Everyone has some kind of
fond memory of capture the flag. I played a game my senior year of
college for my sorority’s clue week with a bunch of new members. You
dress in black, maybe throw on some face paint, grab a couple
bandannas, and you’re set for a night of fun and stealth.
fond memory of capture the flag. I played a game my senior year of
college for my sorority’s clue week with a bunch of new members. You
dress in black, maybe throw on some face paint, grab a couple
bandannas, and you’re set for a night of fun and stealth.
Some people play capture the
flag every night. But their rules are a little different. The game
still happens at night, and still operates on the stealth principle.
But instead of looking for a flag, they’re looking for their church.
Teammates and allies are identified by secret signals. The other
team is the government or military police. Jail is real, and so is
the torture and death that occurs there. The only safe zone they
have is in their homes, and even that’s uncertain.
flag every night. But their rules are a little different. The game
still happens at night, and still operates on the stealth principle.
But instead of looking for a flag, they’re looking for their church.
Teammates and allies are identified by secret signals. The other
team is the government or military police. Jail is real, and so is
the torture and death that occurs there. The only safe zone they
have is in their homes, and even that’s uncertain.
In some countries, this is
life for Christians. This is the underground church.
life for Christians. This is the underground church.
Americans have the amazing
privilege of worshiping as they please under the First Amendment of
the Constitution, and it’s difficult to imagine fleeing the secret
police while trying to find family members who have been kidnapped or
imprisoned by the government, and getting to the body of covert
believers. These people risk their lives on a daily basis to pursue
their faith.
privilege of worshiping as they please under the First Amendment of
the Constitution, and it’s difficult to imagine fleeing the secret
police while trying to find family members who have been kidnapped or
imprisoned by the government, and getting to the body of covert
believers. These people risk their lives on a daily basis to pursue
their faith.
Put yourself in that
situation. For the sake of argument, if you’re not a Christian,
substitute your chosen religion or non-religion: You’ve just been
caught out after curfew by the government police. You’re given a
choice: renounce the belief system that you’ve chosen to follow as
truth, or die. Of course, death isn’t the only option. You might be
tortured, and then led into the town marketplace the next day to
watch a line of strangers chosen at random be killed right in front
of you because you won’t divulge the name of your pastor or leader.
situation. For the sake of argument, if you’re not a Christian,
substitute your chosen religion or non-religion: You’ve just been
caught out after curfew by the government police. You’re given a
choice: renounce the belief system that you’ve chosen to follow as
truth, or die. Of course, death isn’t the only option. You might be
tortured, and then led into the town marketplace the next day to
watch a line of strangers chosen at random be killed right in front
of you because you won’t divulge the name of your pastor or leader.
I don’t write this to
instill fear and concern for me or my team, but the August Racers are
going to more closed countries than any Race before us. Between
Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, over half our
route brings us to places where Christians are objects of
discrimination. We won’t be facing death while we’re in each of
these countries, but it’s very possible that our contacts might.
While they live their lives underground out of necessity, the most we
as Americans would risk would be a slap on the wrist and deportation.
instill fear and concern for me or my team, but the August Racers are
going to more closed countries than any Race before us. Between
Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, over half our
route brings us to places where Christians are objects of
discrimination. We won’t be facing death while we’re in each of
these countries, but it’s very possible that our contacts might.
While they live their lives underground out of necessity, the most we
as Americans would risk would be a slap on the wrist and deportation.
Despite the fact that I know the risk for me and my team is minimal, it certainly adds a good deal of responsibility to my shoulders. Race alumni have shared stories of what has happened when information slips out. The last thing I want to have on my conscience is a missionary’s death or the raiding of an orphanage.
I don’t even want to
consider what child soldier hide-and-seek would look like.
consider what child soldier hide-and-seek would look like.
