Muslim cleric told to help imprisoned christian in vision
-14/5/04
An Indonesian church
Muslim cleric told to help imprisoned christian in vision
-14/5/04
An Indonesian church leader imprisoned in Palu, Sulawesi, has received medical treatment following the intervention of a Muslim cleric who says he was told to help the Christian in a vision.
Rinaldy Damanik was wrongly convicted of possession of firearms on 16 June 2003 according to the Barnabas Fund. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment.
Rinaldy was a signatory of the Malino peace agreement in December 2001 and has worked hard to end the violence. He has also been an outspoken critic of the police’s handling of violence, which many feel to be the real reason for his arrest.
On 12 April 2004 he became extremely ill, frequently collapsing with a high fever. He was in urgent need of ultrasound treatment which could not be carried out in the provincial hospital. He was in constant acute pain and in and out of
consciousness.
At first, the authorities would not let him leave Palu for the necessary treatment. Pastor Damanik’s legal advocates tried on several occasions to convince officials to allow his temporary hospitalisation in Jakarta to no avail.
However, after the amazing and unexpected intervention of a senior Muslim cleric, officials finally let him travel to Jakarta on Tuesday 4 May, accompanied by prison guards and policemen.
Some months ago, the cleric says he had a vision during a time of prayer instructing him to visit Rinaldy in prison. Ustadz Idrus Alhabsy became infuriated when he read in the newspapers about how Rinaldy was being treated and how he would die if he did not receive medical treatment.
Alhabsy went to the prison on 4 May and confronted the authorities, tearfully pleading for Damanik’s release. Approval was given for Rinaldy to fly to Jakarta the next day for specialised treatment.
Upon arrival in Jakarta, it was discovered that the stone in his urethra had dissolved without the need for an operation,
though it caused a large scratch. He is still in some pain and will be treated further in Palu, due to stones in his kidneys and a possible Hepatitis B infection.
Rinaldy Damanik’s supporters have had to raise the funds required for travel to and from Jakarta and for any hospital treatment that he receives there. The Barnabas Fund says it has been able to be of service by allocating some funds for this purpose.
Muslim cleric told to help imprisoned christian in vision
-14/5/04
An Indonesian church leader imprisoned in Palu, Sulawesi, has received medical treatment following the intervention of a Muslim cleric who says he was told to help the Christian in a vision.
Rinaldy Damanik was wrongly convicted of possession of firearms on 16 June 2003 according to the Barnabas Fund. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment.
Rinaldy was a signatory of the Malino peace agreement in December 2001 and has worked hard to end the violence. He has also been an outspoken critic of the police’s handling of violence, which many feel to be the real reason for his arrest.
On 12 April 2004 he became extremely ill, frequently collapsing with a high fever. He was in urgent need of ultrasound treatment which could not be carried out in the provincial hospital. He was in constant acute pain and in and out of
consciousness.
At first, the authorities would not let him leave Palu for the necessary treatment. Pastor Damanik’s legal advocates tried on several occasions to convince officials to allow his temporary hospitalisation in Jakarta to no avail.
However, after the amazing and unexpected intervention of a senior Muslim cleric, officials finally let him travel to Jakarta on Tuesday 4 May, accompanied by prison guards and policemen.
Some months ago, the cleric says he had a vision during a time of prayer instructing him to visit Rinaldy in prison. Ustadz Idrus Alhabsy became infuriated when he read in the newspapers about how Rinaldy was being treated and how he would die if he did not receive medical treatment.
Alhabsy went to the prison on 4 May and confronted the authorities, tearfully pleading for Damanik’s release. Approval was given for Rinaldy to fly to Jakarta the next day for specialised treatment.
Upon arrival in Jakarta, it was discovered that the stone in his urethra had dissolved without the need for an operation,
though it caused a large scratch. He is still in some pain and will be treated further in Palu, due to stones in his kidneys and a possible Hepatitis B infection.
Rinaldy Damanik’s supporters have had to raise the funds required for travel to and from Jakarta and for any hospital treatment that he receives there. The Barnabas Fund says it has been able to be of service by allocating some funds for this purpose.