L-R Nathanael Lewis Trustee of the BPCA (holding Hebrew Bible), Wilson Chowdhry Chairman of the BPCA (Holding Urdu Bible), Samuel an Eritrean Christian Cab driver (holding Eritrean Bble) and Harpal Singh Saini Trustee of Kingdom Ministries (holding Punjabi Bible).
The interviews were a real success with several public calls made to the BBC London studios about Christmas in the UK for Asians and the presenters Shay and Sunny who host the BBC London Asian Show, have said they will invite the BPCA for further interview dates. (click here)
BBC Nottingham Programme Editor James Moyse said of the persecution interview with Wilson:
“Thanks very much Wilson the interview sounded real authorative!”
Mr Moyse has said he will try and obtain a recording of the interview for us until then I have found a link that will be up for a few more days – listen from 11 minutes (click here)
The BBC organised a cab back home for Wilson Chowdhry after the interview and amazingly the driver was an Eritrean Christian. Samuel described how at 16 years of age he escaped persecution by paying for an unknown driver to drive him across Eritrea, into Sudan and from there through the Sahara desert to Libya. From Libya he travelled on a crammed fishing boat with around 100 passengers across the sea to Italy. He feared for his life most during this part of the trip during a tumultuous journey through rough seas and unable to move an inch due to the tight squeeze. Despite cramps Samuel survived the journey and later made his way across to the UK, where he found asylum.
He said:
“The journey brought me closer to God, I had to draw on His strength to bear the stress and pain of leaving my family and a burdensome dangerous journey. I gave my life to God God prayed fervently and have been a committed Christian ever since.”
He added:
“I do not look back to my old life, of course I miss my family and am worried for their safety, but I know that God has a great plan for their lives and my life. Our God is a great God.”
Samuel is now 27 and works as a cab driver. He has never been able to return to the land of his birth to see his family who continue to suffer great discrimination and persecution. Wilson befriended him and invited him to an Urdu service, where they shared a moment of worship together. Wilson gifted him a free “We are One” T shirt and Samuel bought a further two for members of his church.
Samuel was very inspiring and believes that Christians here in the safety of the UK, need to remember their voiceless brothers and sisters abroad who are living through great fear and trepidation. He said:
“God calls us all to help the persecuted, yet so many comfortable Christians have failed to be Samaritans at the time of need of our terrorised brothers and sisters abroad. I implore Christians in the UK to rise up and speak out for suffering Christians. We need to be supportive of one another as one day the persecution could be on our doorstep and then it will be us calling for Christian love.”
Samuel and Wilson have agreed to stay in touch and Samuel will be asking his pastor to invite Wilson to talk about the plight of Pakistani Christians at an Eritrean Church based in North London.
Wilson Chowdhry said:
“It was an eventful Easter Day for me, one that I will never forget. Two radio interviews in which I was able to share details of the persecution and faith of Pakistani Christians was an important step in our awareness campaign. However meeting an Eritrean brother who suffered so much for his freedom at great risk, was both humbling and inspiring. We serve a great God who makes the lives of those in His ministry colourful and engaging. Most of all He leads us along paths that are enlightening and serve to develop our spirit.”
“And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”
Revelation 5:9 NIV