Meriam Ibrahim Stood Strong Amid Demands to Deny Christ

Meriam Ibrahim, the Sudanese woman who was nearly executed for
apostasy for marrying a Christian man, and
her daughter, Maya, meet Pope Francis at the Vatican after arriving in Italy. 

As millions of people gathered around our country to
celebrate the National Day of Prayer, I had the privilege
of raising a critical issue at an important event in Virginia.

At the Suffolk Leadership Prayer Breakfast in southeastern Virginia, my wife, Anna, joined me in
participating in an amazing event focusing on religious
persecution—and the story of Meriam Ibrahim who faced
a death sentence in Sudan because of her Christian faith.

I had the honor of introducing her and her husband at
the event and asking her some questions about her faith
and her ordeal.
Meriam revealed how she refused to waver in her faith in Christ, believing God would save her even as she was
shackled in chains and sentenced to 100 lashes and
death. Making matters worse, her infant son was in
prison with her and she was pregnant with another child
at the time—forced to give birth while shackled in chains.

In the face of persecution and told by Sudanese officials
that she could avoid a death sentence if she renounced
her Christian faith, Meriam stood strong and refused to reject her faith.

For three consecutive days, she was told to renounce Christ. For three consecutive days, she refused.
Her plight drew the attention of millions of people around the world—including the ACLJ which mobilized
an international effort to demand her freedom. Nearly
600,000 people signed on to our petitions of support for Meriam. After a massive outcry from around the globe,
Meriam was released from prison in July 2014 and reunited with her family—able to leave Sudan and come to the United States.

At the event, Meriam had a powerful message on this
National Day of Prayer. She revealed that while on death
row, she said she could feel people praying for her around the world—prayers that were critical in helping her survive.

Finally, she reminded us that her and her family are now
on the path to start a new life in the United States.

There are challenges ahead. They lost a successful
business in Sudan and now are working to create a life for their family here.

Freedom from death row is not the end of the story. She and her husband lost their successful business in Sudan
and so much more to come to a new country here in the
United States, where they face very real hardships still.

I pledged our continued prayers and support for Meriam
and her family. And I assured her that her story of survival remains a powerful reminder for the global church.

Meriam's story reminds us why we must remain vigilant
in fighting Christian persecution around the world. And at the ACLJ, that very much remains a priority.

We are working to secure the freedom of others who are imprisoned because of their Christian faith, including American Pastor Saeed Abedini who spent this
National Day of Prayer—which happens to be his 35th birthday—in a prison cell in Iran.

In fact, at the event in Virginia, Meriam and her husband specifically prayed for Pastor Saeed and his family.

In the words of Pastor Saeed, who wrote a
letter commemorating the National Day of Prayer from his prison cell: "Remember my chains in your freedom
and chain together in unity for our beloved America."

Those words were embraced by millions around the country today—including Meriam Ibrahim and her family,
who have experienced firsthand the miraculous power of prayer.