Singing in the Darkness
Imagine this: You are locked inside a metal shipping container, the air thick and suffocating. The heat during the day is unbearable, and at night, the cold bites through your skin. There is no bed, no toilet—just darkness and isolation.
And why are you here? Because you dared to worship Jesus.
This was Helen Berhane’s reality.
When people think of Christian persecution, they often picture Nero’s Rome—Christians thrown to lions, burned as torches, or forced into exile. Or they think of modern-day Islamic nations where believers risk their lives for their faith.
But what about countries that are not Muslim?
What about places like Eritrea—a nation where nearly half the population is Christian, yet the government still persecutes believers?
Helen, a gospel singer from Eritrea, knew the risks of sharing her faith. Even though Eritrea is not an Islamic nation, religious freedom is severely restricted.
The government only recognizes four religious groups:
If you belong to any other church, you are treated like a criminal. Pentecostal, Evangelical, and independent Christian groups are illegal. The government sees them as a threat and often arrests, tortures, and imprisons their members without trial.
Helen was one of them.
In 2004, after releasing an album of gospel music, she was arrested and taken to prison—not to a cell, but to a metal shipping container in the desert.
For over two years, she suffered beatings, hunger, and the scorching heat of Eritrea’s sun baking her prison by day—then freezing cold at night. The guards gave her a choice: renounce Jesus or suffer.
She refused.
Instead, she did something extraordinary—she sang.
Her voice, weak from exhaustion but strong in spirit, rose from the darkness. She sang hymns of praise to the God who never abandoned her.
"The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?" – Psalm 27:1
Can you imagine? Could you still praise God if you were in her place?
The guards were enraged. They beat her so badly that she could not walk. But they could not break her spirit.
She clung to the promise of 2 Corinthians 4:8-9:
"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."
Even in the depths of suffering, she held onto her faith.
In 2006, after enduring years of unspeakable cruelty, Helen was finally released. But she was not free—not yet. She fled Eritrea, finding refuge in Denmark, where she now tells her story to inspire believers worldwide.
Christian persecution is not just a thing of the past. It is not just the Colosseum or the Middle East.
It is happening right now—in places you would not expect.
Eritrea is not a Muslim country, yet thousands of Christians suffer in its prisons today. In China, churches are shut down and pastors disappear. In North Korea, simply owning a Bible can get you killed.
So the question remains:
If persecution came to your country, would you stand firm?
Jesus warned us:
"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." – John 15:18
Faith is not about comfort—it is about commitment.
Would you have the courage to stand firm like Helen?
Father,
We pray for our brothers and sisters suffering for Your name. Strengthen them, Lord. Fill them with unshakable faith, so that even in the darkest places, they will still sing Your praises.
Protect them. Comfort them. Deliver them. And, God—give us courage. If the day comes when we must choose between comfort and Christ, let us choose You.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.