Press Releases

Led by Brother Andrew, founder of Open Doors and author of the UNITE declaration, they will be pledging their unity with the Persecuted Church for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Four agencies representing the Persecuted Church – Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), Jubilee Campaign, Release International and Open Doors UK & Ireland – have joined together to launch a Living Book of Remembrance.

The book will bear the names of those who, by affirming their dedication, have indicated their intention to unite together and stand with God’s family across the world. The Living Book of Remembrance will be open for all to sign. As its pages grow it will be a dynamic representation of a spiritual truth: One God, One Family, One Church.

The pages of the Living Book of Remembrance will be opened to the leaders and members of the Persecuted Church to bring encouragement. Its pages will also be opened to political leaders here and around the world to remind them of the strength of the Church in the UK and Ireland and challenge them to end oppression and protect freedom.

Eddie Lyle, CEO Open Doors UK & Ireland, says: “Two hundred years ago Christians joined a battle for freedom, to end the transatlantic slave trade. We have the opportunity to do something similar in our generation. We cannot let it pass us by. Unity is not an abstract concept – it is a call to action. Members of our Christian family are facing immense pressures. We can – we must – unite with our brothers and sisters: in prayer, in encouragement, in support and in taking action.”

The UNITE declaration says:
We believe:
Every Christian has the right to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, just as every person has the right to hear it
Every Christian who suffers for their faith should be remembered and supported by other Christians
Every Christian has a right to know how oppressed fellow Christians are being treated
Every Christian is a member of His body: if one part suffers, every part suffers with it.

The UNITE events on 29 September at the Bethel Convention Centre, West Midlands, will include a Day Forum on Persecuted Christians, featuring speakers such as Brother Andrew, author of God’s Smuggler and founder of Open Doors, and the Rt Rev’d Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, Bishop of Rochester, both speaking on Muslim–Christian relationships. The Day Forum will also feature worship, prayer, inspiring talks and interviews about Christians who have given their all for Christ and insightful lessons on how we can learn from their example and apply the lessons to our lives.

The evening youth event will issue a call to a generation to rise up and become radical, obedient cross-shaped disciples inspired by the message of the Persecuted Church. It will be a fast-moving introduction to the Persecuted Church with lively worship and prayer.

“May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” –Jesus praying in John 17:23

To join in the UNITE events, book now at:
www.opendoorsuk.org/unite T: 08450 556622 E unite@opendoorsuk.org

End

Media Enquiries:
Nina Kelly 01993 885400 ninak@opendoorsuk.org www.opendoorsuk.org

Allen Moxham 01993 885422 allenm@opendoorsuk.org www.opendoorsuk.org

Notes to Editors
Forum on Persecuted Church at 10am
Prayer Celebration at 7pm
Bethel Convention Centre, West Bromwich, B70 7JW

Junction 1 off M5 - 5 minutes walk from Sandwell and Dudley train station
For more information visit www.opendoorsuk.org/unite or telephone 08450 556622

Partner organisations:
Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Jubilee Campaign, and Release International, Also: CityLinks, The Message Trust, Premier Radio, Saltmine, U.C.B., W.E.C., Youth for Christ, Urban Saints, WYnet

Open Doors is an international charity strengthening persecuted Christians in over 45 countries across the world. Starting in 1955 its work includes:

· Raising awareness of persecuted Christians and mobilising prayer and support for them
· Befriending and caring for persecuted Christians by visiting them, writing letters to them and praying for them
· Enabling believers at risk to earn a living by providing livelihood and literacy training and self-help opportunities
· Strengthening the faith of Christians behind closed borders through printing and delivering Bibles, Christian literature and teaching/training materials
· Equipping evangelists and pastors through theological and leadership training courses and seminars and supporting Bible colleges.

He will also be addressing delegates at the day and evening events, speaking on the Muslim challenge for Christians today.

Brother Andrew says, “We have created an enemy image of Muslims. We fear fundamentalists. We fear the consequences when a Muslim state acquires nuclear weapons. We worry about Muslims emigrating to the West, taking over our neighbourhoods, imposing Sharia Law. Isn't that why we fear them?

Or maybe the real reason we fear Muslims is that we won't tell them "God loves you." Do we see members of al-Qaeda or Hamas as potential temples of the Holy Spirit? They won't be if we don't pray for them and if someone in whom Christ dwells doesn't go to them.”

Secret Believers calls us to join a new "jihad" – one of forgiveness, radical love and unyielding prayer – and it proposes four challenges to help our persecuted brothers and sisters:
1. Rather than view Muslims as enemies, we must seek to win them to Christ
2. Rather than seek revenge when we’re attacked we must offer forgiveness
3. We must accept the challenge of Islam by striving as Christians to imitate Christ
4. We must commit to participate in the spiritual war, beginning on the battlefield of prayer.

Speaking about the reasons he wrote the book, Brother Andrew says, “I wanted to tell the stories of Christian communities in Pakistan such as Shantinagar, destroyed by Muslims and how we publicly said ‘We forgive you Muslims for what you’ve done to us’. The result: within a year we had a community centre, a literacy centre and a clinic there.

“Because the Christians were so open and learned to forgive it, was a new start for them too. It was a new start for Open Doors as well, because we were never in that town before and now we are. So we see in practice what forgiveness can do. Instead of a God of revenge, we have a God of forgiveness.”

In Secret Believers, co-authored with Al Janssen, Brother Andrew also tells the stories of Muslims who have come to faith in Christ and have faced serious, life-threatening persecution, including being disowned and even hunted by family and community, living under constant surveillance and with terrifying threats, being kidnapped and arrested, interrogated, tortured and even killed. Brother Andrew’s new book will enable you to enter their stories and experience life from their perspectives.

Brother Andrew founded Open Doors, which now serves persecuted Christians worldwide, more than 50 years ago. Now in his late 70s, he still travels extensively, telling Muslims and others about Jesus and encouraging members of the suffering Church. His messages to those in the West find an eager response from both young and old.

Mike Pilavachi, founder and leader of ‘Soul Survivor’, says “Brother Andrew has the most life-transforming message for Christians in Britain today.”

Also addressing the issue of Muslim-Christian relations at the UNITE day event on 29 September will be the Rt Revd Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, Bishop of Rochester, renowned speaker and author. In addition, overseas visitors will share their first-hand experiences of living and working in Islamic nations.

To find out more about the UNITE events, log on to: www.opendoorsuk.org/unite phone 08450 556622 or email unite@opendoorsuk.org

They had served two years of a three-year sentence handed out for running a ‘Sunday School’ for local Muslim children.

Dr Rebekka Zakaria, Ratna Bangun and Eti Pangesti were sentenced in 2005, after the court in Indramayu found them guilty to charges brought by the Indonesian Clerics Council of breaching the country’s 2002 Child Protection Law. They were freed on parole at 6am local time and went immediately to be reunited with their families.

Rebbeka told Open Doors, “These [prison] gates are a university of trust.” She continued, “This is nothing compared with the suffering and persecution faced by others. Compared with the Lord’s love and what He has given me, it is worth it.”

Eddie Lyle, CEO of Open Doors UK & Ireland, said “This is wonderful news. Rebekka, Ratna and Eti were an inspiration to me when I visited them; I was profoundly impressed by their courage and commitment.”

The women of the Christian Church of David's Camp set up a ‘Happy Sunday’ programme, with Christian songs, games and Bible studies for the children, under the direction of pastor Dr Rebekka, in Eti’s home. After 18 months, the programme was so popular, there were 40 children attending, but only 10 were from Christian homes. The Muslim children attending did so with the full consent of their parents.

However, opposition to the programme resulted in the forced closure of the church building in December 2004 but the three women continued to run the Happy Sunday programme from Eti’s home.

On 13 May 2005, the women were arrested and taken to the police station for questioning. They were accused of breaching the Child Protection Law, Chapter 86, No. 23/2002. Throughout the trial, Islamic extremists made murderous threats to the three mothers from both inside and outside the courtroom. Several bus loads of Islamic militants arrived each day, bringing with them a coffin to bury the ladies if they were found innocent.

Throughout their imprisonment, the ladies have remained powerful witnesses for their Christian faith. They transformed the prison by cleaning washrooms and toilets, scrubbing cells, working on the garden and even painting in bright yellow and blue the walls of the room they used for church meetings. Within the women’s section, quarrelling was reduced and because of Rebekka, Ratna and Eti’s calming influence the guards overruled prison protocol and allowed each woman to have her own knife and spoon in their cell.

The case of these ladies sparked international concern among the Christian community resulting in a global letter writing campaign and prayer vigils.

Eddie concluded, “Elsewhere in the world, in countries such as North Korea and Eritrea, thousands of Christians remain unjustly imprisoned for their faith. As with any family we experience rights and responsibilities, and our responsibility as the Christian brothers and sisters of those in prison, is to continue serving and encouraging them through our prayers and practical support.”

For high resolution jpg images of the three ladies please click here.

In a gruesome assault against Turkey's tiny Christian community, five Turkish Muslim extremists entered a Christian publishing office in the south-east province of Malatya and slit the throats of three Protestant Christians.

Two of the victims, Necati Aydin, aged 36, and Ugur Yuksel, 32, were Turkish converts from Islam. The third man, Tilmann Geske, 46, was a German citizen.

Eddie Lyle, CEO of Open Doors UK, said "This tragic incident is the latest example of a worsening trend of persecution against Christians in Turkey, that we cannot ignore any longer.

"Christians in Turkey are constantly under attack. They are crying out for help and they need our prayers to strengthen them. We can, and must, answer that call.

"We must ask ourselves the question, 'What is it that causes young men to act with such violence and hate towards innocent people, living simply and going about their daily work?'"

Eddie concluded, "It is vital that the circumstances which generated such heinous crimes, are not allowed to exist, so that Christians in all countries can freely witness to their faith and worship without the spectre of persecution hanging over them".

The Turkish press has reported that four of the five young men, all 19 to 20 years of age, admitted during initial interrogations that they were motivated by both "nationalist and religious feelings".

"We did this for our country", an identical note in the pockets of all five young men read. They [the Christians] are attacking our religion."

The three murdered Christians were found tied hand and foot to chairs at 1:30pm, in the liaison office of Zirve Publishing in Malatya's Niyazi Misr-i district. Their throats had been cut and their bodies marred by multiple stab wounds.

Turkish government leaders were quick to denounce the murders and promise a full investigation. The police, meanwhile, fielded conjecture that the suspects were linked to the Turkish Hizbollah, a Kurdish Islamist movement calling for a Muslim state in south-east Turkey.

According to Zirve Publishing's general manager, Hamza Ozant, the company's Malatya staff had received death threats in recent months.

All three of the men worked in the office and attended the local 30-member Kurtulus Protestant Church pastored by Aydin.

This week's attack was the first known martyrdom of Turkish converts from Islam since the founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923. But it was the third tragic incident targeting Christians in Turkey in the past 15 months to spark major international media coverage.

Last year an Italian Catholic priest was shot to death whilst kneeling in his church in the Black Sea port city of Trabzon. In January, a prominent Turkish journalist of Armenian Christian descent, Hrant Dink, was murdered in Istanbul. In 1997, an Islamist group bombed a Christian bookstand at a local fair, killing a small child and injuring many bystanders.

Over the past three years, top government officials have been accused of fanning growing hostility against non-Muslims by openly criticising Christian missionary activities. Local prosecutors and police authorities are often reluctant to pursue reported incidents of vandalism or threats against church buildings or personnel.

Media enquiries: Email Allen Moxham or ring 01993 885400.

Organised by Open Doors, an international charity which supports Christians facing persecution, the exhibition contains over 50 pieces of art by artists ranging from professionals, to complete amateurs and even children. The collection emanated from a challenge made by Open Doors for artists to explore “the cost of belief in Christ paid by many present day Christians, who share your faith but not your freedom.”

The exhibition including paintings, collages, sculptures, poetry and songs, is on display at St Aldates Church, in the centre of Oxford, between 28 February and 4 March (full details below). Selected pieces from the exhibition can also be viewed at www.theartofpersecution.com.

Art works will be available for the public to buy at an auction on Saturday 10 March. For more information please contact Open Doors on 01993 885407.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Alice J, 01993-885418 or alicej@opendoorsuk.org
Allen Moxham, 01993-885422 or allenm@opendoorsuk.org

Notes to Editor

St Aldates’ Exhibition details:

28 February - 7:30-9:30pm
1 March - 10am - 5pm
3 March - 10am - 4pm
4 March - Exhibition open before and after Sunday services.

On the morning of 29 October 2005 three Christian girls were beheaded by Islamists as they walked to school on Indonesia's Sulawesi island. A group of machete-wielding men ambushed Theresia Morangke, aged 15, Alfita Poliwo, 17, Yarni Sambue, 15 and Noviana Malewa, then 15, as they walked to their Christian school. The first three girls died instantly; Noviana received serious injuries to her face and neck but survived the attack.

The families of the three martyred schoolgirls shook hands with the suspects currently on trial in Poso – Hasanuddin, Lilik Purnomo and Irwanto Irano – as a sign of forgiveness. Many praised that move, but others disagreed with it. "I received text messages from some fellow believers in Poso criticising us, saying we should not have done that," Hernius Morangki, father of Theresia, said.

Human rights activists, such as the National Commission on Violence Against Women, feared the move could affect the ongoing trial in Jakarta. "If there was to be any reconciliation, it should have taken place after the trial was completed. We're really worried that the reconciliation will disturb the legal process to find justice for the families of the victims," the Jakarta Post reported Kamala Chandrakirana, head of the institution, as saying.

Hasanuddin told the Central Jakarta District Court he and two other men were 'involved' in the October 2005 attack on the girls. "I was indeed involved in the beheadings," Hasanuddin told the court. (Like many Indonesians he goes by only one name). "But we did it because the authorities did nothing about the massacres of Muslims."

Sulawesi island was the scene of unprovoked attacks on Christians by jihadis from 1998 to 2002 that left at least 1,000 people dead.

Just recently, the families of Theresia, Alfita and Yarni flew from Poso to Jakarta. They had to appear in court to testify against Hasanuddin and the other two defendants.

They came with another mission too – to be ambassadors of peace. "It was hard for all of us to grant Hasanuddin's request to meet with us. But as believers, we must forgive those who have persecuted us," said David Malewa, older brother of Noviana, representing the families. "By holding on to Jesus' teachings, we were able to forgive. We really hope this will mark the beginning of peace restoration in Poso," David added.

Warm fellowship
During the families' stay in Jakarta, Open Doors’ staff met them and shared fellowship with them. Theresia's father, Alfita's mother and sister, and Yarni's parents were present. Noviana Malewa also came with two school friends, Arce and Yeserian.

"Arce and Yeserian had actually walked with the group on that fateful day. But they stopped at a stall to buy some peanuts along the way," David revealed. Had they continued walking with their friends, they too might have been attacked.

Some of the families recounted memories of the day when they heard of their daughters' brutal deaths. Some cried as they shared personal testimonies. Even though it was a tearful meeting, the atmosphere was not gloomy. A spirit of hope filled the room. None have lost faith in God.

Alfita's mother, a frail elderly lady, shared, "I have forgiven whoever did this. I prayed that they would realise what they did. I also asked God to forgive them." Talking about God seemed to recharge her energy. She was deeply traumatised by the incident but had the courage to revisit the murder scene. She felt no bitterness towards God; "I don't have the courage to [be bitter against God]; He is sovereign over all lives," she said firmly.

Trial continues
On 27 November, several days after the meeting between the victims' families and Open Doors, the hearing of Hasanuddin took place again at the Local Court of Central Jakarta.

For the second time relatives testified as witnesses. Noviana’s answers to questions from the judges and prosecutors highlighted the terror of the assault.

"After almost a month in Poso Hospital, I moved to Tentena [a predominantly Christian area] and stayed with my brother. I have been afraid of going back to Poso ever since the assault," Noviana told the court.

The prosecutors presented evidence before the court: two machetes and the clothes and accessories worn by the girls on the day of the incident.

Noviana acknowledged the evidence, but refused to touch her friends' belongings, which brought back painful memories to her.

The pictures and reconstruction sketches of the beheading formed a document of over a thousand pages. Hasanuddin was charged under the terrorism law. If found guilty, he could face the death sentence. Two members of the Muslim Lawyers Team assisted him.

Do the victims' families long to see the trial of the perpetrators?
"Of course. I believe the law must be upheld. The absence of law in a country is no different from a train running without a rail; sooner or later, it would collapse," Hernius Morangki answered in a soft tone. "But the legal process is the state's part. Our part is to forgive."

Prayer points:
·For the families –that their response will become a model for both the Christian and Muslim communities in Poso. Continue to pray for God's comfort and strength as they recover from the grief over their daughters' death.
·For Noviana Malewa –for spiritual healing as she recovers from trauma caused by the assault. Pray for her brother David who takes care of her.
·For the trial –that the police, judges and prosecutors who are handling the case ensure that justice is done.

Ends. 916 words.

The building has been partially subsidised by Open Doors and will enable the Christian community to witness in that hostile environment. Christian, as well as non-Christian, books can be borrowed from the large collection on the first two floors of the building.

About 250 people attended the opening, including some 30 international guests involved with the Christian community in Gaza. Several international guests were kept waiting until the last moment to be granted permission to enter Gaza as their permits were only valid if officials considered it safe enough for them to cross the checkpoint.

Brother Andrew’s encouragement
For many years Open Doors’ founder, Brother Andrew, has been closely involved in the ministry of this small church, which is the only evangelical church in a population of 1.5 million Palestinians located in the Gaza Strip. During the opening, he encouraged and motivated the church. “It’s great to take care of the Body, great to take care of their minds by giving them good books, but it is even better to take care of their souls and spread the Gospel of Jesus…to show them Jesus.”

Gaza Baptist Church wants to share about the future hope there is in Christ. One of the reasons for the public library is that it provides an opportunity to prove the church’s involvement in the society and its openness towards others. The Baptist Church has existed in Gaza for over 50 years. An elder recalled the opening of the first library in 1968, starting with 200 books.

During the opening ceremony, several speakers pointed out that the church is in an awkward situation in Gaza, experiencing daily pressure and uncertainty. But with God’s grace, members of the congregation can find strength and hope to continue reaching out to their fellow Palestinians. Brother Andrew quoted Martin Luther King, saying, “If you do not deal with contemporary issues, you are not preaching the Gospel at all.”

In spite of the violent situation in Gaza, the church is focused on reaching out to fellow Palestinians. Last May when the building construction was still in process, the guard of the property was shot in crossfire. Almost every floor of the building was damaged by gunfire when warring Islamic parties entrenched themselves in and near to the building.

More than a library
The six-story building houses more than a library. The third floor will be a community health care facility for women and will contain a mammography machine to assist with breast cancer research. The machine is only the third of its kind available to the 1.5 million people in Gaza available for this kind of research.

The fourth floor will be used for outreach, and several activities are being developed by the Baptist ministry. The fifth floor is designed as a guesthouse, so that the Baptist Church can host workers from other cities or abroad. The sixth floor will be used as the church’s worship hall, until the opportunity comes to build a church building.

Open Doors hopes and prays that this new building may be a blessing for the Church in Gaza and through them, to the Palestinian community.

Ends. 546 words.

Photos available:
• two interior pictures of the library, showing children’s seating and book shelves
• bullet holes in an upper-storey window of the six-storey building.

Eight persecuted Church agencies are calling on believers worldwide to unite in spiritual battle for the 200 million Christians globally who suffer interrogation, arrest and even death for their faith in Christ.

This year the International Day of Prayer (‘IDOP’) will last a fortnight, giving you three Sunday opportunities to join this global prayer focus.

Labib Madanat is a Palestinian choosing to stand for Christ in Gaza. Rebekka Zakaria, Eti Pangesti and Ratna Bangun are three Indonesian women who have been imprisoned for teaching children about Jesus. They are four faithful Christians featured in Open Doors’ new DVD resource called ‘connect’* and IDOP provides a good opportunity to make use of connect to inform and inspire your prayers.

Eddie Lyle, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland, commented, “The UK Church has a wonderful opportunity this November, to unite with persecuted brothers and sisters like Rebekka, Eti and Ratna imprisoned and suffering for their faith around the world. As we pray and raise awareness in our Churches for them, we will be blessed in ways that will far outweigh anything we can give.

Rev Stephen J Gaukroger, Senior Pastor of Goldhill Baptist Church and Open Doors’ supporter says, “Persecution is the painful reality for many of our brothers and sisters – in Africa, Asia and Latin America – and it is vital that we support them through prayer. I would encourage you to join this global prayer initiative and pray for the Persecuted Church.”

The resources section on Open Doors’ website www.opendoorsuk.org contains information that will help focus your prayers, as does www.idop.org.

* The connect DVD learning resource is designed for use by small groups, but can also be used by individuals, families and churches. The five sessions will help you to grow stronger in faith, and you will be inspired by the insights you will gain from the Persecuted Church.

The connect DVD includes video clips of persecuted Christians telling their own stories, accompanied by written resources including icebreakers, Bible studies, prayer ideas, and five plans for small-group sessions.

Connect was distributed with the October edition of Frontline magazine. If you need a copy please call the Open Doors’ office on 01993 8858400.

Ends. 407 words.

Engage your artistic skills. Create something for this exhibition on the real issues of persecution. Paint it. Draw it. Sculpt it. Design it. Snap it. Write it. Record it. Enter it.

The Art of Persecution is a new art competition, open to all ages and run by Open Doors, exploring Christian responses to persecution, with £1000 prize money going to the winner. All kinds of artwork can be entered from paintings and sculptures to recorded music or dance. Selected artworks will then go on a touring exhibition around the United Kingdom.

Paul Hobbs, visual artist, is among the nine judges on the panel.

The Art of Persecution provides you with the opportunity to:
look at the cost of belief in Christ, paid by present-day Christians around the world
record your artistic responses to that persecution, and
connect with those who share your faith but not your freedom.

The bespoke website www.theartofpersecution.com contains resources for you to lead an art workshop and also entry forms, inspirational stories and pictures, judges’ biographies, entry terms, conditions and procedure.

Why enter?
Not only does the competition give Christians the opportunity to use their God-given gifts to express God’s pain and theirs at the persecution of our worldwide family, but it is a fantastic talking point and tool for evangelism.

The winner of the competition will be awarded £1,000 prize money – £500 for them to keep and £500 to give to an Open Doors’ project of their choice.

Should artists want to raise money for Open Doors, there is the opportunity to donate artwork which will be auctioned after the touring exhibition has finished, with proceeds going to support the valuable work of Open Doors.

Schedule
Launch date: Summer 2006
Closing date: 31 January 2007
Entrants short-listed by February 2007
Online Exhibition: February 2007
Exhibition dates: Feb-March 2007 (locations tbc)
Auction and prize-giving: March 2007

Across the nations a powerful force will be set loose. Youth throughout the nations will rise in prayer and join thousands across the globe, to pray for some of the 200 million Christians who suffer because of their faith. Thirty-five of the fifty toughest nations in the world for Christians to live in are Muslim dominated, hence this year’s focus.

This three-day youth prayer event is organised by Underground, the youth ministry of Open Doors, and will be the fifth annual SHOCKWAVE.

The beauty of SHOCKWAVE is that it can be done effectively on a small or large scale, by individuals as well as by groups, thanks to the SHOCKWAVE resources available on the new website at www.odshockwave.org. This site contains the ‘prayer wall’ message board and chat area that will go live just before the event commences.

SHOCKWAVE will start in New Zealand and sweep across the time zones and through manmade barriers and no-go zones, literally covering the world in prayer.

Prayer is desperately needed for countries such as North Korea, which remains at the top of Open Doors’ World Watch List for the forth year in row, indicating it is currently the worst country for Christian persecution. North Korea is followed by the Islamic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in second place with Islamic Iran, Somalia and the Maldives listed close behind.

2006 aftershock
During 2006, young people from New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, South Africa, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Cameroon, Romania, UK, Ireland, USA and Brazil were involved. In France, over 100 groups got involved, whilst in Namibia three schools combined to pray – with the result that 1,200 prayer warriors gathered, releasing the power of prayer to strengthen, protect and comfort Christians living in places where faith is very literally a matter of life and death.

Prayer tremors
Phil Togwell, UK Base Leader, 24-7 Prayer, recommends SHOCKWAVE 2007. He told us, “In my inbox there’s an email from one of my best friends. He lives with his wife and two children in a country where it is risky to admit that you are a Christian, and he’s asking me to pray. They’re trying to meet with other Christians, but people get put in prison for doing this. I find this hard to imagine, but it’s real, very real. Around the world, Christians are imprisoned and beaten and tortured, and even killed, simply because they love Jesus. SHOCKWAVE reminds us of our need to pray for the Persecuted Church, and equips us to do something too. I encourage you to get involved.”

David from Burkina Faso commented about SHOCKWAVE 2006, “Be assured of our constant prayer for the Persecuted Church. This is the third time we’ve participated in SHOCKWAVE. Every time, the prayer network grows.”

A young person from Cameroon said “It was our joy to participate in SHOCKWAVE 2006! We prayed with our friends with one meeting of four hours/day during three days. The group intend to continue prayer meetings for the Persecuted Church.”

Irina Ratushinskaya was a prisoner in a Soviet prison camp for seven years. She experienced first hand the power of prayer, and wrote, “Believe me, often it happened: in the isolation cell, during the winter evenings suddenly a feeling of joy and warmth - an unmistakable word of love. And whilst I could not sleep, sitting against an icy wall – someone remembered me and pleaded before my Lord.”

Brother Andrew, Founder of Open Doors, talks about the impact of prayer:
“Our brothers and sisters have told us what they need. First, and most important, they have begged us to pray! It’s been the same throughout my fifty-odd years of ministry; wherever I’ve gone to encourage my brothers and sisters, they have always requested prayer… But who knows what would have happened to the Church in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe if we had not gone and if we had not prayed. Because of our prayers and our actions, incredibly much did happen… Prayer is a critical part of the work of Open Doors… Prayer connects us with the body. It helps us identify with those who suffer and struggle as Christians in difficult situations. Prayer brings these problems to the one source that can really make a difference…”

Internet epicentre
The SHOCKWAVE website www.odshockwave.org includes the following useful resources:

· Prayer Wall
· Resource pack – full of prayer and creative ideas
· Bible study – discover the impact of prayer
· Muslim resources
· PowerPoint presentations / video clips – to promote SHOCKWAVE or to use during events
· Also: posters, images, inspiring quotes, press release

Alternatively, to receive a SHOCKWAVE 2007 resource pack, including how to run an event and video clips, e-mail underground@opendoorsuk.org, call 01993 885400, or go to the SHOCKWAVE website.

Jan Heijnen, Writer & Researcher in Open Doors’ Netherlands office, recently interviewed Johannes Pretorius, Open Doors’ Director of Africa Services, about southern Sudan and the Multi-Purpose Training Centre (MPTC). Johannes tells how the MPTC brings hope and help to southern Sudan.

Johannes Pretorius has a strong link with southern Sudan; at one time he was project manager of the eight-year-old Multi-Purpose Training Centre (MPTC), a collaborative project between Open Doors and local churches in southern Sudan. He has visited the area often and has seen the impact the MPTC has made on people’s lives.

Johannes commented, “Open Doors has invested in southern Sudan for over 11 years. The vision of Open Doors is to strengthen the Church – and the Sudanese Church desperately needs to be strengthened. We need to equip leaders who can educate others. There is no other Bible school or institution in southern Sudan which does that.”

Joy and happiness
Johannes said the words that describe the atmosphere of the training centre best are ‘joy and happiness’. He commented, “You see peace and hope as well; hope that the people of southern Sudan will have a better future and hope that the education of the students at the MPTC will make a lasting change in the lives of many people.”

Over the past 23 years, nearly two million civilians have died in southern Sudan's civil war, and over four million have been forced to flee their homes at one time or another. Always poorer than the north, the south lost much of its limited infrastructure and public services that existed before the peace agreement was signed on 9 January 2005. And many non-governmental organisations left southern Sudan during the civil war.

Open Doors stayed however and it has the same country coordinator, George, as it had 11 years ago. Johannes said, “In people like him you can see growth, the commitment, the calling. Despite all the problems and in spite of having had malaria at least 48 times, he never wanted to leave.

“At the MPTC, the students are building good relationships and trusting each other. You can’t take that for granted in southern Sudan. Now you see the fruit of commitment and sacrifice – in educated leaders who go back to their regions and make a difference in the lives of many people.”

Southern Sudan is made up of many tribal groups with long histories of mutual distrust. One thing that touches Johannes most at the centre is the transformation of students’ attitudes: “At first, people from different tribes don’t trust each other. After some time at the MPTC however, they experience each other as brothers and sisters. It is wonderful to be part of this process.”

Training opportunities
Johannes spoke about the future importance of the MPTC: “The Church in southern Sudan is very unstable, very weak. People never had the chance to study or to be trained. This is different now, thanks to our training centre. Now Christ becomes a reality in many lives.

“A few years ago, there were no church buildings or ministries. Now many churches are built and ministries have started up. We even see the evangelising of women and children. Our students demonstrate to people, especially young people, what commitment is.

“Most students have received a calling to lead a church, but they understand they need to be equipped. MPTC students are not educated when they come here, but they are very intelligent and eager to learn, hungry for the Word of God, hungry to learn more skills. They are all extremely poor. Open Doors finances their whole education. In future, we hope the Sudanese Church will play a bigger part in this.

Community collaboration
“One pastor was in training at our centre. Every six months he returned to his village. The villagers collected money for his training, and he also saved money, bought a grain mill and gave it to the village so they had an extra source of income. His example changed the community entirely. Now we see much more love and caring in that village.”

Johannes explained how Open Doors started working with Elias Taban, a Presbyterian bishop: “Elias met George, our country coordinator, in 1997. Elias started as a student, a young church leader. Today he is bishop of his denomination. He started Tent Makers International, a construction company which is now helping us to renovate the MPTC.

“He influenced many church leaders by showing them that being a pastor is about more than applying theology. He demonstrated that you could use your other skills to honour God as well, like he did with Tent Makers International.

“His church is now the umbrella for Open Doors’ work.”

Elias will be touring the UK in October with Open Doors. Details can be found at www.opendoorsuk.org in the ‘UK Events’ section.

Threats
“The unrest in Darfur does not have a direct impact on the training centre project,” Johannes said. “That doesn’t mean there’s no threat at all. If violence escalates further, it might destabilise the whole country again.”

The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) – an extremely violent and occultic armed group – has more impact as Johannes explained. “Their presence disrupts people at the training centre. Many students have had traumatic experiences with them. The LRA presence frightens them, but LRA raiding forces in southern Sudan are very small.”

Needs
“The Sudanese Church needs extra support,” Johannes insisted. “Buildings are essential to improve the level of our education. The huts we use are dark and wet and there is no ventilation, which means you can’t study there during the wet season, and in southern Sudan, it rains for months. A library can’t be put in a hut; the books would get wet. Besides, a hut made of mud and grass lasts for only a few years, and the roof has to be replaced every year.”

Our responsibility
“I met with a Sudanese leader in Kenya who said, ‘The MPTC is the Harvard of Sudan.’ Renewing and expanding the training centre is only part of our responsibility. We cannot leave the Church now and say 'you are educated.' We need to train further. We don’t focus only on theology and producing pastors. We also provide teacher training and management training. A small detail, but very important: leaders need accreditation which shows they have studied for years and passed exams.

“We are pro-Christ, not anti-Islam. That is our vision and the way we work. A combination of things will counter Islam in the end, and God’s involvement and intervention is foremost. But part of our teaching is about Islam. We want to equip people so they understand Islam.

“In a later phase of the training centre, we also want to offer more skill training.

“The MPTC is the biggest thing that has happened in Sudan in the past years. Its work is essential.”

Open Doors UK & Ireland: phone 01993 885400, email info@opendoorsuk.org or visit www.opendoorsuk.org

Ends. 1145 words.

On 28 May 2006, Mrs. Baisi Pokharia and Mrs. Rekha Garsia were gang-raped in Nadia village, India, because their husbands are Christians and refused to deny Christ. The two women recollect the events surrounding their ‘nightmare’ (below).

On 31 May the women filed charges against the attackers, only to face the counter-charge of ‘forced conversion’. The counterclaim, also made against their husbands and one other, was supposedly lodged on 1 June, but Indira Iyengar, a member of the Madhya Pradesh Minorities Commission, said that she suspects it was actually lodged later but backdated. “The administration is taking advantage of the victims’ illiteracy,” she said.

Harcharan Singh Josh, a member of a National Commission for Minorities team reportedly said the administration had allowed the forced conversion charges in order to protect the rapists. To date, police have failed to arrest the alleged rapists, identified by name by the women and all from the same village.

Testimony of Mrs. Baisi Pokharia
“On 28 May, the leaders of the village came and took my husband Gokharya Barela. They beat him all the way to Sirvil village, about two kilometres from Nadia. The brought him before the Panchayat (village court) which had gathered. They beat him and told him to deny Jesus, but he would not. Someone said that these Christians don’t drink alcohol, “so if we make him drink liquor, he will become a non-Christian.” So they forced alcohol into his mouth. Then they asked him to give up Jesus or give up his land. He said, “I will leave anything but not Jesus.”

“The village head, Pandya Patel, said, “You people can do anything you want to their women. There will not be any police case. If there is any case, I will handle it.”

“So later that day some men came to our village. I saw from my house two men molesting my pregnant sister-in-law (my brother’s wife, Rekha Garsia.) My husband was not at home and I felt vulnerable. I ran and took shelter in the neighbouring house. It was around 10:00pm.

“They came and found me. They dragged me out and took me to the field. They undressed me and threw the clothes on the ground. They both repeatedly raped me. My husband and his friend were walking to our home from the friend’s village. They heard my cry and came to rescue me. But there were a few others standing as guards. They caught hold of my husband and his friend. They started to beat the friend more than my husband. My husband took me home but they were beating his friend, taking him to the village leader. There they bound him to a tree and reported to the village leader Nandya Ram Shing Patel. The leader later came and released him.

“The people who raped me told my husband and me that if we told this to anyone, they would kill us. As we were shocked and frightened, we did not do anything. When the next day came, we were warned that we should not leave the village and that we would be fools to report the incident because it would cost us our lives.

“But on the second night, we escaped to a neighbouring village and found shelter in a Christian neighbour’s house. (As the leader of the village had also threatened this Christian family, they decided to become Hindus).

“Because a petition made by various groups put pressure on the police, there was relief for us and we returned to the village. But I am afraid and frightened when I see those who beat my husband or raped me. I feel so ashamed.”

Testimony of Mrs. Rekha Garsia
“On 28 May, some men came to our home after a meeting with the leader of the Panchayat (village court). They caught hold of me and started to molest me. I escaped but as I am seven months pregnant, I could not run far. So I ran to my father-in-law’s house, which is 200 metres away. My father-in-law tried to save me. They started to beat my father-in-law with firewood and the poor man ran for his life. Three men came to my in-laws’ house and found me hiding. They dragged me out and threw me on the cot that was put outside the house for my father-in-law. (The cot was broken and the police have taken it away as evidence.) They undressed me. Three men raped me.

“When my mother-in-law started to shout out and try to save me, one man took a big piece of firewood and hit her on the back. Writhing with pain she sat there shouting at the men. (My in-laws are old and Hindu). As they were leaving, they warned us, “You tell this to anyone and try to make a complaint, and we will get rid of you forever.”

“My husband was in the next village. The next day when he came, the people who raped me came and warned me again, saying, “If you dare to report this to anyone or try to go out of the village, we will not let you live.”

“This was on Sunday night. On Tuesday night, we left the village without anyone seeing us. On Wednesday we went to the police station. The police inspector told me, “You are a prostitute and you are trying to blame these innocent people.” He continually verbally verbally abused us.

“They kept us in the station until evening. Somehow the news was reported in Delhi and also to the minority commission member of Madhya Predesh, Mrs. Iyengar. She called the commissioner and he called the police inspector and demanded to know why the case was not registered and why he kept us at the station without cause. Only then did they file the case. The police took the clothes as evidence of rape and said that they would send it to a lab’ for DNA testing. I don't think they will do justice with them. Will justice be done for us?

“One police officer came with us to the Khargon district government hospital. The doctor did a medical check-up. We were told that the report says that there was a rape but they did not show us the report or give a copy to us.”

Eddie Lyle, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland, commented, “Time and time again we hear from persecuted Christians that letters of encouragement are ‘like oxygen’ to them. What these sisters have experienced is beyond most of our worst nightmares. They need to experience the cleansing, healing reassurance of the love and respect of the family of God.”

Writing campaign
Open Doors has initiated a letter-writing campaign for Baisi Pokharia (34) and Rekha Garsia (22).

The two women are illiterate. Cards and letters will be translated and then read to them so that they can understand the messages of encouragement. A personal visit by an Open Doors’ representative is tentatively planned for October 2006 to meet the two women and get an update of their current situation. Another visit will be made after mid-February 2007 to deliver the cards of encouragement.

Because of the time needed to plan a trip to these women, we need to limit the length of this writing campaign. Open Doors UK and Ireland must have received all mail by 15 January 2007 if it is to ensure that the cards will reach the two women personally. If letters are received in time for the Open Doors visit in October, they will be delivered at that time.

Writing guidelines:
· Ensure all letters/cards reach Open Doors by 15 January 2007 at the latest
· Post to Open Doors UK, P O Box 6, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 6WG, United Kingdom and Open Doors will forward mail on
· Do not mention Open Doors in the letters
· Greeting cards, artwork by children and postcards are best (send postcards in an envelope, and do not write the Open Doors’ address on the postcard)
· Print clearly (only write in English)
· Be encouraging, keep the message brief, but include one to two Bible verses
· Do not say anything negative about Hindus or the government
· Provide your name & country, not your full address
· Don't send money with the letters.

In February, the Palestinian Bible Society in Gaza City received a terrorist threat: close and leave Gaza by the end of the month or be bombed. The Bible Society staff counted the cost, surrendered their lives to Christ and did not leave despite the real threat of death. Labib Madanat, a Jordanian Christian who is the director of the Palestinian Bible Society, explains that the Bible Society is called to serve the Palestinian people – including the Muslims. The Society's commitment to love and to serve their ‘beloved’ Muslims continues, uninterrupted.

Labib Madanat speaks to Open Doors
“I became a Christian during my years at university, whilst I was in Iraq. My decision became a life-transforming practice and choice.

“In 1994 I met Brother Andrew at the Bible College in Bethlehem when I was one year into my ministry there with the Palestinian Bible Society. We visited Gaza and met some leaders of Hamas, which had a huge impact on me. The Lord told me then, ‘I have no exclusion zones, not in people or in places – forget it, there are no exclusion zones, nothing is too difficult for me. No-one is too dirty for the blood of Jesus Christ’.

“I lived in Palestine and as I moved from my very nice Christian 'church club' into the challenges of the Muslim community, I found the courage to admit that I belong to the Muslim community. When I say this, I am not denying Christ – it’s just another way of understanding mission.

"When people ask me what the position is in Gaza, I reply saying ‘You are never afraid of those whom you love, even if they hate you. The good news however is that we are much more loved in Gaza than hated’.

"What is more powerful than anything else is when we take Jesus into the most needy situation and spread the Good News and become a blessing. Jesus said, ‘Those who are healthy do not need a doctor. It is those who are suffering and sick; they need the Healer’.

The Church
“Turning to the current, very pressing situation between Lebanon, Israel and Palestine, the Church could easily get caught up in the politics of what is happening. We need to engage with what is happening, understand and even open our lives and not be afraid to expose ourselves to the complexity of the world’s challenges. However painful, we should apply the life of Jesus and resolve it within our hearts and minds. I have seen how the Church, the agents of God’s grace, instead of projecting the life of Christ, gets infected by a country’s situation, because sin is infectious.

“It really hurts me when I see the Church become divided as a result of the tyranny of the present situation, rather than overcoming and living the life of Christ. Why does this happen? Maybe because there isn’t enough of Christ in the Church or in us. We need to keep replenishing this within ourselves, especially when we live in a war-torn area where there is lots of hatred, division, killing and justification for the violation of human rights.

Self-denial
“On the ground, the situation is grim. It is extremely dark. It is painful. People are scared. People are being killed, people are anxious and there is one happy guy in all this: the enemy of our soul. We don’t want to share in his happiness!

“It’s so easy to hate in Palestine – it doesn’t take much effort. It’s the norm. Pray for us as a church there, that we will rise above that. With the help of the Holy Spirit, Christians can deal with their feelings.

“When I heard about the kidnapping of the two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah, I was tempted to gloat; to think that it ‘serves Israel right’ when they have killed so many Palestinians in Gaza. We Christian Arabs can easily think that, in the current situation, this is in some way ‘fair’. How ugly. How can ugliness and dirt suddenly take the title of ‘fair’? How much distortion has Satan brought into our minds, even as Christians?

"And then the Lord in His grace comes and gives me a slap on the face saying, ‘Wake up, repent. Go back to that first act of gloating and get it washed by the Blood’.

"We must keep on renewing our minds, offering ourselves and our emotions as living sacrifices (Romans 12). God has made my life glorious, victorious, lovely and clean. This kind of thinking would take me hostage if I did not take it to the foot of the cross.

“The first thing to do is: think like a Jew, not an Arab. What a difficult lesson for me! Why? Because I want to feel Lebanese, I want to feel Arab, I want to feel Gazan, I want to feel their pain. Yet I deny my right to feel the pain of my people and take on the pain of those who the world defines as my 'enemy', who is as loved by God as I and my nation are.

The cross of self-denial means putting on the altar anything that might stand in the way of making Christ seen. Are we willing to identify with our oppressors and carry them before the Lord for healing and salvation?

"I can take it to an even greater extreme and ask, will you be willing to take on the identity of your persecutor and cry before God or go back to the Church and say ‘Don’t give up on our enemies?

Eddie Lyle, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland, commented “In marked contrast to the darkness that is consuming the Middle East, here is a radical alternative shown by followers of Jesus Christ.

“The only answer to all the questions being asked about what the future holds, lies in lives surrendered to Christ, of which Labib and many others, are inspiring examples.”

Prayers
Labib asks Christians in the West to pray that:
· the Church in the Middle East will be clean and stand for righteousness, justice, peace and reconciliation and that all members of the Body of Christ will really surrender their lives and confess their fears and hate to Christ
· the Church in Lebanon will seize the opportunity to show the love of Christ; to take the towel of Jesus and wash the feet of the tired, persecuted and bewildered refugees running away from the fighting in Lebanon
· the Church in Palestine and the Messianic Jews in Israel will be given the grace and power to rise up to what Christ wants them to be
· the voice of the Gospel is heard and Christians have the boldness to speak to the Muslim Arabs, to their friends
· that Arab Christians will have real love for the Jewish people beyond all politics
· Labib and other Palestinian Christians will become more engaged with the Muslim communities in the disputed territories, and for the Lord to create opportunities for Muslims to taste and see how good He is.

END 1192 words.