Christian Pakistani teen escapes death
Pastor Dale Morgan
Christian Pakistani teen escapes death*
Family planned her demise after she refused to recant her faith
Posted: August 30, 2006
Voice of the Martyrs
Diana, whose face must be hidden for her protection
A Pakistani teen who embraced Christianity has escaped death at the
hands of her family, who unsuccessfully demanded she recant her faith,
an international ministry group says.
Voice of the Martyrs said the girl, identified only as Diana, now is in
hiding for her life.
She grew up in a strict Islamic family in Pakistan, the group said, and
her life was "typical" until she met a girl named Mary who was a
Christian, and Diana decided to embrace the faith.
"When Diana's family learned that she had become a Christian, they
repeatedly beat her and insisted she return to Islam," the organization,
which ministers to the persecuted Christian church worldwide, said.
"But Diana refused. She was then forced to a local canal where her uncle
put a pistol to her head and gave her one last chance to return to
Islam. Diana replied, 'You can kill me if you want. I will not leave
Christ,'" VOM confirmed.
"It was then," VOM said, "that Diana's uncle noticed an extremely
poisonous black cobra swimming in the canal. Believing he could escape
any prosecution for his niece's death, he threw her into the path of the
cobra."
Miraculously, Diana, who could not swim, escaped and went into hiding,
VOM said.
"She recently told Voice of the Martyrs, 'Jesus was crucified for us.
Can we not endure some of the same for Him?"