Urgent Prayer Request – Sudan
Cathryn Jenkins
Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. (Hebrews 13:3)
On 27th May news a birth was announced: a little girl. Usually such news is cause for celebration and great joy, but for the family of this little girl, and for the many people campaigning for her mum, there was deep sadness too.
Her mother is Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, aged 27. Meriam was raised in the Christian faith by her mother, an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian, Her father, a Muslim, was absent during her childhood. Myriam identifies as a Christian.
This Sudanese lady was arrested because her husband is a Christian. One of her relatives had claimed that she was committing adultery for marrying outside of Islam (under Sudan’s Shari law marriage between a Muslim woman and a non-Muslim man is illegal and is thus considered adultery). Sudanese authorities argue that she is a Muslim because her father was. The penalty for adultery is 100 lashes for offenders who are not married.
On 11 May Meriam received the death penalty sentence and was given until 15 May to renounce her Christian faith or face the death penalty. She did not do so and thus this heavily pregnant woman was sentenced to death by hanging for apostasy (converting to Christianity). The sentence of 100 lashes for committing adultery still stands too.
Meriam was imprisoned with her first child, a boy named Martin. Martin is approximately 20 months old. His father has been prohibited from looking after him.
Sudan’s Criminal Code states that a pregnant woman sentenced to death must give birth and nurse her child for two years before she can be executed. Meantime, Miriam is in prison, shackled as is the custom for prisoners awaiting execution.
If Miriam is executed custody of her children will be handed to the state. Her husband will have no rights to raise the children as he is a Christian and thus his rights are not recognised under the law.
According to her lawyer, Miriam’s daughter was born, approximately a month early, in a ladies’ prison in Khartoum. The father was not allowed to be present at the birth. Reports suggest that the baby is in good health – for this we thank God.
So this is Meriam’s story. When I read the news of the birth of this little girl I cried. I thought back to the births of my three boys and the precious family moments we shared as each was introduced to the family. ‘What can I do?’ was my cry. The answer is simple really: not be silent. We, the body of Christ cannot be silent. We must pray, we must love, we must intercede for this family and for all persecuted brothers and sisters, crying out to God on their behalf for they are family. One body, one family.
Please, if you can, sign the petition or get involved through Open Doors, Release International or Amnesty International who have active, peaceful campaigns.
http://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/stories/sudan_140515.php?ref=story2
http://www.releaseinternational.org/sudan-pregnant-woman-faces-execution-for-apostasy
http://www.amnesty.org.uk
But above all please pray for: Meriam; Martin; the newborn baby girl; Daniel Wani, Meriam’s husband and the children’s father. Thank you.