25 January 2012
Saabir, father of seven children, is one of elders in the local gathering of believers. He is living in a dangerous area with his family. The war has forced some believers that he knew from their homes and they are living as refugees. Many men had been taken, never to return again, likely having been killed.
One day before sunset, two SUVs came to his house. One stopped in front of his door and the other a bit farther away. Both of the vehicles carried masked men. The men from the closest car seized Saabir from his home, leaving his wife alone with all seven children. A few days later, one SUV came, again with masked men. The men came and stole all the family’s goats; some were killed (making them unable to be eaten) and others were taken by the men.
Time passed. The family had no indications where Saabir might be. About two months later, a believer saw Saabir next to a well, chained by his ankle. He had been given the task of watering animals by this well. This information was passed along to his family. Upon hearing this news, Saabir’s 14-year old son fought to go and see his father. The believers, sensing it was not good to go, held the boy back.
Two months after this sighting, some people found Saabir. His health was very poor. These people brought him to a hospital run by an aid organization for treatment. Wanting to help Saabir, they inquired about who he was and where he was from. Saabir told them that he had been taken from his family by force and had been required to work. He had become ill and his captors no longer found him of any use, so they had left him to die. Treatment at the hospital revealed two injuries. His ankle was badly wounded from the chain that had kept him next to the well where he had been forced to stay and work. Secondly, he had contracted a very strong strain of malaria. Being alone, he was under the care of people who did not know him.
One day, some of the displaced believers whom Saabir knew from the past, brought their sick child for treatment to the same hospital. These people saw Saabir in the hospital and immediately recognized him. The family took responsibility to care for him and sent word to his family of his location and condition, promising to look after Saabir.
When Saabir’s family received this information, two elders and his wife went to see Saabir in the hospital, some distance away. The children remained with the other families of believers. Due to Saabir’s condition, he had to remain at the hospital for three more weeks before being released. During the extended stay, his wife and the elders stayed with the local believers in that area. Upon his release, he went home with his wife and the two elders.
When he returned home, everyone was very encouraged to see him again – both his children and the believers. Due to the harsh conditions, his youngest children had believed that their father had died, like many others. When the youngest saw his father again, he said, “Father is just like Jesus. He was dead and is alive again!”
This story is from live-dead.org.
Saabir, father of seven children, is one of elders in the local gathering of believers. He is living in a dangerous area with his family. The war has forced some believers that he knew from their homes and they are living as refugees. Many men had been taken, never to return again, likely having been killed.
One day before sunset, two SUVs came to his house. One stopped in front of his door and the other a bit farther away. Both of the vehicles carried masked men. The men from the closest car seized Saabir from his home, leaving his wife alone with all seven children. A few days later, one SUV came, again with masked men. The men came and stole all the family’s goats; some were killed (making them unable to be eaten) and others were taken by the men.
Time passed. The family had no indications where Saabir might be. About two months later, a believer saw Saabir next to a well, chained by his ankle. He had been given the task of watering animals by this well. This information was passed along to his family. Upon hearing this news, Saabir’s 14-year old son fought to go and see his father. The believers, sensing it was not good to go, held the boy back.
Two months after this sighting, some people found Saabir. His health was very poor. These people brought him to a hospital run by an aid organization for treatment. Wanting to help Saabir, they inquired about who he was and where he was from. Saabir told them that he had been taken from his family by force and had been required to work. He had become ill and his captors no longer found him of any use, so they had left him to die. Treatment at the hospital revealed two injuries. His ankle was badly wounded from the chain that had kept him next to the well where he had been forced to stay and work. Secondly, he had contracted a very strong strain of malaria. Being alone, he was under the care of people who did not know him.
One day, some of the displaced believers whom Saabir knew from the past, brought their sick child for treatment to the same hospital. These people saw Saabir in the hospital and immediately recognized him. The family took responsibility to care for him and sent word to his family of his location and condition, promising to look after Saabir.
When Saabir’s family received this information, two elders and his wife went to see Saabir in the hospital, some distance away. The children remained with the other families of believers. Due to Saabir’s condition, he had to remain at the hospital for three more weeks before being released. During the extended stay, his wife and the elders stayed with the local believers in that area. Upon his release, he went home with his wife and the two elders.
When he returned home, everyone was very encouraged to see him again – both his children and the believers. Due to the harsh conditions, his youngest children had believed that their father had died, like many others. When the youngest saw his father again, he said, “Father is just like Jesus. He was dead and is alive again!”
This story is from live-dead.org.
(Think Galatians 2:20 if the name seems odd.) :)
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