November 2016 Persecution Magazine (1 of 3)

Your Dollar$ at Work
Family in Mali Starts Goat Business
Food Aid to a
Grieving Widower
Underground Pastors
In June of this year, a pastor who leads a church
in Kano City, Nigeria, tragically lost his wife
when she was murdered by Islamic radicals on
allegations of blasphemy under Sharia law.
Unfortunately, discrimination against
Christians in northern Nigeria is all too common.
Because Kano is situated in a Muslim majority
region of the country, Sharia law is commonly
accepted, even among government officials.
ICC visited the grieving pastor in August
and delivered much-needed food packages.
During the visit, we learned of the disappointing
government actions taken regarding
the case. The collaborators of the crime had
already been released and were allowed to
walk freely. According to the pastor, the case
was still at the lower Court of Law rather than
being delegated to higher jurisdiction, as it
should be.
ICC conveyed its sincerest condolences
for the pastor’s loss and encouraged him to
stand strong in his faith. The bereaved widower
expressed deep appreciation for the
prayers and help he received from ICC and
his local church.
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
Community Rebuild
After Islamic leaders staged a march
against churches in Gao, a city in eastern
Mali, resulting in the use of tear gas bombs
on an unsuspecting Baptist church, a local
pastor felt threatened by the rising turmoil
in the city. As the situation worsened and the
threats began to personally affect his family,
the pastor finally made the decision to move
Legal Assistance to Pastor in India
Hand of Hope
his family to the capital city of Bamako,
where they could find safety.
Unfortunately, Christians in Bamako still
face social exclusion, making it nearly impossible
to find work. ICC provided the pastor’s
family with the necessary supplies to start a
goat husbandry business. The income from
this business will allow the family to financially
provide for themselves in this new city
without having to abandon their ministry.
In 2012, Hindu radicals attacked Pastor
Reyansh’s (name changed for security)
prayer meeting. They accused him and his
congregation of fraudulent conversions.
Police subsequently arrested the pastor.
Pastor Reyansh protested the charge in
India’s courts and eventually appeared in the
upper court in 2015, three years after the incident.
Pastor Reyansh needed, but could not
afford, a lawyer, so ICC paid all of the legal
fees. Through God’s grace and the lawyer’s
skill, the courts closed Pastor Reyansh’s case
and cleared him of all charges.
This is a tremendous victory for Christian
pastors who have hope that the court will
protect them, even though Christians are
still extremely vulnerable and experiencing
increased persecution in India.
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