February 2021 – Mumino and his family hide every day in a small, unfurnished, one-room apartment fearing for their lives. And the only thing worse than the days are the nights.
Mumino (not his real name to ensure his safety), his pregnant wife and her 5-year-old daughter from another relationship, hide away in this African nation of his birth because of his atheism in a land known for blasphemy laws and violence against “heretics.” He recently shared with Freethinkers International his fears and hopes for a brighter future.
Arrested, tortured by police, and repeatedly attacked by mobs, Mumino spends every night fearing what will come in the morning. His wife and her daughter have been beaten with electrical wires when men came looking for Mumino and found his family instead. Mumino longs to be free to live his life without constant fear and get work as a cabinet maker.
Mumino rarely leaves the house unless it is for an urgent matter. He will use the toilet facilities outside during the day. But never at night
The apartment is one room with no furniture. Blankets and pillows cover the floor. A large plastic sheet on the floor serves as their makeshift dining area. Men came to his house a few times, firing guns.
“I hope one day I will wake up and sleep without fear,” said Mumino. “We normally wake up at 7 am, then eat our breakfast,” he explained. “I planted tomato, maize and beans inside the house.
Normally his wife goes to the market to buy their food. He ventures out only if pressed.
“Yes, like when applying for passports – and there is a time my wife was bleeding – thanks to Freethinkers International they saved my wife (she is pregnant),” recounted Mumino. He spends his time reading articles and watching shows with his wife. “We watch one or two movies together. I also save articles to read,” said Mumino, who learned English pretty well from watching movies with subtitles. He struggles with the stress and the ennui. “Sometimes it gets really boring,” he said. “I am always indoors trying to hide myself from the enemies.”
Freethinkers International with your help has assisted Mumino with passports, vaccination certificates and getting medication for his family. But they urgently need to move to a safe country on the African continent where their lives are not threatened because of Mumino’s secular beliefs.
Help us bring attention to this critical situation. Share this story, spread the word, and let’s work together to find a solution. All episodes of this family saga can be read via this page
