Persecution Blog

Persecution Blog Carnival

Beginning this Friday I have decided to start a Persecution Blog Carnival, and I would like you all to participate.

Here's what you need to do in order to participate.

Email me, Stacy Harp, by Thursday night at [email protected] with the subject line reading PERSECUTION BLOG CARNIVAL.

Include in your email the title of your entry, the url that links to your post and a short one line description of your entry.  That's it! 

Remember all posts should have something to do with Christian persecution. :)

On Friday I will post all of the entries we get and together we will all grow in our love and service concerning the persecuted church.

I can't wait to read what you all are saying and spreading the word!

Same Sex Marriage & Prayer

The following prayer request is from The Voice of the Martyr's Canada weekly prayer alert.  This particular alert is different in that it focuses on a bill in Alberta that has do to with same sex marriage, and the right to deny same sex marriage to those who want it.  This bill would also protect students and teachers who believe that homosexuality and gay marriage is wrong.  Please read about the situation and join me in praying that this bill will pass, after it's finished being held up by the liberals who support it.

Alberta Bill on Same-Sex Marriage Delayed

A private-members bill died on May 9 as time ran out in the present sitting of the provincial legislature of Alberta. The bill centred on two areas of concern. It would have given marriage commissioners the right to refuse to perform same-sex marriages if it violated their beliefs. It also would have given students the right to opt out of class lessons on same-sex issues and protected teachers from being forced to teach gay literature. To view the proposed bill, go to http://www.persecution.net/news/canada19.pdf.

Speaking to CHQR news (a Calgary radio station), Foothills-Rocky View MLA Ted Morton, blamed the delay on filibustering by the opposition parties and vowed to reintroduce the bill when the legislature resumes after its summer break.

Pray that this bill will be reintroduced and passed in the next sitting of the Alberta legislature and that it will set a precedent for the rest of the country.

Pray for Police Persecutors

In this weeks Prayer Alert from The Voice of the Martyr's Canada office we read about how the police are charging Christians in India.  Please read the following and then join me in praying for all of those involved in this situation.

Police Plant Evidence to Charge Christian in India

Police in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh state appear to have collaborated with Hindu militants in order to bring charges of forcible conversion against a Christian social worker, according to a May 4 report from Compass Direct. Sunil Kumar Rao, a social worker for the Child Labour Project in the Gwarighat and Jilhari villages of Jabalpur, was teaching a class of twenty children when police interrupted his lesson, looking for evidence that he was attempting to convert the children to Christianity. When nothing was found to confirm the accusation, Rao was taken to the police station. In front of media and some of his accusers, police then pulled literature from his bag that was not initially there. After giving his statement, Rao was released on bail.

Returning Good for Evil

In today's Extreme Devotion we see the love of Christ displayed through the actions of a loving pastor and his wife.

The Romanian pastor and his wife had hidden Soviet soldiers during the Nazi occupation of their country. Now it was Nazi soldiers who needed refuge.

Three German officers hid in the little building behind their house. The pastor’s wife sneaked them food and emptied their waste buckets at night. As a Jew, she felt hatred for their actions—they had murdered her entire family. But as a Christian, she felt compelled to aid the refugees and offer them physical and spiritual support.

The show of favor intrigued the captain: “I wonder why a Jewess should risk her life for a German soldier? I do not like Jews, and I do not fear God. I must tell you that when the German army recaptures Bucharest, and it surely will, I will never return the favor to you.”

The pastor’s wife was undaunted by his cold heart. She continued preaching to him, “Even the worst crimes are forgiven by faith in Jesus Christ. I have no authority to forgive, but Jesus does, if you repent.” The officer replied, “I won’t say I understand you. But perhaps if more people had this gift of returning good for evil, then there would be less killing.”

The officers soon escaped to Germany, still unrepentant. But the pastor and his wife had done their part in showing them the true meaning of Christianity.

Jesus shared a parable about a farmer who sowed seeds in different types of soil, producing different results. In his story, the seed is the Word of God. Like birds who gobble up the trampled seeds outside a garden, the devil wants to take God’s Word away from those who hear it. In contrast, those who represent good soil receive God’s Word and respond. Whenever we share the gospel with others, we don’t know what type of “soil” is in their hearts. We can’t be responsible for their response, positive or negative. Are you discouraged because someone did not respond to the gospel? You have done your part. Now let God do his.

Spreading the Seeds of Freedom

Senator Rick Santorum has a column today over at Townhall.com that I think is worthy of reading. Here are a few snippets from his article titled Spreading the Seeds of Freedom.

In nations like China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, state-sponsored religious persecution often infects other areas of civil society and stifles other personal freedoms. The case of Hao Wu in China demonstrates this reality.

On February 22nd, the Chinese government arrested Mr. Wu, a filmmaker who, after spending twelve years in the U.S. -- including a few years in my state as a legal permanent resident -- recently returned to his native China to create a documentary on the underground church movement. Although Chinese officials have not given any explanation for his detainment, it seems clear from his ongoing detention that his film project was an irritant to the Chinese government, the same government the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recently recommended be kept on the State Department’s list of "Countries of Particular Concern" (CPCs): nations whose human rights records are particularly execrable and warrant particular attention.

Keep reading...

VIETNAM: Christians Persevere Despite Being Attacked and Displaced by Police

One of the things that I am constantly reminded of is Christians in other nations who persevere under violent persecution. Matthew 5:10 says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. I wonder if these Christians remember this promise when they are being attacked and injured, as in the case with some Christians in Vietnam who were recently violently forced by the police to leave their homes!

There were 16 Christian families who moved to Tong Trai of Muong Nhe which is near Vietnam's northwestern border who were pushed out by the police. The attack critically injured nine, leaving one Christian man (Zang Hu Chang) unconscious for half an hour. Unbelievable!

Despite the fact that Christians are not allowed to live in this area of Dien Bien province, leaving them with no place to live, God continues to shine His light through devoted believers here. Within the same province in Muong Toong district, four Christian families were persecuted for their faith by police in February. After destroying their houses, police confiscated all their possessions, leaving each family in dire need of housing and clothing.

Isn't this sad? I think so, and I really want to ask you to pray for these saints in Vietnam. These precious ones continue to stand firm despite the evil authority they live under.

Trouble for Your Body or Trouble for Your Soul?

In the devotion for today from the book Extreme Devotion you'll see a contrast in behavior that at one time or another all Christians face themselves with.  What you may choose from may not be as extreme, but nevertheless you still have to decide.

Secret Soviet police documents show that in Butovo, a suburb of Moscow, forty-four thousand people were shot in groups of two hundred and buried secretly. One night during the slaughter, Claudia Vasilevna opened her door to a haggard woman who was supposed to be shot for her Christian faith but managed to escape. She begged Claudia to hide her.

Fearful, Claudia refused. She closed the door and left the woman outside, sealing the woman’s death sentence. For over fifty years, Claudia has struggled to forget the image of the woman.

In contrast to Claudia’s struggle, Romanian church members enjoyed peace in their hearts by helping two Germans soldiers who had escaped en route to a Soviet jail. They sought refuge in the church of Pastor Richard Wurmbrand. At the end of World War II, Romania was ruled by harsh Nazi Germany. As Germany was losing the war, the Russian army entered Romania and began taking Germans as prisoners of war. Hiding or helping a German was punishable by death.

The soldiers still wore the German uniforms and were candidates for death. The church families agreed to help protect them because it was not their place to judge but to help every person in mortal danger. They also reached out to German children during this time, knowing that they were only doing what Christ would do in their place.

Christians often have to choose between trouble for their bodies and trouble for their souls. It’s the difference between earthly trouble and eternal regret. Extreme Christians live in such contrast with the rest of the world that sometimes it is hard to relate. Their circumstances are often so extreme. Even within our comparably ordinary circumstances we may face decisions that require extraordinary courage. Will we choose earthly security over eternal significance? Will we take an earthly risk that may result in a spiritual gain? When you are faced with situations that require courage beyond your means, ask God for help. He will provide the wisdom you need at the right time to make the right decision.

SUDAN: VOMedical Delivers Mother and Child From Death

This is a breaking news story directly from The Voice of the Martyr's.

May 4, 2006

Traveling on foot for three days, a laboring mother from an area of Chad where civil war has removed all missionaries finally made it to the Primary Health Care Center (PHCC) of Lohutok, South Sudan. Because of the late stage of her pregnancy and the position of the baby in her womb, surgery was needed to save both mother and unborn child after their grueling journey. However, surgical procedures had not been performed in Lohutok for more than 45 years, due in part to the civil war, during which Government of Sudan (GOS) planes dropped 50 bombs on the village.

A VOMedical team, including international director, Dr. Bert, arrived two days after the mother’s amniotic sack ruptured. The Voice of the Martyrs has been supplying Lohutok with medications, medical supplies and equipment for some time and visited the village in January 2006, primarily to evaluate the medical work and assess the condition of newly donated medical equipment. Team members had not planned to perform any surgeries in the village. Because the baby was in the breech position and very large, a Caesarian section operation had to take place immediately, or mother and child would both die. Thankfully, a German midwife at the center found some basic surgical instruments, and Dr. Bert had an anesthetic with him that he had planned to use at his next stop. The unanticipated surgery quickly got under way. Even though there were complications with the uterus and placenta, calling for a hysterectomy, the operation was successful.

Although Dr. Bert’s patient was unable to produce much milk for the baby because of her stress and dehydration, a missionary nurse from Corpus Christi, Texas, encouraged her to keep trying to nurse and fed the baby milk through a syringe. The appreciative mother named her daughter “Deborah,” after this kind and caring nurse. In the photo, both mother and child can be seen. Baby Deborah was weak at delivery but is now strong. The two are tangible proof God is working through VOMedical.

Dr. Bert and his team performed seven other operations in Lohutok, along with seeing many non-surgical patients. Loaded with equipment, they hiked over a mountain to a nearby village and saw another 100 patients before bringing a pregnant leprosy patient back to deliver at the hospital. At their next stop in Padak, they operated on 18 patients, including 12-year-old Abraham, who received an above-the-knee amputation. For 10 years, VOM has continued to assist in meeting the needs of Christians in Sudan.

National Day of Prayer

Tomorrow, May 4th, is the National Day of Prayer, and so I thought I would share with you a number of prayer requests we have for the persecuted church.  Please take some time tomorrow and daily to remember these precious ones in your thoughts, prayers and all the activities you do with other Christians.  Talk about these requests and ask others to pray with you.

From The Voice of the Martyr's USA  prayer alert this week.

(Courtesy of Compass Direct)INDONESIA

On April 9th, a Muslim community group called Majlis Taklim entered the premises of a Christian social institution in West Java, Indonesia, demanding its closure for the fifth time this year. The Apostolic Nation Building Foundation (ABB) operates from a residential building in West Bekasi district, West Java. Around 70 Majlis Taklim members came to the ABB headquarters on April 9th, and told the foundation to cease all activities, accusing them of running an illegal church and trying to "Christianize" the community. The staff immediately called the police who arrived and monitored the situation. There was no violence. Majlis Taklim coordinator, Radesman Saragih, said church members should take the warning seriously or be prepared to face unspecified negative consequences.

Pray members of the ABB will stand firm in their faith and their witness of Jesus' love for His enemies. Pray the calm responses to the demands for closing this institution will convince Muslims that Christians are not harming anyone. Give thanks to God there has been no violence in these confrontations.

(Compass Direct) NIGERIA
The latest attack on the Rt. Rev. Ali Buba Lamido, 47-year-old Anglican Bishop of Wusasa diocese in Kaduna state, began as the past year's previous three did: armed men, whom he believes were Muslim militants, asked the guards at his home where he was, announcing they were going to kill him. This time, on March 10th, a guest of one of his guards was shot dead. The guard and another worker were seriously injured. The four attacks on his house since April 2005, have involved no attempted robbery. "It is difficult to believe it was not religiously motivated, because some bishops have been attacked and one priest was murdered in a similar way," he said. "And the killers never stole anything from their houses."

Pray God will continue to protect Bishop Lamido. Pray he will have the forgiving spirit of Christ toward the attackers and will encourage the Christian community to pray for their enemies. Pray the Holy Spirit will overcome the spirit of violence controlling the Muslims in Nigeria.

Todd Nettleton On JPA

Earlier today Todd Nettleton the Director of News Service for The Voice of the Martyrs, appeared on Janet Parshall's America to talk about the most recent news concerning the persecution of Christians in the world.

If you would like to hear the interview, please visit WAVA, and click on Janet's archives.  The interview was in the first hour.