ZANZIBAR, Tanzania — A Christian gospel minister and mother of two was beaten during a worship service, then days later stabbed, abducted, and abandoned in a forest by masked assailants who demanded she renounce her faith, according to a report from the U.S.-based monitoring group International Christian Concern.
Ester Felisian Wakala, who leads a small Christian fellowship in Zanzibar, was first attacked in April when a group of men armed with sticks stormed her church during a Sunday afternoon service. “I remember that afternoon very clearly because we were just worshipping peacefully,” Wakala said. “Then suddenly, a group of men entered the church shouting and carrying sticks. Before anyone could understand what was happening, they began attacking me. They beat me so badly that I fell to the ground. I could hear church members screaming around me, but I could not even lift my head. At some point, I could no longer see clearly.”
The attackers also destroyed the church itself, tearing off roofing materials and stealing iron sheets and timber. Congregation members rushed Wakala to a hospital, where she remained for one week receiving treatment. Even after discharge, she returned to her fellowship. “I was in pain and weak, and I asked myself why people would hate us for believing in Jesus,” she said. “But deep inside, I still felt peace. I kept praying for strength. I knew that if I stopped worshipping out of fear, then those attacking us would think they had succeeded.”
Days after the first assault, masked men arrived at Wakala’s home at around 10 p.m., cut her electricity, broke a window, and forced entry. “They entered wearing masks and began beating and stabbing me,” Wakala said. “They kept telling me to leave Christianity and convert. One warned me that if I continued leading a church there, they would kill me. I was afraid, but I could not deny the Savior I serve.”
Wakala was then abducted, driven into a forest, and left injured with only a kanga wrapped around her. “I thought I was going to die,” she said. “But I began to move while praying. I saw vehicle lights in the distance and made my way toward them. Some people later helped me. It was only God’s mercy that I survived.”
Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous archipelago off the Tanzanian coast with a predominantly Muslim population, has seen growing hostility toward its small Christian minority, according to ICC. Wakala said believers in the region often worship under pressure and fear. Rev. Onesmo, who visited Wakala after the attacks, said her courage continues to inspire many believers in the area.
Despite the violence, Wakala continues her ministry cautiously while asking for prayers as she rebuilds her life and her damaged church.