Serving the Persecuted Church:
Support & Training of Underground Pastors § 
Humanitarian Aid § Advocacy for the Persecuted on Capitol Hill

Pakistan

What could cause well-known church leader John Joseph to kill himself in broad daylight on the streets of Pakistan? It was the utter despair a Christian feels living in a country that desires to see all faiths other than Islam annihilated. The straw that broke the camel's back came down in November of 1997. Well-known Christian prisoner, Ayub Masih was sitting outside a courthouse in stifling heat, awaiting his trial on the charge of blaspheming the prophet Mohammed to a neighbor. A police officer pointed a finger exclaimed, "So you are Ayub Masih." Moments later, shots rang out from an assassin's gun as Ayub was rushed inside the building. Barely escaping death, Ayub was taken back to prison where he languished in a cell for months. Ayub was later tried by the district court in a secret trial without being allowed proper defense and was sentenced to death . All Christians need to remember those like Ayub who can be sentenced to death for proclaiming their faith. Many Christians receive death threats from Muslim extremists. Even Muslim officials who have sympathized with the Christian community have been assassinated. Pray for Christians who are daily fighting against despair such as overcame John Joseph. Pray for courage that Christians won't keep their faith quiet.

China

Can you envision what it would be like to be a Christian in China? Revival is spreading like a wildfire, but it has not come without a price. Believers are ridiculed, beaten, electrocuted, spit upon, tortured, and even executed for the simple fact that they love God and are unable to contain that love. Gao Feng was recently imprisoned without trial because he was attempting to register his "illegal" Protestant church. While in prison, he was shocked repeatedly with cattle prods because he began a hunger strike to protest

the taking of his Bible. Withstanding various forms of brainwashing and extreme suffering, he did not give up. He stated, "I would prefer to be in prison for two years than to do nothing for God." God is using these Christians to change China. Recently, the leaders of the Chinese house-churches met in secret and wrote a petition to the Chinese government asking that the persecution cease. Please pray that God will use the peaceful and fearless testimony of believers to soften the hearts of the Chinese officials. Also pray that God will continue to strengthen these Christians as they strive to live for Him.

Egypt

Fear is a feeling that is far too familiar to many Egyptian Christians. This terror is illustrated in the case of a 14-year old girl named Teresa. Imagine the scene when a teacher kidnapped this young girl and took her to a police station and tried to convince and bribe her to embrace Islam. Even under these circumstances, she stood strong in her faith and did not fall to the persuasion of these Muslims. Throughout Egyptian society, there are many laws and customs that are intolerant of Christians and cause them to live in a constant state of fear. The identification card that Egyptians are required to carry specifies the holder's religion. Before being hired, all applicants must display this card, which has resulted in the discrimination and unemployment of many Christians. Within the school system, all children possessing a Muslim name are required to learn about the Muslim religion. Some Christians are resorting to changing their children's "Muslim" names to exempt them from the mandatory Islamic curriculum. Please pray for the Christians in Egypt who are daily pressured by the Islamic community to abandon Christ and return to Muslim ways. Pray that they will be able to stand in the midst of discrimination.

Cuba

The church in Cuba is exploding in numbers despite the staunch efforts of the Cuban government to ban all religion. Pastors like Carlos are counting the cost to preach the gospel despite arrests and continued threats. The church that Carlos preaches in has 1500 members. Only some can fit inside while several local villagers listen through screened windows from the outside. Carlos has paid for his dedication and zeal for the Lord. He lives in difficult financial circumstances in this repressed nation. Most pastors in Cuba work for a bare minimum but see more eternal fruit in the scores of those coming to salvation. Though Carlos isn't permitted to go door to door sharing the gospel, hundreds of hungry seekers pack inside and outside his church to hear of Jesus Christ. There are several pastors in Cuba like Carlos who spend time in prison for their fruitful ministry. The Castro regime has been known to close down churches, arrest evangelists, and confiscate church property. Most rural pastors travel from village to village on foot. There is a great need for bicycles. There are many young men willing to move to rural areas where there are no churches. These pastors have no way to support themselves. It only costs 15 dollars a month to support a pastor and his family in Cuba. The church needs our prayers to persevere through this difficult season. Many pastors need food for their families and desire teaching supplies to train their growing congregations. We need to stand with the Cuban church and see that the evangelism continues to flourish.

Sudan

No matter whether you live in the United States, Europe, or Sudan, the kidnapping of a child is every parent's worse nightmare. Six-year-old Athak Diok Deng was abducted last year by the National Islamic Front (NIF) militia. He was kidnapped, stripped, beaten, and taken north to be sold as a slave to a Muslim master. Nuba, located in the prominently Muslim north, is a place of much devastation and pain for the Christian believers. Murder, crucifixions, enslavement, destruction of villages, and the burning of churches are common occurrences in the NIF's Jihad (holy war) against the Nuba Christians. There are reports of families being captured and sent to concentration camps. In these camps, the children are separated from their families and brain-washed to join this Jihad. The women are raped so that their children will be more Arab than Nuba. Can we even begin to understand the pain and anguish that these families must feel? Yet, even under these circumstances, the Christians continue to be encouraged when missionaries bring in Bibles and literature to remind them of the hope they have in Jesus Christ. Please pray diligently for these people. Pray that God will remove their pain and hurt and fill them with love and joy unspeakable. Pray that God will remove the hate and anger that the government feels towards the Nuba Christians and bring a peace that passes understanding.

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