Gifts Persecuted for the
2016
For most, Christmas is a time to give. Whether store-bought or handmade, gifts find their way under the tree and into the recipient’s expectant hands. Some spend Christmas baking cookies to give to friends and family while others gift their time to shovel their neighbors’ driveways. But why Christmas? We’re more likely to forget gifts on birthdays, anniversaries, and other holidays but rarely Christmas. Sure, there’s massive marketing campaigns and social pressure to remind us but, again, why do we consider Christmas the quintessential time of gift-giving? Perhaps because two thousand years ago, a virgin of no importance gave birth to an unknown child. Society took no notice of His arrival but this child was God’s greatest gift and is why we still give gifts at Christmas. Through His gift, God invited humanity back into relationship with Him, restoring His original purpose for our creation. Genesis tells us that God created us to have fellowship with Him. The Word says we were in a place where God walked with us and spoke to us. In one of the most fundamental verses of the whole Bible, it says we stood naked before Him and yet knew no shame (Gen 2:25). The fall severed our connection with Him and as a result, our core identity was shattered. We have fallen from a great height and it shows in our lives. We were left with a giant gaping metaphysical hole in our chest that we never tire of trying to fill with wealth, popularity, sex, relationship, etc., etc. We are naked and know it. Shame has become our core identity; we can’t seem to change it no matter how many times we tell ourselves or our kids that we are each special and beautiful.
Jeff King, President International Christian Concern
We lost His indwelling, His presence, as our relationships with others were broken as well. We no longer recognize and treasure each other as children of God. We have lost His love for our fellow man and each person we come into contact with is weighted on a utilitarian matrix. Those that find Jesus come alive spiritually, restoring what was lost in the fall. They are born again and communion is restored because the Holy Spirit (God) is birthed in them. We can stand naked in front of Him once again and accept others and even ourselves with all of our mess. Christmas giving is a modeling of the most magnificent gift ever given. We give because He gave so extravagantly to us. Through giving we also rebuild God’s original design of community in caring for one another. This Christmas, I ask that you consider giving extravagantly to His persecuted body. We will use those funds to heal and to bandage the persecuted. Just as importantly, we will build the Church in the toughest places on earth and bring many to life. You and I will rebuild the Kingdom of God here on earth, one persecuted soul at a time. As always, whatever you give will be used ethically, efficiently and effectively. I promise! Jeff King President International Christian Concern
Gift 1
ICC flew in experts and victims of persecution in Mexico to inform and activate members of Congress including Rep. Joe Pitts (far left).
Where Most Needed LEVEL OF NEED HIGH
$100
pays for one day of an overseas trip.
$1,500
allows us to bring an overseas victim of persecution to meet with members of Congress.
$3,000
covers a complete overseas investigative trip.
MEDIUM
LOW
Gifts to the Where Most Needed Fund provide for our advocacy work, our trips overseas, and all of our work with the press to make persecution known. They also cover shortages in our other funds, allowing us to distribute aid quickly and meet needs in the moment. 2016 was our most successful advocacy year ever. As a direct result of our advocacy efforts on the Hill and the State Department to protect Christian victims of persecution in Mexico, US International Religious Freedom Ambassador David Saperstein made a firstever visit to Mexico in August, putting pressure on the Mexican government. Where Most Needed funds most of our investigative trips overseas to places such as Egypt, Pakistan, and Nigeria, where we investigate incidents, fight for the persecuted, and find persecution victims and experts to meet with the US Congress. Where Most Needed also enables us to be The Bridge to connect the western Church with the persecuted Church.
“ You shall generously give... For this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings.� Deut. 15:9-10 (NASB)
Call Now to Donate: 1-800-422-5441
Gift 2
Through Hope House, Egyptian Christian children will now be given hope for a better future.
Hope House
H LEVEL OF NEED HIGH
$100
pays for one week of an instructor to teach kids English and computer skills.
$400
pays for one month of an instructor to teach kids English and computer skills.
$20,000
will allow us to set up a complete Hope House in one of the most persecuted countries.
MEDIUM
LOW
Persecution is much more than martyrdom. Did you know that governments purposefully under-serve Christian communities in terms of education? This leaves kids unprepared for the future and relegated to unskilled jobs and a lifetime of poverty. Christian communities have lived this reality for over 1,400 years in Egypt but ICC is changing this reality by transforming the lives of Christians, one kid at a time, through our new Hope House there. We teach our kids English and computer skills in after-school programs. In just a few short years and at minimal cost, Christian kids go from the bottom of the employment heap to the top. This allows them to break the 1,400 year curse imposed on the Christian community. Please join us in transforming the lives of Egyptian Christians, one child at a time.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
Call Now to Donate: 1-800-422-5441
Gift 3
ICC broadcasts the Gospel into one of the most closedoff countries in the Muslim world.
Broadcast the Gospel LEVEL OF NEED HIGH
$50
MEDIUM
LOW
Spreading the Gospel in the fundamentalist Muslim world is considered among the most difficult missions facing the Church today because of deadly persecution.
provides Gospel and discipleship kits to 5 people.
As a result, Muslims remain among the world’s most unreached peoples and yet they are incredibly hungry spiritually and readily fall in love with Jesus once they are exposed to Him.
$150
ICC uses radio and satellite TV to safely spread the Word of God into the most dangerous Muslim countries.
covers a callin discipleship hotline for a day.
$2,000
funds the work of our follow-up team in an underground country for a month.
In 2014, in partnership with a broadcast ministry, we launched a 24-hour satellite TV channel broadcasting the Gospel into one of Islam’s most strategic countries. We also established a follow-up network that ministers to those touched by the broadcasts who request discipleship. We have been able to interact with and change the lives of thousands of Muslims as they fall in love with Jesus.
“And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 10:7 (KJV)
Call Now to Donate: 1-800-422-5441
Gift 4
ICC smuggles Bibles in the local dialect to believers who are hungry for the Word of God.
Bibles for the Persecuted LEVEL OF NEED HIGH
$30
sends 10 Bibles to a closed country.
$100
sends 33 Bibles to a closed country.
$1,000
sends 333 Bibles to a closed country.
MEDIUM
LOW
ICC smuggles Bibles into closed countries because the Bible is the lifeblood of the church. It brings people to life and builds up those who are already believers. There is a reason Marxists and despots spend so much time keeping the Bible out! In Southeast Asia, ICC sends tens of thousands of Bibles in local languages into several countries. Christians in Southeast Asia are experiencing increased persecution and value Bibles in their local dialect to help deepen their faith. The “movers” of Bibles need prayer for safe border crossings and continued perseverance in the face of opposition from the government and their neighbors. Despite increased persecution, the Christian church in Southeast Asia is growing along with their demand for Bibles.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.” Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)
Call Now to Donate: 1-800-422-5441
Gift 5
Village members in Nigeria receive agricultural seed and fertilizer after a Fulani attack.
Community Rebuild LEVEL OF NEED HIGH
$40
provides essential food supplies to one family.
$100
provides fertilizer to one family for a year.
$3,000
rebuilds a demolished church in Indonesia and Pakistan.
MEDIUM
LOW
Islamist militants have murdered thousands of Christians in central Nigeria. Christians in the village of Jol live in constant fear, having been attacked three times in the past 15 years. They have had little defense against militants armed with assault rifles, machetes, and gasoline, bent on murder and destruction. Fortunately, the government has stationed armed police officers in Jol, giving the villagers an opportunity to rebuild their lives in their farming community. ICC provided 89 families with fertilizer to help ensure a successful harvest. ICC’s Community Rebuild Fund allows us to restore the lives of affected communities by rebuilding their homes and lives after facing persecution.
“Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins...and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.� Isaiah 61:4 (NASB)
Call Now to Donate: 1-800-422-5441
Gift 6
Displaced Iraqi Christians receive heaters to survive the harsh Iraqi winters.
Hand of Hope LEVEL OF NEED HIGH
$50
purchases a water filter for a Christian family in a rural area.
$100
provides a winter package (heater, blankets, clothes) to one family.
$5,000
provides medical supplies to five medical outreach camps in Egypt.
MEDIUM
LOW
In the summer of 2014, the world was shocked to see ISIS take over most of Iraq in a matter of weeks, displacing tens of thousands of Christians. While many thought this was a temporary occupation, the Islamic State has captured the imaginations of millions of Muslim youth around the world. They have attracted tens of thousands of fighters and are yet to be dislodged from Iraq and Syria. Most displaced Christians are living in refugee camps in Kirkuk and Erbil in northern Iraq. The weather in this part of the country is very unforgiving, especially for those living in tents. Through ICC’s Hand of Hope Fund, we provided warmth and heat in winter to 1,230 displaced Christians, and tents, food, and water in summer so they can survive.
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)
Call Now to Donate: 1-800-422-5441
Gift 7
Children at one of ICC’s orphanages wear their new clothes supplied by donations for their first day of school.
Kids Care LEVEL OF NEED HIGH
$40
covers school fees for one child for a year.
$80
provides food, lodging, and private schooling for one child for one month at an ICC orphanage.
$3,500
supports an entire ICC orphanage for three months.
MEDIUM
LOW
From August to October of 2008, the state of Orissa in India witnessed the worst anti-Christian violence in the country’s independent history. Mobs of Hindu radicals attacked any Christians they could find. As a result, 600 villages were attacked, 5,600 Christian houses were looted and burned, 300 churches were torched and more than 100 Christians were murdered. All told, more than 54,000 people were left hiding in the jungle at the height of the attack. Many Christian kids were left orphaned by this extreme violence and, without a family to support them, were in extreme danger. Following the violence, ICC rescued 14 orphaned Christian kids and has provided them with a loving Christian home where their future is secure. Join us in supporting these Christian orphans and other children affected by persecution by donating to ICC’s Kids Care Fund.
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14 (NASB)
Call Now to Donate: 1-800-422-5441
Gift 8
A graduate of SOS Center styles the hair of a customer at a small cosmetology business ICC helped set up.
Save Our Sisters LEVEL OF NEED HIGH
$30
covers one month of vocational training (sewing, cosmetology) for one sister.
$90
provides a sewing machine for a sister.
$1,000
allows us to set up a small business for our most promising students.
MEDIUM
LOW
Many Christian women are forced to endure a form of double persecution because they are both the wrong religion and wrong gender in their culture. In Pakistan, this has led to hundreds of Christian women and girls, some as young as 12 years old, being abducted, raped, and forcefully converted to Islam. Because of this unique persecution, ICC set up the Save Our Sisters Fund. Through this fund, ICC has been able to set up and run a vocational training center in Pakistan. Here, Christan women and girls working in vulnerable situations are able to receive sewing and beautician training, free of cost. After ten months of training, ICC provides the graduates with all the tools they need to start a tailoring shop or beauty salon from the safety of their own home. To date, ICC has been able to successfully train and graduate over 300 Christian women and girls.
“He will rescue their life from oppression and violence, and their blood will be precious in his sight.� Psalm 72:14 (NASB)
Call Now to Donate: 1-800-422-5441
Gift 9
Christian women whose husbands were beheaded work at the clothing factory ICC set up for them.
Suffering Wives & Children LEVEL OF NEED HIGH
$30
provides medicine for a widow and her children for one month.
$150
gives food aid to a widow and her children for one month.
$2,500
provides a small business for one widow and family.
MEDIUM
LOW
For Christians living in Upper Egypt, persecution and discrimination are just a part of daily life. In extreme cases, persecution can lead to the Christian homes being destroyed and even heads of Christian households being murdered. This often leaves Christian families in desperate situations without a means of providing for themselves. ICC steps in to rescue them with food support and micro-finance to allow the families of victims to stay together and even thrive by setting them up with simple businesses they can run. Based on an idea from the families, ICC even helped open a clothing factory that supports numerous families that lost their breadwinners in an attack. Now, the factory is able to produce clothing on an industrial scale, filling orders in the thousands and providing a living for several Christian families who lives were almost destroyed by persecution.
“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress.� James 1:27 (NLT)
Call Now to Donate: 1-800-422-5441
Gift 10
A Central Asian pastor and his wife are able to continue the Lord’s work with help from ICC’s aid packages.
Underground Pastors LEVEL OF NEED HIGH
$30
provides transportation for one month to rural villages.
$150
supports one underground missionary for one month in Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Indonesia.
$1,200
provides a motorbike for a pastor to support his congregation in Pakistan and India.
MEDIUM
LOW
Pastors and local missionaries are the first to enter dangerous new territories with the Gospel. They often have little to no financial support as there is no established church to support them. We provide temporary salaries as well as transportation and other costs to allow the Gospel to reach into the most dangerous areas of the world and fulfill the Great Commission. Central Asia is a prime example where religious beliefs of any kind are regulated by the government. Nations like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan have near total control over religious activities. Yet believers are growing, and so the Underground Pastors Fund has come to be a godsend for ministers in the region. Whether we provide transportation to reach the lost, or financial support, beneficiaries of our fund like those pictured are able to fulfill the mission God has laid out for them.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.� Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
Call Now to Donate: 1-800-422-5441
#BringBackOurGirls
Through patrons like you, ICC was able to supply the families of the abducted Chibok Girls (#BringBackOurGirls) with agricultural seed and fertilizer earlier this summer.
To Give 1. Select the gifts you wish to give to the Persecuted from the Christmas Catalog. 2. Complete the amounts on the form on the right or on the mailer insert. 3. Mail the gift and order form in the enclosed envelope:
ICC, PO Box 8056, Silver Spring, MD 20907
4. If you prefer to donate via phone, call: 1-800-422-5441 (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST)
Christmas Catalog Gift Order Form CONFIRM YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS Name Address City
State
Zip Code
Email METHOD OF PAYMENT Credit Card
Visa
MC
Discover
American Express
Card Number Signature Total $ Check/Money Order Enclosed: Amount $
Check Number
SELECT YOUR GIFT ITEMS Gift #
Gift Description
Donation
1
Where Most Needed
$
2
Hope House
$
3
Broadcast the Gospel
$
4
Bibles for the Persecuted
$
5
Community Rebuild
$
6
Hand of Hope
$
7
Kids Care
$
8
Save Our Sisters
$
9
Suffering Wives and Children
$
10
Underground Pastors
$
TOTAL $
Merry Christmas FROM INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
Send Donations To: PO Box 8056 Silver Spring, MD 20907 301-585-5915 www.persecution.org icc@persecution.org