Friday, February 27, 2009

Forum 18: Azerbaijan, Serbia, Russia, Uzbekistan (Direct Post)

24 February 2009
AZERBAIJAN: LITERATURE CENSORSHIP FOR EXPORT ALSO?
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1259
Azerbaijan's wide-ranging religious literature censorship system has started to affect the export of such literature, Forum 18 News Service has found. Customs authorities recently confiscated Christian religious literature from Azerbaijani citizens leaving Azerbaijan. No mention is made in Azerbaijan's laws of censorship of religious literature taken out of the country. Similarly, Forum 18 was told by a customs official that customs regulations are also silent on this point. An official of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organisations, speaking after the confiscation of Muslim literature, told Forum 18 that "our society doesn'tneed books that don't suit our laws and our beliefs." He claimed that unspecified religious literature could cause unspecified "social harm andpossibly inter-religious and inter-ethnic violence."

26 February 2009
RUSSIA: GOVERNOR ORDERS CHURCH LAND GRAB
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1261
Apparently unaware that he was giving a public address, the governor of Kaluga Region has ordered that land legally owned by Word of Life Pentecostal Church be seized by "any" means, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. The order, made at a recent local government meeting broadcast live via the regional administration's website, has been captured and posted on the Internet site YouTube by a church member. No official was prepared to comment to Forum 18. Word of Life has complained of frequent bureaucratic harassment ever since its land and building became an impediment to shopping mall construction plans in Kaluga. In Udmurtia, Philadelphia Pentecostal Church is the latest congregation to report similar bureaucratic obstruction, which state officials usually insist is lawful and routine. Such problems are usually encountered by Protestants, who are more likely to have unsecured worship premises.

26 February 2009
SERBIA: RELIGIOUS FREEDOM SURVEY, FEBRUARY 2009
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1260
In its survey analysis of freedom of thought, conscience or belief in Serbia, Forum 18 News Service notes that the most serious remains violent attacks, especially on Jehovah's Witness and Adventist property. The numbers of these attacks have been declining, and a crucial factor in this has been positive changes in media portrayals of non-Serbian Orthodox communities. Gaining legal status is difficult for communities defined by the Religion Law as "non-traditional" who must apply for recognition, and may face apparently arbitrary denials of status. This leads to practical problems for some communities, such as an inability to employ people.Restitution of confiscated property is a problem for most religious communities, including the Serbian Orthodox Church which suffered most communist-era confiscations. Legally, restitution of Jewish property confiscated in the Second World War is also difficult. Education is a sensitive issue, with problems such as negative portrayal of"non-traditional" communities in school religious education.

27 February 2009
UZBEKISTAN: "YOU CALL WHITE BLACK AND BLACK WHITE"
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1262
Uzbekistan imposed harsh prison sentences yesterday (26 February) on five writers for the Islamic periodical Irmoq (Spring), Forum 18 News Service has learnt. The verdicts were: Bakhrom Ibrahimov and Davron Kabilov received 12 year sentences in general regime labour camps; Rovshanbek Vafoyev received a ten year general regime labour camp sentence; and Abdulaziz Dadahonov and Botyrbek Eshkuziyev each received eight year general regime labour camp sentences. Uzbek officials have refused to discuss the case with Forum 18. All five were arrested in mid-2008 by the NSS secret police on "suspicion of being sponsored by a Turkish radical religious movement Nursi." The Ezgulik human rights society stated that the defendants insisting they had violated no laws. "We want children to know the truth, to be able to tell the difference between black and white," they told the court. "But you call white black and black white." The verdict in a similar case against contributors to the Yetti Iqlim (Seven Climates)Islamic periodical is awaited. As part of the continuing crackdown on religious literature, pressure also continues on Baptists distributing literature in the street.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Open Doors: Egypt, Kenya (Direct Post)

February 25, 2009

Egyptian Law Granting Twins to Muslim to be Reviewed

In a turn of events the Egyptian Prosecutor General last week granted the mother of 14-year-old twins the right to appeal a custody decision awarding her sons to their Muslim father. The boy's father, who is a Muslim convert, was granted custody of the boys last September, contrary to Article 20 of Egypt’s Personal Status Law, which states children should remain with their mother until age 15.

Family Court decisions are not usually given recourse to the Court of Cassation, one of Egypt’s highest courts. “The Court of Cassation will pronounce a decision on the legal rule that Christian children, when one of their parents converts to Islam, should be automatically moved to the Muslim parent’s custody,” told the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) Director Hossam Bahgat to Compass News. “So it is very important in terms of changing the legal rule.”
Praise God for these turn of events and pray for the intersession of the Holy Spirit in their circumstances.
Read the full story>>

Kidnapped Nuns from Kenya are Released


Two nuns who have been held captive in Somalia since last November have been freed. Praise God!

In an early morning ambush, gunmen snatched Sister Olivero and Sister Caterina from the small north east Kenyan border town of El Wak taking them across the border into Somalia. Father Bongiovanni Franco, who worked with the sisters, told Compass that the sisters are fatigued. “Their movement from one place to another, and living in house confinement most of their stay in Mogadishu, seems to have affected their health it was like a prison cell.”

Both of the nuns have worked in Kenya since the 1970s providing much needed medical and nutritional care to malnourished children, expectant mothers and the elderly. We thank God for His protection and their safe release.
Read the full story>>
  • Pray for the Egyptian mother and her children. Pray for their witness before the Muslim community in which they serve Christ. May His light shine forth through them and touch the hearts of many. To God be the glory!
  • Pray for Sister Olivero and Sister Caterina as they recover from their incarceration. Pray for their physical and emotional healing as well as a special time of refreshing. Praise God for orchestrating their release!Pray for many Christian worldwide who suffer because of their faith in Jesus. Pray for His protection, provision and anointing as they build the church. Pray with them “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” 1 Peter 3:15-17

Friday, February 20, 2009

Forum 18: Maldives, Serbia and Uzbekistan (Direct Post)

18 February 2009
MALDIVES: REFORM EXCLUDES FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1257

Mohamed Nasheed's election as President of the Maldives was hailed as the dawn of a new era of democracy and freedom in the Indian Ocean country.Under former President Gayoom, the once religiously tolerant Maldives -which tended towards folk Islam - was changed into a society intolerant ofall beliefs except state-approved Sunni Islam. President Nasheed has, Forum18 News Service notes, taken no steps to dismantle the Gayoom legacy of continuing religious freedom violations. Indeed, the scope for violations has been increased by the creation of a new and powerful Ministry of Islamic Affairs. The 2008 Maldivian Constitution, inherited from the Gayoomera, also places many obstacles in the way of establishing human rights.Many Maldivians - especially secular and non-Muslim Maldivians forced to conceal their beliefs - have begun using anonymous weblogs to voice their concern over the situation. Fear of social ostracism and government punishment prevents this concern from being openly expressed. If President Nasheed does not respect all Maldivians' right to freedom of religion or belief, he will not be able to fulfil his promises to respect their human rights.* See full article below.

20 February 2009
SERBIA: WHO CAN GAIN LEGAL STATUS?
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1258

State registration, or legal status, is difficult for "non-traditional"religious communities to gain in Serbia, Forum 18 News Service has found.This can prevent communities from, for example, employing people as clergy or other religious workers. However, although some religious communities known to Forum 18 are without legal status, this has not practically affected them. There does not appear to be a pattern in why some communities are practically affected but not others, and the Religion Ministry itself is not actively harassing unregistered organisations. Several unregistered religious communities are challenging the decision not to register them. These include the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement, and the Montenegran Orthodox Church, which is not recognised by other Orthodox churches. A number of smaller communities have considered trying to register as non-governmental organisations(NGOs), but as a draft NGO Law has not been passed by Parliament it is unclear when this will be legally possible.

17 February 2009
UZBEKISTAN: MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS LATEST VICTIMS OF RELIGIOUS LITERATURE CRACKDOWN
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1256

Uzbekistan continues to attack the sharing of information and opinion in religious literature, Forum 18 News Service notes. In the most recent known cases, contributors to two Islamic religious periodicals - Irmoq (Spring)and Yetti Iqlim (Seven Climates) - are facing criminal charges, allegedly for distributing information on the Turkish Muslim theologian Said Nursi. Obiddin Makhmudov of Uzbekistan's state Agency of Press and Information told Forum 18 that "I just found out yesterday from the national TV channel that the magazine's [Irmoq's] staff are suspected of having ties with a banned religious organisation." Baptists are being punished for distributing religious literature free-of-charge, in one case being questioned for seven hours without food or water. A different Baptist has been fired from his job as an electrician, after the NSS secret police and ordinary police confiscated his religious literature from his mother-in-law's flat. Asked by Forum 18 why police raided the flat, Police Inspector Alisher Umarov claimed they were "allowed" to do passport control"anywhere and anytime."

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Open Doors: Bangladesh, Turkey, Nigeria (Direct Post)

Bangladeshi Christians Seek Justice in Church Bomb Blast

About 70 people were attending Sunday prayers at Baniarchar Catholic Church in Gopalganj, when a bomb went off killing 10 people and injuring 20 others. Anna Halder, whose son Suman Halder was killed in the 2001 bomb attack, told Compass she wants to see justice within her lifetime. “I want this government to investigate properly to find the real culprits,” she said.

With the election of a new government, the chief priest of Baniarchar Catholic Church, Father Jacob Gobbi, said he has urged officials to revive the investigation. “A completed investigation also would restore the dignity of Christians who became suspects, as police used the initial call for an investigation to detain and harass some Christians,” he said.

The Awami League-led Grand Alliance, which won a landslide victory in elections last Dec. 29, does not include Islamic fundamentalist parties and now carries with it the hope for justice.

Read the full story >>

Two More Arrested in Malatya, Turkey Murders

A Turkish court has charged two more men for instigating the murder of three Christians in Malatya in 2007: Huseyin Yelki, a former employee of the Christian publishing house where the Christians were killed, and Varol Bulent Aral, an ex-journalist suspected of ties to a group that tried to engineer a political coup.

While the plaintiff’s attorneys said they don’t believe Aral and Yelki are the masterminds themselves, they hope these two men could act as links for the investigation to go higher up the chain of command. “In my opinion, Yelki and Aral are just middle guys between the real instigators and the ‘hit-men,’” said Cengiz, representing the plaintiff lawyers. “Their inclusion into the court file has sparked hope for the first time since the case started. I hope we will be able to reach the higher links and deliver justice to them.”

Read the full story >>

Open Doors Responds to Recent Violence in Jos

Christians in Jos are traumatised by the religious riot of November 28. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) reports that 129 Christians, including five pastors, were killed. About 45 churches were torched and looted, and more than 30,000 people were displaced during the violence.

Many Christians believe that Muslims used the recent elections as an excuse to cleanse Jos and to forcefully claim the city for Islam. “The Muslims betrayed our trust. We are trying to show them the love of Jesus Christ. We give them land. We welcome them into our houses… God knows our love for them and even after this incident we still love them. They are God’s creatures. We must pray for them,” shared Rev. John Kisa, pastor of the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA Church) in Jos.

The Open Doors (OD) team in Nigeria is working around the clock to address the immediate needs of victims. OD visited injured Christians in hospitals, gave them Bibles, prayed with them and offered some assistance to cover their medical expenses. OD is planning to provide for fifty widows, including the widows of the five murdered pastors, with trauma counselling, three month’s relief aid as well as school fees for the remainder of this year. OD will also rent temporary housing for the families, while helping them reconstruct their homes. In a few informal displacement camps, OD also had a time of encouragement with Christians as hundreds of Bibles were handed out.

“This is a wonderful development! While others are thinking of physical food, you have brought us Life in its entirety. This is what we need in a time like this,” said a thankful recipient of a Bible.

Please Join in Prayer For:
  • Pray for Christians in Bangladesh, Istanbul and Nigeria seeking justice.
  • Pray they will allow God to be the author of the justice they seek.
    “I know the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy. Surely the righteous will praise Your name.” Psalm 140:12-13.
  • Pray for the authorities in these countries as they investigate and attempt to prosecute.
  • Pray their hearts will be open to the truth and that they will be willing to be used by our Father as He imparts justice.
  • Pray for the families in Jos as they rebuild their community.
  • Pray for OD’s workers as they model Christ while assisting in the rebuilding efforts.
  • Pray for divine inspiration and protection.
  • Praise God for the example of His servants and followers in the persecuted church. Pray for their courage, strength and boldness as they proclaim His name and endure the cost.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

China Aid: Chinese Attorney Being Held Hostage By Government

Gao Zhisheng Held Hostage

Gao Zhisheng, part of the ChinaAid Legal Defense Team, was kidnapped by more than a dozen police on February 4. He has not been seen or heard from since. Gao wrote an account in his own words which reveals the severe torture he suffered for more than 50 days when he was first abducted.

He wrote how he was forced to lie naked on the floor for 13 days and nights:
"The electric shock baton was put all over me. And my full body; my heart, lungs
and muscles began jumping under my skin uncontrollably. I was writhing on the
ground in pain, trying to crawl away. Wang (one of the interrogators) then
shocked me in my genitals…. Every time when I was tortured, I was always
repeatedly threatened … 'Your death is sure if you share this with the outside
world.'"
Gao's family is concerned that Gao may be experiencing the same abuse now. Because of his work defending underground Christians and others persecuted in China, the Chinese government has tried to silence him since 2005. His wife and two children have also been abused, tormented and cut off from the outside world during this time.

ChinaAid calls all Christians and those who value human dignity and justice around the world to act on Gao Zhisheng’s behalf.

» Find out how.

Monday, February 16, 2009

China Aid: Shuang Shuying released; sends thanks for prayers and support

“A Letter of Thanks to the Brothers and Sisters All Over the World”
from Shuang Shuying

I am Shuang Shuying, 79 years old. Two years ago, my son Hua Huiqi (a house church pastor in Beijing) was put in jail by the Chinese police. In order to force my son to compromise his faith and betray brothers and sisters, I was sentenced to two years in prison as a hostage by the Public Security Bureau. During my imprisonment, the PSBs of Beijing came to my prison interrogating, threatening and harassing me numerous times. They even directed other prisoners to take off all of my clothes and forced me stand alone outside in the evening without letting me sleep. Seven prisoners kept watching me in turn. I was not allowed to move even when the mosquitoes bit me or I would be slapped on my face and poked in the veins on my hands. I still had wounds that were unhealed on my hands. The PSB officers even forced me to drink my own urine. They threatened me not to tell anyone about the tortures I experienced.


During these terrible circumstances, I prayed without ceasing. I asked God to give me strength. Every time when my son came to visit me and shared with me that brothers and sisters from all over the world had been praying for me, I felt greatly strengthened and empowered which has enabled me to continue to live. When I was released from jail this morning (February 8), I went to visit my hospitalized old companion (husband), who is not even able to recognize me anymore because of losing consciousness. So I sincerely plead to brothers and sisters all over the world to continue to pray for me and my husband. At the same time, I want to thank each one of you for your continuous prayers, care and support for my husband, Hua Zaichen, and me.

A branch of the Body of Christ
Shuang Shuying

The day after this letter was written, Shuang Shuying’s husband Hua Zaichen, 91, went Home to the Lord. We are grateful for the witness of this elderly couple who have laid down their lives for the Truth and for religious freedom in China. Shuang Shuying and her family continue to suffer persecution from Chinese officials. Thank you to all who are praying for this family and are providing aid for them in their hour of great trial.

Write an encouraging letter to Shuang Shuying as she rebuilds her life:

Mrs. Shuang Shuying
Room #107
Building #23
Tai Ping Qiao Xi Li
Fengtai District
Beijing, CHINA 100076

Friday, February 13, 2009

Forum 18: Armenia (Direct Post)

9 February 2009
ARMENIA: TWO YEARS' IMPRISONMENT FOR ORGANISING SHARING OF FAITH?
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1251
If two draft Laws which began passage through Armenia's Parliament on 5 February are adopted, spreading one's faith would be banned, Forum 18 NewsService has learnt. Those who organise campaigns to spread their faith would face up to two years' imprisonment, while those who engage in spreading their faith would face up to one year's imprisonment or a fine of more than eight years' minimum wages. Gaining legal status would require 1,000 adult members, while Christian communities which do not accept the doctrine of the Trinity would be barred from registering. "These proposed Laws contain violations of all human rights." Russian Orthodox priest Fr. David Abrahamyan told Forum 18. Religious affairs official Vardan Astsatryan told Forum 18 the government backs the draft Laws "in general". He declined to explain why the government has not involved the OSCE in preparation of the draft Laws.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

ICC: ACTION ALERT - Sign petition for Sri Lankan Christians (Direct Post)

SRI LANKA - New attempt to enact anti-conversion law

Buddhist monks have once again introduced an anti-conversion bill to restrict conversions in Sri Lanka.

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (National Heritage Party), which is led by Buddhist monks, introduced the bill under the title "Prohibition of ForcibleConversion of Religion Bill" on Tuesday, January 6. The bill was first introduced in the Sri Lankan parliament in 2004, and was subsequently challenged in the Sri Lankan Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled that the bill was valid except for two clauses, and since then the bill had remained in committee after being revised in accord with the Court's ruling.

Reports indicate that the bill will be debated in parliament in February and is likely to pass. Though proponents claim that the bill would only restrict "fundamentalist" groups from using monetary rewards or coercive methods to convert people, the language is so broad that it would criminalize any form of humanitarian assistance from religious groups.

The bill is especially concerning because it is the culmination of a widespread pattern of violent attacks on Christians in Sri Lanka (see photo of a church in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo attacked in July 2008). Similar measures enacted in several Indian states such as Orissa have led to an increase in attacks on Christians. If this bill is passed, it would likely serve to legitimize anti-Christian persecution.

Here's How You Can Help

#1 Pray: The first thing you can do to help is stop right now and ask the Lord to intervene.

#2 Next,
review our petition. Sri Lankan officials are concerned about their relationship with the United States and other Western countries, so when the people shout, they will listen. We have also found that evil prefers to stay hidden and when we shine the light on it, it flees.

#3 Electronically sign the petition by
clicking here.

#4
Print out the petition and take it to your church and have everyone you know sign it. Send it back to us so we can present it to the Sri Lankan Ambassador. Feel free to print out extra signature pages for large numbers of sign ups. When you have collected all your signatures, please mail the signature pages to :

ICC
PO Box 10277
Silver Spring, MD 20914-0277

or fax them to us (301-989-1709).

Please get them back to us by March 12.

#5 Forward this email to all your email contacts and ask them to do the same.

Sincerely in Christ,

Jeff King
President, ICC

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Open Doors: Eritrea (Direct Post)

ERITREA

Christians Arrested During Communion

January 28 – On January 25, security officials arrested 27 members of the Rhema Church in Assab during their Sunday worship service. The 20 men and seven women were beaten as they were taken to a local police station. More than 300 Christians have been arrested since October 2008.

President Denies Persecution

January 20 – After banning all independent Protestant churches in May 2002, President Isaias Afwerki and his government deny that religious persecution exists in Eritrea, insisting such reports are based on “false allegations, exaggeration and baseless fabrication.” However, the arrest of believers has continued unabated into 2009, bringing the total number of Christians in prisons to almost 3,000.

Friday, February 06, 2009

Forum 18: Kazakhstan (Direct Post)

3 February 2009
KAZAKHSTAN: "THIS IS A HIGHLY DANGEROUS PRECEDENT"
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1248

Kazakhstan has resumed jailing Baptists, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. Yuri Rudenko from Almaty Region was the third unregistered Baptist pastor to be jailed for three days for refusing to pay fines for unregistered worship. Baptists point out that this breaks Kazakhstan's Constitution, but officials have refused to discuss this with Forum 18. The jailing took place as Elizaveta Drenicheva, a Russian working as a missionary for the Unification Church (commonly known as the Moonies), was jailed for two years for sharing her beliefs. Other religious believers who strongly disagree with her beliefs, as well as human rights defenders, are alarmed by the jail sentence. "This is a highly dangerous precedent," one Protestant who preferred not to be identified told Forum 18. "It seems to me that any believer who preaches about sin and how to be saved from it could be convicted in the same way." Baptist churches in Akmola region have also been raided and their members questioned, and another Baptist pastor is facing the threat of jail tomorrow (4 February).


5 February 2009
KAZAKHSTAN: MEDIA INTOLERANCE "HAS ONE SOURCE: THE KNB SECRET POLICE"
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1250

Human rights defenders and religious minorities have complained to Forum 18 News Service of a "wave" of hostile media coverage of religious communities. They think this is part of a government-sponsored campaign to gain greater public acceptance of a new Law restricting freedom of thought, conscience and belief. "All these articles have one source: the KNB secret police," Ninel Fokina, head of the Almaty Helsinki Committee, told Forum 18. Told that journalists and editors had denied this to Forum 18, she responded: "Who's going to admit such coverage is ordered?" Protestants such as Seventh-day Adventists, Baptists and Pentecostals have faced media attacks along with Ahmadi Muslims, the Hare Krishna community and Jehovah's Witnesses. One of many examples of media intolerance is four separate newspapers publishing an identical article attacking the Jehovah's Witnesses. One of the newspapers credited the article to a named former Jehovah's Witness, one credited a different author, and two of the newspapers credited KNB secret police offices in different Kazakh regions.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Open Doors: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Gaza (Direct Post)

Saudi Arabian Authorities Arrest Christian Convert

Saudi authorities have reportedly arrested a 28-year-old Christian man for describing his conversion and criticizing the kingdom’s judiciary on his website. On Jan. 13, Saudi police arrested Hamoud Bin Saleh “because of his testimony that he converted from Islam to Christianity,” according to the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI). Bin Saleh, who had been detained for nine months in 2004 and again for a month last November, was reportedly being held in Riyadh’s Eleisha prison.His journey to Christ began after witnessing the public beheading of three Pakistanis convicted of drug charges. Shaken, he began an extensive study of Islamic history and law, as well as Saudi justice. His research led him to an exploration of other faiths and of the Bible. After reading how Jesus forgave rather than stoned a woman condemned for adultery, Bin Saleh prayed to receive Christ as his Savior. According to Compass Direct News Bin Saleh encouraged others to “just look and ask for the light of God.”

Please pray for those living in darkness, that they too will seek the “light” of Jesus.

Read the full report>>

Egyptian Christians Sent to Prison

On Jan. 22 a judge sentenced six Christian brothers to three years in prison with hard labor for resisting arrest and assaulting authorities.

Last September, police officers raided a café in Port Sa’id, because they were open for business during Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. When they tried to defend their café, the brothers were arrested and charged with resisting arrest and assaulting authorities.

There is no law in Egypt under which the brothers could be prosecuted for opening their café during Ramadan. “Police did not want to see people eating during Ramadan. This is unfair, because whatever people’s beliefs are, the law is something else and they should not be mixed,” said Ramses el-Nagar, the Christians’ lawyer. “We would like to see Egypt free and treating all citizens equally.”

Read the full report>>

In a separate Compass Direct News report, Martha Samuel Makkar, who was arrested at Cairo’s airport last December for carrying forged identification documents, was granted bail on Jan. 24th. In the documents it listed her religion as Christian. Makkar explained in court her reasons for conversion, avowing her Christian faith and repudiating the judge’s claims that converting from Islam to Christianity was impossible.

Bail was granted to Makkar only after the judge took her aside and threatened her saying “Nobody changes from Muslim to Christian you are a Muslim.” She replied, “No, I am a Christian.” Judge Tawfiq then said, “If I had a knife now, I would kill you.” Praise God he gave the decision to let her go free.

Read the full report>>

Relief for Gaza -Update Report

The Bible Societies in Israel and Palestinian Areas launched a joint initiative called “Standing in the Gap,” offering practical as well as spiritual relief for the suffering Gazan people. Open Doors is co-supporting a part of the program which is called “Love your Neighbor/Comfort my People.” It is not for Christian families only but also will be used in reaching out to Muslim neighbors in Gaza.

Working through several churches and organizations in Gaza they are trying to reach the neediest by setting a criteria of priority. Included in this aid program is help for 50 Christian families who fled Gaza and have found refuge in the West Bank. John Fox, an Open Doors fieldworker says: “We are very grateful for this great program and are happy to be able to co-support this initiative.”

Please Join in Prayer for:
  • Divinely inspired compassion and justness for Bin Saleh in Saudi Arabia and all who will be deciding his fate. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy… Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:7, 10
  • Thanksgiving to God for the boldness and courage of Christians like Bin Saleh and Martha Makkar to speak forth His truth in love without fear of consequence. “…But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1Cor 15:57
  • The Egyptians brothers who have been unjustly accused and sentenced to prison. Pray for all Christians persecuted because of righteousness. Pray they are strengthened and encouraged daily.
  • Love and mercy to prevail in Gaza. Pray that the humanitarian efforts will provide much needed relief and that it will pave a way for them to receive hope for salvation in Jesus Christ.

Open Doors provides the 2009 World Watch list

Open Doors today announced their 2009 World Watch list of the countries who have been the worst when it comes to persecuting Christians among their citizens. Once again, the primary position of shame belongs to North Korea.

You can download a copy of the report here and get educated on where things stand in the world. There's also an e-card function that lets you e-mail a copy to some else.

Let's let people know where things stand.