Barnabas Aid September/October 2011

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september/october 2011

tHe AID AGeNcY For tHe persecUteD cHUrcH www. a na a fund. g

IN tHIs IssUe

suff ing chu h sunday 2011-12Information, sermon outline,resources and more inside

Christians in south asia a pattern of world perseCution


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3 Project NewsDesert bursts intolife in Egypt

To guard the safety of Christians in hostile environments,names may have been changed or omitted. Thank you foryour understanding.

Front cover: A Christian woman in India, where BarnabasFund are building houses for homeless Christians

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are takenfrom the New International Version .

Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders andobtain permission for stories and images used in thispublication. Barnabas Fund apologises for any errors oromissions and will be grateful for any further informationregarding copyright.

Barnabas Fund 2011

Contents

6 Christians inSouth AsiaSuffering ChurchSunday 2011-12

23 OperationNehemiahEquality commissionpromotes freedom for Christians

According to tradition, it was the ApostleThomas who first brought the Gospel toIndia, starting seven churches in the southand setting up a cross in each of the seventowns. He is said to have converted 13,229people, including two kings and sevenvillage chiefs, not so much by his preachingas through the holiness of his life and themiracles he performed. He is believed tohave been martyred near Mylapore, whereHindu priests killed him because he refusedto worship the goddess Kali. Thomas isknown for his doubts, but the NewTestament shows that he was actually adisciple who loved the Lord deeply, and thefruit of his evangelistic work in India hasendured for two millennia.

There are indications that Thomas may alsohave been to the north-west of the sub-continent. Whether he did or not, historicalrecords show that, by the late 2nd century,there were Christians in the region that isnow Afghanistan and Pakistan. A preciousartifact for todays Pakistani Christians is a

small cross discovered in a field near Taxilain 1935 and believed to date back to the 2nd century. It is for them tangible proof thatChristianity is part of the heritage of theirhomeland. By the early 4th century therewas an organized indigenous Church in theIndian sub-continent.

While the Church in south India has had acontinuous existence to this day, Christiansin the north did not fare so well. From the11 th century onwards, they began to facesevere difficulties from a succession ofMuslim invasions. The southward move ofthe Muslim armies was eventually halted in1344 by an alliance of Hindu states, but bythis time Christianity had probably beenlargely eliminated from the centre and

north. Certainly by the time the first Westernmissionaries arrived, there had been noChristian presence there for manygenerations.

We can rejoice in the Lord that there arenow national Christians in every country ofSouth Asia, even in Afghanistan. Yet life isnot easy for them. They face pressures frommilitant Islam, the rise of fundamentalistHinduism, and a form of Buddhism that isno longer a religion of peace but hasbecome a religion of violence. In somecountries they also face pressure from therise of nationalism and communism. Likethe apostle Paul, they are hard pressed onevery side, but not crushed; perplexed, butnot in despair; persecuted, but notabandoned; struck down, but not destroyed(2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

In the midst of such pressure, the Churchcontinues to grow; yet, like Thomas, theyare uncertain of the future, asking their Lordthe way (John 14:5). In reply, the Lord Jesus

promised Thomas not a road map but arelationship with Himself (John 14:6). AndHe will hold their hand and lead them intothe future as, again like Thomas of old, theycontinue to affirm Him as their Lord andtheir God (John 20:28).

D pa i k s khdInternational Director

For more information on the early history ofthe Church in the Indian sub-continent see

A People Betrayed by Patrick Sookhdeo(Christian Focus Publications and IsaacPublishing, 2002). To order this, please visitwww. a na a fund. g/ h , or contactyour nearest Barnabas office (addresses onback cover).

Welcome from the Director

Persecuted...but not destroyedThe Church in South Asia

24 NewsroomIndependence at lastfor South Sudan

26 In TouchSales and sports raisefunds for Barnabas

BARNABAS AID SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 20112

6 Poster

7 Introduction8 Regional profile13 Testimony14 Focus16 Project update18 Sermon outline20 Bible study21 Resources


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Project Newsthank y u f u ing y u u d ch i ian h and i a und h w ld. Y u gifand ay a a g a n u ag n h and a hanging h i liv and i ua i n . In h

h ag w hav a n i n nly a all l i n f h any j w a u ing.pl a ay a y u ad.

The desert and the parched land will be glad;

the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.Isaiah 35:1 The current unrest in Egypt has not deterred alarge-scale income-generating project in Egyptfrom forging ahead thanks to a 38,394(US$62,007; 44,000) grant from Barnabas. After drilling a well, our partners transformedmore than 80 acres of desert into greenfarmland where animals feed and fruit trees aregrown. They now have a successful farm wherethey breed rabbits, chickens, sheep and cows.

The farm is situated in a region of highunemployment, and 80 to 100 Christianworkers are now employed there after receivingon-the-job training. The enterprise is self-sufficient. And they sell their juice, meatproducts and eggs in a small market shop.

Egyptian Christians often find it hard to getwork because of the discrimination they face.

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Egypt:desertin bloom

c w , hi k n and la a d a h fa ing n i in egy , whi h i n w lf- uffi i

D illing a w ll in egy an f h d in fa land

Many Christian children from ethnicminorities in Burma witness horrificbrutalities at the hand of Burmese soldiers,who sometimes will take the young onesand force them to become child soldiers orporters. Desperate to keep their childrensafe, parents are forced to take them toChristian-run childrens homes becausethe villages where they live and work are

too dangerous.

Ben, a 13-year-old Christian boy at oneof the homes supported by Barnabas, says,I still have a father, but no mother any

Shelter for Christian children from Burma

b n, a 13-y a - ld ch i ian y fbu a ll u a u hi ha wing

x i n

p j f n 75-821

more. My mother died of malaria in the junglewhile we were in hiding. I have seen Burmesesoldiers coming to villages and do bad thingsto our people, I was always very scared.

The children are safe at the homes and canreceive a Christian education. Despite the greathardships the children have experienced, thegeneral atmosphere at the shelter is positive. A

recent grant of 5,940 (US$9,587; 6,782), forone that Barnabas supports, covers, amongstother needs, food, medicine and the salaries oftwo caretakers, a nursery teacher and twocooks for six months.


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Project News


I didnt think that a religious book could beso interesting! a Bashkir woman exclaimedafter reading part of the Bible in her ownlanguage. She continued, I have tried toread the Quran several times but it isimpossible to understand it. This book,however, is easy to read.

Barnabas is making it possible for the Bibleto be translated, sometimes into newlanguages, and distributed. A Bible institutein the Russian Federation received totalgrants of 7,300 (US$11,888; 8,290) for a

Bible in the Tajik language and a NewTestament in the Bashkir language. TheTajik Bible is almost complete and will soonbe printed. The New Testament in Bashkir, alanguage spoken by 1.6 million people inthe Russian Federation, Central Asia and theUkraine, most of whom are Muslims, is duefor completion in 2012.

In Pakistan an Urdu study Bible and asynopsis of the four Gospels have been

produced for the first time. Thanks to agrant of 4,000 (US$6,459; 4,562) fromBarnabas 260 pastors, all working amongstthe poor, were given a copy of each book.One of the pastors said, It was my greatdesire to get this Bible but could not

A a wh w k a ng h in paki aiv hi wn y f h U du udy bi l

Russia and Pakistan:Bibles in their own language

because of financial constraints; I amtherefore very delighted to get this Bible.

p j f n 00-362(bi l and s i u Fund)

Bangladesh and Armenia:help in tough seasonsWinters can be surprisingly cold in Bangladesh,leaving impoverished Christians unable tosleep at night because of the extremely lowtemperature. Barnabas assists with grants toprovide blankets for Christian families. Ourmost recent grant was 6,006 (US$9,693;

6,857).

Lakhhi, a widow who with her children hassuffered greatly from the winter cold sinceher husband died, started crying when shereceived a blanket. Our local contactreports that she then raised her hands tobless Barnabas Fund and gave thanks tothe Lord.

A freak cold summer in Armenia in 2011ruined many crops and forced people toforage for plant roots just to feed theirchildren. Barnabas Fund provided a grant of51,128 (US$58,372; 58,372) to help feed400 Christian families for four months innorthern Armenia. The cost per family permonth was 128 (US$206; 146).

p j f n04-854 (banglad h)79-719 (A nia)

A y ung ch i ian w an in banglad hiv a lank h l h h ugh h

ld win

Emergency aid forEast Africa and NigerWe are so moved by your concern for us...it has been getting worse by day. A KenyanChristian leader wrote this to Barnabas Fundas the food crisis due to the serious droughtin East Africa grew more intense.

Barnabas Fund is helping Christians in theregion through local churches, and at thetime of writing we have sent grants totalling93,391 (US$152,544; 106,713). In Ethiopia

we have provided wheat flour; a 25kg sack costing 10 feeds a family for a month. Innorth-east Kenya we have funded maize,rice, beans and cooking oil for families,nutritious food and medical care forunder-fives, and bore-wells.

Over in West Africa, the low rainfall in Nigeroften causes severe food shortages in themonths just before harvest-time. With ourgrants totalling 265,928 (US$433,000, 303,200) churches in Niger distributedbags of rice and millet and tinned fruit and

vegetables to 3,408 families in rural areas.p j f n

25-359 (H n f Af i a)38-568 (Nig )


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Project News

5BARNABAS AID SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

ru ina bi i, wh wa a qui d fla h y ha g wi h h h l f a

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Last year a missionary couple from ac n al A iancountry, who received1,237 (US$1,996; 1,412) fromBarnabas Fund for their upkeep, moved toa remote, Muslim-majority region of theircountry where the Gospel may never havebeen preached before.

They directly started witnessing to theirneighbours and telling them how they hadonce been Muslims themselves, and howa newborn faith in Jesus Christ hascompletely changed their lives. As a result20 people and four families all turned toChrist, among them the family of a localmullah. Because of great hostility fromMuslim neighbours and local authorities,the missionaries visit the new convertssecretly at night.

Ernest and his family, all converts fromIslam, live in a village in thec i a, Uk ain . He leads a small but very activefellowship of 15 believers, most from aMuslim background. Ernests family did

Christians learn how tostand up for their rights A conference made possible through a grantfrom Barnabas of 8,903 (US$14,522; 10,113) brought together 24 Christianleaders, lawyers and human rights activistsfrom eleven countries in South and South-East Asia where Christians face severepersecution. At the conference they receivedinnovative training on how to be pro-activein standing up for their rights. They wereshown how effective advocacy and media

G u di u i n a a nf n whhu h l ad , ch i ian lawy and

hu an igh a ivi f A ia l a n dh w and u f h i igh

communication can prevent theimplementation of unjust laws, and evenpersuade governments to take positiveaction.

Afterwards, one of the participants related,This seminar was an eye-openingexperience and a great challenge. I believeGod is preparing us for the future. I wouldlike to share what I have learned with otherChristian leaders in my country.

Barnabas also funded a similar conferencefor about 25 lawyers and churchrepresentatives from Central Asia, where theylearned how to defend themselves better inmatters such as church registration, an issuewhich is often used to harass and persecutechurches in the region.

Barnabas also supports a Christian legalcentre in Pakistan, which helps defendChristians facing harassment and falseaccusations of many kinds. In 2010 they

defended Christians free of charge in 121

court cases. In just one example, RubinaBibi, a young mother of three, was declarednot guilty of defiling the name ofMuhammad after four and a half months in

jail. If found guilty she would have beensentenced to death. Our latest grant was20,000 (US$32,279; 22,831), whichcontributed not only to the daily runningcosts and legal aid of the organisation butalso to the support of their two safe houses,one for converts from Islam and one forChristian girls and women.

p j f n41-645 (ch i ian l gal n ,paki an)85-924 (c nf n f s u h and

s u h-ea A ia)

Enabling pastors and evangelists in former Soviet statesnot have their own water connection, andevery time they needed clean drinkingwater, they had to fetch it several hundredsof yards from their home.

With a grant of 1,259 (US$2,033; 1,437)from Barnabas they were able to construct awell in their garden. The water source has

greatly helped them in their everyday life.Now they can grow vegetables such astomatoes, garlic and strawberries.

p j f n00-478 (evang li su Fund)00-635 (Wa p j Fund)


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Christians in south asia

SUFFERING CHURCHSUNDAY 2011 - 2012

a pattern of world perseCution

VENUE

DATE TIME

www.barnabasfund.org


7/287BARNABAS AID SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010

Christians in south asia: Suffering Church Sunday 2011-12

th a any diff n u f an i-ch i ian u i n. Vi l n x i i gainingg und wi hin v al f h w ld aj ligi n . mili an uni ain a nf in un i , and z al u na i nali i d a ili ing va i u h . th f

f n ch i ian uni i a h i n y, and u n h i ang u n h , wi h v yd u iv ul .

a pattern of worldperseCution

All these elements are found in the region of South

Asia, where Gods people are a beleaguered thoughalso bold minority. Their sufferings are made worseby the poverty and instability that afflict so manycountries, and by the natural disasters that can wreak terrible devastation without warning. Thus the region isa model or microcosm of anti-Christian persecutionthroughout the world.

To order

8 Regional Profile

13 Testimony

14 Focus

16 Project Update

18 Sermon outline on John 13:31-38

20 Bible study on John 13:31-38

21 Resources

For this years Suffering Church Sunday we focus on the

Christians of South Asia and the pressures andpersecutions that they face. You may like to choose aSunday in November (or another month if this is better foryour churchs calendar) and use the material in thefollowing pages for a special service or meeting on thistheme. As you read, please remember our sufferingbrothers and sisters in your prayers.

South Asia: a microcosm of world persecution

From violent persecutor to fervent evangelist

Homelessness: weapon and woundof persecution

Barnabas supporting homeless Christiansin South Asia

Love one another as I have loved you

For use in home groups or personal study

Poster, PowerPoint and other materials for your service

The resources listed on pages 21 and 22 are availablefree of charge from your national Barnabas Fundoffice (addresses on back cover) or from our website,www.barnabasfund.org/scs.

7BARNABAS AID SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011


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C h r i s t i a n s i n s o u t h a s i a : S u f f e r i n g C h u r c h S u n d a y 2 0 1 1 - 1 2

Regional Profile

that devastated the same areas. The appallingfloods that swept through large parts ofPakistan in July and August 2010 affectedmore than 17 million people and destroyed atleast 1.2 million homes. Also the Indian Ocean

tsunami in 2004 struck the coasts of theregion, causing thousands of casualties inSri Lanka and India.

five repressiveideologiesWithin this large area, in which Christianminorities struggle to maintain their worshipand witness in the midst of such graveinstability, five ideologies dominate thevarious societies. Sometimes they are incompetition with each other; sometimes theywork in uneasy alliance; but everywhere theyare bad news for the churches.

islam(paki an, banglad h,Afghani an, maldiv )Islam is the majority religion in four of theSouth Asian countries, commanding theadherence of between 90 and 100% of theircitizens. Pakistan and Bangladesh werecreated as homelands for South AsianMuslims. Although they began their existenceas secular states, the former was made anIslamic republic in 1956 and a theocraticstate in 1973, while the latter adopted Islamas its state religion in 1988. Afghanistan is

We are hard pressed on every side, perplexed, but not in despair; persecabandoned; struck down, but not des2 Corinthians 4:8-9


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hu h a g wing and fl u i hing, ain aining a ld wi n in fa

f u i n.

In this Regional Profile we will examine

the acute challenges faced by Christiansin South Asia, as a way of surveying themain religions and philosophies thatcause so much suffering and distress toour Christian family all around the world.

an unstable region South Asia covers a huge area of sometwo million square miles. It is home tomore than 1.6 billion people, and amongthese, Christians probably number onlyabout 80 million (although the figures forsome countries are disputed). The vastmajority of them live in India, but this ismuch the largest nation in terms of bothterritory and population, and even herethey are a small minority. There are nearly

five million in Pakistan, but in somecountries their numbers are tiny.

The economy of India is booming, but itsrural poor and urban slum-dwellers still run

to hundreds of millions. In the othercountries of the region poverty is alsowidespread. Bangladesh and Nepal areamong the worlds poorest nations; mostpeople in Bhutan and the Maldives live atsubsistence levels; the economies of SriLanka and Afghanistan have been severelyaffected by war. Even in the larger nation ofPakistan much of the population areimpoverished.

The region is also politically unstable.

Pakistan and Bangladesh have enduredrepeated political upheavals over severaldecades, with assassinations and militarycoups. The long civil war in Sri Lanka endedonly in 2009; the conflict in Afghanistandrags on and on. Nepal and the Maldiveshave recently moved to multi-party systemsafter years of autocracy, and the long-termeffects of these changes remain uncertain.

Some countries are particularly liable tonatural disasters. Bangladesh, with itslow-lying land, has suffered devastating floodsand cyclones; thousands of people died inCyclone Sidr in 2007. Sri Lanka has recentlybeen affected by a severe drought that createddesperate poverty in some parts of thecountry, and then by torrential monsoon rains

south asia: a miCroCosm of world perseCution


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also an Islamic republic, and in the MaldivesIslam is the only recognised religion.

The dominance of Islam in these nations posesimmense problems for their Christian minorities.

Dis rimination. Social, political andlegal discrimination against Christians iswidespread in these countries, where, asin most of the Islamic world, they areregarded as second-class. In PakistanChristians are generally mistrusted,suspected of siding with the ChristianWest against their own country. Theireducational opportunities are limited:they are given no instruction in their ownfaith and face many difficulties inobtaining university places. Most arefrom the poorest stratum of society, andmany can get only the most menial jobs.

Anti-Christian discrimination in educationand employment is common also inBangladesh, while in the Maldives theexistence of non-Muslims is barely

recognised. The constitution expresslyforbids them from becoming citizens,and a government minister has declared,All Maldivians are Muslims. The smallnumber of indigenous Christians areostracised and carefully watched.

Viol n .Violence against Christianshas been characteristic of Islam almostfrom the first, and the South Asiancountries see their share of this. InPakistan individuals and whole Christiancommunities have been brutally attackedand their property destroyed, and inBangladesh several Christians, includingsome evangelists, have been martyred inrecent years. In war-torn Afghanistan,where the Talibans violent insurgencyhas destabilised much of the country andcost so many lives, Christians are atparticular risk of violence.

9

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Regional Profile

s ud n a a bi l ll g in banglad hha ba na a Fund ha u d

L gal p nalti s . As in many Muslim-majoritycountries, Christians are liable to harassmentand discrimination through the legal system.The most notorious example of this problem isPakistans blasphemy law. Under itsprovisions, desecration of the Quran carriesthe punishment of life imprisonment, anddefiling the name of Muhammad incurs amandatory death sentence.

The law is often exploited to settle personalscores and grudges, and Christians areespecially vulnerable to malicious, falseaccusation. Although no-one has yet beenexecuted for blasphemy, many of thosecharged have spent months or years in custodywhile their cases are considered, and somehave been murdered by zealous Muslims.Extremists in Bangladesh are demanding theintroduction of similar laws there.

th hu and f paki ani ch i ian rukh ana A a wa u d d y a mu li f n i kingu u i h qui kly n ugh

Ill-tr atm nt of onv rts. All schools ofIslamic law prescribe the death penalty for

adult, male Muslims who choose to leavetheir religion. This apostasy law makesmany Muslims in South Asia very hostile toChristian converts from Islam. Televisionfootage of baptisms in Afghanistan in 2010triggered a frenzied anti-Christianresponse, with leading political figurescalling for the execution of converts. A number of Christians were arrested, and atleast two were held for some months.

For d onv rsion. Islam is amissionary faith, and Muslims zeal forconverts is sometimes expressedforcibly. This form of persecution isparticularly severe in Pakistan, wheresome Muslim men abduct Christian girls,force them to convert to Islam, and thenmarry them. One estimate puts theannual number of forced conversions toIslam as high as 500 to 600.

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The Maldives adhere strictly to sharia law,and although the 2008 constitution introducedmany democratic changes, it contained noguarantee of freedom of religion. In Pakistantoo elements of sharia have beenimplemented, and it has a significant placein the legal and taxation systems and in publiclife generally.

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introduction of anti-conversion laws thatrestrict the freedom of non-Hindus to sharetheir faith. They impose penalties forconverting people by force, fraud orallurement but in some places are used toprevent legitimate Christian evangelism.

In Nepal Hindu extremists are also verysuspicious of the churches because of theirrecent growth. Converts to Christianity facesocial ostracism from their communities,and occasional hostility, discrimination oreven violence. Christians suspected ofencouraging conversion can be reported tothe authorities, and may be fined orimprisoned. Proposed new legislation by theMaoist government threatens further torestrict evangelism and undermine freedomof religion and expression.

Dis rimination. The Hindu caste systemdictates peoples occupations and often theireconomic circumstances. Most Christians areof low social status, and many are Dalits,who are seen as lower than the lowest caste.Corruption is rife in the police and courts, andit is difficult for Christians to get justice. Manyoffences against them are inadequatelyinvestigated, and often no-one is prosecutedor convicted. Their unwillingness to play thesystem dishonestly counts against them.When Hindutva supporters become dominantin an area, anti-Christian discrimination islikely to become worse.

Viol n . Assaults on Christian individualsand churches in India by Hindutvasupporters are frequent and widespread.Pastors and local evangelists are particulartargets. But in recent years there have also

India is a secular and democratic state, but ittoo faces a challenge from Hindu extremism,which in this case is linked to an aggressive,strident form of nationalism. The Hindutva(Hinduness) movement is striving to makeIndia a single, culturally and religiously purenation, and to return it to a supposed goldenage when it was uninfluenced by aliencultures. It is particularly hostile to religionsthat it perceives as non-Indian because theyentered the country from outside. Christianityis the primary target, because it is wronglyviewed as a colonial imposition, despite thefact that Indian Christians believe that it wasthe apostle Thomas who first brought the faithto their country.

Communism, specifically Maoism, also hasa significant place in these two countries.

The militant Naxalite movement is active inmany parts of India, waging a long andviolent campaign in pursuit of a communiststate. A prolonged Maoist insurgency inNepal helped to provoke the recent politicalchanges, and the current government isdominated by Maoists.

These three ideologies, and the alliances andconflicts between them, frequently placeChristians in their firing line, especially in India.

evang lism and onv rsion. The successof Christian evangelism in both countries,and the conversion of many Hindus toChristianity, has made this a very sensitiveissue. In India the concern has beenexploited by Hindutva supporters. In sevenstates its political wing has secured the

Regional Profile


A Hindu l in N al (s u : ralf L y , Wiki dia c n )

buildings. In the Maldives there are noplaces of worship for non-Muslims, andChristian worship is allowed only in onesown home. A bill that criminalises thepublic practice of non-Muslim worship,and the construction of non-Muslimbuildings, won almost unanimous supportin parliament in 2009, although it has notyet been passed into law. There are nochurch buildings in Afghanistan eitherexcept in one embassy, and in Pakistanthey are easy targets for attack.

Natural disast rs. Following the floods inPakistan in 2010, local church leadersexpected that hardly any international aidwould reach the Christian minority. Beforelong a Pakistani national newspaperreported that displaced Christians were

often excluded from receiving healthcareor food, as they were not being registeredand therefore supposedly do not exist.

hinduism,nationalism,Communism(India, N al)

India and Nepal both have large Hindumajorities of around 75%. From 1960until 2006 Nepal was officially designatedas a Hindu kingdom, with Hinduism as i tsnational religion. Following years ofpolitical instability, an interim constitutionestablished the country as a secular statein 2008, but Hindu extremists want to turnit back into a Hindu nation.

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demanded that all Christians leave thecountry or their homes would bedestroyed.

It is not only from Hindu nationalists thatChristians in India are in danger ofviolence. The Naxalites, who are stronglyanti-Christian, threaten the stability andsecurity of a large area of rural India,running from the border of Nepal to thestate of Andhra Pradesh and known as theRed Corridor. They also threaten thegrowth of the churches by infiltratingChristian communities.

buddhism(s i Lanka, bhu an)

Buddhism is dominant in Sri Lanka andBhutan and is practised by more than 70%of the population in each country. Althoughit is not officially the state religion of SriLanka, the constitution does give it theforemost place, and as a result it isprotected and promoted. The governmentof Bhutan is headed by a Buddhistmonarchy, and Mahayana Buddhism issaid to be the states spiritual heritage.Only Buddhism and Hinduism are officiallyrecognised in Bhutan, and the practice ofother religions is technically illegal.

Despite a long history in Sri Lanka,Christians now number only some 8% ofthe population. In Bhutan the proportionis much smaller. Buddhism has areputation for being peaceable andnon-violent, but it is not notably tolerantof other religions. In both countriesChristians are seriously disadvantaged invarious ways.

Dis rimination. Sri Lanka has a powerful

Sinhalese Buddhist lobby that exploits thespecial status given to Buddhism bydemanding privileges for itself at theexpense of the Christians. Although thispressure has not yet generated anti-Christian legislation, there are reports ofdiscrimination against Christians intaxation, employment and education.Some Christians are also very poor andhave to work in appalling conditions ontea and rubber plantations.

In Bhutan, the legal system is based onBuddhist precepts, and non-Buddhists arepressured by the majority, both officially andunofficially, to conform to traditionalBuddhist values and norms. Again, there arealso reports of discrimination in education.

Regional Profile C h r i s t i a n


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been some major outbreaks of mob violenceagainst entire Christian communities. InOrissa State many Christians were killed andthousands left homeless in two sets ofattacks by Hindu nationalists in 2007 and2008. In September 2008 there was also aseries of 37 anti-Christian assaults in two orthree days in Karnataka State, which wereclearly organised and planned in advance.Since the Hindutva party came to power inKarnataka that year, there have been morethan 200 anti-Christian incidents.

conv rsion. The Sinhalese Buddhist lobbyin Sri Lanka also campaigns for legislationto control religious conversion, though so farthey have not succeeded. Complaintsagainst allegedly unethical or forcedconversions have been lodged by someBuddhists, though Christians believe thatthese are directed against legitimateevangelism.

Although the constitution of Bhutan does notprohibit or restrict the right to convert orevangelise, some Christians are sufficientlyconcerned about interference from theauthorities that they hold their meetingsdiscreetly, especially in rural areas. Theymay be prosecuted if their activities areadjudged to be promoting feelings ofenmity or hatred between different

religious groups.

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An Indian Christian leader said that Christiansin the state were living in a climate of fear,persecution and harassment. Earlier in theyear a Hindutva supporter in the Karnatakalegislature vowed to weed out the seeds ofChristianity.

Violence against Christians is rare in Nepal,but in May 2009 a bomb exploded in a largechurch in the capital, Kathmandu, duringmorning service. Three worshippers werekilled and several others injured. Hinduextremists claimed responsibility and

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Regional Profile

C h r i s t i a n s i n s o u t h a s i a : S u f f e r i n g C h u r c h S u n d a y 2 0 1 1 - 1 2 Viol n .Buddhist extremism in Sri

Lanka is expressed in organisedopposition to some churches, especially inrural areas and places seen as Buddhistpreserves. Christian buildings and churchleaders are sometimes attacked. TheSinhalese Buddhist movement wants toimpose its identity on the whole country,and some of its members are prepared touse force.

in makeshift tents and shelters, and asmembers of a despised minority they arefinding themselves overlooked in thebuilding process.

Torrential monsoon rains in May 2010brought devastation to large areas of westand south-west Sri Lanka, where around halfthe countrys Christians live. Then furtherfloods between December 2010 and February2011 ravaged the centre and east of thecountry. Thousands were made homelessand put at risk of disease and snake bites.These floods followed a severe drought theprevious year that had created desperatepoverty among Christians in the region.

Again, their low status in society gives themless defence against such disasters.


helping south asias ChristiansSo here in a single region, albeit a vast one,are all the main causes of the pressure andpersecution endured by Christians aroundthe world. South Asia illustrates the rise ofextremism among Muslims, Hindus andBuddhists. It shows how nationalism is

developing as a reaction against theinfluence of the West, foreign interferenceand globalisation. It reveals the continuing

ba na a n ch i ian du a i n f h n di ch i ian hild n in India

s i u fl d d va a d n al anda n s i Lanka in a ly 2011. ba na a

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buildings. In Bhutan Christians aregenerally free to worship in private homes,but church buildings are officially notallowed. In early 2011 it was reported thatthe Bhutanese government wasconsidering recognising Christianityofficially, and this status would give thechurches the right to construct buildingsfor worship. However, only one Christianorganisation was likely to be recognised,which would be expected to represent allChristians, and the governments intentionmight be to give itself more power toregulate Christian activities.

War and natural disast r. The SriLankan civil war was prolonged andbitter, and it ended only in 2009. It hasleft a malign legacy of violence anddeprivation. Hundreds of thousands ofpeople, some of them Christians, weredisplaced from their homes and took refuge in temporary camps. ManyChristians are living in temporary huts, or

presence and power of communism, despitethe dissolution of the former Eastern bloc.

And it demonstrates the destructive impactof these repressive ideologies on Christiancommunities, especially in contexts ofeconomic hardship, political turmoil andnatural disasters.

Yet despite these immense difficulties, Godis wonderfully at work in South Asia. Thechurches of India have seen remarkablegrowth in the last few decades, asevangelists and church planters havefounded thousands of new congregations.Christians in Nepal have increased rapidly innumbers: until 1950 they were not evenofficially allowed to live there, and nowthere are over half a million. Church growthhas also been reported in Bangladesh, andamong some Sri Lankan denominations.Many of our brothers and sisters patientlyendure their sufferings year after year infaithfulness to the Lord.

Barnabas Fund is providing assistance tovarious projects run by local Christians tohelp needy believers and strengthen thechurches in their life and witness. Theseinclude feeding programmes, income-generation projects, theological training,supplying Bibles and resources, support for

pastors and evangelists, funding forChristian schools, provision of safe housesfor converts and for Pakistani Christianwomen, legal aid for those sufferinginjustice, and many more. At present we arealso working to provide simple homes forthousands of homeless Christians in India,Pakistan and Sri Lanka. For more details onthis project, please turn to pages 16-17.

Please also remember the Christians inSouth Asia in your prayers, asking the Lord

to strengthen them to maintain their witnessto Him in the face of hardship and distress,and that their sufferings will be relieved.



Testimony

th u ing w d w k n ymu afa, an a d n ch i ian wi h amu li a kg und wh i w king a a

i i na y in I la i a a f eaAf i a af a nding a h - n hdi i l hi aining u f nvf I la , whi h wa finan d yba na a Fund.

A couple of years earlier Mustafa had beena militant Muslim, believing in jihad andsupporting Islamic terrorism throughout theworld. His commitment even drove him tolead a Muslim youth gang in destroying achurch building in September 2008 in hishome town.

But Mustafas Islamic beliefs werechallenged when his sister, who hademigrated to Saudi Arabia to work for a

wealthy Saudi Muslim family, was murderedby her boss. He was perplexed that a fellowMuslim in an Islamic holy land couldbutcher another Muslim believer like that. Also his sister was going to send himmoney for helping him expand his businessof selling bicycle spare parts, and now hewould not get it.

Enraged, Mustafa decided to consult hissheikh to seek some sort of justice withinthe Islamic community and compel theSaudi man to compensate the family. Butthe sheikh supported the Saudi mansactions, saying, A woman must always beunder the mercy of a man. If that Saudi mankilled your sister, it must have been for a justifiable reason.

The sheikhs response infuriated Mustafaeven more. He stopped attending themosque and began to question and even tohate Islamic practices. Life becamemeaningless. In this disillusioned state, hewas given an evangelistic DVD by someevangelists. After watching the message ofthe Good News, he decided to follow Christ.

The missionaries discipled him further, andin May 2010 Mustafa was baptised.

Soon afterwards, Mustafa felt great remorsefor having led Muslim youths to destroy achurch building. The destruction had beenvery costly for the congregation; one and ahalf years later they were still worshippingin the sweltering heat of the open air. Hegathered his courage and went to the pastorand congregation to confess his mistakes

and ask for forgiveness. The congregationwelcomed him warmly, and he startedworshipping in that church, which has sincerelocated to a new building.

Because of his remarkable growth in Christ,Mustafa was selected, together with 39other Muslim-background Christians, toattend the three-month training course indiscipleship at a Bible institute nearby.Mustafa graduated in March 2011 with thehighest marks.

Now he has gone back to his business andspends 36 hours per week witnessing toothers who are still Muslims, a seeminglyimpossible task but one that is graduallybearing fruit. The skills he acquired from thetraining greatly help him to carry out hisdiscipleship work effectively and be a goodmanager and leader.

Mustafa testifies, Missionary work is noteasy but thats not a reason for not doing it.We should all be doing the work of anevangelist, making people followers ofJesus. He wants us to help as many peopleas possible to find salvation in Him. To be adisciple of Jesus means that you must studyHis Word and live the Word.

C h r i s t i a n


g C h

ur ch

S un

d a y2

0 1 1 1 2

Christ Jesus cameinto the world to save sinners o whom Iam the worst. But or

that very reason I was shown mercy so that inme, the worst o sinners, Christ Jesusmight display hisimmense patience asan example or thosewho would believe inhim and receive eternal li e.1 Timothy 1:15-16

A a di i l f J u , I uad Hi W d ga dl f

h a ifi and h naldiffi ul i I hav ndu .

From violent

persecutorto fervent evangelist

ba na a Fund u vang liand nv in ea Af i a


14/2814

Focus



Fleeing for their lives

and left homeless When will they come to kill us, Daddy?a k d h hild n f an egy ian ch i ian l ad a h fa ily fa d g wing un ain y du ing h v lu i n inF ua y 2011. th ch i ian uni y in egy f und h lv und h a a h li i al u i ing ughin a d in a ili y. F a ing f h i af y, ch i ian fa ili living in ainly mu li villag fl d h i h .

Sadly these events are not unusual incountries where Christians are avulnerable, despised and persecutedminority. Rumours or small disagreementscan lead to mob rampages; homes andbusinesses owned by Christians may betorched and Christians beaten and evenmurdered to settle disputes. The Christiancommunity is often associated with theChristian West, so members of the

majority religion take out their angeragainst the West on the nearest availablesubstitute their Christian neighbours.Western military initiatives in the Muslimworld, or individual actions such as theburning of a Quran far away in the USA,can result in a violent backlash againstlocal Christians in Muslim countries.Sometimes the violence is spontaneous,but other times it appears to have beenplanned and deliberately stirred up.

In addition to such persecution, factorssuch as war and natural disasters, or evenpersecution by their own relatives, canforce Christians to flee.

War and civil unrest Christians are often caught up in civil warand fighting when their country is in a stateof political upheaval. In Gaza and the WestBank, Christians are caught in the middleof a conflict not of their making. This,together with other pressures, has causedmany to emigrate.

Decades of civil war ripped the country ofSudan apart and left some five millionpeople homeless as the governmentattempted to impose Islamic sharia law on

the mainly Christian South. Churches andhomes were demolished, and there werereports of kidnappings, forced labour andmassacres. Displaced people from the Southfled to the largely Islamic North.

In January 2011, the South of Sudan votedoverwhelmingly for independence, whichbecame reality on 9 July. But fighting andethnic cleansing in the disputed border

region blighted the run-up to independence,forcing thousands of people, includingChristians, from their homes and creating ahumanitarian crisis. Troops and tanks of theKhartoum government in the mainly MuslimNorth overran the contested Abyei region,causing more than 110,000 people to flee tothe south, where the majority are living inunsheltered and basic conditions.

But it is not only ethnic tension thatproduces national division, leavingChristians homeless. As demonstrationsagainst the Syrian government intensified in2011, Christians came under increasingpressure to join the uprising. In the village of

Hala, Muslim residents issued an ultimatumto their Christian neighbours either to jointhe demonstrations against PresidentBashar al-Assads regime or to leave.

Government-sponsoredactionIn some countries, Christians suffer for theirfaith at the hands of the government, military,

police and justice systems. Secular regimessuch as the one in Burma (Myanmar) may usethe majority faith as an ally in the oppressionof their Christian community. Most Christiansare members of the non-Burman ethnicminorities. They are treated by the rulingmilitary junta as if they were enemies of thestate. The army will attack the mountainvillages that are home to the Christians, killingany inhabitants who do not manage to escapein time. They then set fire to the villages orplant landmines around the homes and the

bodies to kill anyone who tries to return. Thosewho run end up camping in the surrounding jungle, and many die there from snake bites,disease or starvation.

th u and f l , ainly ch i ian , fl d f d ad f figh ing in sudan and liv d inx ly a i fug a

An n i ch i ian villag in Kaduna s a , Nig ia, wa u n d a h y a f 300 mu li ili an n 18 A il2011. th a a k a iv d a d wi h va i u w a n and h d h villag a h ch i ian an f h i liv .



Direct persecutionIn other countries, thousands of Christians aredisplaced owing to direct targeting of theircommunities. Up to 3,000 Christians were forcedfrom their homes following allegations ofblasphemy against local Christians in April 2011in Pakistan. In Egypt, anti-Christian violence isincreasing and sometimes entire Christiancommunities have had to flee their homes; inNovember 2009 chaos erupted as a mob of up to3,000 Muslims went on the rampage, attackingChristians and setting fire to their homes, shopsand cars to settle a personal dispute.

Perhaps the most shocking example ofdisplacement is Iraq, where the Christiancommunity is undergoing a mass migration.Christians have faced mounting hostility sincethe Gulf War of 1990-1, as they are seen to belinked with the West because of their faith.They have become the target of threats,bombings, kidnappings and murder, forcinghundreds of thousands of Christians to leavetheir homes and flee to neighbouring Syria,Jordan or Lebanon. Today, the Christiancommunity in Iraq is estimated at less than a

third of its size in 1990, meaning that over amillion have left their homeland.

In Orissa, India, Christian families could donothing but run for their lives into the junglewhen Hindu extremists descended on theirvillages at Christmas 2007 with guns, knivesand home-made bombs, shouting slogans suchas Only Hindus to stay here no Christians tostay here! Eight months later, attacks beganagain and continued almost unabated for twomonths. Thousands of homes were burned tothe ground and hundreds of churches andchurch buildings were destroyed. Those whosurvived the onslaught of violence and wantedto return to their homes were told, Come back as Hindu or dont come back at all. Over56,000 Christians were left homeless.

Focus C h r i s t i a n


g C h

ur ch

S un

d a y2

0 1 1 -1 2

ch i ian villag in bu a (myan a )fl f u i n n f , aking nlywha h y an a y

Fif y- ix h u and ch i ian w l f h l wh n Hindu x i h d nvillag in o i a, India in 2007 and 2008. Vi l n ha n inu d a di ally v in

Family persecutionMany Christians experience persecutionfrom their families when they choose tofollow Christ. In Central Asia, Alima wastold by her mother-in-law that when herhusband died, she would be turned out of

her house unless she renounced herChristian faith and returned to Islam, thefaith into which she had been born. Sherefused, and she and her five children foundthemselves without a roof over their heads.

Natural disastersWhere Christians are in the minority, theymay suffer disproportionately when naturaldisasters occur. Poverty often leavesChristians living in homes that are poorlyconstructed and therefore even more

vulnerable to destruction. In countrieswhere Christians are despised, rejected andpersecuted, they may be neglected in thedistribution of aid, including the provision ofmaterials to help them to rebuild theirhomes and lives.

Many Pakistani Christian families had theirhomes completely destroyed in the terriblefloods of August 2010. After water pouredinto his lifelong home, Joseph Bashir said,On my present salary, even in 50 years Icannot rebuild by house. Younis Masih hadbuilt his home with his own hands over 25years. Tragically, the house collapsed underthe strain of the gushing waters.

Barnabas working to rehome the homelessIn the Bible God is presented as the refugeof His poor and needy people, a shelterfrom the storm and a shade from the heat

(Isaiah 25:4), and this protection is part ofHis provision for them in the age to come(Isaiah 4:5-6). But the Bible also tells usthat we have a responsibility to providefor other members of Gods family whodo not have a roof over their heads (Isaiah58:7), including those who are persecutedfor their faith.

Barnabas Fund provides emergencyfunding when our Lords family findthemselves displaced, homeless andstruggling to survive. As well as feedingprogrammes and education projects, wehave also provided emergency funding forfamilies in Nigeria who have had to leavetheir homes following horrific anti-Christian violence, and in Iraq we havefinanced the construction of 40 apartmentsfor Christians who have sought security inthe north of the country.

In Central Asia, Barnabas funded thepurchase of a new home for Alima (seeabove). The house has four rooms, akitchen, a bathhouse and a vegetablegarden, and the family can keep livestock.

A report received from the pastor of herchurch said, The family is very happy andrejoice because they have their own houseand they thank you very much for this. It isas a new life for them.

Currently we are also working with anumber of partners in Pakistan, Sri Lankaand India to build homes and churchesfor hundreds of Christians who arehomeless because of their faith in theLord Jesus Christ. Please turn to pages16-17 to find out more about theseimportant projects, and how you can help.


16/2816


N w h u ing n u d f h l ch i ian in India wi h h l f ba na a .th y a uil l g h in hi a i ula l a i n h f l han

Project Update

Kuhe, a Christian widow, and her threechildren are living in a primitive tarpaulintent. They have been there for over ayear. Her meagre earnings as a labourer

are not enough to support her children.Two years ago, when she and herhusband fled from their home in northernSri Lanka to escape the violence from thecivil war, her husband was killed byartillery fire. Kuhe saw him suffer and diein agonising pain, and because of theongoing shelling around her, she had toleave his body behind without a burial.

Appalling living onditions Thousands of Sri Lankan Christianfamilies are living in makeshift tents andshelters without direct access to cleanwater and sanitation. Even though thecivil war ended in 2009, manystill havenowhere permanent to live. And sinceChristians are part of a despised minority

in Sri Lanka, they may find themselvesoverlooked in the building process.

In India and Pakistan, this tragic story of

extended homelessness repeats itself. Despisedor ignored by their own society, Christians arelanguishing in sub-human conditions.

In Orissa State, India, around 56,000Christians became homeless in 2007-08when Hindu extremists set fire to Christianhomes and churches, or forced Christians toleave unless they would convert toHinduism. After all these years some arestill living in makeshift huts in the jungle.

In Islamabad, Pakistan, 250 poor andvulnerable Christian families becamehomeless in 2009 following a housingdispute and ended up living in tents along thecentre of a highway. The only water supplyran beside an open pit latrine and waste

dump. They are now living in a primitivetent camp outside the city without accessto electricity or clean water.

building hom s Moved by the desperate need of Christiansin these three countries, Barnabas Fundlaunched a major campaign this summerto raise awareness and funds to buildproper homes and churches for ourbrothers and sisters in South Asia. LocalChristian partner organisations will thenconstruct the homes.

Building costs are extremely low comparedto those for a house in the West. Just 700(US$1,100; 800) can provide a simple butgood-quality one-room brick home, with acement floor, tin roof and toilet andincluding a toilet, for a Christian family inIndia. An overhanging roof at the front ofthe house creates a veranda for cooking.

Brick by brick:

building homes and churches in



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18/2818

Sermon outline

C h r i s t i a n s

i n s o u t h a s i a : S u f f e r i n g C h u r c h S u n d a y 2 0 1 1 1 2

ch i ian hild n i a id h d va a i nau d y h y l n in bu a

th f ll wing n u lin an u d a a suff ingchu h sunday vi ing. I an ad u a i

and , h ugh y u ay wan add illu a i n fy u wn. Al na iv ly i an u d a a f a w k f

y u wn id a and a li a i n . s h l fuln a i a nd d n ag 20.


L v n an h a I hav l v d y uJohn 13:31-38

Tears of joy made them unable to speak,because their situation was very bad and theyfelt that the Lord had answered their prayer.They thanked you and prayed for you.

This is how suffering Christians in Burmaresponded when they received a supply ofrice, through a grant from Barnabas Fund.They had been persecuted for their faith inChrist. They had been so neglected by theirgovernment after a devastating cyclone thatthey found themselves in desperate need. Butnow, through the love of their Christian family,their joy was renewed and their need supplied.

When Christians suffer for their faith, thelove shown to them by Christian brothersand sisters is immensely important. Justknowing that members of their Christianfamily care about them helps to encourageand strengthen them in their trials.

Younis is a Pakistani Christian whose homewas destroyed in last years devastatingfloods. It had taken him over 25 years tobuild, because he is so poor. When BarnabasFund provided a new house, he rejoiced andsaid, The Lord brought us brothers andsisters from far to help us in our time of

need. We are full of joy and very thankful.

Another Pakistani Christian flood victim, Lal,commented that he was happy that the newhouse he had received from Barnabas hadcome from his own people.

Of course, the encouragement of knowingthey have not been forgotten is only onepart of the picture. The practical help cantransform their lives now and bring hope forthe future. In the love they receive fromother Christians, they experience the love ofGod in Christ.

Again and again the Bible calls Christians tolove one another, to care for those whobelong to the family of believers. Jesus


19/28


20/2820

Bible study

C h r i s t i a n s i n s o u t h a s i a : S u f f e r i n g C h u r c h S u n d a y 2 0 1 1 - 1 2 L ving u ch i ian fa ily

John 13:31-38

INtroDUctIoN

1. What stories have you heard ofChristians being persecuted for theirfaith? How did you react to them?

2. How important do you think it is to loveother Christians? What, if anything, stopsyou from making this a high priority?(See also question 13 below.)

reAD JoHN 13:31-32

3. To what event is Jesus referring in these

verses? (See John 12:32.) What is Hegoing to do for God, and what will Godthen do for Him? (See also question 14below.)

4. How are we to follow Jesus on His journey to glory? (See 1 John 3:16.)What does this mean for how we relateto other Christians?

reAD JoHN 13:34-35

5. What is Jesus command* to Hisdisciples in these verses? In what way/sis this a new commandment?

6. What basis and model does Jesus giveus for our love for one another? Andwhat impact will it have on those whowitness it?

7. How can we express this love for oneanother in practical ways? How might

we show it towards Christians who sufferbadly on account of Christ? Why is itimportant for our witness to non-Christians?

reAD JoHN 13:33, 36-38

8. Jesus says that His disciples cannotfollow Him where He is going. What doesit mean to follow Him? (See verses31-32.) Why do you think the disciplescannot do so at this point?

9. When will Jesus disciples be able tofollow Him? What will enable them to doso, when they could not before? (SeeJohn 14:16-17.)

10. What does a life laid down for otherslook like? How do you think we can drawon the resources God supplies for us tolive like this?

coNcLUsIoN

11. Try to sum up what you have learnedfrom this passage. Why should we loveother Christians? How should we do it?

And howcan we do it?

12. Share one action that you can now take inresponse to this teaching. Can you dosomething to help persecuted Christians?

thi udy l k a h a a ag a h n u lin( . 18-19). I an u d f af h a ing h n,

a a ly. If i i u d wi h u h n, i ay h l ful fh g u l ad ad h ugh h n u lin f hand.

th i n a h nd n i l d Digging d i in nd d fh wh w uld lik x l h a ag in d h and

in i wid n x .

13. In the Gospels, whom does Jesuscall us to love? (If you get stuck,look up Mark 12:30-31; Matthew5:44; John 15:12.) Which of thesepeople do you find it easiest / hardest to love? Why?

14. Look up some of the references toglory in Johns Gospel. (See1:14; 2:11; 11:4; 12:41; 17:4-5,

10, 22, 24.) What is Jesusglory? What does it mean forus to glorify God?

15. Think about what happens toPeter later in the Gospel. (SeeJohn 18:10-11, 15-18, 25-27;20:1-10; 21, esp. verses 15-22.)Compare Jesus words to him inchapter 21 with those in chapter13. How are they different, andwhat has made the difference?

16. The first letter of John containslots more teaching on loving ourfellow Christians. Look at one orboth of the key passages (3:11-18;4:7-21). What do they add to John13:31-38?

DIGGING Deeper


Fu h adingFor further explanation of this passage, please see the following:C.K. Barrett,The Gospel according to St John , 2nd edition. London: SPCK, 1978, pp. 449-453.George R. Beasley-Murray,John (Word Biblical Commentary), 2nd edition. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1999, pp. 246-248.

*The Greek wordagapao is used many times in Johns Gospel to refer to the sacrificial love of God and of Jesus, and to the love ofHis disciples in response to that love.


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22/2822

Resources


I w uld lik d h f ll wing f u : ( l a indi a quan i i in x )

A3 poster Christians in South Asia DVD A4 cards

Prayer-and-response cards Copies of the Suffering Church Sunday issue ofBarnabas Aid (Sept/Oct 2011)

Name: (Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms, Rev, Dr)

Address:

Postcode:Email:

Name of church:

Send this form to your nearest Barnabas Fund office (addresses on back cover). Resources can also be ordered or downloaded from www.barnabasfund.org/scs.

order your free SufferingChurCh SundAy reSourCeSth f ll wing u a availa l f f ha g fy u na i nal ba na a Fund ffi (add n a k

v ) f u w i (www. a na a fund. g/ ), l a u h d f l w.

n A3 version (approx. 300x420mm) of the poster (see page 6), to advertiseyour Suffering Church Sunday service.

n Prayer-and-response cards (see above), including the Prayer for SufferingChurch Sunday and a response form.

n SCS 2011-2012 DVD containing a recording of Steve Giles song WesternChristians and the suffering Church and accompanying reflectivePowerPoint, and the piano score for Gordon Churchyards hymn Prayerfor those in prison.

n PowerPoint presentation to accompany the sermon on John 13:31-38 (seepage 18). Available on the DVD and to download from our website.

n NEW FOR SCS 2011-2012! A4 cards to highlight the problem ofhomelessness among Christians in Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan.

prAyer-And-reSponSe CArd

The Suffering Church Sunday prayer-and-response card includes the prayer(above) and a response form. Thesecards are a great resource fordistribution to your congregation at yourSuffering Church Sunday service. Theyare available to orderf f ha g from your national Barnabas Fund office please order as many as you need!

C h r i s t i a n s

i n s o u t h a s i a : S u f f e r i n g C h u r c h S u n d a y 2 0 1 1 1 2



Y u a i n ing hang

23

Operation Nehemiah

rai ing awa n fhalal aI ... wrote to the two local butchers. One didnot reply but the other phoned to say that hehad unwittingly been purchasing poultry froman outside supplier which ishalal . He stated hewas not happy with this discovery and intendedto review the matter. e & m s i h, b i l

chall nging h dia

After reading your booklet [The Way Ahead ]that evening there was an Agatha Christiedrama on Channel 4. In the first scenes therewas swearing. It was 8pm. I phoned the

N w in i fI la i all f b i i h i a Muslim minorities in Western countriestend to be highly concentrated in certainareas. For example, in Australia the Sydneysuburbs of Auburn and Lakemba are hometo large Muslim populations. In Britainsome neighbourhoods are almost 100%Muslim, and an Islamist group has nowcalled on Muslims to create enclaves inmajor cities where sharia will one day beimplemented.Dewsbury, Bradford and Tower Hamlets,London, have been suggested by the groupas emirates where Muslims can live by

sharia outside British law. According to the group, it is an obligation forMuslims to call for sharia to be implementedwherever they are in the world. The reportencourages all Muslims to live amongstother Muslims and to trade amongstthemselves where possible. It also advisesMuslims to set up Islamic schools that teachthe Islamic curriculum, and not to go tonon-Islamic courts for arbitration.

equali y c i i n ay

ch i ian h uld havigh f ll w n i nThe UKs equality watchdog hasdetermined that Christians should be givengreater freedom to follow their beliefs inthe workplace.The Equality and Human RightsCommission (EHRC) said that judges hadinterpreted the law too narrowly incases where Christians had claimedreligious discrimination and that it isproposing reasonable accommodation

to help employers manage religion in theworkplace.For more information on these stories andother Operation Nehemiah news updates,please visitwww. a na a fund. g/

a i n_n h iah.

complaints number and left a recordedmessage. The next day I was personallyphoned and thanked and told my commentwould go to the drama producers... It mademe realise some good people in thesedepartments are waiting for your comments. Iwas careful also to say some good points andthat Agatha Christie never had a swear wordin any of her many books. I also felt that manyof us should phone the BBC after Songs of

Praise and say how much we enjoyed andvalued the programme. Let us be quick topraise any good programme, especiallyChristian, and say so.e. L ng, b xhill

o a i n N h iah w uld lik hank all h u in va i u a f hw ld wh vid u wi h f d a k n va i u a f u gl al a aign andn w f wha h y a d ing h l . W a du ing l w w f h l

f h UK, whi h h w h w i l a i n an ak a diff n . pl a d kh ing.

m ga- qu u da

Thank you to all those supporters who have been praying about the plan to build a huge3 million mosque in Camberley, England. The Muslim group behind the plan, who holdextremist views, have had it finally dismissed by the local authorities.If the plans had been approved, the mosque would have had two 30-metre minaretsoverlooking the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and towering above the parade groundand the adjacent St Michaels Church. The proposal raised serious security concerns,especially in view of the frequent royal visits to Sandhurst. The controversial plans to knock down the listed Victorian school currently used as a mosque and build the mega-mosquewere initially approved by the councils planning committee.

In any a f h w ld, in luding Af i a and h W , la g qu a inguil in a a wh h a n any mu li , a y l f h n andu i i y f I la . bu i h lan an f u a d. H i n nxa l f an engli h u u an wn.

r qu Acts f h n w h l y a !W uld y u y u hu h lik u y u l al h l in h a hing f ch i iani y a

i a y l v l?For a donation of 250, Operation Nehemiah is offering a pack worth over 470 to donateto a UK primary school of your choice. The pack contains reference books, posters, wall charts, animated

DVDs, activity workbooks, Bible story books, fiction and lots more items for primary level. Call 01672564938 today for more information or visitwww. a na a fund. g/ a i n_n h iah/Acts.

Operation Nehemiah invites you to look outfor and send us any relevant newspaperarticles, posters, local authority publicationsor material produced by Islamist groups inyour country or region to help in our

research. Local newspaper reports areespecially helpful too, as they often provideinformation that does not always reachmainstream media and is not so easilyaccessible to us.

L al n w f a und h w ld

mi i n s a n : o a i n N h iah i i d ain aining ch i ian valu ff d f n i n , h and ligi n f h n x g n a i n in hu h and i y.


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Newsroom

24 BARNABAS AID SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

The ruling applies to those who wereregistered on their birth certificates and/ or national ID cards as Christian butwhose religious identity was changed toMuslim, either because they convertedto Islam as adults, or as a consequence ofa parent changing his/her registration, orbecause of a clerical error. It means thatthose who return to Christianity havingconverted to Islam will be officiallyidentified as Christians rather thanMuslims. This is particularly important forChristian women and girls, as there aremany tragic cases of abductions and

forced conversions in Egypt. Christian girlsare being kidnapped, raped, forced toconvert to Islam, and forced into marriageswith Muslim men. Since the revolution in

January, there has been a surge indisappearance of Christian girls; one churchleader said in July, More than two to threegirls disappear everyday in Giza alone... Thecases that are brought to public attentionare few compared to what the numbersactually are.

Religious registration affects many importantareas of life including marriage, inheritance,education and church attendance. ID cardsmust be presented in order to performeveryday acts such as travel or registering acomplaint at a police station. The ruling doesnot apply to converts to Christianity whowere registered as Muslim at birth.

Egyptian Christians have been campaigningfor this court ruling since 2004; several

eGYpt: coUrt rULING ALLoWs cHrIstIAN recoNVerts to reGIster FAItH

similar verdicts, issued in 2008, have notbeen implemented. A more recent rulingwas blocked by the State Councils fatwacommittee, which said that each casemust be reviewed individually by thecourt.

Lawyer Peter El-Naggar was optimisticthat the court order would be executedthis time. But a senior Church leader wasmore sceptical, saying, The problem iswith the authorities who refuse toimplement the court orders issued in ourfavour.

Despite this rare piece of good news,there is still an air of unease among theChristians in Egypt as Islamist parties gearup for the elections later this year.

Farooqi claimed that blasphemousportions had been added to the Bible,which, he said, charged some prophetswith a variety of moral crimes, whichundermine the sanctity of the holyfigures. He said such insertionsstrongly offended Muslims, who hold allprophets and holy books in high esteem.He said that if the Supreme Court did notrespond by banning the Bible, Islamicclerics would formally petition the court,and added that the move was an act ofrevenge against the desecration of theQuran by a church in Florida.

Pakistani Christians have stronglycondemned the call, and there are fearsthat this attack on the Bible signals anintensification of persecution againstChristians in Pakistan, where Islamists aresaid to have become more extreme in thewake of Osama bin Ladens assassination.

pAKIstAN: cALL to bAN tHe bIbLe

egy su Ad ini a iv c u ha ad a ignifi an uling ha will all w ch i ian nv hav h iligi u gi a i n ffi ially hang d a k ch i ian.

paki ani ch i ian ud n ngag d in a bi l udy. tu n ag 4 ad h w

ba na a Fund i h l ing u ly bi l ch i ian l ad in paki an

An i an I la i li i al a y ha all d f paki an su c u an h bi l , d i ing i a n g a hi . A l ad f Ja ia Ul a- -I la , maulana A dul rauf Fa qi, ad h a al a a

nf n a a qu in Lah n 30 may.


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Newsroom

25BARNABAS AID SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 25

The anti-Christian violence broke out asrioters took to the streets to protestagainst President Abdoulaye Wadescontroversial plans to change thecountrys constitution. Dakar city centrewas cut off as demonstrators set fire tovehicles and threw stones at riot police,

while other violent protests were stagedelsewhere in the city and in otherSenegalese towns.

With tensions already high in the city,one neighbourhood erupted, and thecrowd took out their anger on theChristians. One church was set upon by agroup of men and young people duringthe morning service on Sunday 26 June.The worshippers were driven out andpelted with stones as they escapedbefore the steel-structured building wasfire-bombed. The following day, themayor ordered that the building becleaned up; the steel and scrap iron,valuable commodities in Senegal, weretaken away by truck, leaving nothing buta raised concrete platform where the

seNeGAL: cHUrcHes LooteD AND torcHeD

pulpit had been. The building had seatedaround 400 people.

Such anti-Christian violence is almostunheard of in Senegal, despite itsbeing a predominantly Muslim country(91%), but aggressive Islamist groupsfunded by Saudi Arabia and Libya are

making inroads, threatening the tolerantstatus quo.

Figh ing in sudan dgi n ligh d h l ng-

awai d ind nd n f hd inan ly ch i ian s u h

and h a n d a u n hd adly ivil wa ha h

un y a a f 1983 2005.

Troops and tanks of the Khartoumgovernment in the mainly Muslim Northoverran the contested Abyei region on

21 May in what was described by SouthSudan as an act of war. Violent clasheshad broken out between Northern andSouthern forces over the fertile region,which both sides claim as theirs. AsNorthern forces dropped bombs onvillages, more than 110,000 people fledsouth, where the majority remain, livingin basic conditions without shelter.

Further conflict broke out in the keynorthern oil state of South Kordofan,

which borders both the South and Abyei,on 5 June. The Northern governmentcarried out its threats to attack anySouthern forces that remained in the areaby 1 June, using aerial bombardments,house-to-house executions of suspectedopposition sympathisers and rape as theirweapons. Nuba Christians have sufferedin both the air strikes and ground attacks,and there are reports of Muslim militiashouting Allahu Akbar (god is great)as they opened fire on Christiansgathered for worship. A new church inKadugli, the main town of SouthKordofan, was burnt down and looted. A senior church leader described theviolence as a policy of ethnic cleansing.

Southern Christians are looking forwardto greater freedom and peace, followingindependence on 9 July, but there areindications that life for Christians in theNorth will become more restrictive anddangerous following the split. President

Omar al-Bashir has declared that theNorth will be 100% Arab and Muslim,and has made clear his intention toreinforce its hard-line Islamic character.

sUDAN: DAWNoF INDepeNDeNcebrINGs VIoLeNce

IVorY coAst: cHrIstIAN brotHers crUcIFIeD

tw a an h w u allyu ifi d af h xa l f ch i

n 29 may y f l yal h n wmu li id n f Iv y c a ,Ala an oua a a.

The pair, from the village of Binkro, werebadly beaten and tortured before beingcrudely nailed to cross-shaped planks bytheir hands and feet with steel spikes.They were falsely accused of hidingweapons in their village, and although

they repeatedly denied any involvement,their pleas were ignored. After crucifyingthem, Ouattaras men took them on anextensive search of Binkro, but found

only a store of medical equipment andsupplies. The seriously wounded pairwere then taken to prison in Oum.Raphael Aka Kouame died of his injuriesthat night; incredibly his youngerbrother, Kouassi Privat Kacou, survivedthe ordeal.

This is just one of the many atrocities thathave been committed in fighting betweenrival supporters of Ouattara and hispredecessor Laurent Gbagbo, who was

ousted following the disputed presidentialelection in November 2010. Christiansare seen as supporters of Gbagbo andhave been caught up in the conflict.

ch i ian hav n a a k d and igh hu h l d and h din Daka , h a i al f s n gal, a agg k advan ag f

li i al un in h un y v n h i h ili y. th hu hw a g d v a w w k i d f ll wing a d la a i n f wa

y mu li again n w hu h . A hu h l ad aid hi waau f h vi i l g w h f h hu h in Daka .

th n la f (f g und)wh h ul i n d i all ha

ain f hi hu h in s n gal whi hn a d a xi a ly 400 l


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In Touch

We are aware that our privilege [of worshipping andspreading the Good News] brings responsibility to helpthose who need our prayerful and practical support. Theseare the words of Pat Wells, Acting Head/Chair of Governorsof Emmanuel Christian School in Leicester. The 26 pupilsaged between 4 and 13 ran a combined marathon in Juneand raised 147.60 for Barnabas Fund. Each child ran asmany circuits round the track as he or she could manage in15 minutes. Their distances were then added together,giving just slightly more than a full marathon distance. Patsays the children always had in mind to give a donation toBarnabas Fund to help the persecuted Church in differentareas of the world.

Supporting Barnabas through sales and school spor

26 BARNABAS AID SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

Electron iccommun ication f romB arn abas F un d A lo t has changed in the way we communica te with our supporters a t Barnabas Fund.

In the last year, we have redesigned our website to mak e i t more accessible and

in formative. The Newssec tion is upda ted regularly to k eep you in formed o f the ever-changing si tua tion o f our persecu ted bro thers and sis ters around the world. Further tabs

allow you to naviga te aroundOur work, and find ou t abou tdi fferen t ways tha t you can A c t for and Donate to Barnabas Fund.

The bes t way we can inform our suppor ters o f a crisis and an urgen t need for dona tions or prayer is through email, and we now send a week ly

email round-up of the la tes t news a ffec ting Christians around the world.

If you would lik e to receive news and prayer in forma tion abou t the persecuted Church

by email, please visit our websi te w w w.barnaba fund.org, go to the bo ttom lef t

sec tion, enter your name and email address and click s ub cribe.

R esour ce to f ocus your pr a yer s

Each month, we produce an informationsheet with up-to-date news on the sufferingChurch, to aid with your prayers individuallyand in your prayer groups, and for inclusion in your church magazine (A4or A5sizesavailable for easy use in magazines ofdifferent sizes.) Barnabas Funds Pra yer F ocus Upda te covers events from around the world, providing a snapshot of anti-Christian violence and persecut ion to guide you in praying for our suffering brothers a ndsisters.This invaluable prayer resource is availablefree of charge and can be sent via email orpost at the beginning of each month. Toreceive a copy regularly, please contactyour nearest na tional office (addresses onback cover). Y ou can also download a copyof the latest Pray er Foc us Up date or

previous updates by visitingwww.barnabasfund.org/ prayer.

th hild n f e anu l ch i ian s h l, L i , wh an a

in d a a h n and ai d n y f h u d chu h

mai ( ) and h f i nd a h ba na aall a sh w u y ca nival

A Carnival Day in Shrewsbury was the scene for more fundraising forBarnabas. Maire Juvonen-Shah raised212.24 through a stall at the Carnivalon 18 June and a plant sale at her church. Ms Juvonen-Shah sent us thisphotograph of her and a friend at the stall, which won a trophy for the bestcharity stall at the carnival.

We are always grateful to receive news of ways that you have been fundraisingfor Barnabas Fund. Please keep sending us details of your events and howmuch you raised, and we will try to publish them as and when we have spacein our magazine!


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Yes, I would like to help the persecuted ChurchHere is my gift of ______________________Please use my gift for

Wherever the need is greatest (General Fund)

Other ___________________________________________*

I enclose a cheque/voucher payable to Barnabas Fund.

Please debit my Visa Mastercard American ExpressMaestro CAF card /other charity card

Number

Maestro issue number or issue date /

Expiry date / Signature ______________________________

I do not require an acknowledgement of this gift.

I would like to give regularly through my bank. Please send methe appropriate form. (UK supporters may use the Direct Debitform below.)

Alternative Gift Card To make an alternative gift for a loved one, pleasecontact your national Barnabas office.

DIRECT DEBIT for UK supporters who would like to give regularly I/We want to bring hope and aid to the persecuted Church by a regular gift, to be used

where it is most needed (General Fund) or for ________________________________*(give reference number of project to be supported)

Gift Aid Declaration (Applicable to UK tax payers only)I authorise Barnabas Fund, registered charity no. 1092935, to treat alldonations I have made since 6 April 2007 and all subsequent donationsas Gift Aid donations until I notify you otherwise.

Signature ______________________________________Date ____________If you have previously signed a Gift Aid Declaration for Barnabas Fund, you do not need to sign again. To qualify for Gift Aid, what you pay in income tax or capital gains tax must

at least equal the amount of tax reclaimed on donations to registered charities in the tax year. Please inform us if you change your name or address or stop paying tax.

Name (Mr,Mrs,Miss,Ms,Rev,Dr)

Address

Postcode Telephone

Email

Please return this form to Barnabas Fund at your national office or to the UK office. Addresses are on the back cover. Barnabas Fund will not give your address or emailto anyone else.Phone 0800 587 4006 or visit our website at www.barnabasfund.org to make acredit card donation. From outside UK phone +44 1672 565031.Registered Charity number 1092935 Company registered in England number 4029536*If the project chosen is sufficiently funded, we reserve the right to use designated gifts either foranother project of a similar type or for another project in the same country.Supporters in Germany: please turn to back cover for how to send gifts toBarnabas Fund.Mag 09/11

A3 poster Christians in South Asia

Prayer-and-response card

Please send the following resources (indicate quantity required):

The aid agency for the persecuted Church

*If the project chosen is sufficiently funded, we reserve the right to use designated gifts either for another project of a similar type or for another project in the same country.

Name (Mr,Mrs,Miss,Ms,Rev,Dr)

Address

Postcode

I would like to give a regular gift of __________________________________(amount in words) __________________________________________________

Starting on 1st / 11th / 21st _________________ and then everymonth/quarter/year (delete as applicable) until further notice.

This Direct Debit is a new one / in addition to / replaces an earlier StandingOrder / Direct Debit in favour of Barnabas Fund. (delete as applicable).

THE DIRECT DEBIT GUARANTEEThis Guarantee is offered by all Banks and Building Societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits.If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit Barnabas Fund will notify you 14 working days in advance of your account being debitedor as otherwise agreed.If you request Barnabas Fund to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request.If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit by Barnabas Fund or your bank or building society, you are guaranteed a full and immediate refund of the amountpaid from from your bank or building society.If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when Barnabas Fund asks you to. You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Writtenconfirmation may be required. Please also notify us.

Instruction to your bank or building society to pay by Direct Debit

Please fill in the whole form including official use box using a ball pointpen and send it to: Barnabas Fund, 9 Priory Row, Coventry CV1 5EX Service User Number 2 5 3 6 4 5

Reference (Barnabas Fund to complete)Name and full postal address of your bank or building society

Name(s) of account holder(s)

Bank/building society account number Branch sort code Signature(s)

Date

Instruction to your bank or building society: Please pay Barnabas FundDirect Debits from the account detailed in this instruction subject to thesafeguards assured to by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that thisinstruction may remain with Barnabas Fund and, if so, details will bepassed electronically to my bank/building society. DD18

Mag 09/11

Mag 09/11

SCS 2011-2012 DVD and PowerPoint presentation

Copies of the SCS edition of Barnabas Aid (Sept/Oct 2011)


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We WorK bY:n directing our aid only to Christians,

although its benefits may not beexclusive to them (As we haveopportunity, let us do good to all people,

ially h wh l ng hfa ily f li v . Galatians 6:10,emphasis added)

n aiming the majority of our aid atChristians living in Muslim environments

n channelling money from Christiansthrough Christians to Christians

n channelling money through existingstructures in the countries where fundsare sent (e.g. local churches or Christianorganisations)

n using the money to fund projectsthat have been developed by localChristians in their own communities,countries or regions

n considering any request,however small

n acting as equal partners with thepersecuted Church, whose leaders oftenhelp shape our overall direction

n acting on behalf of the persecutedChurch, to be their voice making theirneeds known to Christians around theworld and the injustice of theirpersecution known to governments andinternational bodies

We seeK to:n meet both practical and spiritual needs

n encourage, strengthen and enable theexisting local Church and Christiancommunities so they can maintain theirpresence and witness rather than settingup our own structures or sending outmissionaries

n tackle persecution at its root by makingknown the aspects of the Islamic faithand other ideologies that result ininjustice and oppression of non-believers

n inform and enable Christians in the Westto respond to the growing challenge ofIslam to Church, society and mission intheir own countries

n facilitate global intercession for thepersecuted Church by providingcomprehensive prayer materials

We beLIeVe:n we are called to address both religious

and secular ideologies that deny fullreligious liberty to Christian minorities while continuing to show Gods love toall people

n in the clear Biblical teaching thatChristians should treat all peopleof all faiths with love and compassion,even those who seek to persecute them

n in the power of prayer to changepeoples lives and situations, eitherthrough grace to endure or throughdeliverance from suffering

What helps make Barnabas Fund distinctive from other Christian organisations that dealwith persecution?

Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25:40)

The Barnabas Fund Distinctive

How to Find Us You may contact Barnabas Fund at the following addresses:

UK (for general mailing queries)9 Priory Row, Coventry CV1 5EXt l h n 024 7623 1923 Fax 024 76

Barnabas Aid September/October 2011

Documents

Transcript of Barnabas Aid September/October 2011