August 2018 Persecution Magazine
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WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG<br />
<strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
PERSECU ION<br />
Life<br />
After<br />
ISIS<br />
ICC helps believers restart their lives as they<br />
return to their homes in the Nineveh Plains.<br />
2017<br />
<strong>2018</strong><br />
PERSECU ION.org<br />
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
In This Issue<br />
FEATURE<br />
14 | ICC Donors Sow Life for<br />
Survivors of Fulani Violence<br />
Christians in Nigeria are suffering, but with<br />
the help of donors, ICC is able to serve many<br />
families by providing communal farms.<br />
FEATURE<br />
16 | The Nineveh Plains Blossom<br />
Again<br />
From the heart of ISIS’ caliphate to the<br />
return of Iraq’s Christians, the Nineveh<br />
Plains has undergone much transformation<br />
within the last four years.<br />
FEATURE<br />
20 | ISIS Sinks Its Teeth into<br />
Indonesia<br />
An ISIS-affiliated family bombs three<br />
churches in Indonesia; ICC follows up<br />
with the affected communities.<br />
FEATURE<br />
24 | The Secret Fate of Christians<br />
in Evin Prison<br />
Iran’s Christians often disappear within<br />
the secret institutions of Evin Prison.<br />
FEATURE<br />
26 | ICC’s Policy Day<br />
A glimpse of ICC’s <strong>2018</strong> Policy Day.<br />
FEATURE<br />
28 | Living in Fear in Uttar Pradesh<br />
ICC reports back on travels to one of India’s<br />
most persecuted states, Uttar Pradesh.<br />
14<br />
16<br />
Regular Features<br />
3 Letter from the President<br />
A few words from ICC’s president, Jeff<br />
King, on our current work to bandage<br />
and build the persecuted Church.<br />
4 World News<br />
A snapshot of the persecution that<br />
impacts our brothers and sisters daily, in<br />
every corner of the world.<br />
8 Your Dollars at Work<br />
Learn how your gifts are providing<br />
comfort, relief, Bibles, education and<br />
vocational training to the persecuted.<br />
12 Fund Spotlight<br />
The Bible brings life wherever it goes.<br />
When governments shut down access to<br />
the Bible, we get to work.<br />
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24<br />
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Jeff King, President<br />
International Christian Concern<br />
“The greatest moments are those when you<br />
see the result pop up in a graph or in your<br />
statistics analysis - that moment you realize<br />
you know something no one else does and<br />
you get the pleasure of thinking about how<br />
to tell them.”<br />
- Emily Oster, economist<br />
“It is the mark of a truly intelligent person<br />
to be moved by statistics.”<br />
- George Bernard Shaw<br />
Early last month we held our Bridge Policy Day event on<br />
Capitol Hill. It was an honor to have Senators, Congressmen,<br />
policy experts, and a victim of Boko Haram come and share<br />
their concerns and recommendations on ending the horrific<br />
bloodshed in Nigeria.<br />
I must say that it was very fulfilling to have figures of stature<br />
and influence attend and speak up for the persecuted.<br />
What’s even more fulfilling for me, though, is seeing<br />
ICC donors connect with the plight of the persecuted and the<br />
fruit that results as the broken and wounded are restored out<br />
in the field.<br />
It’s a day-to-day process, but you can see an example on<br />
page 14. Our donors have really gotten behind our Nigeria<br />
communal farming project, and we expect to care for up to<br />
7,500 Nigerian Christians in the coming year.<br />
Or, turn to page 10 to read about our work getting Scripture<br />
into places where it’s banned or restricted. The work of getting<br />
Bibles into the toughest places on earth always yields fruit,<br />
for God’s word is a two-edged sword and will always convert<br />
hearts over time.<br />
We build and we bandage the persecuted Church. This is the<br />
core of what we do. I feel blessed every day to be able to serve<br />
my brothers and sisters in this way and to do so in partnership<br />
with you.<br />
I think the reason it’s so fulfilling is that we are carrying out<br />
the Lord’s commands and fulfilling what’s on God’s own heart.<br />
His desire is to touch the despised, heal the broken, and take<br />
His word into the corners of the world where Satan works<br />
tirelessly to keep it out.<br />
Please join us as we bandage and build the persecuted Church.<br />
As always, your donations will be used efficiently, effectively,<br />
and ethically.<br />
Jeff King<br />
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News<br />
Remains of 20 Egyptian Martyrs<br />
Returned Home After Three-Year Wait<br />
1 | EGYPT On February 15, 2015, ISIS released a gruesome<br />
video depicting the beheading of 21 believers along<br />
the shores of Libya. All but one of these men were Copts<br />
who had travelled to Libya due to the lack of economic<br />
opportunities for Christians in Egypt. Though they knew<br />
of the terrorist activity in Libya, these men risked their<br />
safety in hopes of providing a better life for their families.<br />
For the affected families, the devastation of losing their<br />
loved ones was only deepened by not knowing what happened<br />
to their loved ones’ remains. Last October, Libyan<br />
authorities made the shocking announcement that the bodies<br />
were discovered in a mass grave. While the families<br />
hoped to bury their loved ones by the three-year anniversary<br />
of the murders in February, they instead marked this<br />
occasion with the opening of a church built in their honor.<br />
On May 14, after more than three long years of waiting, the<br />
remains of the 20 Egyptian martyrs were finally returned to<br />
their families.<br />
The next day, the families congregated at Church<br />
of the Martyrs of Faith and Homeland to lay the martyrs<br />
to rest. The church was initially built to honor<br />
the martyrs’ faith, but<br />
without the expectation<br />
that the remains<br />
would ever be discovered.<br />
Yet, the congregation<br />
built a burial<br />
place for their loved<br />
ones just in case they<br />
were ever found. The<br />
internment of the<br />
bodies proved to be<br />
a surreal moment for<br />
many of the families<br />
who expressed a mixture<br />
of grief, joy, and<br />
relief. One mother<br />
shared, “I will visit<br />
them every day at the<br />
church. We thank all<br />
people who stood up<br />
with us.”<br />
“Many Christians believe<br />
that the attacks were<br />
carried out by a wellconnected<br />
radical group.”<br />
Christians in Nepal Alarmed by Series<br />
of Attacks on Churches<br />
2 | NEPAL Nepal’s Christian community suffered a<br />
string of several church attacks in May that left many<br />
alarmed. On May 9, the Hebron Church in eastern<br />
Nepal was set ablaze. On May 10, Emmanuel Church<br />
in western Nepal was burned, followed shortly by the<br />
burning of Kanchanpur Emmanuel Church in midwestern<br />
Nepal on May 11. Lastly, Mahima Church in western<br />
Nepal was bombed on May 12. While the churches<br />
experienced severe property damage, thankfully no one<br />
was killed in the attacks.<br />
At the time of writing, authorities have made no<br />
arrests in relation to these attacks. Although they have<br />
not released an official statement, police have attributed<br />
the incidents to the Nepal Communist Party, also<br />
known as the Biplab Group. However, many Christian<br />
leaders throughout Nepal believe that the attacks were<br />
a coordinated effort by Hindu extremists across the<br />
country. Due to the similarity of the attacks, yet the<br />
geographic distance between them, many Christians<br />
believe that the attacks were carried out by a wellconnected<br />
radical group.<br />
The affected churches have also been underwhelmed<br />
by the response from authorities. Although police promised<br />
to investigate, the church leaders reported that they<br />
never received a response about their cases. The sudden<br />
influx of violence and laidback response from the<br />
authorities have left many Christians fearful that attacks<br />
of this nature will only increase.<br />
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Blasphemy Charges Against Pakistani Christian Man Dropped After Two Years<br />
3 | PAKISTAN Following two years of imprisonment, a Christian man named Usman Liaquat was cleared of blasphemy charges. Liaquat was arrested<br />
on May 23, 2016, after reporting an attack that left him with severe head injuries. One of the assailants’ cousin accused Liaquat of blasphemy, shifting<br />
authorities’ attention away from the assault. Liaquat was eventually acquitted due to a lack of evidence, yet he received no compensation for the<br />
unjust imprisonment. Following his release, Liaquat began working for the British Pakistani Christian Association. False accusations are common in<br />
Pakistan as radical Muslims often manipulate blasphemy laws to settle personal scores and discriminate against religious minorities.<br />
Interior Ministry Tightens Ramadan Restrictions<br />
4 | IRAQ On May 24, the Interior Ministry of Iraq’s Central<br />
Government issued a statement saying that it was “taking legal<br />
measures against people publicly breaking their Fast (during the<br />
day time) and referring them to the judiciary,” in reference to the<br />
Islamic holy month of Ramadan. If found in violation of the new<br />
restrictions, citizens could face up to six months in prison. Locals<br />
have reported that Muslim groups have begun implementing tighter<br />
restrictions even in neighborhoods that are primarily Christian.<br />
Such regulations can lead to business closures and often make it<br />
more difficult for displaced Christians to meet their basic needs.<br />
Evin Prison in Iran Sanctioned by U.S. Treasury<br />
5 | IRAN As previously reported, Iran’s notorious Evin Prison has<br />
long been condemned by organizations around the world for its<br />
egregious human rights violations. On May 30, the United States<br />
Treasury joined the international outcry by imposing sanctions on<br />
Evin Prison. At least 10 Christian converts are currently being held<br />
in Evin Prison where they suffer inhumane living conditions and<br />
often lengthy prison terms. According to a statement issued by the<br />
Treasury Department, “Prisoners held at Evin Prison are subject<br />
to brutal tactics inflicted by prison authorities, including sexual<br />
assaults, physical assaults, and electric shock.”<br />
On Tiananmen Anniversary, Chinese Government<br />
Detains Several Christians<br />
6 | CHINA On June 4, the 29th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown<br />
in China, local authorities raided Autumn Rain Covenant Church in<br />
Sichuan, China. During the raid, authorities took Pastor Wang Yi, his wife, four<br />
other preachers, and 11 other members of the church into custody. At the time<br />
of writing, the entire group is still being held and Pastor Wang Yi and his wife<br />
could not be contacted.<br />
Pastor Wang Yi has been harassed by the government several times prior<br />
to this incident. On May 12, he and several members of his congregation<br />
were detained leading up to a memorial service for those affected by the 2008<br />
Sichuan earthquake. The pastor, who is widely recognized for speaking out<br />
against the government’s crackdown on Christianity, has also been banned<br />
from participating in international Christian conferences on multiple occasions.<br />
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News<br />
Church Attack in Bangui Leaves the<br />
Central African Republic in Turmoil<br />
1 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC On May 1, an attack<br />
on a Catholic church in the Central African Republic<br />
(CAR) left at least 16 people dead. The ambush took place<br />
around 10:00 in the morning as the sound of gunshots and<br />
grenades rang in the church, creating a panic among the<br />
congregation. In addition to the 16 killed, approximately<br />
100 more were injured.<br />
Among the dead was Father Albert Toungoumalé-Baba<br />
(pictured) who was serving as the guest priest during the<br />
service that was attacked. World Watch Monitor (WWM)<br />
reports that the 71-year-old priest was well known for his<br />
commitment to bringing peace to CAR. He also served as<br />
the secretary of the Commission for Justice and Peace of<br />
the Archdiocese of Bangui.<br />
Another local priest recalled the shock of the violent<br />
attack. He told WWM, “We are all shocked, everybody<br />
is shocked. We don’t understand why. Why to kill people<br />
who are praying, just innocent people who are praying?”<br />
Although security forces confronted the attackers, they<br />
were outnumbered and unable to prevent the assault.<br />
For many, the recent attack evoked memories of an attack<br />
in May 2014 when rebels attacked the parish of Notre<br />
Dame de Fatima, killing 18, including the priest. Various<br />
religious and political leaders throughout the country have<br />
since spoken out to condemn the violent incident.<br />
Fifteen<br />
Christians<br />
Falsely Accused<br />
of Forced<br />
Conversion in<br />
India<br />
2 | INDIA In May, at<br />
least 15 Christians<br />
were falsely charged<br />
with forced conversion<br />
in India’s<br />
northeastern state of<br />
Jharkhand. Eleven<br />
of the 15 were<br />
charged after gathering<br />
for prayer in<br />
a private Christian<br />
home. Later that<br />
month, four more<br />
were charged,<br />
including a young<br />
Christian couple<br />
that was engaged<br />
to be married. The<br />
couple reached out<br />
to police after a<br />
local tribe opposed<br />
the wedding, but the<br />
police arrested the<br />
couple and two other<br />
Christians instead.<br />
Due to the vague<br />
terms laid out in<br />
India’s forced conversion<br />
laws, many<br />
Hindu radicals<br />
manipulate them to<br />
harass and intimidate<br />
Christians.<br />
Seven states in<br />
India have similar<br />
laws, which generally<br />
only lead to<br />
greater violence and<br />
discrimination.<br />
Two Men Assault Clergyman in<br />
Bethlehem<br />
3 | ISRAEL On June 1, a Franciscan friar was<br />
stabbed after he attempted to protect a group of<br />
pilgrim women from two men harassing them<br />
as they attempted to enter a church. Camera<br />
footage (as pictured) captured the men stabbing<br />
Father Fadi Shallufi through a closed gate as he<br />
attempted to calm the situation and prevent the<br />
men from entering the premises. The two assailants<br />
have confessed to the crime, but police have<br />
not released any additional information at the<br />
time of writing.<br />
Bishop Atallah Hannah published a statement<br />
shortly after the incident which read,<br />
“We thank God that the injury was minor, but<br />
this action is a criminal act that is far from our<br />
human, moral and national values. We reject<br />
attacks against clerics.”<br />
Another source within the church noted that,<br />
although attacks on clergy are rare, there is generally<br />
more tension and harassment on religious<br />
holidays and during times of political crisis. The<br />
stabbing took place during the Islamic holy month<br />
of Ramadan. Throughout the Muslim world, there<br />
is consistently an uptick in religiously motivated<br />
violence during the month of Ramadan.<br />
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Suicide Bombings at Three Churches in<br />
Indonesia Kill Thirteen<br />
4 | INDONESIA On May 13, suicide bombers attacked three churches<br />
in Indonesia: Saint Mary Immaculate Catholic Church, Surabaya<br />
Pentecostal Church, and Diponegoro Indonesian Christian Church.<br />
When the dust settled, 13 people were killed and more than 40 others<br />
were injured. The attackers, who were all related to one another, also<br />
reportedly tried to attack two other churches, but the bombs failed to<br />
detonate. This string of bombings marks the deadliest in Indonesia<br />
since the 2002 Bali bombings which killed more than 200.<br />
Japanese Christians Detained in China Safely<br />
Return Home<br />
5 | JAPAN Between May 5 and May 15, 21 members of a Christian<br />
group from Japan were detained in China for missionary activities.<br />
According to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all 21 have since<br />
returned home to Japan safely. Last November, in a similar case, the<br />
Chinese government deported 19 Japanese nationals who were affiliated<br />
with a Christian group. Such deportations are part of an ongoing<br />
attempt by Chinese authorities to eliminate evangelism efforts within<br />
the country.<br />
Suspected Fulani Militants Attack Seminary in Nigeria<br />
6 | NIGERIA Suspected Fulani militants recently attacked Sacred Heart Minor<br />
Seminary in Nigeria’s Taraba State. Thankfully, there were no reported deaths,<br />
but several were injured. During the attack, the militants beat two priests and<br />
shot another in the leg. Multiple students were also injured and property was<br />
destroyed, including several vehicles. Following the attack, those with injuries<br />
were taken to a medical center for treatment and the seminary issued a one-week<br />
break to provide the community time to cope with the trauma.<br />
The attack on this Catholic seminary took place only a few days after a mass<br />
burial of 19 Catholics who were killed in a church attack in April in Benue<br />
State. On the day of the burial, Catholics throughout Nigeria participated<br />
in protests to pressure the Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, to take<br />
greater action to protect Christians.<br />
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Your Dollars a<br />
ICC Helps a<br />
School Laid<br />
Waste by ISIS<br />
Community Rebuild<br />
Mar Aphram Syriac School, located in<br />
the heart of the Nineveh Plains in<br />
the largest primarily Christian village, was<br />
left in ruins after ISIS militants stole all<br />
of the school’s supplies and vandalized<br />
the property. ISIS destroyed the school as<br />
part of a campaign to erase the presence<br />
of Christianity in the Nineveh Plains along<br />
with all reminders of the region’s rich<br />
Christian history. Before ISIS invaded,<br />
more than 160 students attended the school,<br />
but enrollment has gradually fallen to only<br />
86 students. The dwindling of staff, students,<br />
and supplies has lead to many challenges<br />
so far in the <strong>2018</strong> school year.<br />
When ICC learned of the obstacles that<br />
Mar Aphram Syriac School was facing,<br />
we were excited to offer our support. With<br />
monies from ICC’s Community Rebuild<br />
Fund, we purchased supplies including<br />
computers, printers, school and office furniture,<br />
and stationery.<br />
The staff and students were thrilled to<br />
receive these supplies and quick to express<br />
their gratitude. Evan Baba, a secondary<br />
school teacher, shared, “I’m a teacher. I<br />
teach the Syriac Language. [ICC’s] role is<br />
very good in helping our school by providing<br />
some needed items... Although we are<br />
still in need for the explanatory laboratories<br />
that help the students, I would like to extend<br />
my thankfulness for providing these items<br />
to our school.”<br />
“On behalf of our school management, we<br />
would like to thank you, and we pray that God<br />
gives you help, strength, capability in helping<br />
our people’s need,” said Noel Polus, the<br />
school manager.<br />
Please pray for protection for the staff,<br />
students, and parents at Mar Aphram Syriac<br />
School. Ask the Lord to provide for all<br />
of their needs. Pray that the students will<br />
obtain a quality education and become both<br />
productive citizens and faithful disciples of<br />
Jesus Christ.<br />
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t Work<br />
Food and<br />
Medical Aid for<br />
Attack Victims<br />
Suffering Wives and Children<br />
On January 7, <strong>2018</strong>, a group of Hindu radicals<br />
attacked a group of Christians who<br />
had gathered for worship in Ganjam District,<br />
India. The attackers snatched the victims from<br />
the home and beat them, leaving several with<br />
severe injuries. The attack also created a significant<br />
financial burden due to costly medical<br />
bills and unpaid time off of work during their<br />
hospital stays.<br />
With the help of generous donors, ICC<br />
provided the affected families with food<br />
packages and financial assistance to ease the<br />
burden of their medical expenses. Four of the<br />
victims received medical aid, seven families<br />
received food packages, and 29 individuals<br />
received clothing. The aid has helped these<br />
families get back on their feet, alleviate debt,<br />
and provide basic necessities in the aftermath<br />
of the attack.<br />
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INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN<br />
Assistance for<br />
Evicted Pastors<br />
Underground Pastors<br />
In <strong>August</strong> of 2017, two pastors, Abdelrahim<br />
Nalu and Siddique Abdallah, of the Sudanese<br />
Presbyterian Evangelical Church were evicted<br />
from their homes. A Muslim investor in the<br />
area claimed ownership of their property and<br />
a judge upheld the order of eviction in the<br />
Supreme Court.<br />
Until March of <strong>2018</strong>, the two families were<br />
living under trees in the streets of Khartoum.<br />
ICC stepped in to provide them with rent<br />
as well as food staples to alleviate some of<br />
their day-to-day expenses. The two pastors<br />
have settled into their new homes, but their<br />
churches are not yet stable. Therefore, we continue<br />
to provide monthly support for medical<br />
care, rent, and food among the church leaders.<br />
The pastors’ families expressed that the<br />
project “has shown us that we are not alone;<br />
we have brothers and sisters who can stand by<br />
our side!” Please continue to pray for safety,<br />
endurance, and the success of their ministries.<br />
Small Business<br />
for Phoebo<br />
Suffering Wives and Children<br />
O<br />
n October 1, 2017, Pheobo Nabil lost her<br />
husband in a tragic car accident, leaving<br />
her to care for their large family singlehandedly.<br />
Pheobo’s family now consists of her elderly<br />
parents-in-law, two infants, and her disabled<br />
sister-in-law. She had no means to provide for<br />
them and, as a Christian woman in Egypt, job<br />
opportunities were severely limited.<br />
ICC has come alongside her in her suffering<br />
and made her dream of running a<br />
small fodder shop into a reality. Part of the<br />
lower level of her home was converted into<br />
a shop and we purchased fodder for her to<br />
sell. With the start-up costs covered, she<br />
has been able to earn money to provide for<br />
her family and expand her shop. Pheobo<br />
shared, “When my project was carried out, I<br />
thanked God so much for standing with me<br />
and my children and I felt that God hasn’t<br />
forgotten us, He always takes cares of us, He<br />
loves us so much.”<br />
9
Your Dollars a<br />
Balloons Carry<br />
the Gospel to<br />
North Korea<br />
Bibles for the Persecuted<br />
At the hands of the ruling Kim dynasty, the<br />
North Korean government has stripped<br />
its citizens of their most basic freedoms. The<br />
regime prevents Christians from exercising<br />
their religion and imposes cruel forms of punishment<br />
for those who openly practice their<br />
faith. The North Korean government considers<br />
Christians a threat to their power, portraying<br />
them as traitors for not being “loyal” to their<br />
leader. The regime has indoctrinated over<br />
20 million people in North Korea, including<br />
children, into worshipping their dictator and<br />
revering him as their god.<br />
This strategy to manipulate the populace<br />
includes bombarding citizens with propaganda,<br />
brainwashing children at a young age via<br />
a corrupt school system, and walling off the<br />
people from contact with the outside world.<br />
One defector confessed, “I always thought<br />
that God was a hypocrite, not real. I was<br />
taught God was bad and evil. Now I know<br />
that the bad guy hypocrite is Kim Jong Un.”<br />
With the serious risks for Christians in<br />
North Korea, some have escaped to South<br />
Korea and are eager to share the truth with<br />
those still trapped.<br />
ICC’s Bible Fund made it possible to team<br />
up with a group of Christian defectors to<br />
float balloons carrying Gospel materials over<br />
the border into North Korea. The materials<br />
are packed into plastic bags with timers and<br />
filled with Gospel pamphlets, USB drives,<br />
DVDs, pocket radios, and more. When the<br />
timing and the wind are favorable from the<br />
south to the north, the balloons are sent as<br />
often as possible.<br />
As of this writing, we have sent two sets<br />
of balloons with Gospel materials and other<br />
information from South Korea to North<br />
Korea. The balloon shipments have already<br />
encouraged several people to seek the truth,<br />
and we plan to continue these efforts.<br />
Following his escape to South Korea, one<br />
defector shared, “We began to doubt Kim<br />
Jong Un. We wanted to believe in God. We<br />
wanted to come to the free South Korea.<br />
We risked our lives to escape to South<br />
Korea. The balloons and leaflets showed<br />
us the truth.”<br />
The balloon project has proven successful,<br />
but there is still much to be done to reach<br />
those suffering under the brutal regime in<br />
North Korea. Please continue to pray for<br />
God’s provision so that we can continue to<br />
spread the Gospel in North Korea. Pray that<br />
the Lord will open the hearts of thousands of<br />
North Koreans to receive the gift of salvation<br />
and come to know the true God.<br />
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t Work<br />
Iraqi Family Gets Back Home and<br />
Back on Their Feet Post-ISIS<br />
Community Rebuild<br />
At the beginning of June, ICC helped a<br />
displaced Iraqi Christian re-establish his<br />
copy shop business. Like thousands of other<br />
Christians, he and his family were forced to<br />
flee Qaraqosh during the 2014 invasion by<br />
ISIS. His wife was nine months pregnant<br />
at the time and gave birth to their first son<br />
shortly after they fled the city. The family<br />
lived sparingly off of their savings throughout<br />
their displacement.<br />
After ISIS’ military defeat in 2017, the family<br />
returned to Qaraqosh where the husband<br />
had run a copy shop, a very successful type of<br />
business in Iraq since government paperwork<br />
is not completed electronically.<br />
Assistance from ICC enabled him to restart<br />
his business in the city he calls home, and to<br />
provide for his family. Happily, the day after<br />
ICC helped him re-establish the copy shop,<br />
his wife gave birth to their second son.<br />
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Transportation Assistance for<br />
Targeted Church Community<br />
Hand of Hope<br />
P<br />
astor Bernard, the founder of a church in<br />
West Java, Indonesia was imprisoned when<br />
a local group of radical Muslims reported him<br />
to the police for not having the proper permits<br />
to use his church’s building. To gain the support<br />
of the Muslim community, the authorities<br />
responded by shutting down the church and<br />
banning them from operating there indefinitely.<br />
Pastor Bernard has since found a new location<br />
for the church to operate on a school<br />
compound. Unfortunately, the new location<br />
is far away from the community that he has<br />
been leading. ICC was able to help ease the<br />
financial strain on this church congregation<br />
by providing three rental cars each Sunday<br />
to transport them to their new meeting place.<br />
11
Fund Spotligh<br />
ICC partners<br />
donate to bring<br />
God’s Word to<br />
where it’s<br />
scarce or<br />
even illegal<br />
In many persecuted countries, Christians<br />
are unable to obtain a Bible, either due<br />
to government restrictions or discrimination<br />
that leaves believers impoverished.<br />
Many new believers and lifelong<br />
Christians in such countries have<br />
never had a Bible to call their own. To<br />
help address the need, ICC developed<br />
its Bible Fund to make the Word of God more<br />
accessible all over the world.<br />
Commonly referred to as the “North<br />
Korea of Africa,” the nation of Eritrea has<br />
one of the most restrictive governments<br />
in the world. Believers must practice their<br />
faith in secrecy and are restricted in their<br />
access to Christian literature. If found in<br />
violation of the government’s strict religious<br />
restrictions, believers may be sent to one of<br />
Eritrea’s underground prisons or shipping<br />
container jail cells, where prisoners experience<br />
inhumane, torturous living conditions.<br />
While written Bibles are difficult to<br />
smuggle into a country like Eritrea, ICC has<br />
found an alternative through audio Bibles.<br />
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t: Bibles for the Persecuted<br />
Left: Government restrictions and the<br />
imprisonment of Christian leaders cause<br />
many Eritrean believers to go underground.<br />
Above: Believers in Bangladesh receive<br />
the first Bibles they’ve ever owned.<br />
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In February, ICC provided a local partner<br />
with 75 audio Bibles to distribute among<br />
local pastors and Christian families. These<br />
digital resources are easy to conceal and can<br />
be erased if necessary. Audio Bibles have provided<br />
many believers with a safe method of<br />
owning and sharing the Word of God.<br />
One of the main obstacles that believers in<br />
Bangladesh encounter is poverty due to severe<br />
discrimination. Constantly harassed, many are<br />
forced to practice their faith in rural, private<br />
homes and are unable to purchase a Bible of<br />
their own. In response, ICC purchased 50 new<br />
Bibles to distribute among new believers in<br />
Sathkira District and Bagherhat District. For<br />
many of the recipients, this was their first Bible.<br />
One believer shared with ICC that, once<br />
a week, an evangelist visited his village to<br />
preach. Because he lacked a Bible of his<br />
own, he was unable to study God’s Word<br />
between the evangelist’s visits. When he<br />
received a Bible from ICC, he said, “Now I<br />
can read the Bible every day to learn more<br />
about Christ and will share the Good News<br />
with my neighbors also.”<br />
ICC has joined hands with Christian communities<br />
all over the world, from Laos to India<br />
to North Korea, to share the Good News. This<br />
work would not be possible without the generous<br />
support of donors.<br />
If you would like to donate to help share<br />
the Gospel or learn more about ICC’s<br />
Bible Fund, please visit<br />
www.persecution.org or give<br />
us a call at 1-800-ICC-5441.<br />
13
ICC Donors<br />
Sow Life for<br />
Survivors of<br />
Deadly Fulani<br />
Violence<br />
Christians in Nigeria are suffering, but with<br />
your help, communal farms are under way<br />
to restore villagers’ livelihoods.<br />
By Nathan Johnson<br />
At the start<br />
of <strong>2018</strong>,<br />
I began<br />
writing<br />
monthly<br />
reports<br />
on the<br />
escalating<br />
number<br />
of<br />
Christians murdered by Fulani<br />
Muslim militants in Nigeria. I saw<br />
events spiraling out of control, and<br />
now six months later, the staggering<br />
death toll confirms the desperate situation:<br />
More than 1300 Christians<br />
have been slain so far this year.<br />
Just last week Fulani militants<br />
killed 86 unarmed Christians in<br />
attacks in the Barikin Ladi area of<br />
Plateau State.<br />
As I traveled to Nigeria’s Middle<br />
Belt region and worked with the<br />
massive number of victims on the<br />
ground, it became increasingly clear<br />
that we could do more to serve<br />
them. When I discussed the picture<br />
with Jeff King, ICC’s president, we<br />
were both struck by a simple solution<br />
that was staring us in the face.<br />
Our previous aid projects that<br />
focused on getting the farmer-victims<br />
back to work had worked well<br />
and were all very low cost. That’s<br />
when we decided to launch our<br />
Nigerian farming project (see box).<br />
When the word went out to ICC<br />
donors, the response was immediate<br />
and generous. Our donors have<br />
given 60% of the needed funding<br />
for the 10 farms we will build out.<br />
All we need is $40,000 more to<br />
provide food and a livelihood for<br />
as many as 7,000 believers! We’ve<br />
already started work on the first two<br />
farms and are making arrangements<br />
to build out the rest.<br />
Samuel Kila, a victim who will<br />
benefit from the first communal<br />
farm, told ICC, “…the Fulani<br />
came, and three of my brothers<br />
were killed. They left their families<br />
behind, which we are suffering to<br />
take care of. I appreciate very much<br />
what ICC has brought for us.”<br />
Through the prayers, commitment<br />
and financial giving of ICC<br />
partners, Samuel’s family and<br />
many others like them will now<br />
have the means to provide for<br />
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Communal Farms for Attack Survivors<br />
One farm serves between 50 and 75 families, providing work,<br />
food, and income for a year. The total cost for one farm is $12,500.<br />
• $ 5 | Plantlings for 1/5 acre<br />
• $ 1,250 | Clear 100 acres<br />
• $ 20 | One herbicide sprayer<br />
• $ 30 | Food and farming for<br />
one person for a year<br />
• $ 100 | Four 50 kg bags of<br />
fertilizer<br />
• $ 5,000 | Plow and<br />
harrow 100 acres<br />
• $ 12,500 | Sponsor an<br />
entire farm (Serve up to<br />
750 Christians)<br />
Giving Options<br />
Check: Use the enclosed envelope.<br />
Write “Nigeria Crisis” in the memo line.<br />
Phone: Call ICC at 800-422-5441<br />
Online: Visit persecution.org/nigeria-crisis<br />
Top: Two sons of a man killed in the first<br />
village ICC is helping.<br />
Left: Tractors prepares land for two of<br />
the communal farms.<br />
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Above: Many Christian farmers have<br />
been pushed off their family lands by the<br />
Fulani violence; ICC is helping them set<br />
up new farms in safer areas in Nigeria.<br />
those they love.<br />
When I asked Jeff to comment further, he<br />
replied: “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate<br />
your practical care for your brothers and<br />
sisters in Nigeria. We have been building and<br />
bandaging Christians victims and communities<br />
in Nigeria for years, but this project is<br />
the most efficient and life-sustaining project<br />
we’ve ever done.<br />
The only reason we can do it is because of<br />
you. ICC has nothing on its own. We work<br />
with you as partners. You have the desire<br />
and funds to help but lack the hands and<br />
feet on the ground. Together, we work as<br />
the body of Christ and fulfill His mandate<br />
to serve and rebuild the lives of thousands<br />
and thousands of Christians that have been<br />
absolutely decimated.<br />
Early in my ICC career, I provided funds to<br />
help the family of an assassinated believer in<br />
Pakistan rebuild their lives. After I handed her<br />
the gift, Mrs. Muhktar and I stood face to face.<br />
I held her hands as she stared into my eyes and<br />
thanked me in the most sincere and profound<br />
way. I will never forget it.<br />
I wish I could transport you to Nigeria so<br />
you could experience first-hand this same<br />
gratitude that your brother and sister would<br />
express to you. They have lost their earthly<br />
wealth and more importantly their loved ones.<br />
We can’t bring back their family members, but<br />
we can partially rebuild their lives. For that,<br />
they are immensely grateful.”<br />
15
THE NINEVEH PLAINS<br />
BLOSSOM AGAIN<br />
An area rich in Christian history became the heart of ISIS’ caliphate, but<br />
as Iraq’s displaced Christians return, a radical transformation is underway.<br />
By Claire Evans<br />
2017<br />
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<strong>2018</strong><br />
Left:<br />
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“<br />
The Christians of Iraq<br />
are like the rose in the<br />
orchard… This land<br />
is a Christian history,”<br />
said Anwar. He is from<br />
Qaraqosh, the largest<br />
Christian city in Iraq’s<br />
Nineveh Plains. The<br />
Christian history of Iraq<br />
is evident throughout<br />
the Nineveh Plains. The tombs of prophets<br />
such as Jonah and Nahum are easily<br />
found. Centuries-old monasteries such as St.<br />
Hormozd and Mar Matta stand boldly on<br />
mountaintops overlooking the Plains. Large<br />
crosses dot the landscape in many villages. In<br />
contrast to Iraq’s barren desert in the south,<br />
the Nineveh Plains is lush with greenery.<br />
Some describe the area as the place where<br />
“Heaven and earth meet.”<br />
As ISIS Advances Christians<br />
Flee by the Thousands<br />
Life in the Nineveh Plains radically changed<br />
in 2014, when ISIS swept through the countryside.<br />
Mosul, the de facto capital of the governorate,<br />
was captured in June 2014. Less than<br />
five kilometers away, residents of Qaraqosh<br />
looked on with fear as Christians began fleeing<br />
Mosul. Everyone from Qaraqosh vividly<br />
remembers the day in <strong>August</strong> when they also<br />
were displaced by ISIS.<br />
“My father died just two days before ISIS<br />
attacked,” recalled Noora. “We were at the<br />
funeral for the third day when ISIS attacked…<br />
[I told the kids] we were leaving to have a<br />
picnic. But day after day they were asking<br />
about their bedrooms, and [then] they realized<br />
this was ISIS.”<br />
“The day we ran from Qaraqosh, my wife<br />
was at the last month of pregnancy and I<br />
didn’t own a car… My wife gave birth on the<br />
4th day of displacement. I didn’t have a place,<br />
neither money to buy clothes for our baby nor<br />
milk and diapers. That was the worst feeling<br />
someone can ever feel. Although I used to sell<br />
milk and diapers for many years, I couldn’t<br />
maintain its availability for my child because<br />
of this evil,” remembered Akrum.<br />
Zain had an experience similar to Akrum.<br />
He shared, “My wife was pregnant at the<br />
ninth month when ISIS attacked our city in<br />
2014. It was hard to flee with that situation.”<br />
Milad recalled, “The day ISIS attacked<br />
Qaraqosh, I was attending a mass and the<br />
From a desolate street to<br />
a thriving block, this region in<br />
Qaraqosh is an example of how the<br />
area is continuously rebuilding itself<br />
after ISIS control.<br />
17
Below: Although some of the buildings in Qaraqosh have new<br />
walls and progress is being made, the visible aftermath of ISIS<br />
destruction remains evident.<br />
Right: Qaraqosh residents get drinking water from a well<br />
provided by ICC.<br />
Opposite: ICC paid for heavy equipment to refill a tunnel that<br />
ISIS had dug on the property of one Christian farmer. The tunnel<br />
prevented the farmer from irrigating his land.<br />
priest advised people within the ceremony not<br />
to leave. After the mass finished, the shelling<br />
increased. So we left.”<br />
More than 100,000 Christians would flee<br />
the Nineveh Plains, with most finding shelter<br />
wherever possible in Kurdistan. A handful of<br />
Christians, however, chose to stay behind.<br />
Located in the heart of the Nineveh Plains,<br />
the monks at Mar Matta Monastery bravely<br />
gave shelter to those who couldn’t flee all<br />
the way north. Although the monastery is a<br />
geographical fortress, there was concern that<br />
ISIS’s destructive ideology would reach those<br />
seeking shelter there.<br />
“We felt that they would reach the monastery,<br />
and that they would explode the monastery,”<br />
said Fr. Youssif, a monk at Mar Matta. “They<br />
shot at us with three mortar bombs, and they fell<br />
near the village. At that time, it was so crowded.<br />
People were attending with us the Stations of the<br />
Holy Cross in the monastery. But no one cared.<br />
Faith prevented them from being frightened.”<br />
Faith would carry Iraq’s Christians through<br />
the times of crisis during ISIS’s reign. Many<br />
saw ISIS as waging a war against the Christian<br />
history of the Nineveh Plains, which in turn<br />
motivated them to keep their faith alive. One<br />
journalist, Samer, hid in Mosul and used his<br />
faith as an inspiration to document the crimes<br />
of ISIS. “I felt like ISIS was trying to remove<br />
our history, and that’s why I worked on the<br />
documentation… This documentation was a<br />
result of my faith… They cannot remove that<br />
history because we feel that history is on our<br />
hearts, not just on any of the buildings.”<br />
It is for the continued preservation of this<br />
history of faith that many Christians have<br />
decided to rebuild—even while thousands of<br />
other believers have permanently fled Iraq.<br />
Such was the case with Milad. He said, “On<br />
November 13, 2014, we left to Jordan. [But]<br />
alienation was too hard for me and to my wife<br />
from the first day. My wife told me that she<br />
would rather have just water and bread in Iraq<br />
than immigrating. Also, there was a school<br />
allocated for Iraqi students in Jordan where we<br />
lived for three months and whenever students<br />
sang the Iraqi anthem in that school my wife<br />
started crying. So we went back to Iraq [in]<br />
February 2015.”<br />
Gradual Return to a City<br />
Decimated, Deserted<br />
By 2017, it was apparent that ISIS was only<br />
months away from its eventual military defeat.<br />
A small number of Christians began returning,<br />
but were overwhelmed at the destruction left<br />
behind. “Before ISIS, Qaraqosh was heaven.”<br />
When asked why she chose to live there,<br />
Noora said, “We were looking for kindness,<br />
because that is hard to find [in Iraq]. It was<br />
something that had encouraged me to live in<br />
Qaraqosh [before ISIS].”<br />
But all of this was missing when Noora<br />
returned to Qaraqosh last year. The city was<br />
largely deserted, buildings destroyed, the<br />
streets desolate. “It was dusty, and there are<br />
no services. If a human wants to do something<br />
there, he can’t do it. Unless he has the support,<br />
it cannot be achieved, so Qaraqosh needs a lot<br />
of different parts to come together and make<br />
it great again.”<br />
Noora left Qaraqosh a month after returning,<br />
and will return after more progress is made on<br />
reconstruction. Many others, like Milad, have<br />
committed to returning and rebuilding. He<br />
returned home to Qaraqosh in early 2017,<br />
determined that he “would be in Qaraqosh<br />
again, just if there was water and electricity.<br />
We will build the city again.”<br />
An agricultural engineer by trade, Milad<br />
reopened his store on main street with ICC’s<br />
help. “It was great starting. I became famous<br />
since I was the first shop starting again in<br />
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Qaraqosh, and that encouraged people to come<br />
back… The day when we left to Jordan, I<br />
never thought that I will see Qaraqosh again…<br />
I am so excited to be back.”<br />
Hope Rises as Residents<br />
Flow Back to Qaraqosh<br />
A year later, the Nineveh Plains has undergone<br />
a radical transformation. Although public<br />
services are still lacking and several buildings<br />
remain uninhabitable, life has returned. When<br />
Milad first opened his store, main street was<br />
deserted. Today, it bustles with activity.<br />
“Qaraqosh is back, but still it needs a lot<br />
of development in regards to infrastructure<br />
and public services. At least we can gather<br />
evenings with our relatives in the homeland,”<br />
said Milad.<br />
Father Youssif from Mar Matta has also<br />
stayed in Iraq, although for different reasons.<br />
He said, “I have stayed because the shepherd<br />
should stay with the sheep. It is our faith that<br />
keeps us with them. We are always looking<br />
for a hope for our future. We know it is so difficult…<br />
but we should try.”<br />
At the time of writing in June, it is estimated<br />
that nearly half of Qaraqosh’s residents have<br />
returned home.<br />
Akrum, whose wife gave birth just days<br />
after their displacement, is among those who<br />
have come home to Qaraqosh. When ICC<br />
first met Akrum, he talked about how he<br />
“would love to start working in Qaraqosh<br />
again and restart [his] market there.” He was<br />
shocked when ICC offered to help him. He<br />
said, “When I got the call, I couldn’t believe<br />
myself, I was so excited.” Today, Akrum’s<br />
shop is filled with customers. He serves an<br />
average of 100 customers daily, and is the sole<br />
“We will<br />
build the<br />
city again.”<br />
– MILAD<br />
grocery for the 300 people who live nearby.<br />
Zain, whose wife gave birth shortly after displacement,<br />
has also returned to Qaraqosh along<br />
with his now four-year-old son. ICC helped<br />
Zain restart his copy shop, a small business that<br />
helps customers make duplicates of important<br />
paperwork. The implementation of this project<br />
coincided with unexpected joy. Zain said, “My<br />
wife gave birth yesterday. We had Smith, our<br />
second son, and I started the shop today after<br />
closure of three years. We as Qaraqosh citizens<br />
believe it is message from God that the work<br />
and income is because of the newborn.”<br />
ISIS sought the death of Christianity in<br />
the Nineveh Plains, but new life is blooming<br />
there every day. True, there is much work to<br />
be done if the region is ever to fully recover.<br />
Residents remain concerned about security.<br />
Many Christians have permanently left Iraq,<br />
and others are hesitant to return home unless<br />
more is rebuilt. Yet, as so many have demonstrated<br />
through the history of the Nineveh<br />
Plains, much hope is to be found in the resilience<br />
of Iraq’s Christians. Said one Christian,<br />
“Even with the difficulties we are experiencing,<br />
we feel like there is a psychological part<br />
that can motivate us to live… I feel like my<br />
soul is in Iraq.”<br />
ICC Projects<br />
in the Region<br />
Although many Christians<br />
have returned to the<br />
Nineveh Plains, there is<br />
still a significant need<br />
for stable public utility<br />
services and economic<br />
revitalization. ICC has<br />
contributed to these<br />
needs by creating seven<br />
small businesses and<br />
digging six water wells,<br />
all in the first half of <strong>2018</strong>.<br />
Many residents still lack<br />
sustainable sources of<br />
income and consistent,<br />
clean water. You can<br />
join ICC in helping these<br />
families rebuild Qaraqosh:<br />
• $100 will provide<br />
shelving for local<br />
markets to sell their<br />
goods<br />
• $140 will provide a<br />
small welding machine<br />
for plumbing or<br />
smithing businesses<br />
• $400 will provide one<br />
printer for a copy shop<br />
business<br />
• $1,300 will build one<br />
well, providing a<br />
reliable source of water<br />
to at least 10 families<br />
To learn more about how you<br />
can make a difference through<br />
ICC’s work in Iraq, give us a<br />
call at 800-ICC-5441 or visit<br />
persecution.org and consider<br />
donating today.<br />
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19
ISIS<br />
Sinks Its<br />
Teeth<br />
into<br />
Indonesia<br />
An ISIS-affiliated family bombs three churches in<br />
Indonesia; ICC offers encouragement and medical<br />
help to traumatized children and families.<br />
By Meg McEwan<br />
Shrapnel, flames, and screams<br />
cut across three church sanctuaries<br />
in Surabaya, East Java on<br />
May 13, the result of a familyled<br />
suicide bomb mission that<br />
rocked the Christian community<br />
in Indonesia.<br />
The Sunday morning began<br />
like any other for the families<br />
that gathered together in their<br />
tranquil places of worship. The daily plight of<br />
these Christians in Indonesia melted away as they<br />
joined together with tender hugs, heartfelt prayers,<br />
and warm smiles. While they greeted each other<br />
and found their seats, a family of six belonging<br />
to the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), a radical<br />
group linked to the Islamic State, gathered for a<br />
different reason.<br />
According to the National Police Chief General,<br />
Tito Karnavian, a father dropped off his wife and two<br />
young daughters (ages 9 and 12) at the Diponegoro<br />
Indonesian Christian Church before heading toward<br />
Surabaya Pentecostal Church. The first explosion<br />
took place at Saint Mary Immaculate Catholic<br />
Church, initiated by his two sons (ages 16 and 18)<br />
carrying a lap-bomb on a motorcycle. The other two<br />
followed soon after. The attackers also planted bombs<br />
at Saint Jacob’s Church in West Surabaya and Sacred<br />
Heart of Jesus Cathedral, but they failed to explode.<br />
The Islamic State later claimed official responsibility<br />
for these attacks.<br />
When the dust settled, the death count rose to 13<br />
deaths and more than 50 wounded. The Surabaya<br />
bombings are the deadliest in Indonesia since the<br />
2002 Bali bombings, and they signal a mounting rise<br />
in hostility toward Christians in Indonesia.<br />
“I am really sad about this,” shared Pastor<br />
Yonathan Biantoro, a pastor at Surabaya Pentecostal<br />
Church, in an interview with ICC, “We as members<br />
of this church really hope that we would have a<br />
peaceful environment when we are in our devotion.<br />
We want the government to protect us with our<br />
constitutional rights and we are concerned about our<br />
religious freedom.” Yonathan is heartbroken over<br />
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Above: May 13: Indonesian President Joko Widodo surveys the aftermath of multiple suicide bombings<br />
in Surabaya. Photo: Press Bureau of the Secretariat of the President of Indonesia<br />
Below: May 14: The Mayor of Surabaya, Tri Rismaharini, meets with relatives of the victims of the Surabaya<br />
bombings. Photo: Surabaya Municipal Police<br />
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21
Top Right: Alvaro undergoes skin<br />
grafting and skin-regrowing procedures<br />
to treat his burns after the Samarinda<br />
bombing.<br />
Bottom Right: Children celebrate<br />
forgiveness during Easter celebration.<br />
Opposite: Trinity, one of the children<br />
injured in the Samarinda bombing.<br />
the deaths of three church staff members who<br />
were severely burned.<br />
“They try to create fear in us; instead we<br />
grow, trust, and hope in Him. God is still in<br />
control; our churches united in prayers and<br />
believe God’s will be done on earth as it is in<br />
Heaven. The gates of hell and its power cannot<br />
conquer His church,” Budi Setiawan, the<br />
National Superintendent of the Assembly of<br />
God in Indonesia, shared with ICC.<br />
Indonesia continues to be a hotbed of terrorism,<br />
spelling danger for Christians. The<br />
Surabaya attack followed another large-scale<br />
bombing on November 13, 2016 in Samarinda.<br />
There four terrorists bombed the Ouikumene<br />
building housing five churches.<br />
Tragically, the children at Ouikumene were<br />
the most affected because they were playing<br />
outside when the bomb detonated. Three children<br />
received extensive tissue damage from<br />
the heat: Alvaro, Trinity, and Anita. One child,<br />
Intan, died the day after the attack.<br />
ICC Provides for Ministry to<br />
Kids at Bombed Church<br />
ICC visited the site in Samarinda in April<br />
<strong>2018</strong> to assess the damage and learn how ICC<br />
could help. We found that the Ouikumene<br />
children continue to struggle with psychological<br />
fallout from the bombing in 2016. In the<br />
aftermath of the bombing, the children were<br />
too afraid to attend Sunday School.<br />
ICC threw an Easter celebration for the<br />
children to encourage them in the love of Jesus<br />
and lifing up prayers for the bombers. ICC<br />
provided supplies and gifts for the celebration<br />
and the children’s Sunday School. During the<br />
event, the Sunday School teacher shared how<br />
Jesus taught Peter to forgive 70 times seven<br />
times and how Jesus forgave the men who<br />
unjustly nailed him to a cross.<br />
“I’m glad to know that so many people are<br />
praying for us and giving their love. These<br />
children need some consoling in their lives,<br />
and your organization answers their needs.<br />
Thank you so much ICC!” said Marsyana,<br />
Alvaro’s mother.<br />
Sarina, Trinity’s mother, said, “We thank<br />
ICC for this present that you gave to the kids.<br />
We pray that your ministry will continue to<br />
exist and help people who are in need. Pray<br />
for us so we can face the day ahead. We<br />
believe that God will never leave us alone.<br />
“They try to<br />
create fear in<br />
us; instead we<br />
grow, trust,<br />
and hope in<br />
Him.”<br />
– BUDI SETIAWAN<br />
He is faithful. Through an accident, I encounter<br />
God. I have a personal experience with<br />
God and it strengthens me in all my ways. He<br />
is good all the time.”<br />
Children Endure Ongoing<br />
Medical Treatments<br />
Alvaro, Trinity, and Anita embarked on<br />
a different journey after the bombing. They<br />
struggled through complex surgeries, many<br />
of which were beyond their parents’ means.<br />
The explosion melted Alfaro’s ears and<br />
severely burned the skin on his head. He is in<br />
the process of receiving balloon treatments<br />
(a medical treatment for growing new skin)<br />
and will be receiving hand surgery. Anita is<br />
receiving treatment for minor burns on her<br />
hands and head.<br />
Trinity’s injuries were the most severe.<br />
She has burns on her arms, fingers, and<br />
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upper torso. Approximately 60% of her skin<br />
was mutilated by the burns. A businessman<br />
and friend in Jakarta connected Trinity<br />
with a skilled doctor in China, but the<br />
doctor informed her mom that the surgeries<br />
would cost one billion rupiahs (almost<br />
$80,000 USD). She was able to travel to<br />
China in September and November and<br />
received a balloon injection in Jakarta.<br />
Even in the midst of her pain, Trinity’s<br />
spirit and smile shines Jesus’s love on others<br />
in every place that she visits.<br />
“We really see how God helps us. Every<br />
time Trinity is in the hospital she finds a lot<br />
of friends. I even don’t understand,” said<br />
Sarina, “Once, she had a friend next to her<br />
bed in the hospital. They were both laughing<br />
with each other and watching a movie,<br />
even when they [spoke] different languages.<br />
Another time, there was a patient with kidney<br />
failure who frequently came to the hospital<br />
for dialysis. Every time she came to the<br />
hospital, she visited Trinity. She said that, in<br />
her condition, Trinity was very cheering.”<br />
Trinity’s progress continues to bode well<br />
for her recovery, but she will be receiving<br />
ongoing treatments. Many individuals,<br />
including ICC, have stepped in to alleviate<br />
the costs of her surgeries.<br />
Roots of Jihadism and<br />
Violence in Indonesia<br />
These two tragedies in Southeast Asia<br />
stem from the larger ideological conflict in<br />
the Middle East. Religious persecution in<br />
Indonesia sprang out of Saudi Arabia’s campaign<br />
to radicalize Islamist powers surrounding<br />
the Persian Gulf in the late 20th century.<br />
Saudi Arabia poured approximately $100<br />
billion into the spread of jihadism.<br />
The radicalization in Indonesia and other<br />
countries did not hit the Western radar<br />
until 1998 when a Muslim imam escalated<br />
a localized fight between Muslim and<br />
Christian teenagers and called his followers<br />
to wage war on Christians. The Muslims<br />
murdered 10,000 Christians and burned<br />
1,200 churches.<br />
Today, factions linked to ISIS thrive in<br />
Indonesia. The family responsible for the<br />
attacks in Surabaya claimed to be a part of<br />
the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), an ISIS<br />
sub-faction formed in 2015. The presence of<br />
this group and others means that Christians are<br />
under constant threat.<br />
As ICC continues to connect with victims<br />
and families in Surabaya and assist with medical<br />
expenses and other needs, we invite you to<br />
pray for recovering victims and the Church at<br />
large in Indonesia.<br />
23
Feature Article<br />
The Secret Fate of Christians<br />
in Iran’s Evin Prison<br />
Christians<br />
often disappear<br />
within the secret<br />
wards of Evin<br />
Prison.<br />
By Claire Evans<br />
Nestled within the hills of<br />
northern Tehran, Evin<br />
Prison is a visible reminder<br />
of old and new wounds.<br />
The prison rose to prominence<br />
after Iran’s 1979<br />
Revolution, when the new<br />
government began detaining<br />
individuals associated with the monarchy. As<br />
time passed, it became evident that Evin Prison<br />
would remain the primary jail for perceived<br />
threats to the regime, including Christians.<br />
Although Iran’s constitution recognizes the<br />
freedom of religion, the regime does not recognize<br />
any Christian who came to faith after<br />
the revolution. As a country that characterizes<br />
itself as Shia Islamic, all other religions are<br />
viewed as threats towards Iran. For this reason,<br />
many Christians are charged with “acting<br />
against national security” and are thus incarcerated<br />
in Evin Prison.<br />
Evin Prison is not just a place. It is a concept<br />
built around Iran’s underground prison<br />
system. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard<br />
Corps and the Ministry of Intelligence and<br />
Security have a number of unofficial wards<br />
located within Evin. The prison is known by<br />
many names: the regime’s torture factory, hell<br />
on earth, and a prison within a prison.<br />
Believers who are imprisoned at Evin can<br />
expect to receive the worst treatment of all<br />
the inmates. “Christians held in Evin are<br />
subjected to physical and verbal abuse by not<br />
only the authorities but also by some other<br />
Muslim inmates. They are denied access to<br />
Bibles, phone calls and family visits. Evin<br />
Prison is run by the intelligence who behave<br />
in complete impunity. It is one of the worst<br />
places of detention in Iran, especially for<br />
those who converted from Islam,” said Mena<br />
of Christian Solidarity Worldwide. By incarcerating<br />
Christians within the secret parallel<br />
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Feature Article<br />
“Christians held in Evin are subjected to physical and verbal abuse by<br />
not only the authorities but also by some other Muslim inmates.”<br />
– MENA, CHRISTIAN SOLIDARITY WORLDWIDE<br />
institutions of Evin Prison, the<br />
Iranian regime is attempting to<br />
remove the face and personhood<br />
of believers.<br />
However, there is power in<br />
speaking on behalf of those<br />
imprisoned. “If a prisoner’s case<br />
got attention, they stopped torturing<br />
or raping them because<br />
they knew the world was watching.<br />
We heard of many cases<br />
of prisoners who had no voice<br />
outside, and many things happened<br />
to them,” a former prisoner,<br />
Marziyeh Amirizadeh, told<br />
World Watch Monitor.<br />
While there are so many cases<br />
of Christians entrapped in Evin<br />
Prison, three prisoners in particular<br />
stand out as needing prayer.<br />
At the time of this writing in<br />
June, Mehrdad Houshmad and<br />
his wife have been detained in<br />
Evin Prison for ten months. They<br />
attended a funeral service and<br />
were filmed at the service saying<br />
“prayers based on Christian<br />
teachings.” Their IDs were confiscated,<br />
and a few days later the<br />
couple was arrested, interrogated,<br />
and imprisoned within one of<br />
Evin’s secret wards. They have<br />
disappeared within the system,<br />
their fate unclear.<br />
A more recent addition to<br />
Evin Prison is Naser Navard<br />
Goltapeh. He was arrested last<br />
summer and convicted based<br />
on secret evidence produced<br />
by the Intelligence Ministry.<br />
He will serve a 10-year sentence<br />
in Evin Prison. Shortly<br />
after beginning his sentence<br />
in January, his health began<br />
deteriorating; unfortunately,<br />
this is not unusual. Dr. Hormoz<br />
Shariat, president and founder<br />
of Iran Alive Ministries,<br />
explained, “Usually, the first<br />
month or two, there is torture to<br />
get all the information they can<br />
from the prisoner. If the prisoner<br />
dies under torture, they claim<br />
that he committed suicide.”<br />
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Opposite: The regime regularly imprisons believers as part of<br />
its attempt to eradicate Christianity from Iran.<br />
Top: Many of Iran’s Christians end up in the notorious Evin<br />
Prison, ‘the regime’s torture factory.’<br />
Bottom: Iran views Christians as cultural dissidents and<br />
imprisonment and inhumane treatment as their due.<br />
Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz is<br />
another victim of Evin Prison. He<br />
has been arrested multiple times<br />
and recently lost his appeal of a<br />
10-year prison sentence. He was<br />
previously released from Evin on<br />
bail, but now he awaits a phone<br />
call that will tell him when and<br />
what prison to report to. It is<br />
unclear when he will begin serving<br />
his sentence. However, given<br />
the authorities’ history of sending<br />
Pastor Bet-Tamraz to Evin Prison,<br />
it is possible that he will return.<br />
It is known that at least ten<br />
Christian converts are serving<br />
their sentences in Evin Prison.<br />
The actual number is most likely<br />
much higher. Six Christians have<br />
been either temporarily released<br />
from Evin on bail or their judicial<br />
status is unclear. Most of these<br />
prisoners will serve an average<br />
sentence length of nine years – a<br />
time of extreme hardship.<br />
“Most of the arrested individuals<br />
are coerced to divulge information<br />
about their house-church<br />
activities and those of their<br />
friends, under threat of criminal<br />
prosecution or arrest of family<br />
members… Therefore, the case<br />
of every arrested Iranian believer<br />
is of utmost importance,” said Dr.<br />
Mike Ansari from Heart4Iran.<br />
Evin Prison exists to erase<br />
anything the regime perceives<br />
as a threat. By incarcerating<br />
Christians here, Iran hopes to<br />
abolish Christianity through brutality<br />
and fear. However, it is<br />
through the testimonies of those<br />
who have kept the faith that so<br />
many Iranians are converting to<br />
Christianity. We must pray for<br />
the safety of those in Evin Prison,<br />
that their hardship may be eased.<br />
But we must also publicly name<br />
those imprisoned there. For naming<br />
them introduces international<br />
accountability, and Iran’s regime<br />
will realize that they cannot<br />
use secret prisons to extinguish<br />
Christianity from the country.<br />
25
ICC’s Policy Day<br />
Sheds Light on<br />
Brutal Attacks<br />
on Christian<br />
Villagers in<br />
Nigeria<br />
By Matias Perttula<br />
Muslim Fulani militants are attacking<br />
and massacring Christian farmers<br />
in the Nigerian Middle belt with<br />
increasing vehemence and near impunity.<br />
International Christian Concern<br />
addressed the situation at its annual<br />
Policy Day on June 5, opening dialogue<br />
between speakers and panelists<br />
at the U.S. Capitol building.<br />
Policymakers, experts, NGO leaders,<br />
and Nigerians spoke with unanimous concession, calling for immediate<br />
action from the Nigerian government.<br />
The carnage exceeds 1300 deaths in <strong>2018</strong> as the uninhibited wave of<br />
violence advances across the region. The Nigerian government has the<br />
means to end the killing spree, yet internal conflicts of interest have so<br />
far stalled action. Only recently, with pressure from President Trump,<br />
did President Buhari of Nigeria finally acknowledge and condemn one<br />
of the attacks that resulted in the deaths of two priests and nearly 20<br />
worshipers in Benue state.<br />
Speakers: Members of Congress, Nigeria<br />
Experts, and a Victim of Boko Haram<br />
Nearly every speaker at Policy Day highlighted the need for security<br />
guarantees in Nigeria to counter the threat that increased radicalization<br />
poses on the stability of its democracy. While many factors contribute<br />
to the conflict—population growth, ethnic differences, grazing rights,<br />
lack of security infrastructure, and more —it is clear that Fulani militants<br />
have been the aggressors, wiping out and sometimes occupying<br />
entire villages to access a few limited resources. The conflict stands to<br />
threaten the geopolitical stability of the region.<br />
Policy Day kicked off with Joy Bishara, a Nigerian native who<br />
shared her terrifying encounter with Boko Haram in April 2014. The<br />
terrorist organization kidnapped 276 girls in the middle of the night<br />
from a school in Chibok, Nigeria. Joy, along with some of her Christian<br />
schoolmates, escaped later and hid in the jungles of Nigeria before<br />
making their way back home. Her riveting story captured the true<br />
horrors of what the persecuted church is experiencing at the hands of<br />
violent Islamic terror groups like Boko Haram.<br />
Terwase Orbunde, the second speaker, serves as the Chief of Staff<br />
to the Governor of Benue State in Nigeria. He personally handled the<br />
aftermath of a Fulani militant attack in his state. Terwase revealed the<br />
struggles of leading the Benue state in a time when the federal government<br />
largely ignores the killings of its citizens and virtually does<br />
nothing to eliminate the threat of violence. The Fulani militants enjoy<br />
near-perfect impunity and continue to heavily target Benue and surrounding<br />
states.<br />
Several members of the United States Congress, including Senator<br />
Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Congressman Randy Hultgren (R-Illinois), and a<br />
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“ICC’s Policy Day brought a clear<br />
call for international pressure<br />
on Nigeria’s government by the<br />
United States and her allies. “<br />
Left Top: Congressman Randy Hultgren speaks at Policy Day.<br />
Left Bottom: Senator Ted Cruz greets Joy Bishara.<br />
Above Left: Senator Ted Cruz with ICC President Jeff King.<br />
Above: Joy Bishara describes her escape from Boko Haram.<br />
representative of Congressman Chris Smith<br />
(R-New Jersey), shared their support for the<br />
plight of Christians in Nigeria. All expressed<br />
explicit support for the advancement of human<br />
rights and the continued containment of Boko<br />
Haram. They called on the Nigerian government<br />
to implement safety guarantees for communities<br />
in danger. Senator Ted Cruz cited<br />
the reality that Christians are the most persecuted<br />
religious group in the world, especially<br />
in Nigeria. International Christian Concern<br />
continues to be grateful for the champions<br />
on Capitol Hill who understand the plight<br />
of Christians around the world and who are<br />
willing to stand up for their God-given human<br />
rights and religious freedom.<br />
President Kent Ingle from Southeastern<br />
University shared about ICC’s recent partnership<br />
with the University to launch a studentled<br />
ICC campus club. This club will be the<br />
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first of a nation-wide push to launch campus<br />
clubs all around the country. This is a critical<br />
effort to get students involved in ICC’s work<br />
with international religious freedom.*<br />
Six-Member Panel of<br />
Experts from NGOs and<br />
Advocacy Groups<br />
A panel of six experts weighed in on the discussion.<br />
The panel included Nathan Wineinger,<br />
director of Policy and Coalitions from the<br />
21st century Wilberforce Initiative, Stephen S.<br />
Enada, Executive President and Co-Founder of<br />
ICON (International Committee on Nigeria),<br />
Joshua Meservey, Senior Policy Analyst at<br />
the Heritage Foundation, Matias Perttula,<br />
ICC’s Advocacy Director, and Chris Meserole,<br />
Fellow at The Brookings Institute.<br />
After the morning sessions, ICC led its<br />
volunteers through the halls of Capitol Hill<br />
to drop off literature informing US policy<br />
makers about the situation in Nigeria. The<br />
literature highlighted pending legislation that<br />
would direct a wave of international pressure<br />
at the Buhari government. ICC also encouraged<br />
policy makers to raise their concerns by<br />
reaching out directly to the Nigerian Embassy<br />
in Washington and President Buhari.<br />
Though much work remains in advocating<br />
for Christians in Nigeria, ICC’s Policy Day<br />
helped focus attention on the true nature of<br />
the attacks and brought a clear call for international<br />
pressure on Nigeria’s government by<br />
the United States and her allies.<br />
*Interested in leading an Advocacy club<br />
on your college campus? Please contact<br />
ICC’s Advocacy Director, Matias Perttula<br />
at advocacy.dir@persecution.org for more<br />
information.<br />
27
Feature Article<br />
Living in Fear in Uttar Pradesh<br />
ICC reports back on travels to one of India’s<br />
most persecuted states, Uttar Pradesh.<br />
By William Stark<br />
Fear. Anxiety. Uncertainty.<br />
These were my constant<br />
companions on a recent trip<br />
to Uttar Pradesh. Located in<br />
northern India, Uttar Pradesh<br />
is the largest and most populous<br />
state in India. It’s also<br />
a cultural and spiritual epicenter<br />
for Hinduism, because millions of<br />
Hindus flock each year to ceremonially<br />
bathe in the river Ganges.<br />
Uttar Pradesh’s religious significance<br />
attracts Hindu radicals, making Uttar Pradesh<br />
a difficult state for Christians. Each year, Uttar<br />
Pradesh reports some of the highest number<br />
of attacks on Christians, compared to other<br />
states in India. In 2017 alone, the Evangelical<br />
Fellowship of India recorded 50 incidents of<br />
persecution in Uttar Pradesh out of the 351<br />
recorded across the rest of India’s 29 states.<br />
I traveled for six days across Uttar Pradesh,<br />
meeting with Christian leaders and hearing<br />
their stories of persecution. For some, the persecution<br />
that they’re experiencing now is the<br />
worst they have ever experienced. Some even<br />
feared for the survival of their communities.<br />
Pastor D. K. Sagar was one of the first<br />
Christian leaders who I interviewed in Uttar<br />
Pradesh. A house church leader, Pastor Sagar<br />
led worship every Sunday for more than 50<br />
Christians who gathered in a believer’s house<br />
in Unnao. In April <strong>2018</strong>, Pastor Sagar and his<br />
congregation were brutally attacked.<br />
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Feature Article<br />
Left: ICC travels across Uttar Pradesh by motorbike interviewing victims of persecution.<br />
Top: ICC prays with a persecuted pastor from Uttar Pradesh.<br />
Bottom: The Ganges river, sacred to Hindus, flows through the heart of Uttar Pradesh.<br />
“I was dragged for more than a kilometer,”<br />
Pastor Sagar told me, describing the attack.<br />
A mob of 60 Hindu radicals barged into the<br />
house during a worship service.<br />
“The radicals pulled me out of the house<br />
and started to hit me,” Pastor Sagar continued.<br />
“There was no way to escape because the mob<br />
had encircled me. Other believers fled to save<br />
their lives, but they kept torturing me.”<br />
A blow to Pastor Sagar’s right ear decimated<br />
the hearing in his ear. Radicals paraded him<br />
through the streets, continuing to beat him.<br />
His identity as the pastor of the congregation<br />
was evident to the Radicals, so they eventually<br />
took him to the police station.<br />
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There, the radicals filed trumped-up charges<br />
against Pastor Sagar and made further<br />
threats against him and his congregation.<br />
“The radicals said they will kill me if I continue<br />
to lead worship in that house,” Pastor<br />
Sagar said. “The entire congregation was<br />
frightened by what happened, but what was<br />
most painful was that those Christians who<br />
returned to the church were also threatened<br />
with dire consequences.”<br />
“The lives of these Christians are at risk,”<br />
Pastor Sagar explained. “I had to close down<br />
the church after I it had been running for<br />
nearly ten years. It is heartbreaking to live<br />
with more than 50 Christians who want to<br />
follow Jesus openly, but cannot because they<br />
fear for their lives.”<br />
After meeting with Pastor Sagar and his<br />
congregation, I traveled another 60 miles<br />
to Bacharaya, where a house church was<br />
attacked in April. There, Ram Prasad, a<br />
55-year-old church member, was beaten so<br />
badly that he had to be rushed to a nearby<br />
hospital.<br />
“I remember the angry mob entering the<br />
house when worship was going on,” said<br />
Shashikala, the wife of Pastor Kamlesh<br />
Kumar, “I was very frightened.”<br />
“I sensed that the target of the attack<br />
was my husband,” Shashikala continued.<br />
“Immediately, I locked my husband in another<br />
room. If they found my husband, they<br />
would have killed him.” When Ram confronted<br />
the mob, it immediately turned on<br />
him. Shashikala tried to protect Ram, but she<br />
was met with blows on her legs and back with<br />
wooden clubs.<br />
Following the attack, Pastor Kumar decided<br />
to shut down the house church and go into<br />
hiding. When we met, Pastor Kumar refused<br />
to leave his house altogether and was actively<br />
looking for a new, safer, place to live.<br />
“Me, my wife, and our three children have<br />
had many sleepless nights fearing attack,”<br />
Pastor Kumar told me. “My wife and I are<br />
most concerned for our children’s safety.”<br />
While fear was the dominant sentiment I<br />
observed on my trip, I also met brave Christian<br />
leaders successfully spreading the Gospel –<br />
despite the increased persecution. Dr. Sharma,<br />
a Christian leader for Lucknow said, “The<br />
church is being multiplied even as persecution<br />
reaches new heights in India.”<br />
This was reinforced when I met Pastor<br />
Pappu on the outskirts of Lucknow. According<br />
to Pastor Pappu, he has baptized over 200<br />
people in the past few years as persecution<br />
was increasing around him. “The majority of<br />
my congregations are new converts,” Pastor<br />
Pappu said, “They face social boycotts, are<br />
denied work, water, and welfare schemes from<br />
the government, yet they still attend church.”<br />
Fear, anxiety, and risk are all appropriate<br />
words to describe what is like to be a Christian<br />
living in Uttar Pradesh. Yet, this persecution<br />
has not stopped the power of the Gospel to<br />
reach the unreached.<br />
When asked what was needed by Christians<br />
in Uttar Pradesh, Dr. Sharma said, “There is a<br />
great need for the free Church to stand alongside<br />
and support Christian suffering for their<br />
faith.” May we heed Dr. Sharma’s guidance<br />
and stand with those willing to suffer for their<br />
faith in places like Uttar Pradesh.<br />
29
Nigeria: Epicenter of<br />
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Did you know that Nigeria is the epicenter<br />
of today’s world for violent attacks on<br />
Christians? Few are aware because the<br />
press has largely ignored this mass murder<br />
and displacement of believers.<br />
Islamist militants have killed up to 70,000<br />
Christians there in the last 20 years. June<br />
saw a series of attacks over a weekend<br />
that left more than 200 Christians killed.<br />
Militants have pushed millions of farmers<br />
off their lands, and they now live as<br />
refugees in their own country.<br />
These farmers don’t want a handout. They<br />
just want to get back to farming.<br />
That’s why with your partnership we<br />
want to build 10 communal farms to feed<br />
up to 7,000 of these victims.<br />
We rent the land, clear, and till it. Next, we<br />
provide seed, fertilizer, and irrigation. The<br />
victims are Nigerian farmers so they then<br />
take over and feed themselves.<br />
Amazingly, we can feed a<br />
Christian through this program<br />
for only $30 a year, but we need to<br />
raise $125,000.<br />
PLEASE GIVE TODAY!<br />
Check: Use the enclosed envelope: Write “Nigeria Crisis” on your check<br />
Phone: Call us at 800-422-5441<br />
Online: Visit persecution.org/nigeria-crisis<br />
Christian <strong>Persecution</strong><br />
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INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN<br />
A Christian widow and her son stand by<br />
the grave of their husband/father who was<br />
killed by Fulani militants.<br />
31
You Can Help Today!<br />
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INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN<br />
SEND DONATIONS TO:<br />
ICC<br />
PO BOX 8056<br />
SILVER SPRING, MD 20907<br />
OR ONLINE AT<br />
WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG<br />
OR BY PHONE<br />
800-ICC-5441<br />
GIVING TO ICC VIA<br />
YOUR WILL<br />
Provide now for a future gift to ICC<br />
by including a bequest provision in<br />
your will or revocable trust. If you<br />
would like more information on giving<br />
to ICC in this way, please give<br />
us a call at 1-800-ICC-5441.<br />
Members of the Nigerian diaspora attended<br />
ICC’s Policy Day to show their support<br />
for efforts to stop the violence by Fulani<br />
militants in their home country.<br />
MEMBER<br />
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