Leaving All for Christ
By: Hazel S. Yee
The prison door flew open as the soldiers dragged Lea inside almost unconscious due to the beatings that continued for four hours. While inside the prison the soldiers continued to hurt her asking her to deny Christ and leave her Christian faith, “Deny your Christ and live!” shouted one of the soldiers, Lea shook her head and remained silent enduring the pain that has gone through her inmost being.
Lea is a thirty-one year old missionary who left her family for a mission in a communist country, her husband Phillip, who is a pastor, decided to stay to take care of the church and their two kids, Jaira a fourth grade and Dofel a fifth grade. Both kids are excellent in school and are well disciplined. It’s hard for Lea to leave her family and fulfill the Lord’s command, however, when she heard that there are lives that are being destroyed because of famine, crime and immorality, she became cognizant how lives are wasted, and people died without knowing and experiencing the grace of God so she decided to go, aware of the danger that could take place because her faith is prohibited in that country and the punishment of being caught is unbearable to think of.
Words are being spread about her situation, people began to pray for her, her whole church hold prayer and fasting pleading God for help and total deliverance from anguish and bereavement, however before Lea was executed for torture, she asked her family and the congregation to be firm and be prepared for things that are about to happen. Lea knew perfectly that if God wills He can save her even from the pangs of death or God may allow a painful sacrifice in exchange of the salvation of the people which is the purpose of Christ’ crucifixion and death.
Col. Lee went inside the room and looked at Lea with despair, he is the officer in-charge of Lea’s case from the day of her captivity up to present, he is amazed how she handled the pain and the verbal abuse just to hold on to her faith. “You know what?! I’m wondering how important your faith and the God of yours whom you serve that you are willing to face all these misery, why is it better for you to suffer than deny your Christ and live? What’s in your God that you cannot disown? Don’t you have a family?” Col. Lee exclaimed in great disbelief, as he waited for an answer, Lea stared at him unaffectedly. “I’m giving you until tomorrow to decide, your life’s fate depends on your reply,” Col. Lee said and left the room dejectedly.
Col. Lee has watched and observed Lea from her first day in prison, he perfectly knew that Lea risked her life for people not related to her and he also knew that Lea has committed no sin except of course her faith which is unacceptable in their country. He began to think the beauty of a world without prejudice and the liberty of worshipping God without fear of being caught or tormented, Lea has to face the trial and the punishment of death as being implemented by the government and it hurts so much to know that the execution will be decided by him.
“I love you, I promised that I will love you till the color of our hair turns gray, I will take care of you and our kids and our family will stay together forever,” Phillip whispered as they kissed and embraced each other. “Mom, Dad look, here’s the result of our exam and I got a perfect score!” exclaimed Jaira. “Don’t forget your promise,” she added cheerfully. “I’ve got a medal for winning the spelling bee contest in school, you promised that you will buy me a pair of snickers,” Dofel said excitedly. These words sounded in Lea’s ears and as she reached out her arms towards Phillip and their kids she was dismayed to see that everything she heard is just a piece of beautiful memories, tears went down her cheeks, swelling because of the slapping. “Phillip, I love you too, I’m sorry I can’t be with you just as I have promised however, I knew that you will do the same thing if you were in my shoe. And my angels, how I wished to see you two grow, but sad to say Mommy can’t be with you any longer, but always know that I love you.” Lea silently utter, the feeling of solitude in that cold, dark room was replaced with peace and comfort as she prayed to God entrusting Him her life, knowing that as the day dawns her life draws near to the grave.
The noise from the distant became louder and louder, the voices of people are becoming more intense and as the door was opened, the soldiers came in followed by Col. Lee and Gen. Hong. The two men raised Lea up to her knees, “So what would be your decision?” asked Col. Lee, “Col., you asked me yesterday if I have a family. Yes, I have a loving husband and two beautiful daughters and it breaks my heart to leave them. However, how can I deny the Christ who loves me, it is my decision to die and give my life to God who remains faithful up to this day, the God who died that I may live, the God who gave everything that I may gain all things.”
“Are you crazy? You have the chance to live and be with your own family, are you going to waste this opportunity!” Col. Lee said in disbelief. Lea looked at him in his eyes and smiled there is no fear in her eyes as if death means nothing to her. “That’s it, take her outside for the execution.” Gen. Hong ordered, “This is frustrating, Col. Lee, if I were to decide, the death sentence should be given not later than one week after her captivity, two weeks trial is a long period for so-called Christians like her.” Dismayed, Col. Lee ordered his men to take Lea outside, he knew that nothing can be done once the verdict was announced, he was not aware that tears began flowing, “What’s in your God that you are willing to face death so peacefully?” Col. Lee said to himself his eyes followed her still.
As the soldiers escort her outside, Lea heard people calling out her name, she turned her head and saw Tao Li, a young man who once a drug dependant but became Christian after experiencing God’s deliverance; Phong, a teenage girl who ran from her parents because of rebellion and became pregnant at the age of sixteen, her life was changed when God rescued her from total destruction and gave her a new existence and Lao, who was engaged in adultery but his life, commitment and love were restored after encountering God in his sickbed and some other familiar faces were present, she knew that the love for these people are the reason why she remained strong as she marched towards her death. “To live is Christ and to die is gain, hold onto your faith…” Lea said as she holds Phong’s hands while the soldiers carried her away to the center of the firing line.
Gen. Hong ordered the shooter to prepare their rifles and he read the decree in the hearings of the people, Lea seemed not to hear everything, great peace and the most inexpressible joy overshadowed her, the feeling she felt the day of her encounter with Christ. Suddenly, Bang! The sound of rifles echoed through the air repeatedly while the soldiers fired at Lea as ordered by Gen. Hong, he then ordered them to stop as Lea’s lifeless body filled with blood dropped to the ground. People who came to witness the execution stood in silence, and then a soft sound of weeping was heard among the crowd, it became more extreme as people marched to the firing line one by one. Gen Hong was surprised to see that there are people who are willing to die and follow Lea’s example despite of the suffering and punishment she received. Their boldness and dedication seemed not to move the officer and so he took one of the soldier’s rifle and shot them one by one!
“What is the meaning of this?” Gen. Hong asked Col. Lee who approached him with his outstretched arm, he was holding the officer’s badge as a symbol of his position in the military and he was handing it to Gen. Hong. “Are you insane? Are you trying to insult me by this? Don’t tell me you pity these fools and thus you weakened your heart by accepting their ideologies?” Gen. Hong said in fury. “With all my life I have accepted and lived by our beliefs, and I have never doubted not even once to the government and to its policies until today, I have never seen such peace as these people commit their lives even to death, I wonder and how I wanted to know the God whom they serve, who He really is and why these people forsook their lives for Him, I wanted to know Him and I wanted to experience peace the kind of peace I have been longing for a long time, the same peace that they have as they faced their death,” Col. Lee stated then he knelt down, tears began to flow down on his cheeks while he whispered a prayer, “Lord I wanted to know You, make Yourself known to me…” In disgrace, Gen. Hong pointed the gun directly to Col. Lee’s forehead, “You are a shame to this country, and what a great fool you are!” with one shot, Col. Lee died with a smile on his face…
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