It is important that you write
It is important that you sign and send this Letter to Umid (click on the link). If you send it, you can personally bring comfort and encouragement to him. Read the Danish translation of the letter to Umid Here...
Pastor Umid had to defend himself
Umid Gojajef was arrested in Dashoguz on April 19, 2012 and is now in the Seydi labor camp, convicted of hooliganism. This is according to the news agency Forum 18, which the Danish European Mission is co-founder of and involved in running.
Pastor Gojajef was arrested after arguing with four neighbors over access to a spring on the land they live on in Dashoguz. Christians say he was forced to defend himself against the four men and that he hit one of them with a stone. Several days later, he and his family reconciled with the victim and paid for his expenses by staying in the hospital.
However, it was only when the police found out that a Protestant Christian was a party to the case that they insisted the case go to court - despite the victim withdrawing his complaint. Christians in the country say the four-year sentence is disproportionate to the offense committed by the pastor and point out that none of the other four men were charged.
His wife and children need prayers
The children are sick, the wife is unemployed, and they don't live close to the prison. The body of Christ beyond the earth can stand with this family and pray for them, so that husband, wife and children will have the strength and power to get through this time.
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How to send a comforting letter to the imprisoned Umid:
- Sign the form The letter to Umid (click on the link) Read Danish translation of the letter to Umid Here...
- Send it to:
Gojayev Umid
LBK - 12
Seydi Şaheri
Lebap Velayati
Turkmenistan
- Write a passage from the Bible in Russian or English. He will at least understand the meaning when he reads the reference.
- Don't write anything negative about Islam or Turkmenistan.
- Don't forget postage!
Encouraging letters put quiet pressure on authorities
If you send a letter to Pastor Umid, it will be noticed - a letter to Turkmenistan from Denmark! And if many other recipients of the Danish European Mission magazine join in, it will be visible to the authorities that many Christians stand with Umid and pray for him and his family. Perhaps this will contribute to his early release.
Facts - Pastor Ilmurad Nurliev
In spring 2012, Pastor Ilmurad Nurliev, also from Turkmenistan, was released after about 1½ years in prison - and he was also sentenced to four years in prison, also in the labor camp in Lebap. A contributing factor to his early release may be that in his case, many people wrote letters to him - and the authorities were challenged by having such a well-known pastor locked up.
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