persecu ion · 2019-12-19 · 3. persecu ion. g. international chris t ian concern. president’s...

Nigerian Islamists have killed up to 70,000 Christians over the

past 20 years

Nigeria:Epicenter of Christian Persecution

PERSECU ION.orgINTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

June 2018WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG

PERSECU ION

2 JUNE 2018PERSECU ION.orgINTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

Table of Contents

In This Issue:

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16

28

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26

Regular Features

FEATURE14 | Sight and Sons Stolen by Fulani MilitantsBitrus was living in Rim when Fulani attacked, blinding him and killing three of his children.FEATURE16 | An Orphanage Breathes Hope into Battle-Stricken BenueTivid Orphanage is home to 54 children, 26 of whom lost their parents to Fulani attacks.FEATURE20 | A Mother’s Worst NightmareA young Nigerian woman clings to her faith through abduction, forced marriage, the murder of her son and more.INTERVIEW22 | Surviving a Church BombingChristians in Quetta, Pakistan recount their experiences during a December 2017 church bombing.ADVOCACY26 | Serving India’s Persecuted on Capitol HillICC’s April “India Tour” brings pressure to bear on the BJP-led Indian government.FEATURE28 | Egyptians’ Right to Worship God: DeniedEgypt’s 2016 church registration law legitimizes violence and discrimination against Christians.

3 Letter from the PresidentJeff King on the ongoing crisis in Nigeria

and what you can do to help.

4 World NewsA snapshot of the persecution that

impacts our brothers and sisters daily, in every corner of the world.

8 Your Dollars at WorkLearn how your gifts are providing

comfort, relief, Bibles, education and vocational training to the persecuted.

12 West WatchFaith under siege in the Western world.

3PERSECU ION.orgINTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

President’s Letter

Jeff King, President International Christian Concern

I have been focused on Nigeria every day lately, and I’m seeing reports of killings across the country’s Middle Belt.

ICC has been working there for years, so this isn’t neces-sarily new. The mix of who’s doing the killing (Boko Haram vs. Fulani militants) changes but the number of victims keeps going up. About 250 Christians were killed in March and 350 in April. Over the last 20 years, the number of victims is as high as 70,000.

Again, this is by no means a new problem. We met Bitrus (pg. 14-15) in Nigeria last April, but he was attacked by the Fulani militants 18 years ago!

Bitrus was shot numerous times in the head and neck and has been blind ever since. He and his wife live in the same house they were in when they were first attacked years ago. The house has serious structural damage and Bitrus has been unable to work for years.

We love to find believers like Bitrus. If there’s one thing I know about our Lord, it is His heart for the one lost sheep. I know because I used to be one. My shepherd left the 99 to find me, and He just brought another lost sheep, Bitrus, to us.

Bitrus has been calling out to the Lord for years, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he and his wife gave up on the Lord answering their prayers a long time ago. Yet, God never forgot Bitrus, just as He can’t forget you.

ICC is going to repair Bitrus’ house and buy him and his wife livestock so they can have income in the last years of their lives.

I find this especially rewarding because the world had no use for Bitrus. He was left on the ash heap of life by the Fulani. But in God’s perfect time, He brought us together so we could use your generous giving to bless him. He brought us together so that we and you could be blessed by bandaging and repairing his life.

There are more “productive” Christians we could be helping in Nigeria, and we are. In fact, we are in the beginning of building out 10 communal farms for up to 7,000 Christians who have been driven off their lands.

But people like Bitrus have no one to “help them into the waters,” so we must.

Over the course of my life, I’ve continually found the persecuted to be the cure for living in the West (Laodicea?) in safety and ease. I am blessed to have come this way.

Thank you for joining us on the amazing journey of bandaging and building the persecuted Church. As always, your donations will be used efficiently, effectively, and ethically.

Jeff King

Find out how ICC is rescuing 7,000 Nigerian Christians: persecution.org/nigeria-crisis/

“In Jerusalem there is a pool called Bethzatha.Many were lying beside the pool. Some were blind, some were crippled, and some were para-lyzed. One of the men lying there had been sick for 38 years. Jesus asked him, ‘Do you want to be well?’

The sick man said, ‘Sir, there is no one to help me get into the water when it starts moving. I try to be the first one into the water. But when I try, someone else always goes in before I can.’

Then Jesus said, ‘Stand up! Pick up your mat and walk.’ Immediately the man was well. He picked up his mat and started walking.”—John 5:5-8 (ERV)


News

ISIS Militants Kill Four Pakistani Christians in Targeted Attack in Quetta1 | PAKISTAN On April 2, the day after Easter Sunday, a group of gunmen on motorcycles ambushed a Christian family in Quetta, Pakistan. The family was riding a rick-shaw when the attackers opened fire, killing four of the five passengers. Three men and a woman were killed during the attack. The lone survivor was a 12-year-old girl who was brought to a hospital shortly after.

In the days surrounding Holy Week, Pakistani authorities increased security measures around churches to prevent major attacks like those that have taken place on previous Easter Sundays. However, the attackers managed to strike the Christians elsewhere by targeting them on a public road.

ISIS has since claimed responsibility for the incident. Unfortunately, this is one of several recent ISIS-led attacks in the region. In December 2017, ISIS suicide bombers attacked Bethel Memorial Methodist Church, also in Quetta, killing nine and injuring dozens. Although it is encouraging to see that churches are receiving more security, Pakistan must also address the culture of dis-crimination that paints Christians as the lowest members of society, leading to attacks of this nature.

Christian Teacher Arrested Over Multiple Choice Questions About Muhammad3 | EGYPT On March 14, a teacher named Magdy Farag Samir was arrested under charges of contempt of religion. The charges first came to light after Magdy included a series of questions about the prophet Muhammad on a multiple choice test in December. One of Magdy’s rela-tives noted that the questions were not meant to be offen-sive. Rather, they were straightfor-ward questions such as, “Where was the prophet Muhammad born?”

The teacher had his detention extended to 15 days following his March 14 arrest. Furthermore, Magdy was originally teach-ing at a school in Egypt’s Beni Suef governorate, but was forced to leave the school following complaints from the students’ parents. For years, Christians in Egypt have been relegated to the lower rungs of society as they suffer social and occupational discrim-ination at the hands of their Muslim peers.

Supreme Court Rejects Former Jakarta Governor’s Appeal2 | INDONESIA Last May, the former governor of Jakarta, Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, was sentenced to two years in prison on blasphemy charges. The charges arose after Ahok made a speech on the campaign trail for re-election, noting that his opponents were trying to manipu-late the Quran to convince the populace not to vote for him. Shortly after, a highly edited video was released that made Ahok’s statements about the Quran appear much harsher than they were in reality. The incident and resulting blas-phemy accusation caused national unrest, with some call-ing for Ahok’s imprisonment and even death.

Almost a year after his initial conviction, Ahok official-ly challenged the conviction through a case review peti-tion to the court. Ahok’s lawyer and sister, Fifi Lety Indra, shared with the media that the basis of the appeal was that Buni Yani, the man accused of tampering with the video of Ahok’s speech, was found guilty. The prosecutor in the initial case even recommended that Ahok’s charges be dropped.

Sadly, on March 26, the Supreme Court of Indonesia announced its decision to reject Ahok’s appeal. At the time of writing, Ahok’s legal team has yet to determine their next steps until they have gathered more information from the court.

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Henan Authorities Remove Crosses from Shangqiu Catholic Church, Reinstall Them Day Later

5 | CHINA On March 9, an unidentified group of authorities forcibly entered Shangqiu Catholic Church South Cathedral in China’s Henan Province and began tearing down crosses without notice. When priests at the church attempted to call the police, the group took their phones and barred the nuns and priests from leav-ing the premises. The incident took place over a span of approximately five hours despite church members’ attempts to protect the building.

However, the next day, the authorities replaced the crosses, although there were fewer and they were smaller in size. A source familiar with the incident said, “They claim that the local authorities had a misunderstanding so they put the crosses back!”

Thousands of Chin Flee Persecution in Myanmar, Resettle in Texas7 | MYANMAR After years of persecution, a sig-nificant portion of the Christian community in Myanmar’s Chin State has fled to the United States. Nearly 4,000 people from the Chin population have resettled in Lewisville ISD, Texas. According to Lewisville’s Chin Community Ministry, approxi-mately 98 percent of this community now practices Christianity.

Although the constitution of Myanmar provides for religious freedom, this does not always play out in reality. Myanmar, which is a primarily Buddhist nation, is home to a particular Buddhist group that carries out violence and bans the practice of other religions. Although there are certainly challenges that come with relocating to a new country, these believ-ers may now practice their faith without fear.

Church Elder Killed Alongside Five Aid Workers6 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLICDuring a recent attack in the Central African Republic, a group of armed men murdered six aid workers. The six were travelling to a town near the Chad border when their vehicle was ambushed by unidentified assailants. Some of the victims were killed with a machete, while others were shot. One of the victims was Gabriel Ole, a 66-year-old church elder who worked for UNICEF. He is survived by his wife and their seven children.

Christian Missionaries in India Attacked by Mob After Sharing Their Faith on Bus4 | INDIA On February 26, a group of Christian missionaries was brutally beaten by Hindu radicals after getting off of a bus in India’s Bihar state, commonly referred to as the “graveyard of missionaries.” During the bus journey, the Christians shared about their missionary work with fellow passengers, unaware that one of the passengers was an extremist. Upon the bus’s arrival, approximately 70 radicals were gathered on the scene, ready to interrogate and attack.


News

All But One of the Dapchi Schoolgirls Released, the Only Christian1 | NIGERIA On February 19, Boko Haram kidnapped 110 teenage girls from a school in the northeastern Nigerian town of Dapchi. One month later, on March 21, Boko Haram drove into the town with nine trucks and released all but one of the girls as part of an agreement with the Nigerian government. The remaining girl’s name is Leah Sharibu and she is also the only Christian among the group. Apart from Sharibu, the only others who did not return were five who died in captivity.

Following the release of the other girls, Leah’s father told a local radio station that the militants gave his daugh-ter the option to convert to Islam in exchange for her release, but she refused. He expressed his sadness that she is still being held captive, but also his pride that she did not denounce Christ.

According to reports from Open Doors, Leah passed a message to her mother through her friends who have since been freed. In the message, she encouraged her mother and said, “I am confident that one day I shall see your face again,” whether in Heaven or on Earth. One of Leah’s friends also told the family that Leah unsuccess-fully tried to escape when the people she approached for help brought her back to Boko Haram’s camp.

Teachers in Mandera, Kenya Flee in Fear of al-Shabaab3 | KENYA In November 2014, al-Shabaab militants ambushed a bus near the town of Mandera along the Kenyan-Somali border. During the attack, the militants singled out non-Muslim passengers, allow-ing Muslim passengers to go free. In total, 28 people were killed with non-local teachers comprising a significant portion of the targeted group.

In February 2018, Kenya’s teaching commu-nity took another blow when three Christian teachers were murdered in nearby Wajir County. The three victims were also non-local teachers and were serv-ing at Qarsa Primary School.

Al-Shabaab, a Somali-based terror group, often crosses the border into Kenya to persecute and kill Christians. Such attacks have led to calls for increased security measures along the border. However, the attacks that have taken place have already left a trail of long-term devastation in their wake in both the Christian and teaching communities.

In response to the increased risk of attack, many teachers have fled the region in search of safe-ty. This exodus of teachers has contributed to an already growing educational crisis in eastern Kenya. Unfortunately, few are willing to replace those who have left because they are also fearful of attacks.

Christian Beaten to Death at Hospital2 | PAKISTAN On March 26, hospital staff fatally beat a Christian father of four, Sunil Saleem, who was attempting to assist his preg-nant sister. Sunil and his other relatives brought his sister, Kiran Kashif, to the emergency ward at the hospital when she began to experience severe labor pain. However, upon arriv-ing at the hospital, the doctor refused to assist Kiran.

When Kiran con-fronted the doctor, the doctor cursed at the woman and began assaulting her. As they heard the com-motion, Kiran’s fam-ily jumped in, leading to a major altercation with hospital staff and security. Sunil, who was report-edly trying to calm the situation, was beaten to the point of unconsciousness and eventually died after not receiving timely medical care.

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Saint Maria Catholic Church Suffers Second Attack of the Year4 | TURKEY On March 6, a lone gunman shot at Saint Maria Catholic Church in Trabzon, Turkey. Although the suspect fled toward the street after firing at the church, a local media outlet reported that the gunman was taken into custody. This attack was particularly concern-ing because it was the second time that this church has been targeted in 2018. In February, a homemade pipe bomb was placed on church premises, but failed to detonate. Thankfully, there were no injuries reported in either incident.

Vandals Attack St. Zechariah Church in Palembang, Indonesia6 | INDONESIA Shortly after midnight on March 8, six vandals attacked St. Zechariah Church in Palembang, in the Indonesian province of South Sumatra. The attackers blew a large hole in the wall near the church’s entrance, destroyed a statue, and set a stack of chairs ablaze. Residents nearby awoke to the commotion and rushed to extinguish the flames. Thankfully, they were able to prevent the fire from spreading and causing further damage.

As the locals rushed in to save the church, the attackers sped away on motor-cycles. However, local authorities have expressed devastation over the incident and their intention to investigate. Shortly after the attack took place, police held a meeting with local religious leaders and community groups to discuss the incident and caution against rumors circulating on social media. This is the first incident of its kind to take place in South Sumatra.

Christian Family Stabbed at Home by Armed Group in Baghdad5 | IRAQ On March 9, a Christian family of three was found stabbed to death in their home in Baghdad. The victims of the attack were Dr. Hisham Shafiq al-Maskuni, his wife Shaza Malik, and his elderly mother Khairiya Dawood. A spokesperson for Iraq’s Interior Ministry reported that those responsible for the three murders were arrested on March 10. Violent attacks in Baghdad have caused so many Christians to flee in recent years that eight local churches closed last summer due to dwindling attendance.


Your Dollar$ at WorkSheep for Ayed in Egypt Hand of Hope

In Egypt, religious discrimination is a major hurdle for many Christians as they search

for employment. Regardless of their qualifica-tions, Christians are often denied opportunities available to their Muslim counterparts simply because of their faith.

Ayed encountered this challenge firsthand, but faced the added pressure of a disability stemming from a car accident, narrowing his employment options even further.

As Ayed and his family struggled finan-cially with no clear way out, ICC stepped in to provide them with small business assistance so that they could make a turnaround.

With monies from the Hand of Hope fund, ICC purchased two small sheep and two preg-nant ewes for Ayed’s wife, Mariam, to raise. The livestock purchase will allow Mariam to generate and sustain an income stream to sup-port her family and ease some of their finan-cial burden. Mariam will raise and sell the sheep, investing her earnings in more sheep. And so the cycle will continue.

Mariam shared, “I prayed to God and He answered my prayer… I’m very happy that I can earn an income to meet our living expens-es. You made my dream come true. We thank you for standing with us in these difficult circumstances and doing this project for me. I appreciate that so much, May God bless you and your service.”

As Mariam embarks on this new business venture, please pray that she would have the wisdom to effectively manage her resources. Pray also that the Lord will use Ayed and his family as a testimony of God’s grace and goodness to non-believers in Egypt.


Home for a Displaced Christian in India Hand of Hope

In 2008, Sukant and his family were driven from their home during anti-Christian riots

in Kandhamal, India. Sukant’s family, along with 10 other families, moved to a relief camp while the riots dissipated. When they returned to their villages, radical Hindus demanded that the Christian families reconvert or leave. Instead of converting back to Hinduism, the families left.

Sukant and five other families moved to another village where they found land to build a home, but they couldn’t afford to complete the home. For the last four years, Sukant has been living in an unfinished home without doors, windows, or completed walls. ICC provided the funds for supplies and labor to ensure that Sukant and his family have a safe place to call home. Sukant thanked ICC, “After nine long years of continuous prayers, God answered our prayers through ICC.”

Rickshaw for Christian Accused of Blasphemy Suffering Wives and Children

In June 1999, Kader was falsely accused of blasphemy and sentenced to 25 years in

prison with an additional $50,000 fine. Kader insisted that he was innocent and produced all of the documentation he had to fight the charge. In 2003, he was acquitted and released from prison, but he and his family were forced into hiding. Christians who are simply charged with blasphemy are often not accepted back into their homes and live under constant threats.

Since he is forced to relocate frequently, it is difficult for Kader to maintain a consistent income. ICC recognized that Kader needed a mobile business, so that if he was forced to flee again, he could still provide for his fam-ily. ICC provided him with a loader rickshaw, which has a flatbed similar to a truck, that allows drivers to haul goods. This will enable Kader to make deliveries or haul goods no matter where he goes.

ICC Sponsors Easter Program for Kids in Indonesia Hand of Hope

On November 13, 2016, a church in Samarinda, Indonesia suffered a bomb

attack that killed a two-year old and severe-ly injured four others. The community pro-vided significant support after the attack, but the victims are still trying to recover from the trauma.

To show our support, ICC sponsored this year’s Easter program at the Samarinda church. ICC provided 150 gifts for the chil-dren, and the church held recreational and learning activities for them to enjoy. With ICC’s support, the church was able to provide special encouragement for the children and put God’s faithfulness on display. The church communicated their appreciation for the gifts and the kindness of ICC’s donors.

Please continue to pray for the Samarinda church as they continue to heal and put their trust in the Lord for protection.


Your Dollar$ at Work

Grocery Business for Wagih Suffering Wives and Children

On Palm Sunday of 2017, ISIS carried out two church bombings in Egypt, during

which 44 people died and more than 100 were injured. The first explosion occurred at 9:30 a.m. in St. George’s Church, located 50 miles north of Cairo, while the other took place only a few hours later in front of St. Mark’s Church in Alexandria.

Hanan Dreas, one of the 44 victims, was survived by her husband and two kids. Wagih Girgis, Hanan’s husband, had to assume the role of caretaker for his two children and was eventually fired from his job as a waiter at a coffee shop. The sudden loss of income placed Wagih and his family in a difficult position.

ICC assisted the family by creating a small business that would allow Wagih to provide for his children. We were able to provide Wagih with a small grocery business, located inside his home. Please pray for God’s provi-sion as Wagih works to support his family.

Myanmar Orphanage Kids Care

In some states in Myanmar, Christians and churches are constantly harassed by

Buddhist leaders. Children are required to recite Buddhist prayers in most schools, regardless of their religion. Even though Christians face many obstacles because of their faith, many of them are eager to teach about God’s love to younger generations.

Love Myanmar is an orphanage where chil-dren receive a home, food, and support until they graduate from college. It is currently the home of 32 children, ranging from preschool age through early college. The director and the staff are all Christians who invest in the children by teaching them about Christ.

Unfortunately, the orphanage experiences water shortages, so they have to buy water from a local contractor. Since the water is expensive and they depend on donations to operate, it is difficult for them to cover other expenses. Therefore, ICC helped ease some of their finan-cial burden by covering three months of rent for the orphanage.


Your Dollar$ at Work

Attack Victims House Rebuild Suffering Wives and Children

On March 8, 2018, a group of Fulani militants carried out an attack in Miango

District, Nigeria. More than 50 houses were burned, 11 people were killed, and several oth-ers suffered severe injuries. Many Christian families lost everything and were left without a place to call home.

Shortly after learning about this attack, ICC developed a project to assist those in need. Through ICC’s Suffering Wives and Children fund, we are rebuilding apartments to provide shelter for the surviving victims and their families. The project will be imple-mented in two phases and we expect it to be completed in early June.

As this project is being implemented, please pray for the families that are still vulnerable and traumatized from the attack. Ask God to give them peace and provide for their physical and spiritual needs during this difficult time.

Livestock for Christian Accused of Blasphemy in Pakistan

Clothes for Pastors’ Wives in India

Suffering Wives and Children

Over the last 15 years that he’s been a Christian, Fahad gained the respect of

many Muslims in his neighborhood because of his integrity and admirable behavior. However, after a neighbor grew jealous, Fahad was falsely accused of blasphemy, forced to flee his home, and imprisoned.

The neighbor accused Fahad of ripping

out pages of the Quran and writing his name on them. Fahad cannot read nor write, so it would be impossible for him to have signed his name on the pages. Unfortunately, that did not stop the police from jailing him. Eventually, the police released him, but Fahad and his family had to flee, which left Fahad unemployed. ICC provided seven cows and a buffalo for Fahad to raise and sell dairy products from his herd.

Save our Sisters

Since the anti-Christian riots of 2008, evangelism has become very difficult in

Odisha, India. Most of the pastors and evange-lists in the region are very poor, as they focus their resources on spreading the Gospel. The wives of these pastors are often overlooked, but they sacrifice much to support their spous-es in preaching the Gospel.

ICC located 35 pastors whose wives strug-gled daily to take care of their family with minimal financial resources, and surprised them with new sarees. The wives were thank-ful that ICC’s donors remembered them and provided high-quality clothes. One pastor’s wife said, “I was in need of a good saree to wear…and God provided in the right time.” Continue to remember the pastors and their families in prayer as they risk their well-being to serve God.


estatch

C alifornia lawmakers recently discussed Assembly Bill 2943, which would

essentially make it illegal to participate in “a transaction intended to result or that results in the sale or lease of goods or services to any consumer” that engages in “sexual orientation change efforts with an individual.” The reach of the law could also leave religious speech on same-sex attrac-tion open to legal action.

The mere fact that such language is enter-tained in a state legislation is alarming.

Under such a law, the sale of Bibles and other literature expressing strong Christian orthodoxy could be banned in the State of California. Passing such legislation in a state that rivals most world economies would certainly set a precedent for the rest of the country and the world. Legislation that limits and restricts religious freedom – not just for Christians, but also for other religious groups – would be a significant step away from the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

I n the largely secular continent of Europe, which hails a long history of a strong

Christian presence, Christianity is facing a radical decline among the youth. According to a recent survey, many people between the ages of 16 and 29 claim absolutely no religious affiliation. In Poland, Portugal, and Ireland, only one in 10 youth claim to attend a weekly religious service. In most other coun-tries, the number of attendees was even less.

The increasing secularization of Europe and the drift away from religion is con-cerning as the levels of persecution around the world are rising. As more people stray away from faith, the connection between the persecuted Church and the West is likely to decline as the plight of religious minorities receives less and less attention in Europe.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) issued a complaint after a Texas

sheriff included a Bible verse in a memo which was shared on social media. The memo was issued shortly after the Parkland, Florida shooting and addressed how officers should respond in such a crisis. At the end, Sheriff Tracy Murphree quoted Romans 13:4, which reads, “For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain, for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”

In response, the FFRF claimed that it was both “inappropriate and unconstitutional.” The group asserted that it was unconstitu-tional for the sheriff to publicly share scrip-ture because it was an endorsement of a particular religion. The FFRF has requested that the original memo be removed from social media and replaced with a new ver-sion that does not include the verse.

Atheist Group Takes Issue with Texas Sheriff’s Quotation of Scripture in Memo

European Youth Are Moving Away from Christianity

California Discusses Bill to Ban Books Like the Bible

This past March, there was a string of several vandalism incidents directed

against churches in the United States. While the crimes varied from church to church, some of the damage included graffiti and building damage, such as broken windows and doors. At a church in North Carolina, the vandals spray-painted expletives about Jesus, as well as Billy Graham, across the

building. Another church in California was defaced with satanic symbols and phrases spray-painted across the walls.

While the perpetrators have been appre-hended in some of these cases, it is con-cerning to see a spike in hostility toward the Church in the United States. Such incidents must be dealt with seriously in order to dis-courage similar crimes from taking place.

String of Vandalism Incidents Against Churches Reported in March


Ohio Pastor Barred from Offering Lunchtime Bible Study at Local School

A n Ohio pastor has been banned from leading a voluntary lunchtime Bible

study for students at a local middle school following a complaint from the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). An attorney representing Indian Creek School District stated in a letter to the FFRF that the school will meet with the pastor to explain its “legal obligations,” which they understand to prohibit this activity.

The letter continued, “At this meeting, the district will ensure that Mr. Bauman [the pastor in question] does not regularly lead or attend student group activities in the district’s schools.” The complaint from the FFRF follows a Facebook post from Bauman explaining that 165 kids attended his Bible study at Indian Creek Middle School that week, where he was able to share the Gospel with them. His post read, “The kids were very responsive to the mes-sage and we had 30 of them request Bibles because they didn’t own one, so next week, we will be bringing them Bibles.”

US Navy Investigates Bible on POW/MIA Display

The US Navy recently conducted an investigation regarding the placement

of a Bible as part of a prisoner of war and missing in action display table at a naval hospital. The Navy’s investigation followed a complaint from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), which claims that the display violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. The display also included a nota-

tion of the United States being “one nation under God.”

Supporters of including the Bible in the display argue that the presence of a Bible is a tradition at POW/MIA tables, and that the Bible represents the strength that is found through faith after losing a loved one.

Following the investigation, the Navy upheld the inclusion of the Bible in the dis-play as it was found to meet constitutional standards. However, the leader of the MRFF has shared his determination to continue fighting the matter.

Condominium Prevents Residents from Holding Bible Studies in Common Areas

The board that manages a condominium building in Florida recently implement-

ed a policy that bans residents from playing worship music or holding Bible studies in common areas. Residents were also told to remove religious symbols from the proper-ty, including crosses that were hung on sev-eral residents’ doors. First Liberty Institute

has filed a complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development over the matter.

The board of Cambridge House, managed by Gateway Group, passed the rule without notice, stating that “prayers and other religious services, observations, or meetings of any nature shall not occur… in or upon any of the common elements.” In addition, two statues were also removed from the building, and a sign that read in all capital letters, “ANY AND ALL CHRISTIAN MUSIC IS BANNED!” was placed on the piano.


B itrus Dachung recounts the day he almost lost his life: “There was an armed attack in Rim by Fulani herdsmen. While I was running to escape, I stum-bled on the Fulani herdsmen who had

laid an ambush. They fired gunshots at me. I was shot in the head with so many bullets. When they shot me, I passed out. I was later told that people came and rescued me, [after the Fulani had left].” The attack on Rim took place in 2001, near the start of the modern Fulani crisis in Nigeria.

For the next several months, Bitrus battled for his life in a hospital. “Those who rescued me took me to Vom Christian Hospital. When I was discharged, I asked my wife how long I had stayed in the hospital. She told me it had been three months.”

The doctors at Vom discovered that Bitrus had eight bullet fragments in his head and neck. Bitrus’ wife said, “The doctors at Vom Christian Hospital said they couldn’t do the surgery. They would rather refer him to other specialists, because there are about eight bul-

let shells in his skull, one of which is very close to his brain.” The specialists who saw Bitrus worked at Jos University Teaching Hospital, one of the best in Nigeria. They concluded that “the surgery was a delicate one and that they would have to crack the skull in order to do the operation… doubting he would survive the operation.”

Lasting EffectsAt the time of writing, Bitrus has been

living for 17 years with the eight bullet fragments in his head. The bullets not only nearly killed him, but also took his eyesight. Since the attack, he has had to rely on his wife for everything. Bitrus explained, “I can’t go out to fend for myself. I depend on my wife who sometimes [goes] to farm for us since I can’t do anything to help myself.” His wife continued, “I have been the only one farming to cater for the family. I take responsibility for getting the fertilizer to farm and all the other needs of food in the family. I wash his clothes and [bathe him].”

Bitrus’ injuries have certainly

made life difficult, but the family is most devas-tated by the grief of losing three of their children. Bitrus shared, “I had four children; three died. Two were [immediately] killed by the herds-men; the third died in Vom Christian Hospital [from wounds] while I was being treated for the Fulani attack injuries [I received].”

Adding to the family’s burden, the Fulani also destroyed most of their home. Mrs. Dachung lamented, “Life has been quite unbearable because our children, who would have been a help, are no more. We used to have a big family house over there (pointing), but the house was set ablaze by the herdsmen.

SIGHT AND SON STOLEN BY FULANI MILITANTS

“Life has been quite unbearable because our children, who would have been a help, are no more.”– MRS. DACHUNG

Bitrus was living in Rim when Fulani militants attacked, blinding him and killing three of his children.By Nathan Johnson


The portion that survived the destruction is now on the verge of total collapse.”

Hope for the FutureWith a crumbling home and the heavy

weight of grief on their shoulders, life has been incredibly difficult for Bitrus and his family. They have survived through the grace of God, the hard work of Mrs. Dachung, and support from their church. But they haven’t been able

to fully recover from the many after-effects of the attack. Bitrus’ story is one of many.

Tragically, many Christians who experience similar attacks suffer for years without hope or assistance. In Riyom Local Government Area, Bitrus’ home, more than 60 communi-ties have been destroyed by Fulani militants, leaving thousands of Christian families with-out homes and jobs.

Yet, believers stand fast and look to the

Lord. Bitrus told ICC, “I thank you…I belong to the Lord. I am now God’s prop-erty.” He places his family’s future and hope in Jesus Christ.

ICC plans to help Bitrus and his fam-ily with repairs for their destroyed home. We are also coming alongside to help Mrs. Dachung develop a more sustainable form of income to better provide for Bitrus and their remaining son.

How ICC is Helping Bitrus

Opposite: Bitrus’ crumbling home was damaged and has fallen into disrepair since he was injured in 2001. Top: Bitrus shows where bullet fragments remain in his head.Bottom: Bitrus and his wife still live in their home pictured on the left.

ICC will be helping Bitrus and his family by rebuilding the destroyed part of his home. This consists of restoring several rooms in the tiny mud-brick home and most of the roofing which was destroyed. We will also be providing his wife with more stable and suitable work. We are seeking to develop a business that they will be able to operate in their home, so that Bitrus can help and his wife can take care of him as well.

To learn more about how you can make a difference through ICC’s work in Africa, give us a call at 800-ICC-5441 or visit persecution.org and consider

donating today.


“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” —James 1:27.

This is a passage that Sister Favour Adah Paul took to heart in 2011. Now known as “Mama” to the children who are under her care, Favour houses, teach-es, and cares for more than 50 orphan children at Tivid Orphanage in Benue State, Nigeria.

During my trip to Nigeria in February, I was able to visit this small orphanage. Driving through the middle of the capitol of Benue

State, you could very easily miss the small structure along a dirt road. Only a few hun-dred feet from one of the main roads in the city, Tivid Orphanage hides among the many other small buildings.

Joy Amidst TragedyAs I entered the courtyard, children swarmed

me from every direction. Despite their circum-stances, and the hardships they have suffered in their young lives, the joy and love of Christ was evident in their faces. It was incredible to see. Sister Favour has truly raised these young children to love and follow Jesus Christ.

This is what continued to amaze me the entire time I was able to spend with them. As we prayed for Nigeria, children as young as 7 or 8 years old poured their hearts out to Christ.

These kids exemplified Luke 18:7, “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

With a gift of food, clothing, and supplies, ICC was able to bring a little bit of blessing to these children’s lives. A washing machine will help Sister Favour ensure the children have clean clothes. A television will assist in their education. Food and clothing will help ensure they have some small comforts for a short while.

Coordinated from HeavenI was also able to meet one of the board

members for the orphanage, Dr. Sam Abah. He told me, “I’ve been at Tivid Home here for many occasions, but none brought tears to my eyes except this one. The way things

An orphanage breathes hope into battle-stricken BenueBy Nathan Johnson


happened was so fast and so coordinated from Heaven and I just feel the presence of God in this matter. Today feels completely different because of the swift sequence and the way God confirmed things… All this came from Christians who love Jesus Christ in America. We are so grateful.”

This work at Tivid has blessed hundreds of children who have lost their parents and entire families to tragedy. More than half of those who are currently staying at the home in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, have lost their parents to attacks carried out by Fulani militants.

Sister Favour was eager to express her gratitude for the help she has received in raising the children: “I am amazed! I am

overwhelmed! It’s bigger than me. It’s too much! I am not exaggerating and am not over-estimating facts here. I am sincerely and from the bottom of my heart truly, truly heavenly grateful because this is one of a kind!”

Favour wants to be able to help more children in the future. If she is able to rent or buy a larger property, she would like to take children in from all over Nigeria. Her heart is to continue to spread her love for Christ to the next generation in Nigeria.

ICC is eager to support works like that of Sister Favour, marked by the compassion and love of God. It is only through His grace at work in believers like you that we are able to help care for the world’s most needy.

ICC gave $2,000 in food, school supplies and other items to the Tivid orphanage. Among the gifts was a washing machine so that Favour and her helpers can better manage the laundry for the 50-plus children currently residing there. ICC hopes to be able to continue this mission as Favour ministers to those most in need in Nigeria.


donating today.

ICC Projectsin the Region

Far Left: ICC Africa Regional Manager Nathan Johnson is greeted by the children of Tivid Orphanage when he first arrived.Top: Children and staff of Tivid Orphanage stand with the goods and equipment ICC gave to the home. Bottom: One of the children of Tivid Orphanage pours out to Christ during group prayer.


Did you know that Nigeria is the epicenter of today’s world for violent attacks on Christians? Few are aware because the press has largely ignored this mass murder and displacement of believers.

Islamist militants have killed up to 70,000 Christians there in the last 20 years. In April alone, 385 Christians were killed. The militants have also pushed millions of farmers off their lands, and they now live as refugees in their own country. These farmers don’t want a handout. They just want to get back to farming.

That’s why with your partnership we want to build 10 communal farms to feed up to 7,000 of these victims. We rent the land, clear, and till it. Next, we provide seed, fertilizer, and irrigation. The victims are Nigerian farmers so they then take over and feed themselves.

Amazingly, we can feed a Christian through this program

for only $30 a year, but we need to raise $120,000.

PLEASE GIVE TODAY!

Check: Use the enclosed envelope: Write “Nigeria Crisis” on your checkPhone: Call us at 800-422-5441Online: Visit persecution.org/nigeria-crisis

A Christian widow and her two sons stand by the grave of their husband/father who was killed by Fulani militants.

Epicenter of Christian PersecutionNi

geria

:

Feature Article


If you were to ask any young mother about her greatest fear, it would be losing her child. That nightmare turned into reality for a woman in Nigeria named Rebecca Bitrus.

It seemed like a normal eve-ning in August of 2014 when Boko Haram stormed into Rebecca’s small village. They laid waste to the village and the life Rebecca

had known. While her husband managed to escape, Rebecca and her two sons were not so fortunate.

The militants brought Rebecca, pregnant at the time, and her two boys, 5-year-old Zachariah and 3-year-old Joshua, to a remote labor camp in the forest. Soon after her abduction, Rebecca miscarried her unborn child, likely due to the terror of the abduction and forced labor in the camp. Tragically, this was only the beginning of her grief.

“Teaching Her a Lesson”Once in camp, the militants lost no time in

pressuring Rebecca to convert to Islam. As a devout Catholic, Rebecca wanted no part of the Muslim faith. What she didn’t realize was that refusing their demands would bring her greatest fears to fruition. When Rebecca refused to con-vert, one of the militants decided it was time to “teach her a lesson.” He tore her three-year-old son from her, threw him into a nearby river, and forced her to watch her toddler drown.

Feeling certain that her older child would meet the same untimely death, Rebecca began to play along with her captors’ demands. She began reciting Islamic prayers outwardly to placate her captors, but within, she clung tight-ly to her faith in God, a faith that sustained her through the remainder of her captivity.

Like many of Boko Haram’s female abduct-ees, Rebecca was soon forced to marry one of her captors. For months, she endured repeated

A Mother’s Worst Nightmare

A young Nigerian woman clings to her faith through abduction, forced marriage, the murder of her son and more

By Rebecca Horgan

Feature Article


rape at the hand of her new “husband.” Eventually, Rebecca became pregnant with her third son. Like a glimmer of hope in the midst of total darkness, a baby boy named Christopher entered the world on Christmas day. Even if she couldn’t openly practice her faith in the camp, Rebecca was determined to give her son a name that honored Christ.

Hope of FreedomTwo grueling years after her initial

abduction, Rebecca’s prayers were finally answered. One day, gunshots rang out, alerting her that the Nigerian military was closing in on the camp. Along with her two living sons and several other prisoners, Rebecca took advantage of the chaos and fled into the forest.

Rebecca and her sons wandered through the forest for 28 days with no supplies before they reached an army base. Hesitant to accept this wandering stranger, the sol-diers initially believed Rebecca belonged to Boko Haram. Calling upon her faith yet again, she began reciting Catholic prayers, convincing them that she was a Christian. Starving, riddled with mosquito bites, and covered in rashes, Rebecca was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Although there were many more chal-lenges to come, Rebecca could breathe easier, knowing that her family was free from the grip of Boko Haram. Rebecca and her husband eventually reunited after two years of each thinking the other had died.

In the wake of her ordeal, Rebecca has spoken out on behalf of victims of perse-cution. In February, she joined the family of Asia Bibi, an imprisoned Christian in Pakistan, to raise awareness of anti-Chris-tian persecution.

In spite of the tragedy that Rebecca has endured, her faith remains intact and she has even publicly forgiven her captors. As Rebecca begins to adjust to life after captivity, she is surrounded by reminders of the faithfulness of Christ. Through the birth of a healthy baby boy, the reuniting of a husband and wife, and the sustaining hope that comes only through the prom-ises of Christ, God demonstrated that he can bring good even out of a mother’s worst nightmare.

ICC Projects in the Region

Opposite: Rebecca Bitrus speaks at an event in March to raise awareness about the persecution of Christians.Above: Rebecca and her sons were held captive in the forests of Nigeria for two years before their miraculous escape.

In April 2014, Boko Haram abducted nearly 300 primarily Christian schoolgirls from the town of Chibok, Nigeria.

Despite the overwhelming burden of grief, parents of the missing girls eventually returned to their farms. In 2016, ICC stepped to try to help these grieving parents recover something resembling what normal life was like before their daughters were taken.

Just the hope of assistance motivated surviving parents from all over Chibok to plant corn seedlings, the staple food crop in northern Nigeria. ICC distributed agricultural assistance packages to 215 grieving Chibok families, which included fertilizer, herbicides, and tools to help grow corn and beans.


donating today.


SURVIVING A CHURCH BOMBING: “We’re Physically Injured, but Not in Faith.”

By Amy Penn


December 17, 2017. Quetta, Pakistan. Christians woke up in hopeful expecta-tion, ready for the last Sunday before Christmas Eve. Today, they would prepare for the upcoming celebra-

tion of Christ’s birth. Yes, the day would pres-ent greater risks (Christian holidays have been singled out for attacks), but also reason for greater celebration.

As Pastor Simon walked to Bethel Memorial Methodist Church to prepare for the 11 a.m. service, he knew he would have more to do than normal because of the day’s proximity to Christmas. Security arrange-ments would be a necessary component of his planning. As he arrived at Bethel, Pastor Simon saw the police and paramilitary vehi-cles in front of his church and began looking for the leader.

No Ordinary SundayTwenty minutes later, Pastor Simon had

spoken to eight security officials from Frontier Core and the Quetta police force. Normally, Pastor Simon would only talk to the police, but today was different. Not only was December 17 close to a holiday, but in the previous weeks, attackers had used hand grenades and a bomb to damage several Christian areas, so security officials were on especially high alert. By now, Pakistani offi-cials knew the threat of attacks would not stop Christians from meeting, so here Pastor Simon stood talking about security protocols with Pakistan’s paramilitary, border control group, and police.

As Pastor Simon turned away, walking back toward the church, his lips began moving in prayer. Prayer for protection, preparation, and peace. Prayer for God’s presence in the service. Prayer for endurance. Thirty-five minutes later, at exactly 11 a.m., Pastor Simon called George, a friend and the church gatekeeper, to ring the bell. The bells rang out a call to worship, sig-naling parishioners to enter the church.

Families began entering, parents to the main sanctuary, children to a rear room to prepare for a special Sunday School presenta-tion for Christmas. Mrs. James and her three

Left: A church member stands in the Bethel sanctuary. The bombing has not stopped Christians from returning to their place of worship.


helpers welcomed each child as everyone found their seat and waited for prayer. Once the children were in a room at the far end of the church, Pastor Simon turned to his con-gregation and saw that peace abounded. The “people and myself, we all were satisfied that not only the security agencies are present, but God Himself was present among us—this is our faith,” remembered Pastor Simon.

An hour later, at 12:05 p.m., Pastor Simon “invited the worshipers to the altar for Holy Communion,” but he stopped when he heard gunfire outside. Maybe it was coming from somewhere else? Maybe the security guards were bored and having a little target practice? No one knew what was happening, except Ashraf, the church’s security guard.

Something AmissA few minutes earlier, Ashraf walked out-

side to ensure that everything was secure. Movement beyond the church property caught his attention. Turning, Ashraf saw “two men covering themselves with woolen sheets,” a telltale sign that they were trying to hide some-thing. Sensing that something was wrong, Ashraf locked the gate leading to the church property before running toward the front door. Before he got there, the attackers ripped their covers off, revealing guns and explosives, and engaged the security officers outside the wall surrounding the church property.

Ashraf heard the gunshots and ducked into a side room off of the main church entrance. “[I] saw the attackers jump over the [church] walls…and start firing at the church,” he shared. Ashraf didn’t know what had hap-pened to the security officials, but he knew the attackers were heading for the church’s door.

As Ashraf ran back to the church, Pastor Simon signaled a church member to lock the church doors and “requested the audience to lay down.” He was hoping that the bullets penetrating the sanctuary would fly over the prostrate congregants. Pastor Simon saw the fear and worry on people’s faces, especially the parents who were “worried for their chil-dren in Mrs. James’ care.”

Pastor Simon crept to another door in the church to peek outside. He saw Ashraf and a police officer running and signaling that

“an attacker is firing and running towards the church.” Closing the door, Pastor Simon implored everyone to remain down before a deafening blast drowned out the sound of gunfire. Smoke filled the sanctuary as everyone realized that one of attackers was a suicide bomber.

Secondary AttackPastor Simon, coughing and choking,

watched two male congregants get up and flee the church in fear. Unfortunately, the attackers were expecting that. Some of the remaining gunmen had found hiding spots where they could shoot survivors fleeing the church. “There was continuous firing,” remembered Pastor Simon and chaos abounded as bullets ricocheted off walls, tiles fell, and splinters flew, injuring many congregants.

In the back room, Mrs. James was trying to keep her Sunday School children calm. “We heard the blast…and I told my children to get down,” and they did. They fell to the ground in prayer. Mrs. James remembers that the louder the gunfire and screams of their parents grew outside, the louder the children’s prayers became. Trusting God to protect them, the children comforted each other until the gunfire subsided.

The entire attack lasted 15 minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Around 12:30 p.m., Pastor Simon began surveying the damage and searching for injured congregants. It took 15 minutes for officers and medics

to reach the Christians inside the church, but medics couldn’t transport the injured to the hospital until 1:15 p.m. because hospital staff needed to clear out some of their patients. Crowded hospitals, especially hospitals full of injured Christians, are easy targets for attack. By the end of the day, nine church members were dead and more than 50 injured, including children.

Strength To CelebrateIn one week, the church was supposed

to celebrate the birth of Christ, the Prince of Peace, yet their building bore no signs of peace. Smoke damage, bullet holes, gun powder residue, blood, and debris littered the church grounds. Hospital beds were full of injured Christians, and morgues held the bodies of men and women who had just taken Communion in remembrance of Christ’s own death. The sharp divide between the upcom-ing celebration and reality didn’t stop the church, however.

On Christmas Eve, people poured into Bethel Memorial Methodist Church’s pews. Church members had worked tirelessly in the days before Christmas Eve to paint,

“We heard the blast... and I told my children to get down.”– MRS. JAMES

Left: Mrs. James, the church’s Sunday School teacher, holds a photo of her

daughter who was killed in the blast.

Right: One of the children injured in the blast sits with his mother and shows

where he was injured.


clean, and repair the damage to the building as best they could. Today wasn’t going to be a day of mourning, but a time to celebrate Christ’s promises. Pastor Simon watched the injured Christians walk back to the same building where they had watched their friends die. The service was televised and Pakistanis around the country watched as Christians fearlessly showed that they “are not afraid and shared their testimonies.” The “people are physically injured, but not in faith,” echoed Pastor Simon.

Much work remains. Some of the injured Christians still need medical treatment, and repair work on the church needs to be com-pleted. Security issues are still a tremendous concern for Pastor Simon. He hopes that the police and Frontier Core members will con-tinue to guard Bethel Memorial Methodist Church. Without their patrol, the damage caused on December 17 would have been much greater. Even if they don’t, however, the church will continue to meet and spread God’s Word because, as Pastor Simon told ICC, “This is our faith.”

ICC Projects in the Region

Bombings that target large Christian gatherings are nothing new in Pakistan. The 2017 Quetta church bombing followed the 2013 All Saints Church bombing, the 2015 Youhanabad bombing, and the 2016 Easter bombing. ICC continues to assist bombing victims as they rebuild their lives and will offer similar help to victims of Quetta’s church bombing.

Powerful assistance tools include schooling, medical assistance, small businesses, and food aid. ICC has already sent its team to Quetta to speak with the grieving families of those killed, the injured, and church leadership, and is currently discussing how ICC can best support these Christians.

To learn more about how you can make a difference through ICC’s work in South Asia, give us a call at 800-ICC-5441 or visit persecution.org

and consider donating today.


In April 2018, International Christian Concern’s advocacy team embarked on what would be a successful advo-cacy tour on Capitol Hill. These tours are designed to bring the issue of global Christian persecu-tion before U.S. policymakers and impress the severity of the situation facing the persecuted Church. To do this, ICC hosts victims and experts

from various countries where persecution is rampant to meet with United States sena-tors and congressmen, as well as leaders of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other power-brokers in Washington D.C.

The April tour focused on Christian perse-cution in India where extremist Hindu nation-alist groups continue to persecute, harass, rape and murder Christians and other religious minorities. This is not a recent development in Prime Minister Modi’s India, but rather a continuation of India’s growing legacy as a religious freedom and human rights violator.

Freedom to PersecuteSince its beginning, the reign of Prime

Minister Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has witnessed the increased radical-ization of Hindu nationalist groups. These groups, emboldened by impunity, have inten-sified their persecution of Christians through-out India. Hundreds of Christians have been assaulted, churches have been burned down,

and there is no end is in sight. More recent-ly, during the observance of Holy Week, a series of attacks perpetrated by Hindu radi-cals left several Christians severely injured. Sadly, such attacks have become all too com-mon in India. According to Open Doors, in 2016, India witnessed a weekly average of 10 instances in which a church was burned down or a cleric was assaulted. This finding alone is triple the rate of just two years prior.

Perpetrators of these violent acts enjoy almost complete impunity and the freedom to continue persecuting Christians and other religious minority groups. Calls to bring the perpetrators to justice by Christians and other victims are largely ignored by law enforce-ment officials and community leaders.

Empty PromisesPrime Minister Modi has repeatedly

given assurances that religiously motivated attacks on minorities will not be tolerated. He has promised to “ensure that there is complete freedom of faith and that everyone has the undeniable right to retain or adopt the religion of his or her choice.” Although Modi’s sentiment is to be admired, it’s a far cry from the reality on the ground for India’s Christian community.

In fact, the Indian government recently released data showing a vast increase in religiously motivated violence in India, thus affirming what ICC and other human rights groups have long said—persecution is on the rise in India.

The Indian government’s admission opened a window of opportunity for ICC, foreign governments, NGOs, and other like-mind-ed entities to apply significant pressure and exhort the BJP-led government to take con-crete steps to guarantee religious minorities safety from Hindu extremist groups.

Throughout the spring of 2018, ICC worked tirelessly to mobilize members of Congress. Our primary goal was to promote bipartisan and bicameral support of a letter to Prime Minister Modi, appealing for action to reduce and eliminate persecution in India.

ICC won support for the letter from sev-eral Democratic and Republican members

Serving India’s Persecuted On Capitol Hill

By Matias Perttula

ICC’s India Advocacy Tour Pressures India To Stop Attacks on Christians by Hindu Radicals

The Indian government recently released data showing a vast increase in religiously motivated violence in India.


of Congress, thereby helping bring about a unified call for action on the part of Prime Minister Modi. As a result of ICC’s advocacy efforts, many members of Congress signed on to the letter and are more conscious of the true condition of our brothers and sisters in India. Yet there is still work to be done.

Call for ChangeICC is calling on its supporters to contact

their congressmen and senators to urge them to sign the letter. Members of Congress should also be encouraged to pen their own letters to Indian officials and call the Indian embassy in Washington to say that the U.S. will not stand by while Indian lawmakers and

extremist Hindu nationalist groups suppress religious freedom.

India has traditionally been very responsive to foreign pressure and has made changes in the past after prompting from the United States. In 2015, then President Barack Obama prompted a reaction from Prime Minister Modi’s government when he addressed India’s egregious violation of religious freedom and human rights. With India’s recent acknowl-edgement of its persecution problem, the U.S. must act quickly to ensure security for India’s vulnerable Christian community.

As always, please continue praying for India’s Christians to stand fast and maintain their faith in the face of severe persecution.

A respondent takes ICC’s survey aimed at gauging how India’s Christians are responding to increasing persecution in the last few years.

ICC President Jeff King and our advocacy team are active on Capitol Hill keeping members of Congress informed about

the climate for Christians in India.

ICC calls on its supporters to contact their representatives on Capitol Hill to sign the bicameral and bipartisan letter, and encourage their colleagues on Capitol Hill to do the same. Now is the time to make long-lasting change in India. Help ICC move India’s government to act now on behalf of persecuted Christians and religious minority groups by calling your congressman and senators today!

To learn more about supporting ICC’s advocacy work, visit persecution.org or give us a call at 800-ICC-5441. Consider making a

donation today.

You CanPlay a Part!


D E N I E Dhen I visited a local church during my recent trip to Cairo, I got a taste of the tension that Egyptian Christians must feel every Sunday. Guards had barricaded the streets with military-

style vehicles, preventing cars from parking near the church. Heavily armed police searched congregants’ bags and directed them through metal detectors.

Taking it all in, I thought to myself that the hard-ware and police presence created a false sense of security. After all, this was Cairo, the nation’s capi-tal. Any attacks here would automatically be more high profile. But most Christians live elsewhere in Egypt, primarily in the rural Minya Governorate, where the security presence is significantly less. In

Minya, the guards often disappear before attacks or fail to protect the church. Throughout Egypt, Christians are regularly reminded that their reli-gious activities are both heavily regulated and highly insecure.

Bureaucratic red tape combined with the threat of community violence are the greatest obstacles facing churches that seek legalization. Prior to 2016, church licensing regulations contained policies created dur-ing the 1856 Ottoman Caliphate.

Legitimizing ExtremismIn August 2016, the authorities finally passed a

new church licensing law. On one hand, the presi-dent’s approval is no longer needed to approve the application for a church license. On the other hand, the law has several problems that ultimately legiti-mize efforts by Islamic extremists seeking to prevent churches from operating.

W

Egyptians’ Right To Worship God:

Egypt’s 2016 Church Registration Law Legitimizes Violence and Discrimination Against Christians

By Claire Evans


D E N I E D

Christians in Egypt face many challenges, from systematically being treated as second-class citizens to their churches facing governmental roadbocks, as well as physical attacks and bombings.


Feature Article

First, the law mandates that the church size must be proportional to the local Christian population. However, according to Magdy Hanna, a Christian lawyer, “[This provision] is considered a great restriction on the construc-tion of churches, as there are no accurate sta-tistics of the number of Christians in Egypt.”

Secondly, the new law allows previous-ly unlicensed churches to retroactively gain legalization and a committee was formed for this purpose. However, “obviously, the com-mittee is not in a hurry,” said Halim Meawad, a deacon of the Coptic Church and a retired Foreign Service Officer.

Pointing toward the rate at which applica-tions are approved, Halim noted that “it will take the committee more than 55 years to fin-

ish… Whatever the reason and the cause, the committee and the whole process of licensing and legalizing must be reviewed and stream-lined. It must not take another 150 or 55 years.”

Thirdly, the provincial governor, rather than the president, can now approve licenses. This means that local authorities will have more input. But in places like Minya, where Christians are a significant demographic, they do not have rep-resentation in local government. What’s more, a fourth provision in the law says that a church may operate only if it is not a security risk. This combination poses a significant problem.

Coptic activist Amir Fakhry explained to ICC how “governors in rural areas and in Upper Egypt will be vulnerable to pressure from Muslim hardliners to oppose the con-

struction of churches…Individual governors can deny church permits based on any esti-mate of their own convenience.”

The harsh reality of this concern has expressed itself multiple times since the law’s enactment. Mob attacks against churches have long been a reality in Egypt. But since the law’s enactment, these attacks have only become further legitimized. Local authorities say that they are closing churches for security reasons, but in reality, they are creating an environment which allows violence against Christians to go unpunished.

Punished for PrayerIn a statement released by the Archbishopric

of Minya this past October, the church said it is “as if prayer is a crime the Copts should be punished for… The Copts always pay the price of this coexistence, not the aggressors. The reactions of officials are disappointing, and when there is any dispute or an attack, the first alternative is to close the church and put pressure only on the Copts with impunity for the aggressors.”

Last Christmas season, this concern became reality for Christians living in Kafr El-Waselin. Christians had worshiped at St. Tadros Church since 2002, and after the passage of the new law, the Bishopric submitted an application to legalize the church. Local Muslim extremists, however, did not want this.

The day before St. Tadros was attacked by a mob, threats were advertised on social media. The day of the attack, the policemen guarding the church disappeared.

An eyewitness shared with ICC what happened next. “They (the mob) then broke the door of the building and broke into it, completely destroying its contents… they looted the new clothes of the poor people which was meant to be distributed to them before Christmas. They threw the Bibles and Christian books outside the building on the street and trampled them. They attacked three Copts who live next to the building… with clubs and they were hospitalized in critical condition.”

The authorities’ response was, sadly, pre-dictable. They closed St. Tadros, marking the church’s existence as a security threat. The judiciary gave 19 Muslim defendants a one-

Left: On December 11, 2016, a suicide bomber killed 29 people and injured 47 others at St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church in Egypt. ICC visited the church April 2017, where pillars still bear the scars of the violent attack.

It is easy to build a mosque in Egypt, but Christians face enormous obstacles when attempting to build a church.


year suspended prison sentence and a fine of 500 EGP (28 USD) each. Meanwhile, Coptic Christian Eid Attiya Ibrahim was charged with erecting an unlicensed church. He was fined 360,000 EGP (20,433 USD) and given a one-year suspended prison sentence. At the time of writing, his case is currently under appeal and St. Tadros remains closed.

Adding Fuel to the FireChristians in Kafr el-Waselin are frustrated

with the unfairness of the situation. “What did we do to be deprived from our most basic right to worship?” asked Sameh. “There are three big mosques in our village, and they don’t allow us to have this small place of worship; where is the justice? Where is the peaceful coexistence which they always call for?”

The situation involving St. Tadros is one of many similar cases in Egypt. Ezzat Ibrahim, a human rights activist, asked, “Is prayer a crime? There has been more than once the closure of several churches. The Christians are attacked, their property destroyed, with-out deterrent, and then [the authorities] use bargaining and balance under the name of ‘peaceful coexistence.’ Copts usually pay the price of this coexistence, not the aggres-sors… The first alternative is to close the church and pressure the Copts without pun-ishment for the aggressors.”

This kind of response sets a dangerous precedent. A Christian lawyer, Atef, further

explained, “The pretext of the security in clos-ing down a church has always been that some villagers object to the opening of a church in their village, and that the authorities fear the reaction of the extremists... These actions, in fact, fuel extremism, which causes sectar-ian problems and instigates strife and gives license and legitimacy to those extremists.”

Whether I was in Cairo or in the rural vil-lages, the fear was palpable that a church may be targeted by extremists. The 2016 church registration law was marketed by the authori-ties as a way of easing the limitations that prevent Christians from freely practicing their faith. Yet the law has not done that. Instead, the law allows extremism to dictate where Christians may worship.

“Where is the justice? Where is the peaceful coexistence which they always call for?” – SAMEH

ICC Projectsin the Region

In 2017, ICC funded the construction of a small Christian church in Nag Mukhemer village, Egypt. The church leaders and congregants had a very difficult time obtaining the necessary permits, but finally succeeded after several attempts and a lot of prayer. The congregants needed a safe place to gather for worship in the village, but faced many challenges from both the government and ISIS militants. The latter had brutally beheaded seven of the church’s loyal members in Libya simply for being Christians.

Please pray for the success and growth of this church as it continues to minister to believers in the region.

To learn more about how you can make a difference through ICC’s work in the Middle East, give us a call at 800-ICC-5441 or visit persecution.org and

consider donating today.

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