Missionary Biography, Darlene Rose Diebler (excerpts written by RA from Global Prayer Digest June 2013)
The year was 1942, and the Japanese invasion and occupation of the Dutch East Indies (present day Republic of Indonesia) was imminent. Word had spread rapidly throughout the region regarding the human atrocities experienced by captives of the Japanese aggressors. Missionaries who stayed would have to suffer alongside Indonesians.
Russell and Darlene Rose Diebler's mission agency had begun to implement their evacuation plans as they gathered in south Sulawesi. Their leader, Dr. R.A. Jaffrey, drew a line in the sand before the missionaries gathered that day. Those who chose to stay and suffer alongside the Indonesians were to remain standing in place, and those who were led to escape stepped over the line. The missionaries were given a time to seek the Lord before the last boat left the coast.
Darlene and her husband chose to remain. She lived through the next several years in a Japanese internment camp, while her husband was never to be seen again after the Japanese whisked the men away from the women. Darlene’s story of trust and obey, as relayed in her book entitled, Evidence Not Seen, in the midst of unspeakable suffering at the hands of her captors, is one of the many stories of those who gave seed to the advancement of the gospel in the eastern area of Indonesia.
Pray for today’s missionaries to have the presence of mind to hear the Lord’s voice when they encounter persecution and face death.
Pray for tenacity in every disciple in reproducing house fellowships, to hear, love and obey Jesus and His Word.
Daniel 6:10
Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed…just as he had done before.
Just like Daniel, Darlene Rose had to choose between safety and obedience. Put yourself in her place. Would you find it hard to hear the Lord tell you what to do in such a crisis? How would you go about finding His perfect will when one option means relative safety and the other means facing brutal oppressors? Though she faced years of brutality, her actions were a strong testimony to the Indonesian Muslims. She was willing to suffer and even die for the sake of taking them the gospel.
Pray that you will clearly hear the Lord’s voice when you face difficult choices.
No comments:
Post a Comment