Power of Forgiveness Continues for German Missionary Widow

Peter Wooding : Apr 26, 2009
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"I look back over the past two years and the Lord was really great to us and merciful. We've had a good time in spite of all the deep hurts and feelings. We've coped quite well and I think it's all because of prayers. This is the one thing that carried us through."

(Oldenburg, Germany)—Two years after Susanne Geske went on Turkish television and forgave those that killed her husband Tilmann Geske, her testimony continues to impact many lives today. After this humble missionary shared her story of the power of forgiveness recently at the mission-net congress in Oldenburg, Germany, the 3,000 delegates were so inspired and moved by her story they all stood to their feet and applauded her in a powerful display of solidarity.

Three evangelical Christians were brutally murdered, April 18, 2007 in Malatya in South East Turkey, where 45-year old Tilmann Geske worked as an interpreter in the Christian Publishing House Zirve. Two other Turkish Christians, Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel were also [killed].

Earlier that evening at the mission-net congress during the Easter weekend Susanne told me about her challenging story and how God had brought her through the last two years: "During those first few days I was just in a foggy world and I was so shocked and knocked out. But after a while I realized that I'm single again but I clung to the Word of God and started reading it like crazy and I just held onto Him. I never asked the question 'why' but I said He put all the stuff on my shoulders so now we have to carry it so it's my responsibility.' He took my husband out of my life and gave me this burden and now God was helping me carry that. So sometimes I was arguing with God but I could also feel His grace. All of the prayers of people around the world really helped us and carried us through."

I asked Susanne how the press responded to her words of forgiveness: "I think one of the press said what missionaries couldn't do in one thousand years I did in one sentence. There were a lot of good responses.

"I look back over the past two years and the Lord was really great to us and merciful. We've had a good time in spite of all the deep hurts and feelings. We've coped quite well and I think it's all because of prayers. This is the one thing that carried us through."