A Captive Missionary's Journey To Freedom (Part 1 of 2)

And so I felt abandoned and I I everything was going wrong and kept getting worse and worse and I thought where is my kind, gentle father, Pastor Andrew Brunson was accused of being a spy terrorist in Turkey. He and his wife Marine served there as missionaries was held in Turkish prisons or two years became somewhat of a political pawn. His incredible story is coming up today on Focus on the Family your hostess focus president and author Jim Daly and I'm John Fuller.

John this coming Sunday is the international day of prayer for the persecuted church and I hope pastors and churches recognize that it's so important for us to lift up those that are being persecuted literally physically for their faith in Christ in the United States.

We have an experience that kind of severe persecution, as some have been even giving like I say, their lives for their belief in Jesus and we must not forget the sacrifice that many believers make risking literally life and limb, knowing they have eternal life waiting for them. Pastor Andrew Brunson and his wife Noreen were in a life and death situation and today were going to hear how God brought them through their trial by fire Andrew Marines ministry is called wave starters and is focused on the Muslim world.

The persecuted church and preparing believers to stand in difficult times. They have three grown children and Andrew is a teaching elder in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

He's written. His incredible story in this book called God's hostage a true story of persecution, imprisonment, and perseverance, and we have copies of that here you will find all the details in the episode notes Andrew Noreen, welcome to Focus on the Family can't thank you so good to have you with us. It takes a special kind of person to dedicate yourself to a lifetime of service on the mission field.

I have several friends that have done that in verse parts of the world.

How did you sense God calling you to the mission field. Hudson Taylor was a missionary to China right when he was an old man, a woman brought her two sons to him and asked him to lay hands on them and set them aside for missions and so he did that in both of those boys grow up to become missionaries. One of them. Stanley Soto when he was an old man.

My mother took me and my younger sister to him and said what Hudson Taylor did for you. I want you to do for my two children and he laid hands on us and set us aside for missions and I remembered as one of my earliest memories.

I was only three years old when I got a spanking. Right after it is. I've been asking up so that kind of engraved pie, but iced. I still have that memory of him, pray for us and from that time. I always had a very strong sense of calling into missions. I knew that I was set aside for that so human. During my time years when I was not walking with the Lord.

For a time. I still if someone asked me what are you going to do when you notice that if I survived this part of my life. I know that I'm supposed to be missionary so I already had that strong sense of calling her okay so you're dating Noreen and she says what were the dreams we had and you say well I wanted missionary out very quickly and I realized early on that if I marry this man, it means that I'm going to mission field so I was willing when our mission board asked us to go to Turkey. I was not happy about that and I cried on the plan over because I thought my life was done for sure why but that's how negatively I started out the whole thing but for years on and we didn't leave the field for four years and modify came back I went out returned to the field but at the three and half for your mark. I realize my heart was just tight, however, that I did it. I don't know that I was fully committed, if not more, will for those that don't have that calling and don't understand what that environments like describe that bitsy get married you have children right and then you moved to Turkey.

No, actually, our children were born there. They were born. Yes, so the reason to go to Turkey as we had a guy just put on both of our hearts. Around the same time and separately that we should go to the Muslim world and some world is a most unreached people and I Turkey is the largest on evangelize country in the world so we didn't really want to go there. We were headed toward the Arab world. Our mission asked us to go to Turkey and we went in obedience. So when we got there we is not that we were enamored of the food or the culture or anything like that. What God did is he put the way I think of it as he put some of his love for Turkey in our hearts and this love was not expressed necessarily in emotion but in a commitment to see blessing come to the people and that kept us there over the years. We had a strong sense of assignment that this is what God has for us and when difficulties came. That was such a blessing for us that we knew this is what were supposed to be doing right and it's a powerful statement that it's an act of obedience. How many Christians in our modern era. Need to remember that no matter if they're just living here in the US and doing their daily retainer going on the mission field. I mean your life is an act of obedience. That's the core thing isn't the goal that I have in my life is to love God just said this is the most important thing loving with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. One of the ways I express that love is through obeying him. And so Jesus said if you love me you will obey me and so I had that in prison where I did a number of things out of obedience. I don't have any emotion behind it that it was really out of my love for him to write. I mean, this is dangerous work, going to the mission field in the middle east. I mean, I can imagine all the turbulence that was special in the early days going through your heads and your hearts about what this will be like. In effect, you would receive death threats. I think a man shot at you several times to tell that story for anybody who's involved in a public ministry in Turkey will have threat so it's not just something that happened to us. We were involved in church plants and these were public on the way that we would start as we put a sign on on on a building is a this is a church and then that provokes a reaction but then also seekers people who are wanting to ask questions nowhere to go so we had a public ministry. That meant that there were death threats that were bomb threats and you mentioned once a man. We had a church plant in an unchurched city place where there were no churches and he was upset about that and he came to his miracle were reliving and attacked her church so he shot at me and once he pulled the shotgun out. I knew that he couldn't mess at first he pulled a person is amazing. So, I was standing outside the church with one of our young men talking and then I look and there's a man who has stopped and is pointing a pistol at me and just with hatred in his eyes and started shooting and afterwards he pulled out a shotgun and I thought if he goes into church with shotgun we could have a massacre here and I have been frozen. Up until then how I got a unfrozen run over and just try to hold him in a bear hug until help came and that's amazing that many people have that in their portfolio. If this is something I learned missionary school, Lincoln.

It was was a light question that in 2016 for someone explain reason you had a sense that God was saying something to you one day and what was it just out of the blue.

I had this thought is time to come home and it kept coming into my mind again and again I wasn't thinking about home I was as far as I was concerned I was home I was in Turkey we live that I want yet how long we've been there 23 years. At that time, help, and we expected that we would be there for the remainder of our of our lives. We have no intention of leaving. Really, I think what God was doing as he was preparing me before this ordeal started when we were arrested. I immediately thought oh here we we've invested so many years in Turkey we have ministries that we we see such potential and were preparing for what we believe is a harvest that is going to come in that land, and now are going to be deported is what we were told. I thought God prepared me for this to tell me I'm involved in this note, you are going to be deported during early but I minute. Don't worry about it and then as I held in prison. You know what the ad that is working to get to that, but I want to go to that moment because again people don't know the story fully you get a call from the police or were they at your door or what what took place and what was the accusation we got a call. We were actually out of town and that we got a call from the church somebody who is Turkish brother who was at the church. He said the police are have been coming here there.

They're looking for you and so we said okay you know were out of town when out here will be back in town tomorrow when we got back we found a notice on her door saying please report to the police station and because we had applied for long-term residence permits. We thought that that's what we really called in for the final interview in Haiti came in and this is good news.

Just a different type of long-term residency right.

I mean seriously that way you present your thinking just here for a lie again so they didn't have any accusation against us at the time they just called us and they said there's an order for deportation. Then we found out very quickly. They had I given us is called the G 82 designation, which was threat to national security, and then they listed under that terrorism hung in what was that linkage on the what was the rationale for that.

Obviously it was cut out of cloth that was no truth to that. That's just something they use when they want to deport someone so they wanted to.

They'd already deported another missionary with a similar profile who is working in a church and also was working with refugees from Syria and right after we were arrested another missionary friend of ours was also deported with the same profile that they were deported they were deported and so there was an order to deport us but what happened is they arrested us to hold us for deportation.

Usually, this should take just one day or two days for an American, but it extended and we came to see pretty quickly. There's something unusual going on here because they turned away. The American consul who came to visit, they would not allow a lawyer to come in and we were kept isolated for 13 days, and it was both of you.

We were both together which was really good for me that we were initially held together and that was for a couple weeks yes and then what happened they suddenly released me with no explanation.

We didn't know what was happening and then they transferred Andrew in the middle of the night and at night to another facility and then there was another period of waiting syllogistic silence they were telling us anything, how you process that I mean what is there is no recourse. It's unlike the US justice system.

You don't get to see a lawyer you're not really represented by anybody. How did you maintain contact in that situation did you go visit him the next day I so after I was released I tried to go back that next day to you now just he was going to put something in the window and I was going to try to waiver something to him just see and any I got there and down. He wasn't there.

He had been moved and so then I went to try to find that the next place and see him so I was told about contact. I was isolated and I was taken to a different facility held in solitary confinement than Noreen would come every day to that facility. Sometimes I would let her to see me. Sometimes it wouldn't.

And it did you make eye contact at the window or what. How would you know that she was there. While in this detention facility. I actually did have a room that had a window so I could look out and see if our van had driven up okay so the even if she wasn't allowed to see me. At least I knew that she was still in the country that I hadn't been left completely alone. This is not a prison. This is a detention center which is at the only reason that he could actually look out once I had in the present are no windows and how long were you in that detention center will for another 5055 days. I think of the third detention time is 63 days.

Some of it was with her and then I was put in solitary confinement, and that was really difficult for me, the solitary confinement time after that it was transferred to high-security prison. Was there any at that point any physical abuse beatings or anything like that torture. No, I never had torture during the time.

There you will rearing just part of the incredible story from Andrew and Noreen Brunson is captured in the book that Andrew is written called God's hostage. The true story of persecution and imprisonment and perseverance. Contact Focus on the Family for your copy or numbers 800 K in the word family and the link is in the episode notes Noreen, let me ask you during that time.

I can imagine what was going on in your heart mean all the uncertainty there's no clarity there's no hearing dates that you just being held and was just being held. What were your emotions like how old are your children at this point and how are you holding it together they warehouse our children at that time were 1518 and 21 her glass and he turned 20 country with you know they were out of the country and I was relieved about that. I was just happily held that only we sure that I was happy to have them safely out of the country.

Let me just put it that way. I was relieved that they were not in any danger ~once were in college and the youngest was with interest.

Family finishing high school and subject to those emotions for you. Yeah, of course, fear.

You know, you name it a lot going on there was such silence.

We can get information that was the difficulty so I got a lawyer. She couldn't get to Andrew she was trying to get into Andrew and they were not let H Turkish lawyer. That's the difficulty in itself. Who can you trust who can you not trust know she was a good lawyer later on we ended up having to change because she public came under some pressure, but that was a challenge in itself. Why just I think it's an amazing thing to feel that helplessness. How are you leaning into the Lord. Yeah, I had to find and how are you doing a lot of wives and moms may face something not like this is they feel that isolation they feel manly. They don't see where this is going to end right that was your moment. I met with Fred that had to be what you when he had click now only the that we are a threat to national security but also then they checked the terrorism box right from that point on, I was worried that something was up. Yet something was different and I didn't know where that was going to lead, to be honest, Andrew. I wanted ask you your move to his MSA some pleasure in knowing what I saw is over the years. She was very consistent and setting aside time to spend with God even when we had young children and she was very very busy. She would try to set aside time every day and is not that she was having these great revelations every day in her quiet time, but it was very consistent in what that did as it built a very deep reservoir in her and so then when we were held together. What I noticed we were more like the tortoise and the care you know I get really excited about God.

I just spread forward and then I kind of slack off in a sprint again, but she was very consistent in what I saw in those two weeks that we were held together that she's doing better than I am and what she was doing was drawing from that deep reservoir that's a good word for all of us know that reservoir yeah I mean at this time. Also I had to. I knew there was no option than to lean into God. I couldn't build on my own price per share.

I also wasn't alone their life that kids weren't there. I had believers and so I was not alone. I people would pray with me you know I'm like into he was really, they eventually moved you to suck run prison. Is that how you pronounce that Ben and I was in solitary for about 50 days and then they put me into high-security prison and that was that prison and you were with cellmates tell us about that. With that look like while they put me into a cell with very strong the sums they were all very committed motions because they were there were all accused of being part of a group called fertility land movement which there had been a coup attempt in Turkey that summer and that group was accused of being behind it, and so they were riding them up and their very committed strong Muslims. Whatever else I may be there missionary society of Islamic missionary society. They had started schools and hundred 70 countries around the world to bring their version of Islam. So these are the people I was kept with throughout my imprisonment tell me about that. How did they interact with you. How big was the cell. How many people are with you in the South. It was a cell bill for eight people.

But the prisons were very overcrowded, so we had over 20 people in our cell and I said that it was like living in a mosque by the way, we never left the cell 24 seven you stay in that so your food is brought there. Everything is done there is only time we leave the cell is a 4 nm longer something like that so is 24 seven. In that environment. Very crowded with the same people and I said it was like living in a mosque, but it was actually there was more Islamic worship going on then you would have in a mosque because in a mosque. You have five person day here was 24 seven.

There was every hour of the day or night. There was someone praying or chanting the Quran or having a chronic class because they were all desperate to get out and they thought the way to do this was to pray more and they were being held because they were political prisoners correct there were political prisoners and how did that interaction curfew you're sitting in the cell is a Christian have what is accused of being part of that Islamic group which is very strange.

The Turkish government gave many reasons, changing reasons over time for why they were holding me right and they know that I was not part of an Islamic group, but they accuse me of being part of that and had again. How did those interactions play out for you as a Christian man with 20 or 19 deeply committed Muslim so they knew that I was a Christian, clearly, and I had a clear witness to them I would answer their questions. I would share the gospel with them. There were some who were very friendly. There were some who were neutral and there were some were hostile with which this situation Andrew where you had just come to stake out a little few square feet on the floor and you you're just they are surrounded by all these men I staked out my bad. I was lucky in that I was one of the early people in that cell.

So I got a bad and then as they stuff that then people slept on the floor as well. So really the area that I had was the size of my mattress where I was.

I could say that was my personal space. But even that wasn't because I was out when I was lying down.

There was a face you know about 8 inches away from mine and he was not a friendly fiesta and not a friendly face but that interaction I had to just be emotional pressure. The entire time Noreen in the book you describe the sense of Andrew's health declining describe what was happening and Andrew certainly fill in the blanks. But what were you observing just how very difficult it was for him. He was having a lot of panic attacks a lot of anxiety. Unable to sleep when you can't sleep when you can't, you know, that just makes everything more difficult I think. I think the stakes were very high. I think this was more than something targeting yeah you know a lot more going on in the spiritual realm and therefore he was feeling all that spiritual oppression. How did that manifest itself in your observations when you were able to meet with him. What were you seeing that demonstrated that to just the stress and anxiety. He wasn't himself out of this AutoCorrect well anytime I talked with her we would talk through glass with bars and on the phone and it was a very limited time and we never know if we were going to be able to have that meeting. There's one once a week. You're supposed to be able to talk but I never know if I would have that because I'm a foreigner and I didn't have the same rights as a Turkish prisoner so I was distraught. I would cry a lot during the time I was going into relational crisis with God. Spiritual crisis and Noreen had to speak truth to me and try to correct where I was thinking in a wrong way because one of the very difficult things is was a sense of isolation I had that I was in solitary confinement and I was really alone. But here I am in a very crowded cell when I'm very isolated in my faith time isolated by my culture, life experience, nationality, things like that. But what was really difficult was I had the only Christian I had any interaction with during the two years with with Noreen on her visits otherwise I'm alone in my faith, and that was very, very difficult and I went into relational crisis and you probably will talk about that later. Well I think getting the heart of that is now. I mean I so appreciate that aspect of your book where your vulnerable with that you a lot of men would say no. I was very strong and I was there for the Lord and that all sounds right but that wasn't the initial experience for you and I appreciate that honesty that you did struggle with God you were having doubts you were concerned about. I think what I read in the book that you are questioning why you're in the spot which is completely normal so the things it took me into crisis with God that my expectations of him were not met.

So, I was deeply wounded in my heart.

Some of that came from. I knew that what I was experiencing was persecution but I had expected that from all the biographies I'd read and just for my own walk with God. What I expected that he would do for me and difficulty was that I would have a sense of strength but I felt very weak and have a sense of joy. I just felt grief and loss that I would have a sense of grace and I did have grace as I look back is very clear that I did that brought me through.

But it was an unfelt grace for the most part and especially that I would have a sense of God's presence and so that sense of God's presence was completely removed from me after the first couple weeks, and so I felt abandoned and I everything was going wrong. It kept getting worse and worse and I thought where is my kind, gentle father and so that that took me into questioning this my heart be hard for some people to believe I have a hard time with it.

I question God's existence.

This is after been a missionary for 23 years. It was just that the pressure I was under the lack of sleep. The fear of the panic attacks is feeling overwhelmed by the sink where is God when you intervening in some way that will strengthen me yeah and this took me into question existence and I said no you must exist because you're the only reason I been persecuted, but then it took me in the really questioning God's character, his love, his faithfulness, his goodness is truth well in it so reminds us of Job or other Old Testament people who experience that as well and I think the application here in this is an extremely unique situation that you're in is missionaries in a Muslim country lied about being held captive in prison without explanation that many of us are can experience that but that sense of abandonment by God. Now were starting to talk to people's hearts. It is totally different set of circumstances. Of course, but that feeling like father, where are you that's what you're describing. People sometimes begin to tell me struggle. They're going through. And then they kind of pull back and say well you know but Andrew yours was really really difficult and that mine can't compare and I usually stop them saying you know my tests were enough to knock me out of relationship with God and your tests are more than enough to knock you out of friendship with God as well so were tested in different ways. No, mine was a very intense prison experience but were all tested in different ways, but the area of the heart that is tested is the same man this is so good and we have run out of time. We got a come back tomorrow continued the discussion. If I could keep you here to do that and again. There's so much application here. You may think like I just express this is unique. There are things you can learn and next time I'd like to talk about the experiences in court. The trials kind of that shame you felt and then how the US government got involved and aided your situation helped you if you can. Can we come back and cover that so okay I appreciate that in your wonderful but God's hostage a true story of persecution and imprisonment and perseverance. I mean this is right out of the writings of the apostle Paul and what he experience and I want to talk about that tomorrow. Is that guided you and I would encourage you to get this wonderful resource. You may not be locked up in prison but you may be locked up in other ways, and I think this REIT is not only to bolster your faith, but to help you in your relationships, your perspective about God your dependence upon him, regardless of your circumstances and I'm telling you, your faith will grow. I reading this book.

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The number is 800 K in the word family or details are in the episode notes on behalf of Jim Daly and the entire team. Thanks for joining us today for Focus on the Family I'm John Fuller inviting you back. As we continue the story from the Brunson's and once again help you and your family thrive in Christ you're asking people to define the word appreciate it's like when something goes up, telling someone they did a good job Focus on the Family invite you to get appreciate when you give a non-cash gift of stock, bond, mutual funds, you'll avoid capital gains tax detection and help families thrive for generations to come. Find out more about non-cash gift just as planned giving.com