Podcast

The Bulletin

Two photos of women from Chibok, Nigeria. In one, a woman is holding her arms out and praying. In the other there are two girls comforting each other.

Illustration by Rick Szuecs / Source images: Aminu Abubakar / Kola Suilamon / Getty

Sunday Afternoon Reads: Kidnapped Girls, Whispered Prayers, Resilient Faith

The courageous faith of Nigerian teenagers kidnapped by Boko Haram.

In 2014, the Islamic terrorist organization Boko Haram kidnapped 276 girls from the small town of Chibok, Nigeria. One of the young women, Naomi Adamu, and her classmates smuggled a Bible into captivity, and for seven years the Scriptures were a source of their strength to resist. Upon the hostages’ release, Wall Street Journal reporters Drew Hinshaw and Joe Parkinson interviewed Naomi and many others for their book Bring Back Our Girls, and wrote a 2021 cover story for Christianity Today in which they shared the role that the girls’ faith played in their captivity. As Boko Haram continues to kidnap and displace innocent people in Nigeria and religious conflict abounds, this piece offers an account of the ways that God can be at work in the darkest places.  

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ABOUT THE GUESTS:  

Drew Hinshaw is a senior reporter for The Wall Street Journal and the co-author of the books Bring Back Our Girls and Swap: A Secret History of the Cold War. He has been nominated six times for the Pulitzer Prize and has also written for The New York Times Magazine, Time, Al Jazeera, The Atlantic and Rolling Stone.  

ABOUT THE BULLETIN

The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more. 

The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more. 

“The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today 

Producer: Clarissa Moll 

Associate Producer: Alexa Burke 

Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris

Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs

Music: Dan Phelps 

Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper  

Senior Producer: Matt Stevens

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