By Daniel Harris

05/03/2017 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – On March 23, 2014, at 10:30 a.m., an al-Shabaab gunman entered a church service at Joy in Jesus Church in Mombasa, Kenya and began firing indiscriminately. Those who fled through the church entrance did not find safety; two more gunmen were stationed at the door to shoot those trying to escape. Fifteen were wounded and seven were killed from wounds sustained in the attack. The church was left with blood on the walls and covering the floor. Although the attack happened more than three years ago, those who were present are still recovering from the damage inflicted. The church once had a congregation of more than 300. Now, it has about 27 members. Many have since been too afraid to return to church or choose to attend church only in a place that is near a police station.

Mombasa sits on the eastern coast of Africa. It is an area with a stronger Muslim influence than much of the rest of Kenya and a place much more easily accessed by al-Shabaab militants. Al-Shabaab is a Muslim terrorist organization that operates in Somalia. It regularly carries out attacks in neighboring Kenya as retribution for its role in providing security in Somalia. Because of Mombasa’s proximity to the coast, it is much easier to stage an attack in this area and then disappear. Even today, very little is known about how the attack was carried out. More than three years after the attack at Joy in Jesus Church, the government still has not released the results of their investigation on the attack.

In the aftermath, the church and its members have struggled to piece their lives back together. People have been wounded, crippled, or lost family members. International Christian Concern (ICC) is working with victims of this attack to help them provide for their families. During the last few months, ICC has worked with victims of this attack to help them start their own businesses. ICC’s staff met with them to discuss their background, their skills, and how to help them provide for their families as a sole provider.

One of these victims received wounds in her hand and her foot. Because of this, she lost her ability to walk long distances and to use one of her hands. ICC helped her find a shop and provided the funds to procure the business licenses, fix the shop up, pay for rent, and buy the goods to get her new shop started. One of the victims said, “I lack words to express my gratitude because of what the ICC has done to me today. This is truly Christ’s love.”

Another victim lost her husband in the attack and is trying to put their two children through primary school by herself. ICC helped her start a similar business. After opening her store, she told ICC, “I was at the verge of giving up, but the Lord has come through for me and my family…”

One of the men in the attack lost his wife and is now providing for three children alone. ICC is helping him start a motorcycle taxi business by helping him get the right certifications and buying a new motorcycle for him.

Although small acts like this seem minimal when compared to the great loss these victims feel from this attack, it is ideas like these that can help empower victims to rebuild their lives and restore hope at a place in life where hope can be difficult to find. But we’re not finished. This month, we are going back to Mombasa to meet with more victims of this attack and help them start more businesses, and you can be a part of this! Go to our website where you can learn more about our projects or give to the Suffering Wives and Children Fund to support projects like this one.