International Christian Concern (ICC) a Christian charity that seeks to ease and make known the plight of persecuted Christians worldwide, has shared the story of a believer in Kenya whose life was nearly destroyed by Islamist militants.
John Mwangi Gichira saw his village attacked by the al-Shabab militant group in December 2023.
“We were forced to flee our homes, abandoning every thing we had worked for … Our house was set on fire, my 10,000-liter water tank was destroyed, and all my chickens were stolen. We lost every thing immediately. Life became a struggle.”
Following the attack, John and his family were forced to live in a refugee camp for several months. While on the camp, the family lived in fear of one other attack and struggled to search out a technique to rebuild the life that had been taken away from them.
“Even though we were surrounded by loss, we had to carry on to hope.”
It was at this point that ICC intervened, providing food and clothing to the troubled family. According to John, the “real turning point” was when ICC provided him with a bike
“This motorbike became my lifeline. It allowed me to earn a gentle income and supply for my family again.”
ICC also gave the instance of Wambugu Mutahi, who like John saw his life’s work go up in flames during an al-Shabab attack. In February of last 12 months Wambugu’s home was one in all ten that were destroyed by al-Shabab.
Wambugu’s wife was sick on the time and required expensive medical treatment. As with John, ICC provided Wambugu with their immediate needs and likewise a bike, allowing Wambugu to earn money as a taxi driver.
Wambugu said of ICC, “I’m deeply humbled and grateful for ICC’s support. I think this help was a present from God. It has transformed our lives, and I pray that God continues to bless ICC and their mission. Their kindness has given me the chance to rebuild my life and restore my family’s dignity.”
