Hello, this is Jack Crawford and Leopoldville recording on November 30th, 1964. Last night at our regular English service held at the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, we had a very interesting and even thrilling experience, during which time five people who had come out of the Stanleyville area as refugees, some of them having submitted very grievous personal losses, gave their own Christian testimony to what had happened to them physically and to what had happened to them. Spiritual power. I have taken this recording from one made by Henry Dirks, who works with the Gospel Library here, and I hope this may, in some measure, express in personal terms something of modern Christian witness. And something of what it is to live under persecution for the sake of Jesus Christ. Introducing the service and reading the scripture.

In the Congo.

I still read for our scripture tonight some verses from the 11th and the 12th chapter of the Book of Hebrew. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place where he was received as an inheritance, and he went out not knowing where he was to go by faith. So during the land of from, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob buried with him of the same problem, or he looked forward to the setting, which as foundation builder and maker is gone by faith. There are herself received power to concede. Even when he was passed the aid as he considered and faithfully went from it. Therefore, for one man and him as good as dead were born descendants as many of the stars of heaven and as innumerable grains of sand by the sea door. These all died in place, not having received what was promised, but having seen it and greeted it from afar and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth for people to speak that make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had grown up. They would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country that is a heavenly one.

Tucker of the Evangelized field mission, though, excuse me, of the I believe, of the Heart of Africa mission. In any case, her husband was beaten to death this past week when he was held by the rebel forces at this moral center of polling. He just was able to come down to Leopoldville last Thursday, I.

Mean, I'm sure that for those of us who have come out of rebel territory, this is perhaps been the longest and the most difficult week of our lives. And yet, through these difficult days, I am sure that each one of us have experienced the miraculous working of God enough and through us and for us. And I'm sure that every one of us who is here tonight is grateful to God that we are here. But our hearts are so heavy when we think of those who remain behind. And I'm sure that each one of us will be thankful to pray that God have mercy and He's here to deliver. We have spent almost four months now, almost four months between returning from Pearl. Well, and we have been prisoners of the rebels. And even the time when we were not under house arrest or in prison. Yet we have had no freedom of movement. And they have been very difficult and trying days in many ways. And yet I am sure that if each one of us in this world tonight who has to be four months, he would say that they have done the rest of our life, or we have learned to live not only day by day, but moment by moment. He calls upon God from the early morning, a moment that we would wake in the morning. He could only live and keep going by the hand of God. Once in a while, one of the rebel officials or even one of the members would come around and be a bit friendly or helpful and we would feel a bit encouraged. And then it would seem that God would let even that one thing that he's one of the things that you would find to keep not only at the job but our children, was that V is the helpful man that he wanted us to learn in tire complete dependance upon him for your life or difficult life and for the supply of everything. We did when we returned from for a while, we felt that we must stay on. We got back to port. We had our car for a few days and we could have left. But we felt the restraining hand of God don't matter. We had faith. We had a job and waited for a little while and 60 for two weeks and then again at 61 for a little while and come back and got to see your crew. And we felt that God wanted us to stay on. We have had some very wonderful experiences through these past weeks. And the Lord, the night we were here in Leopoldville on our way up country and I was debating, I did not want to go and take the children and God spoke to me that night and told me, He says, I love those children more than you do, and I will deliver them out of the den of life, not from the den of lions, but out of it. At that time, we did not know that the rebels were called Simba or Lion. I did not know until the day they attacked our town and they banged on the doors and Emily and they would climb him and God, that I promised I would deliver you and the children out of the den of one. I had hope and proud of that promise, trusting that it covered my husband too. But somehow I just never to feel quite certain. And yet he trusted Advisor Bring me here to our home from last night at 830. The diplomatic mission, Catholic mission, where our Europeans, of course, were being detained. So we wanted to know how we are, how we were at home. We have some very difficult experiences in our home with the things that I have heard on my husband, what he says there all, despite everything you hear from what I said, I know you will be happy to hear that you will still know life and hung up and went to bed. And the Lord watched all night, including the next morning, and gone to find out how they were because of Sandy. And I said, How are things that are yet? I said, How is my son? Then he later. Although it didn't come as a complete surprise yet. I know you can understand how destructive What? And I cried out to the Lord. What can I do? And the Lord brought to me that were very strong and clear struck a point of sleep falling to the ground in a Bible suit, but it just sort of reinforced. I have gone to great lengths to that, but I do not feel that my husband died. Case of regret. I feel that you have given your life to the Congo. He loved his heart and where he has labored happily and optimistically 25 years, more than half of his life. He was only 40. I feel that he did not die a victim of the rape, but is a victim to the more people. And I feel it is my duty in the natural, I'd like to go home and hide away with my children privately. But I feel before God, I have a duty to continue to represent the Congo to the people of our Africa, to keep them great in all of these, given their lives. A lot of died in vain, and those from the days look very dark. We do not know. We are fearful that to see them can no longer reach out. Their vengeance upon are quite to the nature of our native people. But those of us who have said it is our duty to go home and keep the Christians of America pray that the Church of Christ will rise out of the ashes as perfectly pure, more and more of a place that could. My wife and I were about a little messy station called Nala, just 40 kilometers from the station where Mrs. Tucker was working. We were in constant touch with the suck up and the ladies of the Assembly of God missions in the Valley. I could tell you stories of that history. And who are they? But I feel that I would like to give you a word of testimony along this line. But when God's purpose is to prevent a man being delivered to the enemy and has no power. Not. It may be a word of comfort for those of us who are waiting for their loved ones left behind. Now, I mean, I think that may be just a restriction on the kind of voluntary help. I've got a neighbor to people who want to ruin my life. And I was out there and, you know, he gave up this world. They are entangled in the land and the wilderness, most of them in. We were just 14 kilometers from the suburbs, but just along a side road and still kilometers where the lions were constantly passing. And they got into the Coffee Foundation a mile up the road and began to open on the way. This not very badly. And we were constantly wondering what's going to happen to us. But God took care of us in an amazing way, just as Daniel was in the lion's den. And so he is not just on the main road outside of our regular. I was just off the court. There were at least one night one of the people saying, and it was late December. That's the beginning of the suffering of the victims of that cruelty and so on. We were in the midst of it for something like four months. We never saw more than one thing. We arrived at the very heart of the whole thing. That's very, very amazing throughout when you realize about the of 200 yards of the road, there's a large black person on the other side, this Nala. And there was a passing that day sometimes two or three times a day. Never once again, we were done with that. Our Africans took up a challenge and it was it. We've been studying in the hope of God, and they tell us God has put a head down as I go. You can also put a header out about us and they say a of anything that we need to look at. The Gold Coast, put it on the website. They also say that I don't want it to be up against the gods and even the blaming. So you would hope that it. I'll they all for playing on it. That's the age of the holiday comes about in the fear isn't I'll deliver. And then the law is another word. But it sounds like you think that you're going to be absolutely certain that the Lord knows how to rescue a good man surrounded by fire. We made up the coalition and we survived through the possibility of the you know, we really got through we presented ourselves to go against any responsibility that the people did have. And we have a very strong conviction that God was one of the best of our game. The time was it all up on me that I was delivering and I was just doing. Oh, God. Deliver to you yesterday. That was it. The the thing about selling the hockey card. I mean, you didn't have a profit argument, nonetheless, on top of it. Oh, the Europeans are all registered. And of course, all the cards were taken up. And then on top of all that, we have this amazing taking in the wife and children about the estate promises. And they were running away. Well, well, we have all this stuff out there. No, we've not be registered. And our car was given. And of course, we didn't give up the symbol, depending on the company, just to get a visa. Well, that's several times a day. That was one of the big. Well, why was it I did it? I don't know. I do have this very strong feeling now that we are living better, like so many of our colleagues, I think so many biological friends of a young. And then the morning, the end, the end, we heard the same rule that we want to you back daily, the first one to take the Europeans across the steps of the town. We were hoping to get a bit of that, but that's the message in the town. But they put up and they will definitely take it. And it is a safety thing that the labor is elected to the office. Also, they are corrupt. We have a machine guns and they make that up. We call that way back on the three lions lost their lives on the way back. But what we are thinking of particularly is it rather than looking down on the estimates, only three of them were shot. They died on the scene. Now we are living because they died and we have responsibility of that. But now we can deliver one of these so that God has given us a new lease of life. And we do. How are you going to do? Expecting me to give it something? Them? It's no big deal. I really wanted to tell you that I would have come to live in Berlin for a long time, yet to live because this is no man's land to them again. Yeah. What was that? There was kind work order. I didn't rumor or that the rebels were coming, and we felt that there was a big city that it wouldn't follow the Americans. Corner the morning of that day that they were evacuating their women and children and that we were safe. But we did not feel a sense of before without left. Also, during this time, we got anything from our work knowing that they were that the rebels were coming here. Because you were quite right. Shooting began on that afternoon and by Thursday, the rebels had already taken control. Then at about 3:30 a.m. in the morning of Friday, those other cells in the center, the outside of one of our apartment buildings, that as they began shooting through the windows with tear gas of a rifle, professor went down to the door and let them in before they would break their way in, which was better. We were taken to a military camp, along with four of our workers who did not have their cars with all of them. We were put in a building and told right then that we would all be killed. But fortunately, one of the later four days, it is the higher officer that we were in a university and not until recently he was able to phone up another fire official and we were spared that. We left the camp and we still had four of our workmen there. Later, no one and I went back with the car and got them. Also, I imagine that we are not thinking about you have been killed during this time and that you we don't really know. Certainly they were looking for and these were armed and this was we also saw it spread out. So the professor decided to live in the desert. Just know the wind was blowing right together. We felt we would be safer living together against the war compared with these large apartments. That urban growth, the other side so left on the 1st of August and I have been repairing were taken to off by the new government. So and there is a lot of that work doing very well. But fortunately we were able to get the mattresses or so you go down to the other side. During this time we were able to work really be very good because we did not want to spend too much money of lives were becoming hard to buy. Now all that is good, like all psychotherapy work every afternoon, like the study land and staying around the house kind of you have to get your mind off the surroundings. But while after we lost the apartment building, we wanted to fire several of the workers. We had a bit of trouble because the people's government, we cannot fire people both. The fire was that they were so we were able to get them to duty and it helped cut down our spending. But that was after a lot of rough weather On the 49th of October, Judge Writer goes back to court and they were put in prison. Were Dr. Khalsa, the other five American Council staff, were We slept on planks and we are very fortunate that we had the blanket of peace here. I would like to express my thanks to the local people who were right across the street and they said during this time we very, very well, the prison riot in general was as good as could be expected under those conditions. And details were that fortunately, one time a officer who, as I guess heard a lot of they hate America, they the American hated whites in general came in and black people. On the 17th of November, the radio announced that. The population was slow to consider the number of monuments for the execution of eight Americans. Fortunately, we did not hear about this, and this was supposed to be the next day that we would accept that night. But the next morning, about 10:00, they came and got it. The Americans, we asked if they were missionaries. Also, they said yes. All Americans that we were we were taken to the bureau, signed our name. As soon as we stepped out of the door there, we saw the crowds and very thought that went through. My mind was this is the war or the war put in the back of the jeep and therefore was put the back of the boat on. We were taken to the monument. There were all four of all eight of us were put in the back of the flow of the rock. And there we stayed for about 45 minutes in the hot sun. They were talking us the whole time, telling us how they would kill us. And the crowd fully expected that we would die. After the 45 minutes we were supposed to get out of the jeep and we were going to the front of the monument and a rebel officer came to the area. This was this whole time I had been praying that it was God's will, that I would not die, that he was very and it was just like immediately after prayer. After that, the chopper to the jeep did not show up. And we were pushed slowly through the crowd, were yelling for our blood back to the prison. There we we're not allowed to go out and they're going to show up and all that. We were to drive to the president where we expected possibly to have a fight with the president of the American Council was there. But after a wild ride, when we got out there, there was another crowd. And during his speech there in front of us, the photographers took pictures of it, and he denounced America for killing all of their will, women and children and helpless people. And as well as that we were bombing and because of Zoloth and the others appeal for our lives, that we would be spared no Monday And then we were ripped off before the crowd could get out. And so we were taken to the prison later that night to stand back and so that we would be put in a hotel. Victoria was the rest of the building to sit here. Well, we waited two days for this, then were finally moved. But I wish I could go back to prison. It wasn't necessary, but we would be that night were expecting an attack. We all stayed on the floor of the lobby of the hotel. So I guess that the it was started shooting it. But in the morning there is no attack. We were about to go to our room that afternoon at 3:00. If they were expecting another attack, they put us on busses and trucks. There wasn't room for everyone and John was just a few line in the crowd of us and they told him to get off. But I say no. So we went out about 12 hours and the bus broke down. But very fortunately we were able to go to the finale to get all the hostages there, but we stayed in the hut over. We were to figure it out overnight. But then at about 10:00, a car came out because there was a misinterpretation or a mistaken order that we had been ordered to the back. So we all went back by Sunday and Monday. So this last week were relatively calm. We were able to gather with you about this various who were there. Dr. Carlson and I went up for meetings, also the classes there. During this time, Dr. Carlson was able to administer to the sick, and he gave a very good testimony to those who came into contact with me. And then November 24th, 6:00, the start of the airplane flying over, and nothing happened actually until 8:00 when we noticed them twice leaving hotels. And then first soon they came for us to leave. But everybody out of the hotel, into the street, walking toward the airport several blocks and were all we heard the. Other characters reside closer to the girl who has taken the doll in her short speech that he was no longer responsible for, that he has saved our lives all the time. And then we were killed on the street. Then there was an industrial heavy burst of machine gun fire that carried on through around the stadium. And they began firing into the crowd that was laying on the street after the first word. So those missionaries, John and Dr. Crawford, ran to help. That was across the hall, broken down a door. You or I would later see that and not know what to say there. But while they were all Dr. Coulson was crying over, while we were able to play around the corner and saw him the end of the ride and decided to leave was. Yeah. I was expecting to go out and play for me any time, but. But that was also then we got to the case shortly thereafter. And because I wanted I was able to help those who were wounded and get them off of the airport. One of our for a meeting, Dr. Coulson called it all our attention to the birth of the second Timothy for security. My first answer was no, man. That was me. But all in perspective, I pray to God that it may not be laid there, not with understanding. That was very. The Lord stood by me, directed by me to freaking let you fully know that all of this of my here that was delivered out of the mouth of the Lord and the Lord shall deliver me from every word and will preserve me everything you're doing the glory forever. And then this experience that give me a terrific faith in God and made me realize fully that we were always in His hand. Without his protecting her over us, we would never have made it. I just remember that God is God does not to us. We do not protect him. Or so. Alas.

The last young speaker was a young man from the Sunday night Central Committee who had been working with the Protestant University at Stanleyville. He is just about 20 years old.

Well, if you are sincere appreciation for your prayer. Local councils in the area. Are probably three months out of this is you know obviously you guys got all of us to pray and continue to call it and pray for those who remain. About two weeks ago. What a missionary synthesis word from Hebrew descent dropped in the 34th verse. And I'm reading from the amplified version. Or you did sympathize and suffer along with those who were imprisoned, and you bore the more cheerfully plundering of your belongings and the confiscation of your property, the knowledge and consciousness that you yourselves had a better and lasting four day. You're not that far away. You'll feel it's confidence or carries a great and glorious recompense a reward. Will you have me to accept that they can enjoy, but to make reform and fully accomplish the will of God and thus receive and carry away one time for a little while, a very little while, and the coming one will come and will not be late. But I just shall if I see that is my right to serve in jail. If I have conviction respecting man's relationship to God and divine things only fair but one two things enjoined with it. If he draws back and strengthens fear of my soul, I have no delight or pleasure in him. And our way is not those who brought back internal misery now utterly destroyed. We are those who believe the pleased to entrusted rely on God and Jesus Christ died by faith. Or there were 72 missionaries and children during that month. I've got two of them that your work has been. Some on. 47 over seven to continue on service theme. But up to today, Craft made a return from the area where Donoghue just moved back to continue to work for the church. The right area. There's been many women and children. Many I met in the high level would say. No, not that condition. Oh, thank God. In. Thank God if you do a praying for them. Let's think of these last few months in another life. While we were set aside yet a group of men we did not know Christ. You're a captive audience. They also became a lot of noise dealing with prayer and Bible. Those three men know the law. When I will be discussing things, Lord, these men were killing it on missions that failed completely. The ministry they had observed making the law is all that the government has given out. His Royal Highness explained with why he did fail on asking, Well, what makes a Christian? Because they criticize what makes a Christian, but only so when they spoke up. One of those guys tried to. Three never said that. Great. It's been a time opportunity, obviously off the record for crime tell all the development of the crime. But what I literally have done and I of hear from talking to them about this is the time witnessed also for legal literature in the past in bible what he's been requested. They were glad to happen. There is one doctor, a Hungarian doctor was what, three or four times a day. He read inaudible. And it's time to do what you thought it was. The one thing that can the say to crack. Those who stayed away for several days, attempted to remedy, play with football and joined in later. They also ActionScript listening to what no friends or words of comfort, the way of salvation to read about not only where we were, but also the camp. They were able to send them out what it like as well. Many would never eat chocolate in a darkened indoor restaurant. He actually. There was another witness also that was a witness in the church in those early days of August. Days of terror. So many hundreds of Congolese were shot or killed in up by other new. I'm not ashamed to tell you that I would get it. You can't leave school there at the same stadium, not for their protection, but if they can help us, protect us when they came in far enough front yard in inviting us, I think maybe. Not because they only love that either. You keep them at least something to. You were mentioning there all night that it was a that you walked many kilometers to find out if you were alive. Well, what are you talking about now, after all? And it was another one of our school teachers who see those early days. They found that room for him to disappear or were left alive. One of them lady, was at our house and walked along just to find out who I would consider in time because it gave them the gospel of Jesus Christ. Except that. He wouldn't state at all follow all the laws. I'm sure many fell by the wayside. Thank God for two of our. What a testament to what I'm still learning today are two of them that are missing here at 1105, Neal, after the church walk down within 20 kilometers from the rest, it's just the debris. We can't walk properly because you stayed with Philip Glass. And the point. Another one of our factors in the low school development that happens early days, Dawson's Creek, even if it is a lesson. The cult leader over up that. The trick is Jesus Christ, and we're lucky to have the opportunities that carried on many of our people. It was a conflict of interest that one would be joining in the world. They say all kinds of. All. What is the pattern of. The small but significant turmoil all around. We're trying to solve the thing in a military way because I think we've seen that in the Credo now for almost a year. Just days ago, there were just multiple people. I don't think so. Yes, we were saying look for events, but it's not a long range solution, the temporary thing. And we're all deeply appreciative to the government. WOODRUFF So many men, so many planes, so much equipment, so much personnel. Like you said, a few of the empty is nothing. And these stole a lot of car, right? A lot of people are wondering whether they see is any better. I would rather live with it and see. But it's not a longer term solution. And see. There's a lot of thinking, a lot of arbitrary just. I don't think the military can solve the even in the north that has assault on the political administrative level. There is a lot of talk of sending in new administrators, getting everything going again, setting up your bureau again. But for now, they do set up any of the arms that our last speeches when they made that. All right, you'll take the city, but you'll never get us out of the country, which is true. Look at the people to look at them. Look at the northeast heartland. And speaking of economic, political heartland, to go on, say, and sense when you can send a truck, say, the key fob, you may send a truck. Yes, but we'll be ambushed on the way. A lot of talk of pouring in, a lot of money to take up the bar and hire a lot of workmen, build buildings. You hope so. Yeah. You can build more buildings, but can we just professional men go back with their friends the next year? A major consideration also, if we can, a of sales of the proposition go to the university. Would most advising, most encourage the site, the location utilities offer there. The interests of the community for the university is right. But finally, what professional man will go in with the sensitive consideration knowing that the rebels are still around? There are a few other factors that have not been discussed in the papers. One of them has been building up for the last year. The other one is very rough. First of all, we have now entered into a phase of the Israel have come to power. You will know that that is Israel training the company. First of all, they now have a contingent again now, not just to show the tyrant the way the Congo has for the last few years. Sending soldiers is a threat. Israel has connections with Ghana, and other countries are trying to encircle southern Africa, the southern part of the continent. But there's no truth and believe in prophecy. We make it part of the total picture of our second factor. And this is very risky and this is why it's almost impossible till now. Some of our colleagues were killed in isolated mission, so we could all say, well, it was a mistake. It was something that happened while it was of the general educators and medical people were not missionaries. We want you're all welcome generally. And sometimes it was all our life because it was so true. But I think it's all right. I don't think we should have husband or wife. But they did want and you can cover people who came as educators, for instance, because they came to help. But now it's become a racist. It's white skin, have nothing becomes an object of hate as you listen to sound radio. For the last few months, I'm aware of the immense power of propaganda, especially the last week that it was building up. You listen to taking shortwave and you listen to stand radio and all that imperialist neo colonial period. Everything that is writing of the apartheid in South Africa, the injustice of the whites there will not be forgotten here. And now the white men are in here. Hey, I think I've reanalyzed what's available next month. But remember, the rest of the Arab world conflicts itself. And the reason some of us may go back in September next year, they don't know. But the church is there. And I'd like to ask, what were the algorithms begin? Number two is the science of the sea. They're there. They'll continue to evolve as the power, but.

After Dr. Lohan had finished speaking. The meeting was then closed with prayer by Marshall Street of the UN Evangelist Field Mission, who had been called away at a conference when Stanleyville fell. I have not recorded his prayer, but as you can imagine, it was full of Thanksgiving for a joyous reunion with his family, who were safe, though despite being there, despite the fact that they were behind rebel lines for over three months with no word of him and he had no word of them. Also, a prayer of deep concern for the numerous members of his mission who are called to three stations in Aleppo. No word. And I hope that little David has been able to give you some insight, personal insights into the situation which has been lived by some of our friends in Christ. Up in the northeastern corner of the Congo. May God bless you all. Goodbye.