ERITREA: "I'm Amazed I'm Alive"
VOMRadio
The Voice of the Martyrs
4.9 • 1.4K Ratings
🗓️ 19 January 2018
⏱️ 25 minutes
🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS
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Summary
For years, Helen Berhane read Scriptures about forgiving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us. But during long months as a prisoner in Eritrea—including long stretches locked in a metal shipping container—Helen got to see those Scriptures come to life in her own spirit and actions.
In this second half of our conversation, she shares how she found that in the fires of intense persecution she was able to forgive and even love her persecutors. She'll also share what it meant to know that other Christians around the world were praying for her and writing letters on her behalf, and how God's Word powerfully impacted her as she read it while in prison.
After hearing how much Christians writing letters made a difference for Helen, you'll want to write letters to Christians currently in prison in Eritrea. Finally, Helen will encourage us with ways we can pray for Eritrea—both for our brothers and sisters in prison there and for government leaders in the country who are persecuting our Christian family.
If you missed Part 1 of our conversation with Helen, you can listen to it here.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | For many, |
| 0:02.0 | read scriptures about loving her enemies and forgiving those who persecuted her. |
| 0:07.5 | But when she was imprisoned and tortured by the Eritrean government, those verses became more than just nice words. |
| 0:16.6 | She had the opportunity to show by her life whether or not she really believed what the Bible says. |
| 0:25.0 | I read it, but I haven't been practiced. |
| 0:28.0 | But when they torture me, I feel just forgiveness and love them so I say okay now Bible I read give me meaning |
| 0:38.3 | that's why Stephen he says forgive them they didn't know what they are doing. |
| 0:44.0 | Jesus never promised his followers an easy path. |
| 0:47.0 | In fact, he told his disciples that the world would hate them. |
| 0:51.0 | He sent them out as sheep among wolves. Jesus's words came true in the life |
| 0:55.7 | of the Apostles and they're still coming true today in the lives of his followers around |
| 1:00.1 | the world. Join host Todd Nettleton as we hear their inspiring stories and learn |
| 1:04.6 | how we can help right now on the Voice of the Martyrs radio network. |
| 1:08.1 | Last week we heard part one of my conversation with Helen Burhanae, she is a worship leader and a gospel singer from the nation of Eritrea. |
| 1:17.0 | She was arrested for sharing her faith and she was held in a shipping container for 10 months. |
| 1:24.1 | For much of that time, she was imprisoned, |
| 1:26.4 | along with a mentally ill woman who attacked her |
| 1:29.5 | and beat her just like the guards did. Through that whole time Helen continued |
| 1:35.6 | worshipping the Lord and she gained a deeper understanding of the power of |
| 1:40.2 | song. To hear the first part of my conversation with Helen go to |
| 1:44.5 | VOM radio.net while you're there we'll also give you a link to order a copy of |
| 1:50.1 | Helen's book, Song of the Nightingale, while she was imprisoned the authorities kept pressuring |
... |
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