September 12. Majed El Shafie. Majed founded One Free World International, an organization devoted to supporting and speaking for persecuted people around the globe. He works to persuade world leaders to change the way they treat Christians, women, and other minorities.
Today’s story takes place back when Majed still lived in Egypt. He had converted to Christianity, and the persecution hit him fast and furious. Because he was from a prominent legal and political family, Majed tried to work within the Egyptian system to reform the country’s human-rights policies. But—because he was a Christian, because he wouldn’t turn over the names of all the other Christians—when Majed was 22, he was arrested, tortured, and condemned to death. Wait until you hear what happened.
Godly defiance may bring persecution. Be strong.
When Egyptian police broke into Majed’s home, dragged him to the police station, and demanded the names of his coworkers, he refused to turn his friends in.
With others, Majed had founded two underground churches, a bible school, a small clinic, and a newspaper. And he had exposed injustices against religious minorities. He wasn’t about to reveal anybody’s name.
They sent him to Abu Zaabel prison—“hell on earth”—and it almost killed him. For seven days, officers systematically scalded and questioned Majed.
When he still didn’t talk, the officers said they would bring in the dogs. Not just any dogs. German Shepherds. Trained to maim and mutilate.
Majed asked God to let him die before morning.
But the next morning, the sickening smell of sweat and blood hung in the air like a slaughterhouse. Trembling, Majed backed himself into a corner, squatted low, covered his face with his hands.
The cell door opened and three huge panting dogs entered the cell.
“Attack!” an officer commanded.
Majed waited, breathless. But nothing happened.
He slowly uncovered his face.
The dogs sat motionless and looked at Majed.
Astonished, the officers made excuses. Something was wrong. “The dogs must be sick.”
Quickly, the prison officers sent in three more German Shepherds.
“Attack!” an officer commanded.
Majed waited.
One of the dogs licked Majed’s face.
Stymied, the officers took the dogs and left Majed alone. He knew God had delivered him.
The following day, a muscular officer promised Majed anything he wanted in exchange for cooperation.
“Sounds good,” Majed said, “But I need to eat first.” So, they served him Egyptian shish kabob.
Afterward, Majed explained he could provide the name of his leader, but the rest of the Christians were too many to recall. “He knows all of our names,” he said. “I’m only a servant.”
“Well, who is he?” the officer demanded.
“Jesus Christ. If you can catch Him, catch Him.”
The officer knocked Majed across the room and then sent him to be crucified. They sliced his shoulder to the bone and poured in lemon and salt. They tied him to a wooden cross, and he hung upside down more than two days and blacked out. He later awoke in a hospital.
They accused Majed of trying to start a revolution, trying to change the state religion, and worshiping and loving Jesus Christ.
He told the judge, “If loving Christ and if worshipping Him is a crime, I’m guilty as charged, your Honor.”
He was placed under house arrest and sentenced to die in four days. What really hurt was that it was his own uncle who had asked for the death penalty.
But a group of armed Christians showed up at Majed’s home, kidnapped him, and fought off police. They sped him to Alexandria.
“You must leave the country,” they told him. “You can no longer stay in Egypt.”
Majed hid with a Bedouin family in a port city and monitored the border patrols on the sea.
Finally, Majed stole a jet ski and crossed a narrow stretch of the Red Sea. He knew Israeli and Egyptian patrols wouldn’t crossfire, so he evaded Egyptian gunfire by maneuvering between them. He surrendered to Israeli authorities, and they protected him until he obtained political asylum in Canada.
“So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den … At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?’
“Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions … . And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God” (Daniel 6: 16–21 NIV).
If loving Christ were a crime, would you be found guilty as charged? Godly defiance may bring persecution. Be strong.
Bernis, Johnathan. “Majed El Shafie, Escape From Egypt.” Jewish Voice Ministries International. “Majed El Shafie, Escape From Egypt.” Accessed June 15, 2012. https: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=AjCpv-KOKLw.
El Shafie, Majed. Freedom Fighte. Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers Inc., 2012.
Story read by: Blake Mattocks
Introduction read by: Daniel Carpenter
Audio production: Joel Carpenter
Editor: Teresa Crumpton, https://authorspark.org/
Project manager: Blake Mattocks
© 2020, 365 Christian Men. LLC. All rights reserved.