Day 34: Michael Marcavage

Michael Marcavage
Christian News Network
P.O. Box 30000
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Dear Mr. Marcavage,

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 am writing over the next year about the Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN), the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria.

As you will discover, the EYN’s story uphold’s your objective of approaching the world by taking scripture seriously, and their story is one that will be of great importance and relevance to your readers. I’m sure you remember the 276 schoolgirls from northern Nigeria who were kidnapped by Boko Haram. Roughly three-fourths of those girls belong to the EYN. In fact, few groups have suffered from the violence in Nigeria as severely as the EYN, and their situation continues to worsen.

However, it is not only the suffering of the EYN that makes their story so remarkable, but also their faithful and inspiring response to their suffering.The EYN takes the teachings of Jesus very seriously. Though their trials have been great, they have been Christ-like in working to build peace and resolve conflict through non-violent, loving means.

In the face of great hatred, fear, and division, the EYN continue to respond with far greater love, courage, and community. They understand that they must be beacons of Christ’s love to a landscape darkened by violence. They have become leaders in following the example of Jesus by working to 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 share their story of faithful discipleship. The EYN represent the possibility of peace in Nigeria, but they need our awareness and partnership to make that possibility a reality. Your network aims to report public events through the lens of scripture. The EYN are working within a troubling situation to build a scriptural ministry of reconciliation. I believe that their story is important for your readers to hear. They must ask themselves what I have had to ask myself many times: Could my faithfulness be so great?

With thanks and the love of Christ,

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