Today is the day when those who are blessed to still have their fathers on the earth make a huge fuss to show how much they appreciate them. There are breakfasts in bed or brunch in the city, cards, presents, and tributes to “Father” at church. Most important to most dads, though are the hugs and kisses from their children and wives.
Even in the Islamic Republic of Sudan today was Father’s Day! Not all countries celebrate Father’s Day, and even those that do don’t celebrate it at the same time of the year, but in Sudan, June 21 is Father’s Day, or عيد الأب.
There have been no breakfasts in bed or hugs and kisses on Father’s Day for the Reverends Yat Michael Ruot and Peter Yen Reith in Sudan this year. Pastor Michael, who has a son and a daughter, and Pastor Peter, who has a two-year-old daughter were arrested by Sudan’s dreaded National Intelligence and Security Services in December 2014 and January 2015 respectively, and charged with espionage and other crimes against the state under Sudan’s notorious Criminal Act of 1991.
If the pastors, who are currently in solitary confinement, wearing leg shackles, are found guilty, three of the eight charges against them carry a possible death sentence. Punishments for the other “crimes” under which they are charged include a life sentence, confiscation of property, and flogging. The Khartoum government is cracking down on churches and church leaders in the Islamic regime.
According to international Christian advocacy organization Middle East Concern (MEC), the court heard evidence against the pastors at hearings on May 19 and 31, and June 1, 15, and 18, but the prosecutor suggests they still have two witnesses to produce. The date of the next hearing has been set for June 25.
MEC explains that after the prosecution is finished, the judge will make a preliminary ruling on whether he believes there is any basis for the charges against the two pastors. If not, he will drop the charges and the case is finished. Otherwise he will allow the case to proceed to trial. The lawyer for the pastors believes the judge will make this ruling at the next hearing (June 25) and, although there isn’t really any evidence against the pastors, the lawyer expects the judge to let the case proceed to trial.
The Letter to the Hebrews exhorts, “Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” Can we remember Pastor Michael and Pastor Peter, as well as so many others of our brothers in Christ around the world who are in prison for their faith, as if we were together with them in prison? Can we remember those who are mistreated for the sake of the Gospel as if we ourselves are suffering?
As you celebrate Father’s Day today, please remember Pastors Michael and Peter in prison in Sudan. Please remember the children and wives of these faithful Christian ministers, for whom Father’s Day this year is like every other day, praying and worrying and wondering when their daddies are going to come home.
Please pray today and make a special effort to pray every day leading up to the next hearing for the pastors on Thursday, June 25. Ask God for their speedy release so that they don’t miss any other Father’s Days or any days with their families.
Comment by Rajinder Nijjhar on June 26, 2015 at 5:08 am
Hi,
These robed hireling Dog-Collared Priests have no place in the ministry of Jesus but Satan that create divisions and sectarian riots. Different denominations speak of utter Blindness.
John, the Baptist never baptised a woman or a Gentile. Why? Jesus Preached Islam in which He did the Will of our Father, Allah, INSHALLAH and not his own will, INSHJESUS. In this Islam of Mullahs, INSHMULLAHS, FATWAS dominate.
Royal Priests are the sons of Most High Supernatural Father God in which we are concerned with souls that have no gender, colour or race. Fake Priests in Churches being men of letters devoid of holy spirit, “common sense” talk of races and genders. No wonder people are killed in the worship of Satan. People killed in Iraq, Syria, Ukraine, etc. is the work of robed Anti-Christs in Churches.
We have approached the End Times and the Tares, the Anti-Semitic Jews outwardly unfaithful to Abraham and Yahweh, the creator of male and female are getting bundled up in Israel; see Matt. 13v24-30. Wholesome destructions of Tares, unfaithful to tribal fathers will take place all over the world.
Jesus came to get rid of these Rabbis in Dog-Collars and you have got them in one form or the other to fulfil Matt. 12v43-45, what do you expect? They are greater hypocrites than before the arrival of Jesus. Jesus threw Judas Iscariot out at the Last Supper for he was a Thief stealing money from the Purse. People donate money at Churches; this Dog-Collared Priest dips his hand into the donations as his salary. No wonder a retired Vicar when addressed as a Vicar by the BBC presenter Nicky Campbell objected strongly and told him that he is no more a Vicar like a Policeman in uniform. All the life he was serving Mammon with a Dog-Collar making fools of the people that he is a man of God. In God, we have Royal Priests and they enjoy Fellowships.
If you study the present organisations of the Churches, they are based upon the Synagogues; some are Pharisees and the others more than Sadducees. At, the times of Jesus, these Blind Rabbis had two or three divisions and today in Jesus, more than 300 Cults when Jesus proclaimed One Fold, Church of God, headed by One Shepherd Christ Jesus, our Bridegroom.
These Churches are like blind men defining an elephant and their Dog-Collared hireling Priests are the most happy job satisfaction people fleecing the devotees of Jesus called turning stones, simple-minded people, into Bread and Butter.
SHAME TO SUCH ORGANISATIONS ESPECIALLY THE COE HEADED BY QUEEN, THE HEAD OF MAMMON IN GREAT BRITAIN.
Luke 16v16: Law and Prophets were till John, the Baptist whilst lowest in the Royal Kingdom of God, a Saint, is greater than John, the Baptist, also known as the Angel of Israel.
We are no more under the yoke of sins and these Dog-Collared Rabbis but Free Royal Priests that enjoy the Fellowships.