{"id":6196,"date":"2022-01-28T16:46:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-28T16:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opendoorsuk.org\/?p=6196"},"modified":"2024-02-14T14:48:59","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T14:48:59","slug":"drc-attack-visit","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/wwl.opendoorsuk.org\/ireland\/blog\/news\/latest-news\/drc-attack-visit\/","title":{"rendered":"A visit to Esther, whose husband was killed"},"content":{"rendered":"    <section class=\"standard-page \" role=\"document\" style=\"\">\n        <div class=\"container\">\n            \n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Open Doors partners visit Esther, whose husband Pastor Isaac was killed in a violent attack last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"520\" src=\"https:\/\/wwl.opendoorsuk.org\/ireland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/07\/drc-attack-780.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6206\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wwl.opendoorsuk.org\/ireland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/07\/drc-attack-780.jpg 780w, https:\/\/wwl.opendoorsuk.org\/ireland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/07\/drc-attack-780-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wwl.opendoorsuk.org\/ireland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/07\/drc-attack-780-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Esther and her children are receiving help from Open Doors partners<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With Islamic militant violence growing in sub-Saharan Africa, you may often hear stories of persecution and attacks in the region. That isn\u2019t where the story ends, of course. That\u2019s why it\u2019s a privilege today to share the story of what happened after the attack that changed Esther\u2019s life in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A devastating attack<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In November 2021, the body of Esther\u2019s husband, Pastor Isaac Muhindo Baraka, was discovered hanging from a tree. In his region, in North Kivu province in the east of DRC, attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) have increased in recent times. The ADF is a violent group that have recently pledged allegiance to so-called Islamic State \u2013 they are continuing to attack civilians in DRC and neighbouring countries, despite attempts by the DRC government to quash the violence.<\/p>\n\n\n    <div class=\"pull-right-wrapper \">\n        <blockquote><p>&#8220;I felt deep pain that one cannot bear.&#8221;\r\n<\/p> <cite>ESTHER<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Local Christians suspect Pastor Isaac was targeted because of his efforts to tell the community about Jesus. Though 95 per cent of the country\u2019s population are Christian, evangelists are still often most vulnerable to violent attacks by ADF and similar groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI felt deep pain that one cannot bear,\u201d says Esther. \u201cI could not think straight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Burial and birth<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Pastor Isaac was killed, Esther was heavily pregnant. \u201cThe news sent me into premature labour,\u201d she says. She was rushed straight to the hospital, and was giving birth while her husband was being buried. \u201cI could not be part of the burial. It was hard to accept at first.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their oldest son, Samuel, was able to attend. \u201cHe saw how his father was lowered into the grave,\u201d Esther says. \u201cTo him, papa is sleeping. That is what he sometimes says when he sees his father&#8217;s picture. He keeps telling me, &#8216;Daddy is sleeping. He has gone to heaven&#8217;. For me the shock was too much, but I thank God the children are doing well\u2026 God gives strength.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Visit from Open Doors<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After the incident, a team of Open Doors partners visited Esther. She was surprised and delighted that Christians who didn\u2019t know her had come to support her, and that believers around the world were praying.<\/p>\n\n\n    <div class=\"pull-right-wrapper \">\n        <blockquote><p>&#8220;I am really happy to see that we are in unity in Christ &#8211; thank you for doing us this good.&#8221;\r\n<\/p> <cite>ESTHER<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI am really happy, especially happy to see that we are in unity in Christ and we will continue to support each other in the faith,\u201d says Esther. \u201cI know I will not lack anything because my brothers and sisters are there. They will continue to help us and pray for us. Thank you for doing us this good. May God bless you!&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As well as praying with Esther and providing fellowship, the local Open Doors partners brought Esther some money, food (rice, beans, oil, sugar, milk and salt) and other household necessities. Without her husband, it\u2019s hard for Esther to earn money while looking after her children. She used to be primary school teacher, but can\u2019t work while caring for her three children and for Isaac\u2019s 12-year-old sister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Comfort and prayer<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Throughout the terrible difficulties Esther faces, she is comforted by the promise in Scripture that she does not need to be afraid, and that Jesus is \u2018with you always, to the very end of the age\u2019 (Matthew 28:20).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI know He is with us and will not leave us. And there is a hymn we sing in my church: &#8216;Do not forget me, Saviour. When You visit the others, do not leave me. Do not forget me, Saviour. Hear me! When You answer the others, do not forget me!\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWith the brothers who come to console us, we have the hope that God is with us, and will continue with us till the end,\u201d Esther says. \u201cContinue to pray for us that God will sustain us in faith so that we may raise our children in His ways.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":6206,"parent":8268,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[99],"class_list":["post-6196","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news","tag-democratic-republic-of-congo"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A visit to Esther, whose husband was killed - 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