xr6 said:
Hey Guys...
I just got a message from a friend asking me to pray for a pastor called Ferdie Flores... he is a missionary in East Timor and is to be executed tomorrow (today is the 31st of Oct)... by beating. My friend asked me to forward this onto all Christians... I'm assuming some of you wont get this before he is executed... however, I guess it's definitely a big wake up call to the reality of what our fellow Christian brothers and sisters are facing for their faith. It's kind of bizarre cuz we were just talking about the persecution we face as Christians in a bible study I was doing tonight. I guess lets be extra appreciative and thankful that we are able to be Christians so freely in the countries we are in.
Thanx guys...
Pass it on if you can.
Lorrae.
The prayer request above came to my email box late Monday night the 31st October 05. I was concerned about its validity. However we know that christains die for there faith and with the impending deadline for this particular missionary execution. I asked my friends to pray.. It is good to read below and see that this man is not being executed....
Please read the statement below regarding this situation...
The Flores Family
East Timor
Recent reports of the impending execution of Bro. Ferdie Flores are inaccurate. Please see the bottom of this page for more information.
September 2005
Dear prayer partners,
For we have found this man a pestilent, a mover of sedition... Acts 24:5a.
For the Timorese mindset, it is shocking to know that somebody is converted. They believe that this man must have ridiculed or mock at the religion they embraced in the last 450 years, he must be punished. Similarly, the person who causes such conversion must suffer the worst consequence. I felt Apostle Paul’s situation in Acts 23-26 is real to me when he was accused of being a troublemaker for preaching the name of Jesus. Whenever trouble arises, the blame stops on the missionary!
Few months back, we rejoiced for the breakthrough in Laclo, a village 12 km southwest of Manatuto. Four families with 10 of them follow the Lord in believer’s baptism. Since then we started to have a regular Bible study every Saturday.
October 8, I and my family with two other believers went to Laclo for our regular Bible study. There about 25 believers gathered in one of the church member’s house. While I was preaching I noticed that there were people surrounded the house making noise trying to destruct our service. Just when I finished preaching and I heard a commotion. I went outside and saw people running away back and forth chasing each other. I noticed some believers lost their patience and was drawn to the rumble. While we are trying our best to pacify the situation, I feel terror is imminent. Jeannie then rushed our children to safety. In the next few minutes a mob appeared from every direction is coming towards us. As the mob comes closer I seated calmly and some hot tempered, furious catechists started to ask intimidating, long and tedious questions. I tried to answer the questions short and simple and try to evade discussion. In spite of this trouble the Lord is in control.. Finally the fire was subdued. It is a very long and horrifying day but praise the Lord the mob left us unharmed.
The believers later told me that they already heard the rumor that some notorious fanatics are planning to beat me but they didn’t inform me about it. In the eyes of our companion the aborted horror is still obvious. Maria, our companion had nervous breakdown in the last few days. Jeannie also bore the trauma as well.
Help us pray.
His servant and yours,
Ferdie Flores and Family
UPDATE
November 1, 2005
As of this morning we had received dozens of e-mails and phone calls from several countries from many concerned parties requesting information concerning rumors about the impending execution of Bro. Ferdie Flores. Apparently the information is circulating via e-mail and SMS. I've contacted a source close to Bro. Flores regarding those rumors. That source has responded as follows:
"The information you have received is not correct. That information has been going all over the Philippines and even to the States the last couple of days. Actually Ferdie and his family have experienced quite a bit of persecution recently instigated by the Roman Catholic Church. Several threats have been made by priests, but there has not been any physical harm done to Ferdie as of yet. Although last week a mob of about 250 people did surround Ferdie with stones, sticks, and machetes, but the Lord intervened and the crowd was dispersed without incident. As of now things are calm, but could erupt at any time. Ferdie has requested much prayer. But, he was never arrested and was never scheduled for execution as was reported. Hopefully this will clear things up for you. Thank you for writing."
This is all the information we have at this time. Further updates will be posted on this page as we deem necessary to do so.
While we praise the Lord for this report, we do want to encourage you to continue in prayer for the Flores family.
Widest dissemination of this information is appreciated.
Sincerely,
Robert D. Monteith
Pastor
