July 2019 Persecution Magazine

WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG 

July 2019 

PERSECU ION 

PERSECU ION 

PERSECU ION 

Saratu’s 

Salvation 

Kidnapped by Boko Haram, Saratu 

Led 20 Women to Freedom 

PERSECU ION.org 

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

In This Issue 

FEATURE 

14 | Safe Pastures in Nigeria 

ICC’s farms are thriving in Adamawa 

State, one of the most dangerous 

regions of Nigeria for Christians, but 

Nigeria still needs your help. 

PROFILE 

16 | Surviving Boko Haram 

Meet Saratu, the brave woman who 

rescued herself and 20 others from the 

jaws of Boko Haram. 

FEATURE 

18 | Persecution Preparedness 

ICC trains Christian leaders in India 

on how to prepare for and push back 

against rising levels of persecution. 

FEATURE 

20 | Mending India’s Church 

Persecution is increasing in Southern 

India, but that has not stopped one 

pastor from seeking his church’s rights. 

14 

EVENT 

22 |Advocating for the 

Persecuted 

ICC’ 

freedom for Christians around the world 

through two events on Capitol Hill. 

Regular Features 

3 Letter from the President 

A few words from ICC’s president, Jeff 

King, on the threats Christians in India 

are facing and how you can help. 

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 

Discover how you can partner with 

pastors working in some of the most 

dangerous places on earth. 

16 

20 

18 

22 

2 PERSECU ION.org 

JULY 2019 


, President 

International Christian Concern 

“Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son 

of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by 

flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this 

rock I will build my church, and the gates of 

Hades will not overcome it. I will give you 

the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever 

you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, 

and whatever you loose on earth will be 

loosed in heaven.’” 

- Matthew 16:17-19 

The re-election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May was 

a very troubling sign for India’s Christians. When he was first 

elected in 2014, there was an immediate and sustained increase 

in persecution directed toward Christians. Attacks on Christians 

across India have surged dramatically in the years since. 

Using a political platform focused primarily on Hindu 

nationalism and promises of economic relief, Modi and his 

political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), were able to 

secure a second five-year term. However, this same political 

rhetoric has undermined the freedom and safety of India’s 

Christian population. 

Despite the fact that India’s constitution was intentionally 

created with one of the most liberal religious freedom 

guarantees in the world, Modi and the BJP endorse Hindutva, 

the radical idea that India is only for Hindus. 

The hatred fueled by the BJP and Modi translates into attacks 

on churches and pastors, such as Pastor Karthik (page 20). 

While he was preaching, his church was invaded by 15 Hindu 

radicals. They beat the congregation and violently smashed a 

chair into Pastor Karthik’s head. 

The congregation was then forced to go to the police station, 

rather than the hospital. The police declared that the congregants 

couldn’t worship at the church, and they closed it down for 16 

months. 

Modi and his BJP thugs are ignorant of history. The Church 

in India will grow. In fact, it will probably grow faster due to 

persecution if the typical pattern holds. 

In the meantime, we are sending out 1,000 church planters and 

evangelists to spread the Gospel in India, as we believe that the 

gates of hell cannot withstand the assault of the Gospel. Given 

time, hate cannot stand up to love. 

Find out more about our Bibles and Bikes for India campaign 

at: www.persecution.org/bibles-bikes. 

Be blessed, 

Jeff King 


INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN 

3

News 

1 

2 

6 

5 

3 

4 

Turkey Detains Armenian Activist for 

Referencing Genocide 

1 | TURKEY On April 24, police in Istanbul arrested 

Turkish-Armenian activist Alexis Kalk over comments 

that he made at a memorial service, referencing the 1915 

Armenian Genocide. Kalk was speaking at a service for 

Sevag Balıkçı, an Armenian who was murdered eight 

years ago on the anniversary of the genocide. During his 

comments, Kalk referred to the murder as a hate crime and 

called for justice for the victims of the genocide. 

Armenians are an ethnic-religious group that adheres 

to the Christian faith and has been severely oppressed in 

Turkey. The Armenian Genocide, sometimes referred to 

as the Armenian Holocaust, led to the murder of 1.5 million 

Armenian people, in addition to the displacement of 

countless others. 

However, in spite of the severity of this genocide, the 

Turkish government spins a narrative of denial. Instead, 

they say that the genocide was an act of self-defense. On the 

most recent anniversary 

of the genocide, the day 

that Kalk was arrested, 

President Erdogan 

tweeted that the genocide 

“was the most 

reasonable action that 

could be taken in such 

a period.” Many believe 

that this highly public 

denial of historic facts 

serves as an encouragement 

of further violence 

against Armenians. 

Thankfully, Kalk 

was released the same 

day, following an 

interrogation about his 

remarks. Many believe 

that Kalk’s arrest was 

simply an intimidation 

tactic meant to discourage 

similar remarks, 

because his arrest 

took place only a few 

hours before an event 

commemorating the 

Armenian Genocide. 

Even still, this event 

was planned after the 

Turkish government 

banned two other commemoration 

activities 

where the events are 

traditionally held. 

Eren Keskin, chairperson 

of the Turkish 

Human Rights 

Association, said, 

“Again, we are going 

through a period of 

severe human rights 

violations. The cursed 

heritage continues in 

new forms.” 

“This incident 

will hurt them 

psychologically 

in the future.” 

Children Traumatized and Three 

Injured in Attack on Egyptian Church 

2 | EGYPT On April 12, a mob of extremists attacked 

the Church of Society of Anba Karassof in Khalaf Allah 

Jaber village, located in Egypt’s Sohag Governorate. 

The attackers, armed with knives and sticks, carried 

out the ambush while Christian children were attending 

Sunday School. Thankfully, a large gate on the property 

delayed the mob, which provided the authorities with 

enough time to disperse the crowd. 

Unfortunately, the mob managed to damage the 

church and injure three Christians, including two 

priests, Father Basil and Father Pachomius, and one 

Coptic man, Asaad Bakhit Rizk Allah. Furthermore, 

many of the children who were present at the time were 

traumatized by the violence. 

One local Christian woman explained, “The hardest 

emotion in that incident is the kids lived the incident in 

the reality. They saw the extremists attacking the church 

and how they injured the priests. This incident will hurt 

them psychologically in the future.” 

Following the attack, the authorities closed down 

the church in an attempt to avoid further violence. By 

doing so, the congregation was left without a place 

of worship on Easter. This church closure took place 

only one day after the village mayor attempted to 

close down the church due to its plans to renovate to 

accommodate its growing congregation. Although the 

church applied for legal status in 2017, it has yet to 

receive official recognition. 




Underground Church Leaders Repeatedly Detained in China 

3 | CHINA On March 28, vicar general Father Zhang Jianlin of Xuanhua diocese was taken into custody by provincial religious bureau officials. 

Only one day later, Coadjutor Bishop Augustine Cui Tai was also seized by the authorities. Both of these underground church leaders have been 

targeted by the Chinese government for several years, and have each been detained multiple times prior. 

In response to the most recent arrests, Father Francis Liu from Chinese Christian Fellowship of Righteousness told ICC, “Actually, this is the 

norm – during Lenten season, in order to prevent underground bishops from performing the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, the government 

would take them away, forcing their parishioners to attend the Mass at another diocese or an official church [that is controlled by Beijing].” 

Fulani Militants Attack a Christian Village 

in Nigeria 

4 | NIGERIA On April 17, Fulani militants attacked Bolon village, 

a predominantly Christian village in Nigeria’s Adamawa 

State. When the dust settled, the gunmen left four people dead 

and another six injured. Additionally, more than 100 homes were 

burned down, as well as several food storage barns. Among the 

four victims who were killed were an 89-year-old man and his 

wife, a 13-year-old girl, and a 10-year-old boy. Once the villagers 

learned of the oncoming attack, some were able to flee the village, 

while others stayed behind in an attempt to fend off the militants. 

Five Christians Arrested in Nepal Under Anti- 

Conversion Law 

5 | NEPAL On April 23, five Christians were arrested in Nepal’s Dang 

District and charged with attempted proselytization. Among those arrested 

were Pastor Dilli Ram Paudel, General Secretary of the Nepal Christian 

Society; Gaurav Srivastava, an Indian citizen; and Leanna Ciquanda, an 

American citizen. The police reportedly seized the Christians’ Bibles and 

other property before bringing them in to the police station. Last August, 

Nepal enacted a law criminalizing religious conversion. Under the new 

law, an individual found guilty of even encouraging religious conversion 

can be fined up to 50,000 Rupees and placed in prison for up to five years. 

Asia Bibi Finally Allowed to Leave Pakistan 

6 | PAKISTAN In early May, Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who suffered nearly 

a decade on death row for alleged blasphemy, was finally permitted to leave 

Pakistan. This announcement came more than six months after her October 

acquittal by Pakistan’s Supreme Court. Bibi was accused of committing blasphemy 

against Muhammad in 2009, and remains the only woman in Pakistan’s history 

to be issued a death sentence under the country’s infamous blasphemy laws. 

Following her acquittal, Bibi was held in protective custody by the Pakistani 

military. However, Bibi’s friends reported that conditions in the hideout were 

similar to those of prison. Thankfully, Bibi has since left Pakistan safely and 

been accepted as a refugee in Canada. Omar Waraich, Deputy South Asia 

Director for Amnesty International, said, “This case horrifyingly illustrates the 

dangers of the country’s blasphemy laws and the urgent need to repeal them.” 



5

News 

6 

2 

5 

4 

3 

1 

“They are back 

now and getting 

rested up.” 

Police Responsible for the Abduction 

of Malaysian Pastor 

1 | MALAYSIA On February 13, 2017, Malaysian pastor 

Raymond Koh was abducted in Petaling Jaya while on 

his way to visit a friend. On April 3, 2019, the Human 

Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) announced 

that Malaysia’s special police intelligence team was 

involved in his disappearance. Shortly after Pastor Koh 

went missing, suspicions arose that the former Najib 

administration was responsible due to the military-like 

precision of his abduction. 

Commissioner Datuk Mah Weng Kwai noted that the 

wife of an also-missing Shiite activist, Amri Che Mat, said 

that Special Branch officer Mohd Shamzaini Mohd Daud 

told her that the disappearances of both Koh and Amri 

were carried out by Bukit Aman’s Special Branch. 

In spite of Suhakam’s findings, the police have refused 

to acknowledge their role in Pastor Koh’s kidnapping. 

Rather, they have reclassified Koh’s case as an “enforced 

disappearance,” as opposed to an abduction, adding even 

more suspicion surrounding the state’s involvement. 

Suhakam’s inquiry panel has made several recommendations 

regarding Pastor Koh’s case, including the creation 

of a task force to reinvestigate his disappearance. 

Pastor David Low, chairman of the Evangelical Free 

Church of Malaysia, of which Pastor Raymond Koh was 

previously a pastor, told ICC, “Thanks for journeying 

and praying for the family. Let’s continue to pray that the 

government will have the gumption to take the next steps 

as recommended by Suhakam.” 

Muslim- 

Background 

Believer Forced 

into Hiding in 

Uganda 

2 | UGANDA Sheikh 

Hassan Podo, a former 

Islamic imam, 

used to belong to a 

radical group that 

attacked a Christian 

church in Uganda. 

However, according 

to Morning Star 

News, he and his 

wife’s lives radically 

changed after a pastor 

shared the Gospel 

with them. 

After local Muslims 

noticed Podo entering 

a church, his community, 

including his 

family, rejected him. 

One day, after questioning 

Podo about 

his whereabouts, his 

family beat him to the 

point of unconsciousness. 

Thankfully, a 

local resident happened 

upon him, 

and brought him to 

a clinic for medical 

attention. Podo and 

his family are now 

in hiding, but his 

father has reportedly 

disowned him and 

assembled a mob to 

hunt him down. 

American Christians Detained in 

Laos Return Home 

3 | LAOS On April 8, three American Christians 

were detained by police in Laos as they ministered 

to villages north of Muang Sing in the Luang 

Namtha province. The three believers, known as 

Wayne, Autumn, and Joseph, were serving with one 

of ICC’s partners, Vision Beyond Borders (VBB) at 

the time of their detention by sharing Gospel materials 

with local villagers. 

Thankfully, the three were released and returned 

home to their families in the United States on 

Easter Sunday. Shortly after their release, Eric 

Blievernicht, the acting Operations Manager of 

VBB, told ICC, “They are back now and getting 

rested up. I heard back from Autumn and she seems 

in really good spirits!” 

Radio Free Asia reported that the three were 

detained for distributing religious literature without 

prior government approval. Although they 

were released from police custody prior to their 

return to the United States, they were confined to a 

guesthouse and the surrounding village. According 

to reports, their release was additionally delayed 

by the Lao New Year holidays, which take place 

between April 13 and 16. 




Hundreds Killed During Easter Bombings 

4 | SRI LANKA On April 21, Easter Sunday, a series of bombings ripped through churches and hotels throughout Sri Lanka, killing 257 

people and injuring many more. Of the 257 who were killed, approximately 180 were killed in churches. The string of attacks marked the 

first major terrorist attack since Sri Lanka’s civil war came to a close in 2009. Months after the attack, Sri Lanka’s Christian community is 

still grieving the loss of their martyred brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Forty Christians Violently Kicked Out of Village 

5 | INDIA On April 14, 40 Christians were violently kicked out of their homes by Hindu radicals in India’s Odisha State. The extremists attacked after 

allegedly accusing the Christians of following a foreign religion. When the mob stormed into the Christian homes, armed with bamboo sticks, the 

Christian villagers, including women and children, fled into the nearby forest. Local officials then told the Christians that they were not permitted to 

stay in the village if they continued practicing their faith. 

Sudan Ex-President Omar al-Bashir Moved to Prison 

6 | SUDAN After years of brutal reign, Sudan’s former president, Omar al- 

Bashir, has been arrested by the Sudanese military. After being temporarily 

held under house arrest at the presidential estate, Bashir was reportedly transferred 

to prison at an undisclosed location. 

However, due to Bashir’s leadership role in Sudan’s government and military, 

many are skeptical that he will be held fully accountable. Despite accusations 

against Bashir of genocide against the people of Darfur and Blue Nile, the military 

council has already stated that they will not send him abroad to be judged 

by the International Criminal Court. At the time of writing, the nation of Sudan 

remains in a state of limbo politically. While protestors call for a democratic 

government, many fear that the military will maintain its tight grip on the 

nation, potentially leading to another dictatorship. 



7

Your Dollars at Wo 

ICC’s Ongoing Initiatives 

2019 Scripture Initiative 

Bibles for the Persecuted 

In March, ICC launched a Scripture initiative to provide persecuted communities with physical 

Bibles, audio-Bibles, and children’s Bibles. We are primarily focusing on providing God’s 

Word to communities that have had their Bibles destroyed and smuggling Bibles into nations 

that enforce tight restrictions on Gospel materials. Even though it is arguably the most restrictive 

nation in the world, we have been able to send Scripture into North Korea to those who are 

hungry for truth. We do so through radio broadcasts, launching massive balloons that drop Bibles 

across the border, and sending bottles filled with rice and Scripture up the river into North Korea. 

Thank 

You! 

Almost 55% 

Learn more at: www.persecution.org/bibles 

Bibles & Bikes 

Bibles for the Persecuted 

In late 2018, ICC launched a campaign to equip church planters throughout rural India. The 

campaign developed when we realized that we could maximize an evangelist’s effectiveness 

by providing them with a bicycle and Bibles to distribute. Since launching the Bibles and Bikes 

for India initiative in November 2018, ICC has been able to raise over $125,000. These funds 

continue to be used to empower rural evangelists willing to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to 

some of India’s remotest regions. To date, ICC has empowered over 240 evangelists across 10 

of India’s 29 states. 

Communal Farms in Nigeria 

Community Rebuild 

Almost 65% 

Initial Goal: $117,000 

Tens of Thousands of Bibles for 2019 


1,000 Bikes & 100,000 Bibles 

Learn more at: www.persecution.org/bibles-bikes 

Last summer, ICC initiated a campaign to rescue Christians affected by violence at the hands 

of Boko Haram and Fulani militants in Nigeria. ICC sought to develop 10 communal farms 

to serve Christian farmers whose land has been destroyed by the militant groups. At the time of 

writing, we have officially started our seventh and eighth farms. So far, the first six farms have 

helped 450 families. These latest two farms have helped another 150 families restart farming after 

losing their breadwinners and access to their family lands. With your support, we have already 

helped feed thousands, and we are planning on feeding thousands more through your generosity. 

Exceeded Initial Goal 


10 Communal Farms 

Learn more at: www.persecution.org/nigeria-crisis 

To learn more about how you can support these initiatives, visit www.persecution.org or give us a call at 800-422-5441. 




k 

Food Relief in India 

Suffering Wives & Children 

In February, a group of new Christians in 

India gathered for worship. That evening, 

a group of Hindu nationalists confronted 

the Christians, beating them and demanding 

that they abandon their newfound faith. 

The Christians held fast to their faith, causing 

the extremists to beat them even more 

severely. While some of the villagers were 

able to flee into their homes, others were 

forced to spend the night hiding in the nearby 

forest. The attackers eventually warned 

the Christians that they can either deny 

Christianity or leave the village, threatening 

to kill them if they continue practicing their 

faith in the village. 

Thankfully, the injured Christians received 

the necessary first aid treatment the morning 

after the ambush. However, having fled the 

village with nothing but the clothes on their 

backs, many were in need of basic day-to-day 

necessities. ICC stepped in to provide three 

families with a two-month supply of food, as 

well as clothing, blankets, luggage, kitchen 

supplies, and rent assistance. 



Recovery Aid 

for Bombing 

Survivor 

Kids Care 

Alvaro is one several young survivors of 

a 2016 church bombing in Indonesia. 

He sustained severe burns from the bombing, 

primarily on his head. As a result, he 

has required extensive medical care over 

the past three years. Over the years, ICC 

has supported his family, and those of other 

injured children from the church, to aid in 

their recovery. Most recently, ICC assisted 

with the costs of transportation necessary 

for Alvaro to obtain surgery abroad. 

By God’s grace, Alvaro is back into the 

normal swing of life by going to school 

and spending time with friends and family. 

Although he will eventually need another surgery, 

he is well on his way to recovery. While 

we cannot erase the memories of the bombing 

that this young boy lives with, we pray that 

this gesture will help him realize that he has 

brothers and sisters around the world who are 

cheering him on in his recovery. 

9

Your Dollars at Wo 

Baby Supplies 

in Indonesia 


In 2017, Pastor Abraham was convicted of 

blasphemy and sentenced to four years in 

prison after attempting to share the Gospel 

with his taxi driver. At the time of his accusation, 

his wife was pregnant with their first 

child. Since his wife did not have a steady 

source of income, she depended on churches 

to meet her needs. In order to assist this new 

mother, ICC provided her with rent assistance 

and day-to-day supplies, including 12 cans of 

baby formula. 

She expressed, “I really thank ICC for supporting 

me with this fund. I never expected 

this! I hope ICC will continue to support me 

in your prayer that God will strengthen me. 

No matter [what] happens in my life, my 

husband and family will always serve God 

and the lost souls.” 

Livestock 

Business in 

Egypt 


Last fall, a Coptic Christian named Hana 

was on his way home to tend to his livestock, 

who provided most of his income. 

After more than decade of hard work, Hana 

had built up a livestock business through 

which he owned buffalos and a small calf. As 

he approached his home, he quickly noticed 

flames rising from the property. Hana’s barn, 

livestock, and several wooden poles on his 

property were all on fire. 

Although his neighbors attempted to 

help him rescue the animals, their efforts 

were unsuccessful. In a matter of moments, 

Hana’s farm – and livelihood – went up in 

smoke. He recalled, “It was painful to me, to 

see that my animals were burning and suffering, 

and I was disabled to help them. It was 

something like if my sons were burning. God 

save my sons, please.” 

The burning of Hana’s farm took place 

as part of a recent string of arson cases targeting 

Coptic Christian farmers. For many 

Egyptians, their entire livelihood centers 

around livestock, making this type of attack 




k 

Serving Displaced Believers 


In Nigeria’s Benue State, thousands of 

Christians have been displaced from their 

homes due to violent Fulani attacks. As 

attacks of this nature continue with minimal 

intervention, the government has neglected to 

assist many of the families currently residing 

in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. 

These families are in dire need of assistance 

and the camp is struggling to meet the families’ 

most basic needs. 

During a recent trip to one of these IDP 

camps, ICC provided food and toiletries to 

support the camp’s women and children. 

This assistance will help relieve some of the 

immediate burden weighing on the shoulders 

of the numerous families displaced by 

Fulani violence. 

devastating. Although Hana reported the incident 

to the police, he did not know who was 

responsible for the attack, which limited the 

authorities’ ability to investigate. 

Yet, following the attack, Hana remained 

hopeful that God would provide. He said, 

“After the incident happened, I believed that 

God would give me a compensation. God 

loves us and we trust that.” 

After learning of this attack, ICC accompanied 

Hana to the market to purchase two new 

cows and feed for the animals. Although it 

was too late to save the lives of the livestock 

that was targeted, these cows will help restore 

the income that was lost in this violent act of 

arson. Hana said, “I’m happy now and very 

satisfied, thanks to God who helped me.” 



Sewing Training in Myanmar 

Save Our Sisters 

Displaced Christians in Myanmar face 

countless obstacles as they attempt to 

earn a living. Most young IDPs are forced 

to drop out of school, stunting their career 

potential for the future. Young women in this 

situation sadly find themselves vulnerable to 

human trafficking, sometimes at the hands 

of their own neighbors and friends seeking 

financial gain. 

In order to protect displaced women from 

such horrors, ICC teamed up with local 

partners to provide 19 young women with 

a six-month sewing course. Following their 

graduation from the course, the trainees 

displayed and sold the clothing they made 

throughout the training. More importantly, 

they have learned a skill that they can use to 

support themselves, and others, financially 

in the future. 

11

Fund Spotligh 

Reaching the 

Darkest Corners 

by Way of the 

Bravest People 

ICC operates in the darkest corners 

of the world, where Christianity is 

hated both in name and in practice. 

In many persecuted countries, underground 

pastors serve as the backbone 

of the Christian community, diligently 

serving their congregations 

and ministering to the unreached. At 

the same time, they face countless 

obstacles, including violence, poverty, 

discrimination and harassment, forcing 

them to operate in secrecy. 

Through ICC’s Underground Pastors Fund, 

we help these brave men and women share 

the Gospel by supporting them after attacks, 

meeting their practical, day-to-day needs, and 

reinforcing their ministry by providing legal 

training and other services. 

The life of an underground pastor is far from 

easy. In India, a believer’s efforts to share the 

Gospel with his Hindu neighbor are often met 

with fierce aggression. Here, rural Christian 

pastors are often targeted by Hindu radicals. 

These pastors are vulnerable to persecution 

simply because they are unaware of their 

rights or basic legal procedure. Therefore, ICC 

developed a persecution preparedness training 

to teach pastors how to respond to persecution 

when it arises from a legal perspective. 

This training has already proved effective 

for pastors who were arrested and released 




t: Underground Pastors 

Pastors Fund 

Check: Use the self-addressed envelope to send 

in your check with “Underground Pastors” in the 

note section. 

Phone: Call us at 800-ICC-5441. 

Online: Visit persecution.org and click “Donate 

Now” in the upper right corner. You can now 

create an account where you can manage your 

donations and see giving history. 

early—only to watch the police arrest 

their persecutors! ICC recently hosted 

two trainings in India, which reached 

96 pastors combined. Within one week, 

a trainee was able to utilize the skills he 

gained as he responded to the persecution 

incident, and as a result, the victim was 

released within 24 hours. 

One pastor who attended the training 

shared, “The time we spent here in the 

training is invaluable. The clear guideline 

of how to file [a first information report], 

and where to report the persecution, etc. 

are very helpful to me. The whole area 

of being sensitive when preaching the 

Gospel has created a sense of readiness.” 

ICC’s Underground Pastors Fund also 

provides vital financial support to ministry 

leaders who must operate discreetly. Fulltime 

ministry comes with a significant financial 

burden, as these pastors receive very 

little, if any, compensation for their work. 

In Turkey, young adult ministry is 

highly restricted. However, one faithful 

couple is continuing to share the Good 

News through their college ministry. 

Although their ministry is thriving across 

nine campuses, their finances have taken 

a hit. To alleviate this weight on their 

shoulders, ICC stepped in to provide 

financial support so that the pair can continue 

to focus their attention on outreach. 

The couple shared, “We are excited for 

2019 and we are hoping to see the Lord 

do wonderful things this year as we continue 

to serve Him with all of our hearts. 

We have great expectation in what the 

Lord is going to do.” 

If you would like to donate to support 

persecuted pastors or learn more about 

ICC’s Underground Pastors Fund, please 

visit www.persecution.org or give us a 

call at 1-800-ICC-5441. 



13

Feature Article 

Safe Pastures 

in Nigeria 

By Meg McEwen 

The terrain seemed 

luscious and rich in 

Adamawa State, windswept 

and dotted with 

villages. Babies were 

wrapped around their 

mothers in colorful 

cloths, boys and girls 

played in the fields, 

and everyone tended 

the land. It would be impossible to guess 

from the smiles on the villagers’ faces 

that they had been brutally attacked just 

months before. 

This past March, we traveled across 

Nigeria, visiting ICC’s projects and field staff 

in various locations and meeting with the 

tribal rulers and religious leaders. 

The first place that we visited, Adamawa 

State, is the meeting place of the two twin 

evils of Nigeria, Fulani militants and Boko 

Haram. From the west, Fulani militants cut 

across the Middle Belt in Adamawa, kidnapping 

women and children, stealing land, and 

burning Christian villages. From the northeast, 

Boko Haram spills out of its homeland, 

Borno State, forging a path of carnage. 

Both groups have rampaged through farms 

and property owned by Nigerian Christians 

for generations. 

Not Abandoned 

The leaders of Adamawa State feel helpless, 

overwhelmed by the great need for 

food, medical supplies, shelter, and clean 

water. They are unable to police the armed, 

migratory groups that ravage their communities, 

and the government is unwilling to 

send protection. 

But God has not abandoned his people 

“It’s been huge for them. Before they felt like 

they were alone but now they feel like they 

can share their stories and process their pain.” 

– ICC STAFF MEMBER 

in Adamawa. Marice Giduel, a Christian 

Nigerian woman, shared her story with us 

during our visit. Her son was slain by Fulani 

militants right in front of her, and she lost 

three fingers in the attack. A botched surgery 

left her in chronic pain. 

Tears brimmed up occasionally as she 

shared her story; but her tears were from her 

pain, not her sadness. Despite everything that 

happened to her, Marice is able to provide for 

her family because she is one of the thousands 

who benefit from the Nigeria Farm Project, 

launched by ICC in 2018. 

Sowing Hope in Nigeria 

ICC has sowed hope in deadly Adamawa. 

As a result of the Nigeria Farm Project, eight 

sustainable farms are feeding thousands of 

Nigerian mouths. Each family is able to harvest 

about 1,000 pounds of rice (or cassava) 




Top Left: This man 

lost his entire family in a 

Boko Haram attack. He 

received training to create 

a side business of operating 

water pumps through ICC’s 

Nigeria Farms project. 

Top Right: This man 

can provide for his family 

through ICC’s Nigeria 

Farm project. 

Bottom Left: ICC 

sponsored a business 

training in Jos for 60 

widows who lost their 

husbands in attacks. The 

women also meet for group 

therapy sessions to process 

their trauma. 

Bottom Right: One of 

the hundreds of families 

that ICC serves in Nigeria. 

per year, enough to feed and provide for a 

family for the year. ICC also provides medical 

care for Christian farmers like Marice, who is 

expecting another surgery soon to alleviate 

her pain. 

There is much work left to do in Nigeria. 

The people there are hurting, driven from 

their homes and desperate for help. We met 

with pastors and persecution victims in the 

field and provided water pumps and rain 

boots for the farms. Wherever we went, a 

crowd of at least 300 Nigerian Christians 

would show up – desperate for basic needs: 

food, safety, shelter, and clean water. 

On our way back to Abuja, we bumped into 

an IDP (internally displaced persons) camp. 

Seventeen hundred people crowded into a 



building the size of an elementary school: 

mostly women and children seeking refuge 

from Fulani and Boko Haram. Their husbands 

and fathers traveled back to “steal” from their 

own farms during the day, retreating back to 

the safety of the camp at night. ICC distributed 

financial support, food, and medical supplies 

to the camp before leaving for our next 

stop: Benue State. 

Ministering to Nigeria’s 

Hurting 

We’re sponsoring a business training school 

in Benue State for 60 widows who lost their 

husbands in Boko Haram and Fulani attacks. 

They also receive group therapy, which has 

been groundbreaking for those still processing 

their pain and loss. 

“It’s been huge for them. Before, they felt 

like they were alone, but now they feel like 

they can share their stories and process their 

pain,” one ICC staffer shared. 

The pain and loss in Nigeria only grows as 

more villages fall to Fulani and Boko Haram 

attacks, more farmers lose their land, and 

more families lose their loved ones. ICC will 

be growing its farm projects, implementing 

more business training, and rebuilding 

damaged property in Nigeria. Join us in 

creating safer pastures for Christian farmers 

in Nigeria. 

Stay tuned for ICC’s “One Year Later” 

update on the Nigeria farms in the next issue! 

15

SURVIVING 

BOKO HARAM 

Meet Saratu, the brave woman who rescued herself 

and 20 others from the jaws of Boko Haram. 

By Meg McEwen 

Saratu huddled with four 

other women in the 

bushes just outside of the 

village borders. Tension 

crackled in the air. Their 

village, the beloved home 

to generations of Nigerian 

Christians in northern 

Adamawa, was gone. 

Just days before, a 

band of Muslim terrorists from Boko Haram 

attacked, setting fire to everything in sight. 

Saratu herded her family out of their house, 

following the nearly invisible paths that led to 

the surrounding foliage. She could still hear 

shots ringing out in the distance and bloodcurdling 

screams as they ran. 

Like many Christians, Saratu had hoped that 

Boko Haram would be driven out of Nigeria 

for good after the government intervened. 

Unfortunately, the terrorist organization has 

regrouped and revived its efforts to kill, steal, 

and convert Nigerian Christians. 

Now, Saratu shivered in the damp night air 

and praised the Lord for sparing their lives. 

She was determined not to die of hunger. 

“I’m going back,” she said, quietly, resolutely, 

to the group of women. She thought 

of her five hungry children, still hidden in the 

bushes. They were safe, for now. The other 

women nodded. They all had mouths to feed. 

They shook their heads at the thought of their 

harvests going to waste after months of sowing, 

plowing, and tending to the fields. They 

would have to steal from their own farms. 

Their plan began to unravel the moment 

they crept into the village. With a shout, 

Muslim men spotted and chased after them. 

Saratu wasn’t fast enough. A heavy hand 

gripped her shoulder and she knew it was 

over. She watched the other women escape. 

Once captured, she was beaten and interrogated 

for hours. 

They dragged her to a campsite not far 

from the village, where Saratu was shocked 

to find many other women and children, captured 

like her. They waited in fear, separated 

into 20-person clusters like sheep waiting for 

Saratu shivered 

in the damp 

night air and 

praised the Lord 

for sparing their 

lives. She was 

determined not to 

die of hunger. 




Top Left: Saratu shares her 

incredible story with ICC. 

Bottom Left: This boy lost 

his father during an attack on 

their community. 

Top Right: This widowed 

wife lost her husband during 

an attack. 

Bottom Right: Comfort 

and Patience, two girls who 

were with Leah Sharibu when 

she was kidnapped by Boko 

Haram, meet with ICC. 



a sheering. It wasn’t hard to imagine what 

would come next for them: rape, forced conversion 

and marriage, slavery, or even torture 

and murder. 

But Saratu had other ideas for the lives of 

these women. She recognized this place, every 

stone and crevice. She had played in these hills 

and valleys as a child and knew exactly where 

her family was still hiding. 

“Look, I’m leaving tomorrow night,” she 

announced to the small cluster of women during 

a prayer meeting. 

The other women pleaded with Saratu to 

wait for them to gather their belongings and 

loved ones. Though time was of the essence, 

Saratu promised that she would wait. 

Two nights later, 20 women again met with 

Saratu. Leading the escapees, they scurried out 

of the camp, into the shroud of darkness, back 

to their families. 

Saratu’s bravery resulted in the rescue of 20 

women. Their lives, if taken by Boko Haram, 

would have never been the same. Though the 

insurgency of the Islamic terrorist group has 

resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of 

Nigerian Christians, forced conversion and 

forced marriage is more common for kidnapped 

women. Today, Saratu has successfully 

sought refuge in Jos, a fortified city for 

Christians. ICC is providing her with business 

training and an education, and she hopes to 

start her own business. 

17

Feature Article 

PERSECUTION 

PREPAREDNESS 

ICC trains Christian leaders in India on how to prepare for and push back 

against rising levels of persecution. 

By William Stark 

Imagine you’re sitting in church. The 

service proceeds as it normally does, 

with your pastor asking the congregation 

to bow their heads in prayer. 

As you close your eyes, a loud, 

pounding noise from behind steals 

your attention. 

Suddenly, a mob of men bursts 

through the doors of the church, 

shouting obscenities and beating 

anyone within reach. As they move toward 

the pulpit, you sit there, frozen by fear. 

You then notice two police officers enter 

the church. Horrified, you realize that these 

officers are not there to protect you. Instead, 

they seem to be supporting the men terrorizing 

your community. 

When the mob reaches your pastor, they 

begin beating him and shouting that he has 

been forcing people to convert to Christianity. 

As if on cue, the officers move in and arrest 

the now semi-conscious pastor. You remain 

rooted to your seat as the mob and police drag 

your pastor from the church. 

When the mob finally leaves, a silence 

descends over the stunned congregation. 

Dazed and confused, your neighbor turns to 

you and asks, “What do we do now?” 

While the above scenario is fictional, it 

is based on an all-too-common experience 

for thousands of Christians in India. In just 

the last five years, Christian persecution in 

India has skyrocketed. In 2018 alone, the 

Evangelical Fellowship of India documented 

more than 320 violent attacks on the Christian 

community, including false arrests, physical 

assaults, and even murders. 

For many, these incidents of persecution are 

both a surreal and confusing experience. In 

most cases, victims are left with little knowledge 

about what they can or should do in the 

aftermath of an attack. 

In the face of this growing threat, ICC 

has stepped in to provide Indian Christians 

with what we call Persecution Preparedness 

Trainings. These six-part trainings are 

designed to help Christians avoid, mitigate, 

and better manage instances of persecution. 

During these trainings, we teach Christian 

leaders their constitutional rights as Indian 

citizens, how to document and report instances 

of persecution, and strategies for how to 

avoid persecution. Our goal is to help these 

Christians become their own best advocates 

when facing persecution. 

Recently, ICC trained more than 90 

Christian leaders in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil 

Nadu, two of India’s states that were most 

severely affected by persecution in 2018. 

“The time we spent here in training was 

invaluable,” Pastor Kumar, a recent graduate 

of the training, said. “I learned that I have religious 

freedom rights under Article 25 of the 

constitution and this has given me confidence 

to not only face persecution, but to also face 

authorities. I also now have clear guidelines 

on how to file a police report and where to 

report persecution.” 

“These trainings are very important, as most 

Indian pastors don’t know about the constitution 

and thus don’t know about their rights,” Pastor 

Raj of the Church of Pentecost explained. This 

lack of knowledge causes many Christians to 

be easy targets of abuse with little consequence 

for the perpetrators of persecution. 

We here at ICC will always be ready to 

assist our Indian brothers and sisters in the 

aftermath of persecution. However, we hope 

that these critical trainings will help India’s 

Christian community push back against the 

rising tide of intolerance and persecution. 




Top: A class 

of Persecution 

Preparedness Training 

participants celebrates 

their graduation. 

Bottom Left: 

Participants of 

the Persecution 


are broken into groups 

to analyze case studies 

using their training. 

Bottom Right: Participants 

of the Persecution 


prepare by standing 

together in prayer. 

In the days that followed ICC’s Persecution 

Preparedness Training in Tamil Nadu, Pastor 

Douglas, head pastor at a church in southern 

India, was wrongfully arrested by local 

police. He was falsely accused of various 

crimes, including perpetrating forced conversions 

to Christianity, by a local extremist 

group named the Hindu Munnani. 

According to local Christians, on April 

6, a mob of 15 Hindu Munnani extremists, 

escorted by two police officers, surrounded 

Pastor Douglas’ worship hall. They shouted 

at the 35 Christians gathered for worship and 

accused Pastor Douglas of multiple crimes. 

Without investigation, the police escorts 

arrested Pastor Douglas and took him to the 

local police station for questioning. 

When Pastor Raj, a recent graduate of 

ICC’s training, heard the news, he sprang 

into action. 

“After the ICC training, I knew what to 

do and where to call and report,” Pastor Raj 

explained. “It worked like magic. The immediate 

call from your office and other actions 

helped resolve the issue right at the police 

station itself.” 

After releasing Pastor Douglas, police 

“found” that the forced conversion charge 

that had been leveled against him was false. 

In fact, the police further reprimanded members 

of the Hindu Munnani for disturbing the 

peaceful Christian worship. 

This persecution preparedness training 

was funded through ICC’s Underground 

Pastors Fund. If you would like to donate 

to support persecuted pastors, please visit 

www.persecution.org or give us a call at 

1-800-ICC-5441. 



19

MENDING INDIA’S CHURCH 

Persecution is increasing in southern India, but that has not stopped one 

pastor from seeking his church’s rights. 

By Claire Evans 

Humming machines 

knit together broken 

pieces of fabric, 

the machine pedals 

pumping rapidly. 

Coimbatore, a city 

in southern India, is 

known as the textile 

capital. Outside 

these factories, people 

hustle through the streets where they pass 

temples, food stalls, and market venues. But 

travel just a few short kilometers north of the 

city, and the atmosphere becomes markedly 

tense at the site of a church. 

For 16 months, this church was locked 

and sealed. Just days before Christmas 2017, 

Hindu radicals gathered together and attacked 

the church. 

The attack was swift and violent. Fifteen 

Hindu radicals rushed into the church hall, 

which was prepped with Christmas gifts and 

food for a fellowship meal. They “stormed 

into the hall, and started to beat us,” recalled 

Pastor Karthik. 

“As I was leading the worship, standing 

at the pulpit, some people rushed towards 

me and hit me with the chair on my head. I 

didn’t even realize that the blood was running 

through my shoulder,” he continued. 

Dazed, the pastor hardly remembers what 

happened next. The assailants injured more 

than a half dozen congregants and prevented 

them from traveling to the hospital. They 

were later taken to the police station, where 

they were informed that they could not hold 

prayers in the church until they obtained the 

necessary permissions. 

Local authorities wasted no time in closing 

the church. This combination of events 

“Some people rushed 

towards me and hit 

me with the chair on 

my head. I didn’t even 

realize that the blood 

was running through 

my shoulder.” 

– PASTOR KARTHIK 

would have significant consequences for all 

50 Christians who once practiced their faith in 

this building. 

“All our plans of a joyful Christmas celebration 

were ruined and shattered,” said 

Pastor Karthik. 

With the church now closed, everything 

changed. “We couldn’t have a worship service 

for nearly one and a half years, as we were told 

not to assemble for any kind of religious gatherings, 

and the church doors were locked,” he 

further explained. 

The faith of many of the congregants was 

not deterred. They wanted to worship, despite 

the risks, but the financial cost was too much. 

“My church members needed to travel 20 kilometers 

if they wanted to attend a church,” said 

Pastor Karthik. “Many of them are economically 

poor and cannot afford to pay for their 

fares to attend the worship service. It is simply 

too costly for them to practice their faith.” 

Over the days and months that followed, 

Pastor Karthik worked closely with the judiciary, 

exploring every avenue which would 

lead to the reopening of the church. 

His problem was not unique. Just 15 kilometers 

away, another church was closed near- 




Opposite: Pastor Karthik reopens his 

church for the first time. 

Top: Light pours into a church that the 

authorities had closed for 16 months. 

Bottom: Hindu radicals hit Pastor Karthik 

with a chair while he was preaching. 



ly six months after this incident. The circumstances 

were similar. The congregants of this 

church also found themselves isolated, unable 

to afford the transportation costs of going to a 

different place of worship. 

The pastor of the other church said, “We 

find ourselves in a hostile condition due to the 

frequent incidents of harassment and threats 

and abuses from Hindu radicals, even at times 

from the police! We can only rely on the justice 

system of this country; of course, we pray 

to God.” 

His church has yet to reopen. But thankfully, 

Pastor Karthik’s church has. 

On March 26, 2019, Pastor Karthik placed 

a key into the lock, carefully unsealing the 

church. Inside were the remnants of a time 

capsule. A fellow believer was with Pastor 

Karthik when he opened the door, and was 

amazed. “I glanced through the doors of the 

church,” he said. “I felt the challenge is much 

bigger than interim relief. The pastor has to 

start with the rubble that we were surrounded 

with. Broken chairs, a fully destroyed pulpit, 

damaged audio and visual equipment, and 

broken glass walls…” 

The courts had given Pastor Karthik’s congregation 

interim relief, allowing them to 

resume worship in the same location. Allowing 

them to finally pick up the pieces. 

But knitting the congregation back together 

after such a traumatic experience is difficult. 

“The entire congregation is so frightened, as 

the violent attack still hounds them,” Pastor 

Karthik explained. 

It’s not easy to practice one’s faith in India. 

It is easy to be fearful, to avoid picking up 

those pieces. But Pastor Karthik’s church 

has not chosen the easy path. Slowly, the 

wounds of the attack are being stitched 

back together again, a healing process made 

all the more possible through the church’s 

opening. The looms continue to operate in 

Coimbatore as the tears in Pastor Karthik’s 

church are mended. 

21

Advocating 

for the 

Persecuted 

ICC’s advocacy team fights for 

religious freedom for Christians 

around the world 

ICC hosted two advocacy events on Capitol Hill in 

May. The first was an event to support the reauthorization 

of the United States Commission on International 

Religious Freedom (USCIRF). The second event was 

ICC’s annual Policy Day briefing, which aimed to 

inform the discussion on religious freedom issues in 

Iran. USCIRF commissioners spoke at both events, as 

well as congressmen and senators, including Senator 

Ted Cruz; State Department representatives, including 

Ambassador Brownback; and members of D.C. think 

tanks and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). ICC hosted 

the first event on the reauthorization of USCIRF because of 

the critical work that USCIRF has done, and continues to do, 

since its initial authorization in 1998. ICC’s Policy Day brought 

attention to the issue of Christian persecution in Iran and helped 

inform the many congressmen, NGO leaders, and policy experts 

in attendance. 

Top Left: Among the speakers at Policy Day were Senator 

Ted Cruz (center), and persecuted Iranian Christians 

Maryam Rostampour (left) and Marziyeh Amirizadeh (right). 

Top Right: ICC President Jeff King speaks about the 

importance of defending religious freedom. 

Bottom Left: ICC’s Policy Day panelists included (from left 

to right) Matias Perttula, Advocacy Director at International 

Christian Concern; Sean Nelson, Legal Counsel for Global 

Religious Freedom for ADF International; Dr. Mike Ansari, 

President of Heart4Iran; Scott Weiner, USCIRF Policy Analyst; 

Isaac Six, Director of Advocacy at Open Doors USA; and 

Emilie Kao, Director of the Richard and Helen DeVos Center 

for Religion & Civil Society at the Heritage Foundation. 

Bottom Right: USCIRF Commissioner and Vice Chair 

Gayle Manchin spoke at ICC’s event in support of 

USCIRF’s reauthorization. 






23

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. 

After an attack and a 16-month 

closure by the authorities, a 

church in southern India reopens 

with repairs funded by ICC’s 

donors. Pray for Pastor Karthik 

and learn more on page 20. 

MEMBER 

© Copyright 2019 ICC, Washington, D.C., USA. 

All rights reserved. Permission to reproduce all 

or part of this publication is granted provided 

attribution is given to ICC as the source. 

International Christian Concern (ICC) is a 501(c)(3) (all donations tax-deductible). 

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July 2019 Persecution Magazine

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