Vietnam: Vietnamese Christians Endure Oppression, Pakistan: ICC Team Meets with Beleaguered Christians, Page 3

February 2002

Articles in this issue:  Vietnam, Page 1 | Vietnam, Page 2 | Vietnam, Pakistan, Page 3 | Vietnam, Page 4

“You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry....” Psalm 10:17

Vietnamese Christians Endure Oppression

	Many Vietnamese Christians are forced to flee to the jungle.

Our Christian brothers and sisters in Vietnam are familiar with the face of oppression. They are frequently subjected to brutal persecution at the hands of the Vietnamese authorities. The Vietnamese government denies that Christians are persecuted. Most of the world believes that Christianity has been eliminated in Vietnam - but it is far from the truth. Despite government attempts to eliminate Christianity, the church continues to expand. "The gates of hell shall not prevail against my church" (Matthew 16:18).

In February 2001, the government of Vietnam lured Christian leaders into making an agreement which was supposed to offer more religious freedom. As the church held it breath, their hopes were dashed as the authorities broke their promise and intensified their persecution against the church.

Reports from Indonesia's Christians reveal some of the horrors they suffer for their faith. Some have been forced to recant their faith and return to ancestral worship by forcing them to drink wine mixed with blood. It has been reported that the government has assigned soldiers to live in the homes of believers in order to eliminate Christian activities. According to Christian Aid Mission, nine months ago the police ordered 30 families to deny their faith. When they refused, the police forced them from their homes. Four of the Christian wives were raped. The police then tied all the believers to trees, including the children and elderly, and beat them. The Christians then fled to the jungle.

As a result of the persecution, many Christians have fled their villages. Some have been forced to live in the jungles and caves. Among those suffering the most persecution are the Hmong Christians of northern Vietnam. There are at least 25 Hmong Christian leaders known to be in prison.

(Click here for more information on Vietnam.)

ICC Team Meets with Beleaguered Christians of Pakistan

One of the families of slain Christians helped by ICC.

During November an ICC team was able to meet with 14 people whose immediate family members were killed at the St. Dominic's Church in Bahawalpur Pakistan. The church was attacked by Muslim terrorists on October 28, 2001, killing 16 people. The present condition for these believers is bleak. Many in the church continue to receive threats on their lives. Most of the church is living under "severe intimidation and harassment." Since the attack, the Christian children have stopped attending school due to threats. Many of the dead were the primary breadwinners for their families. This has left these families in a destitute state with no means to earn any income. However, the determined Christians still continue to meet with an interim pastor on Sundays. The government of Pakistan is now providing three armed guards for the church.

During our visit with the Christians from Bahawalpur, our ICC team learned of the story of Mr. Shamuan Masih. Mr. Masih is the sole supporter of a family of ten. He is in critical condition due to gunshot wounds suffered on the day of the attack. ICC was told that he was in danger of losing both his legs if additional treatment wasn't started soon. Shamuan also has an 8-year-old daughter recovering from injuries sustained during the attacks. In Pakistan the Christian community has no health or life insurance. Most doctors and hospitals require payment before any services are rendered, especially once they find out the patient is a Christian. In order to prevent yet more suffering to Shmuan Masih's family, ICC is paying for his medical treatment. ICC has also offered assistance to the other Bahawalpur victims.

The ICC team visited a Christian community near the city of Islamabad. The slum-like community resembled a refugee camp. However the people living here are not refugees but are Christians, and this is their permanent home. Approximately 650 families live in this slum. The housing consisted of makeshift tents and mud houses, many without any type of roofing. The people in this "camp" are unable to find steady employment. The overriding thought each and every day is "How will I feed my family today?"

Most of the families we saw lacked adequate means to protect themselves from the cold of winter. They had no blankets, coats or means to heat their shelters. The average family has one meal per day, consisting of a flat bread made from wheat flour. The fortunate families are able to have vegetables once a week. These people live in poverty because of their faith. If they would convert to Islam they would be able to receive aid from Islamic groups and most likely find employment, and then move their families from this slum. However, they choose to remain faithful. This is just one of hundreds of such "Christian communities" in the country of Pakistan.

(Click here for more information on Pakistan.)

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POSTED:  March 9, 2002

February 2002

Articles in this issue:  Vietnam, Page 1 | Vietnam, Page 2 | Vietnam, Pakistan, Page 3 | Vietnam, Page 4