Scared but Standing

“‘And when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit’” Mark 13:11, NASB.

I lived in a city were very few Christians lived. I had moved to this area a year ago as an English teacher. I also took seriously my responsibility as a Christian to share Christ with the people around me. I am just an ordinary man. I am not a super-Christian. When plain-clothes police searched my house and interrogated me, I was scared.

Seven men showed up at my door one weekend after my roommate had left to visit another city. I was all alone. I greeted them warmly. Without introduction they started asking me questions. Who are you? What are you doing here? Do you have identification?

These men were very large, and I was very alone. I silently prayed, “Dear God, give me courage and protection.”

The men came into my house and started searching the rooms. Two of the men kept asking me the same questions over and over. Who are you? What are you doing here? Do you have identification? On and on they asked. I was practically shaking with fear at this point. I asked them, “What is it that you are seeking?”

The men briskly replied, “We are police, keep silent.”

For two hours they searched my house. Occasionally they would ask me to repeat my answers to the same questions. Again I prayed, “Holy Spirit, give me wisdom and protection.”

One of the policemen used my phone to call headquarters. In a gruff voice he said, “We have found the evangelism headquarters.” Another officer came up to me. His face was cruel looking. He had one Gospel of Matthew DVD, one Bible and one book about Jesus and the Qu’ran. After showing me these items he ordered me to follow him.

I was taken to the police station. For the next four hours I was questioned by the head of the crime department.

Q - “What is your religion?”
A - “I don’t have a religion.”

Q - “Then you are an atheist?”
A – “No, I follow God. Religion is not important. I follow Isa. (Arabic name for Jesus).”

Q – “Are you a missionary sent here to preach?”
A – “I am an English teacher. I am here to teach English.”

He slapped me and asked, “Are you a Christian pig?” On and on they bullied me, trying to get me to confess to some crime. I was so afraid. I prayed, “God, am I going to die?”

After four hours of interrogation I was left alone for another four hours. During this entire time I was not allowed to sit or use the toilet. Finally, they released me. By the time I got home, police were waiting for me. I was immediately taken back to the police station. For another four hours they interrogated me in the same manner. They asked even more questions than before.

At 1 a.m. they concluded my questioning and took me to have mug shots and fingerprints taken. In my country the police are supposed to have a document of capture before they can put you in jail. I asked the policeman, “Where is my document of capture?”

He replied, “You are not being arrested. Jail is the safest place for you. If people knew what you were doing you would be in serious danger. This is not a safe place for missionaries to live.”

That night as I slept, four guards constantly watched me. The next morning I was questioned by the head of the police station. He said, “We’ve blown your cover. It is best if you just leave this place.” He allowed me to leave as long as I promised to go to another city on another island and report once I got there. I flew out that same day.

I lived for a year in that place and only saw one person respond to the Gospel. My mother was upset with me for agreeing to go to such a dangerous place. I told her, “Mom, God called me to share the Gospel with people who have not heard. I promised Him that I would follow wherever He led me. Do you really want me to break my promise to God?”

Although I was scared, God allowed me to stand in the face of persecution. I am not a super-Christian. I’m just an ordinary man who serves and extraordinary God. Wherever He leads me, I will still follow.

Pray that:

Believers in this Last Frontier area will stand strong in the face of persecution.

The seeds planted in the city were this worker lived for a year will bear fruit.

God will call more believers to go to this city to share a Gospel witness.

Pacific Rim is a region of the International Mission Board, SBC.