Six years after being kidnapped, Leah Sharibu’s friends share how she's encouraged them

On the sixth anniversary of Leah Sharibu’s kidnapping in Nigeria, friends share how they’ve been encouraged by her courageous faith – and how they’re hopeful they’ll one day see her again.

"I want to say a big thank you to Open Doors who have been praying with us; may God bless you all," says Leah's mother, Rebecca

“Because of the stance she took, my faith has been strengthened,” says Maimuna, a friend of Leah Sharibu, who remains held six years after being kidnapped from her school by Boko Haram militants. “My own faith has become stronger, because of what she has done.”

The words – together with those of others in the short video below – reflect the extraordinary impact Leah Sharibu has had on her friends and community. She’s also impacting countless people worldwide, including Open Doors supporters like you, who are committed to praying for her and her family.

Courageous faith

Leah was among more than 100 girls abducted from their school on 19 February 2018. Tragically, one of the girls died in captivity. All the others were released within a month, except Leah – because she refused to deny her faith in Jesus.

Leah was a child when she was taken. Now, aged 21, she’s an adult. Last year, rumours circulated about that she had ‘married’ a rebel commander and has three children, but this has not been confirmed. The reports exacerbated the immense pain already felt by her parents, Rebecca and Nathan, and led to many reinforcing their call for Nigeria’s government to do more to seek her release.

“Honestly, we are not happy. We are just managing our lives here,” shared Rebecca last year. “God has been our source of strength in everything we are doing. Looking at my walk with God, I can say this is the time I became closer to Him.”

• Why is Nigeria sixth on the World Watch List? 

“Keep praying for Leah”

“I want to say a big thank you to Open Doors who have been praying with us; may God bless you all,” she continued. “Our thanksgiving is the only thing I can give. I lack how best to say thank you. My request morning and night is that you keep praying for Leah, as you have been doing in the past. I know that one day God will answer and rescue my daughter.”

Please continue to pray that the day will arrive very soon when Leah will be reunited with her family – and discover just what an inspiration she has been to so many people. And please continue to pray for the thousands of other young Nigerian women who have been abducted, just like Leah, whose names we may not know.