Just recently, the US State Department invited 23 people all around the world to share their or their loved ones’ stories of religious persecution. It was at the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom event, billed as the largest human rights event the US State Department ever held.
One of them was “Esther,” 20, from Gwoza in southern Borno. She was one of the 10 Christian survivors from 10 nations.
She was held captive by Boko Haram for over three years. During her captivity, she experienced terrible trauma—from witnessing how people died to surviving sexual abuse. She escaped and was rescued by the military. But her escape did not bring the freedom she had long hoped and prayed for.
She was kept in near-prison conditions until a Christian doctor was able to reconnect her with her family. Her family now welcomes her but local gossip attacking her daughter Rebecca as a “Boko Haram Child” was very hurtful. With some help, she has become stronger and ignores the public hate.
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