2019 by Andrew Brunson
Published by Baker Books
a division of Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakerbooks.com
Ebook edition created 2019
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-2161-9
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.
Scripture quotations labeled ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016
Some names and details of the people and situations described in this book have been changed or presented in composite form in order to ensure the privacy of the individuals involved.
To our beautiful children
Jordan, Jacqueline and Kevin, and Blaise
And to our Christian brothers and sisters in Turkey
The prayer I prayed often for myself and over my family while in prison
I now pray for you as well:
Father God, pour out on your sons and daughters the courage, the strength, the confidence, the perseverance, the endurance, and the steadfastness of Jesus, that we may run the race set before us and finish well, purified in the fires of faithful obedience, tested and found worthy of Jesus, the King of Glory .
Acknowledgments
This is inevitably an incomplete list. Norine and I have not included everyone we want to thank, and beyond this, there are many who did things we are not even aware of. Throughout this process we have come to see that God has many of his people in places of influence and that he has many who know those in places of influence.
SO MANY IN THE WHITE HOUSE and the State Department did so much for us. Our thanks to the consular staff in Turkey for their faithful visits (and magazines!)Norman Pflanz, Aroosha Rana, and especially Martin Thomen.
Charg dAffaires Phil Kosnett and his staff in Ankara went above and beyond for me and, along with his wife, Alison, provided support to Norine. Norine was released shortly after Phil met with the Turkish deputy prime minister. Jeffrey Hovenier was focused and engaged from the minute he took over as charg daffaires.
Assistant Secretary of State Wess Mitchell fought hard for us, and Ambassador Sam Brownback came to my trial and advocated for me.
We are grateful for Secretary of State Mike Pompeos interest and commitment to action on our behalf, and to Vice President Mike Pence for being on to this from early on and giving such personal attention throughout.
President Donald Trump intervened for me again and again, taking unprecedented steps to secure my release.
WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL to the many senators and members of the House of Representatives who monitored my situation and signed letters to the Turkish government requesting my release. In a time of sharp political division this was truly a bipartisan effort.
Senator Bob Corker was the first to raise my case to the highest levels of the Turkish government, and he organized a letter to President Erdogan from the Senate and then a second one from the Senate and House.
We were told that Senator James Lankford was our hero on the Hill. Early on he met with the Turkish minister of justice, brought media attention to my plight, and throughout my imprisonment never stopped looking for ways to bring me home.
Senator Thom Tillis was tenacious. He visited me in prison, attended my first trial session, and made many speeches on the Senate floor that kept my name before his colleagues.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen was also committed to getting me out. Together with Senators Lankford and Tillis she introduced a bill to block the delivery to Turkey of the F-35 fighter planes in relation to my detention. Along with Senator Lindsey Graham she met with President Erdogan and then visited me in prison.
We are grateful to the office staff of these senators.
THE UNITED STATES COMMISSION on International Religious Freedom took up my case. Commissioners Sandy Jolley and Kristina Arriaga visited me in prison, Kristina returned for one of my court sessions, and Tony Perkins was at my last hearing and escorted us back to the US.
Our deep thanks to Erik Bethel at the World Bank.
Help also came from other governments, including Hungary, Israel, Canada, Monaco, Mauritania, and Sudan. In the European Parliament, ninety-ight MEPs from twenty-one countries wrote to President Erdogan urging him to release me.
THE AMERICAN CENTER for Law and Justice, Jay Sekulow, and our US attorney CeCe Heil in particular, were relentless in fighting for us. CeCe was truly available for us 24/7.
Middle East Concern, especially through Rob D., advocated and raised prayer for us in countries outside the US and provided much personal encouragement. Other advocacy groups and individuals also took on the challenge, including Rights & Resolution Advocates, Mark Siljander, Mark Finlay, Michael Bradle, Isaac Six, and Mark Burnett and Roma Downey. My good friend Dan Slade, coordinator of Partners in Harvest, did many things behind the scenes. Jeff Jeremiah, coordinator for the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, worked tirelessly on our behalf. Someone described him as latching on and not letting go. Norines younger brother spent an enormous amount of time in the fight for me.
There are some who asked not to be named. You know who you are. Thank you.
HOW CAN WE THANK our worldwide family of believers? Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox on every continent prayed, fasted, wrote letters, and prayed some moresome even facing persecution themselves. It was through their prayers that all the pieces moved for my release. A special thanks to children and teenagers who prayed and fasted, giving up meals, sweets, and electronics! We thank sunny Jayne for walking through this trial with Norine. The support from our brothers and sisters in Turkey who stood with us was especially meaningful. We were not alone.
