OTHER WORLDOTHER WORLDIndia steps up ‘anti-Christian’ laws in some states to prevent ‘magic healings’ and evangelismFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/india-steps-up-‘anti-christian’-laws-in-some-states-to-prevent-‘magic-healings’-and-evangelism2024-03-29T06:22:24Z2024-03-29T06:22:07Z<p>
In various states in north east India, local authorities are introducing laws that will ban healing prayers and even Christian symbols in churches and schools. Violence also continues in Manipur and Assam. Please pray for believers in these regions – especially as the Indian elections approach. </p>
<p>
When you pray for a friend to be healed, you probably have never worried about being arrested. That is no longer true for Christians in the north east Indian state Assam, where the local government has approved a controversial bill that prevents people from conducting faith healings. Offenders may be fined or imprisoned. </p>
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According to The Hindu, “The bill includes several key sections for curbing inhuman, evil, or magical healing practices. Section 5 empowers the government to punish any act or promotion of such practices while Section 6 extends this to include imprisonment for a year, extendable up to three years, or a fine of ₹50,000, or both. For repeated offenses, the convicted could face up to five years in jail or a fine of ₹1 lakh, or both.”</p>
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The Chief Minister of Assam says they want to ‘curb evangelism in Assam’, calling this new move ‘an important milestone’. However, local church leaders disagree, saying the bill is ‘misguided and misleading’. </p>
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<strong>Prayer is ‘a compassionate response to human suffering’ </strong></p>
<p>
“We don’t simply go around healing — it is part of our prayer,” says President of the Assam Christian Forum, John Moolachira. “We have healing prayers like every other religion — when sick people come, we pray for them; individually, or by asking them to stand together in a group. We don’t do magic to heal people. Why the government is making it illegal and punishable is what we don’t understand.” </p>
<p>
In a statement, The Assam Christian Forum said: “Healing, in our context, is not synonymous with proselytisation. It is a compassionate response to human suffering, irrespective of religious affiliations.” The statement goes on to say that prayer is a universal practice across religions, and that the Indian constitution guarantees the right to practise one’s chosen religion. </p>
<p>
Open Doors local partner Anjali Lhing* states, “This bill has threatened the mission workers and Christian community, providing the religious groups an opportunity to generate false allegations against the Christians and institutions. The bill specifically targets the Christian community in Assam. It is also seen as a threat to bring in the anti-conversion law, post general elections.” </p>
<p>
<strong>Christian schools given ultimatum to remove religious symbols </strong></p>
<p>
Earlier in February, Christian institutes, churches and schools in the north east were given an ultimatum of 15 days to remove Christian elements. A Hindu nationalist group from Assam posted signs demanding that crosses, as well as images of Jesus and Mary, be removed. </p>
<p>
“Christian missionaries are converting schools and educational institutes into religious institutes. We will not allow it,” Satya Ranjan Borah, president of the Hindu nationalist group responsible for the charge, told UCAN. </p>
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If they fail to comply with these demands, the schools will face direct consequences. Borah mentioned that they also want priests and nuns serving in Christian schools to stop wearing cassocks and observing religious practices like prayer on school campuses. He accused them of promoting Christianity in schools through the display of such Christian symbols. </p>
<p>
Lhing continues to express her concern: “It is disheartening to see the conditions of the educational system currently. The school is not a religious playground. Religious radicals are saffronising (a policy approach in India that tries to implement a Hindu nationalist agenda) the syllabus by criticising minority religions and favouring Hinduism in the education system. Students’ minds are polluted and misled against minority religions. A wave of religious intolerance can be seen in most of the north eastern states.” </p>
<p>
Schools are appealing to the police for protection as religious fanatics are posing threats to the institutions. </p>
<p>
<strong>Chhattisgarh State introduces heavier punishments for ‘forced conversion’ </strong></p>
<p>
Assam is not the only state cracking down on Christians. In Chhattisgarh, central India, the government announced its intention to table a new bill, which makes the forced conversion of minors, women and persons belonging to a tribal community a crime, punishable with fines and a prison sentence of up to ten years. </p>
<p>
This bill will introduce heavier punishments to Chhattisgarh’s existing anti-conversion law. However, none of this applies to those who reconvert back to Hinduism (called ‘ghar wapsi’, or ‘homecoming’). </p>
<p>
Christians are concerned about the proposed bill. “It will cause a rise in attacks on Christians and churches,” said one local Open Doors partner. “Churches will be closed down, marriage and burial ceremonies will be affected, and Christian institutions will be highly vulnerable to attacks and scrutiny. Pastors and leaders will be at high risk of being imprisoned on false charges of alluring people to convert to Christianity.” </p>
<p>
“The lack of proper definitions of the offences in the bill makes it susceptible to misuse,” adds Lisa, an Open Doors spokesperson. “Chhattisgarh has a sizeable tribal population and the current state government has also proposed delisting tribals from their Scheduled status (reserved for the most socially and economically disadvantaged groups, granting them access to certain benefits) if they convert to Islam or Christianity. If this were to come to pass, tribal people who have converted to Christianity will lose all their socio-economic protections guaranteed under the constitution. These laws and proposals are being used to target minorities by Hindutva extremist groups who are free to act with impunity.” </p>
<p>
Although Christians only make up five per cent of the country’s population, anti-conversion laws have been implemented in 12 states where they’ve been abused to target religious minorities like Christians and Muslims. So far, only a few people have been convicted under these laws. </p>
<p>
A case challenging the validity of the anti-conversion laws under India’s Constitution is currently before the Supreme Court. </p>
<p>
<strong>Violence continues in the north east </strong></p>
<p>
Alongside these new laws being considered and implemented, violent encounters are also continuing in Manipur and Assam. </p>
<p>
On 13 February, firing between the Kuki and Meitei communities caused three deaths and seven people were injured in Manipur. Intermittent gunfights had been reported every day on the border of the Meitei and Kuki communities. Of the three individuals who were killed, two were identified as Christians, and of the seven injured, four were also believers. </p>
<p>
In another incident, Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force responsible for maintaining law and order, were given a ‘shoot at sight’ order which led to more than three dead and hundreds injured in more clashes between the Kuki and Meitei tribes. </p>
<p>
“The situation continues to be tense, and there seems to be no breather for peace,” says Lhing. “Please pray for the north eastern states in India – once a haven for Christians, they now stand endangered with constant news of violence, attacks and objectionable laws and policies introduced against the Christian community. Religious intolerance is being experienced after the pro-Hindu government has come to power in most of the states. Still, we believe that amidst these discouraging moments, God’s work will carry on when the body of Christ prays together.” </p>
<p>
*<em>Names changed for security reasons</em></p>
<p>
Source: Open Doors</p>
<p>
Photo: Give. do</p>František Bašo2024-03-29T06:22:07ZSisters of Strength: The Stories of Persecuted Women in the Middle EastFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/sisters-of-strength-the-stories-of-persecuted-women-in-the-middle-east2024-03-20T15:34:02Z2024-03-20T06:36:12Z<p>
Where religious and cultural tensions run high, Christian minorities face unique struggles in the heart of the Middle East. Amid these struggles, women bear the burden of being both believers and females in a region where they are often treated as third-class citizens. Yet they find their strength in silence and sometimes isolated from their entire families and communities. The following stories of brave Christian women we’ve come alongside of are testaments to the resilience and strength that they find in the Lord, in light of the trauma they’ve experienced.</p>
<p>
<em>LAILA</em></p>
<p>
Laila, a 43 year old widow, did not have support from her community after her husband died. She was uneducated and didn’t have much job experience.</p>
<p>
“I tried hard to find a job and worked in a sewing factory, where it was long working hours and little pay. But we were content with what we had,” she said.</p>
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That was until she was laid off due to rising costs and inflation. She found work for a Muslim family as a housemaid and was treated well for awhile. The family decided to host a large birthday party for their 20-year-old son, and due to the extra work, Laila enlisted the help of her teenage daughter for the night of the party. Laila was serving food when she had a realization.</p>
<p>
“Suddenly, I looked around and did not find my daughter. I went looking for her, and heard muffled screams and found the birthday boy trying to rape her. His mother came in and said, ‘Let him do what he wants, and we will pay you. You are Christians and have no morals.’ When I gathered my strength, I shouted to call for help from the guests, but the family accused my daughter of theft. No one believed me.”</p>
<p>
Laila was out of a job with no means to provide for her daughter. ICC helped her start a clothing and linen business so she was able to leave the household and support her family.</p>
<p>
“I would like to thank our Lord because even in the midst of the most difficult situations, God saved us and never abandoned us. I want to thank you for the project you provided for me,” said Laila.</p>
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<em>FATIMA</em></p>
<p>
“I got married to my husband and we were very happy, but that happiness did not last long. We were Christians in a majority- Muslim area,” Fatima began as she told her harrowing story with us.</p>
<p>
“I was subjected to a lot of harassment that would be difficult for any young woman to endure. They were uttering obscene words and threats, such as, ‘We will bring you to us, and Islam is the solution for people like you.’ A lot of things happened like this, and I was afraid to tell my husband because I didn’t want to get him in trouble. I hoped that they would limit themselves to verbally expressing their hatred for us Christians, but no.</p>
<p>
“More than that, they tried many times to take advantage of my husband going out to work and knocking on my door. At that time, I felt that I could not bear my fear, so I decided to tell my husband. I called him while he was at work and told him someone was talking from behind the door and telling me that he won’t leave me alone. I told my husband everything. He came quickly and when he arrived home, there were three men waiting for him outside.</p>
<p>
“They beat him on the head and body with a stick, causing him to lose consciousness. After he fell to the ground, the attackers fled…I told him that when I screamed and threatened to go to the police, they said, ‘You Christians, you worshipers of the cross, will not be able to do anything. This is our city and we will cleanse it of people like you. Either you are with us, or you are against us, and whoever resists us will not live.’</p>
<p>
“We spent the night praying to God to save us from them, and when we slept, one of them entered through the window and turned on the gas in the apartment, intending for us to die of suffocations. But we felt it, thanks to God. He didn’t enter our room. We fled our home to the city where my uncle lives. My husband has been working for two months, but I dream that we will get help renting an apartment in which my husband and I can live, and that we will leave my uncle’s house,” said Fatima.</p>
<p>
“We have been through difficult times and were terrified of extremists. But now we feel safe, and we thank you for supporting us. May our Lord bless you.”</p>
<p>
<em>HANNA</em></p>
<p>
Hanna comes from a Muslim family, but received Jesus as her Savior when she was 17 years old. Secretly, Hanna grew in faith and lived for Christ, but did not tell anyone in her family for fear of them turning on her.</p>
<p>
Her family married her to a Muslim man, and she could not refuse. Hanna lived with her husband and raised her three children. She constantly took them to church and baptized them and they received Jesus as their Savior.</p>
<p>
Unfortunately, Hanna’s husband discovered her and her children’s faith. He threatened to take everything away, and slowly did that, one by one. Her oldest son went off to Ukraine for school and joined the military when the war started to make income for himself and send to his mother.</p>
<p>
Hanna received the news of her son’s death. Since then, her husband has refused to give her and her surviving daughters any money and she has no means of making money. Her husband kicked her out of the home and kept her daughters, who desperately wish to live with their mother.</p>
<p>
“This is my story,” said Hanna. “I do not know what to do. I am a mother who lost my son because of his father, and I am also about to lose my daughters because of him. I hope to get help to rent a flat so my daughters would live with me so I can protect them from their cruel father.”</p>
<p>
ICC helped Hanna with rent and now her two daughters live with her.</p>
<p>
“I would like to thank God and thank you for this apartment because we were desperate. But thanks to your generous support, I have a place to live. Now my daughters can live with me and leave their evil father,” said Hanna.</p>
<p>
<em>SARAH</em></p>
<p>
“My story begins when my husband met a Muslim woman. His behavior changed and he became abusive toward me and would disappear for days,” said Sarah. “After that, he converted to Islam, divorced me, and left me and my children to shame, disgrace, and need. I spent the worst days of my life, and then I decided to leave my hometown and move so that I could support my children away from their father.</p>
<p>
“I work in cleaning houses and stairs, and I receive a small wage that is barely enough for us. I have difficulties paying the rent.”</p>
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In order to help her move away from her abusive ex-husband, ICC helped pay for Sarah’s rent.</p>
<p>
“I want to thank you very much for the help you have given me. Because of your project, we will not need anyone’s help as I work as a cleaner and we can live with the money I earn. I thank God for answering my prayers,” said Sarah.</p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Abbreviated</span></p>
<p>
Source: International Christian Concern</p>
<p>
Photo: Pexels</p>František Bašo2024-03-20T06:36:12ZMore than 600 Kidnapped in Nigeria this WeekFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/more-than-600-kidnapped-in-nigeria-this-week2024-03-11T15:42:02Z2024-03-11T15:41:41Z<p>
Terrorist groups kidnapped about 687 people in northern Nigeria this week.<br />
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On Sunday, March 3, gunmen from the Boko Haram terrorist group kidnapped at least 400 people from multiple IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps in the northern state of Borno. On Thursday, March 7, unidentified armed herders attacked a school in Kuriga, Kaduna State, kidnapping at least 287 students and teachers.<br />
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These horrific accounts come just seven days before the 10th anniversary of the Chibok schoolgirl kidnapping, which sparked the international campaign #bringbackourgirls. Boko Haram kidnapped 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in 2014, 98 of whom are still in custody.<br />
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Established in 2002, Boko Haram is an internationally recognized Islamist terrorist group that is responsible for the deaths and kidnappings of thousands of Nigerians. With the name translated from the region’s Hausa language as “Western education is forbidden,” much of the group discourages Western ideals.<br />
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Boko Haram, as well as other militant groups in Nigeria, contribute to the continued recommendation for Nigeria to be designated as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) by the U.S. Dept. of State. This designation would require the United States to address religious persecution in Nigeria that has caused the deaths of more than 50,000 Christians over the past 15 years, with Christians dying every two hours on average.<br />
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The population of Nigeria is approximately 48.1% Christian and 50% Muslim, with the Muslims primarily populating the north and the Christians the south. Hosting 225 million people, Nigeria is one of the most populous countries in Africa and one of the most economically profitable.<br />
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In the 15 years the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCRIF) has recommended that the State Department name Nigeria as a CPC, it was only designated once, in 2020.<br />
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Several members of U.S. Congress have recently taken strides toward combatting this issue. In the first two months of 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee on International Affairs hosted two meetings on the future of religious freedom in Nigeria.<br />
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The continued attacks show the lack of efficacy of the current Nigerian policies as well as the international policies in place to protect human rights and basic safety.<br />
</p>
<p>
<em>Picture and source: <strong>International Christian Concern</strong></em></p>František Bašo2024-03-11T15:41:41ZHow Bolin used a Chinese police interrogation to share the gospelFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/how-bolin-used-a-chinese-police-interrogation-to-share-the-gospel2024-03-05T20:00:14Z2024-03-05T20:00:04Z<p>
In China, Bolin was arrested for having Christian materials in his home. He took it as an opportunity to share the gospel.</p>
<p>
When Bolin* heard the doorbell ring, he was in the middle of leading training online for Christians. In China, this is a risky decision. He was about to learn exactly how risky.</p>
<p>
At the door were six police officers. They had a search warrant, allowing them to look through Bolin’s home for anything forbidden. He knew they’d find it: their home had lots of Christian books and other materials. “Stay where you are!” said one of the policemen. Bolin and his wife did as they were ordered.</p>
<p>
“I was a bit nervous since they asked us not to move. They took my phone away. But we still tried to show them that we were cooperative proactively,” recalls Bolin. The police offers gathered up all the Christian materials they could find, handcuffed Bolin and took him to the police station for interrogation. They let his wife stay behind, and she anxiously waited for their children to come home from school.</p>
<p>
<strong>A history of persecution</strong></p>
<p>
Bolin’s family is not new to facing persecution. Many years ago, his father and sister had been asked to leave the Communist Party because of their faith – after the whole family heard about Jesus from missionaries, and chose to follow Him. The family were holding a house church meeting which was raided, leading to them being interrogated for 24 hours and badly beaten.</p>
<p>
Despite this, Bolin and his family continued courageously serving the Lord, including opening their home for other believers to meet and later leading a church for believers from the local ethnic minority in a Buddhist-majority region. That’s why he had so many illegal materials in his home.</p>
<p>
<strong>Sharing the gospel in the interrogation room</strong></p>
<p>
Having been taken to the police station, Bolin made another courageous decision. He decided to use the interrogation time to share the gospel.</p>
<p>
“Inside the interrogation room were two prosecutors: one asked question, and another took notes on a paper. There was also a recorder laid on the desk,” says Bolin. “I told myself to face the interrogation with a gentle and reverent heart and turn it into an evangelism opportunity.”</p>
<p>
Bolin realised that people didn’t often pay attention when he tried to share the gospel – but, during an interrogation, they were listening carefully to everything he said. “They asked for every single detail based on my sharing – from day zero to the present.</p>
<p>
“I’d often imagined that I might be in this situation with the police – but I never thought I’d be able to face it,” Bolin adds. “I am thankful for the courage given by God. When the interrogation came, I experienced that His grace was more than enough for me.”</p>
<p>
<strong>Miraculous freedom</strong></p>
<p>
The whole investigation lasted for three months. Bolin was told that he wouldn’t be prosecuted if they could determine that his belief was genuine. Many Christians in China aren’t so fortunate, where any church activity outside of the rigorously monitored state-approved church is illegal and often leads to severe penalties.</p>
<p>
Bolin was prepared to leave his hometown and assumed he’d be ordered to leave the area. But God had a surprise in store for this faithful believer. “Not only was I able to stay in this area, but they also returned everything that was confiscated, including two boxes of gospel flyers and more than hundreds of CDs containing Christian contents at the end,” he says. “I have never ever heard of similar things happening before.”</p>
<p>
He adds: “To me, this was a miracle. I also told them my determination and stance - I am a Christian. I must share the gospel because this is God’s mission for us. If one forbids me to preach here, I will go elsewhere. If they don’t allow me to share the gospel in the daytime, I will do it at nighttime. If they don’t let me gather in the daytime, I will do it at nighttime. I am willing to pay the price. Moreover, I have not done anything that endangers our society.”</p>
<p>
<strong>Vital training from Open Doors partners</strong></p>
<p>
Bolin shared his testimony with Jiayi*, a local Open Doors partner, at recent persecution survival training in the region led thanks to the gifts and prayers of Open Doors supporters.</p>
<p>
Jiayi shares, “Believers living in ethnic minority areas usually lack spiritual resources and supports than other mainstream areas. We hope through training like this, believers like Bolin can be strengthened and nurtured to stand strong in difficulties, and they can also help strengthen other believers as well. In this training, we had 43 participants together learning about persecution, its sources and its types.”</p>
<p>
Yingfei*, another Open Doors partner who is further contextualising the discipleship materials for local believers in China, adds: “Please join us in prayers that God can use these materials to bless our brothers and sisters who are in need of spiritual nourishment in difficult times.”</p>
<p>
*<em>Names changed for security reasons</em></p>
<p>
<em>Source: Open Doors</em></p>
<p>
<em>Photo: pexels</em></p>František Bašo2024-03-05T20:00:04ZIn North Korea, Ji Ho counts the cost of following Jesus every dayFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/in-north-korea-ji-ho-counts-the-cost-of-following-jesus-every-day2024-02-22T18:53:09Z2024-02-22T18:51:01Z<p>
North Korea is the hardest place to follow Jesus. Ji Ho's story explains exactly why.</p>
<p>
Ji Ho* vividly remembers the moment she saw her father for the last time. North Korean security agents had ransacked their house. They didn’t find what they were looking for in the house – but they did discover something by digging deep in the garden.</p>
<p>
“They found the book, wrapped in plastic,” she remembers. “One of the policemen came inside, holding the book. He kicked over our small table as we cowered in the corner, flinging dishes everywhere, and threw the book down at my father’s feet.”</p>
<p>
She pauses. The memory is still painful.</p>
<p>
<strong>Her father’s secret book</strong></p>
<p>
Ji Ho never learned precisely where her father went. At the time, she didn’t even know what the ‘secret book’ was. “I didn’t see what was so bad about it,” she says. “My father loved to read me stories and sayings out of the book – about a wise man who sat on a mountain and began to teach. Why would a lesson about kindness be so dangerous in North Korea?” Only years later did she realise it was a Bible.</p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">In some ways, Ji Ho was ‘fortunate’. When a Bible is found in the home of a North Korean, it usually means the whole family is in terrible danger. As Open Doors secret fieldworker Brother Simon* explains, “North Korean Christians actually risk their physical lives – not only for themselves, but for their whole family. Because when they practise their Christian activities and one of them is exposed as a Christian, the whole family gets the same punishment. Sometimes that means a whole family is killed or banished to political camps.”</span></p>
<p>
Ji Ho was determined to find out what her father’s secret had been. What had meant so much to him that he was willing to count such a severe cost?</p>
<p>
<strong>Ji Ho finds Jesus on the radio</strong></p>
<p>
But there was one other hidden thing in Ji Ho’s house that the police agents hadn’t found: her father’s radio.</p>
<p>
“He wanted to know if there was anywhere that had food,” recalls Ji Ho. “He thought maybe China had some to offer, and that he could sneak over the border.” After her father was taken, Ji Ho started listening too – hoping to find a source of food. One evening she was turning the dial and found a new station. She realised, with a start, that they were talking about the same ‘wise man’ her father had told her about. The one who was in the secret book. They called Him ‘Jesus’.</p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">“From then on, I listened to the station every chance I got,” she says. “I heard other things about Jesus: ‘Man does not live by bread alone’, ‘The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ’ and the most amazing thing of all: ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave us His only son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life.’</span></p>
<p>
“As I listened, I became more and more convinced. This Jesus was the great teacher that my father had been trying to tell me about. Jesus wanted to be my Lord and Saviour – and I wanted to follow Him, in the same way my father had.”</p>
<p>
<strong>Taught to hate Christianity</strong></p>
<p>
It can be almost impossible for a parent to teach their child about Jesus in North Korea. It comes with enormous risk. Children are often trained by their teachers to look out for any clues of Christianity, and encouraged to inform on their parents.</p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">“According to the messages sent from North Korean believers, their main concern is how they can pass on their Christian faith to their children, the next generation of the North Korean church,” shares Brother Simon. “But it’s hard – North Koreans have been taught to hate Christianity their whole lives. They are officially taught that Christians, especially pastors and missionaries, are spies or enemies. Christians are targeted, and must be rooted out and eradicated in North Korea.”</span></p>
<p>
This indoctrination has to be unlearnt. Ji Ho soon began to see Jesus speaking to her through the verses she heard on the radio – and that, far from being enemies of North Koreans, Christians were called to love their neighbours.</p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">“I’d come home, exhausted from the work in the fields, my heart still hurting at the loss of my father, and I’d think about the poem I’d heard on the radio: ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want’,” Ji Ho says. “I’d see a neighbour whom I knew was hungry, and I heard the words of Jesus: ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”</span></p>
<p>
<strong>Food shortages</strong></p>
<p>
These words from Psalm 23 and Matthew 25 are particularly significant to anyone living in North Korea, where extreme poverty threatens huge numbers of people. “The main problem is the need for daily life necessities to survive,” says Brother Simon. “Absolute poverty has flourished throughout the country.” Any food that does enter the country is given to the elite and the army, leaving ordinary people – particularly those in rural areas – in dire need of food. The UN special rapporteur for human rights in North Korea has estimated that 42% of North Koreans are malnourished due to food shortages.</p>
<p>
Many fear a repeat of the ‘Arduous March’ of the 1990s – a famine in which up to 3.5 million North Koreans died of starvation. While the situation has improved a little since pandemic restrictions were eased, and more food has got into the country through official or unofficial routes, believers are often at the end of the line when it comes to distribution of this food. Anyone known to be from a Christian family – if they somehow avoid execution or a prison camp – is treated as a member of the ‘hostile class’. That means they have limited access to food, jobs or homes.</p>
<p>
Remembering Jesus’s words about helping her brothers and sisters, Ji Ho has made extraordinary sacrifices. “As I continued to learn more about Jesus, I also found that my life was changing in other ways. I was still hungry, but I started to share my food,” she says. “I knew I could give up some of my food to my neighbours who didn’t have a garden. I hoped this might show them in some way that Jesus loved them.”</p>
<p>
<strong>No freedom</strong></p>
<p>
Ji Ho shows Jesus’s love with generosity that comes at great cost, given the dire state of the country – but has to keep her faith secret, in order to survive. Otherwise, she might end up like the tens of thousands of Christians held in labour camps across the country. There is no freedom of religion or belief at all in North Korea. For almost all of the past 20 years, it’s been the place where Christians face the worst persecution in the world.</p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">“I know that it would be dangerous to tell anyone about Jesus,” says Ji Ho. “Our leaders don’t want us to worship anyone or anything besides them. I’ve realised that’s why my father was taken – they saw he had a Lord that was bigger than our country’s leaders.”</span></p>
<p>
<strong>A growing church</strong></p>
<p>
Despite this terrible cost, more and more North Koreans are encountering Jesus and deciding to follow Him. Even in this desperate situation, the church is growing! Some, like Ji Ho, are hearing about Him through Open Doors’ radio ministry. This is operated outside of the country, reaching thousands of secret North Korean believers every day. North Korea only officially sells radios tuned to state frequencies, so people must find radios on the black market or get radios through Open Doors’ secret networks in another country.</p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Daily broadcasts include Scripture reading, Bible studies and more. They help disciple and encourage the underground church in North Korea, while sometimes also being the first time someone hears the name of Jesus at all.</span></p>
<p>
Believers in North Korea even want to join in prayer for other persecuted Christians. “They asked us to produce a radio programme about the persecuted church,” shares Brother Simon. “They cannot materially help persecuted churches – but they can join by praying with their brothers and sisters for persecuted churches.”</p>
<p>
<strong>Support those counting the cost</strong></p>
<p>
But the North Korean church cannot flourish if it is on the brink of starvation. “The first prayer request is that we help North Korean Christians physically survive,” says Brother Simon. “Through our networks in another country, we distribute food and medicine, especially in wintertime.”</p>
<p>
"I’ll continue to learn more about Jesus and how I can follow Him more closely."<strong>JI HO</strong></p>
<p>
Through these underground networks, Open Doors secret workers are currently sustaining 100,000 North Korean believers alive with vital food and aid, shelter and discipleship training. That’s only possible with the help and prayers of people like you.</p>
<p>
“I’ll continue to learn more about Jesus and how I can follow Him more closely – and I’ll continue to be salt to the people around me,” says Ji Ho. She has so little, but is determined to do what she can to show Jesus’s love to the desperate people around her.</p>
<p>
Today, will you show the same kindness and generosity as Ji Ho? Will you help keep believers alive as they count the greatest cost for following Jesus?</p>
<p>
*<em>Name changed. Ji Ho’s story is based on several true accounts of life in North Korea, to protect any specific person from being identified.</em></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Source: Open Doors</span></p>
<p>
Foto: rawpixel</p>František Bašo2024-02-22T18:51:01ZBehind a Media Wall of SilenceFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/behind-a-media-wall-of-silence2024-02-07T18:57:28Z2024-02-07T18:55:41Z<p>
Three Christians in India, Pakistan, and Somalia share challenges of navigating their faith</p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Ideally, the media would give suitable attention to human rights crises, no matter what religions were involved. In reality, though, persecuted Christians can encounter what might seem like a towering wall of silence from mainstream Western media.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Many of these Christians — who come from such countries as India, Pakistan and Somalia — have something to say about their predicament, along with the hope that Christians in the West are willing to listen.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Daniel (real name withheld to protect anonymity) is a Christian human rights activist in India. He feels that mainstream Western media hesitates to report about persecution against Christians because “religion does not make news.” He adds that such media focuses on “politics and glamour” because, “It wants secularized or irreligious reporting. Anything that will take people away from religion and into commercialism.”</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Meanwhile, persecution against Christians in India has worsened quite a bit over the last several years. Daniel relates that, “Christian evangelical groups are increasing and believe in wearing Christianity on their sleeve.” He adds that there has been a negative reaction, not just from Hindus, but also from Muslims and Sikhs.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Daniel expects persecution against Christians in India to become more severe over the next ten years. “The Christians [in India] are divided and have no strategy or action plan to prevent or face it,” he says.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">He adds that persecuted Christians in India want Christians in the West to know that, “Persecution is rising and we look up to them to speak out to the politicians who can stop it. Christians abroad need to be more vociferous.”</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Rahmiya (real name withheld to protect anonymity) is a Christian in eastern Pakistan. She feels that most media venues, wherever they may be located, don’t want to have to tell the full story when Christians get attacked. She says that the media in her own country will typically report the occurrence of such an attack “but not say that much” in terms of detail. “They don’t want to highlight the issue, because it’s a very sensitive issue,” she adds.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Rahmiya describes attacks on Christians in various villages, where homes were burned down and many families rendered homeless. She visited one such village in the immediate aftermath and attempted to give food to the victims but was prevented from doing so.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">She says she has video of arson perpetrated against churches and Christian homes, but she can’t show such video on social media because she is “afraid to make people angry.”</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Christians account for just over 1% of the overall population in Pakistan, where 96% of the people adhere to Islam.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">One of the most memorable aspects of listening to Rahmiya is her phrase “a five-letter word.” The second time she utters this phrase (“The media has to be sensitive because of ‘a five-letter word.’”), there is no doubt as to her intended meaning. But she still can’t bring herself to mention Pakistan’s dominant religion by name. Even while talking about attacks on Christians, she won’t say the word directly. It’s like the word is connected to a fuse.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Naomi (a pseudonym) is a Somali Christian. She belongs to a family of four that operates Somali Christian TV, an online and TV ministry that preaches (in both English and Somali) to Somali Muslims in the Horn of Africa and around the world.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">In Somalia, it’s basically impossible to live openly as a Christian. And even far outside the country, Somali Christians have significant cause for concern.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">“Somali Christians are in danger from Somali Muslims anywhere on the planet, whether they are in a Muslim country or not,” says Naomi. “We have heard so many anecdotes of people [especially Muslim converts to Christianity] unable to live their lives freely as believers in supposedly free Western countries due to the Muslim communities they live in.”</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">“There have been cases in Europe where Somali Christians have been physically assaulted when they were spotted walking out of a church,” says Naomi.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">As one of the few Somali Christians with a significant online presence, Naomi says she and her other Christian family members “face religious-based threats and harassment every single day.”</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">They have also “received two death sentences from the Islamic court in Somalia,” she relates, adding that Somali Muslims “have messaged us, threatening our lives and saying we are their ticket to heaven” (killing such apostates as Naomi would, in their view, put them on the fast track to paradise).</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Naomi relates that she and her other Christian family members have had to make frequent changes of residence due to threats, and have also had their addresses leaked online.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">She wants Christians in the West to know that Somali Christians living abroad could feel very isolated and might have been disowned by their families. “Please welcome them with open arms, not just hello and goodbye every Sunday,” she says.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Naomi agrees that mainstream Western media hesitates to report about the persecution of Christians. She feels that this type of persecution is not a “sensationalist enough” topic for mainstream Western media venues. She adds how, “Many Western societies are secular and may not really care.”</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">And for those Western media persons who might actually care, they still avoid the issue “out of fear of looking Islamophobic,” says Naomi.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">It’s not just the fear of being labeled a bigot. It’s also about physical safety. “To point out any ills of Islam or the Muslim community would make the Western media outlet a target,” says Naomi. “They know if they report anything negative that this could cause danger for them as well.”</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">She points out that, by failing to report on persecution against Christians, the media “are saving themselves.</span></p>
<p>
Photo and source International Christian Concern</p>František Bašo2024-02-07T18:55:41ZPersecution is growing – but so is the churchFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/persecution-is-growing-–-but-so-is-the-church2024-01-27T18:28:07Z2024-01-27T18:27:09Z<p>
The release of the latest World Watch List brings a familiar story – persecution is getting worse. What are the key trends contributing to this? And what’s the good news?</p>
<p>
One in seven Christians worldwide face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith – that’s 365 million of our brothers and sisters.</p>
<p>
The statistic comes from the latest World Watch List, an annual ranking of the countries where it’s most dangerous to be a Christian.</p>
<p>
But it doesn’t tell the whole story. Five years ago, the figure was one in nine. In the past year alone, the number of persecuted believers has risen by about five million. </p>
<p>
Put simply, the persecution of Christians is worsening. </p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">One of the reasons that it’s getting worse is because the church is growing. In the most hostile of environments, it continues to thrive. More than anything, it’s a testament to the power of the gospel and the eternal truth that “God’s word is not chained” (2 Timothy 2:9). But it’s also because the global church is standing with its most vulnerable members. It’s what family does. </span></p>
<p>
However, as the findings of the latest report show, this help cannot waiver. Indeed, your prayers and support are arguably more crucial than they ever have been. </p>
<p>
<strong>Extremists exploit instability in Africa</strong></p>
<p>
A key trend is growing violence in sub-Saharan Africa. The region accounts for some 90 per cent of the estimated 5,000 believers killed for their faith worldwide, with the highest number of Christians killed being in Nigeria (4,118).</p>
<p>
The last year has seen a sharp rise in attacks on churches and Christian homes and buildings in places like Ethiopia and Burkina Faso. This explains why the number of countries in sub-Saharan Africa recording extremely high levels of violence has risen by two to 15.</p>
<p>
The main driver of this is Islamic extremists capitalising on regional instability. In places like Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Mozambique and Somalia, military coups and other fractures in governance and security have enabled militancy to flourish. Because of their faith, Christians are affected disproportionately. </p>
<p>
Even when not specifically targeted for their faith, Christians caught up in regional conflicts – such as in Sudan and Ethiopia – are deemed soft targets who can be attacked with impunity.</p>
<p>
<strong>Foreign influence bolsters autocratic regimes</strong></p>
<p>
There’s another threat emerging in sub-Saharan Africa – and its origins are in China and Russia. </p>
<p>
African governments are spending £800 million per year on surveillance technology, mostly to strengthen the capabilities of autocratic governments. The main exporter is China, a country whose use of sophisticated surveillance technology is synonymous with repression of religious freedom (and one of the main reasons it’s number 19 on the World Watch List).</p>
<p>
Meanwhile, the Wagner Group – a private military contractor with reported connections to the Russian government – has been gaining a foothold in the region. The group is known for its ruthless activities in countering Islamic extremism, with civilians often deemed expendable. It has been increasingly active in countries including Burkina Faso and Mali, where speaking out against their activities is near impossible and even life-threatening.</p>
<p>
Given Christianity’s links to the West, believers in the region – particularly those from Protestant groups – fear the repercussions of being associated with Western opposition to Wagner's actions.</p>
<p>
The other crucial issue here is the Wagner Group’s manipulation of key economic sectors in the region, notably mining. This threatens to bring yet more instability to sub-Saharan Africa – and that’s the last thing Christians need.</p>
<p>
<strong>Unprecedented attacks on churches</strong></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Two-thirds of all attacks and closures of churches and public Christians properties were in China, where tightening religious laws and intrusive surveillance have forced many churches to splinter into a myriad of small, less visible groups. Even many of those regulated by the state have been closed and amalgamated with larger churches. </span></p>
<p>
Elsewhere, in Algeria, only four of the 46 churches affiliated with the country’s Protestant umbrella organisation remained open in 2023 – and it’s unlikely it will stay that way for long.</p>
<p>
<strong>Christians squeezed out of the Middle East and North Africa</strong></p>
<p>
The story for our brothers and sisters in the Middle East and North Africa remains a sadly familiar one. </p>
<p>
The situation in Syria has worsened, enough to now make it a country where believers face extreme persecution. Ongoing conflict, pressure from the Islamic majority, the influence of extremist groups and a collapsed economy contribute to the vulnerability of Christians. Last year’s devastating earthquakes only exacerbated this. </p>
<p>
In Iraq, waning political influence and an increase in incidents of incitement of hatred against believers has increased pressure on the country’s embattled Christian minority. Another issue is Turkey’s military incursions in north, where most Iraqi Christians live, which is preventing believers from returning to their homes. </p>
<p>
Meanwhile, Libya has climbed to third on the World Watch List, due to an increase in violence against Christians. And in Tunisia, pressure on Christians continues to grow as President Kais Saied’s rule drifts into authoritarianism. </p>
<p>
<strong>What’s the good news?</strong></p>
<p>
In Mali, changes to the country’s constitution – which includes recognition of the country’s Christian minority – were approved in a referendum. It’s seen as a step towards elections in 2024 and a return to civilian rule and stronger governance. </p>
<p>
In Karnataka State, India, the Hindu nationalist BJP were dislodged by the Congress Party, who have promised to revise or withdraw the ‘anti-conversion laws’ that are often used to target Christians.</p>
<p>
Despite an increase in hostility in Sri Lanka, Open Doors partners say that church closures have been prevented because of teaching given to pastors on how to stand up for their rights.</p>
<p>
Meanwhile, in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, the online sphere is increasingly a place for people to encounter Jesus and access fellowship and discipleship. </p>
<p>
And in Mexico, the translation of religious law into Tzotzil – a widely spoken indigenous language – was published, with support from Open Doors. It will enable believers to better understand their rights amid persecution.</p>
<p>
<strong>Dare to declare </strong></p>
<p>
The statistics and stories that highlight rising persecution are sobering, but they point to a greater reality: the church is growing. </p>
<p>
A big riser in this year’s list is Laos, jumping ten places to 21st, due to a spike in violence against Christians. “In all my years working as a researcher, I never saw a clearer connection of a growing church with growing opposition, resulting in higher scores,” said a researcher. “I find it comforting that the biblical verses predicting this connection are still true.”</p>
<p>
It’s a similar story worldwide – one that began around 2,000 years ago, when persecution scattered the early church because of the impact of the gospel. Wherever believers settled, the church continued to grow.</p>
<p>
“Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel,” Paul wrote in Philippians 1:12, before adding his courage has enabled others ‘dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear’ (1:14).</p>
<p>
As we remember and support our persecuted family, may Paul’s words be true of us, too.</p>
<p>
Photo and source Open Doors</p>
<p>
</p>František Bašo2024-01-27T18:27:09ZDeath threats don’t deter Saleh in YemenFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/death-threats-don’t-deter-saleh-in-yemen2024-01-19T18:18:56Z2024-01-09T20:23:00Z<p>
Saleh has a courageous ministry in Yemen, one of the hardest places in the world to follow Jesus. It’s not often that we can hear stories from Yemeni believers – but today you can meet a bold and faithful believer who spreads the gospel in the face of extreme opposition.</p>
<p>
Saleh has faced arrest and death threats for following Jesus in Yemen, but remains faithful</p>
<p>
Sometimes the death threat came as a text message.</p>
<p>
Other times, it was a phone call.</p>
<p>
But the message was always the same:</p>
<p>
They are searching for you and will find you soon.</p>
<p>
You are dead.</p>
<p>
Your days are numbered.</p>
<p>
We know what you are doing; stop it now before it is too late.</p>
<p>
Saleh* was used to the risk of death for his faith. Because of his Christian ministry, Saleh’s name is on the ‘wanted’ list of extremists in Yemen. The authorities would actually grant a reward to anyone who is able to hand him in. Being hunted was nothing new.</p>
<p>
“The authorities have my photo and my name,” he explains. “I usually do not move around much and I do not roam the streets freely at night. I try to be as wise as possible when travelling for ministry.”</p>
<p>
But this time, the threats were different. Saleh knew he was in real danger, and he’d been in hiding for two months. His family was urging him to leave the country. The authorities had his friends in custody– and their phones, with Saleh’s contact information.</p>
<p>
What was he going to do?</p>
<p>
Saleh’s dangerous ministry</p>
<p>
Of course, Saleh has not always been on Yemen’s most wanted list. He didn’t even follow Jesus until he left home to study and heard the gospel for the first time. He was nervous to tell his parents – but discovered that his father was already a follower of Christ! He’d hidden his faith from his son, which is a common practice in the region, where people can face extreme persecution if their child accidentally reveals their faith.</p>
<p>
Once Saleh decided to be a Christian, there was no holding him back. Even though evangelising is very dangerous in Yemen, Saleh and his ministry partner Fawzi* would stand in front of their local mosque and tell people about Jesus. As time went on, they expanded their outreach and ventured outside of their hometown, visiting various places around the country to spread the message of Jesus and salvation.</p>
<p>
But persecution for this kind of boldness is inevitable in a country like Yemen. The pressure initially started within their hometown. Saleh and Fawzi were interrogated and accused of apostasy (converting from Islam): a charge which can carry the death penalty in Yemen. Thankfully, Saleh’s tribe stood with him – and that is fundamentally important in Yemeni culture.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>
Interrogated at the airport</p>
<p>
As Saleh and Fawzi journeyed throughout the country, this often led to surprising encounters. “As new believers and potential future leaders, we got the opportunity to attend essential trainings and workshops outside Yemen, [some run by Open Doors partners],” Saleh says. “The training sessions promised to equip us with the necessary tools for our ministry and help us delve deeper into the Bible.”</p>
<p>
One day, at the airport, as Saleh prepared himself for to travel to one of these training seminars, he was arrested. “A wave of confusion and disbelief crashed over me as I was led away to a stark room for questioning,” he remembers. “The authorities were relentless, searching for answers. Why was I attempting to leave the country? What secrets did I hold? Did I have any relationships with the ‘West’? To my surprise however, rather than detaining me, these agents made a proposition. In their pursuit of security, they sought to enlist me in their ranks. They believed me to be a valuable asset.”</p>
<p>
Saleh refused – but, after that, decided it was wiser to do training and discipleship online.</p>
<p>
Starting a house church network</p>
<p>
Eventually, because of the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in Yemen, Saleh made his way to a neighbouring country. Once he arrived, Saleh stayed in a camp with numerous other Yemeni refugees. There, he spoke openly about Jesus and many people came to Christ.</p>
<p>
“I became known as the person ‘who knows Jesus,’” he says. “People were interested to speak, listen and debate with me. We would converse for hours. There were some deep conversations and many people there came to know Christ as their Saviour. Eventually, I encouraged those who believed to go back to Yemen and serve there.”</p>
<p>
Yemen was always in Saleh’s heart and on his mind. He loved his native land, and began to ask God how he could continue to reach Yemen for Jesus. The answer was to start a house church network in the country. About 70% of believers in Yemen aren’t able to meet regularly with other believers, either for security reasons or because they do not know of other Christians. House churches are the only way to have Christian fellowship in Yemen.</p>
<p>
“We started a church in a ‘safer’ area in Yemen where leaders could come together, study the Bible, pray, get encouraged, get trained and be launched into ministry,” Saleh says. As Saleh knew, any kind of work for Jesus in Yemen carries a risk, but Saleh still says it’s worth it. “If we sit at home and do nothing, we would be safe. But what kind of Christians would we be if we weren’t risking our lives for others to know Life?”</p>
<p>
Saleh began traveling from his home to Yemen, continuing his ministry by going back and forth to establish and strengthen the church in Yemen.</p>
<p>
And that’s why he found himself in hiding in Yemen, getting death threats on his phone.</p>
<p>
Saleh’s friends imprisoned</p>
<p>
Saleh’s brother, Issam*, and his close friend Mussa* were travelling to a group of new believers who wanted to be baptised. Because Saleh was known to the Yemeni authorities, they decided it was safer if he didn’t travel with Issam and Mussa. “I was in constant contact with them throughout the entire journey,” he says. “One day, they messaged me, telling me they had boarded the bus and were en route. After that text, I lost all communication with them.”</p>
<p>
Saleh later learned that police had boarded the bus and arrested Issam and Mussa for their Christian activities. They took away their mobile phones and identity cards, blindfolded them and took them to prison.</p>
<p>
For Christians in Yemen who have converted from Islam, such incidents are common. They are arrested, interrogated, threatened, imprisoned and even killed for practising their faith – let alone for preaching and baptising others in the name of Jesus. So while Issam’s and Mussa’s arrest was unsurprising, it also drove the Christian community to their knees in prayer and fasting.</p>
<p>
When a man from the church heard the news, he came to Saleh and asked if he could be imprisoned in place of either Issam or Mussa. “The man wanted them to be out of prison to continue their ministry!” Saleh remembers. “He volunteered to be imprisoned instead of them! This request was very shocking yet encouraging for me. It showed me how united we are in Christ and how His love brings us together.”</p>
<p>
In hiding</p>
<p>
Saleh was worried that he and others were particularly vulnerable, now that the authorities had their names and contact information on Issam’s and Mussa’s phones. His family urged him to leave Yemen. Everyone knew it was dangerous for him to stay.</p>
<p>
“I was battling with my own thoughts,” he remembers. “If I run away, what kind of example will I be setting for the church? I couldn’t leave the church and walk away. I was encouraging the Christians to be strong and courageous, reminding them that we knew this would happen to us once we chose to follow Jesus. It was our time to be good witnesses.”</p>
<p>
For two months, Saleh hid in a safe house in Yemen. “Those were indeed difficult days for me,” Saleh remembers. “I cried in my room for hours. There were days when I was hopeful and strong and other times when I felt weak, guilty and depressed. It was during those dark times when I felt God’s presence with me.</p>
<p>
“In those tough moments, I would receive a call from someone and they would pray for me, or I would receive text messages from brothers and sisters from the global church, encouraging me that they were praying with us and for us.”</p>
<p>
Miraculous answer to prayer</p>
<p>
God answered the prayers of the church! After about eight weeks, Issam and Mussa were released from prison.</p>
<p>
“God did a miracle,” Saleh says. “He changed the heart of a person of influence who initially wanted them dead. This man eventually helped them to get out of jail! It was after they were freed that I realised why God allowed all this to happen. Issam and Mussa continued their ministry inside the prison and God brought several prisoners to Him through them. That is when I personally experienced how God turns bad situations into good ones, according to His perfect will.”</p>
<p>
To this day, Saleh continues to travel into Yemen and other countries where the Yemeni diaspora reside. He travels to disciple, to teach, to encourage, to listen, to help and to pastor. “The church in Yemen is living in very harsh conditions but is growing nonetheless!” he says. “I hope that soon there will be Christians in every corner of the country, that Christians in every village and city will go out to share the gospel in word and deed. My dream goes further than the borders of Yemen; I pray to see the church spreading from Yemen to the outside.”</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>
How you can stand with Saleh</p>
<p>
Saleh currently serves about 70 families in Yemen. With the help of Open Doors partners, he is able to provide meeting spaces for Christians, provide medical help and transportation, give out food packages, conduct baptisms, train leaders and help set up essential trainings, including trauma counselling, persecution preparedness and discipleship.</p>
<p>
“We are grateful for your support,” he says to Open Doors supporters. “Without these resources we won't be able to grow and to serve the church in Yemen. Your prayers are important and uplifting to us, giving us strength and encouragement to keep going.”</p>
<p>
Open Doors partners help Christians in Yemen through prayer campaigns, food and medical aid, rental assistance for house churches, discipleship and leadership training and more. Your gift today can help Christians like Saleh continue his work to strengthen and grow the church in Yemen and other countries where Christians face extreme persecution for their faith – you can be part of this bold, risk-taking ministry alongside those who truly count the cost of loving Jesus.</p>
<p>
*Name changed for security reasons</p>
<p>
Source and photo: Open Doors</p>
<p>
</p>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zlAslZBdS8E?si=7o8URry5Zd7WUm-t" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>František Bašo2024-01-09T20:23:00ZNearly 200 Nigerians Killed in Christmas Eve MassacreFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/nearly-200-nigerians-killed-in-christmas-eve-massacre2023-12-30T09:24:09Z2023-12-30T09:22:51Z<p>
Suspected Nigerian Fulani militias attacked 21 Christian villages in the Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Mangu counties of Plateau State on Christmas Eve, killing nearly 200 villagers according to government officials and humanitarian groups. The number of dead is expected to rise as families continue to search for missing loved ones.</p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">On Thursday, Plateau State Commissioner of Information and Communication Hon. Musa Ashoms reported 195 people killed during the Christmas Eve attacks, and villagers were still missing. He told communities to defend themselves and take up arms as needed. </span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Amnesty International Nigeria reported 194 people killed in Plateau State including 148 in Bokkos, 27 in Barkin Ladi, and 19 in Mangu. The Nigerian Red Cross reported 161 deaths and 32,604 people affected. The attack touched 84 communities in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi and left 29,350 people displaced. In addition, 301 people were injured and 27 houses burned.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Witnesses said that scant security was present to repel the attacks that lasted more than seven hours.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">“More dead bodies were found in the bush today,” said Timothy, a local from Mbar village in Bokkos County. “Yes, my village was attacked on Christmas Eve, and other villages close to my community. Many houses were burnt including my church. I can’t say how many people were killed but we found more dead bodies today and we are looking for missing ones.”</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Naomi, a resident of Mayong, lost four family members in the attack and fled to an IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp. “My house was burnt, and I mourned on Christmas day,” she said.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Ezekiel Peter Bini Condole, president of the Irigwe Youth Development Association covering Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Mangu called on Nigeria President Bola Tinubu to do more to protect Christians. He said that Christians in Plateau State should be compensated by the government for their losses. Condole added that there are threats of more attacks to wipe out Christians, and he called on U.S. President Joe Biden to pressure Nigeria’s leaders to stop the killings.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places for Christians, particularly in the Middle Belt region. International Christian Concern (ICC) listed Nigeria in its annual Persecutors of the Year report the last three years. More than 50,000 Christians have been killed in the Middle Belt region over the past 20 years, and millions have been displaced.</span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Source: International Christian Concern</span></p>
<p>
Photo: PickPic</p>František Bašo2023-12-30T09:22:51ZBangladesh: ex-imam is rejected and isolated in his own villageFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/bangladesh-ex-imam-is-rejected-and-isolated-in-his-own-village2023-12-20T12:11:58Z2023-12-20T12:11:15Z<p>
Rahman and his family were once well-respected Muslims in their community – but since Rahman became a Christian, he’s lost his job and is struggling to provide for his family. Please pray for him and for Open Doors partners who are supporting him.</p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: inherit;">Rahman* (35) in Bangladesh used to be an imam (an Islamic religious teacher) in his local mosque after studying at a madrasa (Islamic school). During his ten years at the mosque, he was well-respected in his village. People sought him out for advice and wisdom, and he was well-liked. </span></p>
<p>
This all changed after Rahman met an evangelist, who encouraged him to read the Bible. Rahman was intrigued and decided to learn more about Jesus, so he enrolled in a six-month course at a theological seminary – and became a Christian! </p>
<p>
<strong>Rahman’s community turn against him </strong></p>
<p>
But when his local community found out about his change of faith, they ousted him from the mosque and began to despise him. The mosque, where Rahman used to serve, warned the villagers not to communicate with him or do any business with him and his family. People were strongly instructed to avoid Rahman and his family because he might lead them to the Lord. </p>
<p>
Now working as a daily labourer, Rahman struggles to earn enough money for him and his family to survive. People frequently mock him, label him as a grave sinner, and refuse to give him any work. If he is employed and asks for his wages, the employer mocks him and says, “I will not give you any money. Do whatever you can. I would like to see who helps you.” </p>
<p>
His neighbours no longer speak to him and regard him with suspicion. Some have even directly threatened him. “Very recently, the village leaders visited my home and threatened me to renounce my faith and go back to Islam,” Rahman says. “I directly denied them. I said to them, ‘This is my last and final decision: for the rest of my life I will follow the Lord Jesus Christ. So please do not ask me to renounce.’ They became very angry and started arguing with me. The more I tried to escape, the more they became very aggressive toward me.” </p>
<p>
<strong>Isolated – but not alone </strong></p>
<p>
Rahman feels completely cut off from his community. “Now my friends are my enemies. My relatives and neighbours hate me. I am the worst person in the village for them. I have no place in their hearts and even in the community. </p>
<p>
“A few days ago, my father called me to his home and when I arrived there, he suddenly became very angry and said, ‘I disown you! I abandon you! You are not my son anymore! You will get no inheritance from me. Depart from my sight!’” </p>
<p>
Rahman and his family are extremely isolated, and they’re struggling to find enough food. “I do not know what will happen to my children,” Rahman shares. “We do not have a church where my children can learn the Bible or grow spiritually and practise the culture of Christianity. They are growing up without proper knowledge about their faith. I do not have a Christian community to live together. This is a difficult life.” </p>
<p>
Open Doors partners are working with Rahman to support him and help him find a solution, as well as encouraging him with prayer and friendship. </p>
<p>
*<em>Name changed for security reasons</em></p>
<p>
<em>Source: Open Doors</em></p>
<p>
<em>Photo: Flickr</em></p>František Bašo2023-12-20T12:11:15ZFour killed and many injured in bombing of Christian service at Philippines universityFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/four-killed-and-many-injured-in-bombing-of-christian-service-at-philippines-university2023-12-11T15:59:56Z2023-12-11T15:59:38Z<p>
A Catholic Mass at a Filipino university was devastatingly disrupted by a bombing, which has killed at least four Christians and injured many others.</p>
<p>
A bomb attack on a university has killed at least four Christians and injured 45 others. The attack took place on Sunday 3 December at the state-run Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi, Southern Philippines.</p>
<p>
The bombing happened during a Catholic Mass, being held in the gymnasium of the university. Most of those killed or injured are students. At the time of writing, the people or group responsible for the bombing is not yet known.</p>
<p>
"They are hurting, the Christians are hurting," shares Hadassah*, a local Open Doors partner. "It's heartbreaking - they are innocent, and have faced such a terror from this extremist group."</p>
<p>
Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. condemned the deadly bombing on Sunday, saying, “I condemn in the strongest possible terms the senseless and most heinous acts perpetrated by foreign terrorists. Extremists who wield violence against the innocent will always be regarded as enemies to our society.” In response, police and the military have strengthened security measures in the country's south and around the capital Manila.</p>
<p>
Other officials have joined him in condemning the attack, with Armed Forces Chief Romeo Brawner suggesting it could be a retaliation to recent military operations against local groups which support so-called Islamic State (IS).</p>
<h2>
"We are not afraid"</h2>
<p>
Local Christians are determined to stand strong. Precious*, a believer who converted from Islam and a Christian leader in the region, says: “We are not afraid, but we are being more cautious, especially given the current situation.”</p>
<p>
Mindanao, a region with both a Catholic majority and a sizable Muslim population, has endured previous challenges, including a prolonged siege by IS-affiliated militants in 2017 in Marawi, the city where the Mindanao State University is also located. Attacks against Christians are rare in the northern Philippines, which is Christian-majority, but more common in the Muslim-majority southern Philippines.</p>
<p>
"Most of these places are about 99% Muslims, and only minimal Christians," says Hadassah. "They face danger - they're the number one target for such terrorism, and prejudices or discrimination. There are some people in the community that don't want Christians to live in their community. They threaten the Christians - they threaten the church. But for me, as Christians, I would still encourage the church to respond passively to pursue peace in whatever capacity they can."</p>
<p>
Hadassah asks for prayer from the worldwide church:</p>
<ul>
<li>
The families and friends of those who lost their lives; may they find strength and solace in this difficult time</li>
<li>
The swift recovery of the more than 45 individuals injured; that they may receive the healing they need</li>
<li>
Comfort and support for the Marawi community as they navigate through this traumatic event</li>
<li>
Wisdom and strength for the authorities and medical professionals involved in the response and investigation</li>
<li>
Guidance and success for the law enforcement operations to swiftly bring justice to the perpetrators of this terrorist activity</li>
<li>
Healing and resilience for the people of Marawi in the face of recent military operations and potential retaliatory attacks</li>
<li>
In addition, please lift a special prayer for Precious, other believers from a Muslim background, and secret believers living in the area. May they experience God's protection, courage, and peace amidst these challenging circumstances.</li>
</ul>
<p>
*<em>Name changed for security reasons</em></p>
<p>
<em>Photo: wikimedia</em></p>
<p>
<em>Source: Open Doors</em></p>František Bašo2023-12-11T15:59:38ZJihadists on Motorcycles Kidnap 110 in NigeriaFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/jihadists-on-motorcycles-kidnap-110-in-nigeria2023-12-03T17:55:00Z2023-12-03T17:54:35Z<p>
Gunmen abducted more than 100 people from the Mutunji community in Zamfara State in northwest Nigeria this weekend for not paying a tax imposed by the bandits. A leader in the community was also killed, according to locals.</p>
<p>
The bandit’s leader, Damana, sent a ransom letter to the community demanding 110 million nairas (about $135,000 U.S.). He also threatened to abduct more people if the ransom weren’t paid. Neighboring communities were also sent a threatening note.</p>
<p>
A Christian Leader from Zamfara State said the shooters targeted Christians, and that 72 members of his church were abducted. He said that dozens of attackers came on motorcycles shouting Allah Akbar [Allah is Great] and abducted senior citizens from Mutunji villages and neighboring communities.</p>
<p>
Locals said the attacks began Friday and continued through Monday, yet no police or soldiers responded — despite military and police checkpoints in the village. Survivors are hiding in the bush, and police have yet to respond. Villagers cry out for the government to protect them. The village is made up of Muslims and Christians, but bandits with ties to radical factions of Islam want to eradicate Christians.</p>
<p>
Gata Moses, a Christian rights activist in Jos city, accused the Zamfara government of keeping silent and being complicit in the attacks. Gata said that the gunmen are the same jihadists carrying out attacks against Christians in Borno, Maiduguri, Yobe, and Taraba. Some are Fulani militants killing Christians in Plateau, Benue, and Southern Kaduna.</p>
<p>
Moses said Christians are persecuted for the sake of Christ, and that Nigeria’s leaders must uphold Nigeria’s constitution that supports freedom of religion.</p>
<p>
Please pray for the Mutunji community in Zamfara State and Christians from other northern Christian communities in Nigeria.</p>
<p>
<strong>Source: International Christian Concern</strong></p>
<p>
<strong>Photo: wikimedia</strong></p>František Bašo2023-12-03T17:54:35ZSecret storytelling helps young converts learn about JesusFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/secret-storytelling-helps-young-converts-learn-about-jesus2023-11-22T18:28:24Z2023-11-22T18:27:52Z<p>
In the Muslim-majority Southern Philippines, Christians can face persecution and opposition. An undercover community of Christians are sharing stories from the Bible to disciple and encourage the next generation of the church.</p>
<p>
Ten-year-old Wahid* has already learned a powerful truth – words that he can cling to in the difficult times ahead. Where Wahid lives in the Southern Philippines, choosing to follow Jesus can be very dangerous. While a lot of the country’s population is Christian, his region is mostly Muslim – and anybody who decides to leave Islam for another faith can face death threats and being disowned by their family and community.</p>
<p>
But Wahid is finding a valuable new community – a group of Christians sharing stories from the Bible. Wahid and other young secret believers come with their parents to this undercover group, led by Open Doors local partners, and together find comfort and inspiration as they read the Bible together.</p>
<p>
The group meets twice a month, sharing stories about the heroes of faith and how God takes care of His children. Each time someone tells a story, they learn how to disciple others, ensuring that everyone learns these important lessons.</p>
<p>
<strong>Learning about God’s faithfulness</strong></p>
<p>
“At this very young age, there are dangers that they will face but these children don’t easily give up,” shares Faith*, a local Open Doors partner. Recently, the children have read about God’s faithfulness to Hagar and Ishmael in Genesis 21. “This story reminds the kids that, even when things are hard, they can get strong by sharing their stories and knowing that God helps others through them,” Faith says. “By telling this story, they're not just talking about the past. They're spreading hope and understanding in their community.”</p>
<p>
Wahid and Ramsi*, another young believer, resonate deeply with this passage. “God won’t leave us, and He helps us when we’re in need,” Ramsi says.</p>
<p>
The secret meetings wouldn’t be possible without the support of the parents who want to see their children grow in their new faith. “Even though there's danger,” Faith says, “the parents support their kids, showing how faith can help families stick together, cope and overcome tough times.”</p>
<p>
<strong>Beacons of hope</strong></p>
<p>
Looking ahead, the group wants to help even more people understand the Bible. More kids are interested in hearing these stories, and they want to reach out to them. The stories can help everyone see that we're all connected – and support these children as they face persecution or opposition.</p>
<p>
In the Muslim-dominated area where these gatherings take place, numerous secret believers know they live in a region where openly declaring their Christianity can lead to expulsion from their homes or even death. Faith notes that in a region where danger and faith often intersect, these children from this Southern Philippine tribe are like beacons of hope. “Their whispered stories, admirable faith and unity show how people can be strong regardless of the circumstances,” she explains.</p>
<p>
Shamira*, one of the young participants, says she looks forward to each gathering and testifies to the power of fellowship. “I thank God for the times we meet,” she says. “I always wait for the day we come together again. It's amazing to know that God can do many things.”</p>
<p>
Every Christian child should be protected, provided for and given an education to give them hope for the future – and programmes like this one help to make that happen. Wahid, Ramsi and Shamira are part of the next generation of the church, but they are also vital members of the church today. Your prayers and gifts can help strengthen and encourage them, and contribute towards the future of the global church.</p>
<p>
*<em>Names changed due to security reasons</em></p>
<p>
<em>Source: Open Doors</em></p>
<p>
<em>Photo: pxHere</em></p>František Bašo2023-11-22T18:27:52ZA Brick Kiln Worker’s Tale of SurvivalFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/a-brick-kiln-worker’s-tale-of-survival2023-11-05T08:40:51Z2023-11-05T08:40:22Z<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The sun blazes mercilessly and the air is heavy with dust in rural Pakistan, where a man named Rahim toils his days away. He was a brick kiln worker, a man who had known the taste of labor from the moment he could remember. For generations, his family had toiled under the scorching sun, their lives intertwined with the clay that would become the building blocks of the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Rahim was a Christian, a devoted husband, and a father to two young children, Maria and Ali. Every morning, before the sun had even begun its ascent, Rahim would rise from his makeshift bed, a thin mat laid on the hard ground. His hands, calloused from years of molding and shaping bricks, would shake off the numbness of sleep. He would glance at Maria and Ali, their innocent faces peaceful in slumber, and his heart would swell with a mixture of love and determination.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The brick kiln was a place of torment, an inferno where hopes and dreams evaporated like water on heated clay. As the morning sun cast its fiery glow, Rahim and his fellow workers would gather around the massive pits, shoveling clay into molds, pressing it with all their might, forming the bricks that would become the backbone of cities. The heat was unbearable, like standing before the gates of hell itself. Sweat poured from their brows, mingling with the clay, their bodies caked in a mixture of dirt and sweat.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Amid the ceaseless toil, Rahim found solace in his faith. Whenever he could steal a moment, he would close his eyes and pray, seeking strength from the Lord to endure the hardships that life had thrust upon him. His worn Bible, its pages tattered and stained, held the promise of a better life, a life free from the chains that bound him to the kiln.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Rahim’s heart ached for Maria and Ali. They were too young to understand the gravity of their situation, too innocent to comprehend the cruel world they were born into. He yearned to see them laugh freely, to witness the sparkle in their eyes as they learned and played. But the kiln’s grip was unyielding, its demands relentless.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">One fateful day, tragedy struck. Ali fell ill, his small body wracked with fever. Rahim’s heart clenched as he watched his son suffer, his frail body burning with heat that mirrored the kiln itself. Desperation gnawed at Rahim’s soul as he held Ali, his hands trembling, his eyes welling up with tears. He had no money for medicine, no means to alleviate his son’s agony.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">As Ali’s condition worsened, Rahim made a heart-wrenching decision. He approached the kiln owner, his voice a whisper, and pleaded for an advance on his meager wages. The kiln owner’s eyes gleamed with a predatory glint as he agreed, knowing full well the cycle he was perpetuating. The debt mounted, like shackles on Rahim’s shoulders, and with every brick he molded, his heart grew heavier.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Weeks turned into months, and Ali’s condition remained dire. Rahim’s shoulders sagged under the weight of his burden; his eyes dimmed with exhaustion. He could feel himself becoming a ghost, a hollow shell of the man he once was. His faith wavered, and he found himself questioning the fairness of a world that could inflict such suffering on the innocent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">As the days turned into weeks, the kiln’s brutality began to recede, like the embers of a dying fire. Rahim’s hands, once resigned to molding bricks, began to mold a different kind of future for his family. With the support of the activists, he started sending Maria to a makeshift school, where she clung to the promise of knowledge like a lifeline.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">And amid this awakening, Ali’s fever broke. His small body, fragile yet resilient, fought back against the darkness that had threatened to consume him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The journey was long and arduous, but Rahim’s unwavering spirit and the help of those who believed in his family’s worth brought change to their lives. With every brick he shaped, he chiseled away at the chains that had bound them for generations.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">And as the sun set over the brick kilns, casting a golden hue over the horizon, Rahim looked at Maria and Ali, their faces illuminated by the soft glow. The kiln might have been their past, but it would not define their future. They were survivors, warriors who had emerged from the crucible of suffering, ready to rebuild their lives, brick by brick, with love and resilience as their foundation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Source and photo: International Christian Concern<o:p></o:p></span></p>František Bašo2023-11-05T08:40:22ZChina sends hundreds of North Korean refugees back to extreme dangerFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/china-sends-hundreds-of-north-korean-refugees-back-to-extreme-danger2023-10-26T13:19:07Z2023-10-26T11:20:53Z<p>
China has sent 600 North Korean refugees back to North Korea, where they are likely to face torture, imprisonment and even death. Hundreds more face the same threat. Timothy Cho – a North Korean escapee and Open Doors spokesperson – is urging Parliament to act in response.</p>
<p>
China has sent hundreds of North Korean refugees back to North Korea - where they face great danger</p>
<p>
China has recently sent 600 North Korean refugees back to North Korea, where they face extreme danger. This ‘repatriation’ goes against the appeals of multiple international rights bodies, and is likely to lead to the refugees facing torture and imprisonment in appalling conditions. Timothy Cho – an escapee from North Korea and an Open Doors spokesperson – believes that China has ‘cynically’ used the world’s focus on Israel and Gaza as an opportunity to make the move without attracting attention. Hundreds more North Koreans are in danger.</p>
<p>
“I am familiar with the imprisonment, torture and punishment that follows”</p>
<p>
“I have personally experienced repatriation once, and I am familiar with the process of imprisonment, torture and punishment that follows,” Timothy Cho* writes in a letter to MPs, in his role as Co-Secretariat of the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on North Korea, exhorting them to raise the matter in Parliament. “I urge you to encourage the British Government to initiate a dialogue with Chinese authorities to facilitate the deportation of the remaining North Korean refugees to third countries, rather than sending them back to North Korea.</p>
<p>
“Even if we can rescue just one person through these diplomatic efforts in collaboration with the South Korean government, it would be a significant achievement.”</p>
<p>
Christians among those ‘repatriated’</p>
<p>
“Many of these refugees are Christians, women, and children, including recently born babies,” writes Timothy Cho. “The punishment for anyone that has been associated with Christian churches or missionaries while they were in China are likely to be dealt with particularly severely, indeed many are likely to be executed.”</p>
<p>
Open Doors ranks North Korea as the place where Christians face the worst persecution for their faith. If discovered by the authorities, believers are either sent to labour camps as political prisoners where the conditions are atrocious, or killed on the spot – and their families will share their fate as well. Christians have absolutely no freedom. Even having spoken with missionaries is a grave danger to those being sent back to North Korea.</p>
<p>
Timothy Cho escaped from North Korea in his teens, after being repatriated once –facing imprisonment and brutal interrogation on his return. After a second escape, where he was again arrested in China, he was granted deportation to the Philippines after missionaries advocated for his safe release.</p>
<p>
“I was so lucky. If I had been returned to North Korea again, I would not be alive today. That’s a fate I want to spare my brothers and sisters, currently in prison in China.”</p>
<p>
Pray for North Korean refugees</p>
<p>
This is not the first time that China has repatriated North Koreans who have fled across their northern border, however numbers have been far lower in previous years.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>
“It’s too late for those six hundreds who've already been repatriated,” adds Timothy Cho. “What we can do is to urge the Chinese authorities to deport any more escapees to a third country, such as the Philippines. This will ultimately allow them to reach South Korea safely.”</p>
<p>
In Scotland, MSP Kate Forbes has tabled a motion for the matter to be debated in Holyrood and Timothy hopes that a Backbench Business Debate can be heard in the Commons. Please pray that this happens and is effective – and pray for all North Korean refugees who’ve been repatriated, and those under threat of it.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>
*Name changed for security reasons</p>
<p>
Source and photo: Open Doors</p>František Bašo2023-10-26T11:20:53ZThe plight of Karabakh Armenian refugeesFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/the-plight-of-karabakh-armenian-refugees2023-10-17T13:33:07Z2023-10-17T10:34:38Z<p>
<strong>Despite the measures allocated by the government in Yerevan for the tens of thousands of exiles who fled the Armenian-majority area militarily taken by Baku, many people still have nowhere to sleep and are forced to spend the night under the open sky. No one trusts the promises of the Azeris who have already erased all traces of Christian roots </strong></p>
<p>
Despite all the efforts of the Yerevan government, the population who fled Nagorno Karabakh which has now been ceded to Azerbaijan finds itself in a very difficult situation. A few days ago the Armenian authorities began disbursing subsidies amounting to 100 thousand Armenian drames (about 235 euros), and at the Parakar collection center the refugees are trying to understand when and in what form they will receive this sum.</p>
<p>
One of them, Karo Ovseljan from the town of Martuni, questioned by Azatutyun journalists, said that "so far we have not seen any kind of help, absolutely nothing". As many others confirm, support for the moment only comes from distant relatives and a few acquaintances, and also from generous people on their own initiative. However, at least beds and blankets are starting to arrive in Parakar.</p>
<p>
Prime Minister Nikol Pasinyan announced on his Facebook page that “the promised 100 thousand drachmas were transferred to approximately 50 thousand of our brothers and sisters who were forcibly evacuated from Nagorno Karabakh, at least to those who had access to them at the time of the transfer a credit card." He also underlined that first and second category invalids, and elderly people over 75 years old, will receive the money in cash.</p>
<p>
Government spokeswoman Nazeli Bagdasaryan explained that the procedures for distributing aid will become more effective in the coming days, especially if those without credit go to a bank to open an account, which will be registered at no cost. In her words, "at the moment we are cross-referencing the data, and as we complete the forms we proceed with the transfer of the money", also taking into account the time needed for the banks to send the transfers.</p>
<p>
We are also awaiting confirmation of another government provision, whereby refugees who have no reference residence in Armenia will be sent 50 thousand drames monthly to pay for rent and municipal services. The Armenian state has granted temporary accommodation to around half of the 100,000 forced emigrants, most of whom are divided into the various regions and not just in the collection area, where the assistance centers are working under a very harsh regime, with great difficulty.</p>
<p>
Correspondents have met many people who so far have no place to sleep, and are forced to spend the night under the open sky. As Elmira Nersisyan says, "my daughter and I settled in a sheltered corner next to the church door, we have no relatives or friends in Armenia... they sent us here, and we continue to wait, until someone comes to take us and give us some sort of accommodation." Elmira is 74 years old, and her daughter is an invalid; they immediately escaped from Stepanakert, and she learned about the collection center by chance, while she was wandering the streets, “but I hope to find a job and manage to get by”, she assures her with a proud spirit.</p>
<p>
The pensioner Jasha Movsisyan is also alone, and after escaping from the village of Nogarjukh in the province of Askeran he managed to get to Yerevan, where he found a niece who gave him food and hospitality, but he too claims to be "not accustomed to living at the expense of others." Settlement is difficult for everyone, but the exiles of Nagorno Karabakh try not to lose heart, and look to the future with optimism.</p>
<p>
The unsuccessful outcome of the very long conflict with Azerbaijan had been expected for a long time, and most of the inhabitants of the region had decided to leave anyway, not trusting the promises of the Azerbaijanis. Everyone knows about the policy of erasing traditions and the Christian religion in the lands occupied by Baku, as has already happened in the other long-disputed province of Nakhicevan, where only a couple of 83 Armenian churches were saved.</p>
<p>
<a href="https://www.asianews.it/news-en/The-plight-of-Karabakh-Armenian-refugees-59329.html">https://www.asianews.it/news-en/The-plight-of-Karabakh-Armenian-refugees-59329.html</a></p>
<p>
Photo: : František Bašo</p>František Bašo2023-10-17T10:34:38ZAzerbaijan Claims Control of ArtsakhFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/azerbaijan-claims-control-of-artsakh2023-10-05T13:50:14Z2023-10-05T10:51:30Z<p>
Azerbaijan announced a military operation into Nagorno-Karabakh (Armenian: Artsakh) on the night of Sept. 18, after nine months of a <a href="https://www.persecution.org/2023/09/15/artsakh-blockade-partially-lifted-but-many-still-suffer/">brutal blockade</a> on the region. Terming it as a “anti-terrorism operation,” the Azerbaijani assault began with heavy artillery shelling of both military and civilian centers, drone strikes, and securing strategic mountain corridor points. </p>
<p>
By the afternoon of Sept. 20, the lightning military operation ended with an agreed ceasefire. Azerbaijan’s government in Baku announced full control of the Artsakh enclave, and Artsakh representatives have seemingly ceded control of all military installations. Thousands have been protesting in Yerevan for the Armenian government to act and protect ethnic Armenians in the enclave, enraged at the apparent silence and betrayal from the entire world at not preventing such a rapid and brutal take-over by Azerbaijan of Artsakh. Tensions remain high between Azerbaijan and Armenia while the UN Security Council meets today to discuss the ongoing crisis. </p>
<p>
In addition to its claims of neutralizing armed resistance in Artsakh and “regaining full control of the territory,” they have also stated that they will now begin “re-integrating its people” with Azerbaijan. These statements are sounding alarms about how Azerbaijan will treat the ethnic Armenians in Artsakh, including the approximately 120,000 Christian Armenians in Artsakh. </p>
<p>
Currently, there are thousands of Armenians from Karabakh in the enclave’s only airport, controlled by Russian peacekeeping troops, hoping to leave to safety, though the airport remains closed. The <a href="https://www.persecution.org/2023/08/25/armenian-christians-suffering-under-blockade-genocide/">Lachin corridor</a> also remains closed, prohibiting Armenians from accessing the only remaining land connection with the nation of Armenia. With no route to refuge, Armenian Christians in Artsakh remain in grave danger of massacres and genocide by Azerbaijani forces, just as they have in the past. </p>
<p>
The world must act now to prevent Azerbaijan from massacring Armenian Christians in Artsakh, and we must pray for peace in that region to bring an end to further displacement, violence, and targeted genocide of Armenian Christians. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>
<strong>Armenian ‘Angels’ Unite to Aid Refugees as Count Reaches 90,000</strong></p>
<p>
</p>
<p>
As ethnic Armenian Christians continue to pour into Armenia proper from Artsakh after Azerbaijan’s rapid take-over, support for the Armenian refugees is coming in from the large global Armenian diaspora. Armenian culture groups and relatives are signing up to be assigned to a refugee family as their “angel” and to help support the refugees for the next three months as 90,000 (around 80% of Artsakh’s previous Armenian population) have now made their way to Armenia. </p>
<p>
The self-autonomous Republic of <a href="https://www.persecution.org/2023/09/21/azerbaijan-claims-control-of-artsakh/">Artsakh fell in 24 hour</a>s to Azerbaijan in their third and final conflict. Artsakh’s leaders have surrendered their armed resistance and have announced that the entity will cease to exist effective on Jan. 1, 2024. The enclave’s top leaders have been arrested by Azerbaijan, wanted on terrorism charges. Meanwhile, the vast majority of ethnic Armenians fear living under Azerbaijan and specifically fear ethnic cleansing and genocide after decades of mistrust between the sides as well as conflict and the nine-month blockade Azerbaijan imposed on the enclave this year. </p>
<p>
As Armenia struggles to accommodate such a large and rapid influx of Armenian refugees, millions of Armenians both in Armenia and in the global diaspora have generously responded to care for their Armenian brothers and sisters in these early days of the crisis. International Christians Concern is working to support the longer-term relief efforts of helping Armenian Christians being displaced from their homelands into Armenia. </p>
<p>
<strong style="font-size: inherit;">Source and photo: International Christian Concern</strong></p>František Bašo2023-10-05T10:51:30ZWho's watching Ming? Digital surveillance in China.František Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/who-s-watching-ming-digital-surveillance-in-china-2023-09-22T13:23:12Z2023-09-22T12:24:32Z<p>
Ming* in China faces increasing digital surveillance and persecution - but continues to take great risks to serve the church. Find out how digitial surveillance is increasing in China - and how Open Doors partners are helping Ming trust again.</p>
<p>
Imagine that someone knows that you’re reading this article. They know where you’re sitting, and who you’re with. They know the last thing you looked at on your phone, the last thing you searched for online, the last time you went to meet people. Your moves are watched – not just by cameras in the street, but online too.</p>
<p>
That’s a little like what life is like for Ming* in China. Digital technology is increasingly being used to target Christians, and surveillance systems are being used to track people’s movements and what they do online. It makes following Jesus and sharing the gospel really hard – but Ming’s determined to do it, no matter the cost.</p>
<p>
<strong>Smuggling Bibles</strong></p>
<p>
The greatest risk Ming has taken is delivering secret Bibles. In parts of China, it’s relatively easy to get a physical Bible – but where Ming is from it’s much harder, particularly if the Bible is translated into the language of his ethnic group.</p>
<p>
Like Brother Andrew smuggling Bibles into Communist Eastern Europe in the 1950s, Ming has had to go to great lengths to hide his operations. He would load the Bibles into his car in a hidden alley, and send a message to his contacts: “I’m on my way to the old place.” ‘The old place’ is code: he knew that citizens’ phones were being monitored. Any wrong word could cost him his freedom.</p>
<p>
“I could be arrested, interrogated and even imprisoned,” he says. “But I knew that God called me to share the gospel by distributing Bibles.”</p>
<p>
And one day his fears came true. Ming and his friends were arrested. Miraculously, he was set free – but his friends weren’t. To make matters worse, they could no longer use the company that Ming and his fellow believers had worked so hard to set up as a cover for their smuggling.</p>
<p>
The arrest put him firmly on the radar of the authorities, and they remain determined to restrict his Christian activities. “I knew it would be harder to dodge the police and I’d have to live even more cautiously. I’m [officially] not allowed to attend church or even own a Bible anymore,” he says. “At first, every one or two months, the police searched my house.” They come less often now, but they still regularly search Ming’s home.</p>
<p>
<strong>Persecution at home</strong></p>
<p>
Ming has sacrificed a lot for his faith. In China, persecution and level of restriction can look very different from province to province – where Ming lives is among the most restrictive places. Even hearing the gospel can be difficult because the surrounding community has a different faith.</p>
<p>
He first heard about Jesus while he was away at college, and eventually chose to follow Him. “I told my father about my faith and hoped he could accept me, but he reported me to the police,” says Ming. “I was devastated that we could not reconcile.”</p>
<p>
Ming was confined to his home for a few months. Even after that, his father prevented him from attending school in their area. So Ming was forced to relocate to a city in southern China, where he had to start from scratch. It’s a city with fewer restrictions, and he was able to go to church. He even married – then he and his wife Hua* had a little girl called Mei Mei*.</p>
<p>
<strong>God’s call to Ming</strong></p>
<p>
“I learned much more about Christ and how good God is,” he shares. “This was also the turning point for me. Learning about Jesus made me realise that my friends and community back home needed Him, too.”</p>
<p>
Ming heard the Lord softly speak to him: “Go back to your hometown. Tell people about Me there.” Like so many people in the Bible – from Moses to Gideon, Mary to the first disciples – Ming was scared but obedient. He gave up everything to move home – including being with his wife and daughter, which Ming’s father-in-law forbade because of his faith. He chose to go back to a place where his every move was observed, catalogued and filed away, to be used against him if necessary. And that’s where he started smuggling Bibles.</p>
<p>
<strong>Digital surveillance</strong></p>
<p>
In many countries where getting a Bible is difficult, Open Doors partners can distribute digital Bibles. In China, the digital world is often even more dangerous than the physical world. To make matters worse, China is exporting its surveillance technology to other countries around the world – including countries where Christians are persecuted by the authorities, such as Myanmar, India, Iran, Cuba, Turkey and several nations in sub-Saharan Africa.</p>
<p>
“We are not allowed to officially purchase a Bible online,” shares Moli*, an Open Doors partner supporting the Chinese church. “Last year, a new regulation that restricts and monitors religious online content was rolled out. Right after that, a lot of religious websites and accounts were blocked or removed, and articles disappeared.” She adds that there are ways around this, and Christians are still taking risks to share Christian content and messages.</p>
<p>
“What is required by the law is an official permit that allows churches to post and share religious content,” says another partner, Yangyang*. “Religious content refers to religious videos, Bible verses, religious encouragement and so on. Our partners shared that they received phone calls from authorities warning them to remove their religious content posted online.”</p>
<p>
<strong>Restricting the church</strong></p>
<p>
Yangyang continues: “In my opinion, this law hampers the growth [of the church]. First, it could hinder online evangelism. Second, the room for spiritual nourishment has become narrower: some sermons and Christian materials are no longer available. The availability of children’s materials in China has also decreased significantly.”</p>
<p>
China is currently number 16 on the World Watch List. Only five years ago, it was at number 43. These new restrictions and pressures are key reasons that it has shot up the list.</p>
<p>
Another Open Doors local partner, Yuhua*, has seen this shift: “A few years ago, when I went to interview churches, persecution was not a subject that concerned anyone,” she says. “Nowadays, it is totally different. Average believers now feel the pressure, and many of them are not well-equipped.”</p>
<p>
<strong>CCTV in churches</strong></p>
<p>
Even within the state-approved Three-Self Patriotic Movement, this pressure is very present. Churches and church leaders are rigorously monitored.</p>
<p>
“Registered churches have cameras installed,” says Moli. “Every week, registered churches must have their sermons reviewed, and adjustments in the content are very likely. Some registered churches are unable to preach the gospel fully.”</p>
<p>
House churches and small groups– like Ming’s – don’t have cameras. But that’s because they’re illegal, and so operate under the radar. “To avoid getting in trouble, house churches divide themselves into small groups,” says Moli. “In bigger groups, police might barge in when they receive reports from neighbours.”</p>
<p>
<strong>Learning to trust</strong></p>
<p>
As Moli suggests, the threat of surveillance doesn’t just come directly from the authorities. There’s always the danger that somebody you know will inform on you. After his arrest, Ming struggled with this.</p>
<p>
“I had no one to trust,” Ming says. “I felt insecure and isolated. I need to make friends cautiously, since there may be spies pretending to be Christians. I need to stay vigilant.”</p>
<p>
Without the gifts and prayers of people like you, Ming might have remained in this difficult position. But thanks to Open Doors supporters, he was able to meet Hao Ran* - a local Open Doors partner who is offering discipleship, as well as some financial aid. He is a friend in times of struggle.</p>
<p>
“Brother Hao Ran is trustworthy,” say Ming. “He is someone I can do life with. At least twice a month, we pray and study the Bible together . We share happy and sorrowful moments together. We have built a bond of trust, and I know I am with a brother who cares, who nourishes my relationship with the Lord.”</p>
<p>
<strong>Persevering for God</strong></p>
<p>
“Ming is strong in faith, but I can tell he’s been mentally exhausted in this journey,” Hao Ran says. “At the beginning, he was so suspicious that he would trust no one. I believe the Holy Spirit moves in his heart and he has been able to develop trust again. Now, he is starting to lead a small group again.”</p>
<p>
With your support, Ming can continue to serve God in this difficult region, even as restrictions and dangers increase. At the risk of his own life and freedom, Ming keeps sharing God’s Word. “We listen and follow,” says Ming. “He will guide our paths.”</p>
<p>
Psalm 121 says, “He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and for evermore.” In a world where every move Ming makes could be tracked by the authorities, experiencing this loving, protective watchfulness brings comfort and strength.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>
Life for courageous believers like Ming is likely to get harder, Open Doors partner Yangyang recognises. “We are definitely entering an era of more restrictions and challenges,” she says. “My vision for China is for our brothers and sisters to be well-equipped through our persecution survival training – to shepherd their flock. Many pastors might not know how to respond when faced with persecution, and this makes it so important for our ministry to fill the gap.”</p>
<p>
We can’t all stand next to believers like Ming. But you can make sure that local partners like Han Rao are able to do so – to strengthen and sustain risk-takers experiencing extraordinary digital persecution, yet persevering for God in China and in other countries where this persecution is growing. Today, your gifts and prayers can help the church keep going. You can help ensure that digital persecutors won’t win.</p>
<p>
*<em>Name changed for security reasons</em></p>
<p>
<em>Source: Open Doors</em></p>
<p>
<em style="font-size: inherit;">Photo: pxHere</em></p>František Bašo2023-09-22T12:24:32ZUNSCHULDIG GEFANGENFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/unschuldig-gefangen2023-09-11T13:18:06Z2023-09-11T13:17:20Z<p>
<strong>German language</strong></p>
<p>
<strong>Die Verfolgten, die niemand aufnimmt</strong></p>
<p>
Da europäische Länder wie Deutschland beinahe alle Asylanträge von verfolgten Christen aus Pakistan ablehnen, flüchten viele von ihnen über ein schnell erworbenes Touristenvisum nach Thailand – meistens die einzige Möglichkeit sich vor Peinigern in Sicherheit zu bringen. Doch erweist sich die Zuflucht als Sackgasse.</p>
<p>
<strong><a href="https://sabatina-ev.org/">Keine Genfer Flüchtlingskonvention</a></strong></p>
<p>
Da Thailand nicht die Genfer Flüchtlingskonvention unterzeichnet hat, gelten pakistanische Christen nicht als Asylbewerber, sondern als illegale Migranten. Etwa 2500 von ihnen befinden sich mittlerweile in Thailand.</p>
<p>
Dort reichen Sie ihre Schutzanträge beim Flüchtlingskommissar der Vereinten Nationen ein, in der Hoffnung, Gehör zu finden und einen sicheren Zufluchtsort zu erhalten. Nach langer Wartezeit in Bangkok wird jedoch auch die Mehrheit ihrer Schutzanträge von der UNHCR abgelehnt. Und selbst wenn einige wenige Christen vom UNHCR den Flüchtlingsstatus erhalten, werden sie meist nicht in sichere Drittstaaten umgesiedelt. Viele Familien warten schon bis zu vier Jahren auf eine Antwort. Sie leben in ständiger Angst, von der thailändischen Polizei entdeckt und in die berüchtigten Abschiebegefängnisse gesteckt zu werden.</p>
<p>
<strong>Etliche Christen haben dort bereits ihr Leben verloren</strong></p>
<p>
Das Bangkoker Abschiebegefängnis ist berüchtigt für seine katastrophalen humanitären Zustände. Es werden Familien auseinandergerissen und Familienväter, -mütter oder auch minderjährige Kinder in Abschiebehaft gesteckt. Viele müssen sich mit Straftätern überfüllte Gefängniszellen teilen. Dazu kommt der tägliche Hunger.<strong> Morgens und abends gibt es eine Schüssel kalte Suppe und etwas Reis.</strong> Die Kinder haben Mangelerscheinungen. Es gibt keine Milch und es fehlt an Windeln.</p>
<p>
<strong>So hilft Sabatina:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>
<strong>Befreiung aus dem Gefängnis</strong></li>
<li>
<strong>Lebensmittelhilfe für Gefangene und Bedürftige</strong></li>
<li>
<strong>Finanzielle Unterstützung</strong></li>
<li>
<strong>Medizinische Nothilfe</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>
Seit 2016 haben wir über 600 Verfolgte in unser Hilfsprogramm aufgenommen!</p>
<p>
Quelle und Bild: Sabatina eV</p>František Bašo2023-09-11T13:17:20ZThree Christian women left their homes in Egypt but did not returnFrantišek Bašohttps://www.mojakomunita.sk/web/persecutedchristians/other-world/-/blogs/three-christian-women-left-their-homes-in-egypt-but-did-not-return2023-09-03T10:25:36Z2023-09-03T10:24:54Z<p>
Visiting the shops, heading to church, going to school – normal, everyday activities. That’s what three of our sisters recently did Egypt, only they have yet to return. It reflects a deeply alarming trend facing Christian women and girls in the country, making them fearful of leaving their own homes. Please pray. </p>
<p>
At around 11am, 27-year-old Miriana Boutros from Al Tlihat in Suhaj Governorate left her two children with her mother and headed for the shops. After picking up some milk, Miriana took the bus to Tahta, arriving at 1:15pm. She then disappeared and there has been no word from her since. </p>
<p>
The family have looked everywhere for Mirana, but to no avail. A case has been registered with the police, but as so often happens with incidents involving Christians in Egypt, there has been little effort and willingness to pursue it. </p>
<p>
“We were such a beautiful family,” says her husband, Kyrellos Fakhry. He and their two children – Jonista (two) and Wana (six) – desperately miss her, as do their church where Miriana is a Sunday school teacher.</p>
<p>
<strong>Tricked into falling in love</strong></p>
<p>
Miriam’s disappearance is all too common among Christian women and girls in Egypt, particularly Upper Egypt where Salifist movements (a branch of Islam that can involve extremist elements) are prominent.</p>
<p>
Often the aim is to forcibly convert them to Islam and undermine the presence of Christianity in the country. Most at risk are young girls, who are tricked into falling in love with Muslim men – who then mistreat them appallingly. In some cases, the women and girls never return home; in other cases they do, but the harrowing experiences are difficult to overcome. </p>
<p>
The tactics employed by Salifist groups – who are protected and funded by legal groups both inside and outside Egypt – extend to the recruitment and training of young men to ensnare vulnerable Christian women and kidnap them. In some cases, the girl is sexually assaulted and filmed, and told to convert to Islam otherwise the film will be sent to their family.</p>
<p>
Families sometimes receive a record or video proving the girl's conversion to Islam – which could be fake or true – to persuade the family to stop their search. Many feel they have no choice but to give up. But not all receive any news, so the fate of their loved one remains unknown. </p>
<p>
It’s a deeply troubling trend that spreads fear and panic among Christian communities, with women and girls fearful of leaving their own homes.</p>
<p>
<strong>Two girls who didn’t return home</strong></p>
<p>
The dangers facing our sisters in Egypt are reinforced with the recent stories of two young women, both aged 17. </p>
<p>
Earlier in the year, Miriana Shahhat – from Hajar Armant village in Luxor Governorate – was on her way to church at 7am. CCTV cameras showed her walking towards Al-Rahman Mosque enroute to church before she then disappeared. The mosque itself has no cameras and extremist Muslims are known to attend it. The case was reported to the police, who were rude and refused to take it any further. There has since been no contact with Miriana. </p>
<p>
There has also been no contact with Nada Jerjes from Al Jala’ village in Minya Governorate. She disappeared a month later whilst on her way to school in Samalout. </p>
<p>
<strong>Prompts to pray</strong></p>
<p>
These stories are a sober reminder of how the everyday lives of Christians around the world can involve danger, simply because they love Jesus. It’s why so many young believers in the Middle East and North Africa feel hopeless, making your support for our <em><a href="https://www.opendoorsuk.org/act/hope-for-the-middle-east/" target="_blank">Make Hope Last</a></em> campaign so crucially important.</p>
<p>
As you go about your daily activities in the next few days – like popping to the shops, heading to church or going to school – could you pray for people like Miriam, Miriana and Nada? These prompts can be a valuable reminder to pray, whilst helping put us in the shoes of those following Jesus no matter the cost. Thank you! </p>
<p>
Source and photo: Open Doors</p>František Bašo2023-09-03T10:24:54Z