Mezhiisevi Mark Ziitso
When the drooling dinner was served, my friend, Nima continued narrating the amazing and amusing story of his friend to Rev. Zotuo. Nima and his beautiful wife, Ruth came to Nagaland for internship. They were sent by TROTB ministries, where they are getting trained to be full time missionaries. Nima is an Iranian Muslim convert and Ruth is a Punjabi by origin, both settled in the UK. They have amazing testimonies, each of them. The moved out of the UK because they heard and felt God wants them to serve as missionaries in Thailand, and very soon they will be in Bangkok.
I heard the full story of Nima’s friend when told to Rev. Zotuo and it intrigued me. I asked Nima to write the story the same way he told Rev. Zotuo. He did and here it is in Nima’s words. Thank you Nima and Ruth for letting us read the story. The name of Nima’s friend and the prison is left anonymous because it can endanger the people involved. In Nima’s words:
Iran is number 8 on the Open Doors World Watch list of countries where the persecution of Christians ishappening, but despite all the persecution people are embracing Christ on a daily basis. There was a time in my life where I had met a brother at the Bible College I was attending. When this brother had completed his studies, he decided to go back to Iran and serve the Lord in full time ministry among his nation. The Lord used this dear friend of mine in such a mighty way. Due to his activity among the Persian speakers, he was soon arrested for evangelism, bible training and distributing Persian Christian literature. Even though my friend was behind bars, the walls within the prison could not stop him from sharing the Gospel with other inmates.
There was a point during his imprisonment the officials had to remove my friend to confinement. There he had no one to talk too but the guards. Soon after he began to share the gospel with the guards and the investigation officers. One day a prison governor had visited my friend and through conversation he had mentioned, there is one condition, which we can set you free. The governor went on stating the conditions, plead guilty, and take oath that you will not evangelise anymore, denounce your activities and beg for your pardon. The governor continued and stated that my friend will be tape recorded and will be handed a letter to confirm that he had denounced such activities.
My friend was given one hour to do what the governorrequested. At that precise moment the Holy Spirit began to speak with my dear friend, “you can speak about yourself for the next hour or you can speak about Jesus, what do you want do?” so my friend made the decision and he began to speak about Jesus. After a while the governor got upset and said he didn’t want to hear any more about Jesus and sent him to his cell as he was not answering the relevant questions. At this point the governor had even came to the conclusion that my friend had gone mad, at the fact that he didn’t want to even consider his own freedom but speak about Jesus.
A few months later the governor had returned and explained you can go home and be with your family, you have half hour too explain to me about your activities and not about Jesus. The Holy Spirit yet again began to speak to my friend, “you can speak about yourself for the next half hour or you can speak about Jesus, what do you want do?” so my dear friend made the decision and he began to speak about Jesus. The governor became very angry and said, “this was your last chance and it seems like you deserve to be in here.” My friend was pleased he was able to share the gospel as the Holy Spirit was comforting him.
A few months later the governor came back and stated to my friend, “this is the very last chance I am giving you; you now have 15minutes to denounce your faith and sign these papers to confirm it.” The Holy Spirit began to speak yet again to my friend, “you can speak about yourself for the next 15mins or you can speak about Jesus, what do you want do?” So my dear friend made the decision and he began to speak about Jesus without any hesitation. The governor at this point became very angry with my friend and told him that all visitation rights will be suspended and he will not be allowed to come out of his cell for 3 months. My friend was then sent back to his cell.
About a month later, the doors to his cell was reopened and they released him to go to the prison yard for his 1 hour of free time. Leaving the cell, my friend felt he hadn’t heard from the Holy Spirit for a few days. While he was walking through the prison feeling low, he had noticed that Persian Christian songs were being played from the megaphones that were installed in the corridors. To his surprise he began to shout to other inmates, “Can you hear this?Can you hear this?” One had replied and said, “Yes, they are playing Christian songs.” My friend was overwhelmed and filled with great joy, he began to openly Praise and worship God for 1 whole hour. His free time came to an end and he was escorted back to confinement, feeling reenergised and refreshed. During his prayer time in his cell, the cell hatch was opened and through the hatch appeared the governor, he spoke out, “Thank you for sharing about Him, I know Him now” (said with a smile). The Governor shut the hatch and went his way. Approximately two months later, my friend received a letter of pardon with the help of the governor and was soon returned back to his family and friends. Amen.
This prisoner and our brother in Christ chose God at the expense of his freedom and family. This recent story is not less than the story of Paul and Silas in prison in the book of Acts where the jailer and his household were saved (16:25-33). Here the Governor was saved. There is nothing much to say, the story told everything in real. This story reminded of what William Carey said, ““Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” May God give us the grace to choose Him and to talk about Him in the time and opportunity given to us. Be it at home, at school, at college, at work or anywhere.
