Persecution Magazine, June 2013 4/4

PERSECU ION International Christian Concern | June 2013

ISSUE 4/4

YOUR DOLLARS AT WORK DELIVERING AID TO PAKISTANI VICTIMS Community Rebuild When a mob of fundamentalist Muslims burned 200 Christian homes to the ground in Lahore, Pakistan, ICC donors wasted no time reaching out to our brothers and sisters in need. Over $60,000 was raised in just four short days, and a few weeks later, aid was distributed to 250 families.

You can help today! 800-ICC-5441

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Over 100 local Christians (in blue shirts) volunteered to distribute aid to victims.

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You can help today! www.persecution.org

ICC understood that the undertaking of a mass distribution program in the colony would be more efficient and also render a more positive outcome by working with local churches and Christian organizations in the area.

Not only would churches be able to follow-up and minister to families once supplies were distributed, but partnering with local Christian leaders would also give the community ownership of the project. For that reason, ICC engaged more than a dozen local churches, colleges, and organizations to participate in the project.

“There is usually a lot of competition between organizations in Pakistan, but this was the first time that any organization had clearly named the budget amount for the project and engaged the local community,” said a local Christian leader.

On March 30, the 250 Christian families received the following supplies: a heavy blanket, towels, an iron, a gas stove, a fan, dresses for women and school uniforms for children, socks and undergarments, backpacks and school supplies, cooking utinsels, kitchen supplies, water storage container, soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, and a food package.

The victims were overjoyed by the support that was provided. “No organization had provided the victims with such durable relief items of very good quality,” said a member of the distribution team. “They were so happy because the relief items had been selected with their consultation and exactly met their needs.”

Victims say “Thank You” to ICC donors.

You can help today! 800-ICC-5441

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STARTING OVER: FAMILY OF DEATH ROW VICTIM Suffering Wives and Children The wife of a Christian wrongfully sentenced to death, Ameena needed assistance like no other. After moving their family out of an extremely unsafe neighborhood, we recently furnished her new heated home, put the kids into quality Christian schools, and provided a self-sustaining business for Ameena to provide for the kids.

BACK TO SCHOOL! ORPHANAGE RECEIVES AID Kids Care After much private tutoring to play catch-up, all 14 children of ICC’s India orphanage will be heading to school for the first time this spring! Two of the children qualified for entrance to a prestigous private Christian institution. Your donations covered the cost of tuition for all 14 children, including uniforms and school supplies.

FANS TO CHILDREN IN BANGLADESH Kids Care As the summer weather arrives early in Bangladesh, ICC sent much-needed fans to persecuted children residing in our safe home who were rescued from Islamic traffickers. Although a small purchase, it is another reminder to the children that they are not alone, and that God cares for and provides all of our needs, both big and small.

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You can help today! www.persecution.org

SMALL BUSINESSES, BIG ASSURANCE Suffering Wives and Children ICC provided funds to start 14 small businesses (such as small shops and livestock businesses) for persecuted families in India. These families were affected by the 2008 violence and had not been helped until now. Many of them were visted by ICC’s Regional Manager on location. He was able to record their stories and pray with them.

SEWING SHOPS TO INDIAN CHRISTIANS Community Rebuild ICC provided funds to initiate sewing shops for five women in India. This provides persecuted families with an additional resource during the offseason of fishing, the husbands’ trade.

After assessing the families in need, it was determined that these five needed the most help, as two women were pregnant.

GOOD LIFE CLUB UPDATE Community Rebuild ICC funded seven Good Life Club (GLC) missions, in which trained professionals hike into the foothills of Burma to aid about 1,000 Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) per camp.

These missions offer minor medical aid, dental work, survival training and basic sanitation. GLC also provides discipleship, like Vacation Bible School.

You can help today! 800-ICC-5441

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A PERSECUTED PASTOR IN A CLOSED MUSLIM COUNTRY APPEALS TO ICC FOR AN UNDERGROUND PRINTING PRESS

“Dear Brother Jeff, The number of Christians [in our country] is growing every day, thousands are coming to Christ… To meet the needs, Bibles and teaching materials are greatly needed... Christians have been arrested for trying to bring Bibles into the country. We need to be able to print inside the country, this is the safest way.”

Help us Bring Life into the Darkness Right now, we have an incredible opportunity: to build an underground printing press in a closed Muslim country that will open the Word of God to a million or more people, and reduce the cost and risk of smuggling Bibles inside. Each Bible is a seed of life!

AN UNDERGROUND PRINTING PRESS WILL: •

Provide 1,000,000 or more Bible portions

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Lower the cost per Bible significantly

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Safeguard those smuggling Bibles from being arrested

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Bring life to millions!

H O W YO U C A N H E L P Will you join me in this amazing opportunity to bring life to the desert?

Anytime ICC has the opportunity to put an underground printing press into a closed Muslim country, I get excited.... really excited. The reason?

Because Satan imprisons Muslims and does everything he can to keep his prisoners in the dark.

I know that once they meet Jesus, they will fall in love and find the Author of life. Will you help me open the prison doors and release the prisoners?

Know that your gifts will be used prayerfully, efficiently, and effectively.

I promise!

JEFF KING, President

W E A R E PA R T N E R I N G W I T H O T H E R M I N I S T R I E S A N D F O U N D AT I O N S T O P U T T H I S P R O J E C T T O G E T H E R , B U T W E N E E D T O Q U I C K LY R A I S E $ 5 0 , 0 0 0

D O N AT E T O D AY !

B Y M A I L complete the enclosed card B Y P H O N E call 800-422-5441 8:30-5:00 p.m. EST O N L I N E visit www.persecution.org and designate your gift to “Bibles to the Persecuted.�

DON’T FORGET US THIS SUMMER!

In the summer, ICC often faces a severe drop in funding.

Can you please make a special gift this month?

FOLLOW ICC ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER facebook.com/persecuted twitter.com/persecutionnews

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.

International Christian Concern is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) (all donations tax-deductible).

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