Please read the story of my friend Abdul and other Christian's daily lives in Kenya.



In the strict Muslim Somali neighborhood in Nairobi Eastleigh live among the Muslims some Somali Christians. They have their life no time for sure. Anonymous do these Christians their story. "Our family is the greatest enemy."


It is 18 November, around four o'clock in the Muslim Quarter Eastleigh in Nairobi. The Somali Miriam has her children just ordered a bottle of coke to arrange for the visitors and they chat with church leader Abdul. About how she's doing and the children, that sort of thing. It is during this conversation when suddenly a loud bang sounds. If fireworks, as it sounds. Miriam startled, Abdul looks surprised. "What is that?" He asks. "A bomb?"




The atmosphere in the room changed immediately, Miriam looks nervously around, Abdul takes a hasty sip of his Coke. "Let's go," he says, "this could very well be wrong."


A few minutes later the first rumors drip inside. The terrorist organization al-Shabaab, a block away a grenade thrown into a bus. Whether and how many dead there, it is still unclear whether the perpetrator is still in the neighborhood walking around either. On the street, the chaos erupted, cars honking and driving together, people running everywhere and screaming sounds. Abdul is stressed, urges the driver to take a different route. "Yes, that is the reality we live in," he sighs. "Always fear, always on guard."





Double Identity


Miriam and Abdul are two of the many millions of Christians in Kenya. Everything breathes Christianity in this part of the African country. In the pizza chains running Christian music, taxis are filled with Bible texts and on every street corner stands a church. And yet. There are numerous churches but a Somali church you will never find here. There are millions of Christians in the country, Somali Christians not see you Sunday. Yet they do exist, underground.


In secret come every weekend in a few places in the capital of Kenya Christian Somalis together for Bible study and prayer. Often middle between the Muslims and the risk of their lives. Christian as Somali is in fact blasphemy; practically every Somali who was a follower of Jesus, tells of persecution and threats that believe entails. Precisely often the family is the most dangerous, waste of Islam is not accepted.


In a modern restaurant somewhere in town - "so that no Somalis are" - explains Abdul (30), theology student and key figure in the underground church, explain why this is so. "The people of Somalis consists of many clans," he explains. "You can, like the Jews, endlessly back in the line of your ancestors. That makes the families very closed relatives support each other unconditionally and take care of each other. The disadvantage of the closed clan life is that there are a lot of mutual control and that a transition to a religion other than Islam is not accepted. "


Yet it happens occasionally that a Somali Muslim in Somalia or in Kenya comes into contact with the Gospel. Through street evangelism example, or 'accidental' contact with a Christian. Or via the Internet, such as Abdul, who out of curiosity what went so googled and found the Gospel.


To their people on the wrong foot and less danger, use a Bible Christian Somalis who at first sight looks like a Koran. "When people ask us if we are Christians, we never answer with a simple yes or no," says Abdul. "If we say yes, we can be sure that we are persecuted, if we say no, we would deny Jesus. How did Jesus say? He replied with another question and that is what we are trying to do to not get into trouble. "


Bible


Not always works again questions, many Somali Christians are still in trouble.


Aziza is one of them. This 36-year-old woman was in October by her brother kidnapped from South Africa, who came to Kenya in Somalia for her to stone. By some miracle managed to escape Aziza, but as long as her brother is still searching, she is not sure her life.


Also Fatima, a girl who is still a Muslim, said during a meeting that she was attacked by two "fundamentalists." "Abdul gave me a Bible and because I could not imagine that much harm was done, I had the book just at my home on a desk. One of my friends has probably seen because one day there were two men on the sidewalk. With a kind of sword they cut on my forehead. "Careful Fatima lifts her veil and shows a number of stitches. "I was bleeding profusely and I fainted, the men threatened to murder me if I would be a Christian or be and they tore my Bible. Since that attack, I am very scared. "


The stories of Aziza and Fatima are only two examples of many that Somali ex-Muslims tell. Miriam, the woman from Eastleigh, moves with her eleven children again and again to another apartment, often with only one room, fearing that the neighbors or family find out they are Christian. Her husband is also a Christian but lives somewhere else because his family has threatened to abduct the children. And Hasnae, another faithful woman, talks about the fear of her children and the knowledge that her family will undoubtedly murder when they know they are Christian. "Sometimes they fight: my family. I am afraid for my family than anyone else in this world. "


That the threat of death is not just a threat is evident from the messages that regularly appear in the media. In late November still made Morningstar News reported the death of 25-year-old Farhan Haji Mose, who converted to Christianity. Mose was for his safety after his conversion fled to Kenya, but after a half when he returned to Somalia, he was under the watchful eye of a crowd chopped in half.


Move


The Christian life among their people who want to kill them, is anxious, according to Christian Somalis. But why do not they move from Eastleigh to another part of town? "The problem is that we never really feel at home. Eastleigh we live among our own people, but the chances of great persecution. In the rest of Nairobi is safer but we live between Kenyans, which we suspect all terrorists. They do not realize that not everyone is al-Shabaab, "says Miriam.


That the thoughts about terrorism not entirely unfounded, she acknowledges, Kenya regularly shaken by attacks on churches, so the fear of Somalis while most Kenyans lot in it. "It's very difficult for us Christians that we are accepted by anyone, from the Kenyan Christians we do not support expected," adds Abdul on.


They are there for their feeling so alone, the Christian Somalis. Yet they have hope. Despite the fear that every day starting again, they all answer with a resounding "yes" to the question whether they are happy that they were a follower of Jesus. Abdul: "The Bible is very realistic to believe. Great men like Paul were killed because they believed. That encourages us. I am a Kenyan Somali and that means I can not ask for refugee status and leave the country to a safer place to go. I would perhaps through the church can leave the country, but I'm staying here. I love this country and the people. "


Even Miriam, through a neighbor came in contact with the Gospel, is glad she became a Christian. "The challenges and fears that we're dealing with, do not outweigh the joy it gives believe. I firmly believe that God has a good plan. The best is yet to come. "


Kill


Back to the November 18, the day of al-Shabaab the bus blows up. Along Eastleigh from Abdul receive several phone calls from friends who beg him to call the police. A man is his children lost in the chaos and Fighting breaks out between Kenyans and Somalis.


Half an hour later let the news to see what the damage of the attack, the bus has completely exploded, people cry and are furious. At least eight people were killed. Sadness prevails and hatred towards the Somalis to inflame. Abdul gets the rest of the day regular phone calls and his friends in Eastleigh reports of fights and warn him not to return to the district.


Around nine o'clock he decided somewhere in the center a place to sleep. With a smile he says goodbye and runs into the night, the outcast from Eastleigh. Cursed by his own people, a terrorist for the rest. His words still echo after. "The words of the Gospel was that I always had waited, how I love Jesus Christ. You know, it's worth it. "


http://www.refdag.nl/nieuws/buitenlan ... ijand_in_nairobi_1_701794