Watch VOM's December Persecution Report

The December 2010 edition of VOM's Persecution Report is ready for viewing!

You'll see how Christians who escaped North Korea are preparing to go back to the "Hermit Kingdom" and bring light into darkness. You'll learn about the ongoing violence facing believers in Iraq and a 22-year-old Pakistani Christian who was killed after being released from jail on a charge of blasphemy. You'll also hear of six Christians beaten in Nepal after being accused of blasphemy against traditional gods, and how a follower of Christ was given a 3-year jail sentence for showing Christian films in Bhutan.

Watch this video and be encouraged! (Length: 9:59)



You can watch more videos like this one at Persecution.TV.

Growing concern over proposed legislative changes on religion in Armenia

Did you know Armenia was the
world's first Christian nation?

Human rights defenders and religious communities are harshly criticising proposed amendments to several Armenian laws that would impose new restrictions on and punishments for religious activity, says Forum 18 News Service.

Under these amendments, the state would conduct a "theological expert examination" before granting registration to religious communities, while those that fail to provide full information about all their activities could be liquidated. Sharing faith is a particular target, with penalties for violations of up to three months' imprisonment.

"If adopted, [these amendments] will create two kinds of citizens in Armenia—those of the Armenian Apostolic Church on one side, and then the rest," Pastor Rene Leonian of the Evangelical Church told Forum 18 News Service. "It is difficult for us to accept in an independent and democratic state that there can be two classes of citizen."

The amendments, prepared by the Justice Ministry, were first made known when placed on the Council of Europe's Venice Commission website on November 30.

You can read the full story here.

Pray for wisdom for the leaders of Armenia. Pray for unity and cooperation with the Armenian Church, that its groups will find common ground and the ability to work together for the purposes of God. Pray for deep spiritual regeneration of the Church and for godly leaders.

Teenage girl shot to death for embracing Christ

The murder of converts from Islam
to Christianity is increasingly
common in Somalia.

Compass Direct News is reporting a 17-year-old girl in Somalia who converted to Christianity from Islam was shot to death on November 25, in an apparent “honour killing.”

Nurta Mohamed Farah, who fled her village to live with relatives after her parents tortured her for leaving Islam, was shot in the chest and head with a pistol. Area sources said they strongly suspect that the two unidentified men who shot her were relatives or acting on their behest.

The murder of Somali Christians and especially converts from Islam to Christianity is increasingly common, reports Operation World. However, although they are despised and heavily persecuted, even martyred, they are also growing in faith and in vision.

There are possibly about 4,000 Somali Christians in Somalia and twice that in the diaspora. Some meet in secret and others follow Jesus in isolation. Burdened for their country, they are leading more boldly and will clearly not just disappear. Praise God for their faith!

Please continue to pray for our Somali brothers and sisters—those in Somalia and those around the world—as there is a worldwide effort by Somali Muslim fanatics to intimidate Somali Christians. Pray for protection as well as discipleship and fellowship opportunities. Pray for Somali Christian families to be raised up, as the great majority of Somali Christians are men. Pray for perseverance amid a most difficult situation.

Now may the God of peace—
who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great Shepherd of the sheep,
and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—
may He equip you with all you need
for doing His will.
May He produce in you,
through the power of Jesus Christ,
every good thing that is pleasing to Him.
All glory to Him forever and ever!

Amen.

(Hebrews 13: 20-21)

Sign up for VOM's Persecution & Prayer Alert

If you are interested in receiving weekly email alerts about persecution happening to Christians around the world, along with ways you can help pray, then subscribe to VOM’s Persecution & Prayer Alert today!

Each Thursday, you will receive an email with four or five stories of Christians under attack around the globe all because they put their faith in Jesus Christ. You’ll learn how you can effectively pray for believers and the restricted nations in which they live.

You can subscribe online by clicking here.

Vietnamese evangelists given prison sentences for "undermining national unity"

Pray that Vietnamese believers will
stand firm in their faith regardless
of the trials that come their way.

If your spouse was imprisoned, and authorities offered you food and shelter for your family if you recanted your faith, would you stand firm?

Last week, Compass Direct News reported that two Vietnamese evangelists—Ksor Y Du, 47, and Kpa Y Co, 30—were given prison sentences for "undermining national unity." During visits to her husband, Y Du's wife has been pressured to recant by receiving offers of rice and a new house. She’s even been told that her husband will be released if she denied Christ, but she remains steadfast. Praise God for her faith!

On November 15, a court sentenced Y Du to six years in prison followed by four years of house arrest. Y Co was sentenced to four years in prison and two under house arrest. The men—members of the Vietnam Good News Mission (VGNM), a fast-growing group of house churches—were arrested on January 27, 2010.

Throughout their time in jail, the men have been repeatedly interrogated and ordered to accuse VGNM leaders of starting the organization illegally and their pastor of opening an illegal Bible school. Both have refused to comply.

During the trial, judges asked Y Du questions such as "Do you still insist on following the religion?" and "After serving in prison already, do you still insist on staying with the Vietnam Good News Mission?" Y Du answered that he would not give up his faith in God, even if it meant death.

Thank the Lord for equipping these believers to stand courageous in their faith amid great opposition. Pray that Ksor Y Du and Kpa Y Co will continue to be empowered by God's grace and comforted by His love. Ask God to work in the hearts of the officials, moving them to repent of their injustice toward Christians and act with true integrity.

More death threats for Asia Bibi

Asia Bibi faces death threats.

Mission Network News is reporting that Asia Bibi, the Christian Pakistani mother accused of blasphemy in 2009, has received yet another threat to her life, as Islamic groups protest against her and any pardon the Pakistani president might hand down.

Carl Moeller with Open Doors USA said, "The latest tragic development is that a hard-line cleric in Pakistan is actually offering a reward for anyone who will kill Asia Bibi if the government does not put her to death."

The announcement was made by Maulana Yousef Qureshi at a rally in the northwestern town of Peshwar. He told people that his mosque would give $6,000 to the person who would take Asia Bibi's life.

Pray for Asia Bibi and her family, that they will stay strong through the court cases and that she will be protected from these death threats if she is pardoned. Pray for her children to be comforted and her husband encouraged in this situation.

You can read the full report here.

A perspective on persecution

I could have a bumper
sticker with this image
on it, if I wanted. Too many
Christians in too many
nations dare not.

Written by Reese Maguire

While I’m new to the work of The Voice of the Martyrs, I’m not new to Christianity or the knowledge that persecution comes with being Christ’s disciple.

I was 5 when I prayed a very simple prayer asking Jesus to be my Lord and Saviour. And, I was 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 29 and all the numbers in between when I was told my beliefs and trust in a higher being were ridiculous, silly, slightly whacko or just plain out-dated.

And I grew up in North America, where I experienced the freedom to practice my faith in Christ. I knew some form of persecution would be a part of my life because Jesus said it would be (Matt 5:10, 2 Tim 3:12 NLV). But, I could attend a church. I could own a Bible and openly discuss Christ with others. I could even have a bumper sticker with a fish symbol on it, if I wanted. Still today, I can do all these things. Freely and openly.

In too many nations around our world, fellow Christians do not have these freedoms. They must keep their beliefs a secret. Those who share openly are at the mercy of militant unbelievers, hardened hearts and, oftentimes, governments who have declared themselves to be god. Those who speak out often face imprisonment, loss of jobs or possessions, rejection and sometimes beatings by family members and, for some, even death.

That gives persecution a completely new perspective. And it makes me realize that I need to take advantage of where God has placed me and the resources He has given me not only to bring people to Him, but also to inform those around me of those who cannot speak for themselves, hence the entire ministry of VOM.

Whether we are in a comfortable Western country or an intolerant Eastern country, God has called us to “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” (Mark 16:15 NLV). Wherever we live, we are to share Him with those who don’t know him. We are to share Him, knowing that we “will be arrested, persecuted and killed...hated all over the world because we are His followers” (Matt 24:9 NLV). We are to share Him, because He is the world’s only hope of salvation.

Ethiopian Christian accused of defacing Qur’an

Ethiopia continues to be torn
by social, political and
economic crises.

Compass Direct News is reporting that Ethiopian Christian Tamirat Woldegorgis, father of two and member of the Full Gospel Church, was sentenced to three years in prison for allegedly desecrating a Qur’an.

Tamirat was arrested in early August after a Muslim co-worker in the clothes-making business the two operated discovered Tamirat had inscribed “Jesus is Lord” on some cloth, area Christians said. His business partner later accused him of writing “Jesus is Lord” in a copy of the Qur’an, although no evidence of that ever surfaced.

Tamirat was sentenced on November 18 and was subsequently transferred to Jijiga prison, a source said. Jijiga is the capital of Ethiopia’s Somali Region Zone Five, which is governed by Islamic principles. Tamirat’s transfer there puts his life in great danger, a church leader said.

Pray Tamirat will be blessed with the Lord’s comforting strength and presence. Pray for his release from prison and, in the meantime, pray for his protection. Pray the Lord will ease the grip of Islamic rule and influence over parts of Ethiopia.

Read the full story here.

For more information on the challenges facing Christians in Ethiopia, visit www.persecution.net/ethiopia.htm.

Why should Christians care about history?

A reproduction of Jean-Léon Gérôme's oil on canvas
 "The Christian Martyrs' Last Prayer" (1883)

Written by Cheryl Odden

“We live in the present and think about the future, why care about the past?” some argue. “Besides, Paul told the Philippians to forget about what lies behind.”

“God is ‘I AM,’ not, ‘I WAS,’” others claim. 

As followers of Christ, why should we care about history? I can think of several reasons.

First, God tells us to. Throughout the Old Testament, the Lord repeatedly told the Israelites to remember Him and the works He had accomplished. That was one reason why they built altars and later “Ebeneezers,” or stones of remembrance, lest they fall back into old patterns of chasing other gods. The same principle holds true for us today. When we remember what God has done in the lives of His followers throughout history, including our own, it encourages and reminds us that He is at work.

Second, knowing our Christian heritage helps us wisely discern claims that others make. Consider Dan Brown’s best-selling book The Da Vinci Code. Brown’s characters claim that the Council of Nicea convened in A.D. 325 to make Jesus Christ divine. An understanding of church history tells us that this is false.

We can dispute The DaVinci Code’s claim by looking to the writings of our early church fathers. These writings, called “patristic writings,” date from A.D. 100 to 450. Irenaeus (A.D. 120-202), Bishop of Lyons (present-day France), wrote Against Heresies to refute the pervasive Gnosticism. His book predates the Council of Nicea by more than a hundred years, and affirms the Deity of Jesus Christ. In addition, theologians note that the New Testament can be reconstructed from quotes in early church fathers’ writings, including those affirming Christ’s Deity.

What really happened at the Council of Nicea? Emperor Constantine gathered together bishops in A.D. 325, primarily to discuss Arianism—a belief espousing Jesus as a created being who had not existed since eternity past. Arianism was condemned as a heresy, yet remnants lingered for centuries, causing great division.

Why care about history? You just read my reasons. What about yours? Begin your own journey through history by reading the writings of early church fathers. For adults, Eusebius’ Church History is a classic book, providing a history of the early church during its first centuries after Christ’s Ascension. Dr. Paul Maier’s translation is well done. For children, I recommend the picture books offered through VOM for 6- to 9-year-olds. For 9- to 14-year-olds, there’s Volume One of Mindy and Brandon Withrow’s chapter book called Peril and Peace: Chronicles of the Ancient Church. If you would like other book recommendations, email VOM at thevoice@persecution.net. Also, the “Christian Martyrs” column that appears in VOM’s monthly newsletter provides an understanding of persecution throughout church history. You can subscribe here.

Persecution isn’t something confined to yesterday’s Roman Coliseum or today’s afflictions. The centuries flanking these eras contain rich stories of courage in the face of opposition for one’s Christian witness. Understanding what believers faced helps us see that God’s grace is available to us as well.

Shining the light of Jesus in North Korea

North Korea consistently tops the world's human rights watch lists as being the most repressive and closed nation on earth. Reports of dreadful and inhumane actions, particularly toward Christians, continue to trickle out of the country.

However, there are a group of North Korean exiles who have escaped “the Hermit Kingdom," and desire to bring the light of Christ into the darkness. These North Koreans are being equipped at Underground University in Seoul.

Watch this video, and be inspired by their passion for the gospel! (Length 13:20)


(This video has been temporarily removed)

To view more videos like this one, visit Persecution.TV.

VOM speaks with Mission Network News about Christians murdered in Pakistan

VOM’s Greg Musselman recently spoke with Mission Network News about the murders of five Christians in one week because of Pakistan’s blasphemy law.

Here’s the MNN story:

Five Christians murdered in a week under Pakistan's blasphemy law

Pakistan (MNN) ― Muslim extremists are blamed for the murders of five Christians in Pakistan in less than a week.

Greg Musselman, spokesman for Voice of the Martyrs Canada, says 22-year-old Latif Masih was shot to death shortly after he was granted bail in a "blasphemy" case. He was accused in early November under Law 295c -- the infamous "Blasphemy Law" in which the two militants claimed he burnt pages of the Qur'an.
 
On November 18, Masih's accusers caught up with him and shot him to death near his home in Godhpur,  village 111 kilometers (69 miles) northeast of Lahore. Days earlier, on November 12 in southern Punjab Province, police say Lashkar-e-Taiba militants killed four family members because of their Christian faith.

There are concerns that the violence against Christians will continue. The marked increase in these cases has created a renewed call by human rights watchdog groups for an end to the blasphemy law. The support couldn't come at a better time. Musselman says, "Christians are always under this kind of law. In recent days, it's received international attention because of some of the other cases that are happening. The international community is saying, ‘This is ridiculous. You can't have these kinds of laws.' There's a lot of pressure that I believe will be put on Pakistan."

This part of the criminal code has come under fire for its vague writing and broad interpretation. Under it, Musselman notes, "We've seen many cases where Christians are really under this law in the sense that it can be used against them. These Muslims often use it for convenience to take over businesses or these kinds of things."

It seems this is what actually motivated Latif's murder, rather than fervent faith issues. Musselman says, "It appears that he was actually killed because he had a motorbike shop that these guys wanted to take over."

A Compass Direct News investigation supports this idea, citing an interview with Latif's brother, Junaid Masih, who claimed Latif's killers were associates of a Muslim man who had filed the blasphemy charge.

Human motives aside, Law 295c is a dangerous weapon in Pakistan's criminal code. Musselman explains that "he blasphemy law, for the most part, is used to intimidate Christians from evangelizing. They need to know that we're praying for them [and] encouraging them."

Pray for the families of the murder victims. "The Bible tells us that if one part of the body suffers, we all suffer, so we should be concerned about that," says Musselman.

Pray that Christ's Body in Pakistan will continue to be a bold testimony of His love and grace. Ask God to help Christians in Pakistan to respond in a Christ-like manner to injustice and oppression.

Detained Egyptian Christian released

Egyptian Christian Sherif
Muhammad was released!

VOM reported in mid-November that Sherif Hassan Abdelwahab Muhammad, an Egyptian Christian, and his British wife were detained at Cairo Airport on November 9, following a trip from the United Kingdom. Muhammad was detained, and his wife was flown back to the UK. No one had heard word of Muhammad’s well-being as of November 16.

We are thrilled to report that in the last few days, Muhammad has been released and reconnected with his wife! Praise God! Thank you to everyone who prayed and wrote letters and called officials on Muhammad's behalf.

Continue to pray for Muhammad and his wife, for their well-being and safety. Pray that their relationship with Jesus Christ will grow even stronger and that their Christian witness will draw others to the Lord.

Afghan Christian imprisoned; send letters

Said Musa is currently
imprisoned in Kabul.

Release International is reporting that Said Musa (Sayed Mossa in some reports), an Afghan citizen and 15-year employee of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Kabul, Afghanistan, was arrested on May 31, 2010, for converting to Christianity from Islam. His trial, which was to take place on November 21, has been postponed.

Said was arrested after video footage, showing Afghan Christians being baptised and participating in prayer gatherings, was televised nationally. The broadcast triggered protests throughout the country along with calls to execute Christians. Since his arrest, Said has been illegally imprisoned, tortured, abused and threatened with death because of his Christian faith.

A father of six and an amputee with a prosthetic leg, Said wrote in a letter from Oullayat prison in Kabul that he had been beaten, forcibly deprived of sleep and sexually abused by prisoners. He added that Afghan judicial officers granted him no protection and, at times, encouraged the abuse.

Afghanistan is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 18 states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

VOM encourages you, along with Release International, to write a letter of concern to Afghan officials.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai
Email: hussain.rahimi@gmail.com

His Excellency Jawed Ludin
Ambassador of Afghanistan in Canada
Embassy of Afghanistan in Canada
240 Argyle Ave.
Ottawa, ON K2P 1B9
Phone: 613-563-4223, ext 226

Download a letter-writing guide (includes Prisoners List) here.

Please pray for Said's release. Pray that God will strengthen him and his family during this difficult time. Pray that God will touch the hearts of Afghan officials who are overseeing Said's case.

What we're reading

In Son of Hamas, Yousef shares
how he found Christ and the solution
for peace in the Middle East.

Written by Floyd Brobbel

Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef

The principal at my son’s school had the grade 11 class read Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef. He challenged parents to read the book as well, so I picked up a copy.

Yousef is the eldest son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a founding member of Hamas. Hamas is the largest and most influential Palestinian-Islamist militant movement and is considered a terrorist organization by many governments. For years, young Yousef assisted his father in his political activities while being groomed to assume his legacy. Everything changed when Yousef decided to follow Christ.

This book will have a profound influence on anyone searching for a true and lasting peace, as Yousef himself concludes, “The message of Jesus—love your enemies—is what finally set me free.”

Given a copy of the Bible, Yousef was touched by this revelation after reading the Sermon on the Mount. He found Jesus’ words incredible, and each verse seemed to touch a wound in his life.

“I had money, power and position in my former life” Yousef writes, “but what I really wanted was freedom.  And that meant, among other things, leaving behind hate, prejudice and a desire for revenge.”

The power of God’s love revealed through his Word is astounding. It can breathe into the darkest, hardest and most hopeless life to bring about a change. It brought freedom to Yousef who found that the real prison he was in was one of his own making. It can also bring change to the Middle East.

“Truth and forgiveness are the only solution for the Middle East,” writes Yousef. “The challenge, especially between Israelis and Palestinians, is not to find the solution. The challenge is to be courageous enough to embrace it.”

There is much brokenness in the lives of people all over the world. Many wounded people cling to hate and seek revenge. But, if Jesus is the only real hope for peace in the Middle East, doesn’t it make sense that He is the only solution for peace in our lives?

Yousef’s transformation came as a result of embracing Jesus and His words and finding healing from a life of bitterness and hate. We must pray that there will be more in the Middle East who will also find the courage to embrace the Word.

500+ Iraqi Christian families flee

The Assyrian International News Agency is reporting that Iraqi Christians are continuing to flee their country, with 507 families moving to the Kurdish north, where security measures are relatively stable. Many more families have fled directly abroad, mainly to Syria, Jordan and Turkey.

Despite calls for them to stay, many Iraqi Christians feel they have no future left in the country. This follows violent attacks against Iraqi Christians, which you can read about here, here and here.

Churches in Baghdad are reported to be almost empty with senior Christian clergymen fearing that Iraq is on its way to losing its Christian minority. Baghdad was the last remaining city with a sizeable Christian community, but thousands have fled the latest upsurge in anti-Christian violence.

Pray for the nation of Iraq. Pray for anointed leaders who can act with wisdom, courage and integrity. Pray that God will heal this land and its people. Pray that Christians might persevere in this difficult situation; pray also for their protection.

You can read the full story here.

Court says president cannot pardon Asia Bibi

International Christian Concern (ICC) is reporting that Pakistan’s president cannot grant pardon to Asia Bibi, the Christian woman who has been sentenced to death for “blasphemy” against Muhammad. The Lahore High Court issued the order after lawyers argued that President Asif Ali Zardari cannot issue the pardon before Asia’s appeal to the High Court is decided.

Asia has appealed to the High Court, but the court has yet to set a date for her appeal hearing.

In a statement to ICC, Pakistan’s Minister for Minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti, said that President Zardari has pledged to intervene if the High Court unnecessarily delay a decision in Asia’s case. Under Article 45 of the country’s constitution, the president has authority to free convicts.

However, ICC says fundamentalist Muslims have stepped up their threats against the Pakistani officials, warning that there will be anarchy if Asia is pardoned.

Please continue to pray for Asia’s release and protection for her and her family. There are reports that Asia’s husband and children have gone into hiding, concerned radical Islamic groups are planning to kill the family.

Read the full story here.

Chinese rights defence lawyer detained

VOM's sister mission ChinaAid is reporting that an active member of the Petitioners' Rights Defence Lawyers Association was seized by Beijing police and placed under criminal detention Saturday evening for allegedly trying to encourage subversion of the Chinese government.

Bai Dongping, a new Christian and longtime political activist, was being held at Beijing’s Xicheng District Detention Center. Although police produced no paperwork to authorize apprehending Bai, a document was sent to his family, saying he was being charged with "inciting subversion of state power.”

Since Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo was named the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner, the Chinese authorities have responded by stepping up pressure on religious believers, especially Christians, political activists and rights defence lawyers. Authorities have barred Christians and human rights lawyers from leaving the country to attend international conferences and have been harassing other Christians, activists and rights defence lawyers through actions ranging from detentions to jamming the locks on their homes with superglue.

You can read the full stoy here.

More details about these actions are available at the ChinaAid website.

In mailboxes this week

The December issue of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter is hitting mailboxes this week. It’s VOM’s 2010 Year in Review.

Here's your sneak peak!

• Find out how VOM has brought hope to persecuted Christians facing tragedy in 2010.
• Read about Jars of Hope and how individuals and families throughout Canada provided 60 Nigerian children with clothing, education, food, housing and medical attention.
• Read about VOM’s leadership-training courses, Bible translation and radio broadcasts reaching believers in restricted nations.
• Read how VOM’s partnership with Global Response Network is helping rebuild war-torn Sudan.
• Learn how Christmas Blessing packages provide North Korean believers with food items, toiletries, medication, clothing and Christian literature.

The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter is the flagship publication of The Voice of the Martyrs in Canada. Published monthly, it is available free of charge to anyone in Canada who requests it.

You can subscribe online here.

Operation World is now available

VOM is now offering the newest release of Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation.

Written for Bible-believing Christians who want to obey the last great command of Jesus Christ by evangelising the world and completing the Great Commission, the seventh edition shares well-researched statistics on the state of the church around the globe. It also includes charts and maps, showing global religious and demographic trends and major currents in economics, politics and society, as well as the prayer needs of each nation.

It is a valuable resource and prayer tool for every home and church.

You can order yours today by visiting VOM’s Online Catalogue.

Operation World by Jason Mandryk, paperback, 978 pages. Available while supplies last.

12 arrested over Baghdad church massacre

Our Lady of Salvation Church after the
October 31 attack.
Photo by Ankawa.com

VOM reported in early November (see story here) that Islamic militants stormed a Catholic church during Mass in Baghdad, killing 70 people and wounding 75.

The Assyrian International News Agency and CNN reported today that Huthaifa al-Batawi, the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq, the "mastermind, direct supervisor and planner" of the October 31 attack, was among 12 arrested in connection with the deadly church siege.

The Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella group that includes a number of Sunni extremist organizations and has ties to al-Qaida in Iraq, claimed responsibility for the Baghdad church siege. It was among the first of many attacks in recent weeks targeting Christians (see stories here and here), which have left scores dead and many more wounded throughout the Middle Eastern nation.

Iraqi security forces made the arrests of the 12 "suspected terrorists," who also have links to al-Qaida in Iraq and a wave of Baghdad explosions on November 2, an Iraqi interior ministry official confirmed.

Gen. Ahmad Abu Ragheef, the head of internal affairs at the Interior Ministry, said in an Iraqiya interview that al-Batawi confessed to his role in the church siege, telling Iraqi authorities who he was and about other attacks he supervised.

You can read the full story here.