Somalia (MNN) — A 17-year-old girl was shot to death in Somalia for her faith in Christ, says Voice of the Martyrs, Canada.
Nurta Mohamed Farah was shot in the chest and the head by suspected family members as an "honor killing."
According to Compass Direct News, when Farah's parents found out last May that she had turned from Islam to Christianity, they offered her forgiveness if she'd denounce her new faith. When Farah refused, her parents believed her to be crazy. They gave her medication and made her sit through biweekly readings of the Qur'an, hoping that the combination would cure her "mental illness." When it was clear that Farah's heart would remain with Christ, her parents began to torture her.
Farah was reportedly shackled to a tree by day and kept in a dark room at night. Eventually the young girl was able to escape and fled to live with relatives.
This new home did not prove to be a safe haven for long. Just 200 meters from the place Farah was staying, two unidentified men shot her to death. Sources strongly suspect the men were either relatives themselves or working for them.
In the aftermath of such a tragic, early death, lift your eyes to the Lord. Pray that Farah's parents and other relatives would come to Christ.
Christian persecution is not uncommon in Somalia. Pray that despite heinous attacks like these, Christians would remain strong in their faith and would continue to spread the Gospel.
