Remember Ambassadors

"At least 7 Islamic countries apply the death penalty to those who convert from Islam: Sudan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Mauritania.  But in other states, like Egypt, converts are condemned to prison, not as apostates but for contempt of Islam, as Hossam Bahgat, a member of the Egyptian Initiative for personal rights, explains."

(Read the full story from AsiaNews here.  There is also an excellent op-ed piece on this subject in the Washington Times, available here.)

Despite its official status as an Islamic nation, Egypt has a very real Christian component.  The Coptic church was founded in Alexandria in 451 AD, and continues to have a strong presence amongst Egyptians.  Even outside this Orthodox history, though, God is beginning an amazing work in this nation.

Our Remember team was able to see first-hand just how hard it is to be an Egyptian Christian on our recent Middle East Survey Trip.  We visited a small Baptist church in Cairo, and after sneaking in to avoid arousing suspicion, were absolutely amazed at both the poverty and the passion of these faithful believers, and were quickly made painfully aware of the persecution they were under.  While standing in the church, the Muslim call to prayer began in a nearby mosque, making the whole church shake and prompting many of us to cover our ears.  The believers explained to us that when the mosque found out that there was a church nearby, they specifically pointed one of their speakers at the church to cause disruption!

Recent news out of Egypt has reminded me of these believers, and reminded me to pray for them.  The work that God is doing has not been unnoticed by the kingdom of darkness, and the persecution is intensifying.

• Late last month a young woman, recently converted to Christianity was taken in to police custody to protect her from the death threats of fanatical Muslim relatives.  Instead of protecting her, though, the police ended up interrogating and torturing her, including electrocution!  When they were done, the police released her from "protective custody," allowing those same family members, who immediately began to abuse her–even  before leaving the police station.
• Compass Direct News is reporting that a young man has sued the government for the right to officially convert to Christianity.  While no government can stop a person from turning to Christ, of course, Egypt's government has long made it very difficult, even illegal, to change religion status in official paperwork.  The lawyer handling the Christian's side of the lawsuit has received death threats against him!

Let us pray that these believers would have the strength to stand faithful against the evil that surrounds them.

***Update***

Open Doors USA is reporting that the young man that has sued the government for official recognition of his conversion is in hiding, and his lawyer has backed out of the case.  Keep this young Christian in your prayers!