As a first generation Canadian of Indian immigrants, my first-hand impression when visiting Kerala state, famously known as “God’s Own Country”, was the fairly peaceful coexistence of various religions and the promotion of religious liberties. Christianity, in particular, has flourished in the South. Many free South Indians are naïve of what is actually happening among oppressed North Indians. Religion and politics are intricately and inseparably linked in India. The agenda of the radical nationalists is to restore India to its former identity as “Hindustan” by means of oppressing the Christians and other religious minorities. The more northward you travel in India, to states like Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, the more vivid the religious oppression.
While the national leaders have vocalized their oppressive vision ideologically, it is actually the youth of the nation who are enforcing the vision practically in various localities. The eight case studies in the Destructive Lies Report carried out by the London School of Economics described religious persecution in its many forms as harassment, assault, beatings, taunting, torture, arrest, intimidation, ousting, the spread of disinformation and lynching. These acrimonious crimes are often carried out in the style of mob attacks so that the responsibility cannot be placed on one person, but displaced onto many people leaving any investigations inconclusive. India remains a country marked by systemic corruption at every level. The judicial system has failed to protect and serve the religious minorities. Anyone in power can be bribed to turn a blind eye to the injustices that Christians and other religious minorities experience.
There is a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual toll upon those who are oppressed. On top of the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a compounded hopelessness in India and the narrative among religious minorities is that things are going to become progressively worse if something does not change. Though oppressed, these religious minorities remain resilient, a key characteristic of a nation that has experienced many waves of oppression by means of colonialism (i.e. Portuguese India and British India).
The injustice and oppression of Indians around the world and religious minorities in India are stories that still remain largely untold. Part of the reason for this is because those affected have believed the lie that silence is the only option for survival. The way forward requires amplifying the voices of the silent, listening and learning from their lived experiences, advocating for the censorship of extremist and biased propaganda on all news/media outlets and rallying an international human rights campaign that dignifies those who have been dehumanized. Understanding the power of technology in the twenty-first century, there is a need to develop digital solutions for communication platforms like WhatsApp and leveraging algorithms for Facebook in order to reach India’s nearly 1.4 billion people. Part of responding appropriately requires being informed with reliable information from eyewitnesses.
The Destructive Lies Report provides invaluable insights through case studies that will break every reader’s heart and call every reader to advocate for the persecuted Christians and other religious minorities of India.
Dr. Chris Padiath serves as the Lead Pastor at Waterloo Pentecostal Assembly, a multi-ethnic church in Waterloo, Ontario. His doctoral research was in the field of ethnodoxology. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Master’s College & Seminary teaching undergraduate students in the Worship & Creative Arts track. Chris and his wife, Kylie, have two daughters, Olivia (13) and Sadie (11).
Last week, Mary Katambi graduated university degree in accounting.
It was a beautiful day, and like any graduation day it was full of joy and excitement about the future. But it was particularly special for Mary and her parents, in part because at one point her parents were not sure if they would ever see their daughter again.
That’s because Mary, 24, was one of the girls kidnapped from Chibok School seven years ago.
The Attack
Mary was always a good student. As a 16-yr old in Chibok State Secondary School, she studied hard and showed lots of promise. Then, one night in April 2014, the school was attacked.
Mary recalls the story. Around bedtime, thirty men burst into the dormitory and gathered all the girls – 276 of them – together. The men were strangers, and they didn’t look like members of the village. Some were as young as eighteen. They informed the girls they were from Boko Haram.
It was a terrifying time. The attackers forced the girls out of the school and told them to keep moving, then they set fire to the building. “We were so afraid,” Mary remembers. “They were carrying big guns, the kinds that soldiers use.”
The girls were forced into trucks, which were then taken to the Boko Haram hideout. “It is a very big forest with very big trees. I have never seen those kinds of trees in my life. We were all thirsty and hungry.”
As soon as they arrived, Mary started planning her escape.
The Escape
Some of the girls were told to cook, and during dinner, Mary met with a group of other girls from her village. They all agreed to find a way to escape by running into the bushes. Mary paired up with her friend Deborah.
With so many girls, it was hard for the soldiers to keep track of them all, but the soldiers began to notice that a few had gone into the bush. Arguments ensued among them about who would follow the escapees, and during the commotion Mary and Deborah sneaked away.
The two girls weren’t noticed. They walked for hours, exhausted and hungry, until they finally stumbled upon a hut, the home of a Fulani woman and her children. She fed them, and gave them directions to the nearest village – so they walked some more.
At the village, they used what pocket money they had to hire a taxi, who drove them for some hours. Eventually, the driver got scared, and left them in another forest. From there, the girls were forced to walk again, and again they finally found another hut. Here, finally, they were given a place to sleep.
In the morning, their hosts gave them breakfast and showed them the road. Walking again, Mary remembers going through three different villages that had been destroyed by Boko Haram. At last, in the fourth village, they met a man who gave them a ride on his motorcycle to Chibok, and their families.
The news of their escape was astonishing. Mary’s mother broke down in tears, thanking God for her daughter’s safe return, but it was bittersweet for the many other parents whose children were still in captivity.
Years later, Mary was able to study abroad in Italy, and has now finished her degree in accounting through the American University in Yola, Adamawa State. Mary’s father Katambi was overjoyed on her graduation day: “Honestly, I never thought that my daughter would come out of the hands of Boko Haram…I never imagined that my children would ever study at [University], because I am just a peasant farmer, trying to care for my family. But God did it.” Mary’s mother Saratu feels the same: “This joy is from the depth of my heart. I never thought I would see Mary again…Yesu na gode – Thank you Jesus!”
Following Mary’s escape, her and her family, as well as the families of other kidnapped girls, were provided with encouragement cards and trauma counselling from Open Doors.
To this day, 112 of the Chibok girls remain in captivity.
Shanti* is a believer in her late 50s, surrounded with troubles and worries, yet rejoicing that she knows Jesus.
Shanti and her whole family came to know Jesus when she was healed of a sickness, but their new faith was not accepted by their relatives and community. The family has faced continuous pressure from extremists in their village to leave Christianity, and relatives have cut ties with the family. This is not an uncommon occurrence for Christians in India.
Shanti and her son.
While the family was returning from prayer one day, Hindu extremists took hold of them and beat them severely until they bled, angry with them for converting. The whole family were taken to the police station as the extremists lodged a complaint against them, stating that they were forcibly converting people in their village. While imprisoned, the police officers beat the family even more, and would not listen to their explanation.
The extremists continued to influence the people in their village, insulting and excluding Shanti and her whole family. With sorrow and pain, they had to take shelter in one another believer’s home in a neighbouring village.
Shanti felt heartbroken and helpless at all suffering she and her children had to go through, and yet she is thankful. She says, “I have experienced the love and peace of Christ in my life. I have been to temples and other worship places, spending money to get healed. But it was Christ who healed me – all he wanted was my heart. I and my family can never leave Christ for the mere pressures of humans.”
Despite everything they have been through, there is no thought of denying Christ. Shanti says, “When Christ himself was rejected by His own, what are we? The Bible warns us we will face persecution, so we are prepared for any situation. Worse may happen to us, yet at the same time we are reminded of the verse from 1 Peter 2:4, which says ‘As you come to him, the living Stone-rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him.’ This verse strengthens us and encourages us.”
Open Doors local partners have helped Shanti and her family with medical assistance for Sanjiv who had to have surgery on his broken nose. They also provided the family with groceries.
Shanti says, “I am so grateful to God for the organization that stood by us in this difficult time. God indeed places encouragers during tough times to build up our faith. I also thank you all for your assurance and prayers.”
Prayer
Pray for protection for Shanti and her family, that they would not be harmed further
Pray that extremists will have a change of heart in regards to Christians in their villages
Pray that the family will heal from trauma and find safety.
“How faithful God is!” Your support is an answer to prayer as Nepal faces second wave of COVID-19
“Corona came like a nightmare,” shares Jasmaya Ramtel*, a believer from west Nepal, voicing the thoughts of billions of people around the world. Nepal has been no exception when it comes to the devastation wrought by the pandemic.
The whole nation was shut down for almost a year when COVID-19 first emerged, but gradually, there was a decrease in new cases and people started to heave a sigh of relief, and go back to their daily lives. That was when the second wave arrived.
By April 2021, more than 8,000 people were being infected on a daily basis in Nepal. The country was thrust into economic recession, as lockdowns returned and businesses were forced to close. Many faced financial crisis.
Christian communities in Nepal have been particularly vulnerable, as most Christians in the country have low incomes. Many depend on agriculture or run small business for their livelihood, while others sustain their families through working as labourers. Nepal is a Hindu majority nation, and Christians frequently face persecution by their communities, which can also make it even more difficult for them to find work. The pandemic has only added to their struggles, and many are finding it difficult to manage two meals a day after losing their source of income in the lockdowns.
Jasmaya is one of them. She says, “I sell some food items in the streets to earn my living. Though I do not earn much from selling, I used to manage and sustain my life.
“But the second wave of COVID came like a nightmare to me and I had to stop my only source of income. I was worrying and wondering how I would survive now. I also kept praying God to provide for my needs.”
Thanks to your prayers and support, Open Doors local partners were able to be an answer to that prayer, providing her with vital food aid. She says, “How faithful God is! He answered my prayer and made provisions for me from your partners. I am thankful to God for providing the means of my livelihood in the time of crisis and food scarcity. I pray that God leads them to reach out to many helpless women like me with this beautiful act of serving. God bless you all.”
Reaching believers in Nepal was difficult for Open Doors partners, who had to deal with the challenges of both COVID restrictions and reaching isolated communities in the mountains. But one partner recalls the joy that was shared despite the challenges.
“Seeing their happiness, we feel all the efforts that we made in this tough situation were worth it. We thank God for His mercy upon us.”
More believers also shared their thankfulness at being provided with aid:
Saili KC, East Nepal*: “I need to have enough food for my baby”
I live with my husband. He is a daily wages worker. We are expecting a baby soon.
Due to this lockdown, my husband lost his job and we had to struggle financially. As I am pregnant, I need to have enough food for my baby to be in good health. But we were afraid as our food was very limited.
We prayed to God to look after us. Then we got groceries from Open Doors partners. We believe that it is a blessing from God. I give thanks to God and also to the Open Doors partners who helped and encouraged us in difficult times.
Mina Rai*, East Nepal: “Open Doors partners came with helping hands”
My husband left me and married another woman. So I am the only parent to my children. My husband doesn’t support me financially so the responsibility of the upbringing of my children is on me.
My only source of income is selling vegetables. Since I do not have money to rent a proper place for selling, I sell vegetables on the street. There is no regular flow of income. Sometimes, I earn a good income and sometimes I do not. Despite that, I was able to manage.
But the lockdown didn’t allow me to sell the vegetables, so it was difficult for us to meet our daily basic needs. In the meantime, Open Doors partners came with helping hands and provided us with groceries. I am very grateful to God and the people who help me and my family. This help has given me a great relief and hope. Thank you everyone.
Mita Gurung*, West Nepal: “Open Doors partners helped me in my toughest situation”
I have a husband and a son in my family. My husband is too old to work and he is physically weak, and my son is studying. So I am the only breadwinner in my family. I work in other homes; I wash dishes and clothes for them. Through that income I was managing to sustain my family. But I had to stop going for work because of the lockdown. I didn’t have a sufficient amount to fulfill our basic needs.
Despite that, we kept on praying for our God to fulfill our needs and our God has answered our prayers. Open Doors partners helped me in my toughest situation so I am very much thankful towards them.
Ramita Dhungana*, East Nepal: “We were worried about how to feed our children”
I live with my husband and children. I work as a helper in a private school. I was managing to run the family from the income I earned from that work. But due to the pandemic and lockdown, the school where I work was closed. We had food which would only last for a few days. We were worried about how to feed our children after that.
Though we worried, we kept our faith in God. Then one day, I got a call from the Open Doors partner and got good news that they were providing groceries. I was so glad to hear that and gave thanks to God. It has also increased my faith to keep my hope on God. Thanks to Open Doors partners for helping my family.
Kailash Majhi*, Central Nepal: “This blessing has strengthened our faith in God.”
I am a daily wages worker and I am the only breadwinner in the family. As lockdown was imposed because of the pandemic, there was no work for me. I was worried and distressed thinking about how to provide food for my family.
But my wife encouraged me and said that we should keep our hope and faith in God. So we prayed continuously and God miraculously provided for our needs through Open Doors partners. I am thankful to God and also to the people who helped my family. This blessing has strengthened our faith in God.
Pastor Lwin* is a Buddhist Background pastor serving his fellow believers in one of the strong Buddhist areas in Myanmar. One day, on the first week of June, Pastor Lwin went to visit Mr Naing*, a Buddhist acquaintance who works in a school. Mr Naing served Pastor Lwin tea and they talked.
As the two men were talking, the monk in charge of the school came out. He was angry and riled up because someone disturbed his asleep. The monk started smashing things around him.Then, when the monk saw Pastor Lwin drinking tea with Mr. Naing, the monk shouted at him, “What are you – a Christian Pastor – doing here?” The monk was agitated by the presence of a pastor in the campus, and he threw a kettle containing hot water towards Lwin.
Pastor Lwin was hit by the hot kettle. Fortunately he escaped with only minor injuries on his face and neck, which he received medical treatment for. Pastor Lwin lodged a complaint to the township level head monk and local authorities for his unjust treatment. He hopes that by lodging the complaint, the abuse for Christians will eventually lessen. In the majority Buddhists areas, locals and monks often persecute and bully Christian minorities.
A few days after the incident, Mr. Naing called Pastor Win and told him that the monk who assaulted him has been reprimanded. The monk apologized to Pastor Lwin, and Lwin chose forgiveness.
When the head monk asked Pastor Lwin about what punishment should be given to the monk who attacked him, the he replied: “I do not want to retaliate.” The response earned respect and recognition from the monks.
Lwin said “I learned to respond to persecution from the Bible. I am also a pastor and I understand that I would be wrong to retaliate… I forgive the person who assaulted me because he does not know God”
Prayer:
• Pray for healing of Pastor Lwin’s injury and restoration back to good health.
• Pray for the wisdom for Pastor Lwin as he deals with officials and monks.
• Pray for Pastor Lwin as he shepherds believers, disciples them to grow deeper in their faith and gain preparedness to deal with persecution.
• Pray that there will be mutual understanding and peace amongst Christians and Buddhists.
Kim Jong-un has publicly admitted to the serious food shortages in North Korea, telling a meeting of senior leaders on June 16, “The people’s food situation is now getting tense.”
In April, the dictator publicly referred to the coming hardship, urging officials to ‘wage another difficult Arduous March’. The Arduous March was the period of famine in the 1990s which saw millions of people die of starvation.
It is very unusual for Kim Jong-un to publicly express the difficulties of the food situation at an official meeting, and to report it to the central media – the Kim family are treated like gods in North Korea, and rarely admit to problems or mistakes. It is a sign of how serious the situation is inside North Korea that the country’s leader would admit to the crisis they are facing.
Selling homes to buy food
North Korean leadership has admitted to a food crisis, affecting millions of people.
Chronic food shortages and rising prices are hitting many North Korean families hard, from farmers to urban families. A DailyNK source has said, “A growing number of people have sold their homes and are roaming around.” This desperation for food is leading to an increase in homelessness, with many families now living on the streets or at railway stations. Farmers are already running out of stock, and they don’t expect much of a harvest this year, as the complete lockdown has prevented agricultural supplies including fertilizer, pesticides and other chemicals from being imported from outside. Access to international food aid is almost zero. The UN estimates that 10 million people, or 40 per cent of the total population, are in need of urgent food aid.
North Korean officials blame the food crisis on the COVID-19 lockdowns, the resulting fall in trade, last year’s floods, and the agricultural sector’s failure to meet grain targets due to lack of fertilizer and pesticide. However, North Korea’s humanitarian situation has long been a problem, with the nation’s leaders following a policy of isolation and continuing nuclear investment while the North Korean people starve.
Self-reliance vs relying on God
‘Self-reliance’ is Pyongyang’s most prized attribute, but this attitude has seen the country fall into its darkest times. Despite millions of ordinary people needing assistance, the country’s leaders are unlikely to ask for help. If Kim continues to push away all available international support, instead focusing on nuclear weapons, millions of ordinary North Korean people are the ones who will pay the price.
Thanks to your prayers and support, and the goodness of God, Open Doors is able to supply persecuted North Korean believers with emergency relief aid through our networks in China, and these vital supplies will help to keep our brothers and sisters who receive them alive. We also know that many North Korean believers continue a practice known as ‘holy rice’, sharing what they have, even if it isn’t much, with those in need. Your prayers and support mean the difference between life and death to those who receive this help.
Please pray
Please continue to cry out to God for North Korea and its people. In Matthew 19:26, Jesus said, “With God, all things are possible.” It is God whose mighty power can break through any barrier, even those that seem impossible in man’s eyes. Please pray for this dark situation in North Korea. Pray for the secret believers, who are crying out to God for this situation. Pray for North Korean leaders’ hearts to feel the fire of the Spirit. Pray that this is done in the name of Jesus.
This is my prayer:
Heavenly Father, please hear our prayers! The great darkness of this prison country of North Korea continues, and in tears we cry out to you. Today many are facing starvation and persecution, and the country’s leaders’ eyes aren’t focusing on their primary role, to protect their own people. Please answer our prayers, and touch the Kim family and their hearts. Help them to listen to North Korean people’s crying for food, freedom and justice. This is a land that once praised your name greatly, by declaring the Pyongyang as the Second Jerusalem of the East. This land is built upon your name. May your name be freely praised there again. I pray, in the Name of Jesus. Amen.
On June 18, 1981, Open Doors smuggled one million Bibles onto a beach in China. It was the culmination of a massive effort known as Project Pearl. They were met by Chinese Christians who received the Bibles and distributed them in the country.
Forty years later, Chinese Christians reflect on the impact of Project Pearl.
The Darkest Period
Chinese Christian Brother Charlie became a Christian in 1978 while in his early 20s. This was the darkest period in the history of the Chinese church. Thousands of Bibles were burned, and countless pastors and Christians were arrested during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). Only Charlie’s pastor owned a Bible.
One day some 40 years ago Charlie met a fisherman, who had boxes upon boxes of Bibles. Charlie says, “I investigated why such a large number of Bibles had appeared in our town and discovered this unprecedented story…”
One Million Miracles through the Eyes of a Teenage Boy
A man namedXiao Chen was on the beach when Project Pearl took place on June 18, 1981.
He remembers, “It was very dark. I could barely see anything in the sea. My elder brother called me to the beach. There were about 500-600 people waiting at the beach. I didn’t know what was happening.”
“I remember a giant ship with no flags slowly approaching the harbor. Everyone at the beach seemed very anxious. Then, a small rubber boat came down from the ship. I saw my elder brother rowing a boat to the ship and speaking to a foreigner who might have been the captain.”
“My elder brother and three other men formed a team to pull the rubber boat to the shore with a thick rope. The rubber boat had a full load of boxes. After unloading the boxes at the beach, they repeated the process to pull another rubber boat full of boxes. There were countless numbers of boxes. My elder brother didn’t tell me what they were doing.”
The Chinese church requested one million full Bibles in the Chinese language
This simple teenage boy had witnessed a million miracles known as Project Pearl. Every miracle came as a response to the fervent prayers of Chinese Christians and their hunger for God’s Word.
On the Way to Becoming a Bible Distributor
Charlie was one of the many who worked to distribute the Pearl Bibles.
Charlie says, “altogether, we distributed about 600-700 boxes of Pearl Bibles, both dry and wet. The work was done through the joint effort of brothers and sisters in different places. Thank the Lord.”
“I recognized that God had called three groups of us to cooperate and make this project happen. First, he called the church in the city to coordinate Project Pearl with overseas brothers and sisters. Second, he called those in the villages around the beach to pick up Bibles from the ship. Third, he called us who lived in the town to distribute Bibles to different regions in China.
Blessings Brought from Thousands of Miles Away
As the leader of a missional church, Lucy received her Pearl Bible 30 years ago. “My Bible came from overseas to southeast China, from southeast China to central China, and then to our place. I heard from my father that a very rich foreigner had hired a big ship to carry a full load of Bibles to China in one night. There were a lot of Bibles. We received thousands from them!”
“Decades ago, my father moved from central China to northwest China. As he was an itinerant preacher, he often traveled to a lot of places in China. One time, he went back to his hometown in central China and met a man who was also a brother in Christ. The man shared his experience of receiving bags of Bibles mysteriously.”
“The man worked in a convenience store that was close to the train station. One day, when he opened the store early as usual, he found a big black bag leaning on the gate. He looked around and found no one. He opened the bag and found it full of Bibles. He tried to conceal the excitement and pretended nothing had happened.”
“He received bags of Bibles again and again in the same way. Eventually, he learned that the Bibles had come from the big ship hired by the rich foreigner. This man decided to share the Bibles with us. He knew we needed Bibles desperately in this region.”
Unloading the Bibles at the beach
Suffering for the Unseen Impact
Transferring one million Bibles did not come without a cost.
Sister Cindy lived in the same town as the Chinese Christians who organized Project Pearl. She remembers, “All relevant persons in the church were investigated, monitored, and even arrested by the police. Those found related to the Project were especially harassed. Three of us were investigated. That year, I was detained for 14 days, and my family knew nothing about it. After 18 investigations, the local and regional security officials knew more about the details of how the Bibles were delivered from overseas than I did.
Sister Cindy says, “Despite all this suffering, there were many good outcomes. It catalyzed the great revival in China. The believers in my province received many Bibles. Many believers in different provinces said they received their own Bibles. Many churches rose up, thousands and thousands of people accepted Jesus, and many leaders were born because they finally had their own Bibles.”
Q&A with young Chinese Christians
Since Project Pearl, there have been periods of relative freedom for Christians in China, but today, religious restrictions have again been imposed on Christians to curb the phenomenal growth of the church. While these measures may not be as harsh as those used in the Cultural Revolution, various regulations have been introduced to make things increasingly difficult for Christians. Printed Bibles are only available in bookstores of government-sanctioned churches. Bibles can be read online, but the sale of printed Bibles online is prohibited. Many challenges remain.
We spoke to three young Christians in China to find out how they feel about the Bible today, and how we can pray with them for China.
Zhang Ming* from Central China
When did you get your first Bible?
I got my first Bible in Kunming in 2012, but I didn’t read it and ended up giving it to someone else!
What does the bible mean to you?
After becoming a Christian, the Bible became the only standard for truth in my life.
What is your favourite Bible verse and why?
Hebrews 11:15-16, which is all about desiring a heavenly dwelling because it far surpasses our earthly home. When you live with persecution you never know when you’ll be taken from your earthly home but God has promised to never be ashamed to be called our God and has prepared a better place for us to go to.
Have you ever had trouble trying to get access to bibles?
In 2015 I was moved by the Holy Spirit to put my trust in Jesus, but at that time the Bible was not readily available at the secular bookstores. It wasn’t until I met the pastor of a house church that I was finally able to get a copy of my own.
Have older Christians you know ever talked about Bibles being difficult to come by when they were young?
Yes, many times I have heard old believers talk about how difficult it was. They said they had to risk their own lives to get one copy. Most churches waited their turn to receive a hard copy from another house church, before producing hand-written copies of their own.
Have older Christians you know ever talked about Bibles being smuggled into China?
Yes, they told me that around that time nearly all the Bibles had been smuggled in, and that they all smelled like the ocean!
Have you ever heard the story of Project Pearl?
In 2016 one of the church leaders from that time told me how they basically signed up to a ’life or death pact’ to head to southern China to carry a load of Bibles back home in backpacks.
I don’t take it for granted that we can now meet as a church and that I have my own Bible – these blessings didn’t come easily! God’s kingdom in China can only expand from here! We will always remember with great admiration those brothers and sisters who took part in Project Pearl.
How does it make you feel to know that Christians around the world gave money and were praying so that one million Bibles could be smuggled into China in one night?
Praise God, this is one of the biggest miracles in the story! If it were not for the Holy Spirit’s work this would be impossible. Praise God!
Do you ever feel worried that it could become difficult to access the Bible in the future?
I am very aware that persecution is getting worse. I won’t be surprised if bulk purchase of Bible will become more and more difficult. But I’m not anxious. In fact, I’m full of hope, because the Bible’s prophecies and promises have prepared us for what is to come. We can’t possibly withstand persecution and hardship by ourselves, but by trusting the Lord we will be victorious.
What would you like Christians around the world to pray for you?
I would love our family around the world to pray that our faith remains strong, and to thank God that we can serve Him.
What would you like Christians around the world to pray for China?
Please pray with us for China. Ask God to prepare people’s hearts and to open doors for Chinese Christians. Pray for an increase in workers and harvesters for the gospel. Pray that God raises up more young believers to spread the gospel.
Ask for an awakening amongst China’s ethnic minorities, and for more workers to engage in cross-cultural mission.
Ask God to destroy evil and the dark work of the enemy in this country, and to silence the spirit of confusion and chaos that has blinded so many to the truth.
Ask too that despite all the enmity and divisions in society, that Christians would be united! Pray finally that the blessings we receive may flow through to the rest of the world!
Sun Qingling* from Northern China
When did you get your first Bible?
I got my first bible in 2001.
What does the Bible mean to you?
The Bible is God’s personal Word to me. It is so precious.
What is your favourite bible verse and why?
Philippians 4:6-7. The reason is that right at the time I became a Christian I experienced God’s promises and power through these verses.
Have older Christians you know ever talked about Bibles being difficult to come by when they were young?
Yes, some of the old brethren said when they first became Christians there were no Bibles at all. They used to meet and stay up all night handwriting copies of the Bible.
How does it make you feel to know that Christians around the world gave money and were praying so that one million Bibles could be smuggled into China in one night?
I sense that God really loves the Chinese church and Chinese believers, so He has raised up so many people to pray on our behalf.
Do you ever feel worried that it could become difficult to access the Bible in the future?
Actually, I am concerned that it may become harder and harder to access Bibles freely across China. However, what will more likely happen is that hermeneutics and exegesis will be sinicized along the socialist ideological lines.
What would you like Christians around the world to pray for you?
I want my hunger for God’s Word to increase and I also want to understand everything He says to me through His Word.
What would you like Christians around the world to pray for China?
My heart’s desire is that the Chinese church and Chinese Christians grow in maturity, resilience and boldness.
Ma Guiying* from northeast China
When did you get your first Bible?
Soon after becoming a Christian I wanted so much to read a bible but didn’t know where I could buy a copy, so I went to the school library and found one there. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to take it out of the library, so I started going to the library every day to read their copy. The pastor of the church I attend heard about this and gave me my first Bible.
What does the Bible mean to you?
The Bible is food for life. It is also a guide to show me which direction to take. The Bible tells me about God’s plans and His will.
What is your favourite bible verse and why?
2 Corinthians 4: 7-11. These verses remind me that even in the midst of a very difficult situation, God will never leave me alone. They also teach that by trusting totally in Jesus I am assured of his acceptance forever.
Have older Christians you know ever talked about Bibles being smuggled into China?
I have heard some Christians talk about how Bibles were carried across the border and then passed to our friends who transported them by train across the country to give to their church members.
How does it make you feel to know that there was a time when it was very difficult to find a Bible?
I know that believers in those difficult times loved God very much and even though there were almost no Bibles, they desperately wanted to know God’s word better and know Him better. This was all that really mattered to them. Although we are from a different generation, I have learned that we too will encounter oppressive circumstances, but God promises that we will overcome them. My part is to always seek God and ask for His guidance in how to do that.
How does it make you feel to know that Christians around the world gave money and were praying so that one million Bibles could be smuggled into China in one night?
For me the lesson is that when we as God’s people understand God’s will and then with one heart and mind go after what He has told us, we will see breakthrough, miracles and God’s power at work.
Do you ever feel worried that it could become difficult to access the Bible in the future?
Yes. Even now it’s nearly impossible to buy a Bible online or in bookshops. The next step will probably be to stop or at least limit the printing of Bibles, or only selling Bibles on the condition that the buyer’s ID, and, in some cases, address and contact details are recorded also.
What would you like Christians around the world to pray for you?
I don’t ask that I be taken out of this environment (or that it be taken from me), but rather that I learn well how to trust God to see breakthrough and victory over my circumstances.
What would you like Christians around the world to pray for China?
Please pray that the Chinese church learns how to love God more from within this ‘pressure cooker’ environment. Pray that His people keep meeting together and understand the Father’s will for His body, the church, and then willingly participate in the calling that He has commissioned us for.
The Church in Southeast Asia continues to endure persecution. An attack in Myanmar has left believers shaken and grieving, while in Vietnam Christians are accused of spreading COVID.
Myanmar
On June 6, around 6 in the morning, military troops raided Daw Nga Khar locality, Dimoso Township, Kayah State. It was the continuation of a clash between the People’s Defense Force (PDF) of the area and the military. The artillery shelling near the crossroads hit and damaged the Lady of Peace Catholic Church. Schools, shops and houses were set on fire. Locals said that the militant group had fired on schools, shops, houses and churches to prevent the PDF from taking refuge in the buildings.
On the evening of 6 June, though the white flag was raised, the front of the church was seen being damaged by artillery shelling by the military junta.
As Myanmar is entangled in civil wars between military soldiers and public resistance groups in many places, believers are affected and displaced from their homes.
Prayer
1. Pray for peace and restoration in Kayah State.
2. Pray for Christians to be able to persevere in their faith.
3. Pray for God’s protection and provision for Christians who are in in the town and for displaced believers as well.
Vietnam
The past few weeks have been restless for many Vietnamese due to another wave of COVID-19. In the northern region, hundreds of positive cases are recorded every day while Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is on complete lockdown.
But Christians, especially those coming from the Revival Ekklesia Mission (REM) HCMC headquarter, are more distressed with this recent outbreak. On May 26, a couple who visited REM center tested positive for COVID-19. On June 1, officials had identified 211 other positive cases connected to REM which said to have spread to seven other provinces affecting thousands of other residents. This outbreak prompted authorities to lockdown HCMC, Vietnam’s largest city, and other areas to prevent the further spread of COVID.
Authorities had forbidden meetings of more than 20 people the last two weeks of May. REM, an independent house church organization with few branches in Vietnam, had observed by conducting their services mostly online. REM leader Rev. Vo Xuan Loan said that only seven people were present at the church when the couple visited. Despite this, on May 30, REM’s registration was “temporarily suspended” and was prosecuted for “spreading dangerous infectious disease to people”.
According to Home Affairs deputy minister, REM will suffer much rigid penalties if serious violations are found.
This outbreak of COVID-19 cases stirred up hatred among the crowd against the members of REM including Rev. Loan, who is on oxygen support due to the virus. OD local partner said that Rev. Loan’s family have been receiving threats and curses, and church members are also treated badly at the isolation wards. False reports and hateful comments that malign REM and the general Christian population of Vietnam are also circulating in social media.
Rev. Loan expresses her apology, through an open letter, to all affected for being an unintentional epicenter of COVID-19. She is also grateful to the authorities for their swift efforts and care for the citizens. Many Christians, including evangelical pastors and Catholic priests, also expressed through separate letters a desire for the authorities to treat REM with compassion and care as they are also victims of the disease.
However, many Christians are also concerned that the REM outbreak will be used by the authorities as a reason to impose stricter COVID-19 restrictions on religious organizations and their leaders, with extra severity on house churches.
Prayer
· For Christians to be united in prayer for this difficult time for the members of REM, and many other believers in the country who may have also received discrimination because of this outbreak.
· For healing and fast recovery for the COVID-19 victims in Vietnam. Pray also for financial, emotional, and spiritual provision for them and their families.
· Pray for the authorities and the people. Pray that the Lord will open their hearts and pacify them during this pandemic. Pray also that they will be more understanding and compassionate towards each other.
Recently, Open Doors partners have helped Sonia* and Asha* in setting up a weaving centre in their community. Though they have been ridiculed by their community for their faith, and the COVID-19 lockdowns have stripped them of their income, they are able to stand again through your prayers and support.
Sonia and Asha are from the same village and were the first members of their family who accepted Christ. Gradually, they also brought their family to Christ.
Accepting Christ wasn’t easy for either of them. When Sonia brought Jesus into her life, her husband was angry. He tortured and abused her. Sonia endured every abuse and continued to hold on to God and prayed for husband and other family members. After much of this prayer, Sonia’s husband had a turn of heart and accepted Christ.
But soon enough, opposition rose against Sonia and her whole family from the villagers. They opposed Sonia’s family for following Christ and for not partaking in any community celebration or rituals offered to idols.
The villagers told Sonia, “Christians belong to other tribe. Christians are of low tribe. We do not follow Jesus Christ!”
“We were labelled as unclean,” says Sonia. “No one visited us, nor were we invited to anyone’s house. We were discriminated and pushed away.”
The same scenario happened to Asha, who comes from a nominal Christian family from a neighbouring village.
Asha was married to a Hindu man. When she became a believer, Asha was unable to comply with the customs and rituals of the family and the village, so she was beaten and tortured by her husband.
Heartbroken and distressed, Asha cried to the Lord to save her and her family.
She says, “When I turned and called on God as I was forced to follow the rituals of the village, He answered my prayers and in a miraculous way delivered me and my family from following the blind customs and rituals offered to the idols. My constant prayers and reading of the Bible encouraged and helped my family know the true living God.”
The change of faith in Asha’s family hindered the villagers as the family now also refused to partake in the village festivals and celebration. They were treated in the same manner as Sonia and her family.
The main source of income for both Sonia and Asha’s families was farming, which was also not sufficient to meet their needs. With the pandemic sweeping all over the country and lockdowns being implemented, it was getting next to impossible to afford a square meal for Sonia and Asha’s families. The lockdown cooped the families at home and they were unable to work in fields, unable to farm and cultivate, and much of the crops were destroyed.
To get back on their feet and better their situation and with the relaxation restrictions, the families got together set up a weaving centre. Sonia and Asha, along with others, formed a group to start the weaving process: unfortunately, a lack of resources and training gave the business a stumbling start. Seeing the need and their skilled labour, Open Doors partners encouraged them and helped them establish a weaving centre project to improve their economic condition.
When the women heard that they would be receiving help and materials to establish their Centre, they were overwhelmed with the news, for they had been struggling to afford materials and supplies. The project also helped them to come together with fellow Christian and workers and share their burdens so that they pray for one another.
Sonia says, “This project is going to enhance our financial condition to support our family. I would like to thank the sponsors from the bottom of my heart for extending your great help. May the Lord bless all the team and your ministry.”
The centre thus far has not faced any threat or opposition from the villagers. The centre has helped the women not only economically, but also spiritually, as they get to have devotions and prayer time together.
The days being unpredictable and situation being erratic, our sisters in the weaving centre are seeking your prayers.
Pray
Pray for Sonia and Asha in their endeavour, that it would be successful and fruitful
Pray for their testimony among their neighbours and that the village would gain respect for them
Pray for the continued spiritual growth of the Christian community
On Sunday, 25 April, suspected Fulani militants attacked the Baptist church in Manini village, Chikun Local Government Area, while the morning service was under way. They killed one and injured another church member and abducted four women, among them a widow whose husband was killed in an earlier attack, CSW reported.
The incident took place five days after armed men stormed Greenfield University in the same locality, killing one staff member and abducting 22 students and staff members. The abductors demanded a ransom of N800 million (approximately $2.5 Million), threatening to kill hostages. So far, the bodies of five of the hostages have been found.
Kaduna has seen an increase in kidnappings since late 2020. Between 15 February and 12 March almost 1,100 people were kidnapped across Nigeria, compared to 240 in the same time period a year ago.
Schools are targeted frequently; more than 700 students have been kidnapped from their schools since December, Reuters reported.
The violence has interrupted the education millions of children. Schools have closed and some parents are too afraid to send their children to school. UNICEF estimates that in 2020, 47% of children were out of school in northern Nigeria, an already educationally marginalised region.
On 6 May Reuters reported that 29 students who had been abducted from Kaduna’s Federal College of Forestry and Mechanization were released after a ransom was paid. Armed men attacked the school on 12 March and took 39 children. Since then they had released ten of them.
Meanwhile the parents of more than 100 girls abducted from Chibok in 2014, and of teenager Leah Sharibu, kidnapped in 2018, are still waiting for their return.
Leah, 18, was taken from her school by the militant group Boko Haram and, unlike her fellow students, was not allowed to return home, reportedly because she refused to denounce her Christian faith.
In February, her parents wrote an open letter about their grief, reminding President Muhammadu Buhari of a promise he made to Leah’s mother in 2018.
In the light of the increased insecurity in different parts of the country, which the military is struggling to get a handle on, Nigeria’s parliamentarians have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency.
“The nation is on fire,” Smart Adeyemi, a senator in Buhari’s ruling party, told Reuters. “The president must rise to the occasion and bring in people to save this country or else we will be consumed. We cannot keep quiet any longer.”
An Open Doors spokeswoman said the organization is extremely concerned about the volatile situation in Africa’s largest economy. This year the country entered the top 10 of the Open Doors World Watch List of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to live as a Christian.
The attacks by opportunistic criminal groups adds another security threat to what Nigerians face on a daily basis already at the hands of the Islamist Boko Haram group and mostly-Fulani Islamist militants, said Jo Newhouse, spokesperson for Open Doors Sub-Saharan Africa. “We will be watching these developments closely,” she said. “Please remain in prayer for Nigeria.”
Two ministers of Beijing’s biggest “house church” were detained earlier in May, and two reports warn of further religious freedom restrictions.
Jiafu Qie was arrested on April 28.He was taken from his home to the police station in Changping District and released after ten days.
Chunzi Huang, however, went missing on May 1; her arrest was confirmed only after her sister went to enquire at the police station in Chaoyang district. The next day, police told the family she had been moved to a detention centre to serve 10 days in administrative detention. At posting time of this article, there was no further news about her situation.
Zion Church, Beijing’s largest unofficial “house church” with 1,500 members, was forced to close in September 2018 after it refused a government request to install CCTV cameras in its auditorium. The church, however, continued its activities and “the arrest of both ministers is likely intended as a warning to their senior pastor, Ezra Jin, who has remained very active in ministry despite the closedown of his church in Beijing in 2019,” said an Open Doors local partner, whose name is being withheld because of security concerns. “He is the one who needs our prayers.”
Ezra Jin Mingri was summoned to the police station for two hours in July 2020 and ordered to cancel a lecture he was due to give about “Christianity and China’s Higher Education,” according to ChinaAid’s 2020 annual report.
The report, published last month, lists ongoing and new pressure points on China’s Christians. There has been an increase in cases in which Christians have been charged with “harming national security,” as well as increasing surveillance of churches, it said.
Also, the “sinicization” of religion campaign has been further ramped up with instructions to local authorities to ensure that “religious community leaders and believers in general must closely rally around the (Communist Party’s) central committee with Xi Jinping at the center,” ChinaAid said.
While there definitely was increased surveillance of China’s Christians, an Open Doors local partner said it is too early to talk about an increase in cases that allege “harming national security”. “To the best of my knowledge, there were not more than five cases where Christians were charged with ‘subversion of state power’ last year,” the partner said.
“The government intensified its ‘sinicisation of religion’ policy, particularly targeting religions perceived to have foreign connections, such as Christianity, Islam, and Tibetan Buddhism,” the Commission said.
It also said Chinese authorities “harassed, detained, arrested, and imprisoned members of Protestant house churches who refuse to join the state-sanctioned ‘Three-Self Patriotic Movement.'”
The Commission added China to its list of Countries of Particular Concern for another year.
Saghar found her seat on the plane: her headscarf loosely around her head, her hands fidgeting in her lap. Would she have known her name was called on the loudspeaker in the airport over and over again, she would have been even more nervous. Saghar tried to force herself to lift her head to look out the small window and take one last look at her home country of Iran. But fear paralyzed her. If the secret service caught her, she might end up in one of Iran’s infamous prisons.
Saghar grew up in a Muslim family. Her first encounter with Jesus was through a vivid dream. “Follow me,” Jesus said. It was that simple but powerful call that changed her life forever. In Iran, leaving Islam for Christianity is a dangerous choice. Did she know what she was getting herself into when she said “Yes” to Jesus? Probably not. But as her love for Christ grew, so did her courage.
Saghar gathered with other Christians, worshiped and prayed. It was always risky, but the fellowship was the base for their growth in faith. They shared their lives together-and became family. Eventually Saghar even decided to take the most dangerous job in church: the pastor.
And then the unavoidable happened: The secret service raided the church.
Aggressive, but silent. That is how the officers entered the apartment where the meeting of house church members was taking place. They forced the door open with a crowbar but didn’t raise their voice to avoid the attention of the neighbours.
Before any of the church members realized what was happening, women were pushed into one room, men into another. The church members looked at their leader, their eyes full of fear: ‘what will happen to us?’
Being a Christian in Iran isn’t for the faint of heart: Iranian house churches are regularly raided, and dozens of Christians end up in prison each year. During interrogations, the security officers tell lies, entice Christians to give up the names of other believers, and work hard to destroy the church from within. The raid in Saghar’s church was no different.
But Saghar came prepared.
More and more Iranian Christians hold meetings to share knowledge and learn about the practical and emotional ways to endure a raid with as little damage as possible. Just a few months before the raid on her church, Saghar had attended such meeting.
In the blink of an eye, the theory became reality. Saghar entered the living room where she was called for interrogation. The room was full of burly men, one of them was filming everything. Saghar was terrified. But she tried to calm herself down: this was happening, she couldn’t change it. She had a church to take care of.
Still shivering with fear, the memories of the persecution preparation gathering came back to the pastor’s mind. She had to let someone outside know about what was happening-for prayer, for advocacy. “Can I go to the restroom?” she asked the friendliest officer.
In the restroom Saghar grabbed her phone, snapped a selfie and sent it to the outside world: “please pray for us, our church is being raided!” When she subsequently starts deleting evidence from her phone, one of the female officers pushed on the toilet door trying to force it open. But she had learned that the officers have no right to enter. Saghar firmly told the officer about her rights, making the officer back of reluctantly.
And the knowledge of the preparation gathering with other believers continued to help Saghar: when the officers told Saghar she was going to be arrested, she asked for the warrant and prevented being taken away to prison immediately. When they told her they had intercepted her passport, that was in the mail for administrative reasons, she didn’t believe it. The next day she went to the post office and found her passport there.
With shaking legs Saghar arrived at the airport three days later. It would be a miracle if she would be able to leave: the warrant to arrest her must be ready by now. And then her heart skipped a beat when she saw who was in the queue she had to take: one of the secret agents who had raided her house a few days ago.
This was the toughest moment in her life.
And there she was alone, no parents, no fellow Christians to help her. In that moment she realized that only God could help her, and her only companions were the Bible verses she remembered. “When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned” she said to herself.
Like Peter, stepping out of the boat and onto the water when Jesus called him, Saghar stepped forward to board the plane. And while the agent’s eyes were piercing in her back, a miracle happened: Saghar was allowed to board the plane. Only later, Saghar discovered that the moment she boarded the plane, the security service in the airport had called her name. They had just received the warrant for her arrest.
But they were too late. Saghar’s plane took off safely.
Four years later
“I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you if it wasn’t for my preparation,” Saghar tells us. It’s 4 years after her escape from Iran and we meet her in a country of refuge. “At the gathering with the other believers I learned how to manage my emotions and what my rights are. That the officers sometimes lie to spread disunity.”
It wouldn’t be safe to disclose much about Saghar’s former house church. But what we can say is that the church went through their trials together. They didn’t believe the lies the officers told them: that they had no right to meet each other anymore, or that Saghar had betrayed them. “The first thing the security services want is to de-unify us,” the former pastor explains, “but staying together will really help us in these times. Fellowship is essential for growth.”
Saghar wants to emphasize that a miraculous escape story doesn’t mean that the event didn’t leave its marks: The first year in her new country she had the same nightmare each night: a nightmare about the raid. And that is just one of the scars the raid left.
After lots of walks, crying fits and songs sang to herself, Saghar is now doing relatively well again. But at times flashbacks still haunt her. But she knows it would have been much worse if she would have gone to prison.
How can we help? “Pray!” says Saghar, reminding us that prayer was important enough for her to send out a call for prayer in the middle of the raid. “No Christian should face persecution unprepared, and no Christian should go through it without prayer from the worldwide church.”
YOUR YEAR-END GIFT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.
Persecution is growing, and so are the needs of persecuted believers. More Christians need Bibles, discipleship, trauma counselling, and relief aid as they face violence, displacement, and loss.
The Canada Post strikes slowed the arrival of gifts during this critical time of year. Will you help?
Your support will empower persecuted believers through Bibles, training, relief aid, trauma counselling, and more.
Persecution is growing, and so are the needs of persecuted believers. More Christians need Bibles, discipleship, trauma counselling, and relief aid as they face violence, displacement, and loss.
The Canada Post strikes slowed the arrival of gifts during this critical time of year. Will you help?
Your support will empower persecuted believers through Bibles, training, relief aid, trauma counselling, and more.
Dr. Chris Padiath serves as the Lead Pastor at Waterloo Pentecostal Assembly, a multi-ethnic church in Waterloo, Ontario. His doctoral research was in the field of ethnodoxology. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Master’s College & Seminary teaching undergraduate students in the Worship & Creative Arts track. Chris and his wife, Kylie, have two daughters, Olivia (13) and Sadie (11).
Then, when the monk saw Pastor Lwin drinking tea with Mr. Naing, the monk shouted at him, “What are you – a Christian Pastor – doing here?” The monk was agitated by the presence of a pastor in the campus, and he threw a kettle containing hot water towards Lwin.
