They hate you because of me - For those who don't know, Eritrea is sandwiched between Sudan and Ethiopia on the Red Sea. For more information see the CIA World Fact Book.
Michael Ireland, the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service gives the following report about the continued persecution that our Christian brothers and sisters are facing in Eritrea today.
MEMBER OF STRATEGIC WORLD IMPACT STAFF ARRESTED IN ERITREA
By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News ServiceBARTLESVILLE, OKLAHOMA (ANS) -- A member of the national staff of the Strategic World Impact mission office in Eritrea was arrested on Jan. 17.
In an e-mail to SWI headquarters in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, mission President Kevin Turner said: “Please pray, one of our Eritrean National staff was arrested tonight. He is at Police Station Number 2 and we have been given no reason why he was taken.”
Turner also reported that this same staff member had been arrested a few weeks ago.
“While in police custody the staff member witnessed the shooting deaths of seven other people and the kicking death of one other,” Turner said.
Turner said this arrest follows those of an estimated 200 Christians since the beginning of the year.
“Around 60 members of the Rhema Church in Asmara, Eritrea were arrested on New Year’s Eve. The people of the church were celebrating, at the home of a church leader, when police broke into the house and arrested all who were present, including 28 women. They were charged with violating the laws against churches meeting -- although, they were not having a church meeting,” Turner explained.
Turner also said that on Jan. 2, 25 members of the Revival group were meeting at a rented facility for the wedding rehearsal of two of their members.
“Police came, arrested them and held them at the police station for several days. On Jan. 14, they were taken to Mai-Serwa Military Prison. Among the young people are 17 women,” he said.
“On Jan. 9, another wedding was to take place between a member of the Full Gospel Church and a member of the Kalhwet Church. As the pastors and some choir members were escorting the bride to the hotel, where the wedding was to take place, all were abducted. Four military trucks came to collect everyone else involved. The Coptic Church opposed the marriage because the father of the bride is a priest -- they said he was giving his daughter up to dogs. All, including children, were taken to prison in Barentu before being taken to Sawa Military Camp,” said Turner.
Turner stated that with the recent arrest of these 200 Christians, added to those Christians who are already imprisoned, the number of people imprisoned for their faith in Eritrea is up to 567.
Strategic World Impact specializes in complex humanitarian emergencies where a strategic response can be the key to unlock the door of closed, restricted and war torn nations. They work in areas where the body of Christ is persecuted, the Gospel restricted and areas where, due to hostile situations, the people face eternity each day.
** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Garden Grove, CA. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in Sept., 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station.
** You may republish this story with proper attribution.
The Great Separation continues.
