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Subject: Persecution report for October, 22, 2002.

Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 21:46:29 -0700

From: "Bruce Atchison." <ve6xtc@telusplanet.net>

To: <thilts@help-for-you.com>

Mission Network News relays these reports of believers being persecuted.

Congo—Kinshasa:

Mission station attacked.

Rebel violence has again touched a mission organization. Africa Inland Mission’s U-S Director Ted Barnett says their mission station in Nyankunde (nee-ahn-KOON-dee) was attacked. "There was about 7,000 Ngiti tribal people came and attack. Apparently there was a tremendous blood bath there leaving the homes and shops and offices and medical facilities looted and destroyed. But, even worse than that, many innocent men, women and children were shot and killed." While most of the foreign workers have been airlifted out of the region, Barnett says the national church is reaching out. But, they need assistance. "We’d like to make an appeal to the public to send some gift to AIM’s crisis fund. There’s desperate need for supplies, medical supplies, for food for shelter."

India:

Conversions continue in spite of anti-conversion law.

India’s Tamil Nadu State recently passed a controversial anti-conversion ordinance. Dave DeGroot is with Mission India of Grand Rapids, Michigan. He says as the dust settles, other religious groups are realizing the implications this law has for them, as well, adding: "We find that on the ground, in practice, once the furore dies down,conversions continue in the anti-conversion States. Christians find ways to continue, and this does not at all mean that this ordinance is going to stop the conversions. In fact, it’s almost the opposite in States like Orissa." DeGroot says no matter what the outcome, the issue needs the strength of prayer. "We’re very concerned. We have a large number,thousands of volunteers connected to us in India. They’re very concerned,but, after several years of persecution rising throughout India, they’re also realistic enough to know that they’ll probably be able to continue." Operation Mobilization’s Peter Dance says not only will this ordinance affect evangelism, but also most humanitarian efforts. "They also put a thing in there called, ‘by force, allurement, or fraudulent means.’ Christians teaching children, they would consider that an allurement. Even Christian hospitals. Adult training. So, that will put all of our people on the wrong site of the law." Dance says Christians need to be concerned about this unconstitutional law and pray. "I don’t think it’s going to end all Christian ministry in India and I think this will be fought in the courts, but I think it’s going to be a difficult battle. It’s not going to end by the end of next week, it’s going to go on for years to come."

Indonesia:

Security crackdown interrupts missions work.

Indonesia’s leaders are facing increasing international pressure to combat terrorism. Between the government response and the ensuing crackdown, the Laskar Jihad abruptly disbanded. Walk Through The Bible’s Terry Sparks says because of the security issues though, some of their work was interrupted. "We’re monitoring the situation on a daily basis. And, rather than sending people into Indonesia at this time, we’re thinking that it might be advisable to bring the leaders from Indonesia out." Sparks continues that their workers are not intimidated, but adds that this is a dangerous time for Christians in Indonesia. "We need to pray for our people who are in-country to be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. In other words, they don’t want to give up their Christian witness, but at the same time, they don’t want to unnecessarily draw attention to themselves, so they’re in a real difficult spot."

Ivory Coast:

Instability hampers missions work.

Rebels in the Ivory Coast dealt a blow to West African peace when they pulled out of talks this week. Despite the threat of continued war, The SEED Company’s Parke Brown says their teams are undaunted. "We do have projects up in the northern part of the country that the rebels are in control of right now. Things are still progressing. We still have people who are doing translation training in the Ivory Coast, and we still have full translation projects currently running in both countries." Brown says their project is located outside of the main trouble area, but they still are requesting prayer not only for their teams, but also for the talks." So, we’re optimistic that whatever the result of this fighting, and the possible peace that might come, soon, we hope, that God would continue to bring about His work of Bible translation, despite any of the other obstacles that are going on right now." The SEED Company is a member of the Wycliffe family of organizations, dedicated to empowering nationals to translate Scripture.

Indonesia:

Bombing causes Christians to be cautious.

Terrorists linked to the Al-Qaida are being blamed for a deadly bomb attack over the weekend. Some think that activity may increase in the days ahead,according to Terry Madison, president of Open Doors USA . "Just imagine what it’s like for the believers in Indonesia trying to take care of those who have been set upon by the Jihad warriors; again, I think,part of this same Al-Qaida and other guerilla force activity. This again is part of this whole ferment of both political and religious hatred." Madison says their workers are much more cautious now. "The believers in Pakistan, in Indonesia now, and] other places of the world, are increasingly on edge, realizing that there are forces at work that would seek to further, if not hamper and hinder their worship of the Lord, would actually seek to do bodily harm to them."

Please check http://www.mnnonline org for missions news and a weekday audio program.

The Voice Of The Martyrs reports this persecution incident.

Egypt:

Missing convert in prison.

A letter smuggled out of Cairo’s Mazraa Tora Prison last month confirmed that an Egyptian convert to Christianity who disappeared five months ago has been imprisoned on alleged criminal charges. In an October 15 news release, Compass Direct reported on a handwritten letter they obtained from Hisham Samir Abdel Latif Ibrahim, 26. In the letter, Ibrahim wrote to a Coptic Christian cleric, confirming that he had been arrested in early May by Egyptian security police. He is accused of reviling Islam and of falsifying his identity papers by obtaining Christian ID papers based on a newly issued birth certificate. Egyptian Muslims are forbidden by law to change their religious identity, even though incentives are given for Christians to convert to Islam. Following his arrest, he writes, Ibrahim was questioned for 52 days by the state security investigation (SSI) in Cairo and has appeared three times before a state prosecutor. The legal charges against him were filed under Case No. 1092, opened in 2001.Ibrahim was born in Alexandria to a Muslim family but became a Christian in 1996 through a Christian radio program "Yanabi El Sahara" (Fountains in the Desert).In his letter, Ibrahim refers to two other former Muslims who are in prison for converting to Christianity. A fellow prisoner, Mazraa Tora Mohammed Hegazy from Port Said, is accused of insulting an officer of Egyptian security police and was scheduled to appear September 18 before a state prosecutor to answer the charges. Ibrahim’s prosecutor also reportedly told him of a woman from Port Said named Sara, who had been arrested. "I don’t know if she is still detained or not," Ibrahim wrote.

Please go to http://www.persecution.net to learn about what can be done to help persecuted Christians worldwide.

Freedom Quest International released the following news bulletins.

Iran:

Death sentence ordered for 3 evangelists.

Iranian Muslim clerics have just called for three American preachers: Rev Franklin Graham, Rev Pat Robertson, and Rev Jerry Falwell to be killed, for statements which these men have made against Islam. Freedom Quest International condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the issuing of all fatwas which call for death for people who express personal convictions and opinions. These include the fatwas against Salmon Rushdie, the three men cited above, as well as Kola Boof (the woman who was condemned to be beheaded recently by the Islamic court in the UK at the request of a Sudanese diplomat and Sudanese spiritual leader Hassan Turabi).

Details on this story can be found at:

http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=12

Please go to freedom-quest.ca to learn about the genocidal war against the south Sudanese by it’s Muslim government.

   

email: ve6xtc@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca