Persecution Blog

Call for Mercy for Asia Bibi

A few days ago our Be-A-Voice-Network sent out an email update about Asia Bibi and I wanted to share it with you in case you are not yet a member of our Be-A-Voice-Network.  Signing up for the Be-A-Voice-Network is very easy, please click here and sign up today.

We always give thanks for you in our prayers for your efforts on behalf of our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world.

Many of you are aware of the plight of Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian wife and mother, who was convicted under Pakistan's blasphemy law and sentenced to death. She has appealed her sentence and remains in prison awaiting the Lahore High Court's ruling.

Asia was arrested after a confrontation with her Muslim co-workers, who later accused Asia of blaspheming Islam's prophet, Mohammed. The blasphemy law has been widely abused by Muslims to punish Christians in Pakistan.

More than 150,000 Pakistani Christians signed a petition calling for Asia Bibi's release from prison. Now you can join with The Voice of the Martyrs and our Pakistani brothers and sisters in this call for mercy. Our goal is to gather one million signatures on behalf of our sister Asia.

In November 2012, the names gathered since our last delivery will be delivered to the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, D.C. We are also encouraging our contacts around the world to work through the Pakistani Embassy in their particular country to emphasize the point that people around the world are watching this case.

We have acquired over 600,000 signatures since the campaign began in July 2011. With your help we can reach our goal of one million signatures. Please sign the petition and encourage your friends to do the same at www.CallforMercy.com.

Thank you for standing with Asia Bibi and other persecuted Christians in Pakistan. Your involvement makes a difference!

On behalf of the Persecuted Church,

VOM Staff

Pray, Write and Sign in Support of Asia Bibi

Today I want to remind you to pray for our sister, Asia Bibi, who is still in prison for her faith in Jesus Christ.

Last month we gave you an update and told you that she was feeling better than she was in April, and that she had some food and clothes given to her from a group that came to support her.

Please also take a moment to sign the Call for Mercy petition, in support of Asia and help us reach one million signatures for her.

Will you also add to your prayers, a letter to Asia so that she knows you're praying for her.  These letters also serve as a witness to those who are in touch with her in the government because they remind them that people have not forgotten Asia.  Click here to write your letter today.

 

Update on Asia Bibi & Please Sign the Call for Mercy Petition

If you are a member of our Be-A-Voice-Network  than you may have already received our latest notice about Asia Bibi, but in the event you are not a member, I wanted to share with you part of the email that was sent.

In June, we received the latest update fromAshiq.  Here's what he said:

In June, Ashiq reported that Asia was feeling better. She said another group had brought her some food and clothes, and she was thankful for them and for all her prayer supporters.

This is good news, because in April, Asia was feeling very discouraged.  Please pray for Asia Bibi and add her to your prayer list so you can pray for her often.  If you have not yet signed our Call for Mercy petition for Asia, we are still wanting to reach one million signatures and we still have close to 400,000 more signatures to reach that goal.  Click here to sign now!

We would also like to ask you to write Asia a letter of encouragement using our Prisoner Alert page.  Click here to write Asia and then share with others how they can also write her a letter.

Sign the Call for Mercy Petition for Asia Bibi & Send Asia A Letter of Support

Today I wanted to remind you that we are still working towards getting ONE MILLION signatures in support of Asia Bibi who has received a death sentence and been charged with blasphemy in Pakistan.

We are so blessed to have over 613,000 people who have already joined the Call for Mercy for Asia.  Will you join them if you haven't signed the petition yet?  Click here to sign the petition and learn more.

We would also like you to consider writing a letter to Asia Bibi using our Prisoner Alert page.

Over 13,000 encouraging letters have already been written to Asia and it would be wonderful if we could increase that number to 25,000 so that those in Pakistan know that we have not forgotten our sister who is in chains.  Please click here to write your letter of support today.

Over 612, 000 Have Signed the Call for Mercy Petition for Asia Bibi, Have You?

Dear Friends:

We always give thanks for you in our prayers because of your efforts on behalf of our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world.

Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian wife and mother, was arrested in June 2009, after Muslim co-workers accused her of insulting the prophet Muhammad. In November 2010, Asia was convicted under Pakistan's blasphemy law and sentenced to death. She has appealed her sentence and remains in prison awaiting the Lahore High Court's ruling.

Last year, Pakistani Christians started a petition demanding justice for persecution victims, including Asia Bibi. Please join The Voice of the Martyrs and our Pakistani brothers and sisters in the Call for Mercy petition campaign. We hope to gather 1 million signatures on behalf of our sister Asia, asking that she be allowed to return to her husband and daughters, and allowed to continue her life.

The petitions will continue to be delivered to the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, D.C., and we are encouraging our contacts around the world to work through the Pakistani Embassy in their particular countries to emphasize that people around the world are watching this case.

We have collected more than 600,000 signatures since the campaign began in July 2011, and with your help we can reach our goal of 1 million signatures. Please sign the petition and encourage your friends to do the same at www.CallforMercy.com.

Thank you for standing with Asia Bibi and other persecuted Christians in Pakistan. Your involvement makes a difference!

In God's service,

VOM Staff

Asia Bibi's Daughters Praying for Asia's Supporters

As many of you know, Asia Bibi is still in prison awaiting a death sentence in Pakistan because she confesses Jesus as Lord.

A number of months ago The Voice of the Martyrs set up a petition drive in order to gather one million signatures that show we support Asia while she is in prison, and also let the government in Pakistan know that the world is watching how they are treating our Christian sister.

At the time of this writing, Asia Bibi has had 13,093 letters written to her and I'd like to ask you all to take some time and write Asia again, or for the first time if you haven't yet written to her.  All you have to do is click here and use our Prisoner Alert page.

We also need more people to sign our Call for Mercy petition which is simply asking people to sign the petition, which represents a call for mercy for Asia Bibi.

Todd Nettleton shared on a recent interview he did with Janet Parshall on her radio program, that Asia is doing well while still in prison, and that her daughters are praying and thanking God for all of the people who have supported Asia and prayed for her. 

Please continue your prayers for Asia Bibi and her husband and children.  Their situation is being watched by the whole international community.  Please pray for the girls comfort and for the husband's work situation and comfort, as well as for Asia's deliverance.

Group Urges UN Action to Free Pakistani Christian

The cry for mercy for our sister in Pakistan, Asia Bibi, who has been in prison since 2009, has now been presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

CBN News is reporting that, “Fifty human rights activists from around the world are calling on Pakistan to free Asia Bibi, an imprisoned Christian mother sentenced to death for blasphemy.”

French journalist Anne-Isabelle Tollet is among those seeking justice for Bibi.

“Asia Bibi is innocent, but the Paksitani government does nothing in fear of reprisal,” Tollet explained. “By refusing to act and to impose reforms, the Pakistani government becomes the accomplice for the fundamentalists.”

Will you help us spread the word about The Voice of the Martyrs Call for Mercy petition that we have set up in order to reach one million signatures which represent one million people calling for mercy towards Asia Bibi?

Last year we did a video contest which helped propel the message of mercy for Asia. Please share this video and direct your friends and family who haven't yet signed the petition to CALL FOR MERCY.COM

We have just passed 601,000 signatures and are past our half way mark. Please spread the word!

Over 600,000 People Have Made a Call for Mercy for Asia Bibi

Today we are rejoicing that our Call for Mercy petition for Asia Bibi has just topped 600,000 signatures!

Our goal is to reach ONE MILLION signatures, so we have many more to go and we would love it if you helped us to spread the word about what is happening with Asia Bibi, our dear sister who is still in prison - awaiting a death sentence, simply for being a follower of Jesus Christ.

Please take a moment to sign this free petition today if you haven't yet and will you then tell some of your friends and keep spreading the word.  Click here to sign A Call for Mercy Petition.

Please also pray for Asia Bibi's situation.  Here are a few prayer points:

1.  Pray for Asia Bibi as she serves the Lord in prison.  Pray for her to be a bold and strong witness for Jesus and for her protection.

2. Pray for Asia Bibi's husband and children.  Pray for their protection and comfort.

3. Pray for the government of Pakistan and those who are making the decisions about her life.  Pray for their salvation and for mercy to come to Asia Bibi.

VOM-USA Prayer Update for March 2, 2012

This week we have some praises and prayer requests that you can share easily with your friends, family and church members.  We rejoice that Li Ying has been set free from her prison sentence and we pray for God's hand of blessing to be on her.  We also pray for Pastor Youcef, Asia Bibi, Gao and others who remain in prison.

Thank you all for caring enough to pray for the following requests.

China--Li Ying Released from Prison

Sources: VOM Sources, China Aid Association

Philemon 1:3-5

Christian activist and journalist Li Ying was released from prison in China on Dec. 25, 2011, just three years shy of completing a 15-year sentence she received because of her work on an underground Christian magazine. Li was arrested in April 2001 along with 16 others from the South China Church. China Aid Association founder and president Bob Fu spoke with Li on Friday, Feb. 10. Li is very grateful for the support she received from around the world. She told Fu that she was aware of the many letters she had received but that authorities never let her see the letters. Li reiterated her thanks to her worldwide supporters. Continue to pray for Li Ying, who is under police surveillance and has been told not to leave her village.

Israel--Jerusalem Church Vandalized
Sources: VOM Contacts, Ynet.com, Haaretz.com

Matthew 5:39

A Jerusalem church was vandalized last week in the most recent in a series of attacks targeting both Christians and Muslims. On Monday, Feb. 20, vandals spray-painted "Death to Christianity" and "Price tag" on the wall of the west Jerusalem Baptist Narkis Street Congregation church. The graffiti also included profanity about Jesus. In addition, vandals slashed the tires of several vehicles parked in the church compound. "Price tag" attacks are carried out all over Israel by Jewish extremists. The term is used to suggest that vandalism is the "price" that must be paid by non-Jews for the evacuation and demolition of Jewish settlements. Police think the recent vandalism was carried out by a lone individual rather than an organized group. When asked about the attack, a VOM contact in Israel said, "Jesus told us persecution would happen, and he told us to forgive when it does happen."

Indonesia--President Fails to Enforce Ruling in Church's Favor
Source: Compass Direct News

John 16:33

Indonesia's president has declined to enforce a Supreme Court ruling that the Yasmin Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) be allowed to worship in its building. The Bogor City church has been battling with city officials over the use of its property since 2008. In December 2010, the Supreme Court ordered that the church's building permit be reinstated, but the Bogor mayor has refused to comply. Despite the court rulings, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Feb. 13, 2012, that he was handing the matter back to the Bogor municipal government and the Ministry of Religion. The church had been meeting outdoors on the frontage property between the church building and the road, but city officials recently forbade them from meeting there. Since then, the church and its supporters have met three times in front of the National Palace.

The Bird that God Has Sent to Asia Bibi

Yesterday Todd Nettleton appeared on In the Market with Janet Parshall to give his monthly update about the persecuted church and during his discussion with Janet, Todd emotionally shared the latest update concerning Asia Bibi and the blessing she has received from God while in prison. Click here to listen to this riveting interview.

Tom White,  Executive Director of The Voice of the Martyrs shares more in this letter he's written about Asia.  Enjoy, and please pray for Asia Bibi.

“The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening ...” (1 Kings 17:6a).

 

Dear Friend,

Do you remember the story of Elijah being fed by the ravens? Asia Bibi, a Christian wife and mother imprisoned in Pakistan, has received hope and encouragement in a similar way. Asia has remained in jail since her arrest on blasphemy charges in June 2009. A Pakistani court found her guilty of blasphemy in June 2010 and sentenced her to death. But God has not forgotten her!

 Asia shared this story with a VOM contact who recently visited her in prison:

 

There is a beautiful thing that happens every day in my cell. Two days after they announced my death penalty, I was brought into [death row]. Every morning around 3:30 or 4, a brown bird with a long beak appears and sits on the boundary wall. This bird also comes every evening around 5. He sits there for 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening. Later on he became my friend. I talk to him and he also talks to me.

 

As I watched this bird every day, I tried to understand the meaning of him coming day after day. I think this is a messenger from God giving me His message. When the bird comes, I feel encouraged and peaceful. I feel comforted after his visit. I think this is a very significant sign from God.

 Asia also reported that she spends much of her time in prayer, including prayer for those around the world who pray for her and speak out on her behalf.

 The Voice of the Martyrs provides financial assistance to Asia's family through our Families of Prisoners fund. We invite you to make a special contribution to this fund, which enables VOM to help the families of imprisoned Christians, families like Asia Bibi’s. To learn more, visit http://etools.vomusa.org/a/vomso/bg_vomso_wdbm-20120207-FOP_443.html .

 Please support the families of Christians imprisoned for their faith around the world, and please continue to pray for Asia Bibi as well as her husband, Ashiq, and daughters. And if you have not signed the online petition asking for Asia's release, please sign now at www.CallForMercy.com. To support the families of prisoners, visit http://etools.vomusa.org/a/vomso/bg_vomso_wdbm-20120207-FOP_443.html .

For those in bonds,

 

Tom White

Executive Director