www.barnabasfund.org
THE AID AGENCY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
MAY/JUNE 2013
CHRISTIANS UNDER THREAT IN SRI LANKA
IN THIS ISSUE
Sri Lanka
Hope
Children
Christian ministry in Egypt and Central Asia
UR
G O D IS
FAITHF U L
in the midst of suffering
O
Vulnerable Christians under attack
Breaking thrrough the e Barrie ers Leading Mus Lead slims to Christ C Rosemaary Soo o khhde deoo Ho can wee und How nderstannd our o r Mu Musl slim m fririen ends ds and nei e gh ghbo bour urss ssoo tha hatt we can sha hare re the Gos ospe pel effeect ctivelyy with them? This his boo ookk di disc scuusse sess th thei eirr re relilgi gion, cu cultltur u e an andd practi practice cess too find nd poi oint ntss of coonta tact tha hatt wi will ill hhelp e p Muslims re el respond espond to the Chririst Ch stia iann Go Gosp speeel and pro rovi vides cruc u ial in i foormation on o the difffer di feren ence cess be betw tw wee eenn Is Isla lam m annd Chhrirsttiaani nity t. ISBN IS S N: 97 9780 80098 9825 252221 2181 8166 | Fo Form rmat at:: Pa Pape perb rbac ackk | No No. off pag ages es:: 16 1600 | RRP P:: £8. 8.99 999 | P & P: £2 £2.9 .999
£6.00
The Th e Ch hal all lleng lenge e off Isl slam am to th the e Ch Chur urch ch and d its Miss Mi ssio ion n Patrtrick Sook Pa okhdeoo The growing impact ct of Islam on Western soccieeties poses p direct and indirirec e t challenges to thhe Church and its missiion on. Thiss book comp m ares Islam with Chriistianity (offeringg a theological understanding of Islam), discusses the effects e of Islam a on the West, and examines various issues in Christiann-Muslim relations, including dialogue and mission. m ISBN: 9780978714185 | Format: Paperback | No. of pagees: 193 | RRP: £9.99 | P & P: £3.00
To order these books, visit: barnabasfund.org/shop Alternatively, please contact your nearest Barnabas Fund office (addresses on back cover). Cheques for the UK should be made payable to “Barnabas Books”.
The paper used in this publication comes from sustainable forests and can be 100% recycled
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Front cover: A Sri ri Lankan Christian widow whom Barnaba Barnabas abas sh help helped elped to start up a business and support her family ur understanding. under un dersta standi nding ng. To guard the safety off Christians in hostile environments, names may have been changed or omitted. Thank you for your ed Scripture quotations are taken from the New International Version®. Unless otherwise stated, Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and obtain permission for stories and images used in this publication. Barnabas Fund apologises for any errors or omissions and will be grateful for any further information regarding copyright. © Barnabas Fund 2013
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BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013
Our Redeemer lives
T
he passion that drives Barnabas Fund is for justice and righteousness. America’s third president, Thomas Jefferson, declared: “God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.” The God who gave us life and liberty also gave us justice, and this motivates all Barnabas Fund has sought to do. Despite having to take on leaders, organisations and even nations in this struggle for justice, we have sought to be faithful above all else to God and the calling that He has given to us. “Hope” is not always an easy word. It has been much devalued, and despair can so easily reign. The Biblical hope that we have is an eschatological hope: the hope that our almighty and matchless Lord will indeed rule over this earth that He has created, over His heavens and His universe, that He will restore order and bring justice to His people and that they will be vindicated. With such a hope, Christians in the midst of suffering can echo the words of Job: “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth” (Job 19:25, KJV). June 1st 2013 will mark the twentieth anniversary of Barnabas Fund. Looking back, we can see how God has worked in bringing into being a ministry that He has chosen to use for the succour, welfare and good of His people. Looking ahead, we face uncertainty and a world of increasing chaos, bringing new pressures upon beleaguered Christian communities, not least in the Middle East and in particular Syria and Iraq. It is by looking back that we derive our confidence that the God who has led us thus far is the God who will continue to be with us in the future. For our God is faithful. As we look forward we live with the eschatological hope
WELCOME FROM THE DIRECTOR
that it is God who will bring right and justice out of wrong and injustice. At the heart of justice lies truth. Truth is not a driving force in today’s society. We live with half-truths, embellishments, lies and deceptions. We live in a day where governments can lie to their people, media can lie to their constituencies, and sadly even Christian leaders can lie to all and sundry. But truth in its absolute form is inextricably linked to righteousness, which in turn is linked to justice. Barnabas’ passion has been to speak the truth, even though this is condemned as confrontational in contexts such the UK where the soft and pleasant half-truth is often more acceptable. If Barnabas Fund continues under God for another 20 years, it must continue to base itself on truth. It must continue to tackle the difficult questions. Who are the persecutors of the Church? How do they persecute the Church? Why do they persecute the Church? Who will bring aid and succour to the persecuted Church? Why must their fellow believers make it a priority to assist the persecuted Church? May the God who has led us thus far, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, continue to lead us into the next stage of our ministry, whatever form or shape it may take. I commend to you the enclosed booklet, Our God is Faithful, which reflects on the last two decades and the way in which the Lord has led my wife Rosemary and me and blessed and grown the work. We trust and believe that He has used Barnabas not just to bring practical aid but also to bring spiritual encouragement, as summed up in the phrase “Hope and aid for the persecuted Church” under our logo. Jefferson’s statement encapsulates a theme that shaped the USA. It gives us a vision of God’s desire that nations, as well as individuals, should strive always for liberty and justice. I pray that these will continue to be priorities for Barnabas Fund in the coming years.
Dr Patrick Sookhdeo International Director
Contents
6 Compassion in Action Children’s ministry in Egypt and Central Asia Country Profile Sri Lanka: Christians burdened by poverty and pressure
10
4
Testimony A North African convert freed to serve Christ in his homeland
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Newsdesk Church leaders gunned down in East Africa
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11
Biblical Reflection Romans 5:1-11: Hope in the midst of affliction
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14
In Touch Bird tables and birthday lunch raise funds for persecuted Christians
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BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013 3
COMPASSION IN ACTION
how ba how barnabas rna abas as s £457,797 for airlift and bus transport (US$692,822; €537,545)
£38,402 for refugees in DR Congo (US$58,131; €44,378)
Priority for disabled Christians
Re Rec e eiv eiiving e ing a wid wide-r e ang anging i em rrge eme emerg g ncy ge ncy y ki kit in DR Co Congo
A Christian mother arrives by plane in South Sudan
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When Muslims turn to Christ, they are often rejected by their families and their employers. Last year 71 converts in eastern Uganda were thrown out of their family homes. Thanks to a recent grant from Barnabas Fund a local ministry provided them with emergency food and also with medical care.
But Barnabas Fund reversed the order by focussing all their relief on this vulnerable group. “I’m glad to see that there are people who think of us,” said Antoinette, who has lost her right arm. In total 406 disabled Christians received a kit with food, water cans, plastic sheets, blankets, bedding and soap in three camps in eastern Congo. In November last year numbers of displaced people in the east of the country rose dramatically, from 500,000 to 800,000. People fled from their homes after renewed fighting broke out between the rebel group M23 and the national Congolese army. A great number of those displaced are Christians. “God is great because He has given answer to my prayer,” said Sebutoni, who has lost his leg. With the kit he can now cover his family’s hut, protecting them from the rain.
Moreover, the ministry made sure that the new believers could stay temporarily in Christians’ homes, where they were surrounded by loving care and fellowship.
Project reference 92-765
Project reference 48-1078
Because of your generous donations 2,300 Christians have already reached the safety of South Sudan by plane or bus. At the time of writing the rescue operation is ongoing; another 1,500 Christians will be transported by road, Lord willing.
New believers in Uganda studying the Bible together
Usually disabled people end up last in the queue to receive aid in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Because of their disability it takes them longer to reach aid distribution points.
Joy and relief were etched on the faces of many of the Christian women descending the aeroplane stairs at Juba airport in South Sudan. Mothers holding infant children, elderly women helped by young men, a disabled woman with crutches, all streamed out onto the tarmac. There they were welcomed by church leaders. Their big smiles spoke volumes: they had just been brought out of Sudan, a place of anti-Christian discrimination and oppression, to a Christian-majority country where they could look forward to equality and freedom. One of the women said, “We have reached here with the help of God. We shall live well with God’s help in our land.”
Converts: care in vulnerable times
A total of 136 recent converts from Islam received intensive discipling through the ministry in 2012. Bible study, time for communal prayer and the sharing of experiences formed the core. And English and hair-braiding classes were provided, so that the converts could become economically self-sufficient. Praise God that through the ministry’s outreach another 175 Muslims came to know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour in 2012.
Project reference 56-641
Sudan exodus: escape to safety
£14,528 for convert care in Uganda (US$21,987; €17,059)
is s helpi helpin helping h lp n hel £3,899 for blankets in Bangladesh (US$5,902; €4,505)
COMPASSION IN ACTION A simple blanket can not only help a Christian experiencing discrimination survive a harsh winter. It can also encourage her in her faith – by showing that Christians far away care about her plight. Thank you for your generous support. Below and on the following pages are just a few examples of the many ways we have recently assisted persecuted and pressurised Christians.
£1,177 for pastor in Central Asia (US$1,782; €1,360)
Congregation now self-sufficient
£37,603 for water and electricity in Egypt (US$56,916; €43,445)
Water and electricity bring relief Hearts and bodies warmed A congregation in Central Asia can now support its pastor
Two years of support from Barnabas Fund was all a fledgling congregation in Central Asia needed. It has now matured and become self-sufficient.
A tap now brings clean water into this Egyptian Christian’s home
A Christian woman in Bangladesh receives a blanket
Project reference 11-424
As a Christian, Santos is part of a tiny Christian minority in Bangladesh. Believers experience much discrimination, and sometimes violence, in this Muslim-majority country. As a consequence many are very poor. “Last few weeks ago in our place we felt so cold,” Sontos continued. “I wanted to buy a blanket but I had not enough money… When I came to a brother’s house, that day he gave me a blanket. I am so happy about this blanket.”
Project reference 04-854
“Oh! What a wonderful gift from God,” said Sontos, an impoverished Christian in Bangladesh. He was one of 1,000 Christians who received a blanket from Barnabas Fund to help him survive last year’s exceptionally cold winter.
Now 70 families have clean, running water in their homes. And 37 homes have direct access to electricity. The difference these connections make to the families’ lives is enormous. Mothers and daughters no longer have to carry heavy loads of water several times a day from the nearest water source. Electric fans bring some relief from the summer heat, and in the evening there is light for the children to study.
Two years earlier its 40 members – all converts from Islam – were meeting in various home groups. Several of the members were struggling; some had been turned out of their homes by their families for deciding to follow Christ; others were experiencing pressure from local Muslim elders to reconvert. Their pastor supported himself through a secular job, but that meant he had little time for pastoring the church members. Barnabas’ support covered 86% of the pastor’s living costs and travel for two years. In the freed-up time he could visit all home groups and ministry leaders. In one year 38 more people were baptised, and after two years the congregation had grown to 100 members. They can now rent a building for Sunday services and cover the pastor’s support.
Project reference 00-477 (Pastors’ Support Fund)
All of the desperately poor inhabitants of a town in Upper Egypt are Christian. Their faith and the town’s isolated location leave them generally ignored by the rest of Egypt’s Muslim-majority population. Barnabas Fund helped improve some of the 25,000 inhabitants’ sub-basic living conditions.
BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013 5
COMPASSION IN ACTION
bringing hope, FOCUS ON CHRISTIAN CHILDREN
On fire for God unique children’s club in Egypt is setting Christian youngsters’ faith aflame. The clubs started last year with support from Barnabas Fund. They are helping children and teens become committed to Christ and live out their faith in daily life.
A
“I have learned that the Word of God brings joy,” 14-year-old Raouth said about the club. ”That is why I go share the Bible verses that I learn with my mum and also memorise them, so we can have joy in our house.” A total of 7,000 Christian children and teenagers started attending weekly clubs last year through 53 churches in Upper Egypt. In this region of extreme poverty, these popular clubs are the only ones of their kind. They are also proving to be an antidote against the enormous peer pressure that the kids experience from the Muslim majority.
Ch hriist sttian n ch hild dren en n’s s cl clu lubs bs in in Egy Eg gy ypt h hav ha av ve beco ec me e im imm mm m mens e ely po opu pul ullar a
The youngsters are encouraged to learn Bible verses, go to church and pray every morning and evening. There is also a time of worship and prayer. If the club were to stop, eleven-year-old Samira would be “very, very upset because I feel really happy when I go the club”. Raouth agreed: “[The]
club is something very big in my life. I feel really comfortable in there and I wish that it stays in my life forever.” Project reference 11-1080
£33,534 for a children’s ministry in Egypt (US$50,787; €38,350)
Magazine shared in face of resistance magazine in Kyrgyzstan is so popular that one copy can pass through many hands. One reason for this is that it is the only Kyrgyz-language Christian children’s magazine in this Muslim-majority country, made available with support from Barnabas Fund.
A
Although it is written for Christian children – and so packed with pictures, poems, crossword puzzles and stories – adults also like to read it. It is read out loud during church meetings and also distributed on the streets and on buses. Children like to share copies with their friends and classmates. But when one girl wanted to hand out a pack at school, she was blocked by her teacher. Scolding her, the teacher grabbed an issue and threw it in the girl’s face. At first the girl was frightened. But upon her return home she realised that what
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had happened is part of Christian life; she had suffered for Jesus’ sake, and knowing this filled her with faith and joy. With support from Barnabas the magazine is also translated and distributed in Kazakhstan and Bulgaria. Usually six issues are printed every year, with print runs of 3,000 to 5,000 copies each time. In Kazakhstan the magazine’s distributors have to be careful when mailing out the issues because of tightened laws on religious practice. In the face of many challenges, ten-year-old Johanna in Bulgaria sums up what the magazine is truly about: “[It] talks to me about God. And I like to hear about Him.”
Project reference 80-664 (Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan), 62-1016 (Bulgaria)
Enj njjoyi ying ng g a Chr hri risti stian sti an chi chiilldr ld d en’s s maga agazin gazin ine e tog og geth her e in Kyr Kyr y gyz gyzs gy sta an
£39,562 for Christian children’s magazines in Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan (US$59,864; €46,430)
COMPASSION IN ACTION
transforming lives Not forgotten in Syria “You are the first one to come to ask if we need help!”
“M n “Mu nee ne e r” and hi his s exte exte x nde ed ffami amily ami am ly in ly n the th h irr one he e-ro ro oom m pla ace ce of o esc escape
uneer was deeply touched when a Barnabas volunteer visited his family in their rudimentary place of refuge in Syria. The volunteer had come to see how Barnabas Fund could help them.
M
“You are the first one to come to ask if we need help or even to see how we are living and if we are living!” Muneer told the volunteer with joy and gratitude. Barnabas Fund gave them food, a cash donation and winter clothes for their children to sustain them in this difficult time. This help from Barnabas was the first act of mercy they had experienced since their displacement.
But fighting between the army and militants in Al-Qusayr forced them to flee. In doing so, they joined the throng of hundreds of thousands of other Christians throughout Syria fleeing from their homes to escape bombing and shelling. Like most of them, they fled with hardly any possessions or a place to go.
Christians targeted Christians, besides being victims of the general violence, have also been targeted in the crisis. Many rebels consider all Christians to be supporters of President Bashar al-Assad, and thus enemies, because Christians were treated well by al-Assad’s regime. And Islamist rebel groups are using the chaos as a cloak to oust, kidnap, torture and kill Christians.
Displaced by violence Before the uprising Muneer had lived comfortably. His family of three girls and a boy, as well as extended family, were all part of a sizable Christian minority in the city of Al-Qusayr, where they lived in peace.
While trying to escape, Muneer’s uncle and brother were killed in the violence. The family struggled to find another place to stay in Wadi al-Nasara, where they had fled. When they were finally offered a derelict, one-room hovel, they eagerly jumped at the offer.
Surviving with your help Barnabas’ support enabled Muneer’s displaced family to survive the harsh winter. They are “thankful to God and to those who have the love of God in their heart”. Since March 2012 Barnabas Fund has been sending monthly grants to help Christians affected by the Syrian crisis. Between January and March 2013 we sent £400,781. Through these grants they received food, winter clothes, blankets, lamps, mats and medical support.
Project reference 00-1032
£400,781 for emergency relief in Syria (US$606,264; €470,366)
BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013 7
D
espite Christianity’s long history in Sri Lanka (see text box, far right), the Christian faith is seen as a foreign influence, and evangelism is often presented as an unethical means of forced conversion. Our brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka face many difficulties. They are under great pressure from Buddhist nationalism and at risk of violent attack by its proponents. They are discriminated against in several areas of life. And many, still feeling the effects of the protracted civil war (1983-2009) that is estimated to have killed more than 200,000 people, live in extreme poverty and need. The hardship resulting from the years of conflict has been intensified in recent years by a series of devastating natural disasters.
The “foremost place” of Buddhism Sri Lanka’s constitution affords Buddhism the “foremost place” in the country’s public life. Although Buddhism is not officially the religion of the state, this status ensures its protection and promotion. Buddhism’s “foremost place” is exploited by a powerful ethnic Sinhalese and Buddhist nationalist lobby, which demands rights and privileges for itself at the expense of other religions, especially Christianity. More than a decade ago, the Sinhala Commission, which enquires into “injustices caused to the Sinhala people”, identified Christianity as the main enemy of Sinhalese culture and religion. Nationalist groups campaign for the introduction of anti-conversion legislation that would greatly hinder evangelism; similar laws in some states of India have been used to obstruct people from becoming Christians. Thankfully, the proposed law has not so far been accepted by Parliament.
Sri Lanka has historically been associated with tolerance and peace. As a Buddhist kingdom, for centuries it welcomed Hindu, Muslim and Christian refugees who were fleeing persecution in India. Although these values are still reflected in Sri Lanka’s constitution and laws, which guarantee freedom of religion, in practice the country is now far from being a safe haven for Christians.
Buddhism has a reputation for being peaceable and non-violent, but in Sri Lanka it is not notably tolerant of other religions. Since the conflict ended, the religion has been encroaching visibly into northern and eastern areas traditionally inhabited by the minority Tamil people, who are predominantly Hindu with a significant Christian minority. Buddhist statues, monasteries and monuments have been erected in these areas by government troops, and people from elsewhere in the country have been resettled there even though local people remain landless. This official pressure is accompanied by the action of extremists on the ground, who often launch attacks on local Christian communities.
Violence and harassment A youn o g flood victim im receives foo f d from Ba fo Barna r bas rna a
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BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013
Christian communities, and especially those in rural areas or traditionally Buddhist preserves, live in danger of violence and harassment by
COUNTRY PROFILE
Monks among the mob The pastor of a church in Weeraketiya, Hambanthota district, was injured when a large mob, including numerous Buddhist monks, stormed his church in December 2012. The mob overwhelmed eight police officers, who were stationed at the church to protect it during a planned demonstration by the monks. During the attack the pastor was injured by a rock that was thrown at him and left with severe pain in his abdomen. The mob damaged church furniture and equipment as well as nearby vehicles belonging to church members. The violence was witnessed by children. On the day before the incident a group of Buddhists, including a number of monks, had visited the pastor and told him that he was not allowed to conduct worship services in the area. They falsely claimed that the constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion, had been changed. They warned that if the pastor did not stop holding services, they would destroy the church. Buddhist extremists. Mob attacks on church services are sporadic but severe. Church leaders are particularly vulnerable to being threatened and violently attacked. Christians can also face pressure from Hindu or Muslim extremists, and those who commit crimes against them are rarely brought to justice. Churches may be forcibly closed: by extremists with the support of the authorities, or by the authorities themselves. It is not only extremists who pose a threat to Sri Lankan pastors. Some of them (including some who are Tamils themselves) put themselves at great risk by speaking out against the government’s abuses of the beleaguered Tamil minority. More than a dozen Christian ministers have “disappeared” and are thought to have been abducted and murdered by the government after they criticised it. The government threatened in March 2012 to “break the bones” of those who
Lanka Lan ankar karrama am ama ma Da Dagab ga aba, a Budd uddhis histt s stttup up pa iin n Anuradhapura,, Sri Lan Anurad Lanka. ka Bu Buddh dhism ism sm s m is i f llow fol lowed ed by 70% 70 of of th the p the popu opulat opu la lat ation ion on
supported a UN Human Rights Council resolution calling on the country to investigate war crimes properly. Open threats have been made against the Bishop of Mannar, Rayappu Joseph, who along with two others submitted a report to the government’s “Lessons Learnt Reconciliation Committee” highlighting the disappearance of over 145,000 people during the last stages of the civil war.
Discrimination Discrimination blights the lives of Sri Lankan Christians in several ways. Government schools have been known to refuse to enrol Christian students because of their faith, and the classroom is not always a safe place for Christians. In June 2012 a 14-year-old Christian schoolboy who professed his faith at school was beaten severely by a Buddhist monk. When Amila Tharanga Thilakaratne said that he was a Christian, the monk beat him until he was left bleeding from his ear. Amila, who is the only Christian in his class, was refused medical treatment and told not to tell anyone about the incident.
Thi T h s evid videnc en enc nce e of Chri hrr stian sti tian an pre presen r s sence sen ce in n Anu An n radhap nu rad ad dhap ha ap pura urra ra,, Sri ri Lan anka, an ka da ka, d te tes es to o ar around ou oun und 50 00 0 AD D
Centuries of Christian presence The history of Christianity in Sri Lanka long pre-dates the arrival of Westerners. According to tradition, the island was evangelised by the apostle Thomas, and certainly the Christian faith reached the region no later than the second century; small groups of believers were a lively presence on Sri Lanka’s coasts after this time. Christianity made significant progress after the sixteenth century.
Churches can face difficulties in gaining permission for their buildings. Government approval must be gained for the construction or maintenance of a place of worship, and newer denominations in Buddhist-majority areas may be refused this. Congregations have even been
In spite of their long-standing presence, Christians now make up only 7% of a population that is 76.7% Buddhist, 7.8% Hindu and 8.5% Muslim. Conditions in recent years have forced many Christians to flee the country.
More than a dozen Christian ministers have “disappeared” and are thought to have been abducted and murdered denied permission to rebuild churches that were destroyed in the civil war. There have also been reports of Buddhist monks or local residents preventing Christians from burying their loved ones in public cemeteries. Also, although churches are not required to register with the government, in order for a church to carry out financial transactions the government must register it as a company. Because of allegations against churches of “unethical conversion”, it is now more difficult for some of them to register. If a church is not registered in this way, its freedom to carry out financial operations will be limited. Significant growth has been seen in the number of Christians amongst workers on the tea, coffee and rubber plantations. The workers, who are often exploited and paid very little, endure great hardship and persecution.
Ch ris tia n7 % Hind u 7.8%
lim Mus
8.5%
Buddhist 76.7%
The population of Sri Lanka, classified by religion
BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013 9
COUNTRY PROFILE which have forced many to survive for long periods in inadequate housing.
Srrii La Sri Sr L nka ka a ha has s been ee re repea peatedly ravage ged d by floodi od ng g
Humanitarian crisis As well as enduring the threat of violence, harassment and discrimination, many Christians in Sri Lanka live in desperate poverty and need. The civil war, which was sparked by ethnic tensions between the majority Sinhalese and the Tamil minority, devastated the country’s economy and infrastructure. Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced, and Christians have faced disadvantage in the resettlement programmes that have followed,
In one particularly shocking example, 145 Christian families from Mullikulam in Mannar District, who lost everything in the civil war, were prevented from returning to their land because the government plans to build a naval base on it. Instead of being properly resettled, they were forced to live in the jungle. The Christians had to sleep on the ground with no protection from the elements, surrounded by elephants and snakes. They could not rebuild their homes because they had no tools. One church leader said, “We are witnessing an intolerable and meaningless discrimination.” The dire conditions endured by many have been worsened by the impact of successive natural disasters. Sri Lanka was one of the countries worst hit by the 2004 tsunami, and it has since
suffered from both frequent, severe flooding and a prolonged drought. Most recently, over 30,000 homes were damaged or destroyed by floods that swept through the country in December 2012, and many families lost their only source of income when their crops or livestock were lost.
Please pray These post-conflict years present an opportunity for rebuilding in Sri Lanka, but the disadvantages faced by the Christian minority often prevent them from sharing in the fruits of peace. Pray that the Lord will meet all the needs of His people in Sri Lanka, and that those who face discrimination in His Name will know His peace. Lift up Christian leaders who are at risk of violence and ask that the Lord will protect them. Give thanks that an “anti-conversion” law has not been passed, and pray that the campaign of Buddhist nationalists to impose their identity on minority groups, by legislation and by force, will be abandoned.
How Barnabas is helping Relief for ravaged communities After severe flooding swept through Sri Lanka in December 2012, destroying homes and livelihoods, many Christians were forced to survive in makeshift shelters without access to food, clean water and medicines. Barnabas helped to meet the basic needs of 4,500 Christians by providing them with food parcels containing rice, sugar, milk powder, lentils and pulses. Barnabas also helped Christians affected by flooding in 2010 and 2011. (Disaster Relief Fund, reference 00-634)
Rebuilding lives
Barnab Bar nab na bas is hel helpin p ng to buil pi pin bui uild d home omes s like like ke th this is one one e for fa famil milies ilies wh who lost everything in the civil war
Barnabas Fund is building houses for Christians whose homes were destroyed during the civil war. Christians who were displaced into camps or reduced to living in primitive huts for many years are now safe and settled in secure housing. One Christian family said of their new home, “This house is an unexpected blessing and we are happy beyond our expectations.” (Project reference 85-961)
Hope for the future Desperate hardship calls for long-term solutions. Barnabas is supporting Christian widows who lost their husbands in the civil war with the skills training and start-up funds that they need to start their own small businesses. Through food, agriculture or sewing businesses, our sisters are now able to support their families. (Project reference 85-1063)
Strengthening the Church One of the great needs of Sri Lanka’s vulnerable Church is for strong leadership. Barnabas is helping to support needy students at inter-denominational theological seminaries. The students include some who are in full-time Christian ministry, as well as other Christians, and the teaching aims to help the students to be more effective in their ministry. (Project reference 85-985)
Ba B Bar arna arna nab bas as sup ppo ports por s nee ne needy eed students ee s at a theolo the heologic ollogic olo g al sem semina inarie ries s
Blessing with buildings Decades of violent civil war destroyed at least 100 church buildings in Sri Lanka. Barnabas is helping to rebuild these so that shattered Christian communities have a place where they can come together. One church was holding a service when the 2004 tsunami hit, and tragically 56 people were killed. Barnabas Fund helped the congregation to rebuild the church, only for it to be destroyed again by fighting in 2007. When the church members were able to return to the area, they met under trees and prayed for a new building. The average cost of reconstructing a church building such as theirs is around £5,000. (Project reference 85-927)
10 BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013
Rec econs ec ns stru ttrru r c cti ti t ng ng a de est es s roy o ed oy dc chu h rch ch h wi wiith tth h the he help of of Barnab Bar Bar arnabas nab ab bas s Fun Fu und
LEARNING FROM THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
A North African convert from Islam can now work for Christ in his country again
Threats to his life by radical Muslims had already forced “Ahlilou” to escape from his home country. But from February 2010 he was effectively barred from visiting. An arrest warrant had been issued accusing him of a scam fraud he had not committed. All attempts to clear his name were ignored or sabotaged by the authorities. It was increasingly clear that the warrant was a ploy to block Ahlilou from furthering God’s Kingdom in his home country. Late last year came a breakthrough. Ahlilou writes:
In
early November 2012, my nephew called me [from North Africa]. A man had inquired about me. He was determined to help me clear up the arrest warrant. I was puzzled and wondered in my spirit, “What does this man do?” I heard he might be an official in the government, but I was not sure what to do. My mother and sister met with the man and they said he was a Christian and seemed to be an honest man. I called him and he urged me to come the last two weeks of December 2012. [At first] my wife was reluctant to let me go. But we prayed with the kids about it and felt peace. My leadership team in the church also prayed with me and I was strengthened in my faith. I bought my ticket for a morning flight. On the one hand, doubts and restlessness started to creep into my mind. On the other hand, I was confident in the Lord and His promises. I have known His faithfulness and trusted Him in everything in my life. Why shouldn’t I trust Him now? At the [arrivals] passport checkpoint I was arrested and was escorted to the police station. I didn’t know what was going on! I had been praying without ceasing, so the Lord must be in control of this situation.
Then I was surprised when I was received by a police officer who was kind, helpful, and reassuring. I realised someone must have given him orders to treat me well. It was 2pm when my file was ready and two policemen put me in an armoured van. [At the police headquarters] they put handcuffs on my wrist. The sunset’s rays penetrated through the open window. That moment was so special to me, as if Christ Himself lit the great planet in front of me to see the wonderful light. God gave me this sign to rekindle my fire for Him and I was encouraged to take hold of Him who never failed me. Two hours later the cell was packed. There were five of us in the same cell of five metres. They were all sleeping and snoring and I was left awake praying. In this confined jail cell everyone was smoking. On Christmas Day at 8.30am, I was released from the jail and was escorted to the court. The public prosecutor was expecting me and he welcomed and apologised several times – almost as if he were afraid of someone! He behaved like a friend – talking about soccer and speaking some English. He got all the papers ready to acquit me and then he took me to his office. By 1pm, I left without knowing exactly (nor have I heard anything since) about who was
behind the plot to arrest me. The man who promised to help me did everything, acting behind the scenes. My case was never an easy one to solve, yet it was solved. When I got to my home town my father was waiting for me, sitting outside on the doorsteps. We hugged each other and both cried. The Lord had willed it that this moment would happen! On 4 January 2013 I returned safely [to Europe] to be reunited with my wife and my three boys, thanking God for His faithfulness. He provided answers and solutions to my problems. Christ lifted away the burden that had weighed on me for almost three years. To Christ be the Glory! “Ahlilou” led hundreds of Muslims in North Africa to Christ after his own conversion from Islam as a young man. Death threats by radical Muslims made him seek refuge in Europe in 1994. There he helped launch a Christian broadcasting network that brings the Gospel to North Africa. Barnabas Fund has supported this ministry.
BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013 11
herever you see the Barnabas Fund logo, you will find underneath it a small strapline that sums up our work: “Hope and Aid for the Persecuted Church”. Providing practical aid to Christians who suffer discrimination, harassment and violence because of their faith is of course at the heart of what we do. But the reference to “hope” alongside “aid” is an acknowledgment that this kind of help, though vital, is not enough to meet all their needs. We must also give them hope for the future. Sometimes this hope is for relief from persecution here and now. The convert from Islam in Uganda who is disowned by his Muslim community can find hope through vocational training that enables him to earn his own living. The Christian in India whose village is destroyed by Hindu militants can find hope in the provision of a new house that
12 BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013
BIBLICAL REFLECTION allows her to raise her family in relative safety. Isolated pastors in Kyrgyzstan struggling to care for their flocks in the face of communal hostility and government restrictions can find hope in a church leaders’ conference that encourages and equips them to minister more effectively. But present relief from anti-Christian hostility is often limited. The New Testament leads us to expect that ill-treatment and suffering will be part of the Church’s vocation until Christ comes again, and even that every Christian will be persecuted (Romans 8:17-18; 2 Timothy 3:12). And although under God Barnabas is able greatly to improve the lives of many harassed and helpless Christians, the persecution of God’s people still goes on day after day and year after year. All of us, and especially those who suffer most severely for the Name of Christ, need a greater hope to sustain us in our trials. In chapter 5 of his letter to the Romans the apostle Paul presents such a hope. In the opening chapters he has been expounding the great theme of God’s righteousness, that is, God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises, and he has shown that this righteousness is effective for those who have faith in Jesus Christ (3:21-22). It is such believers whom God justifies, forgiving them their sins and declaring them to be members of His family (3:23-26). Then in chapter 5, Paul begins to explain what a great difference God makes to the lives of Christian people as the result of our being justified by faith. Romans 5:1-11 focuses on the experience of the individual believer, and hope is its key theme. Its sub-sections focus respectively on the blessings that we enjoy in the present (verses 1-2), the sufferings that we have to endure (verses 3-5) and God’s action on our behalf in the death of Christ (verses 6-11). But each of these topics points beyond itself to the hope that is ours, of salvation through Christ from God’s wrath and our sharing in His glory. In verses 1-2 Paul sets out two of the benefits that God gives in the present to those who are justified by faith. First, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. This peace is more than a peaceful feeling; the word refers to well-being and harmony, and it is applied here to believers’ relationship with God, which is brought into a state of concord through the living Lord. Through Him, secondly, we also have access by faith into the grace in which we stand; by believing in Christ we have the right to approach God and to enjoy His free favour. But Paul’s list of blessings reaches its climax with his statement that we also boast in hope of the
glory of God. Human beings were created in the image of God, to reflect His nature and character and thus to share in His glory, which is the greatness and goodness of God on display to His creatures. This glory was forfeited through human idolatry and sin, but God promises to restore it to those who are justified by faith. The peace and grace that we experience now point forward to a greater privilege yet to be enjoyed: transformation into the likeness of God Himself. It is this hope that enables believers to celebrate even in the midst of affliction (verses 3-5). Of course, our suffering is not a good thing in itself, and it can be intensely painful, especially for those Christians on the front line of persecution. But we can still boast in it because of its effects upon us: it generates patient endurance, which then shapes character, and this in turn produces hope. The positive fruits of affliction show us that God is working out His saving purpose in our
Once we understand what r God has done fo us in the past, we realise that we in also have a certa re hope for the futu lives and give us confidence that He will bring that process to completion. And this hope does not put us to shame; its fulfilment is guaranteed by the love of God that He has given us through the Holy Spirit, which also proves that the process of transformation is already under way. Many Christians who suffer severely because of their faith are outstanding examples of endurance and character in the midst of afflictions, and often they also testify to the powerful assurance of God’s love through the Spirit. These qualities and experiences demonstrate that God is at work, even through their grievous persecutions, to transform them into His likeness, and in this way their hope is renewed of sharing in His glory. And even though our sufferings for Christ may be less serious than theirs, our hope can be strengthened in the same way. In verses 6-8 Paul grounds this hope in the love of God revealed in the cross of Christ. It is exceptional for anyone to die even for a good person. Yet
when Christ died for us we were still weak, unable to do God’s will; we were ungodly, living without regard for God; we were still sinners, ignorant of or disobedient to God’s law. But it was at this time that Christ died for us, and His death therefore demonstrates God’s love for us. The cross confirms what the Spirit in our hearts tells us: that we are the objects of God’s concern and care. Once we understand what God has done for us in the past, we realise that we also have a certain hope for the future (verses 9-10). Because we have been justified by the shedding of Christ’s blood, how much more will we be saved through Him from God’s wrath! Because when we were God’s enemies we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, now that we are reconciled, will we be saved by Christ’s life! In the cross God has done the hard part of what it takes to rescue us; He will certainly now finish the work by doing the easy part. For this reason we also boast in God (verse 11), because He has become our God for ever through the reconciling death of our Lord. So for Christians the cross of Christ is another sure support for hope in the midst of our suffering and ill-treatment for His sake. Because of what God has done in the death of His Son, justifying us and reconciling us to Himself when we were sinners, we can be certain that He will also deliver us from His judgment through the transforming life of Christ. On the foundation of the cross our hope of the glory of God is firmly grounded, even in the midst of the most severe afflictions. When Christians are persecuted because of our faith, we become more conscious of the tension between what we already possess in Christ and what we do not yet enjoy. We already have peace with God and access to His grace; our afflictions are already producing in us the good fruit of patience and character; we already experience God’s love through the Spirit; and we have already been justified by faith and reconciled to God through the cross. However, we have not yet been saved from the pain of a world under God’s wrath, and we do not yet share God’s glory. But our passage gives us good reason to hope for what we do not yet possess. Our present experience of God, and God’s past action for us, guarantee that we will be changed into His likeness and delivered from His judgment. Seen in this perspective even our sufferings are grounds for celebration; their transforming effect in our lives assures us that God will fulfil to the end His good purpose for us. No matter what persecutions befall us, we have a hope for the future that will not put us to shame.
BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013 13
NEWSDESK
DELIBERATE ATTACKS ON CHURCHES CONDEMNED AS WAR CRIMES SYRIA – Attacks on churches by rebel groups in Syria have been condemned as war crimes by advocacy body Human Rights Watch. Findings released on 23 January revealed that opposition fighters had “deliberately destroyed religious sites” and that the attacks had been carried out after the areas had fallen to opposition control and government forces had left. The leading human rights organisation investigated rebel action in Latakia and Idlib governorates in November and December 2012. It reported events in the Christian villages of Jdeideh and Ghasaniyeh in Latakia, which saw a common pattern of destruction. In Jdeideh, rebels seized control of the area on 11 December, and broke into the village church once government troops had fled. There they stole items and fired numerous shots inside, causing structural damage. One resident told Human Rights Watch that opposition fighters stole medicine from a church-run clinic, looted homes and kidnapped civilians. Similar events were reported in Ghasaniyeh, where rebels broke into the local church to steal petrol
St Mar M y’s s Ch hurc urrch in in D Dair airr Al Al-Zo -Zorr was -Zo s att a tack acked ack ed by y the re rebel bels. bel s. Such Su h atta Suc atta ttacks cks s, now con condem dem mne ned ed as s war c mes cri s, send en a mes end ssag sa age ag e to C Chri hristi hri stiians stians s th that att th tthe hey are h r not n we no w lcome lco come e in th th ir hom the omeland land n
and diesel fuel, looted homes and kidnapped a local resident. Many Christians were forced by violence and dire conditions to flee the two villages. Human Rights Watch has said that, under international humanitarian law, parties in an armed conflict have a duty not deliberately to attack religious buildings that are not being
used for military purposes. Barnabas Fund’s partners in Syria have reported several instances of attacks on church buildings, amongst other forms of antiChristian action, by opposition forces since the conflict began. One partner explained the way in which Christians felt they were being forced out of their homeland, where there has been a Christian presence
since the first century. “When you lose your church building it is something important. And when you lose a very historical church building because they meant to destroy it, this is something we need to think about and pray, because this is a very clear message from ‘them’ to ‘us’ Christians in the East.”
CHRISTIAN WOMAN FACING JAIL FOR POSSESSING RELIGIOUS MATERIALS UZBEKISTAN – A Christian women is facing up to three years in prison after her home in northwest Uzbekistan was raided by police on two occasions in January. Sharofat Allamova now faces criminal prosecution for “illegally” storing religious literature. Officers first raided Sharofat’s home in Urgench on 4 January. After detaining her and questioning her about her exercise of freedom of belief, they confiscated three Christian
14 BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013
books, two DVDs of a Christian film and a sermon, and a video called “Life in the Church”. No religious materials
was detained for four days in 2007 after Christian literature was found in her bag while she travelled on a
Sharofat has been repeatedly harassed by the authorities. She was detained for four days in 2007 after Christian literature was found in her bag were found when her home was raided a second time on 16 January. Sharofat has been repeatedly harassed by the authorities. She
late-night bus. Sharofat’s home was subsequently raided and Christian literature seized, and she was given a six-month suspended jail sentence.
Then, in 2012, she was fined the equivalent of ten times the local monthly wage, again for possessing religious literature. Sharofat appealed this sentence, pointing out that amongst other violations of legal procedure by the authorities, she had not, as the verdict had stated, pleaded guilty, and she had been denied access to legal representation. The fine and confiscations were nevertheless upheld by the Appeal Court.
NEWSDESK
CHURCH LEADERS KILLED IN KENYA AND TANZANIA EAST AFRICA – A Somali minister in Kenya and a pastor in Tanzania were killed in violent incidents in February. Another Tanzanian pastor died during an attack on a Christian shop. On 7 February the Rev. Abdi Welli was shot dead in Garissa, Kenya, when he and another Christian leader, Pastor Ibrahim M. Makunyi, were ambushed in the city’s main market. Ibrahim also sustained gunshot wounds. The militant Islamist group al-Shabaab, which is a threat to Somali Christian converts in particular, is thought to be behind this attack. Eyewitnesses reported that Abdi’s
last words were “It is good to be in the hands of El Shaddai (God Almighty).” Fellow Christian leaders have paid tribute to Abdi’s ministry, with one calling him a “fearless evangelist, pastor and gifted missionary”. Abdi had previously said, “I love Jesus more than anything and I suffered in persecution because of believing in Him, obeying Him and serving Him. I will not be living forever in this world and I want to leave a living legacy for others when I am not in this world.” On 17 February, Pastor Evarist Mushi was shot dead outside his church in Mtoni on the semiautonomous Tanzanian island of
Zanzibar. As the pastor arrived to take the evening service, he was blocked from entering the church by two young
been running high in the area; Muslim leaders were demanding the closure of Christian-owned butcheries. Pastor
Abdi had previously said, “I love Jesus more than anything and I suffered in persecution because of believing in Him, obeying Him and serving Him” men. He was shot twice in the head and pronounced dead on arrival at hospital. Six days earlier a group of youths believed to be Muslims had arrived at a butcher’s shop in Buseresere, in the Geita region of Tanzania, armed with machetes and sticks. Tensions had
Mathayo Kachila was caught up in the ensuing violence and was beheaded at the scene. Several other Christians were assaulted, and five people were hospitalised, some of them in a critical condition. During the attack, a sign that read “Jesus is Lord” was removed from the shop and destroyed.
LANDMARK VICTORY FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR CHRISTIANS IN THE UK UK – Nadia Eweida, a British Airways (BA) check-in clerk who contested her employer’s demand that she conceal her cross necklace in the workplace, has won her case at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). BA told Nadia in 2006 that her necklace violated their uniform code, despite the fact that Muslim hijabs and Sikh bangles were permissible. The long legal battle that ensued culminated in the ECHR’s decision on 15 January that Nadia’s right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion had been violated. Although it has been argued that displaying the cross is not a requirement of the Christian faith, Nadia argued that an employer should not be an “arbitrator of faith” with the power to accept or deny public expressions of belief. Nadia’s case was heard alongside those of three other British Christians who claimed to have suffered discrimination in the workplace because of their faith. These included that of nurse Shirley Chaplin, who
was also told not to display her cross necklace by her employers, the NHS. The three other Christians all lost their cases. The government’s attitude to this issue has been contradictory, with David Cameron publicly saying that he was “delighted” at Nadia’s victory, despite the fact that it was the British government that contested the four cases.
David Cameron publicly said that he was “delighted” at Nadia’s victory, despite the fact that it was the British government that contested the four cases Nadia, who is originally from Egypt, said she hoped that her victory would be for British Christians an “encouragement to stand up and be confident about what Jesus did on the cross and not be ashamed”. Nadia received financial support from
The e Eu urop ropean ean Co ourt rt of o Hu Human man Ri Right ghts ght s rule rule uled d that Na Nadia dia’s dia ’s s rig ght to o fre freedo edo do om of of rreli e gio eli g on nh had ad been ad bee een v viol iol olate o ated ed ((Sou Source Sou rce:: S rce Step te hen tep he en Colebo Col ebourn urne, e, Fli Flickr ckr))
Barnabas Fund towards her legal costs as well as personal support from International Director Dr Patrick
Sookhdeo, whom she thanked for being “a shoulder to cry on”.
BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013 15
NEWSDESK
CHRISTIAN WHO FACED THE DEATH PENALTY CLEARED OF BLASPHEMY PAKISTAN – A Christian man
and everyone knew. An innocent man who was falsely accused of defiling was saved from a terrible fate.” But the name of Muhammad, an offence although Barkat has been cleared that is punishable by death in of the alleged offence under section Pakistan, has been acquitted. Barkat 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, Masih, who had been in he remains in danger prison since his arrest This case has of attack by Muslim in October 2011, was renewed calls for extremists. He and his released following his Pakistan’s harsh family will now have acquittal on 28 January. “blasphemy to try to rebuild their Barkat, a convert laws” to be lives in another area. from Hinduism, was reviewed. The Barkat’s lawyer has accused of blasphemy laws are often himself received threats by two Muslim men misused to settle for representing him. in his hometown of personal scores Church leader Khairpur. When he Nawaz George said refused to hand over the keys to that Barkat remained firm in his faith the site where he was working as throughout his ordeal and added a sweeper, the men threatened that he hoped Barkat’s acquittal him with “dire consequences” and would bring hope to others who are subsequently lodged a complaint in prison and waiting for justice to be against him with the police. It is done. This case has renewed calls thought they were trying to occupy a for Pakistan’s harsh “blasphemy laws” plot of land illegally. to be reviewed. The laws are often Barkat’s lawyer, Lazar Allah misused to settle personal scores, and Rakha, said, “Today, a great justice Christians are particularly vulnerable has been served. Masih was innocent when accused by Muslims.
POLICE ARREST 53 CHRISTIANS IN RAID ON PRIVATE WORSHIP GATHERING SAUDI ARABIA – Police arrested 53 Ethiopian Christians during a raid on a worship service in a private home in Dammam, capital of the Eastern Province. After the raid, which took place on 8 February, three church leaders who were at the meeting were accused of attempting to convert Muslims to Christianity. This act is illegal in Saudi Arabia, where Wahhabism, an extreme version of Islam, is enforced. The three were brought before an Islamic court on the same day. The Christians are now likely to face deportation; only two of them, who have residential permits, were expected to be released. This incident, in which 46 of those detained were women, is reminiscent of a similar raid in December 2011. At that time a group of 35 Ethiopian Christians, 29 of them women, were arrested at a private prayer meeting in Jeddah. The women were strip-searched and
sexually abused, while the men were beaten and called by the insulting Arabic term for “unbelievers”. All of the group were eventually deported. The government’s hard-line religious policy forbids the public practice of any non-Islamic religion. Although private gatherings of expatriate Christians for worship are supposedly no longer illegal, such meetings are sometimes raided by the mutawaah (religious police). Conversion from Islam is punishable by death, and the tiny minority of Saudi Christians must follow Jesus in extreme secrecy. Incidents of this kind undermine Saudi Arabia’s promotion of interfaith dialogue. Its recent efforts have included the opening of the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna, Austria, in November 2012.
CHRISTIANS DEPORTED AND CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS CLOSED SUDAN – The Sudanese government’s campaign against Christian activities is intensifying, with an upsurge in arrests of Christians and closures of Christian schools. Three Christians of South Sudanese origin were forced to leave the country on 30 January following their arrest for taking part in Christian activities. Pastor Ismail Bashir’s arrest was due to his involvement with a Christian radio station, while Cecilia Jamu was detained under suspicion of aiding Sudanese churches. Cecilia’s husband Anthony was also arrested.
16 BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013
These arrests followed those on 19 December of four workers from an organisation that produces Christian songs and films. The four were interrogated before being released the next day. Dozens of foreign Christians have also been deported, and the government is refusing to renew the visas of many others. Christian-run schools have also been targeted by the authorities, with two being ordered to close in the capital, Khartoum. One, a primary school, was ordered to shut at the end of the academic year because it was not teaching Islamic studies, as
Sudanese law requires, and was not separating girls and boys. The other, which taught English to adults, had all its assets seized after three members of staff were arrested under suspicion of evangelising Muslims. President al-Bashir appears to be enforcing his repeated declarations that the country will become “100% Islamic”. Christians of South Sudanese origin, who have been stripped of their citizenship rights, are particularly vulnerable. Barnabas Fund’s Exodus rescue mission has been bringing thousands of these Christians to safety in South Sudan.
Barna Bar na nab abas as is s bri br ng nging g tho th usa sands s nd off Chr o C isttian Ch ans an s stra t nde n d in Suda dan to Sou ou uth Sud Sudan a an
NEWSDESK
HOUSE CHURCHES THREATENED BY NEW RULES ON RELIGION VIETNAM – The housechurch movement in Vietnam faces an uncertain future as new rules on religion threaten its existence. Decree 92, which came into force at the start of the year, makes it almost impossible for unregistered groups to obtain the legal status that would help to protect them from persecution by the authorities. Christian leaders have expressed fears over the implications of the new restrictions. Nguyen Van Dai, a Christian lawyer who has served jail time in Vietnam for his human rights activism, said, “The decree is intended to provide the tools to end the house-church movement entirely.” The Vietnam Evangelical Fellowship has also expressed concerns that the decree makes house churches illegal. It is extremely difficult for a house church to fulfil the new criteria for legal registration. In order to register, a church must have a legal place of worship. House churches, which by nature do not have an official building, would not be able to obtain one if they tried owing to their lack of legal status. Also, a church wanting to register has to have existed for 20 years without infringing any civil or criminal law.
H l-tribe Chri Hil Hi risti tiians an in th the Centtral al Hi H ghl ghland ands s of Viet ie etnam a ga am gathe the her in house her ous ous se c chur hurche hur urc che es (So Sou ou o urce r : DXLI rc XLINH, XL NH Wikime Wik im m dia Co ommo m ns)
Because unregistered churches are often vulnerable to arbitrary charges such as “infringing national security”, this criterion may also present a barrier to their registration. This requirement, along with the lengthy registration process, means that any church wanting to register would need
to wait a minimum of 23 years before it could do so. An organisation’s “religious meetings” and “religious activities” must also be registered before it can be considered for full legal status. The new rules state that leaders of “religious meetings” must have a “spirit
of national unity and reconciliation” and that “religious activities” must not “contradict fine national traditions and customs”. This condition could mean that churches are required to carry out activities that are incompatible with Christian faith, such as worshipping national heroes and ancestors.
HINDU EXTREMISTS STORM CHURCH AND BEAT CHRISTIANS INDIA – Over 30 Christians were hospitalised after a group of around 100 Hindu extremists stormed their church and beat them with iron rods. The attack, which took place on 8 February, targeted a church in Rajnangaon, Chhattisgarh State, during a three-day prayer event. The extremists, who were members of three Hindu nationalist groups, accused the Christians of forcibly converting Hindus. Police refused to file a case
against the Hindu nationalists, and instead registered a complaint against the church. Christians who are victims of crimes in India often meet with such treatment and can find it difficult to obtain justice. Two further incidents of antiChristian action took place in the following days. On 9 February, Hindu extremists assaulted two church leaders during a prayer meeting in Nagpur, Madhya Pradesh. Both required hospital treatment. Once
again, the police refused to register the case, this time arguing that the church building in question was not a registered place of worship.
lecture on the Bible. Hindu nationalists complained to the police that Anand was forcibly converting Hindus, and he was arrested on 10 February before
Police refused to file a case against the Hindu nationalists, and instead registered a complaint against the church The third incident involved Anand Rao, who had come to Adilabad district in Andhra Pradesh to deliver a
the police had investigated whether the claims were true. He was released on bail the following day.
BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013 17
IN TOUCH
A fundraising idea with wings
Think your special talents can’t be used in the service of the persecuted Church? Think again! We are all gifted in different ways, and Barnabas Fund’s supporters consistently show themselves to be good stewards of God’s varied grace (1 Peter 4:10). Recently David Vautier, a supporter from Sheffield, UK, told us about how he had made and sold some bird tables and donated the proceeds from the sale to Barnabas Fund. This inspiring idea raised a fantastic £100 to support our Christian brothers and sisters who suffer persecution for their faith. Could your own individual skills, or a hobby you enjoy, be used to make a real difference to suffering Christians?
Unwanted items raise much-needed funds
Selling unwanted goods on eBay isn’t only a convenient way to clear the clutter; it can also raise money for the persecuted Church. If you’re a registered seller on eBay, you can choose to donate between 10% and 100% of the proceeds of your sales to Barnabas Fund through eBay for Charity. Just list your items in the usual way and specify the percentage of the sale you wish Barnabas to receive. If you are a UK tax payer, tick the Gift Aid box when you register your item and an extra 25% will be added to your donation. Your listing, which will be marked with the special eBay for Charity ribbon logo, will be seen by more potential buyers through being listed on the eBay for Charity page. Also, when you donate a certain percentage of your proceeds to Barnabas Fund, eBay will waive the same percentage of your listing and selling fees. So if you donate 50% of your proceeds, eBay will waive 50% of your fees.
David Vautier’s bird tables helped raise funds for the persecuted Church. How could your talents be used? (Source: brianfuller6385, Flickr)
You can also add a donation to your order when buying an item through the eBay checkout using PayPal. So if you’re having a clear-out, remember that your unwanted items could be just what somebody else wants, and the funds you could raise would be greatly appreciated by our suffering Christian brothers and sisters. Visit www.ebay.co.uk/ebayforcharity for more information.
sh A very Barnabas bir thday ba
event.”
r our persecuted brothers and sisters at their We are so thankful for those who remembe ts way to do this could be to offer wedding gues own times of joy and celebration. Another we as ad of giving a gift. In these ways, the option of donating to Barnabas Fund inste are can also share with the Lord’s people who rejoice over God’s graciousness to us, we in need (Romans 12:13).
18 BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013
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O D IS
FAITHF UL
Proclaim Freedom
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lf of the persecuted Church is News about your creative fundraising on beha orter in Malaysia, told us about always welcome. Ms Tang Yoke May, a supp ing an earlier “In Touch” page. the event she was inspired to plan after read She said: ration was organised to raise “On 12 December 2012, a joint birthday celeb bers of our families attending awareness of suffering Christians among mem and dedicated to Sudan, a luncheon. An amount of £600 was collected a great opportunity for those of Pakistan and Nigeria. At the same time it was , who took time to explain Barnabas’ us who support the work of Barnabas Fund tures during the petition to family members and obtained signa
Barnabas Fund is giving tha nks to God for 20 years of the privileg e of serving the persecuted Church. You can read about our first two decades in your copy of our Anniversary ry Booklet, which is includded ed with this magazine.
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GIFT AID DECLARATION
(Applicable to UK tax payers only)
in the past 4 years
in the future
I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for each tax year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities or Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand the charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I give on or after 6 April 2009.
UR
G O D IS
FAITHF U
L
this gift only
A 20th ANNIVERSARY GIFT
O
Name of charity: Barnabas Fund Please treat as Gift Aid donations all qualifying gifts of money made: (Please tick all boxes you wish to apply)
Please consider whether you could make a special 20th anniversary thanksgiving gift to help Christians in Syria. Or you could leave a legacy to our legacy-holding charity “The Barnabas Fund” (charity number 271602) to continue the work of bringing hope and aid to persecuted Christians. Yes, I would like to give a special 20th anniversary thanksgiving gift to help Christians in Syria. Here is my single gift of £…………… (please make cheques/vouchers/postal orders payable to “Barnabas Fund”) (00-1032).
Signature.................................................................................... Date ................................................... Please inform us if you want to cancel this declaration, change your name or home address or no longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains. If you pay Income Tax at the higher or additional rate and want to receive the additional tax relief due to you, you must include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self-Assessment tax return or ask HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code. Mag 05/13
Alternative Gift Card To make an alternative gift for a loved one, please contact your national Barnabas office.
*If the project chosen is sufficiently funded, we reserve the right to use
designated gifts either for another project of a similar type or for another project in the same country. Registered Charity number 1092935 Company registered in England number 4029536
Please send me a free booklet, A Christian Guide to Making and Changing Your Will.
Please return this form to Barnabas Fund at your national office or to the UK office. Addresses are on the back cover. Barnabas Fund will not give your address, telephone number or email to anyone else. Supporters in Germany: please turn to back cover for how to send gifts to Barnabas Fund. Phone 0800 587 4006 or visit our website at www.barnabasfund.org to make a donation by Direct Debit, credit or debit card. From outside UK phone +44 1672 565031.
THE DIRECT DEBIT GUARANTEE This Guarantee is offered by all Banks and Building Societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits. If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit Barnabas Fund will notify you 10 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request Barnabas Fund to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request. If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit by Barnabas Fund or your bank or building society, you are guaranteed a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society. If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when Barnabas Fund asks you to. You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.
Thanking the Lord for 20 years of Barnabas Fund
20 years giving aid to Christians in need
How to Find Us UK 9 Priory Row, Coventry CV1 5EX Telephone 024 7623 1923 Fax 024 7683 4718 From outside the UK
You may contact Barnabas Fund at the following addresses: Jersey Le Jardin, La Rue A Don, Grouville, Jersey, Channel Islands JE3 9GB Telephone 700600 Fax 700601 Email bfjersey@barnabasfund.org
Telephone +44 24 7623 1923 Fax +44 24 7683 4718 Email info@barnabasfund.org Registered charity number 1092935 Company registered in England number 4029536 For a list of all trustees, please contact Barnabas Fund UK at the Coventry address above.
Australia PO BOX 3527, LOGANHOLME, QLD 4129 Telephone (07) 3806 1076 or 1300 365 799 Fax (07) 3806 4076 Email bfaustralia@barnabasfund.org Germany German supporters may send gifts for Barnabas Fund via Hilfe für Brüder who will provide you with a tax-deductible receipt. Please mention that the donation is for “SPC 20 Barnabas Fund”. If you would like your donation to go to a specific project of Barnabas Fund, please inform the Barnabas Fund office in Pewsey, UK. Account holder: Hilfe für Brüder e.V. Account number: 415 600 Bank: Evang Kreditgenossenschaft Stuttgart Bankcode (BLZ): 520 604 10
New Zealand PO Box 27 6018, Manukau City, Auckland, 2241 Telephone (09) 280 4385 or 0800 008 805 Email office@barnabasfund.org.nz USA 6731 Curran St, McLean, VA 22101 Telephone (703) 288-1681 or toll-free 1-866-936-2525 Fax (703) 288-1682 Email usa@barnabasaid.org Singapore Cheques in Singapore dollars payable to “Barnabas Fund” may be sent to: Kay Poh Road Baptist Church, 7 Kay Poh Road, Singapore 248963
www.barnabasfund.org
International Headquarters The Old Rectory, River Street, Pewsey, Wiltshire SN9 5DB, UK Telephone 01672 564938 Fax 01672 565030 From outside UK: Telephone +44 1672 564938 Fax +44 1672 565030 Email info@barnabasfund.org
barnabasaid the magazine of Barnabas Fund Managing Editor: Steve Carter Published by Barnabas Fund
The Old Rectory, River Street, Pewsey, Wiltshire SN9 5DB, UK Telephone 01672 564938 Fax 01672 565030 From outside UK: Telephone +44 1672 564938 Fax +44 1672 565030 Email info@barnabasfund.org © Barnabas Fund 2013. For permission to reproduce articles from this magazine, please contact the International Headquarters address above. The paper used is produced using wood fibre at a mill that has been awarded the ISO14001 certificate for environmental management.
To donate by credit card, please visit the website or phone 0800 587 4006 (from outside the UK phone +44 1672 565031).