In past Decembers, pastor Paul Maina’s congregation at Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) Njilang in Chibok, Borno state, Nigeria, spent the week before Christmas celebrating. They often went house to house, singing in the local Cibak language, dancing, bearing gifts, and sharing meals. Maina prepared a midnight Christmas Eve service at church. Non-Christian neighbors joined in the festivities.
“These were happy times,” Maina told CT. “But that is no more.”
The church began canceling festivities in 2020 due to terror attacks in the area. This year, the holiday will be quiet. His congregation won’t go caroling. He won’t hold a Christmas Eve service at his church. After his more than 20 years of ministry there, he said Chibok no longer feels like home because Christians live in fear.
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