August 2018 Persecution Magazine

WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG 

August 2018 

PERSECU ION 

Life 

After 

ISIS 

ICC helps believers restart their lives as they 

return to their homes in the Nineveh Plains. 

2017 

2018 

PERSECU ION.org 

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

In This Issue 

FEATURE 

14 | ICC Donors Sow Life for 

Survivors of Fulani Violence 

Christians in Nigeria are suffering, but with 

the help of donors, ICC is able to serve many 

families by providing communal farms. 

FEATURE 

16 | The Nineveh Plains Blossom 

Again 

From the heart of ISIS’ caliphate to the 

return of Iraq’s Christians, the Nineveh 

Plains has undergone much transformation 

within the last four years. 

FEATURE 

20 | ISIS Sinks Its Teeth into 

Indonesia 

An ISIS-affiliated family bombs three 

churches in Indonesia; ICC follows up 

with the affected communities. 

FEATURE 

24 | The Secret Fate of Christians 

in Evin Prison 

Iran’s Christians often disappear within 

the secret institutions of Evin Prison. 

FEATURE 

26 | ICC’s Policy Day 

A glimpse of ICC’s 2018 Policy Day. 

FEATURE 

28 | Living in Fear in Uttar Pradesh 

ICC reports back on travels to one of India’s 

most persecuted states, Uttar Pradesh. 

14 

16 

Regular Features 

3 Letter from the President 

A few words from ICC’s president, Jeff 

King, on our current work to bandage 

and build the persecuted Church. 

4 World News 

A snapshot of the persecution that 

impacts our brothers and sisters daily, in 

every corner of the world. 

8 Your Dollars at Work 

Learn how your gifts are providing 

comfort, relief, Bibles, education and 

vocational training to the persecuted. 

12 Fund Spotlight 

The Bible brings life wherever it goes. 

When governments shut down access to 

the Bible, we get to work. 

20 

24 

26 28 

2 PERSECU ION.org 

AUGUST 2018 


Jeff King, President 

International Christian Concern 

“The greatest moments are those when you 

see the result pop up in a graph or in your 

statistics analysis - that moment you realize 

you know something no one else does and 

you get the pleasure of thinking about how 

to tell them.” 

- Emily Oster, economist 

“It is the mark of a truly intelligent person 

to be moved by statistics.” 

- George Bernard Shaw 

Early last month we held our Bridge Policy Day event on 

Capitol Hill. It was an honor to have Senators, Congressmen, 

policy experts, and a victim of Boko Haram come and share 

their concerns and recommendations on ending the horrific 

bloodshed in Nigeria. 

I must say that it was very fulfilling to have figures of stature 

and influence attend and speak up for the persecuted. 

What’s even more fulfilling for me, though, is seeing 

ICC donors connect with the plight of the persecuted and the 

fruit that results as the broken and wounded are restored out 

in the field. 

It’s a day-to-day process, but you can see an example on 

page 14. Our donors have really gotten behind our Nigeria 

communal farming project, and we expect to care for up to 

7,500 Nigerian Christians in the coming year. 

Or, turn to page 10 to read about our work getting Scripture 

into places where it’s banned or restricted. The work of getting 

Bibles into the toughest places on earth always yields fruit, 

for God’s word is a two-edged sword and will always convert 

hearts over time. 

We build and we bandage the persecuted Church. This is the 

core of what we do. I feel blessed every day to be able to serve 

my brothers and sisters in this way and to do so in partnership 

with you. 

I think the reason it’s so fulfilling is that we are carrying out 

the Lord’s commands and fulfilling what’s on God’s own heart. 

His desire is to touch the despised, heal the broken, and take 

His word into the corners of the world where Satan works 

tirelessly to keep it out. 

Please join us as we bandage and build the persecuted Church. 

As always, your donations will be used efficiently, effectively, 

and ethically. 

Jeff King 


INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN 

3

4 5 

1 3 2 

6 

News 

Remains of 20 Egyptian Martyrs 

Returned Home After Three-Year Wait 

1 | EGYPT On February 15, 2015, ISIS released a gruesome 

video depicting the beheading of 21 believers along 

the shores of Libya. All but one of these men were Copts 

who had travelled to Libya due to the lack of economic 

opportunities for Christians in Egypt. Though they knew 

of the terrorist activity in Libya, these men risked their 

safety in hopes of providing a better life for their families. 

For the affected families, the devastation of losing their 

loved ones was only deepened by not knowing what happened 

to their loved ones’ remains. Last October, Libyan 

authorities made the shocking announcement that the bodies 

were discovered in a mass grave. While the families 

hoped to bury their loved ones by the three-year anniversary 

of the murders in February, they instead marked this 

occasion with the opening of a church built in their honor. 

On May 14, after more than three long years of waiting, the 

remains of the 20 Egyptian martyrs were finally returned to 

their families. 

The next day, the families congregated at Church 

of the Martyrs of Faith and Homeland to lay the martyrs 

to rest. The church was initially built to honor 

the martyrs’ faith, but 

without the expectation 

that the remains 

would ever be discovered. 

Yet, the congregation 

built a burial 

place for their loved 

ones just in case they 

were ever found. The 

internment of the 

bodies proved to be 

a surreal moment for 

many of the families 

who expressed a mixture 

of grief, joy, and 

relief. One mother 

shared, “I will visit 

them every day at the 

church. We thank all 

people who stood up 

with us.” 

“Many Christians believe 

that the attacks were 

carried out by a wellconnected 

radical group.” 

Christians in Nepal Alarmed by Series 

of Attacks on Churches 

2 | NEPAL Nepal’s Christian community suffered a 

string of several church attacks in May that left many 

alarmed. On May 9, the Hebron Church in eastern 

Nepal was set ablaze. On May 10, Emmanuel Church 

in western Nepal was burned, followed shortly by the 

burning of Kanchanpur Emmanuel Church in midwestern 

Nepal on May 11. Lastly, Mahima Church in western 

Nepal was bombed on May 12. While the churches 

experienced severe property damage, thankfully no one 

was killed in the attacks. 

At the time of writing, authorities have made no 

arrests in relation to these attacks. Although they have 

not released an official statement, police have attributed 

the incidents to the Nepal Communist Party, also 

known as the Biplab Group. However, many Christian 

leaders throughout Nepal believe that the attacks were 

a coordinated effort by Hindu extremists across the 

country. Due to the similarity of the attacks, yet the 

geographic distance between them, many Christians 

believe that the attacks were carried out by a wellconnected 

radical group. 

The affected churches have also been underwhelmed 

by the response from authorities. Although police promised 

to investigate, the church leaders reported that they 

never received a response about their cases. The sudden 

influx of violence and laidback response from the 

authorities have left many Christians fearful that attacks 

of this nature will only increase. 




Blasphemy Charges Against Pakistani Christian Man Dropped After Two Years 

3 | PAKISTAN Following two years of imprisonment, a Christian man named Usman Liaquat was cleared of blasphemy charges. Liaquat was arrested 

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 

authorities’ attention away from the assault. Liaquat was eventually acquitted due to a lack of evidence, yet he received no compensation for the 

unjust imprisonment. Following his release, Liaquat began working for the British Pakistani Christian Association. False accusations are common in 

Pakistan as radical Muslims often manipulate blasphemy laws to settle personal scores and discriminate against religious minorities. 

Interior Ministry Tightens Ramadan Restrictions 

4 | IRAQ On May 24, the Interior Ministry of Iraq’s Central 

Government issued a statement saying that it was “taking legal 

measures against people publicly breaking their Fast (during the 

day time) and referring them to the judiciary,” in reference to the 

Islamic holy month of Ramadan. If found in violation of the new 

restrictions, citizens could face up to six months in prison. Locals 

have reported that Muslim groups have begun implementing tighter 

restrictions even in neighborhoods that are primarily Christian. 

Such regulations can lead to business closures and often make it 

more difficult for displaced Christians to meet their basic needs. 

Evin Prison in Iran Sanctioned by U.S. Treasury 

5 | IRAN As previously reported, Iran’s notorious Evin Prison has 

long been condemned by organizations around the world for its 

egregious human rights violations. On May 30, the United States 

Treasury joined the international outcry by imposing sanctions on 

Evin Prison. At least 10 Christian converts are currently being held 

in Evin Prison where they suffer inhumane living conditions and 

often lengthy prison terms. According to a statement issued by the 

Treasury Department, “Prisoners held at Evin Prison are subject 

to brutal tactics inflicted by prison authorities, including sexual 

assaults, physical assaults, and electric shock.” 

On Tiananmen Anniversary, Chinese Government 

Detains Several Christians 

6 | CHINA On June 4, the 29th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown 

in China, local authorities raided Autumn Rain Covenant Church in 

Sichuan, China. During the raid, authorities took Pastor Wang Yi, his wife, four 

other preachers, and 11 other members of the church into custody. At the time 

of writing, the entire group is still being held and Pastor Wang Yi and his wife 

could not be contacted. 

Pastor Wang Yi has been harassed by the government several times prior 

to this incident. On May 12, he and several members of his congregation 

were detained leading up to a memorial service for those affected by the 2008 

Sichuan earthquake. The pastor, who is widely recognized for speaking out 

against the government’s crackdown on Christianity, has also been banned 

from participating in international Christian conferences on multiple occasions. 



5

6 1 

3 5 

2 

4 

News 

Church Attack in Bangui Leaves the 

Central African Republic in Turmoil 

1 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC On May 1, an attack 

on a Catholic church in the Central African Republic 

(CAR) left at least 16 people dead. The ambush took place 

around 10:00 in the morning as the sound of gunshots and 

grenades rang in the church, creating a panic among the 

congregation. In addition to the 16 killed, approximately 

100 more were injured. 

Among the dead was Father Albert Toungoumalé-Baba 

(pictured) who was serving as the guest priest during the 

service that was attacked. World Watch Monitor (WWM) 

reports that the 71-year-old priest was well known for his 

commitment to bringing peace to CAR. He also served as 

the secretary of the Commission for Justice and Peace of 

the Archdiocese of Bangui. 

Another local priest recalled the shock of the violent 

attack. He told WWM, “We are all shocked, everybody 

is shocked. We don’t understand why. Why to kill people 

who are praying, just innocent people who are praying?” 

Although security forces confronted the attackers, they 

were outnumbered and unable to prevent the assault. 

For many, the recent attack evoked memories of an attack 

in May 2014 when rebels attacked the parish of Notre 

Dame de Fatima, killing 18, including the priest. Various 

religious and political leaders throughout the country have 

since spoken out to condemn the violent incident. 

Fifteen 

Christians 

Falsely Accused 

of Forced 

Conversion in 

India 

2 | INDIA In May, at 

least 15 Christians 

were falsely charged 

with forced conversion 

in India’s 

northeastern state of 

Jharkhand. Eleven 

of the 15 were 

charged after gathering 

for prayer in 

a private Christian 

home. Later that 

month, four more 

were charged, 

including a young 

Christian couple 

that was engaged 

to be married. The 

couple reached out 

to police after a 

local tribe opposed 

the wedding, but the 

police arrested the 

couple and two other 

Christians instead. 

Due to the vague 

terms laid out in 

India’s forced conversion 

laws, many 

Hindu radicals 

manipulate them to 

harass and intimidate 

Christians. 

Seven states in 

India have similar 

laws, which generally 

only lead to 

greater violence and 

discrimination. 

Two Men Assault Clergyman in 

Bethlehem 

3 | ISRAEL On June 1, a Franciscan friar was 

stabbed after he attempted to protect a group of 

pilgrim women from two men harassing them 

as they attempted to enter a church. Camera 

footage (as pictured) captured the men stabbing 

Father Fadi Shallufi through a closed gate as he 

attempted to calm the situation and prevent the 

men from entering the premises. The two assailants 

have confessed to the crime, but police have 

not released any additional information at the 

time of writing. 

Bishop Atallah Hannah published a statement 

shortly after the incident which read, 

“We thank God that the injury was minor, but 

this action is a criminal act that is far from our 

human, moral and national values. We reject 

attacks against clerics.” 

Another source within the church noted that, 

although attacks on clergy are rare, there is generally 

more tension and harassment on religious 

holidays and during times of political crisis. The 

stabbing took place during the Islamic holy month 

of Ramadan. Throughout the Muslim world, there 

is consistently an uptick in religiously motivated 

violence during the month of Ramadan. 




Suicide Bombings at Three Churches in 

Indonesia Kill Thirteen 

4 | INDONESIA On May 13, suicide bombers attacked three churches 

in Indonesia: Saint Mary Immaculate Catholic Church, Surabaya 

Pentecostal Church, and Diponegoro Indonesian Christian Church. 

When the dust settled, 13 people were killed and more than 40 others 

were injured. The attackers, who were all related to one another, also 

reportedly tried to attack two other churches, but the bombs failed to 

detonate. This string of bombings marks the deadliest in Indonesia 

since the 2002 Bali bombings which killed more than 200. 

Japanese Christians Detained in China Safely 

Return Home 

5 | JAPAN Between May 5 and May 15, 21 members of a Christian 

group from Japan were detained in China for missionary activities. 

According to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all 21 have since 

returned home to Japan safely. Last November, in a similar case, the 

Chinese government deported 19 Japanese nationals who were affiliated 

with a Christian group. Such deportations are part of an ongoing 

attempt by Chinese authorities to eliminate evangelism efforts within 

the country. 

Suspected Fulani Militants Attack Seminary in Nigeria 

6 | NIGERIA Suspected Fulani militants recently attacked Sacred Heart Minor 

Seminary in Nigeria’s Taraba State. Thankfully, there were no reported deaths, 

but several were injured. During the attack, the militants beat two priests and 

shot another in the leg. Multiple students were also injured and property was 

destroyed, including several vehicles. Following the attack, those with injuries 

were taken to a medical center for treatment and the seminary issued a one-week 

break to provide the community time to cope with the trauma. 

The attack on this Catholic seminary took place only a few days after a mass 

burial of 19 Catholics who were killed in a church attack in April in Benue 

State. On the day of the burial, Catholics throughout Nigeria participated 

in protests to pressure the Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, to take 

greater action to protect Christians. 



7

Your Dollars a 

ICC Helps a 

School Laid 

Waste by ISIS 

Community Rebuild 

Mar Aphram Syriac School, located in 

the heart of the Nineveh Plains in 

the largest primarily Christian village, was 

left in ruins after ISIS militants stole all 

of the school’s supplies and vandalized 

the property. ISIS destroyed the school as 

part of a campaign to erase the presence 

of Christianity in the Nineveh Plains along 

with all reminders of the region’s rich 

Christian history. Before ISIS invaded, 

more than 160 students attended the school, 

but enrollment has gradually fallen to only 

86 students. The dwindling of staff, students, 

and supplies has lead to many challenges 

so far in the 2018 school year. 

When ICC learned of the obstacles that 

Mar Aphram Syriac School was facing, 

we were excited to offer our support. With 

monies from ICC’s Community Rebuild 

Fund, we purchased supplies including 

computers, printers, school and office furniture, 

and stationery. 

The staff and students were thrilled to 

receive these supplies and quick to express 

their gratitude. Evan Baba, a secondary 

school teacher, shared, “I’m a teacher. I 

teach the Syriac Language. [ICC’s] role is 

very good in helping our school by providing 

some needed items... Although we are 

still in need for the explanatory laboratories 

that help the students, I would like to extend 

my thankfulness for providing these items 

to our school.” 

“On behalf of our school management, we 

would like to thank you, and we pray that God 

gives you help, strength, capability in helping 

our people’s need,” said Noel Polus, the 

school manager. 

Please pray for protection for the staff, 

students, and parents at Mar Aphram Syriac 

School. Ask the Lord to provide for all 

of their needs. Pray that the students will 

obtain a quality education and become both 

productive citizens and faithful disciples of 

Jesus Christ. 




t Work 

Food and 

Medical Aid for 

Attack Victims 

Suffering Wives and Children 

On January 7, 2018, a group of Hindu radicals 

attacked a group of Christians who 

had gathered for worship in Ganjam District, 

India. The attackers snatched the victims from 

the home and beat them, leaving several with 

severe injuries. The attack also created a significant 

financial burden due to costly medical 

bills and unpaid time off of work during their 

hospital stays. 

With the help of generous donors, ICC 

provided the affected families with food 

packages and financial assistance to ease the 

burden of their medical expenses. Four of the 

victims received medical aid, seven families 

received food packages, and 29 individuals 

received clothing. The aid has helped these 

families get back on their feet, alleviate debt, 

and provide basic necessities in the aftermath 

of the attack. 



Assistance for 

Evicted Pastors 

Underground Pastors 

In August of 2017, two pastors, Abdelrahim 

Nalu and Siddique Abdallah, of the Sudanese 

Presbyterian Evangelical Church were evicted 

from their homes. A Muslim investor in the 

area claimed ownership of their property and 

a judge upheld the order of eviction in the 

Supreme Court. 

Until March of 2018, the two families were 

living under trees in the streets of Khartoum. 

ICC stepped in to provide them with rent 

as well as food staples to alleviate some of 

their day-to-day expenses. The two pastors 

have settled into their new homes, but their 

churches are not yet stable. Therefore, we continue 

to provide monthly support for medical 

care, rent, and food among the church leaders. 

The pastors’ families expressed that the 

project “has shown us that we are not alone; 

we have brothers and sisters who can stand by 

our side!” Please continue to pray for safety, 

endurance, and the success of their ministries. 

Small Business 

for Phoebo 

Suffering Wives and Children 

O 

n October 1, 2017, Pheobo Nabil lost her 

husband in a tragic car accident, leaving 

her to care for their large family singlehandedly. 

Pheobo’s family now consists of her elderly 

parents-in-law, two infants, and her disabled 

sister-in-law. She had no means to provide for 

them and, as a Christian woman in Egypt, job 

opportunities were severely limited. 

ICC has come alongside her in her suffering 

and made her dream of running a 

small fodder shop into a reality. Part of the 

lower level of her home was converted into 

a shop and we purchased fodder for her to 

sell. With the start-up costs covered, she 

has been able to earn money to provide for 

her family and expand her shop. Pheobo 

shared, “When my project was carried out, I 

thanked God so much for standing with me 

and my children and I felt that God hasn’t 

forgotten us, He always takes cares of us, He 

loves us so much.” 

9

Your Dollars a 

Balloons Carry 

the Gospel to 

North Korea 

Bibles for the Persecuted 

At the hands of the ruling Kim dynasty, the 

North Korean government has stripped 

its citizens of their most basic freedoms. The 

regime prevents Christians from exercising 

their religion and imposes cruel forms of punishment 

for those who openly practice their 

faith. The North Korean government considers 

Christians a threat to their power, portraying 

them as traitors for not being “loyal” to their 

leader. The regime has indoctrinated over 

20 million people in North Korea, including 

children, into worshipping their dictator and 

revering him as their god. 

This strategy to manipulate the populace 

includes bombarding citizens with propaganda, 

brainwashing children at a young age via 

a corrupt school system, and walling off the 

people from contact with the outside world. 

One defector confessed, “I always thought 

that God was a hypocrite, not real. I was 

taught God was bad and evil. Now I know 

that the bad guy hypocrite is Kim Jong Un.” 

With the serious risks for Christians in 

North Korea, some have escaped to South 

Korea and are eager to share the truth with 

those still trapped. 

ICC’s Bible Fund made it possible to team 

up with a group of Christian defectors to 

float balloons carrying Gospel materials over 

the border into North Korea. The materials 

are packed into plastic bags with timers and 

filled with Gospel pamphlets, USB drives, 

DVDs, pocket radios, and more. When the 

timing and the wind are favorable from the 

south to the north, the balloons are sent as 

often as possible. 

As of this writing, we have sent two sets 

of balloons with Gospel materials and other 

information from South Korea to North 

Korea. The balloon shipments have already 

encouraged several people to seek the truth, 

and we plan to continue these efforts. 

Following his escape to South Korea, one 

defector shared, “We began to doubt Kim 

Jong Un. We wanted to believe in God. We 

wanted to come to the free South Korea. 

We risked our lives to escape to South 

Korea. The balloons and leaflets showed 

us the truth.” 

The balloon project has proven successful, 

but there is still much to be done to reach 

those suffering under the brutal regime in 

North Korea. Please continue to pray for 

God’s provision so that we can continue to 

spread the Gospel in North Korea. Pray that 

the Lord will open the hearts of thousands of 

North Koreans to receive the gift of salvation 

and come to know the true God. 




t Work 

Iraqi Family Gets Back Home and 

Back on Their Feet Post-ISIS 

Community Rebuild 

At the beginning of June, ICC helped a 

displaced Iraqi Christian re-establish his 

copy shop business. Like thousands of other 

Christians, he and his family were forced to 

flee Qaraqosh during the 2014 invasion by 

ISIS. His wife was nine months pregnant 

at the time and gave birth to their first son 

shortly after they fled the city. The family 

lived sparingly off of their savings throughout 

their displacement. 

After ISIS’ military defeat in 2017, the family 

returned to Qaraqosh where the husband 

had run a copy shop, a very successful type of 

business in Iraq since government paperwork 

is not completed electronically. 

Assistance from ICC enabled him to restart 

his business in the city he calls home, and to 

provide for his family. Happily, the day after 

ICC helped him re-establish the copy shop, 

his wife gave birth to their second son. 



Transportation Assistance for 

Targeted Church Community 

Hand of Hope 

P 

astor Bernard, the founder of a church in 

West Java, Indonesia was imprisoned when 

a local group of radical Muslims reported him 

to the police for not having the proper permits 

to use his church’s building. To gain the support 

of the Muslim community, the authorities 

responded by shutting down the church and 

banning them from operating there indefinitely. 

Pastor Bernard has since found a new location 

for the church to operate on a school 

compound. Unfortunately, the new location 

is far away from the community that he has 

been leading. ICC was able to help ease the 

financial strain on this church congregation 

by providing three rental cars each Sunday 

to transport them to their new meeting place. 

11

Fund Spotligh 

ICC partners 

donate to bring 

God’s Word to 

where it’s 

scarce or 

even illegal 

In many persecuted countries, Christians 

are unable to obtain a Bible, either due 

to government restrictions or discrimination 

that leaves believers impoverished. 

Many new believers and lifelong 

Christians in such countries have 

never had a Bible to call their own. To 

help address the need, ICC developed 

its Bible Fund to make the Word of God more 

accessible all over the world. 

Commonly referred to as the “North 

Korea of Africa,” the nation of Eritrea has 

one of the most restrictive governments 

in the world. Believers must practice their 

faith in secrecy and are restricted in their 

access to Christian literature. If found in 

violation of the government’s strict religious 

restrictions, believers may be sent to one of 

Eritrea’s underground prisons or shipping 

container jail cells, where prisoners experience 

inhumane, torturous living conditions. 

While written Bibles are difficult to 

smuggle into a country like Eritrea, ICC has 

found an alternative through audio Bibles. 




t: Bibles for the Persecuted 

Left: Government restrictions and the 

imprisonment of Christian leaders cause 

many Eritrean believers to go underground. 

Above: Believers in Bangladesh receive 

the first Bibles they’ve ever owned. 



In February, ICC provided a local partner 

with 75 audio Bibles to distribute among 

local pastors and Christian families. These 

digital resources are easy to conceal and can 

be erased if necessary. Audio Bibles have provided 

many believers with a safe method of 

owning and sharing the Word of God. 

One of the main obstacles that believers in 

Bangladesh encounter is poverty due to severe 

discrimination. Constantly harassed, many are 

forced to practice their faith in rural, private 

homes and are unable to purchase a Bible of 

their own. In response, ICC purchased 50 new 

Bibles to distribute among new believers in 

Sathkira District and Bagherhat District. For 

many of the recipients, this was their first Bible. 

One believer shared with ICC that, once 

a week, an evangelist visited his village to 

preach. Because he lacked a Bible of his 

own, he was unable to study God’s Word 

between the evangelist’s visits. When he 

received a Bible from ICC, he said, “Now I 

can read the Bible every day to learn more 

about Christ and will share the Good News 

with my neighbors also.” 

ICC has joined hands with Christian communities 

all over the world, from Laos to India 

to North Korea, to share the Good News. This 

work would not be possible without the generous 

support of donors. 

If you would like to donate to help share 

the Gospel or learn more about ICC’s 

Bible Fund, please visit 

www.persecution.org or give 

us a call at 1-800-ICC-5441. 

13

ICC Donors 

Sow Life for 

Survivors of 

Deadly Fulani 

Violence 

Christians in Nigeria are suffering, but with 

your help, communal farms are under way 

to restore villagers’ livelihoods. 

By Nathan Johnson 

At the start 

of 2018, 

I began 

writing 

monthly 

reports 

on the 

escalating 

number 

of 

Christians murdered by Fulani 

Muslim militants in Nigeria. I saw 

events spiraling out of control, and 

now six months later, the staggering 

death toll confirms the desperate situation: 

More than 1300 Christians 

have been slain so far this year. 

Just last week Fulani militants 

killed 86 unarmed Christians in 

attacks in the Barikin Ladi area of 

Plateau State. 

As I traveled to Nigeria’s Middle 

Belt region and worked with the 

massive number of victims on the 

ground, it became increasingly clear 

that we could do more to serve 

them. When I discussed the picture 

with Jeff King, ICC’s president, we 

were both struck by a simple solution 

that was staring us in the face. 

Our previous aid projects that 

focused on getting the farmer-victims 

back to work had worked well 

and were all very low cost. That’s 

when we decided to launch our 

Nigerian farming project (see box). 

When the word went out to ICC 

donors, the response was immediate 

and generous. Our donors have 

given 60% of the needed funding 

for the 10 farms we will build out. 

All we need is $40,000 more to 

provide food and a livelihood for 

as many as 7,000 believers! We’ve 

already started work on the first two 

farms and are making arrangements 

to build out the rest. 

Samuel Kila, a victim who will 

benefit from the first communal 

farm, told ICC, “…the Fulani 

came, and three of my brothers 

were killed. They left their families 

behind, which we are suffering to 

take care of. I appreciate very much 

what ICC has brought for us.” 

Through the prayers, commitment 

and financial giving of ICC 

partners, Samuel’s family and 

many others like them will now 

have the means to provide for 




Communal Farms for Attack Survivors 

One farm serves between 50 and 75 families, providing work, 

food, and income for a year. The total cost for one farm is $12,500. 

• $ 5 | Plantlings for 1/5 acre 

• $ 1,250 | Clear 100 acres 

• $ 20 | One herbicide sprayer 

• $ 30 | Food and farming for 

one person for a year 

• $ 100 | Four 50 kg bags of 

fertilizer 

• $ 5,000 | Plow and 

harrow 100 acres 

• $ 12,500 | Sponsor an 

entire farm (Serve up to 

750 Christians) 

Giving Options 

Check: Use the enclosed envelope. 

Write “Nigeria Crisis” in the memo line. 

Phone: Call ICC at 800-422-5441 

Online: Visit persecution.org/nigeria-crisis 

Top: Two sons of a man killed in the first 

village ICC is helping. 

Left: Tractors prepares land for two of 

the communal farms. 



Above: Many Christian farmers have 

been pushed off their family lands by the 

Fulani violence; ICC is helping them set 

up new farms in safer areas in Nigeria. 

those they love. 

When I asked Jeff to comment further, he 

replied: “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate 

your practical care for your brothers and 

sisters in Nigeria. We have been building and 

bandaging Christians victims and communities 

in Nigeria for years, but this project is 

the most efficient and life-sustaining project 

we’ve ever done. 

The only reason we can do it is because of 

you. ICC has nothing on its own. We work 

with you as partners. You have the desire 

and funds to help but lack the hands and 

feet on the ground. Together, we work as 

the body of Christ and fulfill His mandate 

to serve and rebuild the lives of thousands 

and thousands of Christians that have been 

absolutely decimated. 

Early in my ICC career, I provided funds to 

help the family of an assassinated believer in 

Pakistan rebuild their lives. After I handed her 

the gift, Mrs. Muhktar and I stood face to face. 

I held her hands as she stared into my eyes and 

thanked me in the most sincere and profound 

way. I will never forget it. 

I wish I could transport you to Nigeria so 

you could experience first-hand this same 

gratitude that your brother and sister would 

express to you. They have lost their earthly 

wealth and more importantly their loved ones. 

We can’t bring back their family members, but 

we can partially rebuild their lives. For that, 

they are immensely grateful.” 

15

THE NINEVEH PLAINS 

BLOSSOM AGAIN 

An area rich in Christian history became the heart of ISIS’ caliphate, but 

as Iraq’s displaced Christians return, a radical transformation is underway. 

By Claire Evans 

2017 




2018 

Left: 



“ 

The Christians of Iraq 

are like the rose in the 

orchard… This land 

is a Christian history,” 

said Anwar. He is from 

Qaraqosh, the largest 

Christian city in Iraq’s 

Nineveh Plains. The 

Christian history of Iraq 

is evident throughout 

the Nineveh Plains. The tombs of prophets 

such as Jonah and Nahum are easily 

found. Centuries-old monasteries such as St. 

Hormozd and Mar Matta stand boldly on 

mountaintops overlooking the Plains. Large 

crosses dot the landscape in many villages. In 

contrast to Iraq’s barren desert in the south, 

the Nineveh Plains is lush with greenery. 

Some describe the area as the place where 

“Heaven and earth meet.” 

As ISIS Advances Christians 

Flee by the Thousands 

Life in the Nineveh Plains radically changed 

in 2014, when ISIS swept through the countryside. 

Mosul, the de facto capital of the governorate, 

was captured in June 2014. Less than 

five kilometers away, residents of Qaraqosh 

looked on with fear as Christians began fleeing 

Mosul. Everyone from Qaraqosh vividly 

remembers the day in August when they also 

were displaced by ISIS. 

“My father died just two days before ISIS 

attacked,” recalled Noora. “We were at the 

funeral for the third day when ISIS attacked… 

[I told the kids] we were leaving to have a 

picnic. But day after day they were asking 

about their bedrooms, and [then] they realized 

this was ISIS.” 

“The day we ran from Qaraqosh, my wife 

was at the last month of pregnancy and I 

didn’t own a car… My wife gave birth on the 

4th day of displacement. I didn’t have a place, 

neither money to buy clothes for our baby nor 

milk and diapers. That was the worst feeling 

someone can ever feel. Although I used to sell 

milk and diapers for many years, I couldn’t 

maintain its availability for my child because 

of this evil,” remembered Akrum. 

Zain had an experience similar to Akrum. 

He shared, “My wife was pregnant at the 

ninth month when ISIS attacked our city in 

2014. It was hard to flee with that situation.” 

Milad recalled, “The day ISIS attacked 

Qaraqosh, I was attending a mass and the 

From a desolate street to 

a thriving block, this region in 

Qaraqosh is an example of how the 

area is continuously rebuilding itself 

after ISIS control. 

17

Below: Although some of the buildings in Qaraqosh have new 

walls and progress is being made, the visible aftermath of ISIS 

destruction remains evident. 

Right: Qaraqosh residents get drinking water from a well 

provided by ICC. 

Opposite: ICC paid for heavy equipment to refill a tunnel that 

ISIS had dug on the property of one Christian farmer. The tunnel 

prevented the farmer from irrigating his land. 

priest advised people within the ceremony not 

to leave. After the mass finished, the shelling 

increased. So we left.” 

More than 100,000 Christians would flee 

the Nineveh Plains, with most finding shelter 

wherever possible in Kurdistan. A handful of 

Christians, however, chose to stay behind. 

Located in the heart of the Nineveh Plains, 

the monks at Mar Matta Monastery bravely 

gave shelter to those who couldn’t flee all 

the way north. Although the monastery is a 

geographical fortress, there was concern that 

ISIS’s destructive ideology would reach those 

seeking shelter there. 

“We felt that they would reach the monastery, 

and that they would explode the monastery,” 

said Fr. Youssif, a monk at Mar Matta. “They 

shot at us with three mortar bombs, and they fell 

near the village. At that time, it was so crowded. 

People were attending with us the Stations of the 

Holy Cross in the monastery. But no one cared. 

Faith prevented them from being frightened.” 

Faith would carry Iraq’s Christians through 

the times of crisis during ISIS’s reign. Many 

saw ISIS as waging a war against the Christian 

history of the Nineveh Plains, which in turn 

motivated them to keep their faith alive. One 

journalist, Samer, hid in Mosul and used his 

faith as an inspiration to document the crimes 

of ISIS. “I felt like ISIS was trying to remove 

our history, and that’s why I worked on the 

documentation… This documentation was a 

result of my faith… They cannot remove that 

history because we feel that history is on our 

hearts, not just on any of the buildings.” 

It is for the continued preservation of this 

history of faith that many Christians have 

decided to rebuild—even while thousands of 

other believers have permanently fled Iraq. 

Such was the case with Milad. He said, “On 

November 13, 2014, we left to Jordan. [But] 

alienation was too hard for me and to my wife 

from the first day. My wife told me that she 

would rather have just water and bread in Iraq 

than immigrating. Also, there was a school 

allocated for Iraqi students in Jordan where we 

lived for three months and whenever students 

sang the Iraqi anthem in that school my wife 

started crying. So we went back to Iraq [in] 

February 2015.” 

Gradual Return to a City 

Decimated, Deserted 

By 2017, it was apparent that ISIS was only 

months away from its eventual military defeat. 

A small number of Christians began returning, 

but were overwhelmed at the destruction left 

behind. “Before ISIS, Qaraqosh was heaven.” 

When asked why she chose to live there, 

Noora said, “We were looking for kindness, 

because that is hard to find [in Iraq]. It was 

something that had encouraged me to live in 

Qaraqosh [before ISIS].” 

But all of this was missing when Noora 

returned to Qaraqosh last year. The city was 

largely deserted, buildings destroyed, the 

streets desolate. “It was dusty, and there are 

no services. If a human wants to do something 

there, he can’t do it. Unless he has the support, 

it cannot be achieved, so Qaraqosh needs a lot 

of different parts to come together and make 

it great again.” 

Noora left Qaraqosh a month after returning, 

and will return after more progress is made on 

reconstruction. Many others, like Milad, have 

committed to returning and rebuilding. He 

returned home to Qaraqosh in early 2017, 

determined that he “would be in Qaraqosh 

again, just if there was water and electricity. 

We will build the city again.” 

An agricultural engineer by trade, Milad 

reopened his store on main street with ICC’s 

help. “It was great starting. I became famous 

since I was the first shop starting again in 




Qaraqosh, and that encouraged people to come 

back… The day when we left to Jordan, I 

never thought that I will see Qaraqosh again… 

I am so excited to be back.” 

Hope Rises as Residents 

Flow Back to Qaraqosh 

A year later, the Nineveh Plains has undergone 

a radical transformation. Although public 

services are still lacking and several buildings 

remain uninhabitable, life has returned. When 

Milad first opened his store, main street was 

deserted. Today, it bustles with activity. 

“Qaraqosh is back, but still it needs a lot 

of development in regards to infrastructure 

and public services. At least we can gather 

evenings with our relatives in the homeland,” 

said Milad. 

Father Youssif from Mar Matta has also 

stayed in Iraq, although for different reasons. 

He said, “I have stayed because the shepherd 

should stay with the sheep. It is our faith that 

keeps us with them. We are always looking 

for a hope for our future. We know it is so difficult… 

but we should try.” 

At the time of writing in June, it is estimated 

that nearly half of Qaraqosh’s residents have 

returned home. 

Akrum, whose wife gave birth just days 

after their displacement, is among those who 

have come home to Qaraqosh. When ICC 

first met Akrum, he talked about how he 

“would love to start working in Qaraqosh 

again and restart [his] market there.” He was 

shocked when ICC offered to help him. He 

said, “When I got the call, I couldn’t believe 

myself, I was so excited.” Today, Akrum’s 

shop is filled with customers. He serves an 

average of 100 customers daily, and is the sole 

“We will 

build the 

city again.” 

– MILAD 

grocery for the 300 people who live nearby. 

Zain, whose wife gave birth shortly after displacement, 

has also returned to Qaraqosh along 

with his now four-year-old son. ICC helped 

Zain restart his copy shop, a small business that 

helps customers make duplicates of important 

paperwork. The implementation of this project 

coincided with unexpected joy. Zain said, “My 

wife gave birth yesterday. We had Smith, our 

second son, and I started the shop today after 

closure of three years. We as Qaraqosh citizens 

believe it is message from God that the work 

and income is because of the newborn.” 

ISIS sought the death of Christianity in 

the Nineveh Plains, but new life is blooming 

there every day. True, there is much work to 

be done if the region is ever to fully recover. 

Residents remain concerned about security. 

Many Christians have permanently left Iraq, 

and others are hesitant to return home unless 

more is rebuilt. Yet, as so many have demonstrated 

through the history of the Nineveh 

Plains, much hope is to be found in the resilience 

of Iraq’s Christians. Said one Christian, 

“Even with the difficulties we are experiencing, 

we feel like there is a psychological part 

that can motivate us to live… I feel like my 

soul is in Iraq.” 

ICC Projects 

in the Region 

Although many Christians 

have returned to the 

Nineveh Plains, there is 

still a significant need 

for stable public utility 

services and economic 

revitalization. ICC has 

contributed to these 

needs by creating seven 

small businesses and 

digging six water wells, 

all in the first half of 2018. 

Many residents still lack 

sustainable sources of 

income and consistent, 

clean water. You can 

join ICC in helping these 

families rebuild Qaraqosh: 

• $100 will provide 

shelving for local 

markets to sell their 

goods 

• $140 will provide a 

small welding machine 

for plumbing or 

smithing businesses 

• $400 will provide one 

printer for a copy shop 

business 

• $1,300 will build one 

well, providing a 

reliable source of water 

to at least 10 families 

To learn more about how you 

can make a difference through 

ICC’s work in Iraq, give us a 

call at 800-ICC-5441 or visit 

persecution.org and consider 

donating today. 



19

ISIS 

Sinks Its 

Teeth 

into 

Indonesia 

An ISIS-affiliated family bombs three churches in 

Indonesia; ICC offers encouragement and medical 

help to traumatized children and families. 

By Meg McEwan 

Shrapnel, flames, and screams 

cut across three church sanctuaries 

in Surabaya, East Java on 

May 13, the result of a familyled 

suicide bomb mission that 

rocked the Christian community 

in Indonesia. 

The Sunday morning began 

like any other for the families 

that gathered together in their 

tranquil places of worship. The daily plight of 

these Christians in Indonesia melted away as they 

joined together with tender hugs, heartfelt prayers, 

and warm smiles. While they greeted each other 

and found their seats, a family of six belonging 

to the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), a radical 

group linked to the Islamic State, gathered for a 

different reason. 

According to the National Police Chief General, 

Tito Karnavian, a father dropped off his wife and two 

young daughters (ages 9 and 12) at the Diponegoro 

Indonesian Christian Church before heading toward 

Surabaya Pentecostal Church. The first explosion 

took place at Saint Mary Immaculate Catholic 

Church, initiated by his two sons (ages 16 and 18) 

carrying a lap-bomb on a motorcycle. The other two 

followed soon after. The attackers also planted bombs 

at Saint Jacob’s Church in West Surabaya and Sacred 

Heart of Jesus Cathedral, but they failed to explode. 

The Islamic State later claimed official responsibility 

for these attacks. 

When the dust settled, the death count rose to 13 

deaths and more than 50 wounded. The Surabaya 

bombings are the deadliest in Indonesia since the 

2002 Bali bombings, and they signal a mounting rise 

in hostility toward Christians in Indonesia. 

“I am really sad about this,” shared Pastor 

Yonathan Biantoro, a pastor at Surabaya Pentecostal 

Church, in an interview with ICC, “We as members 

of this church really hope that we would have a 

peaceful environment when we are in our devotion. 

We want the government to protect us with our 

constitutional rights and we are concerned about our 

religious freedom.” Yonathan is heartbroken over 




Above: May 13: Indonesian President Joko Widodo surveys the aftermath of multiple suicide bombings 

in Surabaya. Photo: Press Bureau of the Secretariat of the President of Indonesia 

Below: May 14: The Mayor of Surabaya, Tri Rismaharini, meets with relatives of the victims of the Surabaya 

bombings. Photo: Surabaya Municipal Police 



21

Top Right: Alvaro undergoes skin 

grafting and skin-regrowing procedures 

to treat his burns after the Samarinda 

bombing. 

Bottom Right: Children celebrate 

forgiveness during Easter celebration. 

Opposite: Trinity, one of the children 

injured in the Samarinda bombing. 

the deaths of three church staff members who 

were severely burned. 

“They try to create fear in us; instead we 

grow, trust, and hope in Him. God is still in 

control; our churches united in prayers and 

believe God’s will be done on earth as it is in 

Heaven. The gates of hell and its power cannot 

conquer His church,” Budi Setiawan, the 

National Superintendent of the Assembly of 

God in Indonesia, shared with ICC. 

Indonesia continues to be a hotbed of terrorism, 

spelling danger for Christians. The 

Surabaya attack followed another large-scale 

bombing on November 13, 2016 in Samarinda. 

There four terrorists bombed the Ouikumene 

building housing five churches. 

Tragically, the children at Ouikumene were 

the most affected because they were playing 

outside when the bomb detonated. Three children 

received extensive tissue damage from 

the heat: Alvaro, Trinity, and Anita. One child, 

Intan, died the day after the attack. 

ICC Provides for Ministry to 

Kids at Bombed Church 

ICC visited the site in Samarinda in April 

2018 to assess the damage and learn how ICC 

could help. We found that the Ouikumene 

children continue to struggle with psychological 

fallout from the bombing in 2016. In the 

aftermath of the bombing, the children were 

too afraid to attend Sunday School. 

ICC threw an Easter celebration for the 

children to encourage them in the love of Jesus 

and lifing up prayers for the bombers. ICC 

provided supplies and gifts for the celebration 

and the children’s Sunday School. During the 

event, the Sunday School teacher shared how 

Jesus taught Peter to forgive 70 times seven 

times and how Jesus forgave the men who 

unjustly nailed him to a cross. 

“I’m glad to know that so many people are 

praying for us and giving their love. These 

children need some consoling in their lives, 

and your organization answers their needs. 

Thank you so much ICC!” said Marsyana, 

Alvaro’s mother. 

Sarina, Trinity’s mother, said, “We thank 

ICC for this present that you gave to the kids. 

We pray that your ministry will continue to 

exist and help people who are in need. Pray 

for us so we can face the day ahead. We 

believe that God will never leave us alone. 

“They try to 

create fear in 

us; instead we 

grow, trust, 

and hope in 

Him.” 

– BUDI SETIAWAN 

He is faithful. Through an accident, I encounter 

God. I have a personal experience with 

God and it strengthens me in all my ways. He 

is good all the time.” 

Children Endure Ongoing 

Medical Treatments 

Alvaro, Trinity, and Anita embarked on 

a different journey after the bombing. They 

struggled through complex surgeries, many 

of which were beyond their parents’ means. 

The explosion melted Alfaro’s ears and 

severely burned the skin on his head. He is in 

the process of receiving balloon treatments 

(a medical treatment for growing new skin) 

and will be receiving hand surgery. Anita is 

receiving treatment for minor burns on her 

hands and head. 

Trinity’s injuries were the most severe. 

She has burns on her arms, fingers, and 






upper torso. Approximately 60% of her skin 

was mutilated by the burns. A businessman 

and friend in Jakarta connected Trinity 

with a skilled doctor in China, but the 

doctor informed her mom that the surgeries 

would cost one billion rupiahs (almost 

$80,000 USD). She was able to travel to 

China in September and November and 

received a balloon injection in Jakarta. 

Even in the midst of her pain, Trinity’s 

spirit and smile shines Jesus’s love on others 

in every place that she visits. 

“We really see how God helps us. Every 

time Trinity is in the hospital she finds a lot 

of friends. I even don’t understand,” said 

Sarina, “Once, she had a friend next to her 

bed in the hospital. They were both laughing 

with each other and watching a movie, 

even when they [spoke] different languages. 

Another time, there was a patient with kidney 

failure who frequently came to the hospital 

for dialysis. Every time she came to the 

hospital, she visited Trinity. She said that, in 

her condition, Trinity was very cheering.” 

Trinity’s progress continues to bode well 

for her recovery, but she will be receiving 

ongoing treatments. Many individuals, 

including ICC, have stepped in to alleviate 

the costs of her surgeries. 

Roots of Jihadism and 

Violence in Indonesia 

These two tragedies in Southeast Asia 

stem from the larger ideological conflict in 

the Middle East. Religious persecution in 

Indonesia sprang out of Saudi Arabia’s campaign 

to radicalize Islamist powers surrounding 

the Persian Gulf in the late 20th century. 

Saudi Arabia poured approximately $100 

billion into the spread of jihadism. 

The radicalization in Indonesia and other 

countries did not hit the Western radar 

until 1998 when a Muslim imam escalated 

a localized fight between Muslim and 

Christian teenagers and called his followers 

to wage war on Christians. The Muslims 

murdered 10,000 Christians and burned 

1,200 churches. 

Today, factions linked to ISIS thrive in 

Indonesia. The family responsible for the 

attacks in Surabaya claimed to be a part of 

the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), an ISIS 

sub-faction formed in 2015. The presence of 

this group and others means that Christians are 

under constant threat. 

As ICC continues to connect with victims 

and families in Surabaya and assist with medical 

expenses and other needs, we invite you to 

pray for recovering victims and the Church at 

large in Indonesia. 

23

Feature Article 

The Secret Fate of Christians 

in Iran’s Evin Prison 

Christians 

often disappear 

within the secret 

wards of Evin 

Prison. 

By Claire Evans 

Nestled within the hills of 

northern Tehran, Evin 

Prison is a visible reminder 

of old and new wounds. 

The prison rose to prominence 

after Iran’s 1979 

Revolution, when the new 

government began detaining 

individuals associated with the monarchy. As 

time passed, it became evident that Evin Prison 

would remain the primary jail for perceived 

threats to the regime, including Christians. 

Although Iran’s constitution recognizes the 

freedom of religion, the regime does not recognize 

any Christian who came to faith after 

the revolution. As a country that characterizes 

itself as Shia Islamic, all other religions are 

viewed as threats towards Iran. For this reason, 

many Christians are charged with “acting 

against national security” and are thus incarcerated 

in Evin Prison. 

Evin Prison is not just a place. It is a concept 

built around Iran’s underground prison 

system. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard 

Corps and the Ministry of Intelligence and 

Security have a number of unofficial wards 

located within Evin. The prison is known by 

many names: the regime’s torture factory, hell 

on earth, and a prison within a prison. 

Believers who are imprisoned at Evin can 

expect to receive the worst treatment of all 

the inmates. “Christians held in Evin are 

subjected to physical and verbal abuse by not 

only the authorities but also by some other 

Muslim inmates. They are denied access to 

Bibles, phone calls and family visits. Evin 

Prison is run by the intelligence who behave 

in complete impunity. It is one of the worst 

places of detention in Iran, especially for 

those who converted from Islam,” said Mena 

of Christian Solidarity Worldwide. By incarcerating 

Christians within the secret parallel 





“Christians held in Evin are subjected to physical and verbal abuse by 

not only the authorities but also by some other Muslim inmates.” 

– MENA, CHRISTIAN SOLIDARITY WORLDWIDE 

institutions of Evin Prison, the 

Iranian regime is attempting to 

remove the face and personhood 

of believers. 

However, there is power in 

speaking on behalf of those 

imprisoned. “If a prisoner’s case 

got attention, they stopped torturing 

or raping them because 

they knew the world was watching. 

We heard of many cases 

of prisoners who had no voice 

outside, and many things happened 

to them,” a former prisoner, 

Marziyeh Amirizadeh, told 

World Watch Monitor. 

While there are so many cases 

of Christians entrapped in Evin 

Prison, three prisoners in particular 

stand out as needing prayer. 

At the time of this writing in 

June, Mehrdad Houshmad and 

his wife have been detained in 

Evin Prison for ten months. They 

attended a funeral service and 

were filmed at the service saying 

“prayers based on Christian 

teachings.” Their IDs were confiscated, 

and a few days later the 

couple was arrested, interrogated, 

and imprisoned within one of 

Evin’s secret wards. They have 

disappeared within the system, 

their fate unclear. 

A more recent addition to 

Evin Prison is Naser Navard 

Goltapeh. He was arrested last 

summer and convicted based 

on secret evidence produced 

by the Intelligence Ministry. 

He will serve a 10-year sentence 

in Evin Prison. Shortly 

after beginning his sentence 

in January, his health began 

deteriorating; unfortunately, 

this is not unusual. Dr. Hormoz 

Shariat, president and founder 

of Iran Alive Ministries, 

explained, “Usually, the first 

month or two, there is torture to 

get all the information they can 

from the prisoner. If the prisoner 

dies under torture, they claim 

that he committed suicide.” 



Opposite: The regime regularly imprisons believers as part of 

its attempt to eradicate Christianity from Iran. 

Top: Many of Iran’s Christians end up in the notorious Evin 

Prison, ‘the regime’s torture factory.’ 

Bottom: Iran views Christians as cultural dissidents and 

imprisonment and inhumane treatment as their due. 

Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz is 

another victim of Evin Prison. He 

has been arrested multiple times 

and recently lost his appeal of a 

10-year prison sentence. He was 

previously released from Evin on 

bail, but now he awaits a phone 

call that will tell him when and 

what prison to report to. It is 

unclear when he will begin serving 

his sentence. However, given 

the authorities’ history of sending 

Pastor Bet-Tamraz to Evin Prison, 

it is possible that he will return. 

It is known that at least ten 

Christian converts are serving 

their sentences in Evin Prison. 

The actual number is most likely 

much higher. Six Christians have 

been either temporarily released 

from Evin on bail or their judicial 

status is unclear. Most of these 

prisoners will serve an average 

sentence length of nine years – a 

time of extreme hardship. 

“Most of the arrested individuals 

are coerced to divulge information 

about their house-church 

activities and those of their 

friends, under threat of criminal 

prosecution or arrest of family 

members… Therefore, the case 

of every arrested Iranian believer 

is of utmost importance,” said Dr. 

Mike Ansari from Heart4Iran. 

Evin Prison exists to erase 

anything the regime perceives 

as a threat. By incarcerating 

Christians here, Iran hopes to 

abolish Christianity through brutality 

and fear. However, it is 

through the testimonies of those 

who have kept the faith that so 

many Iranians are converting to 

Christianity. We must pray for 

the safety of those in Evin Prison, 

that their hardship may be eased. 

But we must also publicly name 

those imprisoned there. For naming 

them introduces international 

accountability, and Iran’s regime 

will realize that they cannot 

use secret prisons to extinguish 

Christianity from the country. 

25

ICC’s Policy Day 

Sheds Light on 

Brutal Attacks 

on Christian 

Villagers in 

Nigeria 

By Matias Perttula 

Muslim Fulani militants are attacking 

and massacring Christian farmers 

in the Nigerian Middle belt with 

increasing vehemence and near impunity. 

International Christian Concern 

addressed the situation at its annual 

Policy Day on June 5, opening dialogue 

between speakers and panelists 

at the U.S. Capitol building. 

Policymakers, experts, NGO leaders, 

and Nigerians spoke with unanimous concession, calling for immediate 

action from the Nigerian government. 

The carnage exceeds 1300 deaths in 2018 as the uninhibited wave of 

violence advances across the region. The Nigerian government has the 

means to end the killing spree, yet internal conflicts of interest have so 

far stalled action. Only recently, with pressure from President Trump, 

did President Buhari of Nigeria finally acknowledge and condemn one 

of the attacks that resulted in the deaths of two priests and nearly 20 

worshipers in Benue state. 

Speakers: Members of Congress, Nigeria 

Experts, and a Victim of Boko Haram 

Nearly every speaker at Policy Day highlighted the need for security 

guarantees in Nigeria to counter the threat that increased radicalization 

poses on the stability of its democracy. While many factors contribute 

to the conflict—population growth, ethnic differences, grazing rights, 

lack of security infrastructure, and more —it is clear that Fulani militants 

have been the aggressors, wiping out and sometimes occupying 

entire villages to access a few limited resources. The conflict stands to 

threaten the geopolitical stability of the region. 

Policy Day kicked off with Joy Bishara, a Nigerian native who 

shared her terrifying encounter with Boko Haram in April 2014. The 

terrorist organization kidnapped 276 girls in the middle of the night 

from a school in Chibok, Nigeria. Joy, along with some of her Christian 

schoolmates, escaped later and hid in the jungles of Nigeria before 

making their way back home. Her riveting story captured the true 

horrors of what the persecuted church is experiencing at the hands of 

violent Islamic terror groups like Boko Haram. 

Terwase Orbunde, the second speaker, serves as the Chief of Staff 

to the Governor of Benue State in Nigeria. He personally handled the 

aftermath of a Fulani militant attack in his state. Terwase revealed the 

struggles of leading the Benue state in a time when the federal government 

largely ignores the killings of its citizens and virtually does 

nothing to eliminate the threat of violence. The Fulani militants enjoy 

near-perfect impunity and continue to heavily target Benue and surrounding 

states. 

Several members of the United States Congress, including Senator 

Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Congressman Randy Hultgren (R-Illinois), and a 




“ICC’s Policy Day brought a clear 

call for international pressure 

on Nigeria’s government by the 

United States and her allies. “ 

Left Top: Congressman Randy Hultgren speaks at Policy Day. 

Left Bottom: Senator Ted Cruz greets Joy Bishara. 

Above Left: Senator Ted Cruz with ICC President Jeff King. 

Above: Joy Bishara describes her escape from Boko Haram. 

representative of Congressman Chris Smith 

(R-New Jersey), shared their support for the 

plight of Christians in Nigeria. All expressed 

explicit support for the advancement of human 

rights and the continued containment of Boko 

Haram. They called on the Nigerian government 

to implement safety guarantees for communities 

in danger. Senator Ted Cruz cited 

the reality that Christians are the most persecuted 

religious group in the world, especially 

in Nigeria. International Christian Concern 

continues to be grateful for the champions 

on Capitol Hill who understand the plight 

of Christians around the world and who are 

willing to stand up for their God-given human 

rights and religious freedom. 

President Kent Ingle from Southeastern 

University shared about ICC’s recent partnership 

with the University to launch a studentled 

ICC campus club. This club will be the 



first of a nation-wide push to launch campus 

clubs all around the country. This is a critical 

effort to get students involved in ICC’s work 

with international religious freedom.* 

Six-Member Panel of 

Experts from NGOs and 

Advocacy Groups 

A panel of six experts weighed in on the discussion. 

The panel included Nathan Wineinger, 

director of Policy and Coalitions from the 

21st century Wilberforce Initiative, Stephen S. 

Enada, Executive President and Co-Founder of 

ICON (International Committee on Nigeria), 

Joshua Meservey, Senior Policy Analyst at 

the Heritage Foundation, Matias Perttula, 

ICC’s Advocacy Director, and Chris Meserole, 

Fellow at The Brookings Institute. 

After the morning sessions, ICC led its 

volunteers through the halls of Capitol Hill 

to drop off literature informing US policy 

makers about the situation in Nigeria. The 

literature highlighted pending legislation that 

would direct a wave of international pressure 

at the Buhari government. ICC also encouraged 

policy makers to raise their concerns by 

reaching out directly to the Nigerian Embassy 

in Washington and President Buhari. 

Though much work remains in advocating 

for Christians in Nigeria, ICC’s Policy Day 

helped focus attention on the true nature of 

the attacks and brought a clear call for international 

pressure on Nigeria’s government by 

the United States and her allies. 

*Interested in leading an Advocacy club 

on your college campus? Please contact 

ICC’s Advocacy Director, Matias Perttula 

at advocacy.dir@persecution.org for more 

information. 

27


Living in Fear in Uttar Pradesh 

ICC reports back on travels to one of India’s 

most persecuted states, Uttar Pradesh. 

By William Stark 

Fear. Anxiety. Uncertainty. 

These were my constant 

companions on a recent trip 

to Uttar Pradesh. Located in 

northern India, Uttar Pradesh 

is the largest and most populous 

state in India. It’s also 

a cultural and spiritual epicenter 

for Hinduism, because millions of 

Hindus flock each year to ceremonially 

bathe in the river Ganges. 

Uttar Pradesh’s religious significance 

attracts Hindu radicals, making Uttar Pradesh 

a difficult state for Christians. Each year, Uttar 

Pradesh reports some of the highest number 

of attacks on Christians, compared to other 

states in India. In 2017 alone, the Evangelical 

Fellowship of India recorded 50 incidents of 

persecution in Uttar Pradesh out of the 351 

recorded across the rest of India’s 29 states. 

I traveled for six days across Uttar Pradesh, 

meeting with Christian leaders and hearing 

their stories of persecution. For some, the persecution 

that they’re experiencing now is the 

worst they have ever experienced. Some even 

feared for the survival of their communities. 

Pastor D. K. Sagar was one of the first 

Christian leaders who I interviewed in Uttar 

Pradesh. A house church leader, Pastor Sagar 

led worship every Sunday for more than 50 

Christians who gathered in a believer’s house 

in Unnao. In April 2018, Pastor Sagar and his 

congregation were brutally attacked. 





Left: ICC travels across Uttar Pradesh by motorbike interviewing victims of persecution. 

Top: ICC prays with a persecuted pastor from Uttar Pradesh. 

Bottom: The Ganges river, sacred to Hindus, flows through the heart of Uttar Pradesh. 

“I was dragged for more than a kilometer,” 

Pastor Sagar told me, describing the attack. 

A mob of 60 Hindu radicals barged into the 

house during a worship service. 

“The radicals pulled me out of the house 

and started to hit me,” Pastor Sagar continued. 

“There was no way to escape because the mob 

had encircled me. Other believers fled to save 

their lives, but they kept torturing me.” 

A blow to Pastor Sagar’s right ear decimated 

the hearing in his ear. Radicals paraded him 

through the streets, continuing to beat him. 

His identity as the pastor of the congregation 

was evident to the Radicals, so they eventually 

took him to the police station. 



There, the radicals filed trumped-up charges 

against Pastor Sagar and made further 

threats against him and his congregation. 

“The radicals said they will kill me if I continue 

to lead worship in that house,” Pastor 

Sagar said. “The entire congregation was 

frightened by what happened, but what was 

most painful was that those Christians who 

returned to the church were also threatened 

with dire consequences.” 

“The lives of these Christians are at risk,” 

Pastor Sagar explained. “I had to close down 

the church after I it had been running for 

nearly ten years. It is heartbreaking to live 

with more than 50 Christians who want to 

follow Jesus openly, but cannot because they 

fear for their lives.” 

After meeting with Pastor Sagar and his 

congregation, I traveled another 60 miles 

to Bacharaya, where a house church was 

attacked in April. There, Ram Prasad, a 

55-year-old church member, was beaten so 

badly that he had to be rushed to a nearby 

hospital. 

“I remember the angry mob entering the 

house when worship was going on,” said 

Shashikala, the wife of Pastor Kamlesh 

Kumar, “I was very frightened.” 

“I sensed that the target of the attack 

was my husband,” Shashikala continued. 

“Immediately, I locked my husband in another 

room. If they found my husband, they 

would have killed him.” When Ram confronted 

the mob, it immediately turned on 

him. Shashikala tried to protect Ram, but she 

was met with blows on her legs and back with 

wooden clubs. 

Following the attack, Pastor Kumar decided 

to shut down the house church and go into 

hiding. When we met, Pastor Kumar refused 

to leave his house altogether and was actively 

looking for a new, safer, place to live. 

“Me, my wife, and our three children have 

had many sleepless nights fearing attack,” 

Pastor Kumar told me. “My wife and I are 

most concerned for our children’s safety.” 

While fear was the dominant sentiment I 

observed on my trip, I also met brave Christian 

leaders successfully spreading the Gospel – 

despite the increased persecution. Dr. Sharma, 

a Christian leader for Lucknow said, “The 

church is being multiplied even as persecution 

reaches new heights in India.” 

This was reinforced when I met Pastor 

Pappu on the outskirts of Lucknow. According 

to Pastor Pappu, he has baptized over 200 

people in the past few years as persecution 

was increasing around him. “The majority of 

my congregations are new converts,” Pastor 

Pappu said, “They face social boycotts, are 

denied work, water, and welfare schemes from 

the government, yet they still attend church.” 

Fear, anxiety, and risk are all appropriate 

words to describe what is like to be a Christian 

living in Uttar Pradesh. Yet, this persecution 

has not stopped the power of the Gospel to 

reach the unreached. 

When asked what was needed by Christians 

in Uttar Pradesh, Dr. Sharma said, “There is a 

great need for the free Church to stand alongside 

and support Christian suffering for their 

faith.” May we heed Dr. Sharma’s guidance 

and stand with those willing to suffer for their 

faith in places like Uttar Pradesh. 

29

Nigeria: Epicenter of 




Did you know that Nigeria is the epicenter 

of today’s world for violent attacks on 

Christians? Few are aware because the 

press has largely ignored this mass murder 

and displacement of believers. 

Islamist militants have killed up to 70,000 

Christians there in the last 20 years. June 

saw a series of attacks over a weekend 

that left more than 200 Christians killed. 

Militants have pushed millions of farmers 

off their lands, and they now live as 

refugees in their own country. 

These farmers don’t want a handout. They 

just want to get back to farming. 

That’s why with your partnership we 

want to build 10 communal farms to feed 

up to 7,000 of these victims. 

We rent the land, clear, and till it. Next, we 

provide seed, fertilizer, and irrigation. The 

victims are Nigerian farmers so they then 

take over and feed themselves. 

Amazingly, we can feed a 

Christian through this program 

for only $30 a year, but we need to 

raise $125,000. 

PLEASE GIVE TODAY! 

Check: Use the enclosed envelope: Write “Nigeria Crisis” on your check 

Phone: Call us at 800-422-5441 

Online: Visit persecution.org/nigeria-crisis 

Christian Persecution 



A Christian widow and her son stand by 

the grave of their husband/father who was 

killed by Fulani militants. 

31

You Can Help Today! 



SEND DONATIONS TO: 

ICC 

PO BOX 8056 

SILVER SPRING, MD 20907 

OR ONLINE AT 

WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG 

OR BY PHONE 

800-ICC-5441 

GIVING TO ICC VIA 

YOUR WILL 

Provide now for a future gift to ICC 

by including a bequest provision in 

your will or revocable trust. If you 

would like more information on giving 

to ICC in this way, please give 

us a call at 1-800-ICC-5441. 

Members of the Nigerian diaspora attended 

ICC’s Policy Day to show their support 

for efforts to stop the violence by Fulani 

militants in their home country. 

MEMBER 

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August 2018 Persecution Magazine

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