A Story of Courage by Donna Parcell

Monica – Picture by Donna Parcell

Her name is Monica.  She is 29 years old, and she is a widow.  Her life changed forever in 2009.

She lived in Michika village in Borno State, Nigeria.  She had three sons, Godwin (age 12), David (age 11), and Joseph (age 6).  The schools had just been closed, and she had taken David to her mother’s house.  Even though grandmothers do not have favorites, her mother and David have a special bond so he was going to spend some time with her.  Then she returned home to her husband and other two sons.

Three days later, in the middle of the night while they were sleeping, Boko Haran attacked their village.  Monica’s husband yelled for them all to lie down on the floor.  But the attackers entered their house.  Monica witnessed them beheading her husband, and cutting the throats of her other two sons and killing them.   They also brutally cut Monica’s left arm as she had her arms raised in defense.  Then they cut her throat, leaving her for dead.  But she lived.

A neighbor found her and took her to the hospital.  For the next year and five months she was in the hospital several times for surgeries to repair her arm and throat.  Three years later another series of surgeries had her in the hospital over the course of nine months.  And there are still more surgeries scheduled.

She has had to cope with the loss of her husband and two sons, plus the trauma of her own attack and recovery.  She has been reunited with David, and is living is Jos.  Monica finds comfort and strength in her Lord Jesus Christ, and has found support from other widows and friends.  She receives food and supplies from organizations such as CCEPI, run by Rebecca Dali.

Monica is thankful for our prayers, and leans heavily into Jesus for comfort and strength.