Methodists ask for prayers for Malawian missionary's freedom

The United Methodist Global Ministries on Friday asked for prayers for Malawian missionary Miracle Osman who is still being detained by the Bureau of Immigration.

"Please continue to pray for Miracle Osman so she can leave and be with her family," the general board of the church said in its Facebook account.

"We pray that Miracle Osman will be given the same permissions and her paperwork will be expedited so she can be with her family once again," United Methodist Global Ministries general secretary Thomas Kemper said in a statement. 

Kemper said their group appreciates the decision of the BI to release two United Methodist missionaries, Adam Shaw and Tawanda Chandiwana from detention.

Chandiwana was deported and left for Harare, Zimbabwe on Thursday afternoon, his lawyer Kristina Conti and BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval confirmed. 

Chandiwana's departure followed that of his American colleague Adam Thomas Shaw, who left the country on Wednesday, after being ordered by the BI to leave for allegedly working without a visa from 2011 to 2013, overstaying, and similarly for involvement in "leftist activities."

Osman still has to submit documents such as a clearance proving she is free from criminal charges before she could leave, Sandoval said.

Kemper said the three missionaries were in the Philippines to do missionary work only.

"We ask everyone to remember that Tawanda, Adam and Miracle were in the Philippines – a country they have grown to love – fulfilling their commission to show God’s love in the world," he said.

"United Methodist missionaries are sent to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to all parts of the world, and that includes standing up for life where it has been threatened. We will not stop sending missionaries to the Philippines, to all countries in the world, because that is our calling as United Methodists," Kemper added.

He also thanked the public for their prayers and support for the missionaries. —KG, GMA News