Persecuted Church News

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Palm Cross Christian Suspended from Work

By Peter Wooding
Europe Bureau Chief for ASSIST News Service

WAKEFIELD, ENGLAND (ANS) -- British Christian electrician Colin Atkinson, who won the right to keep displaying a palm cross in his work van in April, has now been suspended from work after being continually harassed since his return.

Colin Atkinson with the offending palm cross

Colin's case received widespread publicity after he was asked to remove a palm cross from the dashboard of his Wakefield and District Housing Association (WDH) van in the North of England. Although he had displayed the cross for 15 years, he was threatened with being fired for not removing it following an anonymous complaint.

According to Christian Concern after a public outcry following a campaign by Christian Concern, his employers at WDH agreed that he could return to work and display the cross. Since then, however, Colin has suffered continual problems.

Despite the agreement with WDH, he has not been allowed to carry out his job properly. Colin's van was taken from him and he was told to travel in by bus, and he was then moved to a different office 16 miles away. Colin lodged a grievance but has now been asked to stay at home pending further investigations.

Colin said: "WDH have broken faith with me and not restored me to my job as they promised. I was told to travel in by bus and I suffered harassment at work. This is all because I wanted to keep a small palm cross in my van. I have not done anything wrong and I just want to return to my normal workplace."

Andrea Minichiello Williams, CEO of the Christian Legal Centre, said:

"After a public outcry over his case, Colin Atkinson was allowed to return to work and to continue to display a palm cross in his van.

"However, since the media attention died away, he suffered continued harassment, and WDH has not honored its agreement with him to allow him to return to his old job. It seems that WDH hoped that Colin could be bought off and go quietly.

"At the Christian Legal Centre we will be doing all we can to ensure that WDH is held to account and that Colin is free to express his Christian faith in the workplace."

Peter Wooding is an award-winning TV, radio and print journalist and media consultant under the name of Peter Wooding Productions (www.peterwoodingproductions.com). Having previously spent 10 years as news editor with UCB Radio in the UK, he has travelled extensively reporting from countries including Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, Dubai, South Korea, Zambia, Gambia, Mozambique, Croatia, Israel and India. He now reports regularly for CBN News, ASSIST News Service, GDOP London, Russian Ministries, Whispering Word and Sorted Magazine. Peter and wife Sharon live in North Wales, UK with their three children. Passionate to see God's Justice and Mercy impact lives, Peter is director of a new UK ministry Mercy Projects International (www.mercyproject.org.uk) to help at-risk young people in Ukraine, Russia, Armenia, Kosovo, the Middle East and beyond. Contact Peter for consultation at:peter@peterwoodingproductions.com or tel. +44 1244 549167/+44 7500 903067

In Hiding from His Own Family

Gospel for Asia
For Immediate Release

Rasul was able to escape before his family members could beat him, but this believer was not so fortunate. When his father found out he was going to church, he beat him and threatened to kill him.

SOUTH ASIA (ANS) -- "The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?" -Ps. 27:1 (NKJV)

His heart pounding, Rasul Gupta hurried into hiding to escape from angry family members who wanted to beat him. What did they have against him? He chose to follow Christ.

A few months ago, Gospel for Asia-supported missionary Pallab Singh met Rasul, a member of the Brahmin caste, and the two struck up a conversation. As they talked, Pallab had the opportunity to share about how Jesus had touched his life.

He also explained the Gospel to his new friend. After thinking about Pallab's words, Rasul ended up deciding to surrender his life to the Lord. At the church where Pallab serves as pastor, Rasul testified that he wanted to follow Jesus, and he joined the congregation.

But his new faith sparked frustration from his family members. Staunchly devoted to their traditional religion, his parents, in-laws and even his wife chastised Rasul for his decision to serve Christ. Like many other Brahmins, they believe any connection with Christianity, which is often considered a low-caste religion, would make them impure.

On July 25, Rasul's family members told him he must deny Christ and stop attending the church. His father-in-law and his uncle planned to beat him. Thankfully, Rasul was able to flee and find refuge at the home of a believer from his church.

Two days later, Rasul had the opportunity to meet the GFA regional leader, who prayed for Rasul and encouraged him to trust God.

Rasul is still staying at the fellow believer's home. His friends have gravely warned him not to return home because his whole family is waiting to torture him.

Rasul's situation is unique. Many women in South Asia face opposition from their entire families when they choose to follow Christ, it is much less common for a man to face the anger and abuse of all his family members-even his wife.

Pastor Pallab and other GFA leaders in the area request prayer for Rasul to stand firm in the Lord during this trying time and for God to protect him from harm. Also, please pray for his family members to come to know Christ very soon.

Gospel for Asia is an evangelical mission organization based in Carrollton, Texas, involved in sharing the love of Jesus across South Asia.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Congo Refugees Get help from Christians

Medical Teams International is
helping refugees in Uganda.

Uganda (MNN) ― You've heard the stories: years of civil conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo killed many people, injured others, and forced many people from their homes. While the situation is becoming a bit more peaceful, there are still bands of rebels who continue to oppress people, forcing many from Congo and into Uganda.

President of Medical Teams International Bas Vanderzalm says their ministry has been responding to this need for some time. He describes the refugees' scenario:

"Their homes are burned, people are killed, and they have no choice but to leave. And so, several hundred thousand Congolese have migrated to other parts of Africa, away from eastern Congo, and a good number of these refugees have moved into Uganda for safety."

According to Vanderzalm, Medical Teams International has established refugee camps. "The Ugandan authorities and the United Nations have asked us to provide medical care to these refugees."

Vanderzelm describes the condition of the refugees when they arrive. "They have had to walk for days. They have been able to carry nothing with them except what they can put in their arms. They're not only malnourished, but are often are sick. They haven't had water to drink, and so they're quite weak initially."

The objective of Medical Teams, says Vanderzalm, is to "provide them treatment early on and to help them stabilize themselves. Then, it's more of just maintaining the right level of health care for them while they're there."

Vanderzalm says the camp is a "good news" story. "In this camp, God is at work through the volunteers that we have there. We are seeing many refugees experiencing the Gospel in a real way for the first time."

It's more than just a one-time experience, though, says Vanderzalm. "We are seeing Bible studies begin throughout the area. Also, churches are involved in the community to try to promote health, so it has become a place of God's blessing and presence.

While Medical Teams International does receive help from the UN, "it's not enough for everything that we are doing. The work that we do with churches and so on we do with the support of people in [the United States]. So, if people would be willing to make a gift of $35 to us, that would help us touch the lives of one family with medicine." That would also provide opportunities for that family to hear the Gospel.

Click here to help.

Sri Lankan Church Bloodied by Mob Attacks

The homes of several Sri Lankan
Christian were attacked in mob
violence. (Photo courtesy of Uthavi)

Sri Lanka (MNN) ― Home destruction and violent beatings have Sri Lankan Christians on edge. According to Voice of the Martyrs, Canada, several attacks on Christians throughout Sri Lanka have taken place these last few weeks in an escalation of persecution.

A pastor was brutally attacked and beaten in the Ampara District on Sri Lanka's eastern coast after attending a meeting about land distribution. A Buddhist monk called the pastor and several others to the meeting on July 10.

During the meeting, the Christian pastor was brutalized by the monk and others there. The monk kicked the pastor repeatedly in his stomach and arms, causing serious injuries.

Then while the pastor was escaping to his home, his attackers followed him and verbally abused him and his family members.

Sri Lanka is predominantly a Buddhist country with 70% of the population following that religion. The Christian minority has experienced an increase in persecution since 2005, especially at the hands of militant Buddhists.

Another serious persecution case occurred in the Badulla District in southeastern Sri Lanka on July 19. That evening, a large mob of approximately 50 people assaulted five Christian families in their homes.

The mob hurled stones at their roofs and smashed windows using clubs and rocks. The terrified families fled into the jungles for protection from the angry mob.

Additionally, a grocery store owned by one of the Christians was destroyed and vandalized. The store owner was seriously injured in the attack.

There are reports of talk to force these families either to deny their faith or to leave the village.

Please pray for healing and strength for the persecuted Christians.

Ephesians 6:18-20 encourages us to "pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, 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."

Call to Oppressive North Korea to End Persecution of Christians

By Michael Ireland
Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

LONDON, UK (ANS) -- Recent reports by human rights organizations accuse North Korea of putting up to 180,000 people into forced labor.

There are reports that Christians are among the inmates facing torture, starvation and execution in political prison camps, according to an online article at www.Christiantoday.com .

Persecution watchdog Release International is working to support North Korean Christians who have fled their country by providing safe houses, pastoral support and health care.

Andy Dipper, of Release International, said: "Those who've got away (from North Korea) describe these camps as 'hell on Earth'."

"In this land where a form of emperor worship is practiced, Christians can be detained, brutally tortured and removed from society," he said.

"Some risk being shot by border guards as they try to flee the country to avoid persecution and oppression."

Meanwhile, an interim petition calling for religious freedom in North Korea has notched up more than 20,000 signatures from concerned Christians in the UK.

Release International presented the petition to the North Korean embassy in London last week.

It demands that the oppressive communist country grant freedom of worship to Christians, who face regular harassment by the authorities and can be arrested or imprisoned for even owning a Bible.

Release International is still collecting signatures and will present the final petition to the North Korean embassy at the end of its campaign.

Dipper appealed to more Christians to sign the petition.

"20,000 people have already stood with persecuted North Koreans by signing the petition calling for freedom. It's not too late to take your stand," he said.

The petition can be signed online at www.releaseinternational.org/petition

** Michael Ireland is Senior Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can donate online to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Ne wswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior Reporter

Government-friendly Iranian Media Publishes Anti-Christian Cartoon

By Michael Ireland
Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

IRAN (ANS) -- When Kurt Westergaard, the Danish caricaturist published two drawings of Mohammad, the prophet of Islam, in the Jyllands-Posten magazine, he incited such an anger and claims of insult against the sacred beliefs of Islam that Muslim fundamentalists plotted not only to assassinate him, but also orchestrated massive public protests around the world against the author and the Danish government.

According to www.Mohabatnews.com , the Iranian Christian News Agency, from 2007 onward the condition of this Danish man "became so intolerable and dangerous that he was unable to go anywhere without ample security protection afforded to him by the Danish government."

Mohabatnews.com says Westergaard received the Fatwa, or a decree of death, and a reward had been announced for his murder. In a final showdown in 2010, a 29-year-old Somali national attacked him at his home and attempted to kill him with an axe.

The anti-Christian cartoon published in the Iranian publication Javan.

Mohabatnews.com states: "After the publishing of these offensive caricatures in 2007, the Iranian government leaders and their affiliates, in an attempt to reassure the world community of their presence in the political arena of Islamophobia, decided to take advantage of the situation and masterminded a massive public rally and march by the military elements that resulted in the burning of many homes and public buildings.

The news site says: "The results of all these intentional unrest was the burning of the building and flag of the Danish embassy and the declarations of threats against the East and the West."

It continues: "Starting from Seyed Ali Khamenei to the street corner mullah, they all postured against the drawings of these two caricatures by the Danish artist and defended the prophet of Islam. They were claiming that the West is conspiring to use tools like those offensive caricatures to attack and discredit the sacred beliefs of Islam and its followers."

Now, after 4 years, Mohabatnews.com says "the tide has turned" and the Iranian publication, Javan -- which is a mouthpiece of the Guardian Militia, headed by Yadollah Javani - "has published similarly offensive depictions of Christ and Christians that had they been published in the West, they would have raised their protests and Islamic zeal and would have 'dealt with this sacrilege' in the most appropriate manner."

Mohabatnews.com says the drawings that appeared in mid-June 2011 "are not meant to express the comic and humorous style of the Javan magazine. Rather, it is a tool used by the government to attack and discredit Christianity."

It stated: "The publishing of two anti- Christian caricatures by the Javan Newspaper, a media organization affiliated with the Pasdaran (The Guardian) Militia, is not meant as a humorous depiction, but a direct insult on the Christian beliefs and practices."

The news site says: "In one of these depictions a sub-titled is added that describes the repentance of a gypsy-style wanderer, which is a direct insult and undermining of Christ and all that Christian ministers.

It adds: "It is interesting that the sub-title continues by claiming that the work of the Christian ministers has lost its luster and momentum. It appears that this particular caricature is the story of a wandering pastor who has become hopeless and tired of preaching 'Repent!' and has a complaint against the public."

The website concludes: "Perhaps it is fitting to appeal to the publishers of this anti-Christian magazine and recommend that they listen to the 'Repent!' message of the wandering pastor and join him on his Christian bandwagon by receiving Christ in their heart as Lord and Savior."