulani terrorists,” resident Blessing Bature told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News in a text message. “Please pray for Gwa-wereng, Gwa-Rim, Rim, and Jol communities of Riyom LGA Plateau state of Nigeria. We pray that God continue to protect his people.”
Bature identified one the Christians killed as “Kefas, my classmate,” and asserted that the killers “will not know peace.”
Resident King Joshua said those who attacked the area villages were armed Fulanis.
“Fulani terrorists have killed a Christian, Geoffrey Infinity,” Joshua said in a text message. “He was my roommate in school at the Jos Campus of the Plateau State Polytechnic in Barkin Ladi. He was killed in the attack that occurred last night in Jol Riyom LGA.”
In Riyom County’s Bachi District, Fulanis on April 6 killed a Christian in Dum village, residents said.
“A student of Federal University of Education Pankshin, Mr. Badung Sunday Alamba, a Christian and the only male child of his mother, was killed by Fulani Militia,” Zere Samuel told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
Community leader Rwang Tengwong confirmed a series of killings in a press statement he issued from Jos.
“There was a premeditated attack carried out by armed Fulani terrorists in Dum village of Bachi District, Riyom Local Government Area,” Tengwong said. “The incident occurred at about 7:49 p.m. on April 6, when the terrorists, who had already positioned themselves to attack the village, laid an ambush at the entrance of Dum village. Tragically, Badung Sunday, 29, a third-year student of the Federal University of Education, Pankshin, was shot and killed by the terrorists, cutting short the life of a promising young man who was the only child of his mother, and whose future held great hope for his family and community.”
Another Christian, Dachomo Habila, narrowly escaped the ambush unhurt despite attempts by the terrorists to end his life, Tengwong said.
In Jol village on April 3, area resident Victor Mangwe told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News in a text, “Fulani terrorists attacked Jol community of Riyom LGA this morning at about 6:56 a.m., April 3, killing Mr. Dalyop Betobeje, 51.”
Resident Maria Dauda added, “Our government says Christians are not being killed, but Fulani herdsmen killed one Christian in the early hours of April 3, in Jol community.”
Barkin Ladi Attacks 
In Barkin Ladi County, Fulanis attacked Nding village on April 8, residents said.
“Fulani terrorists ambushed three Christians, killing one of them and injuring two the others in Nding community,” Joshua Bot told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News in a text message. “The incident occurred near the offices of the Great Commission Movement of Nigeria at around 4:15 p.m.”
He identified the slain Christian as Ayuba Pam of Nding and the wounded as Alfred Dung and Nathaniel Bitrus.
“Both injured Christians are currently being treated at a hospital,” Bot said.
Resident Ayuba Roba corroborated the account of the attack.
In Barkin Ladi County’s Heipang District, where Fulanis had attacked on April 1, Fulani terrorists attacked again on April 5, killing three Christians in Pwomol village, sources said. Mercy Yop Chuwang, spokesperson for Barkin Ladi Local Government Council chairman, confirmed the killings in a press statement.
“The Heipang community has been thrown into mourning following an attack by armed Fulani men on Pwomol village in the early hours of Sunday, 5 April, which claimed the lives of three Christians: Daniel M. Dung, 60; Bitrus Pam, 30; and Marvin Dung, 27,” Chuwang said. “One Christian, Pam Davou, 45, sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital.”
Council Chairman Stephen Gyang Pwajok and the outspoken Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo took part in a subsequent funeral service.
Police spokesman Alfred Alabo said personnel and other security members were been deployed to the area after receiving reports of gunshots early on April 6.
“The Plateau State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that on 6th April, 2026 at about 04:30 a.m., we received a distress call from Barkin Ladi Local Government Area reporting gunshot sounds around Pwomol village in Heipang District,” Alabo said in a statement. “Upon receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police mobilized a Joint Response Team comprising of the DPO Barkin Ladi, the Military, and other security agencies who engaged the attackers in a gun duel. Due to the superior firepower of our team, the attackers were forced to flee into the surrounding mountainous forests.”
During the attack, three persons lost their lives and another sustained injuries, he said.
“In a follow-up clearance operation carried out by the team, one suspect identified as Suleiman (male) was arrested around the Redemption Camp [of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG],” Alabo said. “The suspect was apprehended with visible blood stains and is currently in custody.”
Inspector General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu has reinforced security in the area with additional deployments, intensified patrols and synergy with other security agencies, he added.
More Christians were killed in Nigeria than in any other country from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025, according to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List. Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith during that period, 3,490 – 72 percent – were Nigerians, an increase from 3,100 the prior year. Nigeria ranked No. 7 on the WWL list of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.
Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a 2020 report.
“They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity,” the APPG report states.
Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds.
In the country’s North-Central zone, where Christians are more common than they are in the North-East and North-West, Islamic extremist Fulani militia attack farming communities, killing many hundreds, Christians above all, according to the report. Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), among others, are also active in the country’s northern states, where federal government control is scant and Christians and their communities continue to be the targets of raids, sexual violence, and roadblock killings, according to the report. Abductions for ransom have increased considerably in recent years.
The violence has spread to southern states, and a new jihadist terror group, Lakurawa, has emerged in the northwest, armed with advanced weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda, the WWL noted. Lakurawa is affiliated with the expansionist Al-Qaeda insurgency Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, or JNIM, originating in Mali.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Rising concerns over Uganda’s Kadhi Courts Bill spark religious freedom debate]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/rising-concerns-over-ugandas-sharia-courts-bill-spark-religious-freedom-debate</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/rising-concerns-over-ugandas-sharia-courts-bill-spark-religious-freedom-debate</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Kadhi Court Kenya]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Kenya Judiciary ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Kenya's Chief Kadhi Athman Abdulhalim on a familiarisation tour of a Kadhi Law Courts in Kwale County. Proponents of Uganda's Kadhi Court bill point to neighboring Kenya, where a similar system of Kadhi courts is explicitly defined and limited by the Constitution ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:01:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A growing chorus of concern over Uganda’s proposed Khadhi Courts Bill is stirring debate across religious and legal circles, with critics warning of potential implications for religious freedom even as supporters insist the legislation simply formalizes existing constitutional provisions.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A growing chorus of concern over Uganda’s proposed Kadhi Courts Bill is stirring debate across religious and legal circles, with critics warning of potential implications for religious freedom even as supporters insist the legislation simply formalizes existing constitutional provisions.
Legal advocacy group ADF International cautioned that the bill could expand the role of Islamic law in ways that affect both Muslims and non-Muslims. In a recent statement, the group warned the proposal could “create a parallel legal system” and raise “serious concerns for religious freedom.”
“Uganda’s proposed Sharia courts bill would subject Christians and other non-Muslims to Islamic law, while undermining fundamental rights especially for women, children, and religious converts,” said Kelsey Zorzi, director of advocacy for global religious freedom at ADF International.  
The group further argued that aspects of the bill could extend beyond voluntary participation. 
“Non-Muslims could be drawn into the jurisdiction of these courts,” ADF stated, raising concerns about mixed-family cases and inheritance disputes.
These warnings have circulated widely, particularly among Christian communities, where questions about legal equality and freedom of belief remain central.
“We ask all Ugandans to speak out against the passage of the Kadhi Courts Bill,” Arthur Ayorekire, vice president of the Uganda Christian Lawyers’ Fraternity, said in the ADF International report. “The bill is not necessary and will only lead to legal uncertainty, tensions between religious groups, and potentially will allow extremism to grab a hold in Uganda.”
Yet within Uganda, the conversation is more layered. The Kadhi Courts Bill, first gazetted on Feb. 27, is now moving toward parliamentary consideration.
If passed, it would establish a formal system of Islamic courts to handle personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and guardianship.
Supporters of the bill argue that this is not a new introduction of Islamic law, but the long-delayed implementation of a constitutional provision.
“The present Bill does not introduce Sharia into Uganda’s legal system,” wrote Mukasa Sirajeh Katantazi, a legal commentator and Muslim leader. Instead, he said, it seeks “to operationalize a constitutional provision that has remained dormant for over three decades.”
Uganda’s 1995 Constitution already provides for Kadhi courts under Article 129, though no comprehensive law has ever established how they should function in practice. Proponents say the current bill fills that gap.
Religious leaders within the Muslim community have also called for swift passage of the legislation. The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council has urged Parliament to fast-track the bill, describing it as a “long-awaited piece of legislation” that would strengthen access to justice for Muslims in personal matters. 
Legal professionals echo that view. During a recent gathering in Kampala, Muslim lawyers were encouraged to prepare for the courts’ eventual rollout, with officials emphasizing that “justice remains a central pillar of Islamic legal tradition.” 
To supporters, the bill is less about expansion and more about structure, bringing informal religious dispute resolution into a regulated legal framework.
Still, concerns persist over how the courts would operate in practice. Critics argue that the key issue is not whether such courts exist, but whether participation would remain strictly voluntary and confined to Muslims. ADF International has questioned whether safeguards in the bill are sufficient to prevent jurisdictional overreach, especially in cases involving individuals of different faiths.
“The proposed bill’s passage would represent a dangerous expansion of Sharia law into Sub-Saharan Africa at a time when Christian persecution is growing,” Zorzi said.
The debate has also revived broader questions about how religious law interacts with national legal systems, a tension not unique to Uganda.
In neighboring Kenya, a similar system of Kadhi courts is explicitly defined and limited by the Constitution. Article 170 of Kenya’s Constitution states that such courts have jurisdiction only in matters of “personal status, marriage, divorce or inheritance” and only where “all the parties profess the Muslim religion and submit” to the court’s authority. 
This dual requirement of shared faith and voluntary submission, has been central to maintaining a balance between religious accommodation and constitutional equality.
Kenya’s experience has not been without controversy. The inclusion of Kadhi courts in the 2010 Constitution sparked strong opposition from some Christian leaders, who argued it blurred the line between religion and the state. 
Over time, however, the system has functioned within clearly defined limits, serving a specific community without extending beyond its scope. That comparison now shapes much of the discussion in Uganda.
Supporters of the Kadhi Courts Bill point to Kenya as evidence that religious courts can coexist within a secular legal framework. Critics, however, argue that the Ugandan proposal must be scrutinized carefully to ensure it includes equally clear safeguards.
Katantazi acknowledged that the bill is not without flaws, noting that “clearer safeguards on voluntary submission” and stronger procedural protections would improve public confidence.
That acknowledgment highlights a rare point of convergence in an otherwise polarized debate: both supporters and critics agree that the details of the law will ultimately determine its impact.
For many observers, the issue goes beyond legal technicalities. At its core is a question about how a diverse society protects freedom of religion while maintaining equal treatment under the law.
Uganda’s legal system already accommodates customary law and religious practices in certain areas, reflecting a broader recognition of cultural and religious diversity. 
The Kadhi Courts Bill, supporters argue, fits within that tradition. But critics remain cautious, emphasizing that any expansion of religious jurisdiction must be carefully balanced against constitutional guarantees.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Fulani terrorists kill 20 Christians in Plateau state, Nigeria]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/fulani-terrorists-kill-20-christians-in-plateau-state-nigeria</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/fulani-terrorists-kill-20-christians-in-plateau-state-nigeria</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Christian Daily International / Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Caskets bearing corpses of three Christians killed in Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria on April 3, 2026.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Caskets bearing corpses of three Christians killed in Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria on April 3, 2026. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:27:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Gunmen described as “Fulani terrorists” raided a village in central Nigeria on Thursday night (April 9) and killed at least 20 Christians, area residents said.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Gunmen described as “Fulani terrorists” raided a village in central Nigeria on Thursday night (April 9) and killed at least 20 Christians, area residents said.
The assailants attacked Mbwelle village, near Bokkos town in Plateau state at about 9 p.m., they said.
“An attack is currently ongoing in my village, Mbwelle,” Moses Kefas told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News in a text message. “Twenty members of our community have died, and seven of them are members of my family.”
Kefas identified eight of those slain as church elder Iliya Mangut Dakus, Luck Titus Dakus, Habila Istifanu Dakus, Hassan Istifanus Dakus, Hassan Moses Dakus, Biggie Lucky Dakus, Sunday Gideon Dakus and Innocent Barnabas Makwin. 
Bearice Lucky Dakus sustained severe injuries from gunshot, he added, and many other residents are missing.
“Many Christians in the village are still not found as of Friday morning, 10 April,” Kefas said.
Resident Polycarp Gomwus described the assailants as Fulani terrorists.
“This is an unprovoked attack by Fulani terrorists – 20 Christians were killed without provocation,” he told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “What a sad reality Christians are forced to live with daily.”
Resident Faith Ayuba called for prayers for God’s intervention.
“Please let’s pray for Christians in Mbwellen village, which is under attack by Fulani terrorists. Lord, please intervene,” Ayuba said.
Two other residents, Benita Simon and Felix Kasha, also said 20 Christians were killed in the attack.
Jos Attack 
In the southern part of Jos, Plateau state, Fulani herdsmen on April 3 killed three Christians, sources said.
The assailants raided Gyel Gero in Jos South Local Government Area at about 7 p.m. on Good Friday, said area Pastor Nansen John, saying the area “is being targeted and attacked by Fulani gunmen, and they have killed three Christians. Lord, how long shall we endure this suffering and persecution?”
Pastor John identified the slain Christians as Luka Sandu Pam, 36; Samuel Davou, 38; and Deme Saidu, 35.
He said the assailants arrived on motorbikes.
“The incident, which occurred on Good Friday, a day Christians were reflecting on the death and suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ, has thrown the community into mourning,” Pastor John told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
Resident Jessy Jay described the assailants a Fulani herdsmen.
“There has been another terror attack in Gyel community of Jos South Local Government Area carried out by Fulani herdsmen,” she said. “The attack has left three Christians in our community dead. These terror attacks are becoming one too many. When would these mass killings and mass burials end?” 
Jos South, Barkin Ladi and Riyom areas have recorded over eight mass burials of Christians killed by terrorists within just five months, Jay said.
Police spokesman Alfred Alabo said in Jos that the Divisional Police Officer of B Division, Bukuru, led a patrol team to the area shortly after receiving a call that evening.
“And as part of proactive measures to safeguard lives and properties, the Commissioner of Police has directed the immediate enforcement of a statewide ban on night grazing and night mining activities,” Alabo said in a press statement.
The attack comes on the heels of a March 29 terrorist attack on the Angwan Rukuba area of Jos, where more than 28 Christians were killed.
More Christians were killed in Nigeria than in any other country from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025, according to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List. Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith during that period, 3,490 – 72 percent – were Nigerians, an increase from 3,100 the prior year. Nigeria ranked No. 7 on the WWL list of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.
Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a 2020 report.
“They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity,” the APPG report states.
Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds.
In the country’s North-Central zone, where Christians are more common than they are in the North-East and North-West, Islamic extremist Fulani militia attack farming communities, killing many hundreds, Christians above all, according to the report. Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), among others, are also active in the country’s northern states, where federal government control is scant and Christians and their communities continue to be the targets of raids, sexual violence, and roadblock killings, according to the report. Abductions for ransom have increased considerably in recent years.
The violence has spread to southern states, and a new jihadist terror group, Lakurawa, has emerged in the northwest, armed with advanced weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda, the WWL noted. Lakurawa is affiliated with the expansionist Al-Qaeda insurgency Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, or JNIM, originating in Mali.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Amid violence, Christian leaders in Nigeria issue Easter appeal for help]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/amid-violence-christian-leaders-in-nigeria-issue-easter-appeal-for-help</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/amid-violence-christian-leaders-in-nigeria-issue-easter-appeal-for-help</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Christian Daily International / Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Central Mosque, Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ El-siddeeq lame, Creative Commons ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Central Mosque, Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Days after Fulani terrorists attacked two predominantly Christian villages in Plateau state, the president of Nigeria pledged to curb violence as church leaders appealed for help over Easter.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Days after Fulani terrorists attacked two predominantly Christian villages in Plateau state, the president of Nigeria pledged to curb violence as church leaders appealed for help over Easter.
An unidentified Christian was said to have been killed in Kwi village, on the outskirts of Barkin Ladi, on April 1.
“A friend of mine from Kwi village in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area just informed me that Kwi community is under attack right now, and they’re currently trapped there,” Jos resident Natoski Dinju told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News on April 1. “He also said one Christian villager has been killed by the herdsmen in the Kwi community.”
Area resident Mahuel Alpha said Kwi and Heipang, also on the outskirts of Barkin Ladi town, were targeted.
“Parts of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area are currently being attacked by armed Fulani herdsmen, and one of the affected communities is the campus of the Plateau State Polytechnic at Heipang,” Alpha said. “The attack is being carried out at about 11 p.m. I am right now in Barkin Ladi town, and I hear sounds of gunshots in the outskirts of the town. Please pray for God’s intervention in this situation.”
Resident Austin Matthew and other residents also said herdsmen were attacking Heipang and Kwi villages. Love Zachariah, a resident of Jos, sent a text message saying her sister, a student at the polytechnic in Heipang, had informed her about the attack.
“My younger sister just called me this night and said the attack on them in the institution is getting worse,” Zacharia said.
Jennifer Jacob, a Christian student of the Plateau State Polytechnic, added, “Please pray for us, the situation here is terrible.”
The attacks in Barkin Ladi came on the heels of violence earlier on the morning of on April 1 in Jos, shortly after a 48-hour curfew was lifted. Suspected herdsmen attacked a worship building of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in the Nasarawa Gwong area, while others attacked the Farin Gada area, sources said.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu issued an Easter-related statement on Friday (April 3) admitting security challenges in the country and promising to do more to curb attacks.
“To Christians in Nigeria and around the world, the Easter season reminds us of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the redemptive power of salvation for humanity,” Tinubu said. “This season also reminds us of the significance of Easter and the message it embodies – of sacrifice, resilience and the triumph of light over darkness.” 
His administration continues to make resources available and forges foreign partnerships to enable it to combat agents of terror and crime, he said.
“On Thursday [April 2], I was in Jos to commiserate with people of Plateau state, share in their grief, and offer reassurances of better days to come,” Tinubu said. “The leaders of the nation's security institutions have given strong assurances of progress. We have also sought and are receiving assistance from outside our shores.”
Easter messages from church leaders made urgent appeals for help. Leaders of the Universal Reformed Christian Church (NKST) issued a statement on April 1 saying Easter elicited mixed feelings.
“While we celebrate, we cannot ignore the painful realities confronting many Christian communities, particularly in North Central Nigeria,” the Rev. N.A. Adure, NKST president, and the Rev. T.A. Targba, general secretary, said in press statement. “We strongly condemn the recent killings in Angwa Rukuba in Plateau state.”
Such unprovoked attacks are unacceptable and have no place in a civilized society, they said.
“We also draw urgent attention to the continued suffering of NKST churches,” the church leader said. “Several members have been killed, many others wounded, and churches destroyed, especially in Taraba and Benue states. These attacks, reportedly carried out by Fulani terrorists and their sponsors, are deeply troubling and must not be allowed to persist as we also demand for justice for our people.”
While acknowledging the efforts of the government in addressing insecurity, they said more needs to be done.
“The government must be proactive, decisive and relentless in going after these criminals,” they said. “The ongoing injustice against the body of Christ must stop…Even in the face of these challenges, we hold on to the message of Easter – hope, renewal and victory. We believe that light will overcome darkness, and peace will prevail in our land.”
Leaders of the Forum of Northern Christians, also known as the Northern Christian Association, decried recent attacks in Jos and parts of Kaduna state on Palm Sunday that resulted in the death of dozens of Christians and left many others injured.
The Rev. Joseph Hayab and Bishop Mohammed Naga of the association said in a statement issued on Friday (April 3) that Easter was being observed under an atmosphere of grief and fear.
“Instead of joy and spiritual reflection, many communities across northern Nigeria are marking this Easter in grief, uncertainty, and under the shadow of recurring violence,” they said.
The Christian leaders noted that attacks in Jos North Local Government Area and surrounding communities resulted in the loss of innocent lives and displacement of residents as preparations for Easter were underway.
Several states, including Benue, Borno, Niger and Taraba, continue to grapple with killings, abductions and widespread insecurity, they noted.
“The recurrence of these attacks during sacred periods raises serious concerns about the adequacy of security measures and the ability of authorities to protect citizens at such critical times,” they said. “We call on the Federal Government and all security agencies to go beyond mere condemnation and take decisive, sustained action to break this cycle of violence and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.”
More Christians were killed in Nigeria than in any other country from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025, according to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List. Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith during that period, 3,490 – 72 percent – were Nigerians, an increase from 3,100 the prior year. Nigeria ranked No. 7 on the WWL list of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.
Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a 2020 report.
“They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity,” the APPG report states.
Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds.
In the country’s North-Central zone, where Christians are more common than they are in the North-East and North-West, Islamic extremist Fulani militia attack farming communities, killing many hundreds, Christians above all, according to the report. Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), among others, are also active in the country’s northern states, where federal government control is scant and Christians and their communities continue to be the targets of raids, sexual violence, and roadblock killings, according to the report. Abductions for ransom have increased considerably in recent years.
The violence has spread to southern states, and a new jihadist terror group, Lakurawa, has emerged in the northwest, armed with advanced weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda, the WWL noted. Lakurawa is affiliated with the expansionist Al-Qaeda insurgency Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, or JNIM, originating in Mali.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Faith Without Frontiers podcast features Angolan survivor’s story of abuse, healing and advocacy]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/faith-without-frontiers-podcast-features-angolan-survivors-story-of-abuse-healing-and-advocacy</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/faith-without-frontiers-podcast-features-angolan-survivors-story-of-abuse-healing-and-advocacy</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[FWF Episode 2]]></media:title>
                                                                                </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 03:49:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Christian Daily International’s new podcast, Faith Without Frontiers, turns in its second installment to the story of Palmira de Sá of Angola, who speaks candidly about surviving childhood sexual abuse, domestic violence and racism — and about the Christian faith that shaped her long journey toward healing.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Christian Daily International’s new podcast, Faith Without Frontiers, turns in its second installment to the story of Palmira de Sá of Angola, who speaks candidly about surviving childhood sexual abuse, domestic violence and racism — and about the Christian faith that shaped her long journey toward healing.
Released April 7, the conversation with host Gordon Showell-Rogers introduces de Sá not simply as a survivor, but as someone now walking alongside others through her work with the Prince and Princess Association in Angola. “Each time that a victim just tells their story, I cry with them,” she says. “It just breaks my heart to see a soul that Jesus died for so broken.”
Her account moves between painful personal memories and the wider realities she says many women and children face in Angola. Looking back on her younger years, de Sá recalls reaching a point where she believed “I was brought to this life just to suffer and to be used as trash.” But she also describes how that outlook began to change through prayer, Scripture and what she understood as God’s steady presence in her life.
One of the most striking threads is her description of forgiveness not as a quick or sentimental idea, but as a costly process. Speaking about the man who abused her, she says the turning point came when she was finally able to pray, “I ask you to forgive him, I ask you to bless him.” That, she says, lifted “a heavy burden” from her heart.
The discussion also widens to the failures of police, courts and churches to protect victims. De Sá says survivors are often silenced by shame, fear and bad theology, while abusive behavior is too often treated as a private matter rather than confronted openly. “If you do not report, you are being part of it,” she says, arguing that church leaders must learn to distinguish between problems to be counseled and crimes that must be reported.
Despite the suffering of victims, De Sá repeatedly returns to the conviction that healing is possible in Christ. “Jesus is the healer,” she says. “He’s not just the healer of the body. He’s the healer of the soul.”
Listen to today’s conversation as it opens a window into the courage, sorrow and hope behind De Sá’s ministry.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Attacks on Easter worship services kill 12 Christians in Nigeria]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/attacks-on-easter-worship-services-kill-eight-christians-in-nigeria</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/attacks-on-easter-worship-services-kill-eight-christians-in-nigeria</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Christian Daily International / Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/44/4404.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[The Rev. Alia Hyacinth, governor of Benue state, Nigeria, described April 5, 2026 attack on Christians as heinous.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Facebook, Friendsoffraliahyacinth ]]>
                                </media:credit>
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                                    <![CDATA[ The Rev. Alia Hyacinth, governor of Benue state, Nigeria, described April 5, 2026 attack on Christians as heinous. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:50:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Fulani terrorists killed 12 Christians in attacks on two worship services on Easter Sunday (April 5) in Kaduna state, Nigeria, following the killing of 17 Christians in Benue state, sources said.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Fulani terrorists killed 12 Christians in attacks on two worship services on Easter Sunday (April 5) in Kaduna state, Nigeria, following the killing of 17 Christians in Benue state, sources said.
The assailants raided predominantly Christian Ariko town, in Kachia County, in northern Nigeria’s Kaduna state, and fired on Christians at worship at an Evangelical Church Winning All site and at St. Augustine Catholic Church. Dozens of others were kidnapped, and both church buildings were damaged, area residents said.
“The attackers, who have been identified as Fulani bandits, were in large numbers,” Kachia Council Member Mark Bawa told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “They surrounded the community and attacked the churches as Christians were in worship services. Many Christians have been killed, while dozens of others were captured and taken away into the bush.”
Resident Sam Bahago said at least eight Christians were killed and many others taken into the forest.
“Ariko town, a peaceful community in Kachia Local Government Area, was tragically attacked on Easter Sunday by Fulani bandits,” Bahago said.
Army personnel who later arrived recovered more bodies, bringing the confirmed death toll to 12, according to Truth Nigeria.
Steven Kefas, another resident, texted a message to Christian Daily International-Morning Star News during the assault.
“Ariko community in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna state is under siege right now,” Kefas stated. “Not less than eight Christian are confirmed dead.”
Resident Gideon Michael also identified the assailants as Fulanis.
“Tragedy has struck the Ariko community in Kachia LGA, Kaduna state, after Fulani gunmen launched a violent attack on Christian worshippers during Easter Sunday services,” Michael said in a text message. “The coordinated attack targeted congregants at ECWA Church and St. Augustine Catholic Church. At least eight Christian are confirmed dead, with dozens of other worshippers abducted by the herdsmen and forcefully taken into the surrounding forests.”
Benue State Attack
In central Nigeria’s Benue state, suspected Fulani herdsmen said to be accompanied by other terrorists killed 17 Christians at 5 a.m. on Sunday morning (April 5), source said.
In Jande village, Mbalom in Gwer East County, the assailants shot the Christians dead, kidnapped many others and destroyed homes, residents said.
“There was an attack on Easter Sunday carried out by armed Fulani militia on Jande community of Mbalom, in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue state,” resident Tivta Samuel told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
Fidelis Atom, another resident, said the attack left 17 Christians dead.
“Many other Christians are still missing and believed to have been taken away from their community,” Atom said. “The attack has left the community devastated, with survivors displaced and properties worth millions of naira destroyed.”
Benue Gov. Hyacinth Alia in a press statement described the attack as “heinous” and unacceptable to his government.
More Christians were killed in Nigeria than in any other country from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025, according to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List. Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith during that period, 3,490 – 72 percent – were Nigerians, an increase from 3,100 the prior year. Nigeria ranked No. 7 on the WWL list of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.
Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a 2020 report.
“They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity,” the APPG report states.
Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds.
In the country’s North-Central zone, where Christians are more common than they are in the North-East and North-West, Islamic extremist Fulani militia attack farming communities, killing many hundreds, Christians above all, according to the report. Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), among others, are also active in the country’s northern states, where federal government control is scant and Christians and their communities continue to be the targets of raids, sexual violence, and roadblock killings, according to the report. Abductions for ransom have increased considerably in recent years.
The violence has spread to southern states, and a new jihadist terror group, Lakurawa, has emerged in the northwest, armed with advanced weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda, the WWL noted. Lakurawa is affiliated with the expansionist Al-Qaeda insurgency Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, or JNIM, originating in Mali.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[How this Christian theatre group is reshaping conversations around love, romance and family in Kenya]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/how-this-christian-theatre-group-is-reshaping-conversations-around-love-romance-and-family-in-kenya</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/how-this-christian-theatre-group-is-reshaping-conversations-around-love-romance-and-family-in-kenya</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/43/4341.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Chemi Chemi]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ ChemiChemi ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ 'It takes two' is a production that follows a couple from the excitement of their wedding rehearsal into the complex realities of middle age. There are misunderstandings, long work hours, and the quiet disappointment that can creep into a relationship over time. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 22:45:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Since its launch, the company has staged a series of productions exploring biblical stories, mental health, and family life, earning nominations at the Kenya Theatre Awards and gaining a growing audience across Nairobi.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
On a quiet evening in Nairobi, a small theatre room fills with couples seated around candlelit tables. Waiters move softly between them, serving a four-course dinner. Laughter rises, then fades as the lights dim and the stage comes alive with a story about marriage.
The production follows a couple from the excitement of their wedding rehearsal into the complex realities of middle age. There are misunderstandings, long work hours, and the quiet disappointment that can creep into a relationship over time.
But instead of ending in scandal or betrayal, the story asks a deeper question: what happens when love becomes difficult?
For Dr. Julisa Rowe, director of the Christian theatre group Chemi Chemi Players, that question sits at the heart of their work.The theatre group has launched Manyunyu Theatres Space (Manyunyu means springs in Swahili) and recently restaged its Valentine’s play, “It Takes Two”,  on March 14 and 15.
“Marriage is a needy issue,” Rowe told Christian Daily International. “We wanted to acknowledge that marriage has challenges, but ask how couples move forward and what role God plays in a godly response.” 
In an era where broken relationships drive conversations and talk-show segments, Chemi Chemi Players is choosing a different script. The Christian theatre company is committed to telling stories from a biblical worldview while engaging real issues facing society. 
Rowe, a theatre scholar and performer who has worked in the United States and Kenya for decades, founded the company to give Christian artists a place to practice their craft without compromising their values. 
Her vision was simple but ambitious: create a space where art could spark conversations about faith, family, and community.
“We wanted to provide a place where artists can grow and where we can do plays that speak to the community from a biblical worldview,” Rowe said in an earlier interview. 
Challenging world views with Biblical narratives
Since its launch, the company has staged a series of productions exploring biblical stories, mental health, and family life, earning nominations at the Kenya Theatre Awards and gaining a growing audience across Nairobi. 
For Rowe, one of the challenges facing Christian artists today is the kind of stories dominating modern entertainment.
Many productions, she observes, focus on scandal. “They tend to focus on the betrayal, the adultery, the big problems that cause all this drama,” she said. 
Those themes may attract audiences, but they often leave little room for stories about perseverance, forgiveness, or faith. Chemi Chemi’s productions try to fill that gap.
“We don’t often see good marriages portrayed with people dealing with problems in an honest and productive way,” Rowe said. 
Instead of sensational conflict, their plays explore everyday struggles, work pressures, communication breakdowns, and the challenge of maintaining commitment in busy lives.
The Valentine’s production, titled “It Takes Two,” traces a couple’s journey from newlyweds to a marriage that has weathered more than two decades together. The show blends drama, music, and narration to portray both the joy and the strain of long-term commitment. 
But the evening at the Valentine event was about more than a performance. Rowe and her team designed it as an immersive experience to help couples reconnect. Only 12 couples were invited, giving the event an intimate atmosphere.
After the play ended, couples stayed at their tables to discuss guided questions about their own relationships. The aim, Rowe said, was to help people pause and reflect.
“We gave them questions to answer together and things to try during the week — simple habits that help build a relationship,” she said. 
It is a reminder that storytelling can sometimes open doors that sermons cannot. “We don’t want people to feel like they’re coming to a sermon,” Rowe explained. “Drama can raise the issues and let people wrestle with them.” 
Chemi Chemi Players first gained attention with productions that reimagined biblical narratives for modern audiences.
One early production, “Spread Your Garment Over Me,” brought women of the Bible to life through powerful monologues and storytelling. The play introduced audiences to figures such as Deborah, Mary Magdalene, and Rahab, presenting them as courageous and complex characters in the biblical narrative. 
The show was praised for its engaging storytelling and ability to spark curiosity about Scripture, even among viewers who were not regular churchgoers. 
Another production, “Bad Girls of the Bible,” examined flawed female characters in Scripture and how their stories resonate with modern struggles. 
Beyond Biblical themes, the group has also explored social issues. Their production “In Other Words” tackled dementia and aging, inspired by Rowe’s personal experience caring for her mother. 
The play later won recognition at the Kenya Theatre Awards and helped raise awareness about the condition in the country. 
Saving marriages, one play at a time
At a time when marriage rates are declining and family life faces new pressures, Rowe believes Christian storytelling has a role to play.
Even within churches, she says, many people misunderstand what biblical marriage actually looks like.
“They’ll often revert to the idea that the man is the head and the woman submits without really understanding what that means,” she said. 
Through theatre, she hopes audiences can see a fuller picture — one where partnership, communication, and faith work together.
The goal is not to preach, she insists, but to offer another perspective. “We want people to see that there is another way marriage can be,” she said. 
Today, Chemi Chemi Players performs from a small theatre space at the Mayfield Ministry Centre in Nairobi, where the group plans to host regular productions and creative events.
The vision is to build a steady audience and a vibrant hub for Christian storytelling.The group has lined up family friendly productions for the first half of the year. After the re-run of "It Takes Two”, Chemi Chemi will stage Journey with Jonah, a fun family show, ages 5 and up, slated for April 16-22. Then on 29-31st May, they will re-stage “Bad Girls of the Bible”.
From children’s plays to theological dramas, the productions may vary in style. But the heart of the mission remains the same.
For Rowe, theatre is not just entertainment. It is a conversation - one that invites audiences to think about faith, relationships, and the kind of families they want to build.
And sometimes, she believes, the stage can illuminate truths that the world has forgotten.]]></content:encoded>
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