Devastation caused by Islamic insurgents “could well have been the death knell” for the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, but the people are resilient as they rebuild their homes and lives, a North American visitor says.

In the Church of the Breth­ren Messenger, Cliff Kindy of North Manchester, Ind., writes of serving this year among the Ekklesiyar Yan’u­wa a Nigeria, or EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria.

Kindy recounts events of the crisis, including the April 2014 kidnapping by the Islamic insurgent group Boko Haram of more than 200 female students from a school in Chibok. Most of the young women were from EYN. Some escaped, but most are still held by Boko Haram.

In October, the EYN headquarters was attacked, and its staff fled. “The displacement of the entire EYN staff was a symbol of the devastation that has impacted the entire denomination,” Kindy writes.

Attacks were widespread in northeastern Nigeria, where EYN has its strongest presence.

“Entire districts had no churches left standing, and many communities were abandoned,” Kindy writes. “Most congregations have faced assaults from Boko Haram directly. Adults and children have seen family members killed or kidnapped, their homes burned, churches leveled.”

Tens of thousands of EYN members have fled to Cam­eroon. In one refugee camp there are 12,000 EYN members, along with other Christians and Muslims. Six EYN congregations have been formed there.

EYN families are displaced across Nigeria. Congregations “may have hundreds of displaced people living in their church grounds, maybe dozens of extra people living in their households,” Kindy writes.

EYN headquarters staff were moved to Jos, in a safer area, where they are keeping the church running. They organized a conference for more than 500 ministers and the annual churchwide conference in May.

“By holding these regular activities, EYN was able to demonstrate that it is still functioning,” Messenger reports.

A crisis management team is leading the distribution of food, medical aid and the building of care centers, which offer temporary homes for the displaced.

The Center for Caring Empowerment and Peace Initiatives — led by Rebecca Dali, wife of EYN president Samuel Dali — is working with other organizations to meet the needs of large numbers of displaced people.

Mennonite Central Committee has helped EYN with peacemaking and trauma response by sending representatives to Rwanda for training and by holding workshops for pastors, women’s leaders, staff and youth, Messenger reports.

Kindy observes that Nigeria is evenly split between Christians and Muslims. There are a few interfaith peace groups, and potential exists for common ground as both faith communities face the horrors of Boko Haram.

Meanwhile, he says, the rebirth of the EYN denomination will take years but has begun.