I am dying today."
Monica
Dra and her husband heard the marchers outside their small home in
Nigeria on July 26, 2009. They heard the chants of "Allahu Akbar" and
wondered what the night would hold for them and other Christians in
their village.
"We
had heard rumors all night that there were going to be problems,"
Monica told VOM, "and now I could hear them walking and slaughtering
people as they went." Monica's husband, Daniel James, grabbed her, and
they ran outside to escape the radical Muslim mob. But the radicals
grabbed Daniel and hacked him to death with a machete.
Monica
began to run, with her Bible and hymn book tucked under her arm. But
members of the chanting mob grabbed her and began striking her with
machetes. Seeing a cross on a chain around Monica's neck, a militant
began to chop at her neck, nearly decapitating her. By the time Monica
got to the hospital, she could only breathe through the gaping wound
left by the lethal blade.
"I thought, 'I am a Christian,'" she said. "I am dying today."
But
Monica didn't die. After six surgeries to repair her throat and close
the wound in her neck, doctors were able to save her voice. Through
VOMedical, Monica, a poor widow with a 5-year-old child, received
excellent medical care and post-op follow-up. Thanks to generous
donations from VOM supporters, Monica is among the more than 600
Christians who have received medical care after being injured because of
their Christian faith.
Monica
now needs only one more surgery to regain her normal speaking voice.
"Now that I have my strength back, I have forgiven my attackers," Monica
said. "Now I have more courage to serve the Lord much more."
We
don't know where the next attack will occur. Nigeria? Indonesia? China?
But VOMedical is committed to serving those who are injured by acts of
persecution. Your generous support enables us to act immediately,
providing care and healing to our persecuted family members.
CLICK HERE to make your gift to VOMedical today.
For those in bonds,
The Voice of the Martyrs