BROTHER M

When Brother M was first converted, he said that the waited fearfully for the authorities to take him to prison.

Prison is a normal occurrence for MMB’s. But persecution goes beyond imprisonment.

Brother M tried to register his 6 year-old daughter at 13 schools, only to be turned away because she was being raised as “Christian.” Converts to Christianity stand little hope of educating their children, nor do they expect to get a good job.

MOTHER L

Another MBB we met was Mother L, a tiny 70 year-old woman only 5 feet tall. By her stature you would never imagine that she was head of one of the most high profile missions in the underground church today. Mother L helps new Christian converts from Muslim backgrounds escape the country when their families or communities try to kill them. She also counsels young girls who are seeking abortions to put their babies up for adoption. Surprisingly, adoption is highly illegal in most Islamic countries. If Mother L were caught helping arrange an adoption, she would receive death by hanging. When Mother L was talking to our group, I offered her to take my chair. “Please Mother L, it is our honor to have you here. We consider you a great hero of the faith.” She then said, “I am no hero; I just a mama.” Again, humility clothed a great hero in Christ. Mother L considers her life as nothing. She lives for what she can do for her great Savior.

These are but a few of the testimonies we heard from members of the underground church. Our persecuted brothers and sisters in the faith are just like you and me in many ways. They look like normal people and want normal things; a job to provide for their families, education for their children, and freedom to serve Christ. But their expression of worship is different.We worship in freedom by singing songs and lifting hands in a congregation. They worship by keeping the faith while lying in jail cells and being tortured.