News and Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Government Continues Mental Torture of Pastor as Court Frees and Immediately Re-Arrests Him  10/9/2013 Kazakhstan (International Christian Concern) Pastor Kashkumbayev, 67, was released to house arrest after having been imprisoned since May for his Christian activities, only to be immediately re-arrested for religious extremism.  He is not receiving adequate medical care while imprisoned. It is believed the government is making an example of him for being a Christian.     Full story Pray for Pastor Kashkumbayev's safety and protection while being detained Pray that God would bring comfort to Pastor Kashkumbayev's family during this difficult time Pray for international awareness for Pastor Kashkumbayev's quick and full release Muslims and Christians in Pakistan Protect Churches with Human Chain 10/8/2013 Pakistan (Opposing Views) In protest to the September 22 bombing of All Saints Church in Peshawar, Pakistan Christians and Muslims joined together this past Sunday to form a human chain protecting a church.  Recent incidences of persecution in Pakistan include terrorist bombings of churches in response to US drone strikes.   Full story Pray the protests will be a catalyst for greater unity between Christians and Muslims in Pakistan  Pray for the healing of victims from the September 22 All Saints Church bombing Pray that the government will provide protection for Christians and religious minorities in Pakistan More Than 60 Church Leaders Remain Locked Up in Communist Vietnam 10/8/2013 Vietnam (International Christian Concern) International Christian Concern has received a tragically long list of the names of 63 Christian pastors and church leaders who remain locked up in deplorable conditions in four prison camps around the country.  There is hope that these Christians will soon be freed- the American government is working on passing a bill that will deny Vietnam certain aid until the human rights situation improves.    Full story Pray for the health and safety of the imprisoned pastors and church leaders Pray for hope in the midst of suffering for the families of the imprisoned leaders Pray that Vietnam would stop its persecution of Christians and religious minorities China Relentless in Persecution of House Churches 10/4/2013 China (International Christian Concern) There have been many recent incidences of beatings, detainment, vandalism, and general persecution of Christians in China. China claims to support religious freedom, but the only protestant church they officially recognize is the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, and it seems to be more an instrument of suppression than a true church.     Full story Pray that China's intolerance for religious minorities will garner the international concern it warrants  Pray the house churches will be legally recognized by the government and they will stop being targets for raids   Pray the local authorities will be stopped from persecuting Christians by higher authorities  Two Indonesian Christians Sentenced to Three Years Behind Bars for Evangelism 10/3/2013 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) It has been confirmed that two Indonesian Christians were sentenced to three years in prison on August 2 for conducting evangelistic activities among Muslims. The Christians, known as Kashfi Rosyid and Jalaudin, are brothers and were arrested by police on March 20 in Sukabumi, West Java,after an angry mob of approximately 200 Muslims attacked their home.  Full Story  Pray for courage and strength for the two brothers while they are detained Pray the Indonesian government will realize their policies that encourage religious tolerance are being violated  Pray this incident will not incite a rise of Christian persecution in Indonesia Out of the Darkness: Isolated Christians in Laos Consistently    Refuse    to    Give up on Christ 10/3/2013 Laos (International Christian Concern)     Christians in Laos are facing persecution for refusing to worship false gods. Though they are constitutionally given religious freedom, Christianity is not always recognized as a religion and foreign missionaries are not allowed to enter. Most occurrences of persecution are reported from small villages. The Christians being persecuted are showing strong resistance.    Full Story  Pray for strength and resolve for Christians who are facing persecution in Laos Pray the situation in Laos will gain more recognition which will lead to greater freedom for Christians

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of the destitute." - Proverbs 31:8

International Attention May Not Free, But Helps

Who Are Iran's Political Prisoners? (Commentary)
http://www.roxanasaberi.com/blog/who-are-irans-political-prisoners/
By: Roxana Saberi


Ms. Saberi, an Iranian-American journalist detained in Iran’s Evin Prison in 2009, is the author of “Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in Iran” (HarperCollins, 2010).

(6 October 2011) Just after my release from a Tehran prison in May 2009, an Iranian prisoner wrote an open letter entitled, “I wish I were a Roxana.” Haleh Rouhi, a follower of Iran’s minority Baha’i faith, was serving a four-year sentence for antiregime propaganda, although she said she was simply “teaching the alphabet and numbers” to underserved children.

She was happy I was released but wondered how her case differed from mine and why she had to remain in prison. “What kind of justice system condemned [Roxana] to such punishment,” Ms. Rouhi asked, “and which justice freed her at such speed?”

I asked myself the same question. Why was I released after 100 days, having appealed an eight-year prison sentence for a trumped-up charge of espionage? What is clear is that as a foreign citizen, I was fortunate to receive international support, while the plights of other innocent prisoners were less known outside Iran.

Last month, two American men incarcerated in Iran on accusations of espionage and crossing the border illegally—charges they contested—were freed after being sentenced to eight years in prison. Their release is welcome news and cause for relief.

At the same time, ordinary Iranians are suffering mounting abuses and prolonged imprisonment for exercising their basic human rights, making Haleh Rouhi’s question as valid today as it was two years ago. Officials from several countries have called for the release of a handful of Iran’s wrongfully imprisoned men and women, but this pressure is rarely consistent—and most of Iran’s hundreds of prisoners of conscience have never gained the attention of foreign governments or mainstream news media. The international community needs to apply the same pressure on Tehran to release these prisoners as it has for high-profile Western citizens.

At least 28 of Iran’s prisoners of conscience are journalists, according to the media rights group Reporters Without Borders, which ranks Iran the third largest jail for journalists in the world after Eritrea and China. In addition, six Iranian filmmakers were recently arrested for allegedly cooperating with BBC Persian. (The station insists no one in Iran works for it.)

Well-known attorneys such as Nasrin Sotoudeh, who has been sentenced to six years in prison, also are locked up in Iran. Last month, Abdolfattah Soltani, who like Ms. Sotoudeh defended many political prisoners, was arrested for the third time. I first heard of his courage from my cellmates in Tehran’s Evin Prison. I requested that he represent me, but the prosecutor threatened me against retaining “a human rights lawyer.”

Mr. Soltani was arrested while he prepared to defend several Baha’is detained for providing higher education to other Baha’is barred from university in Iran because of their religion. He was also an attorney for my two Baha’i cellmates, Fariba Kamalabadi and Mahvash Sabet, who are each serving 20-year prison sentences for various unsubstantiated charges including espionage.

Most recently, the headlines have focused on Youcef Naderkhani, a Christian convert from Islam who faces possible execution after refusing to renounce his faith.

Many of Iran’s prisoners of conscience have suffered torture—both physical and psychological. It is common for them to be held in solitary confinement for months, even years. They often lack adequate access to their families and attorneys and go through sham trials. Some are coerced to give false confessions and inform on their friends.

If detainees are lucky, their captors offer them release on bail, but the amount is typically exorbitant, and prisoners who can post it tend to live in fear that they could be sent back to jail any day. At the same time, a rising number of executions has made Iran the world’s largest executioner on a per capita basis. According to Amnesty International, in 2010, at least 23 Iranian prisoners convicted of politically motivated offenses were executed.

The Iranian regime needs to address human rights violations instead of denying their existence. If Tehran has nothing to hide, it would permit the recently appointed United Nations special rapporteur on human rights to enter the country. Tehran should also grant access to several other U.N. special experts who have been blocked from visiting since 2005.

U.N. officials—particularly Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay—plus member states and other individuals must place constant pressure on Tehran just as they have in cases such as mine. This will bring attention and justice to the real heroes, the everyday Iranians in prison for pursuing universal human rights and demanding respect for human dignity.

International pressure might not always result in their freedom, but at least they will know they are not alone and can gain courage to carry on. And it can help Iranian authorities realize that the many faces of their justice system will only continue to isolate the Islamic Republic among the family of nations.

This commentary was originally published in Wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204524604576610983516265802.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Another Opportunity to Make a Difference for the Persecuted Church!

Remember those who are in prison as if you were in prison with them. Remember those who are suffering as if you were suffering with them.

With the technology we have today, the creative minds birthed, the determination of many, and the power of God we can move mountains. But for now, we can support the persecuted church with our finances and as such, smuggle Bibles into lands that are home to Christians who are not allowed access to Bibles.

Do I wish for Christians to be lawbreakers? Heavens NO! BUT...are we to obey man rather than God?! The freedom to have access to a Bible to ANYONE who wants to own one is a RIGHT that is taken away by oppressive governments who only want to feed their people their own dogmas. Gov't leaders want so much control, they even want to control the minds of their people. 

In addition to PRAYING for the persecuted Church, there IS stuff YOU can actually DO to support our injured brothers & sisters. 

In a previous post I helped point you in the direction of options to sponsor pastors, pastor's wives who are now widows, students of the word, & sponsor reconstruction of villages ruined due to persecution. Missed it? Click HERE

Then I presented a unique petition that you could sign that would be sent to the government of Egypt, to put pressure to protect the Christians- who have been experiencing increased persecution especially since the fall of Mubarak. Did you want to include your name in the petition? Go HERE

If you click on the first link you'll find that there's more you can do than what I just mentioned.

But today I present to you a whole NEW way to support the persecuted Church. THIS, I am excited about because it's pretty inexpensive.  I don't see how ANYONE would not want to do this. And what is 'this' I'm referring to?!?! SENDING A BIBLE! Not just ONE! A $30 sponsorship sends 5 Bibles!!! 5 Bibles to people who have sent letters REQUESTING a Bible! 

 The Voice of the Martyrs has a tax deductible program called Bibles Unbound:


"Through VOM's Bibles Unbound program, you can become directly involved in meeting this vital need. Even as you read this Web page, our field workers are collecting names of people who are waiting to receive a Bible or have requested a Bible to share with others. These believers live in very hostile areas and willingly take great risks for the sake of God's kingdom.

The names of people requesting Bibles are loaded into the Bibles Unbound system, and you are then able to provide five or more Bibles per month directly to your persecuted brothers and sisters. The names of those for whom you have sponsored Bibles will appear on your own personal mission page so your family can pray for them.

Bibles Unbound has also designed "Covert" Operations where you can directly support Bible couriers where it is too dangerous to collect names."

As of June 12, 2011 there are 69,315 people who have REQUESTED Bibles, have been put on the list, and are waiting for people to sponsor so that a Bible can be sent. It's crazy to think that I can walk into a bookstore & choose any translation of the Bible I want- even go so far as to be picky about the graphic design of the cover or pages, yet 1 Bible is sought where it cannot be found.

I have become a sponsor because I believe that God's word does not come back void. I believe it is our responsibility as Christians to makes disciples. That includes our brothers & sisters we never see or hear of who only WISH to have a treasured Bible. I want to make a difference for the kingdom of God. Now...I'd rather hand deliver those Bibles myself but...since I can't what I can do is determine HOW many Bibles ARE sent and WHERE. I thank God I have the job I do have because this allows me to give much more than what I was able to before.  You can even GIFT a sponsorship! 

So pray about it, think about it, & act on it. Here is another opportunity, another OPEN DOOR for you to make a difference for the Persecuted Church

I do not have time to tell you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets.³³ Through their faith they defeated kingdoms. They did what was right, received God's promises, and shut the mouths of lions.³⁴ They stopped great fires and were saved from being killed with swords. They were weak, and yet were made strong. They were powerful in battle and defeated other armies.³⁵ Women received their dead relatives raised back to life. Others were tortured and refused to accept their freedom so they could be raised from the dead to a better life.³⁶ Some were laughed at and beaten. Others were put in chains and thrown into prison. ³⁷ They were stoned to death, they were cut in half,^[d] and they were killed with swords. Some wore the skins of sheep and goats. They were poor, abused, and treated badly. ³⁸ The world was not good enough for them! They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and holes in the earth. Hebrews 11:32-38