Urgent call to prayer: Christian woman kidnapped in Egypt

Nermin Mamdouh Mahrous, 21, is an Egyptian Christian woman in her third year at Beni Suef University, in the city of Beni Suef, Egypt.

On May 16, 2017, Nermeen disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

Exclusive interview with Nermeen’s brother

Her brother, Melad, recently told CFI the following:

“On Tuesday morning, May 16, at 6:10 am my sister Nermeen got out from our house to go to St. Mary Coptic Orthodox church in Beni Suef to attend the morning mass and then to head to the university to do her exam. It was 4:30 pm and Nermeen hadn’t returned to the house. We tried to call her many times but her mobile phone was shut off all the time. I then headed to her faculty at 5:00 pm, there were no students there as the exams finished at 4:00 pm. I was surprised when I found out that she didn’t come to the university to do the exam and she didn’t go to the church as well. I then headed to the police station of Beni Suef to fill a report on her disappearance but they refused to make a report, they told me that to make the police report it must pass 24 hours on the disappearance and asked me to come tomorrow”

“I then searched for Nermeen everywhere, hospitals…etc but I didn’t find her anywhere. I called all of our relatives and some of her friends to check with them if anyone of them saw her or knew her place but none of them saw her on this day.”

“My sister was kidnapped while she was on her way to the church, it was morning early at 6:10 while she was kidnapped. My sister had a strong relationship with God, and she was heading to the church while she was kidnapped. On Monday evening she arranged to go the church with one of her friends. She called her and friend and arranged with her to meet her at the church on Tuesday morning to attend the mass and pray together before heading to the university to do the exam, but she didn’t go to the church. Her friend tried to call her many times to find out what happened and why she didn’t come but her cellphone was shut off. Her friend told us that after my sister’s disappearance. There wasn’t any dispute between us and my sister. Her relationship with all the members of the family was good. All of us love her and deal with her in very good way, and she love us all. She wasn’t suffering from any psychological problem. Her psychological state was very good; plus, she didn’t take anything of her clothes or jewellery with her.”

What you can do

• Please pray for Nermin Mamdouh Mahrous.
• Pray for her safety and safe return to her family.
• Minority Christians in Egypt face tremendous persecution, and the kidnapping of Christians by radical Muslims is commonplace.
• Kidnapped Christian women are increasingly forced to marry a Muslim, convert to Islam, or be killed.