OD colleague: “Looking into the face of this woman I see heavy eyes, she looks like she has cried a lot and has not slept well for a long, long time. She talks a lot about her husband, about the experience of his arrest, imprisonment and how awful it was.”
Ava was raised in a Christian home. Her mother was working outside the house and therefore she spent a lot of time with her grandmother who always took her to church. She remembers that as a child she always loved Jesus. It was in her teens that she fully surrendered her life to Jesus. Ava is married and has some children. “For many months we did not know where my husband was, it was a desperate time. I cannot say if this was worse than knowing where he was and being told that he would be killed. I was very afraid, afraid for my children. How was I able to cope being a martyr’s wife. It was so difficult to try to see him. When I did see him, there was a glass partition and sometimes when I arrived there, I was told I was not able to see him and had to come back next month. At those times I honestly thought I would die.
Now he returned home safely. He was tortured in prison and no one knows what they did to him. He will not talk to anyone, not even to me. Sometimes it is very difficult to watch him suffer in silence when I know he is hurting inside. We lost our house. There is no salary and we lost all our possessions and savings. We have nothing. This was the most difficult part and still is, to come to terms with the loss. Every month we used to put money aside to help the believers, now we needed help. This is so difficult to accept.
At the moment my husband is restricted in many ways. He cannot go to church, only a few persons can visit him and he cannot leave the city as he has not the right papers. We are most probably watched and the pressure is always on. When it is time for the Lord’s Supper, my husband bakes the bread and let somebody brings it to the meeting. Then they send him back a piece, and this makes him feel he is part of the congregation.”
“When my husband was in prison I learned a lot. It was awful and I felt like I was in a fire with no escape but over time I learned that God was there with me in the fire. I had many close and deep experiences with God and learned many lessons. I knew that my husband would be released but at times I was still afraid. I had a dream before he was arrested; I was drowning in the sea and saw Jesus in a boat and He brought me into the boat. I jumped out of the boat and He said to me “You must be like a child, do what I say, trust me.” I did not know how I would have to obey Jesus, until my husband was arrested. Then I became like a little child, helpless. There were many times God spoke to me through this experience. Verses like Isaiah 43: 1-5 and Ruth 4: 14 are special to me.
I have learned so much through all of this. In some ways I can say it was good. I never thought I would say that. Everyone around us was so afraid, now I can see it strengthened them. They have courage they did not have before. I realised that many times I read the Bible and taught others, I knew many things in theory. Because of what happened, I know the reality of God and His promises. For example: We are in His hand and no one can take us from Him and He rules over all authority and governments.”
“I am feeling much better these days. Our life is dangerous but this is our life and we are happy. I enjoy teaching and know this is my gift. I love to encourage people. I know how to comfort others because I have been comforted. I do not know how things might change in the future but can say that I am more ready and more willing to do God’s will. It has brought me and my husband much closer and more in love. These past months we are filled with joy. This opportunity for training has been such a blessing and I see God in all of this. He is keeping us, although we have many concerns. We are learning more and more to trust Him and depend on Him.”
Prayer points
“We are so encouraged by prayer and to know that many people are praying for us. We still struggle to adjust to all we lost but God is showing us his faithfulness and His stability.
Please pray for my children, that they would be willing to serve the Lord and that all that has happened would strengthen them not weaken them.
Pray for the church that they would be mature and strong in their faith no matter what happens. There are others in prison at this time.”
OD colleague: “Finally I asked her how we can pray for her as a woman, a wife and a mother. She said she wants to serve the Lord in the best way. Pray she will be ready for more service even if it means more pain, whatever brings more glory to God.”
