Sudanese Christian mom spared death sentence rearrested trying to leave country

Link to the internet article here

                

Meriam Ibrahim and Daniel Wani married in a formal church ceremony in 2011.

 

Sudanese authorities have re-arrested a young mother a day after she was freed from death row where she'd been sent for refusing to renounce her Christian faith, FoxNews.com confirmed.

 

Meriam Ibrahim, who gave birth in a Khartoum prison after being sentenced to death in May for allegedly converting from Islam to Christianity, was arrested with her husband, Daniel Wani, at Khartoum airport as she tried to leave the country, according to Al-Sharif Ali, a member of her legal team.

"We don't have a reason as to why," said Ali. "Her husband is also being detained. We have tried to see them, but it has been very difficult. The national security force will not allow us to meet with them."

 

Ibrahim and Daniel Wani, as well as their two children, were taken to a facility used by Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Service aft the arrest, at 2 p.m. local time, a source close to the family told FoxNews.com. They had travel documents furnished by the U.S. embassy, but Ibrahim did not have a passport, the source said.

"She is either banned from traveling or the NISS could also create "papers issues" if they don't want her to leave the country," the source said.

Wani holds dual U.S.-Sudanese citizenship, and Ibrahim's supporters argued that their children, including a daughter named Maya born in prison in May and a 20-month-old boy named Martin who was imprisoned with her, are U.S. citizens.

Ibrahim, 27, refused to renounce her Christian faith in court in May, prompting a judge to sentence her to hang for apostasy. The case became an international cause, with several U.S. lawmakers and the State Department blasting the decision as barbaric. Sudan's national news service SUNA said the Court of Cassation in Khartoum on Monday canceled the death sentence after defense lawyers presented their case, and that the court ordered her release.

Sources close to the situation told FoxNews.com on Monday that Ibrahim's lawyers were scheduled to meet with representatives from the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday. Ali told FoxNews.com he is still hoping to reach a resolution, and plans to try to see Ibrahim on Wednesday.

“This is a deeply troubling development,” said Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the American Center for Law and Justice, which gathered more than 300,000 signatures for an online petition demanding Ibrahim's freedom.. “The decision to take the entire family into custody is a violation of international law and we call on Sudan to release them without delay. Meriam and her family’s fate are now unclear.

Ibrahim and Wani were married in a formal ceremony in 2011 and operate several businesses, including a farm, south of Khartoum, the country’s capital.

Wani fled to the United States as a child to escape the civil war in southern Sudan, but later returned. He is not permitted to have custody of his son because the boy is considered Muslim and cannot be raised by a Christian man.

Ibrahim’s case first came to the attention of authorities in August, after members of her father’s family complained that she was born a Muslim but married a Christian man. The relatives claimed her birth name was “Afdal” before she changed it to Meriam and produced a document that indicated she was given a Muslim name at birth. Her attorney has alleged the document was a fake.

Ibrahim says her mother was an Ethiopian Christian and her father a Muslim who abandoned the family when she was a child. Ibrahim was initially charged with having illegitimate sex last year, but she remained free pending trial. She was later charged with apostasy and jailed in February after she declared in court that Christianity was the only religion she knew.

“I was never a Muslim,” she told the Sudanese high court. “I was raised a Christian from the start.”
Sudan’s penal code criminalizes the conversion of Muslims to other religions, which is punishable by death. Muslim women in Sudan are further prohibited from marrying non-Muslims, although Muslim men are permitted to marry outside their faith. Children, by law, must follow their father’s religion.

JEM, NUP sign agreement on comprehensive political solution

Link to internet article here

June 23, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The National Umma Party (NUP) and the Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) signed a joint agreement in the US emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive solution in Sudan that leads to a specific transitional period after which free and fair elections are held in which everyone can participate.

A fighter of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) (file/Reuters)

On Monday, the NUP in Khartoum distributed the text of the joint statement of the coordination committee consisting of JEM and NUP offices in the US. The agreement was signed by the deputy chief of the JEM bureau in the US Mohammad al-Hassan and his NUP counterpart Osman Abu-Janna.

According to the agreement, which was reached after extensive consultations, the two sides stated that a comprehensive and just solution must be preceded by a creating a favorable environment by undertaking measures such as stopping the war, abolition of laws that restrict freedoms and releasing all political detainees and POW’s.

The signatories strongly condemned what they called "appalling abuses and atrocities" committed by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against civilians, and demanded the dismantling of the militia and prosecution of its leaders. They pledged to work together in all forums to detect and expose these abuses if it continues.

Al-Mahdi, who agreed to participate in the national dialogue called for by president Omer Hassan al-Bashir earlier this year, was arrested on 17 May for criticising alleged crimes and atrocities committed by the RSF in conflict zones.

He was released this and state media said the move was done after al-Mahdi’s lawyers appealed to the justice minister Mohamed Bushara Dousa to use his powers under article (58) of Sudan’s penal code which allows him to stop criminal proceedings against any suspect at any point before being sentenced by a court.

It also carried a statement by NUP Central Commission stating that they support the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and said that what al-Mahdi mentioned regarding RSF is derived from complaints and claims "that are not necessarily all true".

However, al-Mahdi said in his prayer sermon last Friday that the Central Commission’s statement was misinterpreted, adding that it was not an apology but “a clarification action”.

JEM and NUP also rejected any attempt to fragment solutions to the problem of Sudan "because it only prolongs the duration of the regime and leads everyone into the abyss”.

A similar agreement between the NUP and the Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) sealed this month angered authorities in Sudan.

Pro-government lawyers called for prosecuting the NUP Secretary General Sara Nugdalla for criticising the judiciary in their joint statement and questioning its integrity adding that this move threatens security in Darfur and Kordofan states.

The NUP and the opposition Reform Now Party (RNP) suspended participation in the national dialogue to protest al-Mahdi’s arrest and what they said was a government crackdown on political and media liberties.

To run for Jesus!

How awe inspiring it is to see them. People running for Jesus. Jesus Christ who has received the Name above all else. No one in history like him. He paid for us all. Sacrificed to the bitter end. What a privilege to run for Him. Here are some examples of people who do.

Jan Coetzee of the Warden Marathon Club is one of many who run for Jesus. I met his wife Benita after the Kruger National Park half marathon at a check-out point in a shop in the nature reserve. Invited them to become part of the S4J, which they did. Here is some photos of Jan during this year's Comrades marathon.

Jan Coetzee, jubilant at the finish of the 2013 Comrades marathon

Hardloop vir Jesus "I run for Jesus"

Jan Coetzee completed the Comrades marathon an amazing 25 times!

Yurie Pullenbach is another example of someone passionate about running for Jesus. I saw him during last year's Comrades marathon. We connected since then. Yurie now also is part of the Sudan4Jesus run (S4J) team. Here's a pic of him during the year's Comrades marathon.

Yurie Pullenbach running for Jesus at this year's Comrades marathon.

 And so there are many more living and running for Jesus. We'll share as many of their stories as possible.

Awesome for Jesus at the 2013 Comrades marathon.

Apologies to readers for having difficulties in accessing the S4J (Sudan4Jesus run.com) blog on the existing platform. The blog is still functional, but cannot be accessed right now through the well used website www.Sudan4Jesus.com. Please bear with us while trying to fix that.

Here's a link to the Sudan4Jesus run site.

The official S4J-2013 team photo. Click on the photo for a larger view.

However, MANY stories stories need to be told of what God did at this year's Comrades marathon. It was an extremely difficult year due to the heat and strong wind. Apparently about 30% of runners that started the race, DID NOT complete the race within the 12 hour cut-off time. Bear in mind that these are all experienced runners in having qualified for the race by at least completing a marathon in less than 5 hours.

 Here are just a few of the highlights:

• We trusted God for a team of 100 athletes. This He gave. 
• We challenged the team with what we called the "Cape Town to Cairo Challenge". This implied that the team would run at the 2013 Comrades marathon, a combined distance greater than the distance between Cape Town and Cairo in less than 12 hours. By God's grace, they've achieved this.
• We've hopes for one gold medal. God gave the S4J team two gold medals! To put this in perspective: 18,000 runners are allowed to enter the Comrades marathon. Only 20 will be rewarded with a gold medal; 10 for women and 10 for men.
• Louis Massyn ran his 41st Comrades marathon. There are, as far as we know, only 6 runners in the 88 years of the Comrades that completed the Comrades 40 times or more.
• Among the S4J female runners, Martinique Potgieter, came first. She only decided about 6 weeks before Comrades that she would participate in the year's race.

Rufus Photo, S4J runner in the 9th place in the 2013 Comrades Marathon.

Stephen Muzhingi, former Comrades winner three times, came 10th in this years race. Stephen is part of the S4J team

Martinique Potgieter cam first among the S4J ladies runners in a fantastic time of 9 hours 33 minutes.

Louis Massyn of the S4J team completed his 41st consecutive Comrades marathon this year!

S4J helping stations along the Comrades route was life giving!

Here are a few testimonies of how the 2011 Sudan4Jesus (S4J) team of runners experienced the four S4J helping points along the route. Also read the remarkable testimony of Christa, one of the runners who had a REALLY touch race, but highly valued the help along the route.

The Dutton family before sunrise at S4J helping point 1 during Comrades 2011

• "I did not make much use of the bags, but just the mere fact that there was someone who could encourage you made it absolutely worth my while. I’ll plan the content of my bags better in 2012."

• "The friendly faces blessed me!"

• “Definitely! I’ll have a better idea what to put in the bags at the next Comrades, so that it’s not a duplication of what’s available along the Comrades route."

• "Oh yes! I could not wait to see our people along the route!"

Here is quite a testimony by one of the 2011 Sudan4Jesus runners. Christa also shortly before the Comrades took part in the 600 km Fire Trails run from Pretoria to Musina. Here is her testimony:

"Yes, definitely! I was very excited when I saw Point 1 from a distance at Pinetown. It felt so wonderful that someone cared for me! I really looked forward in getting to my bag. I needed my plasters, game powder and energy bar; because I was bumped over just as we started running on the highway at Durban. I fell really badly and my lost my cold drink bottle and energy bar in the process. I was therefor so depended on the Sudan4Jesus helping point to get me going again.

Blackie’s help at Point 2 was life-giving, because I was really hungry for the goodies in my bag and I desperately needed a pat on the back to get my going again. Unfortunately I got nauseous at Botha’s Hill and that feeling never stopped for the rest of the race!!

I felt so ashamed that I felt so nauseous and weak at Point 3. I did not even see Norman until he stood right in front of me. At Point 4 I could not even appreciate the Agape love of Mostert and Blackie, so much so that I did not even wanted to see the contents of my bag! That was a HUGE mistake on my part, because in my bag I had some ENO (I want to kick myself that I didn’t drink it!) and REHIDRATE. If I asked, I’m convinced that Norman, Mostert and Blackie would have encouraged and prayed for me. (We prayed for you Christa, even though you did not ask or know about it then!) My legs were fine; it’s just that I felt very weak and dehydrated from vomiting too much.

Thanks to Mostert that came and fetch me along the route and ran with me for a while, just like in our weekly time trials at Zita Park!

Rest assure, the Sudan4Jesus helping points were of great value to me during the 2011 Comrades. I also think that your positioning along the route was just fine!”     

Helping our team of runners on race day

You just about had to run the Comrades Marathon already to understand the magnitude of it. It's not far; it's VERY far! It's not long, it's a VERY long almost 12 hour run for the majority of runners who complete the race within the cut-off time. As a support team, we want to give the Sudan4Jesus runners the best possible support on race day.

So next week we're having a meeting with the runners to discuss how best we could assist them on race day. We gave them something to think about in preparation for race day:

Dear Friends of Sudan4Jesus,

 

I trust that you are all experiencing the life in Christ in it's fullness; the Lord is good, His love endures forever!

 

Louise Jacobs supported by Blackie during a race

On Tuesday evening at 7pm we are getting together at Norman's home to discuss some practical arrangements for your Sudan4Jesus run at Comrades. We would like to assist you in any way to make the day very special and to see all your hard training the past year come to a victorious conclusion.

 

The main focus of the Sudan4Jesus run is to raise money for the Lord's work in Sudan through the ministry of the Sudan Support Network (SSNet). The focus is on the Lord and the expansion of His kingdom and through Sudan4Jesus we want to be available for His purpose.

 

Here are some things we would like to discuss, please feel free to bring your ideas for discussion:

 

1) Meeting together on the day before Comrades; Saturday 28 May

2) Seconding points along the route

3) Teams to man the seconding points

4) How we can assist you at the seconding points

5) Banners at each seconding point

6) Goodie bags for all your supplements

7) Sponsors for Sudan4Jesus; how to raise sponsors.

 

We are looking forward to meet with you, please make a special effort to attend.

 

Blessings,

 

BS

Amazing commitment!

It is so amazing to see how they run!

I just love this Sudan4Jesus [S4J] team. It's NOT always easy. Staying the distance in preparing, running and fundraising takes a HUGE commitment from every member of the team.

Recently a couple of the S4J team completed the Elands Valley marathon AND the Loskop ultra marathon in preparation for the Comrades Marathon taking place on 29 May 2011. There are only 38 days left to the gruelling 89 km / 56 mile Comrades Marathon. It is called the ultimate human race for VERY good reason.

I remember so vividly running the Comrades last year and combining that with a fundraiser for ministry. It's all about getting the good news about Jesus to those whove have not yet heard the message. It took me 11 hours and 50 minutes to complete the disctance. This is a seriously LONG race.

Roald le Roux (left on the picture), Louise Jacobs (middle) and Willie van Staden (right) runs. Looking very good, still early in the race.

Roald and Louise are "attached" to one another with a rubber band. Louise is blind, yet runs like the wind.

One of the very funny things that happened during the marathon, is that helpers actually thought Louise is helping Roald. Helpers made comments about "how amazing that blond woman is helping the blind man."

These three are just part of a phenomenal team of people. Ordinary people used in FANTASTIC ways by God. Sudan4Jesus!!!

Willie taking a lot of strain (pain). Yet, only a week or so later he did the 50 km (almost 32 mile) Loskop ultra marathon.

Here is the interesting thing. Because the S4J team has the love of Christ for one another, Willie's fellow team members reached out to him with encouragement and advise. He did MUCH better during the Loskop ultra marathon. This gives great hope for his chance to complete the Comrades Marathon on 29 May! Go Willie!!!