An MF1 story about courage, kindness, faith, and standing together.

A Story We Should Never Forget

Imagine leaving home to find a job. You want to earn money, help your family, and build a better life.

That is what many men from Egypt did when they travelled to Libya to work. They were builders and workers. They were sons, brothers, husbands, and fathers. They had families who loved them and hoped to see them come home.

But in February 2015, something terrible happened.

A violent group called ISIS captured 21 men. Twenty of them were Egyptian Christians. The twenty-first man was a migrant worker named Matthew Ayariga.

On February 15, 2015, the men were killed on a beach beside the Mediterranean Sea.

Their lives ended far too soon. Their families were left with sadness that words can never fully explain.

Today, we remember them not because of the violence they suffered, but because their story asks us an important question:

Can we choose love when the world around us is filled with hate?

The Man Named Matthew

Matthew Ayariga’s story has a special place in this sad event.

He was not one of the Egyptian Christian workers. Yet he was held with them.

According to accounts of the event, he was asked whether he would reject Christ. His reported answer was:

“Their God is my God.”

These four words have become a powerful symbol of friendship and unity.

Matthew’s story reminds us that we do not have to share the same family, country, language, or background to stand beside another person.

Imagine a child standing alone in the school playground. Other children are laughing at him because he is different. You could walk away and pretend not to see him. Or you could stand beside him and say, “You can play with us.”

That small act of kindness may seem simple, but it shows something important: another person’s dignity matters.

Matthew’s story reminds us of that same human value in the darkest of circumstances.

Courage Does Not Mean Having No Fear

We often think that brave people are people who are never afraid.

But courage is not the same as having no fear.

Courage means doing what you believe is right, even when you are afraid.

The 21 men were placed in a terrible situation. According to reports, some continued to pray and call upon Jesus. Their faith was important to them, even in their final moments.

We cannot know everything each man felt or thought. But we can remember that they were human beings with their own lives, hopes, dreams, and beliefs.

Their story teaches us that people should never be forced to abandon their faith through threats or violence.

Everyone deserves the freedom to believe, to think, and to live without being harmed for who they are.

What Happened After Their Deaths?

The story did not end on the beach.

The families of the men had every reason to feel anger and deep sorrow. Yet some spoke publicly about forgiveness and faith instead of calling for revenge.

Forgiveness does not mean pretending that nothing bad happened.

It does not mean saying that violence is acceptable.

And it does not mean that people who commit terrible acts should escape justice.

Forgiveness means trying not to let hatred control the rest of your life.

Think about a time when somebody hurt your feelings. You may have felt angry, and that feeling may have stayed with you for a long time.

Now imagine choosing not to hurt that person back.

That does not make what happened right. It means you are trying to stop the hurt from spreading.

The families’ responses show how faith can help some people face even the deepest pain.

A World Where People Can Live Together

The tragedy in Libya happened during a time of war and great disorder. Armed groups used fear and violence to control people.

Sadly, religious persecution has not disappeared. In different parts of the world, people are still threatened, attacked, or treated unfairly because of their religion.

Christians experience persecution in many countries. People of other religions and people with no religion can also suffer because of hatred and intolerance.

We must not ignore any of them.

If someone is attacked because they are Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, or because they follow no religion at all, their suffering matters.

We do not need to agree with someone’s beliefs to defend their right to live in peace.

A better world does not begin when everyone thinks alike.

It begins when we understand that every human life has value.

The Message of MF1: One Humanity

At MessageFromOne, we believe that small acts of understanding can help build a kinder world.

We may come from different countries. We may speak different languages. We may pray in different ways, or not pray at all.

But we all know what it means to love someone, to miss someone, to feel afraid, and to hope for a better tomorrow.

The 21 men on the Libyan beach cannot return to their families. We cannot undo what happened to them.

But we can remember their names. We can listen to the stories of their families. We can speak against religious hatred and violence. And we can teach our children that another person’s differences are never a reason to treat them as less than human.

We can also remember Matthew Ayariga, whose reported words became a symbol of standing together across differences.

Perhaps the most important question is not whether we would be brave in a terrible moment.

Perhaps it is what we do today, when we have the chance to help someone who feels alone.

Do we turn away?

Or do we stand beside them?

One Final Thought

Imagine a world where no child is afraid because of their religion. A world where families do not lose their loved ones to religious violence. A world where people can disagree without becoming enemies.

That world may seem far away, but every kind action helps bring it a little closer.

We cannot change every part of the world in one day.

But we can choose kindness today.

We can choose respect today.

We can choose to see a human being before we see a label.

Twenty-one lives. One terrible tragedy. One lasting reminder: hatred destroys, but love and solidarity can help us build something better.

Remember the people. Learn from their story. Choose humanity.

MF1 – MessageFromOne

One world. Many voices. One humanity.

Inspiration and Acknowledgement

This MF1 blog post was inspired by an article by Erik H. Jansen on his Dutch-language Substack. His powerful account, accompanied by a DeepDive Podcast in English, inspired this reflection on courage, faith, forgiveness, human dignity, and standing together across differences. Intended to make these important lessons accessible to readers of all ages.

Read Erik’s original article and explore the podcast here

With respect to Erik H. Jansen and in remembrance of the 21 men whose lives were taken.