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Fearful Iraqi Christians Plead for Your Prayers Open Doors issues urgent call to prayer for believers under threat in Mosul It’s not easy to make contact with Brother Yassr. He must keep a low profile because his work with persecuted Christians in northern Iraq makes him a prime target for the extremist groups operating there.
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The reports make harrowing reading. Modern India’s worst-ever spate of violent persecution of Christians broke out in Orissa last August. But in actual fact, the story began decades ago.
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Like many Indonesian converts, Rini’s Muslim family disowned her when they discovered her faith in Christ. “Look what you have become,” sneered her elder brother. “You are a disgrace to the family!”
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Are you ever at a loss to know how to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ? As I’ve read the horrific reports from our coworkers in northern Iraq in recent days, I confess that I’ve found it difficult to know how to pray.
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You have been the answer to their prayers! With the end of the year fast approaching, we look back over 2008 to catch a glimpse of how the Lord has used you to bring strength, hope, and joy to our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ.
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Pastor William knew he was being watched. But still, the day when he was followed home filled him with fear... and left him with no choice.
Angered at his “anti-revolutionary” preaching, the local extremist commanders ordered a stop to William’s ministry.
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As we approach the end of the year, Open Doors can be part of a sound tax strategy as well as create great opportunities for persecuted believers. Gifts of cash, stock, or real estate, and even a rollover gift from your IRA are just a few of the ways that you can make a difference for those who are suffering for their faith.
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I’m sure that, like me, you love to spend time with your family at this time of year. With Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations, it’s a wonderful time to thank God for the families He’s blessed us with.
This is also the time of year when we look back to thank the Lord for all He’s accomplished through Open Doors in the last 12 months. As I’ve done so, I have been reminded again that our ministry is all about family!
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Open Doors co-workers ask for your prayers as the effects of the Beijing Olympics play out Have you ever seen anything like it? The spectacular closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games is certainly not easily forgotten. Dancers! Music! Flags! Fireworks!
But how quickly global attention shifts. Now that the Olympic Games are over, China has faded away from the glare of the world’s daily media spotlight.
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In 2002, Sister Esther was one of the first Vietnamese Christians to attend Open Doors’ special ‘Priscilla Program’ for women. Now, Esther heads up this vital training ministry, bringing the light and hope of God’s Word to thousands of women across Vietnam. Esther wants to tell you how the Lord is at work through the Priscilla Program—and let you catch a glimpse of her determination and vision!
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Brother Yirdaw is a man of incredible courage. He is just one of the small congregation of faithful born-again Christians living in Ethiopia’s town of Lalibela who are under intense persecution.
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Can you imagine what it’s like for Brother Yirdaw? Week in, week out, he faces a heart-wrenching decision—whether or not to open his home for the believers’ worship meeting.
The threat is very real: Yirdaw has been ordered by the Ethiopian authorities not to allow the church to meet in his house. And yet, despite the risks, he still welcomes his Christian brothers and sisters into his home every week!
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Pastor Rajendra: “I can’t tell you how much we treasure your prayers!”
Christians across India feel your support as they seek to stand firm in the face of severe persecution from Hindu extremism
Christians in Pastor Rajendra’s church know many blessings. Numbering almost 3,000, they meet together for worship every Saturday and Sunday. The Lord is at work among them. Many have been delivered from sickness.
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His body is thin, his teeth rotting. His only possessions are a makeshift bed, a simple stove, a few pots and pans, and a cell phone he doesn’t know how to use. In the eyes of the world, Roberto Morales is a nobody. But in the Lord’s eyes, this courageous man is a hero of the faith.
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The last few months have been nightmarish for Pastor Majid. As the leader of a small house church in rural Bangladesh, he knows he has many enemies. Local radical Muslims have made it clear that they want to put a stop to his ministry. But it still came as a shock when the mob came to kidnap him.
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Do you ever find that the testimonies of our persecuted brothers and sisters give you a deeper understanding of the Scriptures?
I’ve certainly found this to be true! Take the testimony of our brother Roberto—one of Colombia’s courageous and selfless pastors.
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Part of Open Doors’ response to the May 12 earthquake in Sichuan Province in China was to distribute Chinese “MP3 Bibles” to comfort the survivors. And the feedback we have received has been tremendous.
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Support of the Persecuted Church Crucial in Post-Olympics China Your prayers are needed as future is unclear for Chinese Christians When the international spotlight fell on China this past year leading up to and through the Summer Olympics, the country responded by sending mixed messages regarding basic human rights and religious freedom.
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A Muslim-background believer named “Sofia,” age 21, was recently chased from home after it was discovered that she converted to Christianity. But now, despite the challenges she is facing, Sofia is holding on to Christ… and taking the initiative to stand strong through the storm of persecution.
June 5, 2008 is a day Sofia will never forget.
She had left her aunt’s house that afternoon to run a short errand, forgetting that she had left her Bible in her bag at home. When she came home, she was greeted by a house full of angry family members.
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Mingxuan. Shi. Sofia. What do these people have in common?
First, they are all Christians who are suffering persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ.
Mingxuan and Shi, as you’ll read about on page 1, are two brothers in Christ who are suffering as a result of China’s crackdown on the house church across China. I have personally talked with brothers like these on my trips into China, and I can tell you they need our prayers to stand strong!
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Your prayers help China’s Christians 'run the race' of faith
How your support for our special Prayer Campaign fuels the Chinese Church to persevere for Christ
With the Olympic Games beginning in Beijing on August 8th, this month also sees the culmination of our special year-long Prayer Campaign for China. It’s been a privilege to have you join with us in interceding for this vast nation—and for her suffering Church.
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Your prayers and gifts give hope and courage to Myanmar’s forgotten Christians An Open Doors team meets Pastor Henry, who shares his burden for the courageous tribal believers of Myanmar
When cyclone Nargis struck in early May, the forgotten country of Myanmar was thrust into the world’s media spotlight. The images of destruction and desolation which filled our TV screens are not easily forgotten.
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Meet Femi and Alim – two courageous converts who share how your prayers and support help them stand firm in their faith, against all odds.
There’s nothing remarkable in Sister Femi’s appearance. If she walked past you on the crowded, dusty streets of Cairo, you’d think she was just like any other Egyptian woman.
But she isn’t.
Thirty-six-year-old Femi carries a secret. A secret that has put her life on the line. A secret she may have to carry for the rest of her life. A secret that she says makes her the “minority of the minority.”
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Secret North Korean Christians critically need your prayers Underground believers targeted by security police in vicious campaign
How much do you value your Bible? For North Korea’s courageous Christians, this is more than a thought-provoking question… it’s a matter of life and death.
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Your Prayers Are Vital as Restrictions Tighten in China’s Olympic YearOpen Doors’ Director for ministry in China explains why your involvement in our China Prayer Campaign is so critical as the Beijing Olympics draw near.
With the eyes of the world on Beijing this summer, perhaps you thought that the pressure on China’s Christians would ease with the approach of the Olympic Games. The Director for Open Doors’ ministry in China tells us that, sadly, this is not the case.
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Open Doors Emergency Deliveries Provide a Lifeline for Iraq’s Christian Refugees Your prayers and support bring help and hope to isolated believers in war-torn Iraq
For Emad and his family, it was the final straw. Living in Baghdad, they knew the daily reality of threats, bomb blasts and kidnappings—but when the letter arrived at their children’s school, they knew the time had come to leave.
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Brother Andrew visited Gaza in late February to meet with Christian widow, Pauline Ayyad, and other believers who are living under terrible circumstances.
Pauline’s husband, Rami, was martyred in October last year because of his unwavering witness to Christ and his position as Manager of the Bible Society Bookshop in Gaza.
Pauline gave birth to a healthy 4-pound daughter on February 4 and named her Sama (Arabic for “heaven”), “because her father is in heaven.” Pauline also has two sons, George, 3, and Wissam, 14 months.
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The year 2007 was the most violent year ever for Christians in India, with more than 1,000 recorded attacks on Christians. At least 730 believers’ homes were burned along with 95 churches, and at least four Christians were brutally murdered. And there is no let-up of these ongoing attacks by Hindu extremists in sight. Yet in the midst of widespread persecution against Christians, the Lord is at work in India through courageous Christian workers like John.
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The year 2007 was the most violent year ever for Christians in India, with more than 1,000 recorded attacks on Christians. At least 730 believers’ homes were burned along with 95 churches, and at least four Christians were brutally murdered. And there is no let-up of these ongoing attacks by Hindu extremists in sight. Yet in the midst of widespread persecution against Christians, the Lord is at work in India through courageous Christian workers like John.
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Akil*, a young Egyptian Muslim who was greatly troubled, visited a church one evening and encountered the presence of Jesus for the very first time. He was so changed by the experience that he began to secretly attend Christian meetings.
When Akil’s Muslim father found out, he drove Akil into the desert with his brother and two bearded men in white robes. The men beat Akil harshly. Then they tied a rope around Akil’s legs and dragged him from the back of the car around the desert.
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Pastor Virendra Singh and his wife Bhawna lead an independent ministry called “Place of Prayer to Lord Jesus Christ” in Uttar Pradesh, India. Every Sunday, they hold a 5-hour prayer meeting attended by over 800 people… and many receive salvation and healing in Jesus Christ.
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“If you congregate again, we will burn your churches with all of you inside,” guerrillas threatened in September last year. This was the latest warning for Christians in 164 villages in Meta, Colombia, where illegal armed groups have almost complete control.
As a result of the threats, many believers now meet in secret… but others have stopped meeting because of fear.
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The attackers came without warning and without mercy.
The Christians of Nensebo Chebi, in remote southern Ethiopia, had gathered as usual for their morning worship services on Sunday, March 2nd. But their praises were cut short when Muslim extremists stormed the village’s two churches.
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Editors note: While the world’s attention has been focused on the Middle East, Iraq, and other areas of conflict, persecution continues in Central Asia.
Following is a brief update.
An Open Doors coworker met secretly with Allina* in the back seat of a car in Central Asia. It was far too dangerous to visit her village.
“During the conflict, my son found a copy of the New Testament and my husband and I began to read it,” Allina explained. “Soon after, my husband was shot dead in the street.
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Since late last year, Muslims have threatened, ostracized and attacked Christians in Gurage zone, southern Ethiopia.
Ersumo Hambisa is the leader of a church that has been meeting in his house for over three years. They have been repeatedly denied land to construct a church, so last year Ersumo transferred ownership for 1000 m2 of his land to the local church.
Since then, Muslim villagers have targeted Ersumo.
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Pastor Sergio lived in a city plagued by poverty and drug trafficking, and was terrorized by guerrillas, paramilitaries and gangs of hit men. When paramilitaries pressured his son, John, to join their ranks, he refused.
Soon after, John was shot by gunmen while playing ball in the street. In his last moments, Sergio whispered in John’s ear, “Now everything is done… Now you’re going to the presence of God.”
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It began just like any other Saturday. But when Hannatu switched on the TV to catch the morning news, her world fell apart.
The report told of riots and fighting in the town of Jega, northern Nigeria. Churches had been set ablaze, and many had been killed. Hannatu gathered her six children, and went to search for her husband, Mallam.
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Every week, hundreds of Iraqi Christians make the most difficult decision of their lives--to leave their beloved homeland, and seek refuge in a foreign country.
For these believers, life in war-torn Iraq has become too much to bear. Not only have they faced the daily terror of the ongoing conflict, many have also suffered greatly for their faith.
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In many sensitive areas within the Middle East, Muslim-background believers (MBBs) experience crushing isolation. In the following report, you’ll discover how crucial your gifts and prayers are for our brothers and sisters in the Muslim World.
Maria* is one of many MBBs who live in isolation from other Christians for fear of retribution from Muslim militants. She craves Christian friends and biblical teaching… but for Maria, it is impossible.
“Muslim-background believers have to be quiet about our faith… but there are people I am discipling,” said Maria. “My brother was a secret believer and I used to take his Bible and hide so that I could read it. When my mother found out, she didn’t want to lay eyes on me!"
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Azerbaijan is a small country between Russia and Iran where Islam is a dominant force. Just 17 years ago, there was no church in Azerbaijan. Now, there are more than 18,000 Christians—all of whom are Muslim-background believers. One courageous church leader now urgently needs our prayers.
When Zaur Balaev gave his life to Jesus in 1992, he was the very first convert in the rural village of Aliabad to turn from Islam to follow Christ. And within a year he began a house church and started leading his neighbors to Christ.
Zaur felt called by God to become a pastor, so he attended Bible college and became the first pastor in the Zaqatala region. He then built a small church building in his front yard and started holding two services a week attended by some 50 church members, all between the ages of 20 and 35.
But the government would not recognize his church. And the persecution began.
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Please be in prayer for the family of Rami Ayyad, a dear brother in Christ who was recently martyred in Gaza.
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A Chinese pastor who calls himself Peter, shared this fascinating story about his quest for Bibles over four decades. As the leader of a large network of house churches, Peter has received many Bibles from Open Doors and he continues to help distribute literature in remote mountain areas. The $100,000 challenge grant will help boost our efforts to supply Peter with the Bibles and Christian materials he desperately needs.
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