PERSECUTION International Christian Concern | May 2013
Issue 1/4
INDIA A LEGACY OF
Christian Suffering ISSUE 4/4
YOUR DOLLARS AT WORK
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YOUR DOLLARS AT WORK SHOPS AND LIVESTOCK Community Rebuild
Christians report they have been given a ‘second chance’ at life after your gifts provided them with livestock.
To lose the family bread-winner in any culture is devastating. For many Christian families living in the Kandhamal District, this nightmare became a reality when anti-Christian violence flooded the area in 2008. With no assistance from the government, many of these broken families were forced to make a living by collecting firewood in the jungle and through grueling manual labor. With your donations, ICC has been able to help these families rebuild their lives. With only $500, each family is able to either start a small business or buy enough livestock to supply for their daily needs. Because of their enterprising nature, many of families are not only able to meet their basic needs but also able to improve their living circumstances. These Christian families have seized the opportunity ICC and its donors have provided. Not only are they now able to support themselves, they are also helping support other Christians in Kandhamal who face similar struggles. 2
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CHRISTMAS GIFTS TO ICC’S INDIAN ORPHANAGE Kids Care Regional Manager William Stark was able to celebrate two birthdays with the children while he was on location. Pretam (center) and some of the other boys enjoy Pretam’s first birthday gift.
The 2008 anti-Christian violence that enveloped India’s northeastern state of Orissa left many Christian families in the Kandhamal District broken. Many lost family members as mobs of radical Hindus raided village after village. The impact on children was devastating. Some children lost everything, including their entire families. With funds from donors, ICC was able to adopt 14 children orphaned by the 2008 violence, and is currently supporting them full-time. Your funds allow ICC not only to provide these children with food and shelter, but also to help them reclaim a life that was almost lost when unspeakable violence swept through their towns and villages. Without your help, these children would have likely been forced into a life on the streets where they would have to beg and steal just to survive. With your support, these children now have access to food, medical care, education and a loving Christian home. Your continued support is ensuring they will grow up to be the next generation of Christian leaders in India. You can help today! 800-ICC-5441
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The village of Nagapattinam says, “Thank you!� to ICC donors!
BOATS OF NEW LIFE IN NAGAPATTINAM Community Rebuild Last August, ICC made a special appeal to its donors to assist persecuted Christians in Nagapattinam, India. While attending a house meeting, these Christians were attacked by a mob of Hindu radicals wielding sticks and iron rods. After the attack, the Hindu radicals forbade the Christians from using the community boats. The livelihood of the Christians depended upon the use of these boats. Nagapattinam is located on the Indian Ocean and many living there depend on fishing to provide food and shelter for their families. Cutting off the Christians from the use of the community boats was tantamount to declaring an all-out siege on Christianity in Nagapattinam. For two months, the Christian were forced to borrow money from money lenders to put food on the table and keep roofs over their heads. Still, this borrowed money was not enough. Many began to suffer malnutrition and started to consider moving to another village or converting back to Hinduism. When ICC became aware of this desperate situation, we took immediate action. After making contact with the Christians of Nagapattinam, ICC
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devised a plan to assist these persecuted brothers and sisters. Initially, ICC was going to help by purchasing four boats for these Christians to regain access to the ocean and their livelihood. The response to ICC’s special appeal for these Christians was overwhelming; ICC was able to purchase five brand new boats instead the four initially planned. ICC was also able to purchase engines and nets for each boat and pay the debts incurred by each family. The Christians of Nagapattinam could scarcely believe the assistance they were receiving from their brothers and sisters across the world. When ICC told them about the boats they would be receiving, many did not believe it was true. “How can this happen? These people have never seen or met us. How will they be providing such a huge help?”
Regional Manager William Stark was invited to join the fishermen of Nagapattinam for a day of work.
When the boats were finally delivered, many thought they were dreaming. For some, it took several days to realize they were truly the owners of five new fishing boats. Many were so overwhelmed with joy they openly wept. One woman said, “We were not just given boats, we were given a new life.” Although their neighbors did not come to their aid in their time of desperation, the Christians of Nagapattinam are using the boats as a way to spread the message of the Gospel by giving fish and money to their neighbors when there is a need. These simple acts of love have started to reestablish the tolerance that once existed between the Christian and Hindu communities in Nagapattinam.
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CRISIS ALERT: PAKISTAN RELIEF Community Rebuild When 178 Christian homes were burned to the ground by an enraged mob, ICC donors immediately gave generously to provide blankets, food, water and other necessities. ICC donors gave $60,000 in funding in just four short days and aid was distributed shortly after. Look for an update in next month’s issue.
EMERGENCY AID TO SEVEN FAMILIES OF IMPRISONED CHRISTIANS Suffering Wives and Children When officials falsely arrested seven Christians at random, their families were left without a provider. ICC was able to visit each family and provide them with emergency assistance. We are about to provide more substantial long-term financial aid so the families will be self-sustaining.
GOODIE BAGS TO RESCUED CHILDREN IN BANGLADESH Kids Care As our safe home for rescued children continues to grow, it is clear that not all the children possess basic necessities. ICC recently delivered goodie bags that included a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, hairbrush, and a few trinkets. With glowing faces, the children sang a song and performed a dance for the ICC representative. 6
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TER H G U A D R SON O A R O S N SPO ION! T U C E S R E OF P NAZIR’S STORY Nazir’s father is in prison in Pakistan for “blaspheming” Muhammad. The charge was false but regardless, he was arrested and convicted, and now sits on Pakistan’s death row. Nazir’s mother supports five children on less than $50/month. They live in one 15-square-foot room without heat, air conditioning, or beds. Because of their poverty, Nazir must go to a Muslim school where he is publicly humiliated and pressured by teachers to convert to the religion that is responsible for ruining the life of their family and will kill his father. The above story is not fictional. Nazir is a real child whose family was in dire straits before ICC brought the love and care of free Christians to his family. A SECOND CHANCE Because of ICC partners like you, we were able to provide Nazir with a
new warm home, beds for he and his siblings to sleep on, and most importantly, the funding to send him to a private Christian school where he will receive a superior education and the ability to break out of generations of poverty his Christian relatives have lived under. Each day, Christian children in heavily persecuted areas suffer because of their faith. Many are forced to convert to Islam, held as slaves, or even forced into marriage at a very early age. The majority suffer from lack of education, creating a generational poverty that becomes hard to break. Some will even be orphaned as their parents will be killed in attacks. FROM VICTIM TO VICTOR ICC’s “Kids Care” fund specifically helps these kids by providing education, food, shelter, and a loving community to disciple and care for them. Our kids grow up to be strong leaders in the Christian community—not victims! We have 300 kids under our care around the world. We have internally funded their care for years but we have run out of funding. We are not able to help any more children and are struggling to provide for the kids under our care already.
WOULD YOU PRAYERFULLY CONSIDER SPONSORING A CHILD IN NEED? Now is your chance! For just $45 a month, you can forever change the destiny of one young boy or girl that has suffered because they love Jesus. As always, know that your donation will be used ethically, effectively, and efficiently. I promise!
Jeff King, President, International Christian Concern
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YOU CAN HELP TODAY! SEND DONATIONS TO: ICC PO BOX 8056 SILVER SPRING, MD 20907 OR ONLINE AT WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG
GIVING TO ICC VIA YOUR WILL Provide now for a future gift to ICC by including a bequest provision in your will or revocable trust. If you would like more information on giving to ICC in this way, please give us a call at 1-800-ICC-5441.
ICC makes every effort to honor donor wishes in regards to their gifts. Occasionally, a situation will arise where a project is no longer viable. In that case, ICC will redirect those donated project funds to one of our other funds that is most similar to the donor’s original wishes.
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