Imagine Yourself In Prison

What would you do if you found  yourself in prison for your faith in Jesus Christ?  How would you feel if you knew people knew you were in there, and yet no one did anything to help you?  Personally, I would feel abandoned, alone, and probably pretty angry.  However, I have this hunch that prisoners who truly suffer for Christ probably aren't as self centered as I am as an American Christian.

One such persecuted Christian that we all have the opportunity to encourage is Dr. Kiflu Gebremeskel, who is a senior pastor of Southwest Full Gospel Church.  The following is information about his circumstance.

Dr. Kiflu Gebremeskel, a leading figure of Full Gospel Church of Eritrea, founder and senior pastor of Southwest Full Gospel Church and member of the executive committee to the Full Gospel Church of Eritrea, was arrested on May 23, 2004. He was taken from his home in Asmara Gejeret, at approximately 5:00 a.m. Dr. Gebremeskel was a mathematics lecturer, department and faculty head at the University of Asmara until 1999, when he became a full-time pastor at the Southwest Full Gospel Church. He has a Ph.D. in mathematics from Chicago University. His wife and four children have not been able to visit him.

Nearly 1,800 Eritrean Christians are now believed to be under arrest because of their religious beliefs, held in police stations, military camps and prisons in 12 known locations across Eritrea. Dr. Gebremeskel is one of the 28 clergymen being held.

Jailed Protestants are routinely subjected to physical beatings and severe psychological pressure to deny their religious beliefs. Police and military authorities continue to demand the prisoners return to one of the three “official” Christian denominations recognized by the government. But even the legally recognized denominations-the nation’s historic Orthodox, Catholic and Lutheran churches-have come under government disfavor in the past year, incurring threats and even jailing by security police officials.

Please visit www.prisoneralert.com for more information on how to write this wonderful Dr.