Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
www.barnabasfund.org
MARCH/APRIL 2014
IN THIS ISSUE
Survivors
Moving testimonies from Pakistan church bombing
Tanzania
Condent Islam fuels growing tensions
Transformation
Ugandan converts nd new life and hope
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Global Jihad
Patr Pa tric ick k So Sook okhd hdeo eo
This book is a remarka kabl ble in-depth analysis of per e ha haps the he grea eate t st threat fa faci cing ng the world today y. It examines what lies behind the resur rge g nce of militant Islami m st fundamentalis sm. m It t also speaks abou ut the opponents strategy, its attraction and force. This is an invaluable resource for those who seek k to understand nd Islamist violence in the world today. ISBN: 9780978714123 | Cover: Hardback | No. of pages: 669 | RRP: 15.99 | P & P: 4.50
To order these books, visit: barnabasfund.org/shop. Alternatively, please contact your nearest Barnabas Fund ofce (addresses on back cover). Cheques for the UK should be made payable to Barnabas Books.
The front cover of the January/February 2014 magazine showed a Christian boy protesting against the killing of Christians in Pakistan. After the suicide bomb attack on All Saints Church, Peshawar, Pakistan, on Sunday 22 September, in which around 100 Christians were killed, many demonstrations were organised by churches and Christian organisations. The photo was taken during one such demonstration by a Pakistani Christian, who then sent it to Barnabas Fund. We published it to help voiceless Pakistani Christians to get their message heard internationally. The paper used in this publication comes from sustainable forests and can be 100% recycled
Front cover: A Christian survivor of the September 2013 bombing of All Saints Church in Peshawar, Pakistan, in which over 100 people were killed To guard the safety of Christians in hostile environments, names may have been changed or omitted. Thank you for your understanding. Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are taken from the New International Version. Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and obtain permission for stories and images used in this publication. Barnabas Fund apologises for any errors or omissions and will be grateful for any further information regarding copyright. Barnabas Fund 2014
diplomatic report dated March 1896 described the massacres of Armenian Christians in the Ottoman Empire in 1895-96 with the following statistics: 88,000 Armenians killed; 568 churches destroyed; 328 churches turned into mosques; 2,400 villages looted; 646 villages forcefully islamized.1 A footnote in the same book adds the personal detail to the bare gures of the terrible events of those years. Translated into English, it runs, The cry of distress from Armenia: Presently everywhere Armenians are sitting around hopeless and distressed, freezing in the midst of their burned down homes, most of them have lost family members and relatives. They are themselves now waiting that they too may encounter their murderers Thousands of homeless men, women and children encounter this hardship without enough food and the terror of an Asiatic winter. It is stunning and even unbearable that Christendom may continue to watch helplessly and in a dull mood this horrendous drama and debacle (Ernst Lohmann, in an appeal to help Armenians after the 1895-96 terror). The numbers are staggering. The appalling detail is clear. The reader cries out to know why, if European politicians of 1896 had been alerted to what was happening so near at hand, they did not act. The persecution of the Armenians continued for nearly 30 more years, peaking in 1915, and creating a total death toll estimated at over 1.5 million Armenian and Assyrian Christians. Yet during the First World War the German government even asked the German Oriental Mission to keep silent about the genocide to avoid disrupting the German-Turkish alliance. Its leader, Johannes Lepsius, refused, resigned his position and went into exile. Today the same question could have been asked at any point in the last two decades about the lack of political action by the West on behalf of persecuted Christians in many countries around the globe. But perhaps change is now beginning. Canada and Germany have set an honourable precedent in their ofcial concern for persecuted Christians.
And at the end of last year, there were a number of signicant indications that British politicians and leaders are waking up to the plight of persecuted Christians. For example, Baroness Warsi, a Muslim who holds the government post of Minister for Faith, made a speech at Georgetown University in Washington DC on 16 November 2013 in which she said that the persecution of Christians has become a global crisis that requires an international response. She described it as the biggest challenge we face in this young century. This was soon followed by debates on the subject of persecuted Christian minorities in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. On 17 December, Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, made a courageous and remarkable speech on the increasing threat posed by Islamist extremists to Christian communities in the Middle East. Here lies the big difference between 1896 and 2014. At last there is a realisation of the gravity of the situation amongst those who have the power and inuence to change the course of events. We must pray for real change in how governments approach Christians in the Middle East. Western governments must no longer automatically support radical Islamists on the principle that my enemys enemy is my friend. They must consider whether their stance could inadvertently facilitate the extinction of the Church in the Middle East. As we approach Easter, and reect on the horrors of our Lords agony at Calvary on Good Friday, we must also remember the Resurrection on Sunday. Today the Church in the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere is living in the twilight of Saturday. Caught between the death and sufferings of the Friday and the resurrection hope of the Sunday, they live with the reality that somehow with Gods grace they must survive, accept their sufferings, and yet hold before themselves a vision of the life to come.
1
Andreas Baumann, Der Orient fr Christus: Johannes Lepsius, Biographie und Missiologie. Gieen: Brunnen-Verlag, 2007, p. 42, referring to Richard Schfer, Geschichte der Deutschen OrientMission. Potsdam: Lepsius, Fleischmann and Grauer, 1932.
Contents
4
Compassion in Action Feeding families and strengthening faith in South Asia Country Prole Tanzania: Islamism and violence fuel rising tensions Living in Babylon Shaped by the sufferings of Christ
11
Project Update Barnabas trains and builds up Ugandan converts from Islam Learning from the persecuted Church Survivors of Peshawar bombing stand rm in Christ
12
Newsdesk Murderous attacks against Christians in Egypt and Nigeria In Touch Cakes and donkeys raise funds for suffering Christians
4 8
PULLOUT
11 12
14 18
COMPASSION IN ACTION
Young women from the Cana Girls Rescue Home visit an elderly neighbour
The education that the Christian young women living at the Cana Girls Rescue Home are receiving is opening up opportunities and inspiring them to aim high. One of the girls, Irene, is doing very well in her studies and hopes to become a doctor so that she can help the disadvantaged. She writes, I would also like to build a big home for all needy children to show my gratitude to God. The home, which protects and provides for Christian girls at risk of abuse associated with traditional African religions, is not only providing for the girls education but is also encouraging them in their witness. The girls have been sharing Gods blessings by reaching out to the needy in their community. When an impoverished 84-yearold church member became house-bound, the girls visited her to demonstrate love, sharing and caring (as our project partner wrote). They brought the woman food, water and rewood, and prayed with her.
Christian education and training are crucial to strengthening the Church in Burundi
Barnabas Fund built an extra room onto the vulnerable familys previously inadequate house, along with a wall and a gate to help keep them safe. We also provided nancial support to Abdoulayes widow. The family have all been encouraged in their faith by the help they have received. Abdoulayes mother also became a Christian after witnessing the love shown to her sons family. Abdoulaye and another convert, Abakachi, were killed by Islamist gunmen in February 2013.
Project reference 25-663 Project reference 00-345
Now, the students will be better equipped to stand rm and to share the Gospel during conversations with their Muslim neighbours. They are also sharing their new understanding with other students at their schools.
Since attending the Barnabasfunded conference, 60 students from local secondary schools have a better understanding of the key doctrines of Islam and of Islamic mission strategies in their area. The cost of the training was just 15 per person including accommodation.
(This project is now complete, but similar projects can be supported with a gift to our Leadership Training Fund.)
After convert from Islam Abdoulaye Daoud was martyred in Cameroon, his bereaved family were not left to struggle alone. Thanks to help from Barnabas, Abdoulayes widow and the couples twelve children are now living in a secure home.
I want to tell my brothers and sisters that the salvation, the real rest and success are in Jesus Christ. A speaker at a two-day training conference on Islam in Burundi spoke of how he had become a Muslim after being promised money to start a small business, but did not nd true peace until he later became a Christian.
COMPASSION IN ACTION Whether we are providing comfort to the families of martyrs, support to Christian workers or simply warm clothes to the needy, none of Barnabas Funds work would be possible without our supporters. Thank you so much for remembering our persecuted brothers and sisters in your prayers and for reaching out to them with practical help. The following pages contain the stories of persecuted Christians whose lives have been transformed by recent grants from Barnabas Fund. Please pray for these brothers and sisters in Christ. 509 to support an evangelist in a Central Asian country for six months (US$830; 603)
These song booklets are helping Sudanese Christians to spread the Gospel
Firuza (centre) regularly travels to a village 70km away to witness for Christ
A Barnabas-funded project to provide booklets of local Christian songs in Sudan is helping to spread the Gospel and is encouraging the Sudanese Church. For many years, Sudanese Christians have been singing worship songs from Egypt or from South Sudan, which do not touch the hearts of their non-Christian neighbours. But now, local Christian songs have been gathered together in a printed booklet, and 4,000 copies are being distributed to local churches. The song booklets, which cost only around 1.50 each to print, are helping the Church in its witness. For example, one non-Christian man was walking by a church building when he heard a beautiful voice singing one of the songs in the booklet. Touched by the song, he was moved to enter the church and later gave his life to Christ.
Project reference 00-360 (Christian Literature Fund)
Receiving warm winter clothing made all the difference to 2,055 needy Christians in Aleppo. The beleaguered Christians, who had already endured months of heavy ghting and scarce supplies, were very vulnerable as winter set in. December 2013 brought snow and temperatures as low as -7-10C, and many impoverished believers have no means of heating their homes. The warm clothing, funded by Barnabas, was given to needy children and to the displaced. Some Christian families had been forced to ee heavy ghting in their neighbourhood with only what they were wearing at the time, so they had nothing to protect them from the bitter cold. These displaced Christians each received a coat, a pair of trousers, a jumper and a shirt. One recipient said, In helping us, you showed us that Jesus, our Lord, has not abandoned us.
An intrepid evangelist is sharing the Gospel and supporting vulnerable believers in a restrictive, Muslimmajority Central Asian country. Firuza lost her job following visits from the secret service. But now that Barnabas funds her living and travel costs, she is able to run home groups and womens ministries in her home city. She also regularly makes 140km round trips to witness to villagers in another area. Initially, she met with hostility; some villagers even tried to stone her. But she persevered in sharing Christs love, and three families and more than 20 individuals have come to faith. Firuzas support is all the more important because it is common for the Christians in her small groups to be spied on by the authorities. One man was ned heavily after a state spy pretended to be a fellow believer in order to investigate his Christian activities.
COMPASSION IN ACTION
bringing hope,
One of the 113 needy Christian families who are receiving the life-changing food support
12,204 to feed needy Christian families in Bangladesh for six months (US$19,904; 14,469)
As well as feeding Afghan Christian refugees, Barnabas funds school fees for their children
Barnabas forwarded a gift of 2,430 to help feed Afghan Christian refugees for one year (US$3,995; 2,937)
Project reference: 01-901 (Needy and persecuted Afghan Christians)
transforming lives
Sri Lanka: Bible camp brings peace for persecuted Christians
COMPASSION IN ACTION
people took part in their own sessions, and time was set aside for prayer and rest. At the end of the weekend, the believers, many of whom are converts from Buddhism, took communion together and listened to a nal message of encouragement. Christians in some parts of the country suffer occasional violence by Hindu and Muslim extremists, but it is militant Buddhists who present the most severe threat to our brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka. Some of the camps attendees were from a church that was attacked by a mob of Buddhist extremists, led by monks, in June 2013. During the attack, the assailants beat church members and destroyed church property. Afterwards, the congregation felt that they could not even leave their homes safely. It was at this time that they were invited to come to the camp. One church member said: As we shared our situations and circumstances with each other, it took away most of the burden that we were carrying. During these three days we were able to worship God with all our hearts and to learn a lot from the sessions. It was very encouraging for each and every one of us we thank God for this blessed opportunity. A teenage convert from Buddhism, from the same church, endured rejection from friends and harassment by teachers following the attack. After attending the camp, the young Christian said, I thank God for this opportunity to learn about Him and worship Him. This programme helped bring peace into my troubled heart.
In
the midst of mounting persecution in Sri Lanka, a Barnabas-funded weekend Bible camp brought peace, encouragement and the joy of fellowship to Christians from ve churches that had been the targets of attacks or threats. For the Shalom Camps 157 participants, being able simply to meet to worship God without fear of attack was a blessing, and the Christians arrived full of enthusiasm and
eagerness. But for many, the camp also proved a time of great spiritual renewal, beyond anything they could have expected. A pastor who attended the camp said, Jesus Christ performed tremendous miracles in all our lives through this Shalom camp. The weekends activities included worship, teaching on the Biblical basis for persecution, group discussions on responding to opposition, and family counselling. Children and young
Jesus Christ performed tremendous miracles in all our lives through this Shalom camp
11,918 for weekend Bible camp for persecuted Christians in Sri Lanka (US$19,434; 14,129)
(This project is now complete, but similar projects can be supported with a gift to our Victims of Violence Fund.)
Children at the Shalom Camp were encouraged by sessions for young people
COUNTRY PROFILE
Christians in Tanzania
Living under an emerging threat?
Eliya Meshack, a youth leader in the Ilemela district of Mwanza province on the Tanzanian mainland, was leading an overnight prayer session on 22 October 2013 when his life was brutally cut short in a deadly machete attack. Although it is not known for sure who Eliyas killers were, Islamic extremists from a Zanzibar separatist group are suspected. The youth leader and his wife had been receiving threats for more than six months and had reported them, but the police did nothing to protect the family.
trocities such as this were until recently never seen in Tanzania. But the past two years have seen heightened tensions, and the president has said that for the rst time the country is facing the prospect of civil strife along religious lines. Some church leaders in Tanzania believe that underpinning the increased friction between communities is an alarming drive to make Tanzanias public institutions more Islamic. And in the semi-autonomous, Muslim-majority archipelago of Zanzibar, a growing separatist, extremist movement is greatly threatening the islands Christian minority. Tanzania was formed when the mainland, then called Tanganyika, and Zanzibar were joined in 1964, following independence from the UK. Because the vast majority of Tanzanians live on the mainland, this article rst discusses the issues Christians face there before devoting a separate section to Zanzibar.
The bereaved family of Pastor Mathayo Kachila, who was murdered when tensions over meat slaughter escalated
8 BARNABAS AID MARCH/APRIL 2014
COUNTRY PROFILE But this is no longer the case in some locations. In the rst major anti-Christian attack of recent years, three churches were burned down and others attacked when Muslims rioted in the suburbs of Dar es Salaam in October 2012. The riots were apparently prompted by an incident involving a Christian boy and a Muslim boy, in which the Christian was drawn into committing an act considered by Muslims to be desecration of the Quran. Churches in Arusha, Kigoma and Mwanza were also targeted around this time. Then, in other areas, tensions over meat slaughter began to escalate. Pastor Mathayo Kachila was murdered in February 2013 by a group of youths who attacked a butchers shop in Buseresere in the Geita region. Muslims in the area had been demanding the closure of Christian-owned butcheries because the meat they sold was not halal. Soon afterwards two more Christians were killed when further tensions broke out in Tunduma in April. Since these attacks, anti-Christian incidents have continued sporadically, with church leaders targeted in particular. A Barnabas partner reported that extremists kept a hit list of pastors who are converts from Islam ministering to Muslims. Machete attacks have been carried out on church ministers at their homes. And at least ve people were killed, and at least 60 wounded, when the inaugural service of a church in Arusha was bombed in May. Churches in Dar es Salaam and Kijitonyama have also been targeted; in total, at least 56 churches have been burned in Tanzania. (Responsibility for some of these attacks is still unclear.) Attacks such as these are carried out by only a small minority of Muslims. A minor Zanzibarbased extremist movement originally attracted Muslims who felt disenfranchised in the 1990s by Tanzanias previous one-party system. It appears, however, that international Islamic terror groups are encouraging more Muslims in the country to become radicalised. Senior Christian leaders have reported that radical camps in the country are teaching young Muslims that Christians must be killed or live as second-class citizens. Children who attend the camps are told to attend only Islamic schools. A training camp for al-Shabaab, an Islamist terrorist group active in Somalia and Kenya, was broken up by police in the Tanga region in October 2013. CDs and DVDs have also been played at some mosques urging the killing of Christians and specically encouraging Tanzanian Muslims to join Islamists ghting in Somalia. has been moved from the Christian-headed Prime Ministers ofce to the control of the Muslim Vice-President. Christians are also not well represented in the most senior leadership positions in security and defence, which may be contributing to the difculties some believers have experienced in obtaining protection and justice. The effects of some senior political appointments on the Christian community can already be seen. For example, it is reported that the Muslimheaded department of Communication, Science and Technology generally grants permission for new Islamic media outlets, whereas church-based outlets nd it impossible to gain authorisation. One Christian radio station has been waiting a number of years for an answer to its request for authorisation. Responding to a recent survey, 83% of Tanzanians said that they get their news and information from the radio; in this context, equal access to the airwaves is crucial. Also, although Muslim regional governors have been appointed both to Muslim-majority areas and Christian-majority areas, no Christian regional governors have been appointed to Muslim-majority regions. And the University of Dodoma, a secular, publicly-funded institution set up for students of all religions in 2007, has since become openly Islamic in character. These moves come at a time when it is particularly important that no one religion is unfairly favoured in Tanzanias public life. The country is in the process of rewriting its constitution, and the role of sharia law in the state is under discussion. Muslims are prominent at the highest levels of Tanzanias judiciary, who are likely to be consulted over the issue of whether
Kenya
Tanzania
Tabora
DRC
Morogoro
Ilemela Zanzibar Dar es Salaam Arusha Kigoma Mwanza Buseresere Tunduma Tanga Dodoma
Zambia
Christians at worship in Tanzania. Some believers have faced harassment by the authorities
COUNTRY PROFILE to introduce Islamic Kadhi courts. Provision for Kadhi i courts was not removed from neighbouring Kenyas constitution when this was revised in 2010, against the protests of some church leaders who feared the courts could contribute to Islamisation of the Christian-majority country. The Tanzanian authorities are already taking some actions that are more typically seen in Islamic states. A total of 52 false cases have recently been brought against pastors; for example, one pastor was accused of making derogatory remarks about Islam and Muhammad following the conversion of two Muslims to Christianity. A teenage convert from Islam was jailed for two years in 2012 after being falsely accused of desecrating a Quran. These were not empty threats. On Christmas Day in 2012, the Rev. Ambrose Mkenda was shot in the face and shoulder by two attackers on a motorcycle as he returned to his home. Uamsho members were suspected of carrying out the attack, which the church leader thankfully survived. Then, in February 2013, Pastor Evarist Mushi died after being shot twice in the head by two young men as he tried to enter his church. A third church leader, Joseph Anselmo Mwagambwa, suffered severe burns to his face and arms when acid was thrown over him as he left an internet caf in September. Fifteen people last year. Reports are also circulating alleging that dozens of pregnant Christian women have been refused medical care by Muslim healthcare professionals in Zanzibar and that at least one unborn baby died as a result of this. The Christian community is a target for violence by separatist militants, but the reasons for this are complex. The desire for independence and the atrocities carried out in pursuit of it are partly fuelled by dissatisfaction over decades of economic decline and poverty during the islands union with the mainland. Uamsho has been gaining support ever since Zanzibars main opposition Civic United Front party formed a government of national unity with the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party, leaving some Muslims feeling unrepresented. But targeted attacks on Christian leaders and calls for sharia to have a more prominent place in public life, along with the incursions made in Tanzania by international Islamic terrorist groups, suggest that the demands of radical Islam are also playing a part. But whatever the underlying causes of the violence, the effect on Zanzibars Christians is much the same; they are unwelcome, and often unsafe, in their own towns and villages. If Zanzibar were to become independent, and if its laws were therefore detached from Tanzanias constitution and its provision for religious freedom, their plight would be likely only to intensify.
On Christmas Day in 2012, the Rev. Ambrose Mkenda was shot in the face and shoulder by two attackers on a motorcycle as he returned to his home
were arrested in connection with this and other acid attacks, including one in August 2013 on two British teenage girls who were volunteering at a school connected with a local church. A police commissioner said that some of those arrested have links with al-Qaeda and al-Shabaab, although this statement has been contested. It has been reported that at least six Christian girls were raped by Islamic extremists in Zanzibar
Please pray
That tensions between Christians and Muslims both in parts of mainland Tanzania and in Zanzibar will subside, and that the peaceful relations that the majority of believers enjoy with their Muslim neighbours will prevail throughout the nation.
For protection for church leaders and converts from Islam, who may be particularly vulnerable at times of tension. For the tiny Christian minority in Zanzibar; that even as their safety is threatened and they face an uncertain future, they may be joyful in hope, patient in afiction and faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12).
LIVING IN BABYLON
Living in Babylon
Remaining faithful to Christ in a hostile world
In
The sufferings of Christ
In addressing these subjects in the context of the readers persecutions and sufferings, this chapter provides the letters most extended treatment of the sufferings of Christ (vv. 2124). These are one of the most important themes in 1 Peter; they are mentioned explicitly seven times and referred to indirectly in several other places. Although the letter afrms in passing the uniqueness of Christs sufferings, it refers to them primarily as an example for the readers to follow. This idea is stated in 2:21 and is implied by some of the other references (3:18; 4:1, 13). Just as for Christ the path to heavenly glory led through suffering, so also it does for His followers. They must therefore adopt the same attitude to their afictions as Christ did to His and respond to them in the same way. Some readers see this principle underlying parts of the letter (such as 2:1-10) where Christs sufferings are not specically mentioned.
this series of pull-out supplements, we are considering how the rst letter of Peter in the New Testament inspires and directs Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. Its message relates not only to the intense sufferings experienced by around 10% of the global Christian population, but also to the more subtle social pressure endured by believers in the West. Indeed, the letter is addressed to a scenario that corresponds more closely in some ways to the latter than to the former. 1 Peter is written from a place called Babylon (5:13). This is probably a symbolic reference to Rome, intended to identify the Roman Empire as the place of exile for Gods people. The readers are exiles and foreigners in a land that is not their own, and as a result they are regarded with contempt and rejected by wider society because their values and customs are different. This hostility and pressure is intended to bully and shame them into abandoning their Christian beliefs and lifestyle and returning to their old ways. Much anti-Christian antagonism today has the same character. So 1 Peter is written to sustain its readers faith and discipleship in the crucible of persecution and to guide us in how to live in such a challenging context.
1 Peter 2
The rst ten verses of chapter 2 continue the call in 1:13-25 to a lifestyle that ts with our status as Gods people and our hope of salvation in Christ. The last 15 verses then begin another section that brings this appeal down to earth in practical guidance for living in our Babylonian exile and facing its persecutions. The rst part of this section (which runs into chapter 3) relates to proper conduct in relation to the institutions of society: as subjects towards the state, as slaves towards masters, and as spouses towards each other.
LIVING IN BABYLON Many of those who suffer most severely for the sake of Christ long passionately to feed on Gods Word, especially if the Scriptures are not widely available to them. They know how much they need it, so that they can become mature Christians and stand rm in the face of persecution. In the West, where Bibles and Christian teaching are readily accessible, we may easily take them for granted and forget how vital they are. But for us too the Word is essential to our growth towards salvation and our faithfulness under pressure.
ii
LIVING IN BABYLON So these verses exhort us both to stand apart from the sinful practices of nonChristian society and to maintain its best qualities. The former safeguards us in light of the coming judgment; the latter eases the pressure on us and helps us to stand. Of course, living a good life among non-Christians does not deect all persecution, as the letter will later make clear. But it is the best way of winning the approval of those who oppose us and of minimising the hostility we face from our society. The letter goes on to explain what it means in the context of specic social relationships.
iii
LIVING IN BABYLON The endurance of slaves when they suffer for doing good is part of their Christian calling and is based on Christs suffering for them, which is an example for them to follow. Christs persecutions were undeserved (He did not practise sin or deceit), and He did not retaliate (He declined to abuse or threaten His persecutors); rather He trusted in the righteous judgment of God to vindicate Him. The purpose of His sin-bearing death is that we might live in the same way, separating ourselves from sin and living righteously; such a life is possible through the healing that His death has brought us. Having once gone astray, we have returned to Him as our shepherd and overseer, so we should now follow in His way. The life of the Christian slave described in these verses is a model for all Christians in our own powerlessness and helplessness before a hostile society. It urges us, as an essential part of our Christian calling, to be Christlike in responding to persecution. Whatever we suffer at the hands of society should be undeserved, not a punishment for defying its conventional authorities and disregarding the best of its customs. But if when we do what is good and then still suffer, we will know Gods favour, provided we trust in Him for vindication instead of hitting back. Such a response is obedient to both the call of God and the example of Christ. We have seen that 1 Peter is written to help Christians to live in Babylon, the place of exile, where we face hostility and pressure because of our different values and customs. The second chapter, like the rst, does this in two different ways. First, 1 Peter 2 continues to encourage us to embrace the kind of life that reects our hope of salvation and our standing as Gods people. We are called to reject evil attitudes and practices and to grow up towards salvation through Gods Word, and this call is supported by a rich description of our wonderful privileges in the present, as well as by a warning against the consequences of falling into unbelief. Secondly, the chapter applies this general appeal to specic social relationships: to citizens in relation to the civil authorities and to slaves in relation to masters. In these contexts we are to submit ourselves to established authority and to conform to the best norms of the surrounding culture, thus deecting hostility from ourselves as far as possible. But when we do good and are still persecuted, we are to endure the suffering, without retaliating but trusting in God, according to the example of Christ. As Gods persecuted people, this is how we receive His commendation.
Being sensitive to the sound levels during meetings Being integrated to the village without alienating the community Being culturally sensitive to the surrounding community in ones conduct, especially the youth Avoiding high-publicity programmes on special religious holidays Not using relief or social programmes as bait for evangelism (but for relationship and opportunity) Adopting a simple lifestyle consistent with the village Maintaining unity among Christian leaders in the area Gathering in small congregations if hostility persists Avoiding promoting foreigners/outsiders to a prominent role in the village Avoiding disrespectful comments about other religions at all times
Conclusion
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www.barnabasfund.org
PROJECT UPDATE
God has richly blessed the evangelistic work of a Barnabas partner in Uganda, and 2,000 Muslims have believed in the Lord Jesus. But this great harvest presents the Church in the district with a further and major task.
any of the converts are thrown out of their homes and disowned by their families and communities. They may nd themselves with nowhere to live and are left without any means of nancial, material or medical support. With such large numbers of converts to care for, local Christians struggle to provide them with even the essentials of life, and because they live far apart and some in remote places, it is also difcult to offer them proper pastoral care. Access to private transport, as well as to computers and the internet, is limited.
the course, and Barnabas Fund has provided Bibles for them to use. In the latest phase of the project, 300 converts from Islam are acquiring vocational skills and will receive start-up tools. Another 30 are being trained in farming and will be supplied with pigs, chickens or bees. With numbers growing beyond the capacity of existing venues, our partner plans to open three more training centres. Affordable education for their children is another major concern for Christian converts. More than 100 children are being taught by our partner at a rented house, and a plot of land has been purchased for the construction of a primary school. Barnabas has also paid the school fees for some of the older children.
he deadliest-ever attack on Pakistans Christian community struck All Saints Church in Peshawar on 22 September 2013. A double suicide bomb blast claimed the lives of over 100 men, women and children, devastating a community that was already extremely vulnerable. Some of our brothers and sisters lost their entire families in the atrocity. Others suffered terrible, crippling injuries. Needy families who were reliant on single breadwinners have lost their only means of support, and the bereaved cannot even turn to their friends
and neighbours because they too are in need. Some children have been forced to give up their education to care for their relatives or because the familys source of income has been lost; these children have therefore been robbed of their chance of a brighter future. But this community has something no bomb blast could take away from them: faith in Jesus Christ. Although the Christians are suffering, grieving, traumatised and desperately in need of support, they are not broken. Amazingly, the Holy Spirit is
enabling them to continue to praise, thank and trust God despite the terrible trauma they have endured. They are faithful, forgiving and fearless. Their response is an inspiration. In the wake of the bombing, Barnabas Fund staff travelled to Peshawar to visit the families whose lives it tore apart and pray with them. Barnabas Fund has been assisting the victims. Here are the testimonies of some of the victims. Please pray for these families as you read their stories.
Full of praise
Jesus is with me
Aqeel Arif
Aqeel suffered terrible injuries, and the right side of his body is now paralysed. Yet he remains full of praise for the God he loves. As visiting Barnabas Fund staff members prayed by Aqeels hospital bed, he kept repeating the words Hallelujah, praise the Lord. Aqeel is his familys only breadwinner and has two young children, both of whom were also injured.
Simran Anwar
Simrans older sister, Suman, was killed in the bombing, and she herself was injured. Despite the trauma Simran has suffered, she has shown great courage and faith. She said that no person or bomb blast can stop her from going back to church because Jesus is with me. Simran is just eight years old.
Shaloom Naeem
Teenage Christian Shaloom went to church on the morning of the attack with his entire immediate family and returned with no-one. His father, mother and sister were all killed. But Shalooms faith remains strong, and he is encouraging his fellow Christians to continue to attend church. He said, Although my entire family is dead, I am not afraid to go to the church. We should thank God for His great love. Shalooms father wanted his son to become a university professor one day. Shaloom hopes to full his fathers dream.
Damage caused to the church building by the he ball bearings packed inside the bombs
Comfort in Christ
Mr and Mrs Prem
Mr and Mrs Prem lost three of their grandchildren, two boys and one girl, in the attack. Mrs Prem was badly injured. Despite their devastating loss, the couple are praising God and said, Hallelujah, to the Most High, His Son died for our sins; our loss is nothing compared to His sacrice.
Honey Patras
Honey was severely injured in the bombing; one of his legs was fractured. But he is thanking God for saving his life and giving him a new life. He said that when he is healed, he will go to church and praise God for the love and kindness that God has showered on him.
13
NEWSDESK
Those opposed to the spread of the Gospel in the area have been persecuting the Christian community, which has been devastated by the horric murder
Anmol Gemethis body was found oating in a pond
return to his home in Gamidi village, Dungerpur district, Rajasthan, his parents became concerned and notied the police. The childs body was later found oating in a nearby pond with his mouth gagged, his neck cut and his toes broken. There were burns to various parts of his
body. An autopsy concluded that the nal cause of death was drowning. Anmols father, Harish Gemethi, told Morning Star News, For the ten years I have been a Christian, some local Hindu extremists have threatened to kill me and harm my family countless times the last
Christian witness subsequently led many others to the Lord. But those opposed to the spread of the Gospel in the area have been persecuting the Christian community, which has been devastated by the horrific murder. Around 200 believers attended Anmols funeral on 19 November.
NEWSDESK
YOUTH LEADER HACKED TO DEATH CONVERTS FROM TANZANIA Christian leaders an Islamic separatist group that is al-Shabaab, a militant Islamist group in Tanzania are in mounting danger. pushing for the semi-autonomous based in Somalia, are being shown ISLAM Eliya Meshack, a youth worker and archipelago of Zanzibar to become in some of the countrys mosques. father of two, was killed in a brutal independent. The group has been One features prominent sheikhs AT RISK machete attack while leading an responsible for numerous church urging Muslims to kill the leaders of
overnight prayer session in the Ilemela district of Mwanza province on 22 October 2013. He died on the spot, while two other Christians were seriously injured. Eliyas wife Marry said that they had been receiving threats for more than six months, which they reported to the police, but no action was taken. It is not known who carried out the attack, but church leaders suspect the involvement of Uamsho,
karis (indels). As well as the upsurge in violence, Christian leaders are also being subjected to harassment by the authorities. One leader has faced repeat accusations of making derogatory remarks about Islam and Muhammad; he was targeted after two Muslims converted to Christianity. Another pastor has been jailed on the false charge of having baptised an underage convert.
15
NEWSDESK
Much more needs to be done to remedy a long list of human rights violations
In some better news, Pastor Farhad Sabokrouh and Naser Zamen Dezfuli were freed on 4 December, two weeks before the end of their one-year jail term. Another leader arrested with them, Davoud Alijani, was released on 13 January, 20 days before the end of his term. They were found guilty of converting to Christianity, inviting Muslims to
NEWSDESK
outlined how Christianity is the most persecuted religion globally with reports that one Christian is killed every eleven minutes somewhere on earth for their faith. The motion attracted cross-party support, with numerous MPs speaking against the targeting of Christians for their faith. Rehman Chishti MP comes from a Muslim background. He emphatically denounced the persecution of Christians that is taking place in
130 of the worlds 190 countries as completely and utterly unacceptable. Focusing his speech on Pakistan, where he was born, he called for the repeal of the countrys controversial blasphemy laws and for the release of Aasia Bibi, a Christian mother who has been on death row for more than three years after being convicted under these laws. Representatives of the Government and the opposition
Christians living in Libya were killed by a group of Muslims after they refused to convert to Islam
in inuence both in government and outside. The temporary government and nascent security forces have been struggling to contain On 25 September, two Egyptian Christians living in Libya were killed by a group of Muslims after they refused to convert to Islam. Waleed Saad
17
IN TOUCH
If you also have persecuted Church? the for art he a ve ha u Do yo g), you could be just king (perhaps preachin ea sp c bli pu in e nc rie expe lunteer Speaker you for. As a Barnabas vo g kin loo are we n rso the pe king engagements undertake a few spea to d he ac pro ap be would ur local area, on Christian groups in yo or s he urc ch at ar ye each o initiate your own hedule. You could als sc ur yo th wi t t tha dates provided. ion material would be tat en es Pr . nts me ge arran basfund.org ail partnership@barna em e as ple u, yo like eakers are If this sounds further information. Sp for 23 19 23 76 4 02 on and across or telephone England, in north Lond st -ea rth no in ed ed particularly ne southern England.
ing poem was written for Suffering Church Action Week 2013 by Mr s Glynis Colquhoun, a Barnabas Fund supporter from Swanse a, UK. Our thanks go ou t to Glynis for using her talent for poetry in the service of the perse cu ted Church and for sharing this pie p ce with us.
1 November
Barnabas Fund International Day of Prayer
The children at St James Church Sunday Club in Wokingham, UK, were so moved by what they heard in a session about suffering Christians that they wanted to do something to raise funds for Barnabas. Instead of bringing in cakes to sell, the youngsters took part in a group baking session, making everything from Victoria sponge to chocolate chilli cookies. The sale raised a fantastic 150. Barnabas Funds thanks go out to the children for their compassion for their suffering Christian brothers and sisters and for their creative fundraising efforts.
d by the
These 4-inch donkeys were decorated by supporters from several churches and the local community
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