Two weeks ago, I returned from a remote area in Colombia, where I was honored to meet with a ministry leader, his wife and their remaining five sons. I say “remaining five sons” because one of their sons was recently killed by FARC guerrillas.
Colombia has experienced intense conflict for more than 40 years. It’s a very dangerous place to live and serve God. In fact, after American missionary Chet Bitterman was martyred on March 7th, 1981, after 48 days of captivity, many foreign mission agencies left Colombia because it was considered too dangerous.
Today, there are many indigenous pastors and missionaries who face risks every day because of this ongoing conflict. The leader I met with was warned by local guerrillas that he needed to give up some of his sons to support their cause. Of course, as a Christian, he refused. How could he let his sons join a group of terrorists who were running drugs, enforcing their ideology with violence and promoting other ungodly activities?
One night, the guerrillas assassinated one of his sons. They also tried to kill another of his sons, but this young boy was able to escape into the jungle while they shot at him.
One of the most remarkable aspects of their story is that the son who ran away hid in the jungle for four days. Think about that. Running into the jungle alone as a young boy, with only the clothes on your back, and hiding for four days! I can only imagine what type of emotional trauma he endured during those four long days and nights.
Meanwhile, the leader and his wife believed that the FARC had killed the older son and kidnapped the younger one. They buried their older son two days later, while their younger son was still hiding in the jungle. He missed his own brother’s funeral. A couple of days later, after everything quieted down, the father went to look for the son and, by God’s grace, found him hiding in the jungle.
Three months later, after additional threats, the father was sent a letter by the FARC ordering him to report to a specific location, at a specific time, a few days later. He was warned that this was when they would kill him so he packed up his family and escaped to another town.
As I prayed with this family, I was humbled as I realized how much they had given up to stand strong for Jesus and how they were continuing to “fight the good fight” in a new location. It was an amazing testimony of hope following tragedy and of God’s sustaining peace.
Today they have moved to a new area, where VOM is supporting them as they plant a church there. Please remember this dear family as they continue to mourn the loss of their son, their support system, and their home. Pray that God will enable them to continue to stand strong for him in their new location.
Your Turn: How would you respond to threats against your children because of your gospel work?
Dr. Jason Peters serves in VOM’s International Ministries department, traveling frequently to meet with our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. He lived overseas for five years and has ministered in 28 countries as diverse as Cuba, Nepal, Iraq and Indonesia. He and his wife, Kimberly, along with their five children, count it a great honor to serve with the persecuted church.
God bless you
Posted by: Inna | April 16, 2013 at 04:24 PM
May God richly bless you guys, and minister his comfort and healing, and restore you and your family.
Posted by: Melanie Fly | April 16, 2013 at 11:02 AM
about hide in safety place to avoid evil danger, remind me about the tribulation will come, what will you do when the tribulation come? where will you go to hide in safety place? the tribulation 7 years ! how you hide for 7 years to avoid the evil ? prepare and be ready ! for the time will come soon ! the day of rapture ! the great tribulation ! the day of judgement !
Posted by: STAR777 | April 16, 2013 at 04:06 AM