Day 20: Janine Gibson

Janine Gibson
The Guardian
536 Broadway 6th Floor
New York, New York, 10012

Dear Ms. Gibson,

My name is Emmett Eldred. I am one of many youth and young adults who belong to an active, passionate movement within the Church of the Brethren to better reflect the love and teachings of Jesus in our everyday lives. I am writing to you as part of a series of over 1000 letters that I will write over the next year to public figures and media about the Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN), the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria.

It is my hope that you will feature the EYN’s inspiring story. Their story is sure to deeply moving and challenging to many of your readers, particularly your Christian readers and your readers who are concerned about world affairs.

I’m sure you remember the 276 school girls from northern Nigeria who were kidnapped by Boko Haram. Roughly three-fourths of those girls belong to the EYN. In fact, few have suffered from the violence in Nigeria more severely than the EYN, and their situation continues to worsen.

However, it is not just the suffering of the EYN that makes their story so important and compelling to hear, but also their remarkable response to their suffering. The Church of the Brethren, including the EYN, is a historic peace church. The EYN have been steadfast and fateful in their lived commitment to peace, despite their horrific trials.

In the face of great hatred, fear, and division, the EYN consistently responds with far greater love, courage, and community. They understand that as Christians their faith calls them to be beacons of Christ’s love in a climate darkened by violence. They are leaders in working to peacefully, sustainably restore community, dialogue, and the dignity of all Nigerians.

These people fill me with hope, and I will never stop advocating for them.

I hope you will learn more about the EYN and feature their story. The EYN represent the possibility of peace in Nigeria, but they need our help to make that possibility a reality. Please, invest in their mission by giving them coverage. Be a leader in showing the hopeful side of news. Feature a story of good working to peacefully overcome bad.

With thanks and the love of Christ,

Emmett Eldred
Carnegie Mellon University SMC# 2046
Pittsburgh, PA 15289
eeldred@andrew.cmu.edu
814-502-8349