By ICC Indonesia Staff
2/19/2015 Washington, D.C. (International Christian Concern)-Recently, a representative of ICC in Indonesia had the opportunity to interview the late Mr. Jayus while he was still in good health. He shared how he faced persecution from relatives for a period of time. Due to the threats posed by his family members, he and his wife were forced to go into hiding in different cities throughout West Java. This situation not only consumed his financial stability – as he had to leave his job – but also his emotional and physical state. Approximately six months ago, he was diagnosed with cancer. In spite of his condition, his faith that he would be healed remained strong. During ICC’s visit to the hospital, Mr. Jayus said, “I believe the Lord will heal me from this cancer and I desire to serve him fully.” After months of prayer, he finally received good news in early December 2014, when the doctors discharged him from the hospital after finding that all of his test results for cancer were negative. ICC’s representative cried tears of joy together with this man of faith upon receiving the good news.
However, shortly after he was discharged from the hospital, his condition unexpectedly dropped again very quickly. During this period of approximately two weeks, his in-laws, who are still Muslim, offered Mr. Jayus and his wife a place to stay in one of their rented rooms for free. Initially, Mr. Jayus and his wife thought that her parents had had a change of heart and would no longer threaten or persuade them to convert. Unfortunately, this was not the case. Rather, the parents asked Mr. Jayus’ wife to return to Islam, but Mr. Jayus and his wife said, “No! We didn’t find God, but God was the One who found us!” Shortly after this confrontation, Mr. Jayus’ heath began to deteriorate again. Finally, the Lord called him to Heaven on Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 9:15 p.m.
When ICC and members of the church arrived at the house about an hour later, the late Mr. Jayus was lying on a mattress, wearing shorts and covered with an old T-Shirt. His wife was crying uncontrollably, not believing that her husband just passed away. The wife’s parents and siblings did not want to go near or even touch his body, as it was considered unclean. They went further still by telling ICC’s representative to take the body somewhere, as they could not accept the late Mr. Jayus being temporarily put in their house. After hours of searching for a place to stay the night, the group finally found a Christian hospital where they could bring Mr. Jayus. The next day, the late Mr. Jayus, a fighter of faith, was buried in Jakarta.
Days after his passing, the wife of the late Mr. Jayus shared with ICC’s representative about her husband’s prayer and wish for their one-year-old baby, Samuel. He told his wife, “Even [though] we suffered because of our faith, I want our boy, Samuel, one day [to] become a servant of God and save souls for Jesus.” The late Mr. Jayus left behind a wife, Yuni, a teenage daughter, Fanny, and a one-year-old baby boy named Samuel. Let us uphold this precious family in our prayer. Let us support them and make the late Mr. Jayus’ prayer for his baby Samuel come true.
For Interviews, contact Corey Bailey, Regional Manager for Asia:
RM-Asia@persecution.org
In disseminating this information, we request that you reference International Christian Concern and www.persecution.org. ICC is a human rights and faith-based organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. We provide assistance to those in need, lend a voice to the voiceless, and write the stories of the worldwide persecuted Church. For additional information, please contact us by phone at 800-422-5441, or by email at icc@persecution.org.
