PERSECUTION International Christian Concern | October 2014
ON THE ROAD AGAIN Come On 3 Trips with ICC as we find & serve the persecuted ICC Visits Iraq To Rescue Victims of ISIS India Pg 5
Central Asia Pg 13
PERSECU ION.ORG
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
Your Bridge to the Persecuted Church
Iraq Pg 17
IN THIS ISSUE:
In the Midst of War Rescuing the Victims of ISIS in Iraq Pg. 17
Pg. 3 On The Road Again
Pg. 13 Central Asia
Pg. 5 India Revisited
Pg. 19 Your Dollars At Work
ICC Trips: Sleeplessness and 100 cups of tea
ICC visits India and sees a shocking rise in persecution stemming from the election of India’s radical Hindu party, the BJP.
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A diary of our trip into Central Asia
Rescuing believers in India and Iraq
A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Jeff King, President International Christian Concern
There were ninety and nine that safely lay In the shelter of the fold. But one was out on the hills away, Far off from the gates of gold. Away on the mountains wild and bare. Away from the tender Shepherd’s care. Away from the tender Shepherd’s care. “The Ninety and Nine” by Elizabeth C. Clephane (1868)
geted by Hindu radicals for his success in reaching the lost. In an effort to permanently silence him, he and his wife were attacked. She was stabbed two times and he, 10 times. His case never made the news and he may have died from his injuries (he may still) if we hadn’t stepped in and provided the funds for an emergency surgery. The surgery helped him immensely, but he will need more care. We will stand by him as he recovers. To reach ones like these, we scour the globe. This month, we thought we would try and take you with us on our trips so you could get a glimpse into what we do on the ground.
“If a man has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?” Luke 15:4 (NLT)
There are thousands more like Pastor M that we must go onto the highways and byways to find. We must do the work together. You see, we can do nothing without you.
The sad truth of persecution ministry is that the famous cases of persecution are often wrestled over and money showered on them as organizations seek to be connected with the “hot” case.
As always, your donations will be used efficiently, effectively, and ethically.
We too want to be in on the big case but our heartbeat, our DNA, is to leave the 99 and seek out the one. To find the victim of persecution that will never be helped if we don’t find them and rescue them. Pastor M* and his wife (pg. 8) are a case in point. An active and effective pastor that reached many in India, he was tar-
You and I are partners that the Lord has put together to rescue His lost and broken sheep. Thank you for working with me in this holy work.
I promise!
Jeff King President Persecution.org, International Christian Concern
*Names in this issue have been changed for security. You can help today! 800-ICC-5441
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On
THE
Road Again
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orld travel is not always glamorous. With endless hours in airports, travels into dangerous territories, 80-hour work weeks and countless unidentifiable meals that have been lovingly prepared for you, regional managers at ICC know that a trip to our region can be grueling. Though we may sacrifice to leave our families and the comforts of home for weeks at a time, it is a small sacrifice to meet face-to-face with our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. It is on these often exhausting trips that we are reminded, “This is why we do what we do.” We are reminded that news we post, the stories we write, the paperwork we submit at headquarters has a face: The face of Benjamin, who was orphaned when his parents became martyrs for Christ. The face of Maksat, who’s young sons were beaten by an uncle because they were Christians. The face of Fadi and his family, who escaped the hands of ISIS and now make their home on the streets of Erbil, Iraq, as refugees.
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Since it is not possible for all of you to hop on a plane with us, we want to invite you to journey with us on our last three trips by wandering through the following pages. Join us in Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, India, Nepal and Central Asia by reading the thoughts and journals of our regional managers; experience those countries through our eyes. Join us at a Women of Faith Conference in Central Asia that looks nothing like you would expect. Join us in Iraq as we hand out aid packages to Christians who fled for the lives, with only the clothes on their backs. Join us as our regional manager for India’s wife is introduced firsthand to persecution. Join us, as together, we bring aid and encouragement to our brothers and sisters in Christ, heroes of the faith, who in turn inspire, challenge and encourage us.
Central Asia Trip Total Miles:
19,000
Hours of Travel:
78
Hours Spent in Meetings with the Persecuted: Cups of Tea # of Projects Started/ Worked on: Days Away from Home:
150 32 10 14
Iraq/Lebanon/Turkey Trip Total Miles: 27,000 Hours of Travel: Hours Spent in Meetings with the Persecuted: Cups of Tea # of Projects Started/ Worked on: Days Away from Home:
199 180 58 17 33
India/Nepal Total Miles: 20,014 Hours of Travel: Hours Spent in Meetings with the Persecuted: Cups of Tea # of Projects Started/ Worked on: Days Away from Home:
122 200 58+ 17 24 You can help today! 800-ICC-5441
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India Revisited
By William Stark
ICC visits India and sees a shocking rise in persecution stemming from the election of India’s radical Hindu party, the BJP.
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n January 2013, I departed on my first trip for ICC. I’d originally been hired for my experience with Africa, but found myself on a flight to India to meet with persecuted Christians at a point that I felt was still very early in my career working for ICC. Needless to say, the situation was somewhat overwhelming. On that first trip, I learned a lot about myself, Christian persecution, and God’s faithfulness and power. It truly was a life-changing experience. The Christians I met in India left such an impression on me that I ultimately switched from being the regional manager of Africa to the regional manager of South Asia. Only one year later, I was excited to be visiting India for a second time. Not only was I traveling back to a country that changed me so much, I was also blessed to have my wife travel with me. My experience of meeting the persecuted in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, all of which I have visited in the past year, was something I always had a hard time conveying to my wife. Having her assist me on this trip opened her eyes as to why traveling to these sometimes extremely dangerous places is such a burden for me. The Return of the BJP Prior to our departure to India, something happened that will likely affect Christians in India for many years to come.
The BJP’s thugs: RSS militia members very busy during our trip. Testimonies from Persecuted Pastors We started out journey in the state of Telangana. In villages outside of Hyderabad, where we were staying, my wife and I met and interviewed two victims of intense persecution, both pastors. It was a pretty tough start to the trip for my wife because the attacks we encountered were some of the most brutal we saw.
In May 2014, the Bharathiya Janatha Party (BJP), a Hindu nationalist party, was voted back into power in India’s general elections. The reaction of the Christian community, even before the election results were announced, was fear that a new storm of persecution was gathering. Unfortunately, this fear has turned out to be reality. The uptick in persecution was immediately noticeable from the first few meetings we had in India. Hindu extremist groups have been emboldened by the BJP’s rise to power and the number of attacks on Christians, church leaders, and Christian places of worship has escalated.
For our first interview, we met with Pastor J and Rakesh, one of Pastor J’s church members. When my wife and I arrived at Pastor J’s church, we were quickly escorted from the car to the church compound, taken inside and served a simple breakfast. As we ate, I asked Pastor J why we had been moved so quickly from the car to the church.
Fueling this rise in attacks is a general climate of impunity with regards to attacks on Christians. Beyond this new wave of attacks, government restrictions on Christian organizations have also increased. This unfortunate change in religious freedom for Christians led to my wife and I being
During my first trip to India, I had not experienced this sort of behavior. To me, it felt like I was back in Pakistan, meeting with Christians accused of blasphemy who, if discovered, would come under attack because of the accusation leveled against them.
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“It is not safe for me to be seen meeting with you here,” Pastor J replied. “Our church is still being watched and we may come under attack if the radicals discover we have been meeting with foreigners.”
Pastor J and Rakesh “In August 2011, Pastor J and I were at the church attending a late night prayer meeting,” Rakesh said. “I left the prayer service for a few minutes and I saw some suspicious people gathering in the shadows outside.This made me very nervous so I told the pastor.”
In an attempt to save the pastor’s life, Rakesh dove on top of Pastor J’s unconscious body, shielding him from the club blows meant to finish the pastor off. “They hit me many times on the back and head,” Rakesh said.
As suddenly as the attack had started it was over, leav“When Rakesh told me what he saw, I decided that we ing Pastor J and Rakesh severely injured. The church should go outside and see what these people wanted,” members then came out to help. Pastor J said. “I had not received any threats before, so I didn’t think there was any danger in talking to them. Pastor J and Rakesh were in the hospital for an extended time due to the severity of their injuries. Pastor J, “When we got outside, a man jumped over the church who was the focus of the attack, required several rewall and started to attack the pastor,” Rakesh told me. constructive surgeries on his face. “My upper lip was split in half, most of my teeth were broken, both my “The man was shouting many filthy things and then jaw and my cheekbones were completely smashed and ten other men came and joined the attack. I looked to my hands and wrists were fractured,” Pastor J told me see where the pastor had gone and he way lying face as he pointed to each of the scars he still bore. down on the ground, not moving.” Rakesh required 17 stitches on his head. “I still get “I don’t remember most of the attack,” Pastor J said as splitting headaches due to the attack,” Rakesh said. he told me about the attack. “The man who came over the wall hit me in the head with a club and I don’t re- Following the attack, Pastor J filed a police report but member anything after that.” was unable to identify any of the perpetrators; there has been no progress.
After finishing our meal, Pastor J, Rakesh, my wife and I sat down together and discussed the attack that had taken place almost two years ago. The attack was brutal and seemed to have left lasting scars on both Pastor J and Rakesh. Since that incident, both Pastor J and Rakesh fear future attacks. “I don’t go near to the bus station anymore,” Pastor J told me. “That is where the Hindu radical elements hang out and if I go there I will probably be attacked again.” Due to threats being lodged against him for protecting Pastor J during the attack, Rakesh has been forced to move out of town for safety reasons. “We have also stopped doing house meetings with the Christians and evangelism to Hindus,” Pastor J said. “I fear I will be attacked by the radicals if I continue these things.” With BJP now firmly in power, pastors like Pastor J have much more to fear. Incidents similar to the attack on Pastor J were not uncommon before BJP, but since the
Hindu nationalist party took power in mid-May there has been a marked increase in attacks on India’s Christian minority. Also, similar to Pastor J, many of India’s Christians are ‘battening down the hatches.’ Much of the evangelism work I remember from my first trip to India has been significantly curtailed due to the recent increase in persecution. After saying our goodbyes to Pastor J, Rakesh and the rest of the members of Pastor J’s church, my wife and I quickly returned to the car and traveled to our second meeting of the day. This interview turned out to be particularly difficult because of the level of violence unleashed upon the pastor and his family by the local Hindu radicals. Again, my wife and I were quickly escorted into the church to keep a low profile. Once inside the church, we met Pastor M and his wife. As I walked toward them, I could immediately tell that there was something off about Pastor M. He didn’t greet me at the door and was having a very difYou can help today! 800-ICC-5441
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ficult time standing to shake my hand. When he did shake my hand, his grip was very week and he winced almost every time he shifted his weight. I soon learned the reason behind this odd behavior. After brief introductions, I was surprised to see that Pastor M’s wife, not Pastor M, took over the meeting and began to tell me and my wife about the incident of persecution that had been recently visited upon their family. The brutality of the attack on Pastor M and his wife shocked both my wife and myself. As the interview progressed and we were told about how both Pastor M and his wife were stabbed by Hindu radicals, both my wife and I continued to note the obvious discomfort Pastor M seemed to be in. He didn’t speak much and when he did it was labored and seemed to cause him more pain. This led me to question Pastor M’s wife about Pastor M’s current health. “He is still in a lot of pain,” Pastor M’s wife told me. “The doctors say that he has a blood clot on his spine and that his liver was damaged by the stabbing. He is taking some medication, but he is still in pain. The doctors say that they need to remove the blood clot, but my husband is tired of having surgeries and procedures. He just wants the pain to stop.” After discussing Pastor M’s and his wife’s current health condition, I asked the couple whether there was any progress being made in regards to the investigation into their attackers. “Right after the attack, the police brought sniffer dogs to our church,” Pastor M’s wife said. “They were not
Narenda Modi, the head of the BJP
able to find anything right away and initially blamed the attack on a member of our church claiming it was an internal church dispute. This is completely untrue.” “I didn’t recognize any of the attackers, so I was unable to identify them for the police,” Pastor M’s wife continued. “I did supply the police with a description of the attackers.” Pastor M’s wife went on to tell me that although the initial investigation was slow, a local politician later took notice of their case and started to apply pressure on the police department. Soon after the pressure was applied, the police found an individual who fit the description of one of the attackers and arrested him. Quickly, that individual gave up the identities of the other people who were with him on the night of the assault and the entire group was arrested. Unsurprisingly, all of the attackers were members of a local Hindu radical group bent on removing Christianity, which they claim is a foreign religion, from their village. “After the arrests, the police lost interest in the case and things slowed down again,” Pastor M’s wife explained. “All of the attackers have posted bail and are currently free. No court date has been set and these men are living in the village like nothing ever happened.” “We have decided to stay in the village because my husband and I feel God has called us to do ministry here,” Pastor M’s wife told me when I asked what they were planning to do now. “Things have been very difficult because of all the hospital bills, threats, my husband’s pain and the lower attendance at the church. We are really struggling, but this is where God called us.” After the interview, I saw that my wife was shocked by the brutality of the attack and the faith displayed by Pastor M and his wife. I have the privilege of working with Christians like Pastor M and his wife every day and sometimes forget how truly amazing the faith displayed by persecuted Christians can be. It was nice to be reminded of how moving the testimonies of persecuted Christians are. Something I have always loved about my position at ICC is that I am not just a reporter. I’m not limited to just recording stories like Pastor M’s and sharing them with the broader Church. ICC wants to find the lost sheep, those victims who don’t receive any notice in the press and enter their story and rescue them. At the conclusion of our meeting, I was able to tell them ICC would cover their medical expenses and that I would personally start making inquiries into the case against the men who attacked them. I could tell this relieved not only
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Pastor M & Wife “It happened on December 29th after a New Year prayer service,” Pastor M’s wife started. “After the service, we went to bed, but around 11:30 p.m., there was a loud knock at the door.”
After getting out of bed and opening the door a crack, Pastor M’s wife saw a group of strange men at her door. “Before I could say anything, they rushed the door and broke in. They hit me on the head with a club. I was not unconscious, but I couldn’t move or really do anything but lay on the ground and make noise. The noise I made woke up my husband,” Pastor M’s wife said. The attackers went after Pastor M with knives. He put up his hands to protect himself and tried to deflect his assailants’ knife blows. “They cut my hands first,” Pastor M chimed in for the first time during the interview. “Then they stabbed me in the back and I collapsed to the floor. Then, they stabbed me another ten times.” Witnessing the brutal attack on her husband, Pastor M’s wife began to scream. It was at this point the attackers noticed that she was still conscious and had witnessed the entire attack. “On leaving the house, they stabbed me two times in the back,” Pastor M’s wife said. After the attackers left, Pastor M’s 11-year-old daughter entered the room and saw both of her parents on the floor, bleeding. Pastor M’s wife desperately called her to help. “I tried to get my daughter to call for help,” Pastor M’s wife said but “she was in shock and too scared to do anything. I summoned up all of my strength, found a phone and called some of our local believers for help.” We were rushed to the hospital but my husband didn’t regain consciousness for five days.”
Pastor M and his wife, but also my wife. These two intense meetings represent just a single day of our time in India. Even though it was still early in the trip, I could sense the significant uptick in the intensity of persecution in India and the overall fear Christians experienced because of the threat of persecution.
Pastor M: Stabbed 10 times
Post Trip Update ICC gave Pastor M enough funds to pay for a doctor appointment and instructed him to have both his liver and the blood clot on his spine thoroughly checked. Following the appointment, ICC was informed that Pastor M required immediate surgery to remove a clot. Pastor M’s surgery went well; he is experiencing significantly less pain than he was before. He is currently recovering from the surgery on his spine and will continue to inform ICC of his medical condition. After he has recovered fully from the surgery, ICC, Pastor M and Pastor M’s doctors will explore what the next steps are to getting Pastor M fully healthy again.
I also noticed that this was an eye opening experience for my wife. Initially, she was quiet as we drove back to Hyderabad from our first day’s meetings. After mulling things over in her mind for a while, she started to ask me the same questions I asked when I first started meeting with persecuted Christians for ICC. Chief among these questions being “why is this happening?” I still don’t have all the answers, but I did my best to share what I have learned over You can help today! 800-ICC-5441
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the years with my wife. Ultimately, I told her that we live in a broken world and that even Jesus told us persecution would be something Christians would have to face, making the work ICC does extremely important.
were accused of committing blasphemy against Hinduism and two were falsely accused of rape, all within the last year. I was shocked by the increased persecution faced by the Christian community that accompanied the rise of the BJP.
Persecuted for Sharing Faith with Children After spending more days around Hyderabad, meeting with persecuted Christians, my wife and I flew to Bangalore. Similar to our time in Hyderabad, we traveled outside of Bangalore to the surrounding villages where Christians were being persecuted.
But, out of all the stories I recorded, it was the attack on Priya that stuck out for both my wife and me. The brutality of the attack against the elderly woman again highlighted the escalation of persecution under the new BJP rule.
In a village four hours outside of Bangalore, we met and interviewed four pastors who are currently being persecuted because of the outreach ministry they lead in the villages. These incidents were somewhat different from the persecution faced by Pastor J and Pastor M. Instead of physically attempting to remove the pastors from the village, the Hindu radicals outside of Bangalore were attempting to misuse the law to remove the pastors. In each of the interviews we conducted with the pastors, I was told that they were currently fighting a legal battle because they had been accused of various crimes they didn’t commit by local Hindu radicals. All of the pastors were accused of forcefully converting Hindus to Christianity, two
As we drove towards Priya’s village, we received a call from her letting us know that she would be more comfortable meeting us outside the village. The intent was, again, to keep a low profile and not escalate the already unstable situation with the Hindu radicals living in her village. Outside of her village on the side of the road, we picked Priya up and drove to a church in a nearby village where we could conduct our interview securely. Once outside of the village and in the safety of the church’s four walls, Priya was ready to tell us her story of how she was beaten and forced to worship Hindu gods because of her attempts to share Jesus with others in her village. I asked her if she was afraid to share her faith after the at-
The tree where Priya was beaten
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Our regional manager goes on his 100th auto rickshaw ride tack. “No,” Priya responded immediately. “I am not afraid to cause trouble for the Lord. I know that I will be persecuted, but I am not afraid.” “It is like Daniel and the lion’s den,” Priya continued. “It is dangerous, but the Lord is with me and I know that He will take care of me.” Again, I was astounded by Priya’s faith. Being tied to a tree and publically beaten had not entirely scared Priya away from sharing her faith. One thing I did note, however, was the ever present fear of being persecuted again. Although Priya was still sharing her faith with the children at school, she still had us meet her outside her village to avoid bringing attention to herself. Again and again, I noticed a new level of fear among the Christians my wife and I met with in India. In almost every meeting, our Indian counterparts would discuss the new problems they faced under the new BJP rule and what persecutions they believed were coming now that the Hindu nationalists were installed in power.
Returning to Orissa I noted this fear even among ministries and partners I had visited with on my last trip to India. After spending almost a week in southern India, my wife and I traveled to Orissa, the state where I spent most of my time during my last trip to India. It was a great experience for us because I was able to return to Orissa and visit with the Christians I had visited last year. Everyone was very excited to see us and meet my wife, but again, there was that new fear, that unshakable tension I had noticed at the very beginning of our time in India. In a conversation with one of my closest partner ministries in India, we discussed what it was like for him and his organization under the new regime. He told me things have become stricter, especially for Christian organizations. Every week, he is called to a government office and has to go over his organization’s books with a government official. This partner told me he is afraid the government will try to shut his organization down if they are able to find anything they believe is ‘out of line.’
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Our orphanage kids at the zoo Despite these unfortunate developments, ICC’s work, and the work of ICC’s partners in Orissa, continues to progress and I was very happy to be able to share it first-hand with my wife. I had told her so many stories from my first trip to India and many of those stories focused around my time in Orissa. One of the greatest highlights of our time in Orissa was the time we spent at the ICC’s orphanage.
of the experiences my wife and I had during out time in India. It was amazing to return to India, but persecution has greatly increased. Several weeks after our trip, I was Skyping one of my contacts in India who told me, “India is boiling with religious violence.” This is both a frightening and accurate description of the situation Christians in India face right now.
Since their parents were killed during the 2008 antiChristian riots that spread across India’s northeastern state of Orissa, ICC has been taking care of fourteen Christian orphans, providing them with shelter, food, a top-notch Christian education and a loving Christian family. Visiting these children has, and continues to be, one of the real joys of my work in India. Having my wife join me for a visit to the orphanage was an even greater treat.
The election of BJP and the spike in the number of attacks on Christians and other religious minorities across India is a clear indication of where things are likely heading. Given BJP’s racist, nationalist, ideology, and their track record of allowing attacks on Christians to go unpunished, it is probable that the fear expressed by the Indian Christians I met on the trip will likely come true, if they have not already.
To make this year’s visit special, my wife and I took the 14 children out on a day-long excursion. With all fourteen children in tow, we visited a zoo, a science museum and a local theme park. The day was truly special and all of the children had an amazing time. After a full day traveling with 14 children, both my wife and I were exhausted and in serious need of a rest. Christianity has a Future in India These stories presented in this article are just a fraction 11
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Attacks like those on Pastor J, Pastor M and Priya will likely increase and ministries will experience more scutinity. But India’s Christians are devoted. They have already faced extreme persecution and have decided their fate is in the Lord’s hands. They will not give up. The pressure the Church faces will cause it to be pressed down. It will cause the Church to spread rather than break, and the Church will go deep in the Lord. We are in for some rough days ahead in India but mark my words, the Church will only continue to grow.
An ICC Spouse’s Eyes Are Opened Growing up in the United States, most people learn about other cultures and other countries through the media or textbooks. Like most people in the U.S., I have learned about other cultures and countries through media or textbooks. When I married William, he would tell me about the countries and cases that ICC works on and I have to say that I often didn’t fully understand persecution. This past summer though, I was blessed to be able to accompany my husband on a month-long trip to India and Nepal. As we boarded the plane, he explained that we were advocates for the Christians we are going to meet. Our job was to listen to their stories, discover their needs, and sometimes just simply spend time with them; to “weep with those who weep.” I went into the trip with an open mind but came back with a heart indelibly stamped by the stories, needs, faith, and courage of the persecuted believers we met. The most profound experience for me was a meeting a pastor and his wife who had both been stabbed (the pastor was stabbed 10 times) and beaten because they tell people about Jesus. They let us into their church and home to relive the horror they experienced six months prior. The pastor and his wife were burdened to tell Christians in the West that persecution is still going on in India. We told them they are part of the Body of Christ and they are not suffering alone. I listened to the wife explain how she had repeatedly screamed for help as her husband was being stabbed with her daughter in a bed a few feet away. I took pictures of the couple’s small house and beloved church as they told their story. I paused when I was asked to take a picture of the
Pastor M’s back after being stabbed 10 times pastor’s back. I stared for a moment as he lifted his shirt to reveal the terrible scars that will never heal. I was struck how being part of the Body of Christ was not typically “a thing” for a Western Christian but vital for the persecuted Christian. I saw clearly that no one can journey through this life alone. We need Jesus and a community of believers who can pray with us and touch us when we are in need. The stories and relationships I took away from the trip will stay with me the rest of my life. They will weigh on me and I know they will force me into action. Even though you did not travel to the other side of the world with William and I, I pray that these stories and pictures will move you into action as well. Please pray and help your persecuted brothers and sisters. You can help today! 800-ICC-5441
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Central
Asia A Diary of Our Trip Into Central Asia
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n June, ICC went into Central Asia where we laughed and cried (quietly) with our amazing persecuted sisters in Christ.
DAY #1
I stumbled bleary-eyed through the crowd, bags in hand, foreign words and phrases swirling around my ears. I veered towards the airport exit, relieved that I had finally finished the long journey to Central Asia from Washington, D.C. Soon I would see the friendly faces of our ministry partners. Though it was three in the morning for them, they were all smiles. We tumbled into hugs of greeting and immediately folded ourselves into their
car to begin the eight-hour drive to their home; the part of the country that would serve as “home base” for most of this trip. Let the marathon of interviews, meetings, smiles, project review, dirt roads and endless cups of tea begin.
DAY #3
It’s the second day of a conference for Christian women in Central Asia. It’s very different from Women of Faith conferences I’ve been a part of in the States. In the U.S. we are loud and bold. We blare our music from the strobe-lit stage, sing at the top of our lungs and freely discuss the sessions over meals. We take over entire city blocks, pray
Sing and cry quietly! Don’t arouse suspicion. . .a very different women’s conference
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A Legacy of Faith “Happiness” and “Peace” have lived their lives following Jesus, no matter the cost. The legacy of faith they will leave behind for their children is inspiring. Over tea, Happiness shared with us some of their experiences. In our community there is a tradition – when someone dies in the village, we gather for a funeral, an animal is sacrificed, and everyone comes together to have tea and fellowship. Recently, there was a death in the village, and everyone gathered for the funeral. However, when my husband and I tried to enter the house where the gathering was, we were stopped. Some of the people came outside and started to beat us. To my husband they shouted, “You are a foolish man to become a Christian. When you die, we will not give you a grave; your body will lie in your own garden!” They continued to beat us, and to me they shouted, “You are going from house to house talking about Jesus, you must be selling your body!” One day I came back to my house in the afternoon, but my door was locked. My son had locked the door and forgotten to leave they key, so I headed to his school to retrieve it from him. When I was almost to the school, I found my son sitting on the street, crying. He was dirty and bruised. I ran to him and asked him, “What happened to you?” He answered, “My schoolmates beat me because I am a Christian, and because you are a Christian. The teacher sat back and watched while they beat me and made fun of me.” I was so upset when my son told me this, and I went inside the school crying and asked the teacher, “Why did you let this happen? Why did you watch and not stop this?” The teacher said nothing to answer me.
in public, carry our fancy covered Bibles and wear t-shirts with clever slogans about Jesus. At this conference we are instructed to sing quietly so we won’t attract attention. As women share the persecution they’ve suffered they begin to cry, but are told they must “cry quietly,” otherwise people at the hotel will become curious and find out we are Christians. We are instructed not to pray over our food at hotel meals and warned not to pray in groups in the hotel lobby or even on the beach, as conference-goers have been spotted and interrogated. This is a sobering reality.
ICC staffer visiting with “Happiness” and “Peace” We had a neighbor who was an alcoholic. His wife came to our house one day, miserable and looking for advice, asking questions about the Gospel and about Jesus. We began to pray with her, but as we were praying her husband came and saw us praying together. He was very angry and stormed out, only to come back with gasoline. He started pouring the fuel all over our children, yelling, “I will kill you!” As he began to fumble with the matches his wife pushed him, ran out of the house and called the police. He was disoriented in his fall and the police came and saved us from the fire that day. We are grateful to God for keeping us safe and for helping us to keep our faith strong during times of trial and persecution. He is our light and salvation.
DAY #4
Today I am driving “home” from the conference with two of our partners and their adorable daughters, ages 4 and 6. I have visited before, so the girls and I are “old friends” and they are comfortable with me. In fact, they continue to talk to me in their native tongue and I answer back in the few words I know in their language. We laugh and gesture a lot, trying to understand each other. At one point the three-year-old crossed her arms and said something to You can help today! 800-ICC-5441
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her mother, who laughed and told me, “She is saying that she must learn English right now so that she can speak with you.” I love that our Central Asia partners are more than business contacts. They have become friends to me. Tomorrow I am meeting with our two underground pastors. I am excited to meet them in person, sit in their homes and get to know them, without the separation of a computer and an ocean.
DAY #6
We are bouncing down the pot-holed dirt road. As we arrive at the home of Maksat I can’t help but smile. I’m looking forward to seeing her again, even though I just saw her at the conference that ended yesterday. She is such a sweet soul, who has suffered so much to follow Jesus. As we were ushered into her tiny home I glance around and take in my surroundings. There is a pile of handmade blankets, stacked up to the ceiling, in the corner. A table, the height of a coffee table, but much wider, stands upon a beautiful rug. Though she is poor, she has put together a beautiful spread of sliced bread, homemade jams, sliced cucumbers and tea. I take a mental note to drink endless cups of tea, as is required of a polite guest. As we settle down for tea with jam and bread, Maksat shares her struggles and experiences of persecution with me. They are numerous and overwhelming. The most recent occurred just last week, while we were at the conference. Her brother-in-law is still not happy
that she and her children are Christians, so while she was away, and unable to protect them, he beat her two sons, saying that they are “evil Christians.” She saw the marks on their backs when she returned home. Also, she said that her boys do not like to complain, but she knows that the teachers ignore them at school and treat them badly because of their faith. Her family feels tested and spied upon by everyone in the village, as well as ridiculed and attacked. When I asked her why she didn’t just move she responded, “I really want to reach these people for Christ, and to be a light and a witness. How else will they hear? I want to show them that Christians are not bad people and that they care for their families and neighbors.” Wow, woman of faith.
DAY #7
Ok, I technically do not have favorites in Central Asia, but if I were to have a “secret favorite” it would be Yaida. I met her in 2012 and by the time she was done sharing her story with me through an interpreter, the three of us were in a puddle of tears. I was so moved by her and her husband’s commitment to Christ in the face of persecution. As they had no means of income, no one would hire them because they were “evil Christians.” ICC helped them set up a hair salon business. When I went to visit them last year, the hair salon was almost done being built, but not quite. They had invited me for lunch in their home and a tour of the half finished salon; I left with the promise to
Yaida insisted on styling our visitor’s hair at the salon we built for her
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return for Yaida to do my hair one day! Today is that day! In the last year the salon has opened, the community has reluctantly welcomed her (because they need cute hair, you know) and Yaida has trained other Christian women how to be hairstylists. Yaida also is able to share the Gospel and disciple “secret believers” as she cuts peoples’ hair because, as she says, “In our culture, the person who does your hair is allowed to say whatever they want and you can’t get mad at them.” She is so brave! Oh, and she did a great job on my hair. Maybe I will move here.
visit with underground pastors, check on two running projects, meet with six families for potential projects in the future, interview a ton of persecuted Christians, and attend a secret Christian women’s conference. I walked along a beach on the other side of the world, I ate dinner in a country where I would literally risk people’s lives if I bowed my head to pray over my meal, I spent time with ICC partners who have become friends, and I have had enough tea to last me another year. I am constantly humbled by the faith of the persecuted and glad to be a part of an organization that brings the encouragement and aid.
DAY #9
I’m taking some time on the eight-hour drive back to the airport to ponder this trip. How incredible. I was able to
“We Won’t Hesitate To Burn Your House” “All of the Christians need to be in the village meeting house tomorrow at 9:00 p.m., and if you do not come, then we will not hesitate to burn down your house and anyone in it.”
law that is currently in place or not in place here is the new rule. You will have no land for yourself, or church for that matter. No pastors are allowed in the village, no literature shall be spread, and no one will share the Gospel.” He then concluded the meeting but ordered Betty to stay.
Betty knew right away that the meeting was to punish the Christians and to “give us a chance to leave our faith.” She was not afraid but was full of joy at the op- “Now, we will settle the matter of your teaching,” she portunity to suffer for Christ. was told. Betty was an art teacher who worked for the local school. She had given books containing Bible The next day, the meeting-house was filled with 300 stories to some of the children and one of them was fundamentalist Muslims, and a head panel comprised the daughter of the highest Muslim leader in the vilof the head of the local government, chief policeman, lage, and he was infuriated when he found his daugheducational department chief, the highest Muslim ter in possession of the book. leader, and the director of the local school. The head of the education department pleaded with Betty and the Christians stood bravely in the middle the crowd, pointing out that she was an excellent while the whole village yelled at them. One voice rang teacher. The crowd said, “If you do not fire her, then out above the others, “You should all move from this we will not send our children to the school.” Leaving village immediately. If you do not leave then we will him no choice, Betty was fired from her job and left not give you water for your fields, or land to bury your without an income. dead.” People began to chant in agreement, and yell for their immediate arrest. Since this meeting, the Christians have met together and prayed about what they should do. The chief of police spoke up, “You cannot arrest them! There is no law to arrest them under.” The crowd cried They decided that they wanted to stay in their villages out in response, “If the government will not do any- and face persecution in order to be used by God to be thing, then we will punish them ourselves!” The head a light to their persecutors. of government stood up and said, “Regardless of any You can help today! 800-ICC-5441
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In the Midst of War. . .
Iraq
ICC Staffers Deliver Aid in the Midst of a War
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SIS. You have heard the name but you cannot imagine the brutality of these Islamic soldiers unless you have exposed yourself to the pictures and videos they distribute of decapitating, shooting, and raping their victims. They have spread like a cancer throughout Syria and Iraq leaving a massive trail of misery, dealth, and refugees in their wake. In response, ICC staffers went into Iraq in the midst of the fighting to deliver aid and encouragment. I arrived yesterday in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdish area. In the last month, Erbil absorbed 150,000+ refugees fleeing the ISIS advance. Tens of thousands of these are Christians from the cities of Mosul, Qaraqosh, and the Nineveh plains. “Overnight our life changed,” Sinan told me as we spoke on our way to deliver aid to hundreds of his former neighbors. From Mosul, he, his sisters and extended family of 14 are now trying to survive in Erbil. When Mosul fell, they fled, walking seven hours to escape from the adICC staffer delivers aid to an Iraqi child in Erbil in mid August
vance ISIS (the Islamic State or IS) soldiers. ISIS has gone back 1,400 years and is operating like the early Islamic conquerors, known for their brutality against their enemies. ISIS is sweeping across the Middle East and leaving massive destruction in its wake as they attempt to reestablish an Islamic caliphate (kingdom). There have been mass killings of Shi’a Muslims, as well as others of Iraq’s religious minorities such as the Yazidi’s, many carried out in the most brutal fashion imaginable. Iraq’s Christians have fled their homes en masse as they faced orders of “convert or be executed” from the ISIS fighters. ISIS is shockingly inhumane and seemingly without precedent but looking back at the first 500 years of Islamic conquest, their methods are entirely familiar. To the informed, their methods are very familiar, even if shocking in our “civilized” world. What is truly inhumane (not normal to humanity) is the radical love we see as the Church cares for its “neighbor.” To care for them, to love them, to expend time, energy and treasure so that they are cared for. . . that is inhumane! To the Iraqi on the ground, this outpouring of love is inexplicable. It is, in fact, a clear evidence that God is in their presence, living with them in the midst of unspeakable brutality. We’ve seen this love in the packages of food, water, and medicine purchased by ICC donors delivered by local churches, using dozens of workers who were themselves displaced by ISIS’ advance. I arrived at a local church partner yesterday and it was a beehive of activity with preparations for a distribution of our aid to nearly 500 kids living in a camp that has sprung up on the grounds of a Catholic church. This makeshift camp and 200 others were set up by the local church. Saad, a Christian from Qaraqosh has been organizing much of the effort to set up these tent villages to shelter ISIS’ victims as temperatures reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit. We spoke with one family whose father had
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died a few days ago from the heat and lack of water. The tents that are provided are truly the difference between life and death for some of these people. Saad and his family are currently living in the top floor of the church. Three generations of his family, ten people, are living and sleeping together in one room. Six other rooms are filled to the brim with Christians. Rather than waiting to be a recipient of aid, Saad, Sinan, and Pastor Karan Above: This family’s father had died just a few days before from heat exhaustion have been serving others in need. prior to receiving their tent. Pastor Karan led a church in Mosul. Below: Tents distributed by Christians to shield refugees from the 115 degree He and nearly twenty of his mem- temps. bers were at a late night prayer meeting when word came that ISIS had entered the town. He upside down as a result of ISIS’s attempt to rid Iraq of its and his family decided to leave. “We saw the army run- Christian community as they seek to form a new Islamic ning, throwing their guns away, and changing into civilian state. clothes, it was really troubling,” he told ICC. Just fifteen minutes after they escaped, ISIS had locked down their Unsure of where their next meal will come from, many of these Christians are uncertain of what their future will be. neighborhood and was prevented anyone from leaving. Spoken out of desperation, some told us “please, take us Pastor Karan returned to Mosul twice over the next to the U.S.!” but the majority have told us with deep sinmonth to collect the family’s most important documents cerity, “We want to live our land, we want to stay here and and belongings. His second trip was the Sunday before live in peace.” the deadline given to Mosul’s Christians to convert to Islam or be killed. Nearly everyone we spoke to has a story When that will be possible again for Christians is a quesof their flight and the ways in which life has been turned tion that no one knows the answer to.
YOUR DOLLARS AT WORK HAND OF HOPE
Medical Assistance for Pastor M Attempting to end Pastor M’s ministry permanently, Hindu radicals stabbed him ten times. Miraculously, Pastor M survived. ICC assisted Pastor M by funding a surgery he desperately needed due to health complications caused by the attack. Pastor M is beginning to recover and ICC will continue to stand with him and his family until he is fully recovered from the attack. See Pastor M’s story on page 8.
HAND OF HOPE-LEGAL
Legal Assistance for Pastors R & A Pastor R, Pastor A and other pastors are finding themselves under increasing assault from Hindu radicals in India. Many times, these assaults take the form of false criminal accusations being filed against church leaders. ICC assisted both Pastor R and Pastor A by providing for competent legal representation. With these funds, ICC will help Pastor R and Pastor A stand against the false accusations leveled against them.
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KIDS CARE A Day of Fun
ICC is continuing to care for and bless our 14 Orissa orphans living at ICC’s orphanage in India. While visiting the orphanage during July, ICC’s regional manager for South Asia was able to take the orphans out on a day-long field trip. The orphans visited a local zoo, a science museum and a local theme park. Each of the 14 orphans had a great time and truly felt the love Jesus commanded his disciples to have for widows and orphans.
SUFFERING WIVES AND CHILDREN Support for Seven Wives
ICC was able to continue to support seven Christian women in India whose husbands are falsely imprisoned. Accused of the murder of the Hindu priest that set off the Orissa attacks on Christians, the husbands were convicted in 2013 despite Marxists taking credit for the murder as well as huge holes in the prosecution’s evidence. ICC has provided these women with small businesses to help them support their families and will continue to work on their husbands’ case as it moves into the appeal stage.
UNDERGROUND PASTORS Medical Camp
Using funds donated to ICC’s Underground Pastors Fund, ICC was able to provide pastors in India with aid to set up a medical camp in a rural village. Medical camps like these are important tools used by pastors in India to get access to rural villages for outreach. Through this medical camp, ICC has provided pastors in India access to one more rural village to share the Gospel. You can help today! 800-ICC-5441
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COMMUNITY REBUILD
Assisting the Victims of ISIS in Iraq
ICC staffers assist in the delivery of aid (baby food) in Iraq (mid August) to the victims of ISIS.
The advance of ISIS militants in Iraq sent tens of thousands of Christians fleeing from their homes with little more than what they could carry. They have gathered in hastily assembled tent cities around Erbil. In desperate need, we sent out an emergency appeal so we could purchase, food, water, blankets, mattresses, tents, baby food, and other practical needs. ICC’s donors responded to this urgent need by giving $150,000+ for their relief. Our regional manager and our advocacy manager went into Erbil in mid August to work with our local church partners in the distribution. As of printing, we have just started to deliver $150,000+ in aid to these desperate believers.
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Biggest Need!! By far, ICC’s biggest financial need is for funds to be donated to “Where Most Needed” and “Community Rebuild.” If you could provide an extra gift this month and direct it to either fund, it would be of immense help.
WHERE MOST NEEDED
KIDS CARE
UNDERGROUND PASTORS
FUND BALANCE: LOW
FUND BALANCE: HIGH
FUND BALANCE: MEDIUM
SUFFERING WIVES & CHILDREN
COMMUNITY REBUILD
BIBLES TO THE PERSECUTED
FUND BALANCE: HIGH
FUND BALANCE: LOW
FUND BALANCE: MEDIUM
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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 OR BY PHONE 800-ICC-5441
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.
DONATE TO ICC VIA YOUR WORK
#10988 Federal employees can give to ICC through CFC. CFC allows you to donate to ICC by making a pledge during the campaign season from Sept. to Dec. Donations are taken through payroll donation.
Enter #10988 on the pledge form at your place of work.
International Christian Concern (ICC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) (all donations tax-deductible). ICC makes every effort to honor donor wishes in regards to gifts. Occasionally, situations arise where a project is no longer viable. ICC will then redirect those donated funds to the fund most similar to the donor’s original wishes. ICC uses seven percent of each restricted donation to carry out the mission of its segregated funds. © Copyright 2014 ICC, Washington, D.C., USA. All rights reserved. Permission to reproduce all or part of this publication is granted provided attribution is given to ICC as the source.
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