Christian Kindness Is 'Peace Initiative' in Nigeria

The buildings are no longer burning in Nigeria.

But last year in the city of Jos, dozens of people lost their lives in the marketplace as Muslims and Christians clashed. Into this chasm came CBN's Operation Blessing -- building a bridge of hope. It came through meeting the needs of a little boy named Aliu.

Eighteen months ago, Mohammed's wife, Hajira, gave birth to their son. But their joy was quickly mixed with sadness as they saw that Aliu had been born with a cleft lip.

Mohammed and Hajira are poor. Mohammed works hard at a shoe and sandal shop in the Jos marketplace. For his labor, Mohammed makes about $50 a month -- not enough to pay for corrective surgery for the son he loves.

But last year, even as the marketplace was burning, CBN Worldreach and Operation Blessing reached into this community with a gesture of love. They paid for doctors to repair Aliu's damaged lip - a surgery that would have cost Mohammed a year's salary.

Mohammed said, "God, in His way has made this possible."

A few weeks later, as we went to visit Aliu at his home, we found the surgery had been a great success, in more ways than we could have imagined. Not only had the surgery repaired his damaged lip, but word of this kind act by Christians began to spread in the Muslim community.

OB Director in Nigeria, John Kalma said, "One child that was touched…[an] Operation Blessing project impacted an entire community, in the sense that stories about that particular thing that was done, the love that was shown to this child was spread. Indeed it is a 'peace initiative.'"

As for Mohammed, he may not realize the impact of this act of kindness on his city, but he sure knows how it has affected his family and will eventually affect his son. He said, "I know that when he grows up and looks at his photograph he will be happy, and will learn to appreciate the help you've given to him."