You might’ve heard countless incidents of terrorists blowing up buildings and killing innocent people. These stories don’t serve any purpose rather than filling the human heart with fear and uncertainty. On the other hand, you’ll also hear about incidents that make you believe in Jesus Christ even more. These are stories of people who died or endured great suffering with an expression of gratitude.
They died with prayers expressing their love for God and forgiveness for those who committed the horrific act. Such stories serve as an inspiration for many, reaffirming their faith in Jesus Christ. Here, we present some of these inspiring stories:
1. Coptic church blasts, Egypt
On Palm Sunday in 2017, bombs exploded inside Egypt’s two historic Coptic churches. The explosion killed nearly fifty parishioners and over a hundred others were injured. Amid much grief and outrage, Father Boules George stepped before his packed church just hours after the blast.
He then gave the terrorists responsible for the act a three-point sermon, which went viral throughout the world. It was titled ‘A Message to Those Who Kill Us’. These simple points were simple, yet very powerful. They were “Thank you”, “We love you”, and “We’re praying for you”. Father George’s had said “Thank you” to the terrorists.
It was to tell the terrorists that they had given the dead a rare honour. They got the opportunity to die as Christ died. The actions of terrorists had reminded people of their eternal destinies. It was truly surprising to see that the place overflowed with people who usually didn’t attend the church.
Father George said “we love you” because the followers of Jesus Christ were taught to love their enemies. The message was concluded with “We’re praying for you” for the terrorists. If they ever tasted the love of God even once, it would drive away hatred from their hearts.
2. The memoir of Kim Eun Jin, North Korea
Before the Korean War, about 13 per cent of the population of North Korea was Christian. Today the number has declined to almost 2 per cent. Among them is Kim Eun Jin. She was born in a Christian family in the country’s capital city, Pyongyang. When she was in school, Kim was taught that there was no God. She was also taught that the people of North Korea should worship the leaders of their country.
While growing up, she was also told that her hometown was once called ‘Jerusalem of the East’. This was due to the fact that it had a great base of Christianity. On Saturday nights, her family would gather at the back of their tiny apartment. Then they would whisper their worship and Bible studies with their heads covered to muffle the noise.
Kim’s grandmother had converted to Christianity before the Second World War and had a Chinese Bible. Kim’s mother had translated it into Korean by hand. The family was held together by those precious pages. Eventually, her father was discovered and arrested by the police along with her uncle.
She never saw her father again. Kim, her mother, her grandmother, and her siblings managed to escape North Korea. Today, she is 31 years of age, married, and has a child. She is often invited to speak to groups about North Korea and its human-rights abuses.