Remember Ambassadors

Well friends, the whirlwind of preparations is complete, and we are ready to head to Thailand.  The closer we get to departure, the more excited I am about this chance to minister God's love to the children of martyrs at the Freedom House Orphanage.

Our seven-person team will be leaving very early tomorrow morning, and flying to Bangkok via D.C. and Tokyo.  Our primary goal is to provide medical assistance to the children in the Freedom House and other Karen children.  Many, if not all, of these children, are in the resettlement process that I have discussed before, and in addition to providing medical treatment, we will be creating and updating the medical records of these children to help facilitate their resettlement.

I have often said that one of my favorite things about my work with Remember is seeing the generosity of God's people, and this trip is no different.  Many churches and individuals have given us abundant supplies to bless the persecuted church with.  I can't wait to show you pictures of this blessing–stay tuned for updates!

Please keep the team and our ministry in your prayers.

Our Itinerary

           June 22 - Depart US for Bangkok.

           June 25 - Arrive in Mae Sot (near the Mae La Refugee Camp) for ministry.

           June 26-29 - Medical clinics, treatments, and documentation.

           June 30 - Depart Mae Sot.

           July 1 - Arrive home.

Today I'm working on writing the text to Remember's new Country Focus bulletin insert on China.  My research let me to this excellent overview of persecution from China Aid.

What amazes me is the different layers of persecution in China.  It really has come from all angles over the past centuries.  When the first missionaries arrived in the 1800s, they fought cultural battles, spirit worship, and scorn.  With the Boxer Rebellion, that cultural persecution was institutionalized in the government.  That all changed again with the advent of communism in China, and Christians were persecuted by a government that was founded on atheism and violent anti-Christianity.  Under the rule of Mao Tse-Tung, Christian denominations were forced to disband, and churches were forced "underground."

Today, Chinese Christians still face the persecution of communism, combined with almost unbelievable cultural trends–leading to forced abortions, for instance.  Chinese Christians face persecution from every different direction that I can imagine.  They face governmental regulations that deny them the chance to practice their beliefs (or force them to violate those beliefs!), the hatred of friends and neighbors, police misconduct or inaction, and the fear of discovery and retribution every time that they worship.

Persecution can, and does, come in so many different forms. Not just in China, but all across the world, Christians face differing levels and sources of persecution when they stand for the truth.  Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."  The powers of evil use every source that they can to bring suffering to God's people.

And yet, despite all of that attack, James 4:7 gives us a powerful promise: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."  The growing, thriving underground church in China is a testament to the love and power of God to fulfill that promise.

In today's Weekly Reminder, I sent out these summaries of persecution in four countries.  In that e-mail, though, I did not link to the stories that are behind these facts, and they are powerful stories.  Here is the same text, with links!

***

            The past few weeks have been full of news from our persecuted brothers and sisters overseas.  Here are some of the most pressing prayer requests – and some of the amazing praises of God’s work at hand in the darkest regions of the world!

India

            Even though India has taken great strides forward in recent years, Christian persecution is on the rise.  This week, a pastor in Karnataka was stripped, beaten, and humiliated for his faith.  His attackers even attempted to cover him in kerosene and light him on fire!  Militant Hindus in the same city have attacked church services, destroying Bibles and hymnbooks, and assaulting worshippers.  In other Indian states, pastors have been held under “anti-conversion” laws, misapplied and mis-construed by officials that only want to stop the spread of the gospel.

            The good news of the gospel is spreading quickly in India, especially among the Dalit “Untouchables.”  By the thousands, Dalits are rejecting the Hinduism that has enslaved them for centuries.  Pray for those that minister among them; these evangelists are the targets for militant Hindu groups.  Pray also for the effectiveness of their work, and the salvation of many.  Buddhism is a popular choice among those seeking to escape the Hindu caste system, but pray that the strength of the gospel would grow!

Iraq

            Persecution continues in full force against Iraqi Christians.  Thousands of families have fled to other nations, where they often struggle to earn enough for survival.

            For those that remain, though, the situation is often even worse.  Christians are regularly threatened, attacked, and even martyred.  Christians face persecution for ransom, “protection” taxes, and the guns of masked attackers.

Indonesia

            In a huge and unexpected praise, Indonesian authorities released three Sunday School teachers that were imprisoned for their evangelism.  While these three women of faith have been warned to discontinue their work, they are maintaining their shining witness to Jesus Christ.  “Compared with the Lord’s love and what He has given me,” one said after release, “it is worth it.”

Eritrea

            A small country in northern Africa, Eritrea has begun to grow in prominence as a nation that persecutes its Christians.  A couple of weeks ago, officials raided an “unregistered” church, arresting the pastor and over 80 others.  That was not the end, though, as this week authorities arrested more believers that refuse to follow the government’s religious mandates.

            These countries are just the tip of the iceberg.  As the Kingdom of Christ grows, so do the attacks on believers.  Let us use our freedom and the power of prayer to bless them today!

If you have been following the news in the "Up to the Minute" sidebar, you have seen that three Indonesian teachers were recently released from their imprisonment for the sake of the gospel.  Dr. Rebekka Zakaria, Eti Pangesti and Ratna Bangun have been falsely accused, viciously threatened, and imprisoned because of their Sunday School ministry.  One of them even lost her father while in prison.

As a testimony to the power of the Gospel, these women are not backing down, even in the face of these atrocities.  Today, as reported by the Christian Post, these women are sticking to their convictions–and their hope in Jesus Christ.

“This is nothing compared with the suffering and persecution faced by others,” Dr. Rebekka Zakaria said to Open Doors U.K. “Compared with the Lord’s love and what He has given me, it is worth it.”

 And as Mission Network News has reported, these women are far from backing down: " The women already have plans for the future and will continue doing the work of the Gospel."  Let us continue to pray for them!

“We still need your prayers,” Zakaria said, according to Open Doors USA. “First, please pray for the congregation. We are still looking for a place to conduct worship services. We might hold them in Haurgeulis, just like before – and I’m sure God will allow this to happen – but Muslim radicals are still scrutinizing us. We must be very cautious about this.

“Second, please pray for us and our family; pray that we would stand firm and strong in the Lord, in whatever we do.”

The folks over at Compass Direct News released a series of updates on persecution in India yesterday.  These news briefs are well worth reading as you pray for the Indian Church!

Persecution in India is very different than persecution in many other nations.  As a nation, India has taken great strides forward in recent times.  Though the Indian culture is steeped in a virtually militant class system, very positive changes are being made.  Equality, democracy, and freedom are making progress.

As you can see in these news briefs, though, the struggle remains.  The old system is not going without a fight, and as Christianity advances among the Hindus it is met with violence.  Although the government recognizes religious freedom, local officials are often complicit in the actions of extremist Hindu groups.  Christians are often denied the protection of the police as they are attacked for their Christianity.  Stories abound, as you can read, of churches being burned, evangelists beaten, Christian women abused, and countless saints mocked, shunned, and harmed for their faith.

Another interesting issue in India is that of "anti-conversion statutes."  The legislature of Himachel Pradesh, one of India's 28 states, recently passed an anti-conversion statute, which would make it the eighth state to have such a law.  These bills have been pushed by extremist Hindu groups in order to keep other religions from spreading, and are designed to punish anyone who tries to convert another by "fraudulent" means.  They are often used by Hindu authorities to quell Christian evangelization.  Himachel Pradesh's version also requires people that wish to change their religion to give the government 30 days' notice!

These Christians face many challenges in a nation that is entrenched in darkness. 

For More Information–

VOM Canada Country Report: India 

Persecution Update India 

One of the goals of Ambassadors is to keep you updated on what is going on in the persecuted church, so that you can pray effectively.  To that end, I am constantly surveying persecuted church news for items to share with you.

Many of those items end up here, in the form of specific updates and prayer requests, but there is not enough time in a day for me to write a blog post on each piece of news involving persecution worldwide.  I have been looking for a way to update you with news stories as they break, and technology has given me a way to do that.

Check out the sidebar, just under the links to Remember's main site.  There you will see a box marked "Up to the Minute," where I will be providing continuous news updates as I find them.  Please check those links regularly for ways that you can pray.

In addition, if you use an RSS feed reader yourself, these Up to the Minute updates have their own feed.  Click on "Read More…" to subscribe!