give us courage to stand through...
TRANSCRIPT
21ST CENTURY WILBERFORCE INITIATIVE | 405 NORTH WASHINGTON ST., SUITE 300, FALLS CHURCH, VA 22046 571-297-3177 | [email protected] | WWW.21WILBERFORCE.ORG
SPEAKFREEDOM
TEXASGiveUsCouragetoStandThroughPersecutionCollectedbythe21stCenturyWilberforceInitiative,May2017Tags:Somalia,Prison,FamilyStolen,Matthew28:20WhenAbdullahiwasanine-year-oldboyinSomaliahehadadream.Inthatdreamasoundfloodedhismind,asoundhehadneverheardbefore.Avoicespokeintohisearandsaid,“Followme,mynameisJesus.”HeawokeandimmediatelygavehislifetoJesusthoughittookhimsixyearstofindaBible.Unfortunately,hisfamilyfoundhimstudyingthatBibleandgavehimtotheauthorities.Attheageoffifteenhewasincarceratedforhisfaithforsixmonths.
Whenaskedwhatherememberedaboutthosesixmonths,heshookhisheadandsaidhedidnotreallywanttoremember.Theyweremonthsfilledwithbeatingsandtorture.However,throughoutthistime,thewordsbaseduponMatthew28:20keptcomingtohimandsustaininghim,“Donotfear.Iwillbewithyoualwaysuptotheveryendoftheworld.”Asheclungtothispromiseeveninthemidstofthebeatings,hewasabletoproclaimhisfaith,andtwoofthosewhoweretorturinghimbecamebelieversinJesusChrist.ManyyearslaterAbdullahiwasmarriedandcontinuingtoserveasakeyleaderamonganundergroundchurchinSomalia.Heandhiswifehadfourchildren.Butseeingtheneedsoftheirsociety,theyhadbroughtinfiveotherswhohadnofamilyoftheirown.Togethertheywerehelpingparentninechildrenbetweentheagesof13and2.Butin2016,hiswife’sfamilyrealizedthatthewifeandtheirchildrenhaddecidedtofollowJesus.Theysaidthattheywouldnotinterferewiththehusband’spersonalbeliefsbutthatitwouldbeunacceptabletoallowtheirdaughterandherchildrentofollowthefalsereligionofChristianity.Inthecontextofaverystrongfamilialclanstructure,thewife’sbroaderfamilycameandstoleawaythewifeandchildren.Itlefthim,inhiswords,“heartbroken.”Everynighthegoeshometohishousetofindagaintoysthathavenotbeenplayedwithandtheemptybedthatwassharedwithhiswife.Asdifficultaswasthetimeofincarceration,forAbdullahithiswasthemostheartbreakingexperienceofhislife.Andasfarashecouldseetherewasnohopeforchangeorreunification.Yetafterdescribingthisdepressingsituation,helookedupandsaidwithresolve:
“Thisismyprayer,‘Lordwillyougivemejoy?Iamtryingtobethelightandthesalt.’Andwhenthosewhoknowwhathashappenedtome,howmyfamilyhasbeenstolen,theywillask,‘howcanhehavejoy?’AndthenIwillbeabletosharewiththemaboutJesus.”
Eveninthemidstofthistragedy,Abdullahi’sfirstconcernwastolookforanopportunitytoliveawitnessfilledwithgrace.Attheconclusionoftheinterview,Abdullahiwasasked,“IfyoucouldshareoneprayerrequestwithchurchesoutsideofSomalia,howwouldyouaskthemtopray?”Abdullahiquicklyconcluded:
“Donotprayforanendtothepersecutionbecausewithoutitwewoulddie.ButpraythattheLordwillgiveusthecouragetostandthroughit.”