Eritrea: 7,000 Days in Prison for Two Christian Pastors

Source: Mission Network News, July 21, 2023

Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs recalls, “Just months after my visit to Eritrea, several of the pastors I had met were arrested. Saturday, July 22 [marked] the 7,000th night in prison for two of those pastors, Kiflu Gebremeskel and Haile Nayzgi.

“Like every other imprisoned Christian in Eritrea (currently estimated at nearly 400 people), they have been denied legal counsel and a trial. In fact, they’ve never even been formally charged with a crime.

“Seven thousand days in prison. Please take a moment to think about that number. One thousand weeks away from their families. Children that were very young when their fathers were arrested are now college graduates and even parents themselves. How many family milestones have these two Christians missed over the past 7,000 days?

“If you are a Christian, please pray for them. God has sustained persecuted Christians through many trials and long imprisonments; I’ve heard amazing stories of how he has worked in prison cells in China, Iran, and Sudan. Please pray that God is writing similar stories—even today—in the lives of Pastor Kiflu and Pastor Haile. Ask God to sustain, protect, and provide for their wives, children, and grandchildren, and pray that He will graciously reunite these families soon.”

Read or listen to the full story, evidently based on this two-minute YouTube video (Voice of the Martyrs USA).

Reaching for a calculator? 7,000 days is more than 19 years.

From another part of Africa, read Military Coup Puts Christians in Niger on Edge (Global Christian Relief) and see Niger Coup: A Simple Guide to What’s Happening (BBC).

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