Charles continued, “After healing from my father’s poison, I purposed to never meet him or any other family member, including my two blood brothers. I also started volunteering at Word of Life, which gave me a sense of hope and a future.”
Despite his efforts to avoid his family, in March 2019, Charles was kidnapped and tortured for a week before he was released by the captors, who were sent by his father.
“While surfing in a cyber café in Mombasa [with] my childhood friend, some people blindfolded and whisked me into a waiting car. I was taken round and round by the men, [who were] praising Allah that they had found me. Finally, I was taken to a mosque and uncovered,” Charles told International Christian Concern through tears.
“I was later moved to another house and locked inside a small dark room. I was given seven days to repent and re-Islamize. Every day, I was given a blue pill with very little water. My captors told me that my father had sent that pill to help me remove unbelief from my thick head. Yes, my father again. My heart sank deeper,” mourned Charles.
Charles held to his faith in Christ throughout the seven days of torment, saying, “On the eighth day, I was told that they would take me to the mosque to either be killed or [to be dropped off after] injecting me with poison. I knew my end had just arrived. I said my final prayer for deliverance from the claws of the enemy or a gracious welcome to the heavenly presence of God. The Lord answered my prayer, and my captors asked me where I wanted to go. I told them that I wanted to go to the South Coast.”
He was again blindfolded, shoved into the car, and driven to the South Coast. Charles’ captors dumped him only a kilometer from the Word of Life Mombasa.
“A crowd that approached to see why I was being pulled from the car could not get an answer from [the captors] because they sped off. I was helped to the mission station and immediately taken to the hospital where I was admitted for a week. Then I was transferred to another Word of Life station because Mombasa was not safe for me.” Charles has since been living in his new home in secrecy. Despite the continued persecution from his own family, Charles concluded, “The Lord has spared me once again. May His name be praised forever.”
For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org