For The Children Of Persecuted Christians
Are Christians Being Persecuted In The United States?
Persecution of Christians has been growing around the world, but what about in the U.S.? Are Christians being persecuted in America?
Expect Persecution
Christ-followers, which is a better description for the person who has trusted in Christ, can expect persecution. It shouldn’t surprise us because the Apostles, prophets, evangelists, and of course Jesus, was persecuted for preaching the gospel.
Jesus never promised you “might be” persecuted but in fact, you will be, so it’s not a question of if, but when and how often you are persecuted for your faith in Christ. Jesus was adamant about this when He said, “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.
’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours” (John 15:20) because “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master” (Matt 10:24).
From some of the posts or comments on this and other articles Christians write you can see this being fulfilled by the vindictive and vicious comments non-believers leaven, so “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master” (Matt 10:24), so “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). We have to expect to be “hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt 10:22).
Growing Persecution
Persecution is growing around the world, even if it’s not as noticeable in the U.S. and other parts of the West, but here too it’s growing in ways we might not be able to see.
As recently as 2013, persecution doubled over the previous year, and according to an annual survey by Open Doors, which is a non-denominational ministry that monitors the persecution of believers and supports persecuted Christian’s worldwide, hardline Islamist regimes and Islamic terrorists were behind most of the slaughter.
Some of the worst persecution came from Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, the Maldives, Pakistan, Iran, and Yemen and all of these are Islamic countries. One Pakistani Christian couple was burnt to death in a kiln by enraged Muslim villagers for what the Muslims believed to be disrespecting the Koran by simply using the Bible and not the Koran.North Korea was listed as the most dangerous nation for Christian’s but Nigeria came first for the number of Christians killed for their faith, recording more than half of the 7,000-plus killings across the globe, however the six nations where most Christians were killed for their faith in Christ were in sub-Saharan Africa and in this order were Nigeria, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and Cameroon. A recent a Pew Forum study on Religion and Public Life reported that Christianity faces restrictions and hostility in more than 110 countries around the world and this is growing, but it already includes far more than half of the nations in the world.
Persecution in America
Even the Apostle Paul said he was “persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2nd Cor 4:9) so he knew it was to be expected. According to Christian Solidarity International, more Christians died for their faith in the twentieth century than at any other time in history and that trend is escalating. Of course, the persecution we face in the U.S.
is nothing that of other nations around the world were their government does little or nothing to prevent it, and in most cases actually support it by their “hands off” policies. In Houston, Texas, it was reported that one woman was ordered by local police to stop handing out gospel tracts to children who knocked on her door during Halloween.
Even if that were true, American Christians don’t know what real persecution is. Persecution is not being restricted from handing out Bible tracts at public schools. Part of the persecution comes in a less than honest way where textbooks are being revised by historians who apparently have an axe to grind against religion. Dr.
Paul Vitz, then professor of psychology at New York University, worked with a committee that examined sixty social studies and history textbooks used in public schools across the United States and what the committee found was amazing. Almost every reference of Christian influence in early America was systematically removed.
Sadly, historical revisionists are allowed the freedom to print lies of “omission” by removing the Christian heritage of this nation.
No Persecution?
If you are not being persecuted for your faith in Christ then you are either on a desert island and no one is there to persecute you or you are not living any differently from the world around you…or you are not a Christian at all.
If you are living a godly life you will be persecuted, make no mistake about it, because “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2nd Tim 3:12). Even the Apostle Paul admits, “I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women” (Acts 22:4), and later, he himself was the one who was being persecuted.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad thing to be persecuted. Jesus tells us “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:10) so “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:12).There is no doubt that “You will be hated by all for my name’s sake” (Luke 21:17), “But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me” (John 15:21).
Conclusion
When the Apostles were being persecuted they were brought before the Sanhedrin council and commanded to stop preaching the gospel, but the Apostle Peter told them, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29), so after “they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go” (Acts 5:40).
How did they react? Did they contact the ACLU or complain to the Roman authorities? No, “they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name” (Acts 5:41).
If you are persecuted for believing in Jesus, then you are in good company, for so did they the prophets, the Apostles, and of course the Lord Jesus Christ Who the murdered.
Article by Jack Wellman
Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.
Источник: //www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2016/12/26/are-christians-being-persecuted-in-the-united-states/
Christians Persecuting Other Christians
Many Christians suffer persecutions in their daily walk with Christ. This should not be surprising.
Jesus predicted it for those who believed in Him (John 15:20) and the Apostle Peter told the church that they should not be surprised when they suffer insults because of their faith in Christ (I Peter 4:14).
What is surprising is that other Christians receive persecutions – and some of the fiercest at that – from other Christians. This ought not to be so.
We are told to put on the whole armor of God and to protect ourselves from spiritual attacks (Eph 6:10-18). The only offensive weapon mentioned is the sword which is the Word of God.
This weapon is intended to fight off spiritual attacks from wicked spirits but all too often believers wield this weapon against other Christians, however this is not the intended use for this weapon. The last thing that Christ would have us to do is to attack other Christians using the Word of God (Bible).
Yes, we should challenge false teachings and false gospels when we see them and the Bible tells us that there will be many of these in the last days, but we are not to attack each other over non-essentials.
When Christians fight with each other over things that are not central to the gospel of Jesus Christ (Calvary, Jesus atoning sacrifice, etc.), then we send a strong message to unbelievers – that we can not even get along with each other. Where is Christ in that!
Some Christians go so far as to sue one another in a court of law. This grieves God greatly.
Some Christians go so far as to sue one another in a court of law. This grieves God greatly. The Corinthian church was so carnal that they were fighting and arguing over who had the best spiritual gifts, even though these gifts were from God and not gifts that they themselves had developed.
The were suing each other too, as Paul angrily stated in I Corinthian 6:5-6, “I say this to shame you.
Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!” By doing this in full view of non-believers, we shame the reputation of Christ.We are redeemed, but many times we don’t live the redeemed and we don’t reflect the Redeemer. Gandhi once said that “I love your Christ…it is your Christians that I don’t very much.” This is because he saw the two-faced nature of many believers.
Knowledge Puffs Up
I receive a lot of emails. I have people occasionally contact me and say, I am wrong. One person actually told me that I was going to hell because of what I believed.
Another told me that he went to Bible College and that he was wiser now being almost 60 years old and that I didn’t know what I was talking about. The point is that God anoints people, not degrees.
The more a person learns about the Bible, the greater the danger that they can become puffed up by that knowledge. Knowledge can often make a person full of pride.
I had a professor in my Master’s Degree course who said that “No one in my class can get an A…no one is that smart!” You could not tell this man anything I was sure. The day that we feel we can’t learn from another Christian is the day that we will stop growing in grace and knowledge.
I love the acrostic F.A.T. which stands for being Faithful, Available, and Teachable. God must draw close to those who remain faithful, are available to be used by Him, and have a teachable nature. For me, the more I have learned about the Bible, the more I see just how much I don’t know yet. The Bible is an inexhaustible source of knowledge that in a hundred lifetimes I could never master.
Paul battled with the carnal Corinthians who felt superior to each other over gifts and over knowledge. Paul knew considerably more than they did but he did not flaunt it over them. Paul said “We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.
Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know” (I Cor 8:1-2). Pride was the cause of Satan’s fall. He was lifted up and wanted to be over God Himself. Pride is essentially at the root of all sin. God resists the proud but He gives grace to the humble.Literally, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:6, Prov. 3:34).
He Who is Not Against Us is for Us
Jesus saw some petty jealousies even in His day. His disciples came and told Jesus that others were teaching and preaching in His name. They approached Jesus with the attitude of “How dare they!” Jesus said “Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is for you” (Luke 9:50).
Aren’t we really on the same side? Don’t we all need to get along? Instead, we fight over peripheral issues that are not essential to salvation. I heard it put this way, “The main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing.” That should be Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Paul boasted to know nothing else by Jesus Christ and Him crucified (I Cor 2:2).
Some argue that unless you have spoken in tongues you have not been truly filled with the spirit. Others believe that anyone who doesn’t believe in the rapture is wrong.
Still others believe in healing ministries today while others disagree; some churches believe in tithing, others don’t; some believe it is wrong to eat pork, others disagree; some worship on Saturday while others worship on Sunday; some believe in the Millennium while others do not.
I told a church I visited once that some are millennialist (believe in a thousand year reign), some are amillennialist (no Millennium), and so on. I told the congregation that I was a pan-millennialist; that it will all pan out in the end.
Love One Another
Jesus said that a house divided can not stand…and Christians are sometimes divided over issues that are not central to Calvary.
The Body of Christ should not be divided against itself, yet many times we are attacking each other over beliefs or any belief that differs from ours. I love to quote the saying, “In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity.
” This means that above all things should be love. We all have differences…yet these differences should not make us divided; they should make us complete.
Paul spoke about the gifts of the Spirit and said that the hand can not say to the foot that I have no need for you…or the eye can not tell the ear that you are not needed. No, we all need each other. We should be praying for one another.
Paul wrote in I Corinthians 12:25 “that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.“ Jesus told us that the world would know us if we loved one another – not if we argued against each other (John 13:35). That is exactly what Satan must delight in.What would Christ say to us if He returned to see that we are fighting over issues that are not essential to our own salvation and to tell others about Christ for the Great Commission? I think He would honestly be ashamed of us or worse yet, angry that we can not get alone with each other.
He expects that from those who don’t have the Holy Spirit – but for believers who have Christ in them?
The book of Romans has much to say about living with differences among Christians.
Romans 14
1 “Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.”
4 -6 “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day a. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord.”
10 “You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.”
13 “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.”
19 “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”
22 “So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.”Romans 15
2 “Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.”
7 “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”
The Apostle John spelled it out clearly, leaving no room for doubt about who are Christ’s: “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen” (I John 4:20).
If we are constantly attacking other believers, then the love of God is not indwelling in us…and if anyone hates their brother or sister for their beliefs, then God says that they are a liar if they say the love God. No one loves God and hates his brother or sister. That is totally inconsistent with Christianity.
In I John 1:6, John is saying that we are living in duplicity or being a hypocrite if we say that we are in fellowship with God and yet do not live it with other believers: “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.
” Can it be any clearer? Jesus commanded us to pray for our enemies; how much more should we be praying for other believers and loving one another?
I remember having sword fights as a boy. We were quite swashbuckling as we fended off the pirates, but when Christians wield the sword of the Word of God (Bible) against other Christians, then we are misusing the only offensive weapon in the armor of God at our disposal.
Instead of fighting off the enemy, we are attacking each other and wielding our sword in a sense of superiority (pride) because of our knowledge (which puffs up and makes us vain). I hope I do not prove my point but I must wonder if this article initiates persecution. It truly would not surprise me….
but may the love of God forbid it.
Resources
NIV Bible
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Would you to get the daily question in your messenger? Just click the button below to get started.as: Christians Condemning Christians, Christians Persecuting Other Christians
Share this post: SU | Reddit | Digg | |
Источник: //www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/christians-persecuting-other-christians/
PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS—Why and how should we pray and act for the suffering church?
See this page in: Dutch, Indonesian
“…as followers of Christ, we must take a bold step: we must shed the ‘enemy image’ we have of those who persecute us. Because the moment we have an enemy image of anyone, God's love can no longer work through us to reach them! We must pray for and even love those who hate us.”
—Brother Andrew
Each year, millions of Christians around the world participate in an International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. For those of you who take part, I want to thank you on behalf of all those millions of beleaguered Christians living in areas where faith costs the most.
We have to speak for the 200 million Christians worldwide who live under persecution (examples). We have to speak against those oppressive regimes where atrocities still happen, because we do not speak up enough as the church in the free world. We do not speak enough to God through prayer about the issue, and we do not speak enough to and through our governments.
what is the solution? The Bible clearly teaches us it is forgiveness and reconciliation, bathed in prayer
Around the world the situation is the same: the suffering cannot cope without our help. But what is the solution? The Bible clearly teaches us it is forgiveness and reconciliation, bathed in prayer.
[Note: A Biblical study on how to pray for the persecuted church is presented below.]I was in a Christian town totally destroyed in one night by a wild Muslim mob, leaving 10,000-20,000 Christians homeless, seeing all their possessions destroyed. We had a big gathering of Christians and Muslims right afterward, and we spoke about forgiveness and reconciliation.
Why? Because life goes on even during and after persecution! We have to look for those opportunities, not just the needs, not just the crises, but the opportunities and the solutions that God gives to those who are dedicated to him.
On that very same day, I received a telephone call from the main Imam [Muslim leader] of that country. He said, “Brother Andrew, can you please come and pray with me? I am very sick!”
So I decided to take a local pastor with me who had just been released from prison; a man who had suffered because of the Muslims. Together, along with other members of our Open Doors team, we went to see him. There I explained exactly who Jesus was.
I gave a testimony of my personal faith in Christ. Then I began to pray, and I laid my hands on this Imam, and as I was praying I felt a hand on top of my hand. It was the pastor who had just come from prison.
What a perfect illustration of the teaching of Jesus: pray for those who persecute you.
Christians have an answer in those situations that the world does not know anything about. But as followers of Christ, we must take a bold step: we must shed the “enemy image” we have of those who persecute us. Because the moment we have an enemy image of anyone, God's love can no longer work through us to reach them! We must pray for and even love those who hate us.
I’m willing to die for Him, and I’m also willing to die for you So in reality, the way Christians live out their lives before others is the most powerful message we can share. It far transcends the words or methods we may try to employ to impact a needy world in the face of the challenging question, “Who is God?”.
Christians must be able to point to our hearts and say, “Here is God! He lives in me.
And I'm willing to die for Him, and I'm also willing to die for you because that's what He did for us on the cross at Calvary!” Nothing else will work in this age of confrontation unless and until every Christian is not only willing to give their lives, but one day actually does it.
I challenge the Christians of the world to pray for their persecuted brothers and sisters, to act on their behalf and to live out the life of Jesus in this needy world around us. Only then we will see a radical change take place in the lives of people. Only then we will see the love of Christ replace the hatred of this world.
Brother Andrew, founder of Open Doors
How to Pray for the Persecuted Church
For their physical protection and deliverance.
Matthew 26:39 “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”
Acts 12:5 “So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.”
Philippians 1:19 “For I know that this shall turn out for my deliverance [from jail] through your prayers.”
Philemon 22 “I hope that through your prayers I shall be given to you [from jail].”
Romans 15:30-31 “Now I urge you, brethren… to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea”.
God predicted persecution:
Acts 20:23-24 “the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course”And the suffering came:
Acts 21:30-31 “And all the city was aroused, and the people rushed together; and taking hold of Paul, they dragged him the temple; and… were seeking to kill him.”That God would give them the right words and that they would fearlessly make Christ known
Here Paul tells how to pray for him when he was suffering for Christ in jail—notice his prayer was not for release.
Ephesians 6:19-20 “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”
Colossians 4:2-4 “Devote yourselves to prayer… praying at the same time for us as well, that God may open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; in order that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.”
[See our Effective Evangelism section]That they will see God's grace as sufficient and God's power perfected in their weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
That they would love Christ's appearing all the more
2 Timothy 4:5-8 “I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
Hebrews 11:35 “…others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection”.
That they will rejoice in sharing the sufferings of Jesus so that they will rejoice even more when Christ is revealed
Hebrews 10:34 “…accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one.”
Matthew 5:12 “Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
I Peter 4:13 “but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation.”
That they will endure
Hebrews 10:36 “For you have need of endurance.”
That they will choose ill-treatment and the reproach of Christ, not pleasures of sin
Hebrews 11:24-26 “Moses… (chose) rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.”
That they will arm themselves with this purpose: to suffer so as to eradicate sin
1 Peter 4:1 “arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in flesh has ceased from sin.”
Hebrews 5:8 “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.”
That they will love Christ far more than life itself
Revelation 12:10-11 “they overcame (Satan) because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death.”
Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Acts 20:24 “I (Paul) do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course.”
That they will love their enemies
Luke 6:27-31 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
That they not enter into temptation—an easy possibility under the stress of persecution (Luke 22:39-45 – Jesus in the garden)
That they will rejoice that they are considered worthy to suffer for HIS name
Acts 5:41 “So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.”
That they will remember they were made for such persecution
Acts 14:22 “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
Philippians 1:29 “For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”
That they will live the joy of the Lord before their persecutors
Acts 16:25 “But about midnight Paul and Silas (in jail) were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”
Philippians 1:28 “…in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.”
That they will remember their unbelievable future glory
Romans 8:18 “For I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
That they would learn to more completely trust in God
2 Corinthians 1:8-9 “For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves in order that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead”
That they would rejoice that they bear in their bodies the “brand marks of Christ”
Galations 6:17 “From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.”
That they would rejoice in filling up that which is lacking in Christ's sufferings
Colossians 1:24 “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body (which is the church) in filling up that which is lacking in Christ's afflictions.”
Note: Our sufferings do not add to the atoning worth of Jesus' sufferings. Rather, His sufferings are not known to the world, and so we suffer to bring that news to those His sufferings were meant to save.
This Biblical study on how to pray for the persecuted church was submitted by a friend of Films for Christ, a pastor who prefers to remain anonymous.
More about persecution
Brother Andrew, a Dutchman whose real name is Anne van der Bijl, has always been a trailblazer. He made history during the early days of the Cold War when in 1955 he began “smuggling” Bibles into Communist Eastern Europe.
On the last day of his first trip, as he sat reading his Bible, he says that the Lord spoke to him through Revelation 3:2 to “strengthen what remains and is on the point of death.
” His delivery of one suitcase of Christian literature to the suffering church in Poland was the humble beginning of Open Doors with Brother Andrew, now an international ministry that brings literature and much-needed assistance to Christians living in difficult circumstances in 58 countries around the world.
Authors: First portion provided by Brother Andrew, founder of Open Doors, via Assist Communications, PO Box 2126, Garden Grove, CA 92842-2126, USA. Second portion provided by a friend of Films for Christ, a pastor who wishes to remain anonymous.
Copyright © 1998, 1999, Films for Christ, All Rights Reserved—except as noted on attached “Usage and Copyright” page that grants ChristianAnswers.Net users generous rights for putting this page to work in their homes, personal witnessing, churches and schools.ChristianAnswers.Net Christian Answers Network PO Box 1167
Marysville WA 98270-1167 Submit your Questions
Источник: //christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-persecutedchurch.html
Help Persecuted Pakistani Christian Refugees Stranded in Thailand
“The exodus from Pakistan is driven by visceral hatred and a fanatical disregard for the rights of minorities.
In a country where the brave Minister for Minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti can be murdered in broad daylight, where churches are bombed, where an illiterate woman can be sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy charges, where a husband and wife can be burnt alive in front of their young children, and where there is a culture of impunity which rarely leads to those responsible being brought to justice, it is little wonder that many Christians are fleeing for their lives. It doubly compounds their suffering when the international community fails to step up to the plate in defence of those who have to endure such pitiless suffering and hardship.”
Lord Alton in a Conversation with Wilson Chowdhry Chairman of the British Pakistani Christians Association or BPCA.
Thousands of Pakistani Christians have been forced to flee Pakistan due to religious persecution, death threats – often for refusing to convert to Islam – or accusations of blasphemy, an offence which carries the death penalty and can mean the victim is lynched by a Muslim mob long before it ever goes to court. They are escaping being 'honour' killed because they have converted to Christianity and are now deemed to have brought shame on their Muslim family.
They flee to Thailand because it is easy to obtain a tourist visa to travel there. On arrival they soon learn there is no help for them as they are viewed simply as illegal immigrants. 'Refugee' is not a term that Thailand recognises.
Thailand has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol, and has no formal national asylum framework. Pakistani Christians are offered no protection and frequently Thailand will not even grant asylum status to those declared genuine refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Pakistani Christians are prevented from working to support their families and as a result they are going hungry. Due to the language barrier and a lack of finances they are turned away when seeking medical treatment and their children are suffering. It is not a living, just a mere existence eked out under unbearable stress, but is still preferable to lives of persecution in Pakistan.
The government in Thailand is growing weary of the huge numbers of refugees and there is an ongoing police crackdown. Raids are carried out at dawn or very late at night, doors kicked in, leaving Christians terrified to venture outside for any reason.
Fearful of further raids, they ask their friends to padlock them into their small cramped living spaces from the outside to give the appearance that the place is unoccupied.
A very dangerous choice in these slum- buildings where the risk of fire is high, but one they feel compelled to make.
If they are detained in the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC), and can somehow find 50,000 baht (about £1000), they can go free for a two year protected period during which they will not be re-arrested. Even during this time they are still prohibited from working.
The crowded conditions in the IDC are horrific with 150 refugees being locked into rooms meant for 100 with just one toilet between them. They can only try to sleep standing up, over one another, or by crouching down. In crowded living environments such as this, contagions are passed quickly and no medical aid is provided.Right now there are over 100 Pakistani Christians in the IDC in Thailand.
Their daily ration of 'food' is a small amount of rice and cucumber soup (boiled cucumber in water). This is not even a quarter of what a small child needs in order to survive without hunger pains and starvation. Cucumbers, though a vegetable, have almost no nutritional value.
Asylum seekers enter the IDC a healthy size and stature and within weeks they are emaciated and in poor health. Men are separated from women , and horrifically, mothers are separated from their children including babies. They are not fed any milk unless baby formula milk is provided by donors.
A lack of adequate nutrition, coupled with forced separation, makes it impossible for a mother to nurse her own infant or sustain feeding if it has been established.
This is a situation which is cruel beyond words as it interrupts the bonding process between the baby and mother and causes innocent babies to starve.
If placed in Thailand's notorious Central Jail, men are placed alongside rapists and murders, shackled, stripped naked with their sons and brothers, and have their hair shaved off. They are then forced to wear the orange uniforms of criminals.
Let's change the endings to these stories
Thankfully this is not where it ends for these families.
We have already been able to help over 100 families by providing food, paying room rent for those facing eviction, buying essential milk and medicines for children and babies who are desperately in need.
There are still a great number suffering and facing hardship – the need is still so great – but with your help we will achieve so much more.
Wilson Chowdhry and the students of the BPCA school in Thailand
What you can do to help
We urgently need your continued prayers and donations to keep the work going and to bring hope to what has been a very dark period in the lives of these Pakistani Christians so far.
We need to raise £50,000 in order to maintain our learning centre; provide ongoing monthly food parcels; provide medicines and medical treatment; set up a crisis fund to serve up to 100 asylum seekers per month; and we also want to grant freedom to those in the IDC.
How we will spend the money
Education
We have a learning centre which serves between 50 to 100 asylum seeker children and adults and we need more funds to keep it open and fully equipped for longer than the year that we have funding for:
Cost – £400 per month £5,000 for one year.
Nutrition
Food parcels will be delivered to 100 of the most deprived families each month:
Cost – £500 per month£6,000 for one year
We aim to provide 50 school children with free milk each day:
Cost – £250 per month or £3000 for one year
Necessary Aid
A crisis fund will be initiated to serve up to 100 asylum seekers per month. This will allow us to provide food, medicine and medical treatment, nappies, baby formula milk and other essentials.
Cost –£500 per month or £6,000 for one year
Detainees
We want to help free at least 30 detainees who are currently being held in Thailand's brutal IDC unit.
Cost- £1000 per detainee which equals out to £30,000 to cover the cost of 30 detainees released.
Financially
We have very low overheads as we are run almost entirely by volunteers. We have a passion for justice and the mission that God has laid upon our hearts to help Pakistani brothers and sisters in need. You can be sure that any money you give goes directly to supporting these refugee families.
“I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35
Prayerfully
If you are unable to donate at this time please remember Pakistani Christians in your prayers together with those who are working hard to bring relief and aid to the persecuted.
Please take the time to share this page with friends and family and help spread our campaign to your wider networks.
Remember that together, with God, we can re-write the story and help end the suffering for persecuted Pakistani Christians.
Источник: //www.chuffed.org/project/pakistani-christian-refugees-face-ordeal-in-thailand
