Nicodemus
Nicodemus Ado was a student at the Stephen Center in Nigeria, a home and boarding school supported by The Voice of the Martyrs. The center houses and educates Christian children whose parents have been killed in attacks by radical Muslims.
“My father was a pastor at the Baptist Church in Kaduna,” Nicodemus said when he was a 14-year-old Stephen Center student. “He was burnt to death by the rioters during the Kaduna riot.
“I have seen God’s power at work in my life by provision and salvation. When I feel scared, I immediately and normally take my Holy Bible and read and pray. That is the way I find peace."
Ten Years Later
“Ten years ago, we heard about Christians in Nigeria being attacked every other year. Then there were two or three a year. Now we sometimes hear of attacks every other week.”
— The Voice of the Martyrs field worker
Weng was 3 years old when radical Muslims attacked the Christians in his Nigerian village. As VOM previously reported, all nine people in Weng’s family died, and their house was set on fire. Weng was rescued from the fire, but his feet were burned.
Christian victims of attacks have at times been denied medical treatment at facilities in parts of Nigeria. The care received by those who need prostheses has been inadequate and of insufficient quality to serve the victims in the long term.
VOM started a program to provide help for people like Weng who need prostheses. VOMedical workers have set up a prosthetics clinic with the goal of training Nigerian Christians to staff it. Through the clinic, God is providing hope and a healthier future to amputees.
Nicodemus, Prosthetics Team Trainee
“After the conclusion of my secondary education, I left the Stephen Center in August 2010…to proceed with my university education,” Nicodemus said recently.
“In December 2012, the director asked me to join the prosthetics training team. I had never heard of prosthetics before; I wondered what it was.
“I concluded my training in June 2013. The training brought many things to our knowledge, and we were exposed to more advanced technology in the field of prosthetics….I enjoyed every stage of the training process…I would love to embark on further training in the field.”
More than 300 children now live at the Stephen Center. Their time at the center provides them with biblical and academic preparation that will allow them to be a light to their troubled nation and to help other Christians as they have been helped.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).
(Quotes edited from the original for clarity.)
VOM’s Kids of Courage resources help parents and educators teach children ages 5 to 13 about persecuted Christians around the world, and provide opportunities for children to serve and pray for them. www.kidsofcourage.com
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