Aisha, a Muslim relative, did not hesitate to speak to ICC about what happened to her brother-in-law. “He went to live in another district far away from home,” Aisha explained. “During this time, he was not able to take care of the wife and young Rehema. Eventually, his wife informed him that she was not ready to suffer for a decision she did not make, and thus left him and Rehema. Until now, nobody knows where she disappeared to.”

“The family was more upset to learn that Juma’s family was breaking down after leaving Islam,” a Christian neighbor told ICC. “The father called some relatives and friends and went to engage Juma. A discussion that was to be amicable turned chaotic when Juma’s father started cursing him and asking the group to beat him. He suffered several injuries in the head and the spine. They also demolished his house and took Rehema back to her grandmother.”

“Juma, fearing for his life, left for Kenya to seek shelter and treatment,” a local pastor explained to ICC. “He later succumbed to the injuries in May 2018.”

“The church where he had started attending learned that the family had decided never to be associated with their son and nobody was bothered about going to Kenya to [retrieve] the body,” the pastor continued. “After seeking consent from the family, the church looked for the body of Juma in Kenya and buried him at the church’s compound in Nakalooke district.”

Rehema, who is in primary school, has been struggling to pay for her school fees and uniform. She is also lacking quality shoes and clothing. Distraught and lonely, she said, “I miss my father so much. I also want to become a Christian, but I fear my grandmother and other family members. I don’t know where my mama is and I hope that she is fine and she will come back home soon.”

Please join us in praying for Rehema and her family.

For interviews with Nathan Johnson, Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org