For many years he served the persecuted Church in the organization “the voice of the martyrs”. Then, during a trip to Sudan Czech citizen Peter Jasek was arrested and accused of spying. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison and jailed Islamists. But thanks to international pressure, and the grace of God, ASEC was released from prison. The details of these terrible trials the missionary reveals in an exclusive interview.
Arrested during a trip to Sudan missionary Peter Asaka imprisoned together with ISIS militants.
“One of the fighters was a Libyan guy who at the age of 12 years was an employee of the security service of Osama bin Laden in Tora Bora. Later, after returning to Libya, he became one of the killers who murdered 20 Egyptians on the Libyan coast, says Peter Jasek, a former prisoner in the Sudan. — He told me that if I was American or Russian, he would have broken my neck and killed me. He pulled out his fishing line is quite strong, and showed how it can kill a person in just a few seconds of this line”.
Peter learned that other inmates also hold extreme views. When he was asked to share news from the outside world, he told them about the Paris attack.
“When I said that killed 129 people, I was interrupted and for several minutes shouted “Allahu Akbar”. So I immediately realized what the company was, and never tried to retell them the news, remembers Peter. — They called me a dirty pig or a dirty rat, and if I have not responded to these new “names”, then I would start to beat. First hit on the face with hand or fist, and then with a wooden stick. So gradually I learned to live with a new name. I was not Peter, but just a Dirty Pig.”
How did it happen? Why is this man helping the persecuted Christians, he became persecuted? Peter was arrested in December 2015 — just two years after Sudanese authorities found that they already expelled all foreign workers-Christians. During a visit to Sudan, Peter met with some Christian leaders and shot them on video. The security services confiscated his equipment and was accused of espionage against the state. The first four months in prison, Peter asked God to return it to the family. But after he had led to Christ some prisoners from Eritrea, he had an Epiphany.
“And suddenly I began to understand that the Lord has a purpose for which I was in prison. It consists in the fact that I shared the gospel with these people. And I became even braver to open their mouths and share the gospel, in particular, the Muslims who were in that prison cell with me,” says prisoner missionary.
In January of 2017 Sudanese court sentenced Peter to 20 years of imprisonment. His work in helping persecuted Christians in Sudan were considered anti — state activity, espionage.
“I really believed a very dangerous man. It was mentioned that I am a member spy organization called “VOM”. That is, the “Voice of the martyrs” was considered a spy organization, not a missionary,” he continues.
The son of a pastor, Peter experienced persecution before. He grew up in Communist Czechoslovakia, where the persecution of Christians intensified after August 1968, when Prague became the tanks of the red army. The state authorities are constantly watched his parents Peter and their Christian activities.
“They knew that we received the Bible and other Christian literature. Moreover, my parents were engaged in its distribution,” says Peter Jasek.
One day Peter came home from school and found his parents gone.
“They were arrested by the secret police and questioned. Apparently, the authorities and the secret police wanted to know what’s going on in our house,” he says.
And 36 years later Peter, like his parents, was arrested for Christian activities, only this time not by the Communists, and Islamists. However, God prepared Peter to stay in prison for many years before — when his father presented him with a special gift.
“Without explaining anything, he brought me a book written by Richard Wurmbrand. The title of the book in German — “In Gottes Untergrund”, which means “In God’s underground.” At that time I already was fluent in German. He gave me this book and said “Read this book. It will strengthen your faith,” says Peter Jasek.
Peter’s father died at the age of 89 years, when Peter himself was in prison. I wonder what he told his son about his stay in prison, if he was still alive and learned about this situation in details?
“I’m sure he would be proud of me. I am quite sure,” answers Peter Jasek.
Peter was freed after he was jailed for 14 months. He is grateful to the Czech authorities, who were negotiating for his release, as well as Christians all over the world for their prayers and support. Nearly half a million people signed a petition in his defense, and thousands more have sent encouraging cards and letters. Peter says he was moved to tears after hearing some of the Sudanese women sang at the prison Christian songs.
As all these experiences have influenced Peter? Than the current Peter Jasek different from what was BEFORE prison?
“Being in such a situation, you realize that everything you have is God’s mercy, and only the Lord’s power, not your strength you will be able to survive in prison. You need to be humble and faithful to the very end. In such moments we “in all these things we overcome” — when you find yourself in a difficult situation because of our faith in Jesus Christ,” he says.
Humble servant of the persecuted Church, he was persecuted and then released from prison. He is grateful to all those who prayed, and glad that I learned to patiently wait on God’s victory and grace.