imprisoned for sharing the gospel -...

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SPEAKFREEDOM

TEXASImprisonedforSharingtheGospelCollectedbythe21stCenturyWilberforceInitiative,April2016Tags:Ethiopia,Prison,Gospel,Matthew26:57-64,Matthew28:16-20AbrahamlivesontheborderofEthiopiaandSomalia.HavinggrownupaMuslim,heisnowfirmlycommittedtohisfaithinJesusChrist.BelievingtheLordcouldusehim,AbrahamdecidedtoutilizehispersonalvocationasaphotographertocrossintoSomaliaandbegintowitnessanddiscipleundergroundbelievers.Onenightin2015afterhehadjustreturnedfromoneofthesetrips,alittleaftermidnighttherewasaknockonhisdoor.Abrahamopenedhisdoorandfoundthepolicestandingtheredemandingentrance.Infrontofhischildrenandhiswife,Abrahamwasarrestedandtakeninthemiddleofthenighttotheprivatehomeofacolonel.ThereinthemiddleofthenightagrouphadalreadybeengatheredtotryandconvictAbraham.TheaccusationwasthathewasamemberofAl-Shabab,aleadinganddeadlytheterroristorganizationinSomalia.TheytoldhimthatitwashismembershipinAl-ShababthatwasleadingtohisfrequentcrossingbackandforthbetweenEthiopiaandSomalia.AbrahamrespondedthatitwastruethathehadgrownupasaMuslimbutthathehadconvertedtoChristianityandthathewascrossingintoSomaliatomeetwithChristianbelievers.HefurthernotedthatiftheywerewillingtheycouldcallAl-ShababandhewouldpubliclyproclaimthathisfaithandtrustwasinJesusChristandthatitwastoJesustowhomheprayedandhadgivenhislife.Thecolonel–hishome,histrialinthemiddleofthenight–dismissedthisofferandwithanevermindaskedAbrahamwhogavehimtheauthoritytocrossintoSomaliaandmeetwithChristians?Abrahamnotedthathisauthoritycamefromthreesources.

First,wasaparticulargovernmentofficialwhowashighrankinginSomalilandandawell-knownChristianwhohadextendedofficialpermission.Second,becauseofthis,Abrahamhadavalidgovernmentissueddocumentsthatallowedhimtogobackandforth.Third,andmostimportantlyAbrahamsaid,“IhavepermissionfromGod.GodsaysinMatthew28thatwearetogointoalltheworldandpreachtheGospel,andthatiswhatIamdoing.IamgoingintoSomalilandandpreachingtheGospel.IambeingobedienttoGod.”DespitethelackofevidenceandAbraham’sclearaffirmationofhisevangelismanddiscipleshipministryinthenameofJesus,thispre-selectedgroupmeetinginthemiddleofthenightattheprivatehomeofacolonelconvictedAbraham.Abrahamwouldspendtwomonthsinprison.Uponhisreleaseinthespringof2016,Abrahamcontinuedtofacechallenges.Theofficialshadconfiscatedhisphotographyequipmentandrefusedtoreleaseit.HewasforcedtomoveandhisministrywithundergroundbelieversinSomaliawasclosedoutofconcernfortheirsafety.However,hecontinuedtoremaincommittedtoChristandasking,howandwheretheLordwouldleadhimtoservenext.