Page 7 - Voice of the Persecuted Christians - Jan-Mar 2022 - 121

Twen Theodros endured immense brutality during 16 years in Eritrean prisons yet has emerged victorious. Tom Hardie listens to her inspirational story – a testimony to God’s grace and your prayers
‘I said to myself: decide. The Bible or the letter? Was I ready to forsake my family, my education, my job, all the things I loved the most? And what about my life? I remembered that verse about forsaking everything for Christ and made a decision there and then.
wen had been a Christian preaching?” to which he replied that for only two of her 21 I could share with small groups but
‘For eight months after that I was filled with joy and freedom and felt
no fear.’
years when she was arrested and imprisoned.
However, she was to face arrest again following a prayer vigil on New Year’s Eve 2004.
not huge crowds, so I agreed. I did not She was to spend the go into the details so I signed and was
next 16 years locked away inside the Eritrean prison system, suffering intense persecution for her faith yet knowing the grace of God sustaining her through every trial.
released.
Twen was taken to a prison at Mai Serwa near Asmara where she would spend nearly three years locked away in a shipping container. Among her fellow detainees was Helen Berhane, the gospel singer. The two became close friends and when Helen was released Twen described it as the hardest time for her. ‘I was on my own in the container.
‘I was raised in Asmara [the Eritrean the letter to the officer he said I had capital] and brought up a Catholic committed a crime and had signed
but I began to question some of what saying I would go back to my former
I was told and when I looked at my religion.
Christianity I saw that I was lukewarm. ‘Was I ready to forsake After reading the Book of Revelation, my family, my education, where it warns about being lukewarm, my job, all the things I
the fear of God entered my heart – I loved the most?’
thought God might spit me out!’
‘Many believers, mainly teenagers, came in and out of the prison, all renouncing their faith in order to get released. This even included pastors as well so the prison officers put pressure on me, saying “We will make you [renounce your faith] by force. If you do not comply you will die.”
‘I had one verse in my mind [Matthew 10: 32-33] and I was resolved to obey it: “Whoever acknowledges me before
Despite pressure from her family, which included taking away her Bible and gospel song tapes, Twen began to meet with other committed Christians for worship. However, her freedom
to express her new-found faith
did not last long. She was spotted leaving a meeting at a house and subsequently arrested. At that time in Eritrea – and even today – there are only four permitted religions: Sunni Islam, the Eritrean Orthodox, Roman Catholicism and the Lutheran Church
‘I said that I had not said that but he gave me the letter. My heart was filled with sadness and I went home and knelt at my bedside and cried. I asked God for forgiveness.’
‘At the time I had just finished military training so they gave me a letter to take to my unit. When I handed over
Twen then put her Bible in front of her and pictured in her mind the paper she had signed, putting them side by side.
Continued overleaf...
‘In February 2004 I was in prison for one month for my faith. My father came and begged me, saying he would allow me to read my Bible and to have gospel songs, as long as I said “yes” to what the prison authorities asked in order to get released.
‘I was so happy when my father came and said I could read my Bible and have freedom to go out but I asked the prison official what I was saying “yes” to. He said it was simply not to attend any meetings or to preach. I replied that the Bible said not to abandon meetings. He said I could still meet but just not attend huge conferences or gatherings. I said “what about
A shipping container like the one Twen shared with Helen Berhane
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