Persecution

Last Easter I was on the road 

My view from Easter Sunday breakfast 

Being on the road is a bit of an understatement since I was only at home less than a handful of day all of April 2017.  I really enjoyed the epic west African trip through 4 new countries.  Plus the interesting flight itinerary which took me through 3 additional (new-to-me) countries.

Obviously the donkey cart isn't stopping at the gas station

This trip was all about engaging some new places and languages with Bible translation.  For instance we talked to a group of pidgin speakers in Liberia and learned they do not have a Bible nor a new testament for this language that is spoken widely in Liberia. The 1984 census listed over 1.5 million pidgin speakers.  Translation is now underway to provide them with an audio new testament.

In another west African country I visited a community that speaks a language that has a written new testament but local estimates say that only 1-2% of the people can read their language. So do they have access to Scripture?  I met a group of believers to start finding out what their community needs and problems are and what Scriptures could best speak to them.  I was then part of a team designing a project to translate oral Bible stories in the cultural story telling style of this people. 

We stopped to buy provisions on our way to the village

So, that is all background to the persecution story.  
While in this area my host told me the story of how he met Christ through attending some health and hygiene talks given by workers from Operation Mobilization.  
Over the next nine years, he faced some severe persecution from his family and community. Among other things, he was taken to court where his wife and children were taken away due to his conversion. His farm fields were seized, he was taken to court when he wanted to build a home in his father’s village compound. The allegation was that he wanted to build a church. And despite all the persecution, till the time I met him, he and his new wife and two sons are living in peace in his own village, in his father’s compound with the extended family who still practice the majority religion.  They are living as a practical Christian witness.  

About four months after my trip, I received news of further persecution from a very surprising source.  Another friend from the region related to me: 

"Throughout last week I was in the same Region with the Evangelical Church's mission team. We joined the local folks on their farm fields and did the weeding with them. All the villagers were amazed. However our host with his wife and children are the only Christians in that village and they are doing well but the immediate family does not approve of their Christianity and so on the last day of our stay there, the mother of our host hit him with a big log on the head while we were worshiping. His head was broken and he was bleeding but later rushed to the hospital for help. I am sure you know the victim!  Please pray for them and for us the mission team because such things are bound to happen but for Christ no price is too high to pay. As true Christian we need to be prepared to suffer for Him. He is Lord!"


"We have the honor to meet people around the world (whom very few people will ever know) who will be the greatest in the kingdom of God... it is quite an honor." -Steve Mickler