I met Paul* yesterday. Paul is a convert from Islam to Christianity from a minority ethnic group in another country. He fled his country because he was concerned he would be thrown back into jail like many of his countrymen.
“I was doing my residency in surgery and shared the Good News of Isa with a co-worker. I had met Isa Al Masiah (Jesus) when I was in medical school and believed I needed to share Him with my fellow doctor. So I did and that night the police came for me at home.
I spent 10 days in jail. They beat me, kelp me awake and always shined a light in my eyes. When I closed my eyes they forced them open. (He pauses and closes his eyes, remembering…)
They did not want me to recant, but kept asking for names of other believers. I did not give them anynames. It did not make sense. But much of the reasons given by police did not seem to have a concrete reason. For example, there was a 16 year old boy who was arrested a year before. He is still a Muslim and it seemed like a random arrest. They have beaten this boy so many times his eyes are white. They put so many things under his finger nails (Paul gestures like someone jabbing a knife under his nails and winces in pain) he had lost most of his fingers (Paul gestures with a chopping motion, as if his own fingers were being chopped off).
One day the police said to Paul, “so, today is Friday – you are a Christian so on Sunday your God rose and you got your salvation. On Monday you will also get salvation!” Paul was confused, as many times that week they had said they would execute him on Monday! However, on Monday he discovered that his Muslim family had paid for his release.
Shortly thereafter, he had the opportunity of coming out for three months training and I asked him what he would do at the end of the training. He shrugged his shoulders and said he did not know but God did.”
I asked him about what he would like to do and he showed me a DVD of a rough dubbing he did of the visual MATTHEW film. It is pretty good considering he did all the voices himself. He wants to write films for his people and is convinced that media should be used to reach the millions who are without the Good News.
Please pray for Paul that God will show him what he should do in 2 months when his training is completed.
*not his real name due to security issues
Stories from Asia 