Betty is a Pentecostal Christian from Eritrea. Following the death of her first husband, Betty began suffering from depression.  Medication had no effect and she remained depressed for several years until she was invited by some friends to attend a Pentecostal church.  Betty was healed from her depression, accepted the faith and was baptised in 1999.

 

Betty remarried in 2000 but soon afterwards her husband disappeared on his way to a church meeting.

 

In 2002, the Eritrean government banned the faith and ordered the closure of all Pentecostal churches. Betty continued to practice her faith in secret in people’s homes, including her own. In 2005, armed police raided a secret bible study.  They searched the house and confiscated materials related to the faith.  They were all arrested including the children and detained at the police station.

 

Betty was interrogated and beaten by the police who wanted to know the names of other believers and why she was practising a banned religion. They beat her with a wooden stick until her whole body was swollen.  Betty was released the next day on the condition that she renounce her faith.  She was told that if she continued to practice her faith she would be detained indefinitely. 

 

Unwilling to abandon her faith, Betty was forced to flee the country, leaving behind her two children. She paid an agent to get her to the UK where she thought she would be safe. Yet despite the well-documented persecution of Pentecostal Christians in Eritrea, Betty’s claim was refused and she lost all support. 

 

Betty was given food, clothing and a place to stay by the Boaz Trust.  She was a keen volunteer, involved in all our activities.  Betty found a solicitor to help with her asylum case and we enabled Betty to keep in touch with her and to attend appointments.  Betty put in new evidence to support her claim and was given support by the Home Office once again.  She is still waiting to hear their decision.