Columbia

LAST WORDS OF A CHRISTIAN MARTYR

On July 12, 1995, Manuel Amador was gunned down near the Foursquare church he pastored in the remote Colombian town of Chigorod, Urabá. As the sun was setting, Manuel’s wife, Miriam, heard the gunshots and rushed out of her home. "There was a heaviness in my heart," she said, "because he was already late for dinner. It was not like him. After I heard the shots my heart sank. There were screams of fear and confusion."

Against the advice of neighbors, Miriam Amador went to see for herself what had happened. Her worst fears were realized. "I found my husband on the ground," she said, softly. "I picked him up hoping he had some final words for me. There were none. To this day I don’t know who the killers are."

Senseless killings continue in this desperate region of Colombia as rival guerrilla groups battle for superiority. Though the Christians refuse to take sides, they are often unjustly accused of belonging to opposing factions, resulting in threats, disappearances and murders of local believers. Many rural churches have been forced to close due to the displacement and deaths of their members. Church services must be completed by 5 p.m. for safety reasons.

The chaotic situation has hindered the flow of food and medicine to the local populations in Urabá, forcing many, Christians and non-Christians alike, to flee the area. Manuel Amador was one of several pastors who had pledged to stay, despite the difficulties.

Taylor, J, ‘Last Words of a Christian Martyr’ p 9, July 1996, 1996 Compass Direct, P.O. Box 27250, Santa Ana, CA 92799. USA

COLOMBIA 1995