Joseph of Eritrea
Eritrea. I know my geography was never very good, but I don’t believe I’d ever heard of this country until recently. Not until I read all the information on the Persecution Blog regarding the many sufferings of Christians there. This month we’re featuring an article about a boy named Joseph from that country. Go to our Child of Courage page for the link to this article and please read it to your children. Have them think about the response questions on our page and perhaps make the lists that are suggested there. It might be a worthwhile activity for them during this season of hustle and bustle. A good time to get them to stop and think about the things that really matter. Always good for the soul.
Blessings. Talk to you soon.
Maxine
December 5th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
Maxine,
I am Eritrean and Christian at that. It breaks my heart to see all this concerted vilification that is going on the net about allegation of persecution of Christians in Eritrea.
It is not persucution of christians, it is a back lash on mainly very aggressive Evagelists that try to convert existing Orthodox christians and Moslems to be evangelists.
If you don’t know, Eritrea and Ethiopia have almost 50:50 christians: moslems each. Evangelistists coming t these countries and not respecting the already existing religions that coexisted before christianity reached European and America, by any means (money, clothes, scholarships etc) has been upsetting the locals a great deal.
Eritrea has said, we have enough problems already and the people are already devaut Christians / Moslems already and will not allow any evangelist conversions.
In Ethiopia it is still going on, and the resentment is increasing. I don’t believe in banning religions, but I would expect respect from Evangelists to religions that existed for thousands of year. I am sure evangelists would not like it if moslems converted their kids for money.
Here is a video from Ethiopia for you, and the resentment that is going on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVw98i5P_2k
December 5th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
Simon,
I am aware of the controversy over this issue, and certainly don’t want to get involved in that. May the Lord be with the people of Eritrea, whatever the situation is. One thing we all can agree on is the need for prayer for those who are there as well as in the whole world. My desire for the people of Eritrea, and the United States, and every other country is that they will know Christ and love and serve Him. God bless you as a Christian to love your Lord and be true to Him where you are, and thankfully, He is the only one who knows the truth and the whole truth. Your and my knowledge is so limited, isn’t it?
December 5th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
Maxine, your thought mean so much.
Thank you for praying for those who truly are oppresed.
I was not being judgemental when I wrote the first e-mail, it is just to inform you.
Thanks again for your prayers. You sound like, my sort of genuine christian.
Simon.
http://home.planet.nl/~hans.mebrat/eritrea-religions.htm
December 5th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
God’s blessings, Simon.