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Lisa Miller and the Nicaraguan brethren

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Published on Wednesday, 01 February 2012 19:28

The following statement was released by the Nicaraguan Brotherhood on Feb. 2, 2012

Lisa Miller left the US free with full custody of her child and lived in Nicaragua as a free person. She had her own money and took care of herself. After a time of instruction, and of searching the Scriptures, she asked to become part of the church and was received into the brotherhood.

To our knowledge neither Lisa nor any of the Nicaraguan brethren had heard that an arrest warrant had been issued for her until Timo Miller arrest the law started to pursue Lisa, so she decided to go into hiding.

Several years have passed. At the time we did not know what all was going on.  We only knew that the poor mother and the precious child needed help, so some of our people kindly extended them a helping hand. But now this case has grown and quite a few congregations have been affected:

• Different churches in Nicaragua have been questioned and pressed to give information of her whereabouts.
• Some have been questioned when going to the US embassy. Others were interrogated in their homes.
• Brethren and neighbors have been watched, interrogated and threatened.
• In some churches Sunday morning services have been watched and videoed.
• A house of one of the brethren was searched without a search warrant.
• Some excommunicated brethren said that they were offered free visas, a trip to the states, study offers and easy ways to become a police officer if they would help find her. The policeman also suggested they rejoin the church but work as spies for them. They asked if the national brethren were loyal to the church.
• Phone lines were tapped. Investigators were connected to a pastor’s phone when he was making a call to a brother. When the brother answered the call, all he heard was swearing. Unknown text messages were sent as if they came from a brother’s number.
• An excommunicated brother informed that investigators were telling people that Lisa kidnapped someone else’s daughter and that her parents are in the US. Seemingly this was done to elicit cooperation because Nicaraguans would tend to side with the biological mother.
• Another family was questioned and the daughter was forced to take off her veiling to take pictures of her.

Timo Miller was released from the charges that were against him. He has not become an official informer in Nicaragua in exchange for freedom. Timo did not turn others in exchange for his freedom. Neither is he cooperating with US authorities as they officially state. There is a possibility he might be questioned again sometime or have to serve as witness to the truth. Timo chooses to forgive the government for the ordeal they have put his family through as well as the untruths they have propagated.

Anabaptist churches in Nicaragua completed this clarification and statement of belief. We choose to forgive and not hold anything against those who unwittingly, or wittingly, were part of the system working against Lisa or us. We do not want to fight for Lisa’s rights against her former partner. We understand that Lisa made mistakes in the past and there comes a reaping with it. But in all this Isabella has become an innocent victim of an ungodly agenda. Her wellbeing has not been given much or any consideration. According to the Bible we believe that God has given Lisa sole responsibility to care and protect her own daughter since she has no known father. According to the Bible it is a war between good and evil, a battle between God and Satan. As congregations we stand united in this spiritual warfare against evil.

Lisa Miller has repented of her past life of sin and was born again. She chose to abandon her sin and her deviated lifestyle (Romans 1.24-27 with 1 Corinthians 6.9-11). In doing that, she needed to separate herself from her former companion. According to the Bible it was a right decision for her to cut ties from her ex-partner, not only for her daughter’s sake, but for the sake of her own holiness. As congregations we praise the Lord with her for a clear deliverance from the homosexual lifestyle. And we rejoice in her faithfulness and the transformation that has occurred in her life.

To us it is sad that someone is trying to pluck this dear nine-year-old daughter from her loving mother’s breast. So we leave it in God’s hands to protect them.

Without apology we say that we believe in the Bible, the Holy Word of God. And though so many people challenge this faith and try to make it seem old fashioned and behind the times, we simply continue to believe. The Bible has proven itself many times since God brought it into completion and gave it to His people. Jesus is the essence of TRUTH and His Word has revealed it to us. Whoever has the faith to pattern his life according to the New Testament, the rule for the church today, will live a life of peace and joy, in harmony with the author, the creator of all things.

We cannot accept that a lesbian union is a binding one, even though man is trying to say it is. God’s Word says that marriage consists of a union between a man and a woman (Genesis 2.24 with Mathew 19.3-6). Who is man to change God, our creator’s, eternal laws? Therefore Lisa’s ex-partner has no connection with Lisa’s daughter.

Because of this very controversial situation, as followers of Jesus Christ, we find ourselves in a very difficult position. We believe that the Bible also teaches us to respect and obey our government and the laws of the land as long as they do not conflict with God’s holy laws.

The fact is that suddenly we find ourselves having to choose between obeying God and man made laws.  We have chosen to obey God. We are willing to give up our rights,  go to jail, or even die, for the cause of helping anyone become free from a sinful live and helping that person to life in obedience to God’s Word.

In closing, with great joy in our hearts, we proclaim to anybody that would wish to hear in heaven and in earth, that we love God most of all and we will obey him to the best of our knowledge until the day we die.

We pray that God would have mercy on Lisa Miller and her daughter Isabella, and that He would continue to protect them. We pray that God would have mercy on the ones that are reinterpreting God’s laws. We also continue to pray for all who are still living outside of God’s purpose for their lives, and reach out to them in the Love of Jesus Christ.

We all recognize our need of God and His saving grace and love in our lives. God have mercy on us, sinners saved by grace!

Brethren, pray “always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6.18-19).

May God bless you!

The Brothers and Sisters in the Nicaraguan Churches

Feb. 2, 2012