SRI-LANKA - Heaven breaking through tsunami hell
02/12/05 - Stephen Gaukroger reports back on God at work in Sri-lanka
As the first anniversary of the tsunami which decimated vast areas of southeast Asia approaches, Stephen Gaukroger, brings back reports from Sri-Lanka of hope and of God at work, despite continuing devastation and heartbreak.
Stephen is senior pastor of Gold Hill Baptist Church and also chairman of the Open Doors UK council of reference. He went to see how funds donated by both his church and Open Doors had been used, and also, to speak at a conference attended by approximately 308 pastors and church leaders.
These caregivers have supported so many devastated families through their traumas and attempts to rebuild their lives throughout this last year, and during the conference, they received some desperately needed spiritual encouragement and strength amidst their trials and tribulation.
Stephen says, “I have been to many places in the world such as Romania, India and Mongolia where I have seen extreme poverty, but nothing prepared me for the complete devastation I saw in Sri-Lanka, even nine months after the event. I remember being in a village, a couple of miles inland, where 4,200 people had lived but now there are only 200 people left. Where the village once stood, there is sand as far as the eye can see due to the Tsunami wave that destroyed everything in its path.”
The emotional trauma of meeting person after person whose family had been washed away by the tsunami, each with their story of indescribable suffering and tragedy, also impacted Stephen greatly: “I particularly remember one widow who seemed so depressed and utterly resigned to her lot in life. Her husband had been out at sea, fishing, when the tsunami struck. Her two children, aged 5 and 7, had been playing on the beach as usual. They were all washed away.”
Stephen felt deep humility at seeing people who had nothing and who were starting to rebuild their lives, and he was very touched by their gratitude for the care and compassion that had been expressed by UK Christians. One group that Stephen visited had been waiting patiently for about three hours in the baking sun, just to express their thanks for all that had been donated to their community.
Half the church building in which they were waiting had been given over to displaying gifts from the Open Doors team. In the other half 60–70 people waited to shake hands and say a personal thank you.
The gifts included bicycles for fish sellers to transport fish from fishermen to the people, fishing nets, a fishing boat, sewing machines for cottage industry, pigs, livestock, groceries such as rice and pasta to sell in the shop, farming implements, sweet and brick manufacturing equipment. The gifts were designed to help people rebuild their lives and become self-sufficient again.
Speaking of these gifts and other aid that has been distributed, Stephen commented, “I cannot praise the Open Doors work highly enough. I saw how responsibly and wisely the aid donated has been accounted for and how every single beneficiary is being personally followed up to ensure that the aid was appropriate and to see how it has been put to use.”
“Out of the hell of the tsunami, these gifts have strengthened the Church and empowered Christians to express the compassion and love of Jesus for their community. The aid has been given to Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus equally, completely strings-free and with no hidden agenda. However, as a result, the church is growing as the local community sees how Christians care and are doing something – a stark contrast to the apathy and resignation they often see around them.”
“However, because the Church is growing and people are coming to know Jesus, there has also been an increase in persecution,” explains Stephen. “A static, unsuccessful, non-growing church is not a threat to anybody; but a church that is growing and reaching out and having an impact is very much a threat. The Buddhist population is becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the growing Christian population.”
Recently, 1,000 Buddhist monks staged a protest asking that anti-conversion legislation be put back on the parliamentary agenda. One of the anti-conversion bills calls for prison sentences of up to five years and/or a stiff fine for anyone found guilty of converting others “by force or by allurement.” It also encourages members of the public to report cases of suspected forced conversion.
However, Sri Lankan Christians were experiencing increased levels of persecution even before the tsunami. Compass Direct reported that 170 attacks had been suffered by Christian individuals or institutions in the two years prior to January 2005.
Stephen described how the pastor of the half-built church building in which the gifts were displayed had been waiting for ten years for permission to finish building. Government discrimination against Christian activities is relentless. Pastor Samuel has been visited by policemen demanding that he close down the church. Members of the congregation are regularly intimidated by Buddhist groups in the area and told to leave as they don’t want a Christian presence in the area.
Stephen returned from Sri Lanka, reminded of the need to pray for and empower the Persecuted Church in their local situations to spread the light and love of the Gospel to their surrounding communities. Having previously visited a closed Buddhist country with Open Doors, where very few westerners are allowed, Stephen has witnessed first-hand what happens when religious intimidation and lack of religious freedom win out.
Of that previous trip, he recalled, “The Christians were very cautious on the telephone and quite fearful of interruptions during our brief secret meetings. For one meeting, we had to march under the cover of darkness, across a field and a stream until we suddenly arrived in a house packed with people, all of whom wanted prayer. However, at other times, we never knew whether they would even be able to turn up for any of the meetings.”
Stephen also came back from Sri-Lanka freshly empassioned to preach the Gospel in the UK while we still have our freedom and can support our suffering Christian brothers and sisters overseas. He asks us to please pray for the Sri Lankan Christians, that they will be given great wisdom at this time in the face of mounting opposition and also pray for strength to stand firm against some very strong intimidation.”
To regularly receive stories from the Persecuted Church, ask for Open Doors’ free monthly magazine Frontline by calling Open Doors UK & Ireland on 01993 885400, emailing info@opendoorsuk.org or going to www.opendoorsuk.org.
Ends. 1,087 words
Background info - Sri Lanka
A long stretch of Sri Lanka’s coast was devastated by the killer tsunami waves, leaving almost 40,000 dead and 2.5 million people displaced. Among the displaced were 1,060 children who lost both parents and 3,414 children who lost one parent. It is the worst human disaster in the history of Sri Lanka, a large island of 20 million located off the southeast coast of India.
Persecution of Christians has increased in Sri Lanka over the last several years. Statistics from the World Evangelical Alliance show that from January 2003 to March 2004 more than 140 anti-Christian incidents were recorded. These incidents ranged from mild threats to death warnings, arson and the destruction of church buildings. There are currently efforts by Buddhist monks to pass an amendment to the Constitution that would make Buddhism the state religion and enact anti-conversion laws.
Sri Lanka Prayer Requests:
• The Christian community as it reaches out to people of all faiths in wake of the tsunami disaster.
• More Christian missionaries and evangelists to minister to those in rural areas who have never heard the Word of God.
• For Christians to have the freedom to worship in peace without fear of anti-conversion laws.
Open Doors strengthens persecuted Christians in over 45 countries across the world by
1. Training Church leaders and Christian workers
2. Supplying Bibles, hymnals, Sunday School materials and other Christian literature
3. Providing livelihood training and self-help opportunities
4. Visiting, comforting and encouraging those who are suffering
5. Raising awareness of the difficulties persecuted Christians face and mobilising prayer for them throughout the western world.
For other articles/press releases on the Persecuted Church, go to:
http://www.opendoorsuk.org.uk/press/articles/
http://www.opendoorsuk.org.uk/press/releases/
http://www.opendoorsuk.org/media_photos/world_watch_list_pics/html/index.htm
Check out our Recent Reports on persecution from around the world. They are updated several times a week, to keep you ‘in the know’