Catechists in Niger, Burkina Faso Braving Heightened Insecurity to Make Jesus Christ Known

Dablo, 23 March, 2023 / 8:55 PM

Catechists serving in areas located on the border between Niger and Burkina Faso have shared the joy of making Jesus Christ known and “living the beatitudes” amid heightened insecurity in the region.

In a report sent to Agenzia Fides, the Catechists serving in Makalondi, Bomoanga, Kankani and Torodi give a testimony of their faith, saying that losing their loved ones in jihad attacks has not swayed their trust in God.

“We have joy in our hearts despite the prevailing security situation in the area; we always have faith in Jesus Christ,” the Catechists say in the Wednesday, March 22 Agenzia Fides report.

They add, “We have relatives arrested, killed or kidnapped during moments of prayer, but Jesus gives us words that comfort us.”

“We live with fear in our stomachs, but we move forward together with Christ who gives us his word that consoles us every day. Despite the situation, our faith is increasing, our churches are full every Sunday for prayer,” they say.

According to the information service of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Propaganda Fide, five women, one man and five army volunteers had been killed in a span of two days in Eastern Burkina Faso.

Agenzia Fides reports that the women died on March 20, when the body of a man killed the previous day and stuffed with explosives exploded in the Central-eastern part of the country, where jihadist raids are frequent.

In their letter to Agenzia Fides, the Catechists say that despite the heightened insecurity, the people of God continue to pray in the chapels as well and to conduct family prayers.

“We continue to announce the good news, with the faith that Jesus himself left us without getting discouraged despite the situation we live in every day,” they say.

Theirs, they say, is a life of beatitudes by adapting the Gospel message to their lives filled with persecution.

“We have the joy of listening to the word of God every day, which gives us advice on how to overcome the security situation in our different environments,” the Catechists are quoted as saying. 

They add, “We have the joy of being Christians whom Jesus himself has prepared to be ready for all situations that happen to us in his name, he is with us throughout our lives.”