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
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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.” 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 opportunity to suffer for Christ.
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.
“Now, we will settle the matter of your teaching,” she 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 Since this meeting, the Christians have met together for their immediate arrest. 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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