Summary

SummaryI’m Gideon, a pastor from Eritrea. One day, the police arrested me and threw me into a dark, cramped cell with no clean water, no books, no radioβ€”just two small pieces of bread each morning and afternoon. At times, I wondered if the sun would ever rise again. πŸ’”

In that prison, life was harsh: beatings, forced labor, and endless interrogation. They tried to break my spirit, demanding I renounce my faith. But in the midst of suffering, some of the prison guardsβ€”secret believersβ€”smuggled in a Bible. We took turns reading it, drawing strength from God’s promises. Even when my refusal to deny Christ meant another year behind bars, I told myself: β€œWith God’s help, I will stand firm.” πŸ™

After more than six years, I was finally released. They warned me not to return to any evangelical or Pentecostal church, threatening death if I was caught a second time. But I refused to be silenced. I resumed serving the Church, teaching small underground congregations despite the danger. I saw that persecution did not weaken us; instead, it fueled our faith. The Gospel spread like never beforeβ€”churches grew stronger, and new leaders emerged even as others were arrested. ✝️

Please pray for my protection and for the health of those still imprisoned, many of whom suffer from high blood pressure or diabetes because of neglect and torture. Pray that God continues to unite all denominations in Eritrea, strengthen those behind bars, and draw many more to Himself. The light of Christ cannot be extinguished by prisonsβ€”it only shines brighter. β€οΈπŸ“–

Pastor Gideon* from Eritrea has spent over six years locked up for being a Christian. But even when he was imprisoned, Gideon held onto his faith in God.

Open Doors Prayer News 291 (July-August 2022)

Find out more at www.opendoorsuk.org/prayernews

*Name changed for security reasons

—————– Source —————–

Time Chapters
Β 
01:04 Meet Pastor Gideon
01:44 Harsh Prison Conditions
02:56 Release & Church Service
03:38 Gospel Spreading
04:08 Prayer for Protection
author avatar
Open Doors UK & Ireland
Open Doors is an international ministry serving persecuted Christians and churches worldwide. We supply Bibles, leadership training, literacy programmes, livelihood support and advocacy services. We also seek to mobilise the church in the UK & Ireland to serve Christians living under religious persecution.
See Full Bio