Open Doors
At Smithy Bridge we recognise our need to pray and support Christians
throughout the world, in many different circumstances, who are facing persecution for their faith.
Right now millions of Christians are at risk of persecution around the world. Open Doors is active in around 45 countries, supplying bibles, leadership training, Bible based literacy programmes and support for Christians suffering for their faith.
This week, please pray for Sofia Osman
Christian woman publicly whipped for converting to Christianity
A Somali convert from Islam was paraded before a cheering crowd last month and publicly flogged as a punishment for embracing a 'foreign religion'.
Sofia Osman, a 28-year-old Christian from Janale city in Lower Shabelle region, received 40 lashes on 22 December as jeering spectators looked on. She had been taken into custody in November by militants from the extremist group al Shabaab; the public whipping was meant to mark her release.
An eyewitness said that the whipping had left Sofia bleeding. "I saw her faint. I thought she had died, but soon she regained consciousness and her family took her away. She didn't say what other humiliations she had suffered while in the hands of the militants."
According to a family friend, in the days after the punishment Sofia would not talk to anyone and looked dazed. "Please pray for her quick recovery," the source added.
Sofia became a Christian four years ago and was a member of the underground church in Somalia. No one is expected to be a Christian in this war-torn country, so there is no organised church.
Somalia is ranked number 4 in Open Doors' recently published World Watch List of countries where Christians are most persecuted. Parts of the country are largely controlled by militants from the al Qaeda-linked Islamist group, al Shabaab. Muslim converts exist as individual secret believers and can only know a few others to make a small underground group. The largest known group is composed of just five believers.
Please pray:
1. That Sofia will recover physically, emotionally and spiritually from her traumatic ordeal
2. For freedom for Somali believers to worship and grow in their faith
3. That fighting between government forces and al-Shabab Islamist militants will result in a peaceful settlement and an end to suffering for the Somali people.
More information is available at Open Doors website