When Islamic militants Boko Haram invaded Ayuba’s* village in Nigeria, they captured his father and asked if he was a Muslim or Christian. “Christian,” he said. The militants killed him on the spot.

Ayuba discovered that a local man had helped Boko Haram identify their targets, and Ayuba was determined to kill him. But then he heard that the militants were planning to return. “Boko Haram sent a list to our village – a list of people they are coming to kill. And my name was on it.”

Ayuba and his siblings moved to another region where they are safe and have received trauma care by Open Doors partners.

Ayuba’s story is not unusual. Christians in sub-Saharan Africa are facing increasing violence at the hands of Islamic militants because of their faith in Jesus. The epicentre is Nigeria, where 14 Christians are killed every day for their faith. That’s more than everywhere else in the world combined.

Open Doors is an international charity that supports Christians who are persecuted for their faith, and its work is enabling local partners to provide physical, emotional and spiritual support to believers affected by persecution in the region. It’s making an enormous difference to the lives of people like Ayuba.

But this is an ongoing and urgent need, which is why I am running the Oxford Half Marathon for them on Sunday 15 October. Will you help me finish my race, so that our persecuted family in sub-Saharan Africa can keep running their race for Jesus?

This is the difference your support could make…

• Every £14 could give hope and healing at a trauma centre to a Christian who has experienced extreme violence.

• Every £28 could mean a believer displaced by persecution receives food, medicine and other emergency relief to help them survive.

Find out more about the work of Open Doors: opendoorsuk.org

Thank you!

*Name changed for security reasons