Christian Persecution in Eritrea a Reality

This past week, Compass Direct News reported that 33-year-old Nigsti Haile was tortured to death for refusing to recant her Christian faith while being held at the Wi’a Military Training Center in Eritrea. Hearing such news about a sister in Christ is always unsettling, especially when you hear discussions on whether persecution exists in Eritrea.

Haile is the fourth Christian killed in Eritrea in less than a year. She and 10 Christian women were arrested at a church gathering and spent 18 months under severe pressure. According to Compass News, Haile was killed for refusing to sign a letter recanting her faith.

Compass Direct says that more than 2,000 Eritrean Christians are imprisoned. Not a single one of them has been formally charged or had a public trial, and all have been denied legal representation. Amnesty International released a report last week that said most of the more than 2,000 imprisoned Christians have been held for more than two years in harsh conditions, with little or no medical care.

Hearing what our brothers and sisters in Eritrea endure reminds me to pray for believers around the world. I believe the courageous believers we hear about in the media are representative of many others who give their all for Christ - and never make the headlines. I encourage you to pray for Haile’s family, and the other nine Christian women who are still in prison. Our prayers do make a difference! The Holy Spirit will comfort believers in Eritrea as we, together, take the baton Haile has handed to us and continue to run the race with patience, faithfulness and endurance. Persecution in Eritrea is a reality. Let us pray!