open doors publication

8/12/2019 Open Doors Publication

1/20


2/20


3/20

The picture on the front of this

months magazine makes me

think of that good old chorus,

Give me oil in my lamp, keep me

burning. It was the first Christian

song I learned, but I sang it for

years before I ever really asked

myself what it meant. What was

this oil? And where did it come

from?Theres been a lot of talk

about oil in the news lately,

with the much vexed issue of

fracking, a process that squeezes

energy out of the bowels of the

earth. And funnily enough, Ive

been talking a lot about that at

Christian festivals this summer!

Thats because the Greek word for

compassion splagchnizomai

literally means being moved fromones bowels, considered years

ago to be the seat of love and pity.

I would describe it as a deep

angst from God that energises us

with His burdens and concerns,

an energy or oil that we

access through prayer. Prayer

isnt a place of passivity its

actioncentric. It has to be: when

we find out what breaks Gods

heart, we cant just sit back and

do nothing. His compassion is

an energy that compels us not

just to feel deeply but to respond

practically. Flame, light, heat

its all one. The same as praying,

giving, doing its all one.

So Ive been taking a pair of

shoes with me to the summer

festivals, to get that message

across. They were sent to me bya pastor in Orissa whod seen his

father macheted to death. His

letter asked me to put myself in

his shoes and walk with him: to

pray for him and tell his story

which Ive done. And Im so

glad to hear that his church has

grown, because people have seen

an authentic light that cannot be

put out.

That is my prayer for

Christians in Syria, too: that

the inextinguishable blaze we

sing about in Charles Wesleys

wonderful hymn, will burnbrightly in their lives, to the glory

of God. Over the last few weeks, I

have seen an outpouring of Gods

gut-wrenching love at each festival

as hearts have been stirred and

voices raised in prayer. Like the

Olympic torch, a flame has been

passed from one to another. Could

you take the torch to your church

this autumn for the International

Day of Prayer?On behalf of our brothers and

sisters, I implore you to draw on

the depths of Gods compassion

and bring His light and warmth

to our world. Join the momentum

of prayer this autumn with Night

Lights for Syria, encourage

your friends to sign the Save

Syriapetition, support the secret

children of persecuted Christians

with His oil to keep you burning.

Flame, light, heat its all one.

Eddie Lyle

CEO Open Doors UK and Ireland

O Thou whocamest fromabove,The pure

celestial fireto impart;Kindle a flameof sacred loveUpon the

mean altar ofmy heart.

4

9

18

14

World Watch News

The Sons and

Daughters of SyriaStrength to remain

Secret ChildrenHow your support

is changing lives

ColombiaFrom drug trafficker

to Bible smuggler

3

Eddie-Torial:OilThe

COVER STORY

CONTENTS

Charles Wesley


4/20

Pastor Samuel Lamb, one of the

most well-known Christian leaders

in China, died on 3 August in

Guangzhou, aged 88.

Lamb was arrested and

imprisoned during one of the first

big waves of persecution in Maos

China, when estimates put the

number of Christians in the countryat a few million. Between 1955 and

1978 he spent over 20 years in labour

camps because of his refusal to

merge his illegal house church into

the Three-Self Patriotic Movement,

the state-regulated Protestant

Church.

He saw his wife for the last time

during the five months that he was

on remand; she died in 1977, a year

before Lambs sentence ended.

After his release, he again took

up his work as a pastor, and was able

to witness the exponential growth of

the Chinese church.

In 1979 he started a house

church in Guangzhou. Attendance

grew quickly and he had to move his

congregation to a bigger buildingin the same city. Today, his urban

house church is still unregistered, but

tolerated by the authorities.

Simultaneously, he became an

example for millions of believers

in China, where there are now

estimated to be about 80 million

Christians.

Suffering played an important

part in many of Lambs sermons.

He was famous for repeating: Morepersecution, more growth a

phrase that referred not only to the

numbers of believers, but also to

spiritual growth.

Lamb saw that China has

changed in the past decades and

that Christians are now given more

freedom. But he still wanted to make

sure that Christians do not take their

new freedom for granted. He always

warned: We must be prepared to

suffer. We must be prepared for

the fact that we may be arrested.

Before I was sent to prison, I already

prepared a bag with some clothes,

shoes and a toothbrush. When I had

to go to the police station, I could

just pick it up. I was ready.

People are still being arrested.You dont know what will happen

tomorrow. Today the authorities

are not bothering us, but tomorrow

things may be different. I pray that

we will receive strength to stand

firm.

In the 1980s, 90s and early 2000s,

Pastor Lamb proved to be a reliable

partner for Open Doors, enabling

many thousands of Chinese believers

to have a Bible for the first time.

Give thanks for the life and

witness of Pastor Lamb

For the continued growth of the

church in China

That the Chinese church will

continue to stand firm in the

truth of the gospel, whether the

future holds greater suffering or

greater freedom.

Open Doors has received reports

that 14 single Christian women

were arrested in July for continuing

religious activities outside of the

Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran and

Muslim religious institutions.

In the first incident, authoritiesarrested nine young female students

at Sawa Academic Centre, a

military training centre near the

Sudanese border. Along with

hundreds of other Eritreans they

face incarceration in metal shipping

containers, overcrowded cells and

dungeons.

Another five women were

arrested in Debarewa, 20 miles south

of Asmara. The women were taken

from their homes after authoritieswere informed that they are

evangelical Christians. It is suspected

that they are being held at a police

station in town.

Eritrean sources believe

these latest arrests followed the

governments recent calls on

National Womens Association

conference attendees to use all

possible means to stop the influence

of evangelicals.

For grace and courage for those

who are in prison

That no more Christian women

will be arrested.

4

NEWS

WORLDWATCH

PRAY

China: Pastor Samuel Lamb dies

ERITREA: Christian women targeted

OPENDOORSmagazineSeptember 2013 | www.opendoorsuk.org

Pastor Lamb spent 22 yearsin prison for his faith

PRAY

*Name changed for security reasons


5/20

We must be prepared to suffer.

EGYPT: Tensions between Christians and Muslims increase

UGANDA: Ongoing battle for Pastor Mulinde

Rising tensions between pro- and

anti-Morsi supporters in the

province of Minya have escalated

following accusations by Morsi

supporters that Christians played

a significant role in the Presidents

removal.

On 2 August, a minor

disagreement between a Christian

and a Muslim in a Christian-owned

coffee shop regarding a new song

dedicated to the armed forces led

to a series of violent clashes duringwhich at least 15 people were hurt,

including three policemen. At least

nine homes and 24 shops owned by

Christians suffered damage in arson

attacks. Numerous trucks, buses

and cars were burnt, and stones

were thrown at a church building.

A number of people have been

arrested in connection with the

incident, with several Christians

charged with contempt of religion

and rioting, and some Muslims

charged with arson. Many

Christians have since left the area.

Many Christians also left the

northern Sinai Peninsula during

July following several serious

attacks on Christians and church

property in the area. In oneincident, a Christian man was

kidnapped and a large ransom

demand passed to his family.

For healing for the injured and

protection for Christians

For the effective rule of law and

order to be re-established

That Christians will continue to

be a light to their nation.

Chinese pastor, Samuel Lamb

5

UPDATE:

Open Doors has received an update

from Pastor Umar Mulinde, who

was blinded in one eye on 24

December 2011, when unknown

assailants threw concentrated acid

into his face as he left a Christmas

Eve service.

Following the attack, Open

Doors paid for Pastor Mulinde to

obtain better medical care outside

of Uganda. He was flown to Israel

where, 18 months later, he continues

to receive specialised medical

treatment for the damage done to

his face and eye.

I have so far

undergone seven

surgeries and have three

more to go, says Pastor

Mulinde. The next

one is scheduled for 28

August. It seems like a

never-ending battle for

me, but I am glad thatI have not let it put me

down.

Pastor Mulinde is

grateful for the help and

support he has received

from Open Doors and

other individuals and organisations.

I thank you so much for all your

prayers and support. Please keep

praying for me. I am trusting God

for a quick recovery, and for the

provision in all the needs of my

family and ministry. For sure, I have

gone through challenging, painful

moments of my life but I really

thank you for quickly coming to

my rescue at my very point of need.

God bless you indeed.

Thank God for Pastor Mulindes

progress so far. Please pray withhim for a quick recovery

Since his relocation to Israel for

treatment, the family has been

split up. Ask the Lord to provide

for their practical and emotional

needs.

PRAY

PRAY

Anti-Morsi crowds proteston the streets of Cairo

Pastor Mulinde is receivingspecialised treatment in Israel


6/206

NEWS

WORLDWATCH

Iran: Christians arrested and imprisoned

Nigeria: At least 12 killed in Kano State

An Iranian convert to Christianity

was convicted and sentenced to ten

years in prison on 31 July.

Mostafa Bordbar, 27, who wasarrested last year, was sentenced

to five years for membership of

an anti-security organisation

and five years for partaking in

gatherings with intent to commit

crimes against Iranian national

security. His

lawyer, Shima

Ghousheh,

said she will

appeal against

the verdict.

Elsewhere

in Iran, on16 July, eight

Christians

were

imprisoned

in Shiraz for

action against

national

security and propaganda against

the system.

Mohammad Roghangir,

Massoud Rezaie, Mehdi Ameruni,Bijan Farokhpour Haghighi, Shahin

Lahooti, Suroush Saraie, Eskandar

Rezaie and Roxana Forughi were

sentenced to between one and six

years in prison. They were arrested

in October last year seven of

them picked up at the same prayer

meeting.

Earlier in July, near the capital,

Tehran, Christian convert Ebrahim

Firouzi (28) was charged with

promoting Christian Zionism. At

his trial in his home town of Robat

Karim, he was also charged withattempting to launch a Christian

website, contact with suspicious

foreigners and running online

church services. He rejected the

charges, saying the allegations were

fabricated by security authorities

and interrogators. His trial

continues.

Source: MEC

For Gods hope and peace to

surround these ten believers

That President Rouhanis

promises to bring reform to Iran

will extend to religious freedom

for Irans Christians.

Police say 12 people are dead

after multiple explosions on the

evening of 29 July that rocked the

Christian Sabon Gari area of Kano

State in northern Nigeria, despite

continuing government efforts to

restore peace. The military Joint

Task Force spokesperson, Captain

Ikedichi Iweha, confirmed the

incident, and said preliminary

investigations are underway.

Chief Michael Tobias Idika,president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo,

a cultural group for southeast

Nigerians living in Kano, issued a

statement saying that several houses

were bombed, as well as the Christ

Salvation Pentecostal Church at

the peak of evening worship. In

contrast to the police confirmation

of 12 fatalities, Ohanaezes account

said they can confirm 39 deaths in

New Road and six in Igbo/Enugu

Road; and also unspecified numbers

of people who got injured.

No group has claimed

responsibility for the 29 July blasts,

but it is widely believed that the

outlawed violent Islamic sect BokoHaram may be responsible for the

attacks.

The International Criminal

Court is now investigating

Boko Haram for crimes against

humanity. ICC Chief Prosecutor,

Fatou Bensouda, said the court

is considering whether the

government has done enough to

prevent the attacks and to bring

the perpetrators to justice. Ayo

Oritsejafor, president of the

Christian Association of Nigeria,

said in a recent speech that Boko

Haram killed Christians at a rate of

100 per month in 2012.

For Gods comfort and healing

for the bereaved and injured

For the attackers to be brought

to justice.


PRAY

PRAY

UPDATE:

??????

Mostafa Bordbar () andEbrahim Firouzi ()


7/20

Ever thought you need a bit more

excitement in your life? Being

a volunteer for Open Doors

can take you on an amazing

adventure, as Trevor Barraclough

discovered last summer. The aim

was to raise funds for the secret

children of the persecuted church

but he didnttake the easy

route. He

decided to lead

a 24-hour non-

stop canoeing

expedition

down the River

Wye!

Trevor

took 20 of his

friends from

his home town,

Dukinfield, to row the 100-mile

stretch in Wales. Before they set

off, Trevor was captured on video

saying, Its a bit dangerous, a bit

extreme, but its really nothing

compared to what happens to our

persecuted brothers and sisters.

The team were aged from 16-67.

Most are Christians, said Trev,some not, but they all wanted

to raise money for orphaned

children who are suffering because

either one or both of their parents

have been killed for their faith in

Jesus. In fact, each of them also

paid 80 for the privilege!

Trevors friend, Mike, who was

also on the team, was clearly ready

for a bit of adventure, too. Its

my first time in a canoe, he said.

I took a trip out to China some

time ago to deliver Bibles, but I

think this is a bit more extreme! Its

a privilege tosupport Open

Doors such

an amazing

charity Im

really looking

forward to it.

In the end,

the intrepid

crew raised

over 2,300 for

the Childrens

Centre in

Colombia, but the adventure didnt

end there. This summer, Trevors

gone to the Centre, to meet some of

the children for himself. Children

like Amanda*, whose life has been

transformed by the actions of

extreme fundraisers and generous

sponsors (see p16).

No doubt, for Trevor, theadventure wont end there, either.

It doesnt matter what we do here,

he says, what matters is the result.

And its a ripple effect: one stone in

the water, one positive action does

wonders and it ripples across.

EXTREME FUNDRAISING:

The ripple effect

Trevor and his 20-strong team ontheir River Wye canoeing adventure

CHILDRENOne positive actionyou could

take for the secret children of the

persecuted church is to sponsor

a Secret Child. For 18 a month,

you can support a child who is

either separated from their parents,

rejected by their community, or

orphaned because of following

Jesus. Your stone in the waterwill mean they receive provision,

protection and a Christian

education throughout their

childhood. Who knows how far the

ripple will spread?

Want a bit of

adventure? You can

raise funds for your

brothers and sisters

in fun and creative

ways, from running

a marathon to

hosting a pizza

party. If you want

to do something a bit more

extreme, there are plenty of

ideas on our website. For posters,

invites, sponsor forms andinformation on how to

raise funds online, go to

www.opendoorsuk.org/

fundraise

FUNDRAISING

SECRET

OPENDOORS

IN ACTIONYOUR SUPPORT

CHANGINGLIVES

Its a bit extreme,but its really nothing

compared to whathappens to our

persecuted brothers

and sisters.

7*Name changed for security reasons


8/20

World Watch

List Ranking

The number of attacks spiked

during the month of Ramadan,

which ran from 9 July to 7 August.

This increase in violence has been

linked to heightened tensions

between Sunni insurgents and the

ruling Shia-led government.

Against this backdrop of

sectarian conflict, attacks against

the Christian minority have

continued. In the same month,

an armed group attacked the

Christian village of Jami Rabatki

in northern Iraq. According toKurdish SBS radio, gunmen in

Kurdish governmental cars drove

through the village, firing shots

into the air in an attempt to scare

the villages, and saying: We are

the authority around here and we

will take what we want. Chief

Zaya B. Khoshaba, the head of the

village, was shot in the head.

No one has so far been arrested

for the attack.The village, which has never

had any Kurdish inhabitants,

has been fending off land grab

attempts since the early 1990s.

More concerning is the fact that

this attack took place in the

northern Kurdish region which,

until recently, has been considered

to be a relatively safe place for

Christians. An Open Doors worker

shared that this could indicate anew emigration of Iraqi Christians:

This is one incident that got into

the news, but I have been assured

that it happens frequently. Lets

hope and pray that attacks against

Christians will stop.

In June, Open Doors received

reports that a number of believers

had been threatened by terrorists

in an attempt to force them out of

the country. One Christian family

in Baghdad found an envelope with

a bullet inside it on the doorstep

of their house a clear warning to

them to leave, as Christians are not

wanted in the area. A number of

Christians in Mosul also received

threatening messages on their

mobile phones, telling them to pay

20,000 or they would be at risk.

There are estimated to bearound 330,000 Christians left

out of the 1.2 million that were in

Iraq at the beginning of the 1990s.

Large numbers have fled abroad

or to the northern Kurdish region,

where they face unemployment and

8

4

Leader:Prime MinisterNouri al-Maliki

Population:33.7 million(330,000 Christians)

Main Religion:Islam

Government:ParliamentarydemocracySource of persecution:Islamic extremism

July 2013 saw the highest monthly death toll in Iraqin five years, with over 1,000 people killed. According

to UN figures, 1,057 people died, of which 928 were

civilians, and a further 2,326 were wounded.

Spotlight on

inadequate schooling, medical care

and housing.

Open Doors has been

working through local partners to

support Christians in Iraq since

the early 1990s, when our focus

was on literature distribution

and community development

projects. Since 2004, Open

Doors has also been active intraining, prayer, reconciliation

and literature distribution in the

emerging Kurdish Church, made

up mostly of believers from a

Muslim background. The severe

persecution leads to large numbers

of traumatised Christians. In

response to this need, Open Doors

also became active in trauma care,

to provide support and appropriate

counselling to church members.

Source: BBC, Open Doors

For protection and

perseverance for Christians

in cities such as Baghdad and

Mosul

That those in authority will rule

with wisdom and justice, and

defend the rights of vulnerable

minority groups

For Open Doors teams serving

children and families affected

by persecution.

PRAY


Iraq

Guard protects a churchin a suburb of Baghdad


9/20

Aleppo, Damascus, Homs, Afrin, Al Hasakah, Al Qamishli, Latakia, Tartus.

War has come to the cities of Syria. And with it division, hatred,

persecution, poverty, fear. Some of these cities are empty: ghost towns.

The streets of Homs are lined with gutted buildings, hollow carcasses ofwhat were once peoples homes. Other places are full to bursting, struggling

to cope with the influx of refugees. Everywhere there is anxiety and

uncertainty over the political situation.

OF SYRIASTRENGTH TO REMAIN

THE SONS ANDDAUGHTERS


10/2010 OPENDOORSmagazineSeptember 2013 | www.opendoorsuk.org

Where is God in all this situation?

Nadia* is a member of a church in

the old city of Damascus. I want

to leave, but I cant, she says, with tears in her

eyes. I have to stay because of my parents.

Were living in a relatively safe neighbourhood,

but I am afraid. I dont know what tomorrow

will bring. One second could end our life.

Some days ago I drove with some people in the

car; six dead people lay on the street. We just

passed by, as if nothing had happened. A friend

of mine, he was really a holy man, was recently

shot for nothing. I have no choice, I have to stay

for my family. But I am so afraid.

Open Doors workers were able to tell herabout the prayers and support of Open Doors

supporters in other countries. It is good to

know that people are involved with us, she said,

that they dont forget us. People that want to

invest in our future.

Investing in the future might seem an odd

thing to be doing at this time in Syrias history

especially when so many people are getting

out fast. But that is exactly what your support is

enabling Open Doors to do.

Nadia was speaking to us during a training

workshop for youth leaders organised by Open

Doors in partnership with Youth for Christ. She

was one of 30 youth leaders at the event. Despite

the danger, the church is active and alive, still

seeking to learn and get better equipped.

We believe the youth are the future of the

church, said one of the leaders of the training.

When they grow up, they will be the next

deacons, pastors, youth leaders, priests. This

kind of training is a long-term investment in the

church.

Deborah* a Christian from another church

in Damascus said, It is a very fearful time. But

we try to motivate each other to pray, to fast, and

that gives strength. I want to stay in Syria. There

is no Syria without the church. I believe a great

revival will come. God is shaping us now for that,

to be able to serve Him more.I dont judge anyone that has left the

country, said her colleague Hafez*. But this is

the land, the home of Christians. From this area

and country Christianity spread over the world.

The conflicts that our forefathers faced in this

area werent harder or easier than ours now.

Aleppo, Damascus, Homs, Afrin, Al Hasakah,

Al Qamishli, Latakia, Tartus.

War has come to the cities of Syria. And

with it, amazingly, faith and hope and mercy.

We as

Christians have to

witness, we have

to stand for justice

and for the truth,

continues Hafez.

We are witnesses

of Jesus. That is

our identity; that is

why we are here. We

have a history in this

country, we have a

relationship with our

family and friends,

our beloved ones. In this country we received

from God His love, His mercy, His unconditionalgenerosity. We all learned this from our great

teacher, Jesus Christ.

This is where our roots are. We are sons

and daughters of Syria.

THE YOUTH ARE THE FUTURE

Young Syrians at a Youth Leaders Conference

Volunteers make up foodpackages for needy families

THIS IS WHERE OUR ROOTS ARE

There is no

Syria without thechurch. I believea great revivalwill come.



11/20



MY GOD IN WHOM I TRUSTTHE FAITH OF TWO CHILDREN IN DAMASCUS

CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD

DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO

LIVE IN SYRIA. COULD YOU TELL

THEM WHAT A REGULAR DAY LOOKS

LIKE FOR YOU?

Youmna:It s scary. We hear a lot of bad

stories about what is happening aroundus. On the streets there are soldierseverywhere. We see smoke from fights

and hear bombings all the time.

Nashita: Almost all my friends went

abroad. My best friend Lunah went toEgypt. I miss her so much. We talk on the

phone, but its not the same.

Youmna: One day I was going to school

by bus when we heard a shooting

nearby. So we all dived down, hiding un-der our seats, waiting until the shootingwas over. Another day when we were at

school there was an airplane very closeby, threatening to bomb our school. We

all had to go in the basement and stay

away from the glass.

Nashita: Me and my classmates were

all very scared. Kids around me werecrying and shouting at the teachers be-

cause they were so afraid. Some calledtheir fathers crying to them they want

to go home.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN

THESE THINGS HAPPEN?

Youmna: I pray and I remember Gods

words. I memorise Bible verses and saythem out loud when Im afraid. One

of the psalms I say out loud in these

moments is Psalm 91 that says: He whodwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge

and my fortress, my God, in whom Itrust. Saying these words makes me feel

better.

Nashita:I also pray and I read the Bible.

I remember that God is always close. Iwas surprised that the children in my

class went so crazy the day the planewas near. I thought: I know God is near; I

dont have to be afraid.

WHICH CHARACTER IN THE BIBLE

IS AN EXAMPLE FOR YOU?

Youmna: I like the story of Daniel in the

lions den. He is in a very bad situationand then he prays to God and God saveshim.

Nashita: Yes, I like that story too! In the

story, the friends of Daniel get into the

fire. And nothing happens to them; infact they even change the kings heart

by that! He asks: Who is your God?

Youmna: I pray the same thing will

happen for Syria: that God will save usfrom our lions den and that the people

around us will see how great our God is

because he saves us.

WHAT CAN THE CHILDREN

AROUND THE WORLD PRAY FOR?

Nashita: Please pray for the kids in Syria.That God will stop the bad things that

are happening. Pray for the kids that

have no food and the kids that lose theirhouses because of the war.

Youmna:I also want to ask them to pray

for all the kids that lost their parents. Alot of our friends have no father any-

more, because he was killed in war.

Nashita: Pray that God will free Syria

from this evil and that all the people cancome back. And also my friend Lunah,

so we can play together again.

Nashita and Youmna are the daughtersof Hanna, who writes a blog for Diary

from Damascus which is on the OpenDoors website. You can read more at:

www.opendoorsuk.org/savesyria

I was surprised that thechildren in my class went so

crazy the day the plane wasnear. I thought: I know God isnear; I dont have to be afraid.

FOR CHILDREN IN SYRIA, LIFE CANBE VERY FRIGHTENING. CHILDRENS

WORKERS IN THE SYRIAN CHURCHESNEED A LOT OF WISDOM TO

CONTINUE THEIR WORK IN ACOUNTRY WHERE VIOLENCE HAS

BECOME A DAILY REALITY.

Yet children can also be a powerful

witness to those around them. Nashita*(10) and Youmna* (13) are two girls from

Damascus. Here they share how theirfaith in God helps them to cope in their

harsh new world.


13/20


14/20

This picture was drawn by Ruth*, a 13-year-

old girl from Syria. At a trauma counselling

workshop supported by Open Doors she

drew the world around her: tanks and

soldiers, dead bodies and grieving people.

But God is changing lives. Through the

workshop she also expressed hope and trust

in the promises of the Lord. The Bible verse

reads: Do not be anxious about anything,

but in every situation, by prayer and

petition, with thanksgiving, present your

requests to God (Philippians 4:6).



15/20

CHILDRENSecret

InSyria,child

renlikeYoumna,Nashitaa

ndRutharefacingviolenc

e,

traumaandincreasingpersecution.Butitsn

otjusthappening

inSyria.Aroundtheworld

,childrenarerejected,separated,even

orphanedbecausetheyor

theirparentsfollowJesus

.Withyour

support,OpenDoorscom

esalongsidethesechildre

noffering

protection,practicalprovi

sion,andaChristianeduc

ation.


16/2016

Superheroes are strong. Quick. Powerful.Brave. They fly over tall buildings. They

defeat all the bad guys. They save the day.

Children dont just look up to superheroes,

they want to be one.

But in May 2013, 300 children got to know

the ultimate superhero at an Open Doors camp

on the theme of Sidekicks: Real Power Comes

from God Alone. Farida was one of them.

Farida is from the Sama tribe in a

predominantly Muslim part of the Philippines.

Considered inferior by other tribal groups,

Sama Christians experience double the

persecution. Living in depressed villages on the

coasts of Zamboanga, they struggle for their

daily survival. Discovering Jesus can mean

hope, strength and courage to face each day.

Teacher Dexter describes one boy who

didnt want to take part in the camps activities.

He keeps on saying that he is stupid, but we

tell him that no child of God is stupid because

He gives wisdom to everyone who asks Him.Through songs, activities and lessons from

Gods Word, the children learn they are special

and that, with Jesus, they are strong. Farida

clearly got the message. Isa (Jesus) can give us

the power to fight fear, rebellion and lies.

When Amanda* came to

Open Doors Childrens Centre in Colombia,

she was 13 years old and she wasnt happy. She

had never gone to school, never left home - and

she certainly didnt want to talk to anyone.

Living in a remote mountainous area in

the north, this was not surprising, but on top

of that, a Centre leader says, She was so

traumatised that

she did not want to

share her story with

other girls.

Her story was

that her father,

Manuel, had

become a Christian.

A practicing

sorcerer, for 13

years he was also

a tribal authority. He knew his choice would

have serious consequences. Arhuaco leadersexpel Christians from their homes, deny them

education, healthcare and benefits, and cast

spells on them to weaken them. Sometimes

they may imprison or even murder them.

As the daughter of a Christian, Amanda

ISCHANGINGLIVES

SecretChildren


SEPARATED:COLOMBIA

Isa (Jesus) cangive us the powerto fight fear,rebellion and lies.


REJECTED:

PHILIPPINES

Howyoursupport


17/20



L

ater, when he learned to drive,

he travelled through the vast

regions controlled by the FARC,or Revolutionary Armed Forces of

Colombia, using his truck to transport

cocaine and political propaganda. Then,

one day, he drove into trouble. Extreme

right-wing paramilitary soldiers had

encroached into the region, and they

were the sworn enemies of the extreme

leftist FARC guerrillas. In a desperate

attempt to save his life, Pablo told the

paramilitaries everything he knew.

MIRACULOUSLY, THEY

LET HIM GO.

After that, he had nothing more to do

with FARC. And he came into contact

with Christians who had been forcibly

displaced by FARC threats. Pablo listened

as these Christians shared the gospel with

him. Hed never before heard of the hope

he could find in Christ. Pablo realised

that God had spared his life for a reason.

He surrendered his life to the Lord and

asked the Lord to protect him from the

guerrillas and paramilitaries. In return,

Pablo promised to serve Him for the rest

of his days.

He approached a pastor who was also

an Open Doors volunteer. The pastor gave

Pablo a job. Once he had travelled around

with cocaine: now he would carry Bibles.

NEW LIFE NEW TRAVELSSo Pablo began a new set of journeys,

travelling through war-ravaged regions

such as Meta, Guaviare, Vichada,

Guainia, Arauca, Nario and Putumayo.

These were places where the Communist

guerrillas were persecuting Christians.

The guerrilla leader, Mono Jojoy, haddeclared pastors to be military targets and

the Bible to be the most lethal weapon

against his interests. When Pablos former

FARC comrades and leaders discovered

his activities, they began to hunt him

down. He was accused of being an army

informant and blamed for causing other

guerrillas to desert. Jojoy ordered that

Pablo should be captured and killed.

In fact, Jojoy himself was killed in

a military operation in 2010. But despitethis, the order for Pablos murder has never

been rescinded. And

one night in 2012,

a guerrilla death

squad was reported

to be near his

home. Pablo spent

the night in hiding

at a neighbours

house, and the next

morning, escaped to

Bogota.

Despite this,

ten years after he

began working for

Open Doors, Pablo

is determined to

continue.

My job is providing Bibles and

talking to people about Christ, says

Pablo. God does the rest. After peoplestart reading the Bible, something

supernatural happens. The simple act

of having a Bible in your hands causes

miracles to happen.

My job isproviding Biblesand talking topeople aboutChrist. Goddoes the rest.

COLOMBIAFrom drug traffickerto Bible smugglerFrom the time that he was a teenager,Pablo was a spy for guerrillas.


19/2019OPENDOORSmagazineSeptember 2013 | www.opendoorsuk.org

GOD DOES NOT WANT

THIS WAR

In the past year, Open Doors hasbecome aware that in these regions,

the FARC is increasingly pressuring

pastors and church leaders to pay

vacunasor taxes in other words,

extortion money. In addition,

guerrillas sometimes force Christians

to participate in FARC activities, such

as protest marches, or they forcibly

recruit children and teenagers in

the church to become guerrillas and

prostitutes.

So many Christians find

themselves having to flee. And, in the

process, they lose their homes, lands

and possessions. To help persecuted

Christians such as these, Open Doors

provides micro-loans: small amounts

of money to start new businesses, or

to plant crops.

Pablo is the recipient of one of

these loans. He has now been ableto buy a small farm which gives him

some economic stability.

When youre forced to leave

everything and flee for your life,

that doesnt leave much opportunity

to seek work options, Pablo said.

The financial support that Open

Doors provides through its micro-

loan programme gives greatly needed

stability for my family and me.

But he isnt staying down on the

farm. He manages the farm whilst also

juggling his ministry tasks, including

providing Bibles and Christian

literature in southern Colombias

jungles.

And despite the hardship, despite

the death threats, he remains adamant

that God has called him to take the

gospel into regions of armed conflict.

God does not want this war,Pablo said. He wants fighters to know

and accept Him. For that I was called

to bring the Good News to people

who need the light of the Word.

Give thanks for Pablos

courageous determination

to share the gospel. Pray

for his protection and for

greater opportunities to

bring the Good News tothose around him

That current peace talks

between FARC rebels

and the government

would bring an end to the

violence insurgency that

has wracked the country for

five decades

For Open Doors teams

working to support pastors

and children targeted byrebel armed groups.

PRAY

opendoorsuk.org/country

WWWFind out more aboutChristians in Colombia at

Once a drug smuggler,Pablo now delivers Bibles

Through Open Doors micro-loanprogramme, Pablo has learnt to grow

yucca, plantains and other foods


20/20

Startchildrenoffonthewaytheyshouldgo,and

evenwhen

theyareoldtheywillnotturnfromit.Proverbs22

:6

Ruth*,13,drewtheseharrowingimagesduring

atraumacounsellingprogrammesponsoredby

OpenDoorsinSyria.Shehasseenthingsnochild

shouldsee.Bombing,shelling,fightingaswellas

increasingpersecution.

Ruthhasbeenhelpedtocometotermswiththe

past.Shecanevenseeabetterfuture.Butsheisjus

t

oneofmanythousandsofchildrenwhofaceviolen

ce,

discrimination,eventhelossofaparentbecauseo

f

theirfaith.Theyneedsomeonealongsidethem,to

helpthemontheirjourney.

PleasegivetosupportSecre

tChildren,orbecomeaSecretChildSponsor,

usingtheresponseform.Youcanalsodonatesecurelyonlineat

www.opendoorsuk.org/secretsponsor

Forjust18amonth

youcangiveachildlikeRuth

thehopeofabetterfuture.

BecomeaSecretChildSponsorandyoucanhelp

giveapersecutedchildprotection,provisionan

da

Christianeducation.Fortheirsafety,youwillnev

erknowwhotheyareorevenwheretheyareliv

ing.

Butyouwillreceivematerialstohelpyouprayfo

rthechildrenyoursupportisreaching.Andthey

will

havethesupportofafamilywholovesthem.Fo

rtoday,tomorrowandaslongasittakes.

open doors publication

Documents