The Escape
The stench in his cell grew worse because he had no toilet. After ten days, soldiers removed the well-decayed corpses to make room for two new prisoners. Their arrival brought Abdi a splinter of light in the darkness. One day the guards permitted all three men to be outside for a few hours. Thankful to breathe fresh air, Abdi studied the mud-walled compound and noticed what his cellmates also observed: a wall they might be able to climb. That night in their cell, they plotted a “what do we have to lose?” escape. They knew they would need a special opportunity to make it happen. And they got it. Several nights later, the guards accidentally left the cell door unlocked.
The trio waited a few minutes and then bolted out of their cell and headed for the wall. At the wall, soldiers started shooting. One prisoner went down. Abdi and the other man slipped over the top and raced into the night, threading their way through alleyways to lose the pursuing soldiers. At home, the phone rang. Abdi’s wife nearly fainted when she heard the voice she thought she’d never hear again. “It cannot be possible!” she exclaimed. “Where are you? Are you really alive?” She cried and screamed, then raced to meet him and take him to the hospital. Abdi had several broken bones. His arm was placed in a cast. As he recovered, Abdi continued to trust in Jesus.
Spiritual Growth and Endurance
Nearly a year later, he still felt the pain of incarceration and escape—and the peace of Christ within. “I was happy to go through all this because now I am stronger spiritually,” he said. “People prayed for me to escape. Their prayers are what saved my life.” Abdi became a leader in the Somali Christian community and was known for his strong, enduring faith. He also led several Muslims to Christ. His perseverance in serving Christ did not go unnoticed. Although he was careful about how he traveled and what he exposed his family to, Abdi paid the ultimate price for his outspoken witness in December 2013. As he drove to work, members of al-Shabab surrounded his car and sprayed it with bullets.
Police pulled his lifeless body from the driver seat. Abdi had escaped before, but this time he endured to the end: “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mark 13:13). May we pray unceasingly for our persecuted family members who endure so much because of their faith in Jesus. Our hope rests in our all-powerful God, who provides everything we need to stand for Him and who can do what we cannot. It is our privilege to stand with our brothers and sisters in Christ and pray—for them both to escape and to endure as God wills.
THE END
Date: 10th January 2026
Martyr: Abdi
Location: Somalia
Source: The Voice of Martyrs “I am n”
Author: Not specified
Suffering Saturday 177
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