ERITREAN PASTOR’S DAUGHTER: “I Realized My Dad Wasn’t Coming Home”

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The Voice of the Martyrs

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4.9 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 16 November 2024

⏱️ 25 minutes

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Summary

Dr. Tekleab Mengisteab was a medical doctor and a leader in the World Health Organization for the nation of Eritrea. He was also an ordained minister in the Orthodox Church of Eritrea. Since November 19, 2004—20 years ago this week—Dr. Mengisteab has been a prisoner for Christ, imprisoned without charge or trial by the government of Eritrea. Today he is one of more than 300 imprisoned Christians there.

This week on VOM Radio Mengisteab’s daughter, Hana, shares the story of her father’s arrest and of God’s faithfulness to her and her family through the past 20 years. She will tell us how she has found joy amidst suffering, but also how she’s come to know that the Lord “welcomes my grief.”

In 2002, the government of President Isaias Afwerki outlawed evangelical churches. The Eritrean Orthodox Church was permitted to continue holding services. While Hana’s father was leading a legal church congregation, his ministry looked different than some others within that church structure.

“My father was a very faithful preacher of the gospel,” Hana says. “In his writing and teachings, he was calling for a transformation of the heart.” Dr. Mengisteab wanted Eritreans to have the gospel preached—and have the Bible—in their own, everyday language.

Hana was just six years old when her father was arrested. She remembers her mother and church elders at their home talking about her father being gone. “What did it mean that my father is in prison?” Hana wondered. Even after Dr. Mengisteab’s arrest, the church continued to meet and minister. Hana’s mom continued her church activities, risking her own arrest.

Only months after her father’s arrest, Hana found herself in police custody when authorities raided a children’s Sunday School meeting. Children as young as 12 were put in handcuffs, yet these young believers had been prepared for Christian persecution. They began to loudly sing praises to God.

The same week that Dr. Mengisteab was arrested, two other pastors were also taken into custody. All three will mark 20 years in prison this week. Please pray for Dr. Tekleab Mengisteab, Dr. Fitsum-Berhan Gebrenegus, and Rev. Gebremedhin Gebregergis, along with more than 300 other Christians currently imprisoned in Eritrea. Pray also for Hana and her family as they continue to learn how to grieve her father’s absence while also finding joy in serving the Lord.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hannah Mengistab's father worked as a doctor and a church leader in Eritrea.
0:06.0	When Hannah was six years old, her father was arrested and imprisoned because of his work for the gospel.
0:13.2	Hannah went through many confusing and difficult episodes in her life, like this one.
0:18.4	Growing up, I used to bargain with God in my prayers.
0:21.8	I would ask him to bring my dad home if I was a good child and did things that pleased him.
0:26.5	I would pray really hard for a specific month or a year, only to be heartbroken when it passed
0:31.2	without my dad returning.
0:32.9	When I was 16 years old, living in Dubai, my grandmother passed away.
0:36.7	With no family around to give me the news,
0:38.7	it was my church members who eventually came to notify me. However, I initially thought they were
0:43.7	there to tell me that my dad had died. So I ran away and hid for four days until eventually they found
0:49.6	me and told me it was my grandma who had passed away. It was then that I realized I had no guarantee that my dad would come home.
0:56.5	I understood that God is sovereign and will do what pleases him.
0:59.8	So I stopped praying and trying to bargain with him to get my father released
1:03.7	and instead entertained the thoughts of one day seeing him in heaven.
1:08.0	This week and next, we'll hear Hannah's whole story. Jesus never promised
1:15.3	his followers an easy path. In fact, he told his disciples that the world would hate them. He sent
1:21.3	them out as sheep among wolves. Jesus's words came true in the life of the apostles, and they're
1:27.1	still coming true today in the lives of his followers around the world.
1:31.0	Join host Todd Nettleton as we hear their inspiring stories and learn how we can help.
1:35.7	Right now on the Voice of the Martyrs Radio Network.
1:38.6	Welcome again to The Voice of the Martyrs Radio.
	...

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