Pastor Paulos

Paulos was born and raised a Muslim. He began to read the Bible as a young man. Convinced by what he read, it wasn't long before he came to faith in Christ. His family disowned him but his love and devotion for God continued to grow. After sensing a call to become a minister of the gospel, he pastored a church in North Maluku where he raised his family to love God.

As Paulos sat in the mountain village of North Sulawesi, he spoke in a soft voice, describing the heart wrenching events of the last year. He is a kind and gentle man and he tearfully tells of the loss of his daughter and grandchildren.

He said that jihad attacks against pastors and their families were extremely brutal. In many cases pastors and their families are tortured or promptly beheaded when captured. The obvious trauma and sorrow in Paulos' voice was clear as he told about how his 23 year old daughter was murdered along with her three year old son and a six month old daughter. He said their bodies were found cut into pieces. He is shocked with how ruthlessly they were murdered. He believes the jihad targeted his daughter because she was a pastor's daughter. Two generations of his family were murdered in one attack.

Paulos sat there for a moment in stillness after telling this story. He then looked away and said, "In spite of all this, I believe that God is good." He didn't blame God. He didn't rant about retaliation. He simply summed up the beauty of a loving Heavenly Father--He truly is good. Paulos said this in a voice slightly above a whisper, but for me, such an understanding of God in the midst of great sorrow shook like thunder in my own heart.