Meet the Persecuted

The Long Way Home

A couple of years ago because of several death threats and attacks against the Bible bookshop in Gaza and their student center, the Palestinian Bible Society held a team meeting in a neighboring country to encourage their staff.  On his way back home, Aaron, Director of the Living Stones Student Center in the West Bank , was detained by the Secret Police at a neighboring countries’ airport, which also happens to be his home country. 

As a Muslim who converted to Christianity, Aaron is considered a traitor or apostate to Islam.  He is hated by many Muslims for this reason.  The airport authorities confiscated Aaron’s passport and told him to report to the police department.  He waited there for ½ hour before being herded with others onto a bus with the windows covered.  He was given a number, no names were used.  Upon arrival at an undisclosed location, he was made to wait 2 to 3 hours for an interrogator. Aaron was sitting across from his interrogator but when he crossed his legs, the interrogator screamed at him.  He asked Aaron what was his job, along with many other questions. He answered all of them.  His interrogator said that it looked like Aaron has a mean personality, which is an insult.  The interrogator brought Aaron closer to him, and then while cursing at him; he slapped, hit and kicked him calling him an animal.  Aaron was called in for questioning 3 to 4 times over a month long period, to the same routine of abuse.

Aaron found it difficult to find a place to stay because they had taken away his passport and without a passport, no hotel will admit you.  Finally, he went to a hotel which knew him because he had stayed there before.  They didn’t ask for any ID.

Although he has now been allowed to return to the West Bank and has resumed work with the Student Center, Aaron is still without a passport.  He has been given special papers to travel in Israel, but must return at some point to his home land to get his passport.  

Because he was detained, he missed his son’s first birthday.  His friends and co- workers held a party for the little boy in his absence. 

Please pray for Aaron and Christians in many parts of the world that face persecution for their faith.

On the Front Lines

Rami Ayyad Martyred 1 Year Ago this Month

Below is a letter written by Rami's wife in honor of his life and to his children.

To my lovely husband, martyr Rami Ayyad.

“I tell you I love you and I will love you forever.” I remember, my love, what a   sincere husband you were always loving, kind and passionate. I remember your kind heart and sweet words and your joyful laughs. I remember your love to me, and how kind you were to me, how you always took the initiative to reconcile with me after a misunderstanding. Even when I was the one to blame, you were the one to say sorry. I remember you standing always beside me in my difficult times. You were so compassionate toward my feelings and needs.

I remember your commitment to your house, duties, and children and how much you loved the boys and used to sacrifice for them. My lover Rami, your memory will always remain in my heart, thought and mind. Your children will know that they only physically lost you. I will tell them how great you were and will remind them what you used to do to them, how kind you were to them. I will never stop mentioning those memories, never.

I will always remind your children of you. How you got up early every morning and prepared their school bags, how you waited with them outside the house until the car came and took them to preschool. Rami, I will tell the children how precise you were on raising them up in a way that you were not just a father, but also a friend.

Be proud, my children, of your father. You have not lost him forever, he sacrificed his life for you, children, so that you never feel shame as you would if he had given in. He was thinking about Jesus as well during those difficult hours. I must confess that Jesus was his true love before me and you. I will walk your path, Rami. I will raise the children the exact way you wanted me to.

Rami was a believer who loved God from his heart. The Bible was printed in his heart, not by word only, but by act, he proclaimed it. I remember how you told me that you will never deny your faith, no matter what happens. I remember how committed you were to your ministry. I know we will meet again, me, you and the children. How much I miss and look forward to that day, the day when we are all together with Jesus our God. Goodbye, my lovely husband, goodbye, martyr, goodbye, you who have made me proud and made our children proud as well. Goodbye, you who have made your church and family proud. Goodbye, you who have made all Christians proud. You are a model that we will all follow.

Egyptian Father’s Brief Conversion Traps Daughters in Islam

ISTANBUL, October 10 (Compass Direct News) – An Egyptian Coptic Christian woman has been sentenced to three years in prison for failing to uphold her Islamic identity – an identity she didn’t know she had for over four decades. Sisters Shadia and Bahia Nagy El-Sisi, both in their late 40s and residents of the small east Delta town Mit-Ghamr, were arrested and tried for claiming their official religious identity as Christian. Unknown to them, their religious identity changed 46 years ago due to their father’s brief conversion to Islam. Both are illiterate. Shadia El-Sisi was tried for stating her religion as Christian on her marriage certificate and sentenced to three years in prison on Nov. 21, 2007. She was released two months later. Last Sept. 23 a judge also sentenced Bahia El-Sisi to three years in prison for “forging” her marriage certificate by stating her religion as Christian. Their father, Nagy El-Sisi, converted to Islam in 1962 during a brief marital dispute in order to divorce his wife and potentially gain custody of his daughters, the sisters’ lawyer Peter Ramses told Compass. Egyptian law is influenced by Islamic jurisprudence (sharia), which automatically awards child custody to whichever parent has the “superior” religion and dictates “no jurisdiction of a non-Muslim over a Muslim.” If Bahia El-Sisi’s identity as a Muslim stands, then her religious status could potentially create a domino effect that would require her husband to convert to Islam or have their marriage nullified. Her children, too, would be registered as Muslims. Both women are married to Christians. “All of their children and grandchildren would be registered as Muslims,” Ramses said. “[The ruling] would affect many people.”

The Word of God

Sometimes it's Better Not to Know

Bible deliveries into a Muslim country can be quite complicated.  Once we give Bibles to our coworker for distribution, it is extremely important to keep that person safe.  On one occasion, our coworker, Pastor “G”, was asked by two brothers to provide Bibles for the Sinai Peninsula .  He did not have the necessary Bibles, but he sent the brothers to a trusted woman who also receives Bibles from him.

As soon as the brothers were on their way, Pastor G telephoned the woman to make sure she had enough Bibles.  He did not tell her that the brothers were coming to her home as he didn’t want her to associate him with the brothers.

She said that her supply was adequate right now.  He told her that if anyone needs a Bible, that she should feel free to give it.  He asked her, however, to never reveal where she gets the Bibles, but simply say that they are from the Lord.

She was able to give the brothers many Bibles.  They took these Bibles to the Sinai Peninsula and, once there, they shared the good news about Jesus. They were arrested for their efforts as it is illegal for a Christian to share his faith in a Muslim country.

These dedicated young men spent four months in prison because they chose to share the good news about Jesus Christ and to provide Bibles to those who would like one.  Please pray for   their safety and continued boldness.