Elie and family: Burkina Faso

Elie comes from a Muslim background. His wife Salima came to faith in Jesus when she was miraculously healed from a serious sickness. One night when she was close to death Jesus appeared to her in a vision and told her that she would not die. The next day she met a Christian who prayed for her and she was healed. When Elie saw the power of God at work in his wife’s life he could not deny Jesus and they both committed their lives to following him.

From that moment they faced sustained opposition from their wider family who put pressure on them to recant. But Salima told her family, ‘I will not deny Jesus, and I will not come back to Islam.’ As a result, her family disowned them.

Several years later, a group of armed jihadists attacked their village. Everyone knew that Elie and Salima were Christians, which put them at great risk, and they were forced to escape with their children. By God’s grace they survived the attack but they had to leave their village permanently and move to the capital city.

Release International partners have provided Bibles and food and hygiene packs to the family and helped send their children to school. The family continues to require support to develop their microbusiness and pay the rent for their small house.

Pray:

• For Elie, Salima, and their children to know the Lord’s provision, protection and presence in all they do.
• For the growth and sustainability of the family’s microbusiness.
• For Elie and Salima’s extended family to come to faith and for reconciliation.
• For other families like Elie and Salima who have been forced to flee their homes in Burkina Faso.