Father locked 14-year-old in room with almost no food or water for 6 monthsafter leaving Islam.
 

Full Story |
 

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 11— A 14-year-old girl in western Uganda is still unable to walk 10 months after her father tortured her for leaving Islam and putting her faith in Christ, according to area Christians.
 
Susan Ithungu of Isango village, has been hospitalized since October 2010 after neighbours with police help rescued her from her father.
 
Susan and her younger brother lived alone with their father after he divorced their mother. In March 2010 an evangelist from Bwera Full Gospel Church spoke at Susan’s school, and she decided to trust Christ for her salvation.
 
“I heard the message of Christ’s great love of him dying for us to get everlasting peace, and there and then I decided to believe in Christ,” she said from her hospital bed. “After a month, news reached my father that I had converted to Christianity, and that was the beginning of my troubles with him. Our father warned us not to attend church or listen to the gospel message. He even threatened us with a sharp knife that he was ready to kill us in broad daylight in case we converted to Christianity.”
 
Pastor Joseph Baluku of Bwera Full Gospel Church said;
 
“He locked her up in a room of the semi-permanent house for six months without seeing sunlight,” the pastor said. “The younger brother was warned not to tell anyone that Susan was locked up in a room and was not given any food.”
 
Young Mbusa said that when their father was away, he roasted bananas for his sister.
 
“I also dug a hole under the door, where I could pour water through,” he said. “My sister could drink the water using her tongue. But most days she could only feed on mud.”

A nearby resident who requested anonymity said neighbors became concerned after not seeing her for several months.
 
“Her brother then disclosed to us that Susan was locked up in one of the rooms in the house, we then reported the case to the local council and then to the police. The police went to the house and broke the door.”
 
Susan was immediately taken to hospital about 17 kilometers away, where Pastor Baluku visited her.
 
“The miserable young Susan was bony, very weak, and not able to talk or walk,” said the pastor. “Her hair had turned yellow, she had long fingernails and sunken eyes, and she weighed less than 20 kilograms.”
 
Members of the Full Gospel Church in Bwera prayed for her and visited her in the hospital, which like many government-subsidized hospitals in the region does not customarily bill until the patient is discharged, and at rates well below those of private hospitals. It is unknown when Susan will be released, but Pastor Baluku said area residents and church members will try to gather funds for medical costs incurred.
 
The pastor said billing from such government hospitals can often be deferred until enough money is raised.
 
“It could be a challenge, but we will try to do our best,” he said.
 
“By God’s grace Susan is still alive,” he said after a visit last week. “Though she can’t walk, she can now talk. She is still feeding on soft foods. The great news is that Susan is still strong in the Lord Jesus Christ. She needs prayers and support, so that she can resume her education soon.”

PRAYER POINTS:

1.      Pray for Susan that she makes a full recovery and continues to serve God.

2.      Pray for her father that he might come to know Jesus.

3.      Pray for her brother that he might also come to know Jesus.

Pray for other people like Susan living in prison for simply following Jesus.