Layan Nasir has been released from Damon prison in Israel

Photo credit, Church Times

Absolutely the best news! Layan Nasir has been released from Damon prison in Israel and will be reunited with her family and friends later today in Birzeit.

Layan is the daughter of Lulu who works in our Holy Land offices. She says,

“The release of my daughter, Layan, creates a flood of emotions arriving all at once. . . Relief that she is finally coming back into my arms, back into the rhythm of family, home, and familiar voices.

“There is also pride: a deep, quiet pride in her strength, in the way she endured difficult days, and in the love that stayed unbroken. At the same time, moments like this can carry exhaustion and disbelief. After so much worry, the mind struggles to accept that the waiting is over. Happiness can feel overwhelming, almost fragile, because the heart has been tense for so long.

“Most of all, there is a great feeling of love: a powerful parental love. It is the feeling of seeing someone precious return safely and realising how much of your heart lives inside another. Today my heart feels lighter, grateful, and full again as my daughter Layan returns home.”

May 15 was Layan’s scheduled release date and so we have been praying and hoping focused on this day for a long time. We deeply hope that this is the end of her persecution and that she will be left to live her life in peace.

Thanks to all who have been praying, advocating and sending encouraging messages over many months (in fact for years, going back to Layan’s first arrest in 2021).

Today there is rejoicing on earth and we believe, in heaven! But the struggle for so many others still to be freed and to receive justice goes on.