9-year-old boy burned for accepting Christ

'He started beating me up with sticks, but I managed to escape to a nearby bush.'

Nassif Malagara, a 9-year-old boy living in eastern Uganda, decided to accept Christ into his heart.

Unfortunately for Nassif, his conservative Muslim father had a harsh penalty for turning from Allah.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - According to Morning Star News, Nassif was invited to attend a Christian church in another village.

The pastor of the church shared Nassif's story:

"At the end of the service, Nassif remained behind and then followed me to the church's pastry room and requested that he wanted to receive Jesus as his personal savior. I was a bit hesitant, but after his continuous press, I then prayed with him, and he left."

After accepting Jesus, Nassif refused to participate in Muslim activities or to attend a Muslim school.

Nassif's father, Abubakar Malagara, and stepmother, Madina Namwaje, were furious.

The boy told Morning Star News of his harsh punishment.

He explained his father "started beating me up with sticks, but I managed to escape to a nearby bush." Nassif added: "My father then followed me and got hold of me back to the homestead, where he tied me up to a banana tree. He went into the house and came back with a hot piece of wood. The banana tree had dry leaves, which caught fire and caused serious burns on my body."

Nassif was left to burn but his neighbors heard his cries for help. They took him to Kamuli Hospital, and alerted the Kisozi Police Post.

Officers arrested Malagara, who has since been released on bail.

Meanwhile, his son suffered burns across his body.

"Nassif has been recovering," Walwawo Zubari, of the Kamuli Hospital, explained. "He might need to be referred to another hospital for specialized treatment."

An unnamed relative said she would take Nassif into her home once he recovered, meanwhile, the neighbor who invited Nassif to church has since received a threat via text message on his phone.

"We know that you are behind the conversion of Nassif to Christianity," the message stated. "You will soon reap what you have sown, which will be a lesson to others. Islam is against such conversion."

Though the sender's number was blocked, the neighbor believes it was Nassif's father who used another person's phone to send the message.

Sadly, such punishments are common in Uganda.

Until the extreme Muslim populations are able to live alongside Christians, instances of persecution, rape, murder and worse will continue to plague the world.

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