I knew when I signed up for the World Race I would meet amazing people in each country. I actually planned to fall in love with orphans, young trafficked women, or even older widows. But this month love came when I was not looking and where I least expected it in Nepal. And God broke my heart in a new way.
The Bible teaches that the life of a Christian is hard and often brings suffering and persecution, but most of us in America do not really know the meaning of persecution. Even when we hear about persecution, it seems a world away. I have always known conditions for Christians in the Middle East are some of the worst. Christians there face true danger, true persecution and true suffering. I have always known this, but honestly I always saw it as facts and statistics. I never allowed the truth and weight of those facts to get below the surface.
Enter E. When I first met her, she was introduced as a refugee from a country in the Middle East, but in my interactions with her she did not seem the distressed type I expected. She was young at heart with a lot of spunk and energy. She was married and mother of one but she was not afraid to poke your side or make you laugh at any moment. One day she convinced me to eat some “candy” which turned out to be some sort of spice tablet (curry spice not cinnamon). Hanging out with E was extremely fun and enjoyable. Some of my best laughs in Nepal were with E.
But as I continued to do life with E, she started to open up more. Behind the laughter there was also sorrow. You see, E and her family were forced to flee her home country less than a year ago because they were Christian. Both her family and her husband’s family had faced serious persecution before they fled. Her brother was kidnapped several years ago and they never heard another word. At one point someone even tried to kidnap E’s son. Before they left, E’s husband had a solid job where he could provide for their family, but they had to leave it all behind. Now they have very little to their name. They are in a position of watching and waiting. Watching to see what happens in their home country. Waiting to see if they can attain true refugee status or if they will be forced to return.
As I heard her share her story and I saw her tears, I felt the love and heartbreak I had never expected. The suffering and persecution of fellow Christians became real. It was no longer facts and statistics. It had a face – E, my sister in Christ. I saw the loneliness she had in leaving friends and family behind. I saw the pain of a mother who could no longer provide for her son in the way she wanted. I saw the longing for her home country even though it had rejected her. My heart broke and tears came as I felt her pain knowing there was really nothing I could do. All I could do was lift up her and her family to God.
As heartbreaking as E’s story is, there is hope. Even in suffering and persecution, E continues to press into God. Entering Nepal with nowhere else to turn they have jumped into ministry in new ways. E serves the local slum children who have been rejected by their own communities. Both E and her husband are active in the local church and local ministries. People have come around them to love them and support them. They are trusting that God knows what he is doing even in their circumstances.
E is my modern day Paul – finding peace in the Lord during this time of persecution. She will forever be my reminder that the battle is real, but when we have Christ in us, we have the power to stay strong.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [Romans 8:35-39]
Please keep E and her family in your prayers. Also pray for those facing persecution and suffering for their faith around the world, especially in the Middle East. Pray that God would continue to build them up and give them strength.
(Please note: I have called her E in order to honor and protect her identity.)
