How much do you love Jesus? If someone had just murdered you for being a Christian and you were on your death bed, what would be your last words?
This is the tragic story of Rev. Faye Pama Musa, general overseer of the Rhema Assembly International Church and secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Borno state, who was gunned down by terrorists from the Boko Haram Islamic militant group. He was shot right in front of his children.
After he was murdered, the group Open Doors went to visit his family, speaking with his wife, Mercy.
“True friendship is what I am seeing today,” she said, crying. “How did you manage to come to Maiduguri at this dangerous time when people are vacating the city? You are most welcome here in Jesus’ name. I am so happy to see you again.”
The woman describes a tragic scene on the night her husband died. It was the evening of May 14 and she was preparing dinner. Three men jumped the fence and came toward the house. The family’s daughter ran in to alert her father of what was going on. That’s when the men came into the house demanding that everyone get on the floor.
Musa knew what the men were there for and tried to get out the back door. But they caught him and said horrible, haunting words.
“Today you are a dead man. Call your Jesus to help you, Mr. CAN man,” one of the men said.
The pastor fought back, calling out for Jesus as he fought the men. Zion, the pastor’s daughter, got up to try to help her father. The men shot at her and missed. During the fight, Mercy heard her husband yelling, “I will never deny my Savior.”
After that, the three men shot her husband in the head repeatedly, killing him in front of his entire family.
“Pastor Musa will be remembered as a father, a friend and as a role model. It will take the church in Borno a long time to cope with the enormous loss of this bold yet graceful leader and mentor,” said an Open Doors spokesman. “His deepest desire was to see a strong church pressing forward despite perpetual harassment and killings at the hands of extremists.”
If you ever find yourself questioning your commitment to Jesus, then think of this man’s story. He made the ultimate sacrifice and went to his grave as a true man of faith. May he rest in peace.
