A Conversation With His Son a Year Later
On the morning of May 25, 2024, “George’s” life took a tragic turn. At 6 am, a neighbor knocked on their door with alarming news: a local Muslim, was accusing George’s father, of burning a page of the Holy Quran. Despite George’s attempts to explain their family’s respect for Islam, the situation quickly escalated. The Imam announced the accusation over the mosque loudspeaker, and within minutes, a large crowd gathered outside their home. The family locked themselves inside and called the police, but the crowd broke into their yard and attempted to force their way into the house. When the police arrived, they escorted the family to a van, but the crowd managed to snatch his father away. As George watched helplessly, their shoe factory was set on fire, and his father was brutally beaten and stoned, his body kicked and his face covered with blood. The ambulance that arrived was attacked, and the driver fled in fear. Eventually, the police managed to drive the father to the hospital, where he fought for his life for nine days before succumbing to his injuries.
George informed us that the perpetrators arrested in this incident were all bailed out within 6 weeks of this incident. George’s mother passed away 19 days after his father’s death. George and his brother, along with their families, left their house and moved to a rental house for safety and security. They have since used up their savings and are without further financial means. A year has gone by and they continue to live with no permanent solution or future for their five children. George’s brother has seven children, and they all share living quarters. George has approached a few churches and Christian ministry leaders in their current city for financial help and a job opportunity. They waited for hours in the office and met the pastor, but they did not get a positive response. George’s father’s shoe factory was burned to ashes and he does not have enough resources to rebuild the business. Sixteen Christian workers were left jobless and no local Muslim businessman would hire them. These families have suffered poverty and much physiological stress. Some background information suggests that George’s father had a financial dispute with a local Muslim customer, who could not make his payments and took it out on the father in this extreme way. The local Muslim businessmen also did not like George’s family simply because they were Christians and ran a successful business.
George has been saddened to watch various video clips of his father’s lynching on YouTube. He strongly believes that his father is a martyr who gave his life because of his allegiance to Christ.