The mid-day sun beat down relentlessly the way it usually does this time of the year at Mitire. At the military training centre, the commander prodded the prisoners on to continue their work for the day.
“Will you stop praying now?”
The meagre amounts of food and water have left the Christians dehydrated and with energy lacking for the massif workload.
But despite their frail condition after the many days of hard labour, the commander knew what the response would be. Of course they would not stop. There may be one or two who will probably agree to stop, but he has come to know that it is a senseless exercise to ask these Christians to cease that which they believe they are called by God to do.
These are a group of Christians who have been discovered joining thousands around the world in praying for the country of Eritrea. It is not clear exactly how they were participating, but we are told that when their participation was discovered they were ordered to stop. Upon refusal they were assigned to beating and hard labour. Eventually, they were sent back to their cells, but informed that they would not receive the normal ration of food and liquids as long as they insist on praying. Nothing more was heard of their circumstances.
Word of the Christians’ punishment was passed on to us by a friend, who coupled the news with thanksgiving to God for the believers’ faithfulness. Far away from the dry dusty winds of Mitire, we received the news with dread. We understand very little of their hardship and found it hard to offer an even hesitant “amen” to the words of thanks to God. Intellectually, perhaps we may consent, but we are mostly disturbed by the news of our family members’ added suffering.
From the word go this campaign has received the wind from ahead. Many misunderstood our motives, accusing us of losing the plot and compromising shamelessly. The amount of resources in time and money that have been eaten up by this campaign has exceeded all expectations. Now this! Was it really worth it all?
In our hearts of hearts, we know eternity alone will show the fruit on the love of those who laboured on their knees on behalf of the Church in Eritrea. But we are thankful that God graciously allowed us timely encouragement from Eritrean believers and participants along the way.
Hanlie
“Will you stop praying now?”
The meagre amounts of food and water have left the Christians dehydrated and with energy lacking for the massif workload.
But despite their frail condition after the many days of hard labour, the commander knew what the response would be. Of course they would not stop. There may be one or two who will probably agree to stop, but he has come to know that it is a senseless exercise to ask these Christians to cease that which they believe they are called by God to do.
These are a group of Christians who have been discovered joining thousands around the world in praying for the country of Eritrea. It is not clear exactly how they were participating, but we are told that when their participation was discovered they were ordered to stop. Upon refusal they were assigned to beating and hard labour. Eventually, they were sent back to their cells, but informed that they would not receive the normal ration of food and liquids as long as they insist on praying. Nothing more was heard of their circumstances.
Word of the Christians’ punishment was passed on to us by a friend, who coupled the news with thanksgiving to God for the believers’ faithfulness. Far away from the dry dusty winds of Mitire, we received the news with dread. We understand very little of their hardship and found it hard to offer an even hesitant “amen” to the words of thanks to God. Intellectually, perhaps we may consent, but we are mostly disturbed by the news of our family members’ added suffering.
From the word go this campaign has received the wind from ahead. Many misunderstood our motives, accusing us of losing the plot and compromising shamelessly. The amount of resources in time and money that have been eaten up by this campaign has exceeded all expectations. Now this! Was it really worth it all?
In our hearts of hearts, we know eternity alone will show the fruit on the love of those who laboured on their knees on behalf of the Church in Eritrea. But we are thankful that God graciously allowed us timely encouragement from Eritrean believers and participants along the way.
Hanlie
