Remember Ambassadors

It has been a while since we had a world update post, although you can always use "Up to the Minute" in the sidebar to keep on top of the most up-to-date news!

Here's the latest from the persecuted church. 

China: Prominent House Church Leaders Arrested

Three church leaders have been arrested and arraigned on the charges of “gathering in an illegal assembly under the guise of religion.”

Honduras: Pastor Says Robberies Target Ministries

Organized crime is using violence in an attempt to stop Christian work. 

Indonesia:  The Power of Forgiveness

This is an update story on the continued working of God in and through the lives of the two Indonesian girls that survived the vicious attack of Islamic extremists back in 2005.

India: Riot-Hit Christians Still Hiding in Jungles

The aftermath of the Christmas violence against Christians continues for many.  Some are still missing, and others are hiding in the jungles to avoid attack. 

Iraq: Coordinated Blasts Rock Churches

Attackers chose the day of Epiphany to coordinate attacks against 4 churches and 3 convents in Iraq.

North Korea: Government Accused of Running Underground Church "Stings"

Reports indicate that government officials are posing as defectors in order to infiltrate underground churches. 

Russia: Nationalistic Youth Movement Takes Credit for Vandalizing Churches

Bottles and stones with threatening messages were used to vandalize two church properties in the city of Kaluga. 

On New Year's Day, a news story broke that was, to me, a very sobering reminder of both the danger of our work, and the desperate need for it.  Just weeks after I and five Americans returned from Sudan, a U.S. diplomat was shot and killed in an attack in the city we stayed in.

US Diplomat Shot Dead in Sudan

The story impacted me on a very personal level, just because of its proximity to my own travels, but then I realized that in spite of that personal impact I can only imagine what it must be like to be a Christian living in Sudan.  Even though I have met them, heard their stories and seen their needs, I can only begin to comprehend what life must be like in a place where everything they believe is hated to the point of violence.

But even my small comprehension drives home to me just how great the need is for the work of Remember.  Truly, these believers have no place to turn–except to us, the Body of Christ.  And why should they turn anywhere else?  We are called to meet their needs.

Remember's goal is to expand in as many directions as God allows us to in 2008.  The possibilities are endless, and as God opens doors we will jump through them!  Won't you join us?  Your prayers are the power from which we derive our success–and a direct blessing to the people that we serve together.

While we join with our brothers and sisters in Christ to celebrate His birth, it is important to remember that we do so in vastly different circumstances than Christians in closed countries.  Please take the time to pray for these believers!

North Korean Christians Celebrate Christmas Covertly

Communist North Korea officially forbids the celebration of Christmas.  That does not stop our brothers and sisters from rejoicing in Christ's birth, though–it just means that they must do so in very small groups and without public display.

Gaza's Christians Keep Low Christmas Profile

Christians in Gaza have been greatly affected by the recent murder of a prominent activist.  While no group has officially claimed responsibility, living in a Muslim country controlled by Hamas has caused Christians to celebrate very quietly to avoid further violence.

Militant Hindus Attack Christmas Celebrations

The attacks in the Indian state of Orissa, began when around 500 men attacked a nativity scene that had been erected by a number of local denominations.  It did not end there, though, as churches throughout the state were attacked by mobs.  The latest reports say that 2 Christians were killed, and 12 churches damaged.

Sombre Christmas in Iraq

"Christmas is very difficult for us. It's a time for family and friends, and this year for the first time, our family is incomplete," Maria Farid said.

Her son was killed by a car bomb in central Baghdad.  Their celebration is a tough one.

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

Algeria: Christians Detained for Preaching

These arrests come on the heels of a program launched by Algeria's Religious Affairs Ministry to stop Christian proselytizing. 

Azerbaijan: Religious Freedom Getting Worse

A pastor in Azerbaijan is being held on false charges as he attempts to register his church to obtain the "legal right" to worship. 

China: Authorities Intensify Crackdown on "Illegal" Church Activities

Eritrea: Police Arrest More Christians

India: MP Condemns Persecution of Christians

Maldives: Hope is Born

Maldives is a small nation with a long history of religious oppression–but that could be changing. 

Pakistan: Christian Girls Kidnapped, Converted, and Forcibly Married

Please pray for these girls, facing violence and destroyed futures because of their faith! 

Turkey: Christians Face Ongoing Intimidation