Very Bold Radio 3-11-23 with Henry Jarju (Part 1)

Henry Jarju joins host Steve Teel on this edition of Very Bold Radio. Be inspired every Saturday by difference-makers on Very Bold Radio and Podcast. A Five-Part Special Very Bold Series “Henry Jarju: One Refugee’s Journey.” This is Henry Jarju’s journey as a refugee from The Gambia seeking better opportunities in Europe. Henry shares his harrowing yet inspiring story in this five-part interview (with David Teel and Steve Teel as interviewers). The emotions and memories are strong as Henry faced death many times, was robbed, beaten, kidnapped and imprisoned by human traffickers. He was severely beaten after a daring escape attempt from traffickers. Henry survived shipwreck, a deadly fire, betrayal, and the desperate defeat of death hanging over his head and the feeling of truly being all alone. The many obstacles Henry Jarju faced over and over again are a testimony of Henry’s amazing endurance and of God’s providence and grace. Here in Part 1 - From Amsterdam, Netherlands (YWAM Youth With A Mission) Close friend David Teel (guest co-host) introduces Henry Jarju to his dad and host Steve Teel (Very Bold Radio & Podcast VeryBold.com Ministries based in Texas) and gives background on Henry Jarju’s current ministry with refugees, the homeless, and soccer ministry. (0:00-6:00)Henry talks about his brand new engagement to be married. (6:00-12:00). Henry’s faith and love and knowledge of God’s Word shines through in this story. Henry introduces his story as being from The Gambia. The Gambia is significantly majority Muslim though Henry grew up Catholic. He will explain as we go on that he was not yet a born-again believer in Jesus (some of his brothers were so). He was living for vanity and money and things of the world at this time. Henry explains that most Gambian youth desire to move to Europe or USA. He sets up that his journey will mean traveling across the Sahara Desert before setting out by boat across the Mediterranean to Italy. (12:00-24:00)No one on his family approved or supported Henry’s decision to take this risky journey. His dad cautions him against this dangerous plan. Knowing that his family did not approve, Henry begins his journey without telling his family goodbye. He embarks on journey with his Bible, some money, and one friend but quickly runs out of money. Henry understood his family not being supportive but it was still very painful and he felt all alone in a country where he did not speak the language. But he continued on. Living in the streets in the country of Mauritania for 3 weeks and looking for any day labor job. Henry explains the next destination was the country Mali and then across Sahara Desert in a truck (approximately 25-30 people in the truck) to go through Algeria. The journey across the Sahara will take 4 days in the midst of hostile rebels and land disputes. The truck breaks down, is fixed, but soon runs out of fuel in the middle of nowhere. No shade except for laying under the truck. “For the first time in the desert, I felt like … this is it… we all lost hope.” The next day United Nations peacekeeping soldiers come upon them and help with food and water. Refreshed with water and hope the group heads out again. Just two hours later they encounter rebel soldiers. (24:00-42:00).Henry explains the rebels surrounding their truck, pointing their guns at them. One by one the rebels go through their bags taking whatever they want: phones, money. They are forced to take their clothes off. Henry had hid his money inside a body cream tube and it was not discovered. The rebels beat the sojourners with lashes and threaten them to reveal where their money is. The rebels then leave—but even take the last of the water the refugees had received. That was the third day.(42:00-53:00)They run into a different group of rebels who force the refugees to their camp. This group of rebels then sell the refugees to human traffickers. The human trafficker is Senegalese and this gives Henry comfort for a brief time as he speaks the same language. Then as the man becomes angry Henry realizes the dire situation that they are in the hands of human traffickers. He is forced to call his dad and ask for ransom money to release him. His dad reminds him he had told him not to go and will not send money. Henry then calls one of his sisters who pledges to send money though he knows she does not have any money to send. But his captor incorrectly believe she will. Some of the other captives Henry learns have been there for 7 or 9 months but had not been able to pay off the full ransom amount. He then learns that these other captives are permitted to go work outside the compound to pay down the ransom.Henry calls a brother and explains the troubling situation. Henry speaks in a language his captive doesn’t know and tells his brother he will try to escape but to tell the man that he will send the money. Henry is warned by other captives not to attempt an escape because he will be caught and taken back to the rebels. Henry’s friend’s family is able and willing to pay the fee for his friend. But Henry must attempt to escape. That night the rebels and Algerians engage in a gunfight and Henry is determined to try his escape despite warnings not to. (53:00-1:08:00) This ends Part 1. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.