Remember Ambassadors

Burma (or Myanmar, as it is called by its military dictatorship) is a country that often flies under the international radar.  Despite the fact that its ruling junta is one of the world's most repressive regimes, it almost never gets the "air time" of a Sudan, North Korea, or Iran.

That has changed this past week, as massive protests and demonstrations have rocked the capital city of Rangoon.  Prompted by the government's hike in fuel prices last month, these protests have combined Buddhist monks, college students, human rights activists, and hundreds–perhaps thousands–of disaffected citizens.  The international community is getting involved, as well.  (For instance, you can read the statement by President Bush at this link.)

From anything I can tell, these protests have nothing to do with Christian persecution in the direct sense.  But that certainly does not stop our God from working through it!  As international scrutiny grows more intense, the plight of minority Christians will come into focus, giving them a chance to speak out against persecution, and even more importantly, giving them a stage to show God's faithfulness to a watching world.

Let's pray that as the government cracks down on dissidents in the wake of these protests, that God would give His hand of protection to Burmese believers.  Let us also pray that these protests against more general human rights violations have a direct, positive impact on the situation of our Christian brothers and sisters living in that oppression.

China: Bible Printer Released After Three Years

The Chinese government only "allows" worship at state-owned churches, and arrested house church pastor Cai Zhuohua, putting him in prison for three years for printing Bibles and religious materials.  He has now been released, but continues to be monitored!

Cuba: Jailed Journalist Rushed to Havana Hospital

Normando Hernandez Gonzalez has been jailed since April of 2003 for his journalistic work critical of Cuba's communist government.

India: Anti-Christian Hate Campaign Fuels Persecution in India

Indonesia: Angry Mob Storms Church

Palestine: Gaza's Forgotten Christians

Uzbekistan: Repression of Protestants Continues

When I wrote my last post about praying through Ramadan, I thought that it would be great to provide a whole series of prayer requests throughout the month to encourage believers to pray.  With banquet preparation in full swing, I don't have the time to do that, but today I found a terrific resource that I encourage all Christians to use to guide their prayers.  30 Days Fire provides daily stories on different areas of Islam that need prayers.

Please visit!

For 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.  (Ephesians 6:12)

Tomorrow is the first day of Ramadan, Islam’s holiest month, which is devoted to religious observances.  Pious Muslims will abstain from eating throughout the day, and will pray for their salvation.  All across the world, men, women, and children in spiritual darkness will seek eternal security.

What a time for us to pray for them!  They are seeking salvation where it cannot be found, combating darkness with more darkness.  Let us pray for the light of the gospel to break forth.

And let us remember those that are the lights—Christians who have chosen Jesus Christ instead of safety, families, and sometimes their lives.  Courageously standing, they are the epitome of Philippians 2:15: “in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.”  Because of that light, they are the beacons of eternal hope, but that light also marks them as targets of persecution.

The real enemy is not the club-wielding mob, the corrupt government official, or the scorning family member.  These agents of persecution are in bondage to the spiritual wickedness in high places, and they need our prayers, too.  The real enemy is spiritual, and that is why your prayers make a difference.

I doubt that I need to remind any American over the age of 10 what today marks.  If you're like me, you remember exactly what you were doing that Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, when you received the news of the attacks that changed the face of America.  Even now, writing these simple words, the tragic images from that day come back with such vivid clarity that I can't help but sit back and grieve.

The numbers are as startling as the images.  Over three thousand men, women, and children lost their lives that day.  We heard their names read at the memorial services that followed, shocking us in the sheer numbers of the tragedy.  We saw their families–wives missing husbands, children without mothers and fathers, parents devastated at the loss of their children, lives altered forever in the blink of an eye.

And we all felt the uncertainty of life, an unknown fear of what was to come.  Could our government protect us from further attacks?  What would be next?  And this is with a government that is trying to protect us, looking out for our safety!

It is an easy parallel to draw to the persecuted church, but not a trite one.  The hatred that we saw on display six years ago is constant reality for so many of our brothers and sisters in Christ–both in the Islamic world, and elsewhere.  Where we can look from the outside in, and marvel at so great a violent anger, they live underneath it.

And the numbers.  Oh, the numbers.  An estimated 160,000 people will be martyred this year alone for their faith in Jesus Christ.  One hundred and sixty thousand–more than 53 people for every one killed in the tragedy of September 11.  For every person killed that day, that number looks like this:

We will not–and we should not–forget what happened six years ago.  As one who has seen and heard first-hand the tragedies of persecution, I implore you not to forget their plight.  As Christians, it is our calling to remember.

Two United Kingdom ministries (Christian Solidarity Worldwide and Burma Campaign UK) are encouraging people and churches to dedicate a special time to praying for Burma's many needs–spiritual, physical, and even political.

Having been there, and seen those needs firsthand, I wholeheartedly echo their encouragement to pray!  Let us all join in to raise the needs of these brothers and sisters before the throne of grace.

You can get the full background by reading the ANS story.