The Nigerian government says efforts are under way to release Leah Sharibu, the Christian teenager who was one of 110 girls abducted in 2018 by the Boko Haram group ISWAP. Her classmates were released, but Leah refused to convert to Islam and was declared a ‘slave for life’ by ISWAP while remaining in captivity. The federal government announced it is using the military to ensure Leah and all captives regain their freedom, and armed groups operating in Nigeria’s northwest are now called terrorists. Reacting to the announcement, Dr Kathaza Gondwe, advocacy director for CSW, said, ‘It is belated news as Nigeria’s president has been promising Leah's parents since 2018 that he would work quickly to ensure her release. But it's a welcomed development. We can only pray the government will honour this commitment.’ CSW believes that categorising ISWAP as terrorists will help in how the armed forces deal with them.

Promoting religious freedom in countries like Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen, officials must be creative. Sanctions can weaken dysfunctional governments and destroy conditions for Christians living there. Instead, a ‘love your neighbour’ approach in ‘hot spots’ can facilitate peace and save entire communities. It is recorded that Afghanistan, Algeria, and Azerbaijan have tried to eliminate at least one religious group. Experts say a deeper understanding of the culture and engaging with those under duress makes a tremendous difference. English speakers are not the best representatives of the communities. Rural people have different understandings of how they see themselves and how they think the world works. They know the lived faith traditions, the lived conflict, they know what is in the way and how to remove it. This knowledge held within the communities includes how local cultures and customs mesh with religion. A Lebanese Christian is very different from an American Christian.

There are not enough theology teachers or leaders for village congregations or the urban educated. There needs to be serious consideration of what kind of training is most appropriate for Africans, including teaching and communication methods, curriculum and content, and length of courses and modules. Too much foreign structure and content has been imposed. Africans must develop training that works for Africans and deals with the Afrocentric issues facing the Church. Out of 150 theological colleges and programmes, only two are at postgraduate level. Discernment is needed to know those anointed by the Spirit for future leadership and those applying for prestige, potential employment, desire for education, etc. Church poverty and lack of understanding among potential donors hamper developing Bible training institutions. Financial needs are endless. Generosity from African and global churches is required for such vital ministry to continue. Pray for abundant modular training and training-in-service for both lay leaders and pastors.

January 2022 looks very different in contrasting corners of the Middle East and North Africa - from wealthy Gulf nations to countries in crisis like Afghanistan and Yemen. SAT7 analysts see hopeful signs of nations beating swords into ploughshares, but too few leaders are using their power, or lessening their grip on it, for the good of all. An important positive trend we will see continuing from 2021 is renewed diplomacy by key players and rivals in the region. The UAE reached out to Turkey with a $10 billion investment olive branch. Both countries are looking to de-escalate the tensions which have resulted, for example, from their military support for opposite sides in the Libyan conflict and their opposite policies towards the Muslim Brotherhood. Turkey has also sought to ease tensions with Egypt and began 2022 with a new rapprochement with Armenia. For the full briefing click the ‘More’ button.