CRM Family,
In Acts chapter 16 is found the very familiar story of Paul and Silas being locked up in a jail in Philippi. Their “crime” was casting a demon out of a young servant girl who was possessed by a demon which enabled her to fool people as a fortune teller. Those who had money invested in her dragged Paul and Silas before a court and asked they be punished for harming their source of income. The city’s officials ordered that Paul and Silas be beaten with rods. Later on, the same city officials sent word to the keeper of the jail that they were to be released. However, Paul and Silas said to the jail keeper “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” The city officials were afraid when they learned that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens and therefore went to the prison to apologize to the apostles.
That passage from Acts makes good background for the report I must share with you this morning. Based on the reporting Adam has received from the Christian lawyer who today represented the four brothers in a Zalengei courtroom, the case against them has been dismissed. The judge ruled that the case was to be sent back to the prosecutor’s office for dismissal, so that the public record will show that the state’s case was dismissed. The lawyer has also demanded of the prosecutor’s office a letter of apology to be written to those four men who were illegally arrested and unjustly physically mistreated. Thank you for praying!
Muslim extremists do not fight fair, so those brothers continue to be vulnerable while they remain in Zalengei. I therefore ask that you keep them in your prayers until we receive word that they have safely arrived in El Fasher where they will join the others who plan to set up a new ministry center in a rented house.
In a voice message, Adam stated that he now plans on encouraging all leaders of their movement to “double up on their efforts so they can make good use of the fresh opportunity this ruling creates for them. Now is the time for us to rise up.” He said he will travel to the new location once he has received money from CRM to pay on the house they propose to rent and buy at least some of the supplies that are required for cooking and sleeping. Those items need to be purchased in Khartoum. After making sure the brethren are settled well into the situation in North Darfur State, he may visit Zalengei to encourage the brethren there.
Prayer Requests
- Let us now pray that this ruling in a Zalengei court will prove to be a great breakthrough for all Gospel efforts. As God sent an earthquake to shake the prison in Philippi, so that its doors were opened and prisoners freed of their shackles, so let us pray for a spiritual “shaking” to take place in Darfur resulting in many people being transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the light of the kingdom of Christ.
- Pray that God’s people will respond to the need for the funding required to establish a new ministry center in North Darfur State. CRM’s donors responded well to the appeal which went out to buy Bibles. Now we ask the Lord of the Harvest to touch His people to give to the cause of these courageous brethren once again, so that they can indeed “double up their efforts.”
David Crane
