February 2024 Persecution Magazine
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WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong><br />
PERSECU ION<br />
PERSECU ION<br />
PERSECU ION<br />
A Lost<br />
Enclave<br />
and a New<br />
Home<br />
PERSECU ION.ORG<br />
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN<br />
PERSECU ION.ORG<br />
THE JOURNEY AND STRUGGLE OF<br />
ARMENIAN CHRISTIANS FROM ARTSAKH<br />
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN<br />
PERSECU ION.ORG<br />
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
Contents<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong><br />
ON THE COVER<br />
A woman stands in a beam of morning sunlight<br />
streaming into the church at Tatev Monastery in<br />
Armenia.<br />
Photo: Joel Carillet/iStock<br />
FEATURES<br />
10<br />
16<br />
18 22<br />
HOMELAND LOST<br />
SEEKING SALVATION<br />
RÉFUGIÉ FROM PERSECUTION<br />
SAENDO’S STORY<br />
Life for thousands<br />
of ethnic Armenian<br />
Christians after they<br />
were forced to leave.<br />
Afghan refugees find Christ<br />
amid uncertainty.<br />
Stories of survival and<br />
struggle for Christians in<br />
Southeast Asia.<br />
The unyielding faith<br />
amid darkness.<br />
RECURRING<br />
04<br />
06<br />
08<br />
ICC NEWSROOM Your Source for <strong>Persecution</strong> News<br />
WEST WATCH Issues Involving Christianity in the West<br />
YOUR HANDS AND FEET ICC Projects Made Possible by Our Supporters<br />
@persecuted @persecutionnews @internationalchristianconcern International Christian Concern<br />
OUR MISSION: Since 1996, ICC has served the global<br />
persecuted church through a three-pronged approach of<br />
advocacy, awareness, and assistance. ICC exists to bandage<br />
the wounds of persecuted Christians and to build the church<br />
in the toughest parts of the world.<br />
DONATIONS: International Christian Concern (ICC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) (all<br />
donations tax-deductible). ICC makes every effort to honor donor wishes in regards to<br />
their gifts. Occasionally, a situation will arise where a project is no longer viable. ICC<br />
will redirect those donated funds to one of our other funds that is most similar to the<br />
donor’s original wishes.<br />
2<br />
<strong>Persecution</strong> | FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong><br />
© Copyright <strong>2024</strong> ICC, Washington, D.C., USA. All rights reserved.<br />
Permission to reproduce all or part of this publication is granted<br />
provided attribution is given to ICC as the source.<br />
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941 | Washington, DC 20006-5441<br />
STAFF<br />
Publisher Jeff King<br />
Managing Editor Alex Finch<br />
Editor and Designer Hannah Campbell
Rescuing the Refugee<br />
Across the pages of Scripture, the Lord reveals His heart for the<br />
brokenhearted. In the same breath, He makes it clear that it is<br />
our duty to be just with refugees as well. In Exodus 22:21, He<br />
tells the Israelites, “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you<br />
were foreigners in Egypt.”<br />
Here at International Christian Concern (ICC), we take this seriously<br />
when it comes to victims of persecution. When a family is driven from<br />
their home because of their faith, we will be there for them if we can.<br />
Those forced to flee face many obstacles. Cast aside as unwelcome<br />
foreigners, many are unable to secure jobs or even legal refugee status,<br />
leaving them to rely on the goodwill of others for their most basic<br />
needs.<br />
In the pages ahead, I invite you to feel the journey of the refugee as we<br />
meet with displaced believers around the world.<br />
While the road they are on is fraught with peril, their resilience is unmatched,<br />
and it’s my hope that you are spurred to prayer and to care<br />
for these precious brothers and sisters.<br />
As always, thank you for your faithful care for our persecuted family.<br />
God bless you.<br />
JEFF<br />
Coming<br />
FEB. 4<br />
Jeff King, President<br />
International Christian Concern<br />
Author: The Last Words of the Martyrs and<br />
Islam Uncensored<br />
Discover the Life-Changing Lessons<br />
of the Persecuted<br />
ICC President and author Jeff King will release his third book,<br />
The Whisper, this month. In this 30-day devotional, King presents<br />
stories of persecuted believers and unpacks their spiritual wisdom<br />
as they walk with the Lord through trials and triumphs. How are<br />
they able to endure such suffering and remain joyful in the Lord?<br />
What lessons can we learn from them?<br />
PERSECUTION.ORG 3
ICC Newsroom<br />
YOUR SOURCE FOR PERSECUTION NEWS<br />
Nigeria Once Again<br />
Left off CPC List<br />
Christian Leaders Arrested in Mauritania<br />
in Large-Scale Crackdown<br />
A<br />
prominent Christian leader, along<br />
with 14 other Christian leaders<br />
and their families, was arrested<br />
in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania in<br />
December. These leaders represent a<br />
significant portion of the nation’s small<br />
Christian community, estimated to be<br />
around 1,000 individuals.<br />
Mauritania’s current penal code,<br />
specifically Article 306, imposes the<br />
death penalty for apostasy, with the<br />
provision for a lesser penalty if the<br />
accused repents. The arrests were<br />
reportedly triggered by a posted video<br />
of a baptism ceremony in Mauritania.<br />
The video, believed to be leaked by an<br />
insider seeking monetary gain, quickly<br />
went viral.<br />
The aftermath of the video’s<br />
dissemination led to disturbing<br />
incitements, with some calling for<br />
violence against Christians. Reports<br />
include statements like, “We have<br />
to kill those who preach Christianity,<br />
and these Christians have no place in<br />
Mauritania.”<br />
The widespread attention drawn by the<br />
arrests and the viral video has sparked<br />
awareness across Mauritania about<br />
the presence of Christianity within<br />
its borders. Consequently, a growing<br />
number of voices are advocating<br />
for tolerance and understanding,<br />
emphasizing that Christians are integral<br />
members of Mauritanian society,<br />
contributing positively to their local<br />
communities.<br />
The U.S. Department of State released in<br />
early January its annual list of countries<br />
and entities that are hindering the<br />
religious freedom rights of citizens. The<br />
State Department’s annual list includes<br />
countries (CPC) with the most severe<br />
religious freedom violations, while less<br />
egregious offenders are put on a Special<br />
Watch List (SWL). Terrorist groups are also<br />
included as Entities of Particular Concern<br />
(EPC).”<br />
Nigeria, shockingly, was once again left off<br />
the list as a Country of Particular Concern.<br />
Other notable highlights include:<br />
Azerbaijan, for the first time in history,<br />
has been added to the Special Watch List<br />
(SWL), indicating progress in the nation’s<br />
commitment to religious freedom.<br />
India, despite the United States Commission<br />
on International Religious Freedom’s<br />
(USCIRF) consistent recommendations<br />
since 2020, remains excluded from the<br />
CPC list, raising questions and prompting<br />
USCIRF to call for a congressional hearing<br />
into the State Department’s decision.<br />
Nigeria, despite a history of violence<br />
and slaughter against Christians, was<br />
also excluded from the CPC list this<br />
year, sparking controversy and debate<br />
around the decision, with some alleging<br />
bureaucratic reasons. Tens of thousands<br />
of Christians have been killed at the hands<br />
of radical Islamic terrorist groups in nearly<br />
20 years.<br />
USCIRF has made a significant call for<br />
a congressional hearing into the State<br />
Department’s decisions regarding India<br />
and Nigeria’s exclusion from the list,<br />
signaling the commission’s commitment to<br />
examining and ensuring religious freedom<br />
concerns are properly addressed.<br />
4<br />
<strong>Persecution</strong> | FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong>
VISIT OUR WEBSITE, PERSECUTION.ORG, FOR THE LATEST NEWS<br />
ONLINE FEATURE<br />
Survivors of<br />
Fulani Militant<br />
Attack Gather for<br />
Christmas Service<br />
Under New Roof<br />
Nearly 200 Nigerians Killed in<br />
Christmas Eve Massacre<br />
Suspected Nigerian Fulani militias attacked<br />
21 Christian villages in the Bokkos, Barkin<br />
Ladi, and Mangu counties of Plateau<br />
State on Christmas Eve, killing nearly 200<br />
villagers according to government officials<br />
and humanitarian groups. The number<br />
of dead was expected to rise as families<br />
continued to search for missing loved ones.<br />
Plateau State Commissioner of Information<br />
and Communication Hon. Musa Ashoms<br />
reported 195 people killed during the<br />
Christmas Eve attacks, and villagers were<br />
still missing. He told communities to<br />
defend themselves and take up arms as<br />
needed.<br />
Amnesty International Nigeria reported<br />
194 people killed in Plateau State including<br />
148 in Bokkos, 27 in Barkin Ladi, and 19 in<br />
Mangu. The Nigerian Red Cross reported<br />
161 deaths and 32,604 people affected.<br />
The attack touched 84 communities in<br />
Bokkos and Barkin Ladi and left 29,350<br />
people displaced. In addition, 301 people<br />
were injured and 27 houses burned.<br />
Witnesses said that scant security was<br />
present to repel the attacks that lasted<br />
more than seven hours. Nigeria is one of<br />
the most dangerous places for Christians,<br />
particularly in the Middle Belt region.<br />
International Christian Concern (ICC) listed<br />
Nigeria in its annual Persecutors of the<br />
Year report the last three years.<br />
Early Rain Covenant Church in China Continues to Face Harassment<br />
After multiple attacks on a village<br />
in northcentral Nigeria’s Plateau<br />
state from Fulani militants, a<br />
sense of hope emerged as the<br />
community reunited for a special<br />
Christmas service.<br />
Fulani militants set the church<br />
ablaze in 2021 during an attack<br />
that lasted three days during the<br />
Easter season. During the attack,<br />
the villagers lost loved ones and<br />
all their belongings. The church<br />
was left without a roof. The<br />
entire community was displaced.<br />
International Christian Concern<br />
(ICC) funded a roofing project for<br />
one of the damaged churches in<br />
the community.<br />
To read the full feature article, and<br />
see before and after photos, visit<br />
our website at www.persecution.<br />
org/survivors-of-fulani-militantattack-gather-for-christmasservice-under-new-roof/,<br />
or scan<br />
the QR code with your mobile<br />
device.<br />
Members of the Early Rain Covenant<br />
Church (ERCC) in Chengdu continues to<br />
face harassment from local authorities,<br />
according to a report from Christian<br />
Solidarity Worldwide (CSW).<br />
On Dec. 9, ERCC members planned an<br />
online prayer meeting to commemorate<br />
the 2018 crackdown on ERCC and other<br />
unregistered churches (house churches).<br />
However, reports have emerged that ERCC<br />
members were subjected to stalking,<br />
police pressure, personal threats, and<br />
other harassment to prevent them from<br />
joining the prayer meeting. Some church<br />
leaders were detained the next day and<br />
are still in jail.<br />
PERSECUTION.ORG 5
West Watch<br />
ISSUES INVOLVING CHRISTIANITY IN THE WEST<br />
Christian Professor Fired in UK for<br />
Beliefs on Biblical Marriage<br />
A<br />
theology professor in Derbyshire, England, has been<br />
fired from a Methodist Bible university after sharing his<br />
religious beliefs on social media. Dr. Aaron Edwards, an<br />
employee at Cliff College for seven years, was dismissed<br />
for publicly criticizing the Methodist Church and its complacent<br />
views on biblical marriage. Edward’s employer had accused him<br />
of “bringing the college into disrepute.”<br />
Earlier this year, Edwards shared on X (formerly Twitter) that<br />
“Homosexuality is invading the Church. Evangelicals no longer<br />
see the severity of this because they’re busy apologizing for their<br />
apparently barbaric homophobia, whether or not it’s true. This is<br />
a ‘Gospel issue,’ by the way. If sin is no longer sin, we no longer<br />
need a Saviour.”<br />
Edward’s tweet drew push back from several human rights activist<br />
groups, prompting university officials to become involved. Cliff<br />
College released a statement, calling the post “unacceptable”<br />
and “inappropriate,” and demanded the professor remove the<br />
tweet.<br />
Edwards refused to take down the post, arguing it would violate<br />
his conscience. He further pointed out that the post was not<br />
defamatory to any individual in particular and was, therefore,<br />
not in violation of the school’s social media policy.<br />
Despite his sincere efforts, the school opened an investigation,<br />
leading to the professor’s suspension and subsequent dismissal.<br />
At one point during the investigation, Edwards claimed that<br />
school officials threatened to refer him to the U.K. government’s<br />
counter terrorism and hate speech unit. Edwards is suing Cliff<br />
College for unfair firing and compensation under England’s<br />
Equality Act.<br />
International Christian Concern (ICC) has invited Edwards<br />
to speak at the International Religious Freedom Summit in<br />
Washington, D.C. on Jan 30-31.<br />
ICC UPDATE TO THOSE ON CAPITOL HILL<br />
If you’d like to stay informed about ICC’s advocacy work and policy<br />
recommendations, subscribe to our monthly newsletter, The Capitol<br />
Dispatch at www.persecution.org/icc-advocacy<br />
6<br />
<strong>Persecution</strong> | FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong>
Canadian Parliament Condemns<br />
Government Paper Calling<br />
Christmas & Easter Systemic<br />
Discrimination<br />
The Canadian House of Commons has unanimously condemned a<br />
government report that calls the Christian holidays of Christmas<br />
and Easter as examples of “systemic religious discrimination.” The<br />
report, published by the Canadian Human Rights Commission<br />
(CHRC), described the traditional Christian holy days as<br />
discriminatory, being that they are the only religious holidays<br />
recognized as government holidays in Canada.<br />
The House of Commons passed a unanimous motion in response<br />
to the report, denouncing “all attempts to polarize events that<br />
have been part of Quebec and Canadian heritage for generations…<br />
[inviting] all Quebecers and Canadians to unite as we approach<br />
the Christmas season.”<br />
When questioned by members of the House on the government’s<br />
opinion on Christmas, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded<br />
with, “I’m very pleased to stand up and try to answer a totally<br />
ridiculous question. Obviously, Christmas is not racist. This<br />
is a country of diversity. A country that celebrates not just our<br />
personal individual beliefs, but we share and celebrate the events<br />
of our neighbors, too.”<br />
Young Adults in the UK Open to<br />
Bible Ban<br />
A recent study in the United Kingdom found that nearly a quarter<br />
of young Brits are open to banning the Bible, agreeing with a ban<br />
on books containing perceived hate speech.<br />
A polling group called Whitestone Insights recently surveyed<br />
2,000+ adults, asking if they agreed with the following statement:<br />
“Unless the offending parts can be edited out, books containing<br />
what some perceive as hate speech should be banned from general<br />
sale, including if necessary religious texts such as the Bible.”<br />
Whitestone found that young Brits, ages 18 to 34, were most likely<br />
to agree with this statement, amounting to 23% of participants.<br />
Middle-aged Brits, ages 35 to 54, were the second highest group<br />
at 17%, followed by Brits over age 55, who made up 13% of survey<br />
participants.<br />
The results tell of a deeper social belief in the U.K. that Christian<br />
views should be censored – and it is a belief that has plagued all<br />
of Europe.<br />
Last year, an American street preacher was arrested in England<br />
for preaching the Bible. A woman was also arrested for silently<br />
praying outside of an abortion clinic – and in neighboring Finland,<br />
Paivi Räsänen, a member of the Finish parliament, faced charges<br />
of hate speech after sharing her religious beliefs on social media.<br />
POCKET POLICY<br />
CONTROVERSY ESCALATES<br />
Action on Religious<br />
Freedom in India<br />
House Resolution 542 proposes a condemnation<br />
of human rights violations and violations<br />
of international religious freedom in India,<br />
including those targeting Muslims, Christians,<br />
Sikhs, Dalits, Adivasis, and other religious and<br />
cultural minorities.<br />
Additionally, this resolution expresses concern for<br />
the worsening treatment of religious minorities<br />
in India and calls for the secretary of State to<br />
re-designate India as a Country of Particular<br />
Concern (CPC). India has been recommended by<br />
the United States Commission on International<br />
Religious Freedom (USCIRF) as a CPC for the past<br />
four years with no corresponding action from<br />
the Secretary of State.<br />
Prime Minister Modi outraged the international<br />
religious freedom community during his visit<br />
to the United States in June 2023 and did not<br />
discuss religious freedom. Worse, when asked<br />
about the conditions of religious freedom by<br />
a reporter from the Wall Street Journal, Modi<br />
responded, “In India’s democratic values there<br />
is absolutely no discrimination on the basis of<br />
caste or creed,” despite the over 600 incidents<br />
of persecution in 2022 alone. This visit closely<br />
followed the tragedies in the northeastern<br />
state of Manipur which left 98 people dead,<br />
35,000 displaced, and more than 100 churches<br />
destroyed, devastating the Christian community<br />
around the world.<br />
If H.Res.542 were to pass, it would send a clear<br />
message to the Secretary of State, the people of<br />
the United States, the people of India, and the<br />
world, that the United States does not tolerate<br />
violations of religious freedom which, according<br />
to both the Universal Declaration of Human<br />
Rights and the United States Constitution, is a<br />
basic human right.<br />
These cases, along with the recent poll, are a concerning reminder<br />
of the declining state of religious freedom occurring in Western<br />
democracies around the world.<br />
PERSECUTION.ORG 7
Your Hands and Feet<br />
ICC PROJECTS MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR SUPPORTERS<br />
ICC Aid for Attacked Christian Farmers<br />
SOUTH ASIA<br />
Christian minorities in Chhattisgarh, India, face increasingly<br />
severe religious persecution at the hands of radical Hindu<br />
nationalists. Recent incidents have highlighted the targeted<br />
attacks on these communities, leading to heightened concern<br />
for their safety and well-being.<br />
A group of Christian farmers was attacked by radical Hindu<br />
nationalists.<br />
“We had grown good crops last year and all of a sudden, one<br />
day, violence took place against us and all the crops were left<br />
for animals to eat, and all the animals ate up my hard-earned<br />
crops,” said one farmer. “We do not have any food to eat. It<br />
was such a tough time for us. We had no seeds and fertilizer<br />
to cultivate the land. We were honestly seeking the Lord and<br />
waiting on God for his help.”<br />
International Christian Concern (ICC) aided 50 farmers (and<br />
their families) in the community by purchasing seeds and<br />
fertilizers for their farms, aiming to help them rebuild their<br />
livelihoods in the aftermath of the attack.<br />
Another farmer said, “We as a family suffered so much loss<br />
due to no seeds and fertilizers for planting crops. God provided<br />
the needed products through ICC. It’s been such a big help to<br />
us and all our farmers. We thank ICC so much for providing us<br />
seeds and fertilizers.”<br />
The escalating religious persecution faced by Christians in<br />
Chhattisgarh has become a growing concern, highlighting<br />
the urgent need for safeguarding the rights and safety of<br />
these minority groups. This distressing scenario underscores<br />
the pressing need for concerted efforts to address religious<br />
intolerance and safeguard the fundamental rights of all<br />
individuals, irrespective of their religious beliefs.<br />
8<br />
<strong>Persecution</strong> | FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong>
Hunted by Belief<br />
AFRICA<br />
Eve, a mother of two children, was a staunch<br />
Muslim who accepted Jesus Christ. Her<br />
husband had more than three wives because<br />
of his faith. One day, evangelists showed up<br />
at Eve’s doorstep. At first, her husband didn’t<br />
notice her conversion because he had many<br />
wives and didn’t notice her different behavior.<br />
A Journey from Christianity to<br />
Islam and Back<br />
AFRICA<br />
Elijah was originally a Christian man who married a Muslim woman in Uganda.<br />
They coexisted for years until he decided to convert to Islam.<br />
As time passed, a group of church congregants visited him and expressed<br />
their love to him. They told him about the love that Christ has for his people<br />
and how Jesus is a peaceful Messiah. He then decided to come back to Christ<br />
and testified in church.<br />
Elijah was left defenseless, his small business confiscated, and his children<br />
kept from him. He was traumatized by the radical Muslim members of his<br />
community. They attacked him and left him helpless. He doesn’t go in public<br />
for fear of being attacked, and he is under the care of his church at the<br />
moment.<br />
In his time of need, ICC helped him with the funds to start his own small<br />
business, paid for his children’s education, and gave him other necessities<br />
like food and home supplies.<br />
“Glory be to the Almighty God for the support I have received from International<br />
Christian Concern. I take this opportunity to thank everyone who took part in<br />
this project, as far as the prosperity of this project is concerned...I am out of<br />
words because this is not only a blessing, but a surprise,” said Elijah. “Since I<br />
was persecuted, I was hopeless, and I never through that I would see success.<br />
I could not understand who I was because I had been living a miserable life<br />
with no food, clothing, and school fees for children.”<br />
“I thank ICC for paying for my tuition. I appreciate so much and may the<br />
Almighty God bless you. I am going to study without any challenges or stress<br />
because I know that everything is covered. I promise to yield good results by<br />
working hard,” said Elijah’s daughter.<br />
But once he started to notice, he started to<br />
deny her food and other basic needs. He<br />
stopped giving school fees to her children and<br />
claimed that their mother should care for them<br />
because she had told them to be Christians.<br />
“As time went by, my husband started attacking<br />
me at night and started beating me severely<br />
and told me to go away and that if I am not<br />
willing, he shall use the Islamic laws,” said Eve.<br />
“I could report to church and whenever he<br />
knew that I had gone to church, it would be an<br />
attack until the church rescued me through the<br />
efforts of the reverend.”<br />
At the time ICC met her, she was staying with a<br />
Christian who is caring for her and her children.<br />
Her husband is looking for her, but her church<br />
is now protecting her. ICC helped pay for basic<br />
needs like food and shelter as well as set up a<br />
small business to generate income to support<br />
herself and kids.<br />
“Who would wipe away my tears?” she<br />
said. “The Lord is so faithful. I thought that<br />
converting from Islam was the end of my<br />
success and prosperity but now I have seen<br />
God working. I give him glory forever and ever<br />
and may his name be glorified. I have received<br />
enough; a bed, mattress, blanket, and chairs,<br />
which not everyone can afford. I had not<br />
thought of having a personal business, but<br />
today, I am having one. I really thank ICC so<br />
much.”<br />
She continued, “I really believe that Jesus is<br />
the father to the fatherless, and a husband to<br />
the widow. The food we received is going to<br />
sustain our lives. We shall not die of hunger.”<br />
PERSECUTION.ORG 9
HOMELA<br />
LOST<br />
10<br />
<strong>Persecution</strong> | FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong>
ND<br />
WHAT<br />
LIFE<br />
LOOKS LIKE FOR<br />
THOUSANDS OF<br />
ETHNIC ARMENIAN<br />
CHRISTIANS AFTER<br />
BEING FORCED<br />
TO LEAVE HOME<br />
By ICC’s MENA Regional Team<br />
Until October 2023, more than 100,000 ethnic Armenian<br />
Christians lived in Artsakh, also known as Nagorno-<br />
Karabakh, a breakaway enclave internationally<br />
recognized as a part of Azerbaijan but populated by<br />
ethnic Armenians.<br />
Artsakh can be found in the southern Caucasus region and<br />
lies between Azerbaijan and Armenia, with the two nations<br />
fighting three wars over the past three decades over the<br />
enclave. The end of the Republic of Artsakh this year started<br />
with a nine-month blockade by Azerbaijan on the enclave,<br />
followed by an overwhelming lightning military operation<br />
by Azerbaijan. In the days following Azerbaijan’s takeover of<br />
the enclave, more than 100,000 Armenians, including over<br />
40,000 children, fled Artsakh into Armenia. By October 1,<br />
Artsakh was emptied of Armenians.<br />
In the months following the war, the thousands of Armenian<br />
refugees have been trying to set up new lives in Armenia.<br />
Families have been settling in all parts of the country, living<br />
wherever they can find affordable housing. The refugees<br />
have to navigate a new system of schools for their children<br />
and develop trust with their new neighbors.<br />
Despite the coldness of winter fast approaching, many<br />
were in such a hurry as they fled that they brought meager<br />
belongings. Refugees struggled to stay warm and feed their<br />
families. And work proved difficult to find in Armenia.<br />
PERSECUTION.ORG 11
The families are struggling with the trauma of such rapid displacement<br />
and the loss of their nation, their land, homes, farms and everything<br />
they left behind. Most of the men served in the armed forces in<br />
defense of their land in the last war and are experiencing a deep<br />
sense of defeat from losing their homeland. The women and children<br />
are in trauma from the rapid displacement and in losing everything,<br />
and in some cases, family members who died or who are missing<br />
since the conflict and displacement.<br />
All the Artsakh refugees ICC has spoken with shared that the reason<br />
they left was because they feared being massacred by the Azerbaijani<br />
military if they stayed under their control.<br />
In addition to the complex history of conflict between both sides<br />
over the territory, there is a deep sense of the history of the<br />
Armenian genocide repeating itself, which happened more than a<br />
century ago and killed and displaced millions of Armenians. At that<br />
time, the Ottoman Empire declared a holy war against the empire’s<br />
Christians and sought to kill, or displace from their lands, its Christian<br />
populations and perhaps most significantly, Armenian Christians.<br />
Rhetoric leading up to the conflict from Azerbaijani officials and<br />
media outlets enhanced that fear of a similar intent in Artsakh, with<br />
12<br />
<strong>Persecution</strong> | FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong>
“THE REASON<br />
[ A R T S A K H<br />
RESIDENTS] LEFT<br />
WAS BECAUSE THEY<br />
FEARED BEING<br />
MASSACRED BY<br />
THE AZERBAIJANI<br />
MILITARY IF THEY<br />
STAYED UNDER<br />
THEIR CONTROL.”<br />
PERSECUTION.ORG 13
statements such as the need of “purging<br />
Nagorno-Karabakh of the ‘Armenian<br />
virus.’” In both past wars as well as the<br />
2023 conflict, there is documentation<br />
of Azerbaijani forces destroying and<br />
desecrating Armenian churches in<br />
territories seized, and efforts to change<br />
the historical narrative of the millennia<br />
of Christian heritage in Artsakh.<br />
When ICC has asked the Armenian<br />
Christians refugees how the outside<br />
world can both help and pray for them,<br />
they shared that they want prayer to<br />
continue defending their faith, their<br />
land, and their Christian Armenian<br />
heritage. Many Armenian Christians hold<br />
with deep sense of pride and honor with<br />
their identity as the world’s first Christian<br />
nation.<br />
It is indeed inspiring to see their zeal to<br />
defend, cling to, and persevere their faith<br />
and pass it on to the next generation<br />
even amid massive oppression to their<br />
faith.<br />
For many of the refugees during this<br />
time of seeming defeat and suffering,<br />
however, there are those that are<br />
considering what that Christian identity<br />
really means. In their trauma and<br />
suffering, it is paramount that these<br />
refugees be reminded and encouraged<br />
in the Christian’s true identity in Jesus<br />
Christ, even in the loss of their Christian<br />
homeland.<br />
ICC is coming alongside these refugees<br />
to help them through their trauma, meet<br />
their daily needs, and to build sustainable<br />
income generating opportunities for<br />
families to begin a new life in Armenia.<br />
For some of the families, we have served<br />
and encouraged, it was the first time<br />
they had prayed in months since the<br />
tragedy. For others, it gave a renewed<br />
sense of light in their darkness of missing<br />
loved ones.<br />
And for all, they were blessed in their<br />
deep faith of God’s presence with<br />
them through the care and kindness of<br />
global Christians sharing some of their<br />
resources to assist them in this time of<br />
crisis.<br />
14<br />
<strong>Persecution</strong> | FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong>
“THEY WANT<br />
PRAYER TO<br />
CONTINUE<br />
DEFENDING<br />
THEIR FAITH,<br />
THEIR LAND,<br />
AND THEIR<br />
CHRISTIAN<br />
ARMENIAN<br />
HERITAGE.”<br />
Left: Children, along with their families, sleep<br />
and live in bunkers during the war in 2023.<br />
Top Right: Armenian flags fly in a cemetery<br />
dedicated to all those who have died in the<br />
Artsakh wars, including the last one in 2023.<br />
Bottom Right: Those leaving Artsakh make<br />
food on the road as they head toward<br />
Armenia.<br />
SEND HELP NOW.<br />
We are raising<br />
$50,000 to support<br />
these Armenian<br />
believers. Join us.<br />
Scan the QR code<br />
with your mobile<br />
device or visit us at<br />
persecution.org/give<br />
PERSECUTION.ORG 15
Seeking<br />
Salvation<br />
Afghan Refugees Find Christ Amid Uncertainty<br />
By ICC’s South Asia Regional Team<br />
In the aftermath of the Taliban’s resurgence in<br />
Afghanistan, Afghan Christians seeking refuge in<br />
neighboring Pakistan have few choices.<br />
Pakistan was not equipped to manage a refugee crisis, but<br />
thousands crossed the border after the takeover. Many<br />
Afghans fled to Pakistan without visas, passports, and<br />
other identification. Once Afghan Christians step foot in<br />
Pakistan, however, their journeys are far from over.<br />
Sardar and his Christian family initially had difficulty getting<br />
into Pakistan after the Taliban takeover. He was abducted<br />
by the Taliban en route to the border and held until his<br />
family could pay a ransom. They managed to scrape the<br />
money together, devastating them financially.<br />
Once in Pakistan, Sardar and his family were not well<br />
received. Like nearly all refugees, they faced hunger and<br />
poor living conditions. With no means of work, they were<br />
at the mercy of Pakistan’s refugee system.<br />
Please pray for Afghan Christians:<br />
1.<br />
For all Afghans to put their trust in Jesus.<br />
2. That new believers cultivate a lifelong relationship with Christ.<br />
3. For the security of our staff and those we serve.<br />
16<br />
<strong>Persecution</strong> | FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong>
While Pakistan received refugees previously, the number of<br />
families that arrived following the collapse of Afghanistan was<br />
unprecedented. Thousands of Afghans flooded into Pakistan, so<br />
Sardar’s family was insignificant and their struggles commonplace.<br />
As with all the Christian refugee families, these struggles would<br />
undoubtedly have been worse had they been discovered as<br />
Christians.<br />
More than two years later, ICC has been caring for more 30<br />
Christian families that fled Afghanistan for Pakistan. We’ve also<br />
been sharing the gospel to those we call seekers, those who do<br />
not know Christ but are open to hearing the gospel.<br />
Through evangelism and discipleship initiatives, we saw a<br />
remarkable transformation within the Afghan refugee community.<br />
A local pastor shared his journey of connecting with these<br />
individuals and families. His discussions about God’s generosity<br />
and sacrificial love resonated deeply, leading to profound curiosity<br />
about Christianity for these seekers. This year, we witnessed the<br />
baptism of 22 Afghan Christians.<br />
“In the beginning, when I met with the Afghan refugee families in<br />
Pakistan, they were spiritually and mentally isolated from home. I<br />
made them feel comfortable as my family members.<br />
Later, during my visits, I started talking about the community<br />
in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Slowly, I started talking about the<br />
generosity of God and His sacrifice for all of humanity. These<br />
families were surprised that even God sacrificed His son for us.<br />
Then, with prayer and His grace, I started sharing the good news.<br />
I taught them about the unconditional love of Lord Jesus. They<br />
were all fascinated by this idea and His story. I preached to them,<br />
and more than that, I prayed very hard for these people.<br />
They felt it in their bones and started asking questions, even<br />
texting me questions when I wasn’t visiting with them. I started<br />
a Bible study with them, and they were all keen to hear. I taught<br />
them the real meaning of baptism and their life after that. Then,<br />
they all decided that they were ready to fulfill the richness of<br />
baptism. Praise the Lord!”<br />
ICC met with believers and seekers at their doorstep. Through<br />
your generous support, we provided them help spiritually,<br />
morally, physiologically, and physically.<br />
“We aimed at providing them the Lord’s peace,” said our Pakistan<br />
staff member. “We helped Afghan believers with support to live<br />
in Pakistan and bear the expenses of their families as they lived<br />
as refugees.”<br />
“Through you, we managed to recognize Him and embrace Him<br />
as our personal savior,” said one believer we recently baptized.<br />
“Thank you for your vital support; it kept us alive for many months.<br />
We are so grateful for the generous donors.”<br />
PERSECUTION.ORG 17
Réfugié from<br />
<strong>Persecution</strong><br />
Stories of Survival, Faith, and Struggle for Christians in Southeast Asia<br />
By ICC’s Southeast Asia Regional Team<br />
Did you know the word refugee has its roots in religious persecution? Refugee is derived<br />
from the French word réfugié which described the time more than 400,000 French<br />
Protestants fled France after 1685 to escape persecution from French Catholics. Central<br />
to the concept of a refugee is someone who must leave their home because of the<br />
persecution they endure from another dominant group, religion, or government. Christian<br />
refugees are growing quickly in Southeast Asia.<br />
RÉFUGIÉ TODAY<br />
More than 300 years after the Protestant Huguenots fled France, hundreds of thousands of<br />
réfugié today continue to flee their homelands across Southeast Asia because of persecution for<br />
their Christian faith. The basic drivers of Christian persecution in Southeast Asia are oppressive<br />
governments driven by Communism and Marxist ideologies, radical Islam, military dictatorships,<br />
and other socio-political pressures. Through restrictive laws and policies, or through savage war,<br />
or through blunt and violent force, Christians refugees voluntarily or are forced to leave their<br />
homes to seek refuge and safety somewhere else. Consequently, Christian refugees become<br />
categorized as internally displaced persons (IDPs) who are often boxed into IDP or refugee<br />
camps in their home country or abroad. Christian refugees are sometimes classed as political<br />
prisoners, activists, dissidents, or numerous other names. But if you dig deeper, their refugee<br />
status or story is ultimately because they are followers of Jesus Christ. This is usually ignored or<br />
missed by media agencies and political bodies involved in refugee work.<br />
RUNNING FOR SAFETY BUT PERSECUTION FOLLOWS THEM<br />
In Vietnam, thousands of Christians are escaping their homes and traveling to Thailand because<br />
of regular persecution and oppression from the Communist government. The UNHCR (UN’s<br />
refugee agency) has an office in Thailand, so refugees flood the country seeking refugee status.<br />
But this creates more pressure on Thai society, services, and infrastructure. In late 2023, ICC<br />
highlighted increased harassment and persecution of Vietnamese Hmong and Montagnard<br />
Christians from Thai government officials. For example, Hmong preacher and missionary Lu A<br />
Da fled to Thailand to seek official refugee status. He was arrested in Bangkok in early December<br />
2023 and faces extradition back to Vietnam where he faces up to 20 years imprisonment for<br />
18<br />
<strong>Persecution</strong> | FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong>
Do not be conformed to this world,<br />
but be transformed by the renewal of<br />
your mind, that by testing you may<br />
discern what is the will of God, what<br />
is good and acceptable and perfect.<br />
- ROMANS 12:2 (ESV)<br />
PERSECUTION.ORG 19
20<br />
<strong>Persecution</strong> | FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong>
eaking the Vietnamese Penal Code by fleeing the country or remaining abroad to<br />
oppose the people’s government.” ICC is currently working with other agencies and<br />
ministries to support Vietnamese Christian refugees like Lu A Da, providing basic<br />
necessities like food, money for rental accommodation in Thailand, and advocacy<br />
support. One current project involves a Vietnamese mother who became a Christian<br />
and immediately faced beatings from her husband and local police. This mother<br />
and her baby fled to Thailand where we helped through local ministry partners to<br />
support them with food and money for a phone and rent. However, these ministry<br />
partners have informed us that Vietnamese government agents are actively working<br />
in Thailand harassing Christian refugees and seeking to inflict harm or extradition<br />
back to Vietnam. Local ministry partners are extremely worried about this recent<br />
development. Praise God for generous ICC supporters who partner with us to support<br />
the tragic yet resilient stories of Vietnamese Christian refugees in Thailand.<br />
FIERCE CIVIL WAR DISPLACING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE<br />
About 2,000 kilometers to the east of Vietnam, Myanmar is experiencing a savage<br />
and brutal war. After two years of tyrannical control from the Tatmadaw, who<br />
forcefully took control of the country in 2021, ethnic and pro-democracy forces have<br />
joined together and are inflicting huge losses on the military dictatorship. Fighting is<br />
fierce, particularly as soldiers from predominantly Christian regions like Chin State,<br />
Kayah State, and Kachin State advance throughout the country, combining with other<br />
militias against Tatmadaw. But, as with every war, there are huge impacts for civilians.<br />
The UN reported in late December that more than 6 million Burmese children were<br />
facing severe food shortages, and one-third of the country’s population were facing<br />
immediate humanitarian crises. As of Christmas 2023, nearly 700,000 Burmese are<br />
deemed IDPs. Huge numbers of these are Christian refugees who have fled their<br />
homes. Additionally, IDPs or refugees have also fled to Manipur State in India because<br />
of the fighting. This has created new problems with reports emerging of growing<br />
tensions in Manipur between Hindu nationalists and pro-democracy fighters from<br />
Myanmar who have crossed the border amid all the fighting. The predominantly<br />
Christian Chin and Meitei forces from Myanmar are closely and ethnically related<br />
to the mostly Christian Kuki people in Manipur. Consequently, the war in Myanmar<br />
is leading to other religious challenges and confrontations in neighboring India.<br />
These Christian refugees are literally living between the proverbial rock and hard<br />
place! Again, ICC is trying to work with local partners to help in some way to support<br />
suffering and displaced Christians in this ongoing civil war.<br />
ISIS DISPLACING THOUSANDS AND TARGETING CHRISTIANS IN SOUTHERN<br />
PHILIPPINES<br />
Finally, 2,000 kms southwest from Myanmar is Mindanao, the southernmost island<br />
group of the Philippines. We have previously highlighted Mindanao and the rise of<br />
radical and violent Islam, with ISIS-affiliated terror groups like Abu Sayyaf and Dawlah<br />
Islamiya-Maute fighting to establish the island region as a ‘wilayat,’ functioning under<br />
Sharia law and ISIS control. Over the last six years, more than 400,000 people have<br />
been displaced in Mindanao alone because of the ongoing battles between these<br />
terror groups and Filipino military and police. In early December 2023, ISIS bombed<br />
a Catholic mass in Marawi, Mindanao, killing more than 50 church goers and leading<br />
to more displacement of locals. With every new conflict and battle comes a new<br />
wave of displaced refugees. And the majority of IDPs in Mindanao are Christians as<br />
well, navigating this aggressive form of Islam. ICC has recently re-started our work<br />
in Mindanao, and we are building a new network of local partners to help Christian<br />
refugees suffering from these scary battles and ideological Islamic control.<br />
“He defends the cause of<br />
the fatherless and the<br />
widow, and loves the<br />
foreigner residing among<br />
you, giving them food and<br />
clothing.”<br />
- DEUTERONOMY 10:18<br />
WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE<br />
REGION?<br />
Refugee issues abound across Southeast<br />
Asia. Christian refugees again feature<br />
prominently in these stories too. For<br />
instance, Burmese Rohingya Christians<br />
face severe persecution in Myanmar<br />
and now in Malaysia where hundreds<br />
are fleeing to. Then there are those<br />
North Korean defectors (including many<br />
Christians) who have escaped into South<br />
Korea and northern China, but who<br />
are now being wickedly returned and<br />
extradited back to North Korea to face<br />
certain death there. And ongoing wars,<br />
conflicts and persecution in China, West<br />
Papua, Brunei, and Cambodia lead to<br />
more Christian refugees in the region.<br />
FINAL WORD FOR CHRISTIAN RÉFUGIÉ<br />
The state for refugees in this region,<br />
especially Christian refugees, is<br />
deteriorating at a fast rate. ICC’s specific<br />
mission to serve and strengthen suffering<br />
Christians in Southeast Asia is lived out<br />
strongly as we support Christian refugees<br />
amidst all the wars, political instability,<br />
Communist control, and radical Islamic<br />
forces. Praise God for the privilege to live<br />
out this mission in this region and across<br />
the globe.<br />
PERSECUTION.ORG 21
Saendo’s Story<br />
Unyielding<br />
Faith Amid<br />
Darkness<br />
By ICC’s Africa Regional Team<br />
Saendo’s heart condition cast a relentless shadow over his life. The<br />
16-year old’s days were a silent battle against the restless grip of his<br />
ailment.<br />
“I used to think I would hide and die in one corner of my house,” Saendo<br />
confesses softly. “I was relegated to a dark corner, laying there and waiting<br />
for death to come snatch me with its cold arms, and that would be the<br />
death of me.”<br />
He lies on the barely padded mattress on the floor, surrounded by a few<br />
household essentials, piling up in the corner. Drapes hung around the<br />
makeshift sleeping space, illuminated by a small burlap curtain covering<br />
the window and filtering out most of the light. A small line of clothes<br />
hugged the wall, just enough for the eyes to entertain.<br />
22<br />
<strong>Persecution</strong> | FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong>
PERSECUTION.ORG 23
“I used to think I would<br />
hide and die in one corner<br />
of my house. I was relegated<br />
to a dark corner, laying<br />
there and waiting for death<br />
to come snatch me with its<br />
cold arms, and that would be<br />
the death of me.” - Saendo<br />
NIGERIA’S UNENDING TURMOIL<br />
Over the past five years, Nigeria’s Benue state has<br />
suffered gruesome attacks by Fulani militants, forcing<br />
approximately 1.5 million people from their ancestral<br />
lands into IDP (Internally Displaced People) Camps.<br />
Saendo is one of 2,000 children residing at the Abagena<br />
IDP Camp in Benue State, which population exceeds<br />
10,000 IDPs. His family was forced to flee their home<br />
after Fulani militants invaded his home.<br />
Nigeria, a nation torn by decades of violence, faces the<br />
harrowing reality of constant turmoil. The central Middle<br />
Belt region, where these clashes over resources, ethnic<br />
differences, and religious disparities prevail, embodies<br />
the epicenter of this unending turmoil. For Christians,<br />
it’s a daily struggle for survival amid disproportionate<br />
killings and kidnappings, transforming their homeland<br />
into a perilous landscape – and often leaving survivors<br />
with no place to call home.<br />
The ones spearheading these attacks, the Fulani<br />
militants, have become radicalized by extreme Islam, to<br />
wipe out Christianity from the region and establish an<br />
Islamic caliphate. Members of the group are ruthless<br />
and uncompromising, killing tens of thousands of<br />
Christians and leaving more than three million homeless<br />
over the last 20 years.<br />
NURTURING HEARTS AND MINDS<br />
Many of the displaced were previously farmers. But<br />
years in the camp with no land or opportunities have<br />
forced these people into lives of obscurity. It’s common<br />
for women to go into town to trade sex for a meal to<br />
bring home. Crime runs rampant, especially in the camp<br />
where Saendo lives. School-aged children wander the<br />
streets begging for food.<br />
“Currently, the rate of education is very low, considering<br />
that when the children wake up in the morning, they<br />
are looking for work, food to eat, water to drink, and to<br />
find firewood,” said Daniel*, an ICC staff member.<br />
Two years ago, ICC equipped volunteers to travel to<br />
these camps, which led to ICC opening a Hope House<br />
for kids who called the IDP camp home. For the first<br />
time in many of these children’s lives, they had the<br />
opportunity for something more. ICC provided basic<br />
school supplies, such as whiteboards, markers, books,<br />
and lesson materials, as well as food and water.<br />
“Hungry children whose parents can’t afford proper<br />
meals can now eat good food every week,” said one<br />
of the volunteers. “Children who have never been to<br />
school have been given the chance to be educated,<br />
which has given them a sense of belonging. Older<br />
women who were not opportune to be educated have<br />
been given a second chance as four have become<br />
dedicated pupils.”<br />
24<br />
<strong>Persecution</strong> | FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong>
PERSECUTION.ORG 25
“I have never felt love<br />
and care like this in<br />
my whole life...I am so<br />
grateful because I now<br />
feel better in my body.”<br />
- Saendo<br />
26<br />
<strong>Persecution</strong> | FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong>
ICC’s Hope House offers more than an education lesson and a<br />
meal. It offers children the chance to learn about the Bible and<br />
grow their relationship with God.<br />
“Our intention is to get these children educated and to bring<br />
them to the knowledge of Christi Jesus because our country and<br />
continent depends on what we can do with and for these children<br />
today,” said Daniel. “We conduct our Bible study every Friday and<br />
one of our central goals is to lead them to know Christ despite the<br />
place where the situations of life have put them.”<br />
SAENDO’S MEDICAL JOURNEY<br />
One of the situations Daniel found himself in was during the<br />
beginning stages of Hope House when he met Saendo and another<br />
classmate.<br />
“We were moved by the pains and sufferings that two of our<br />
students were going through life-threatening health challenges:<br />
one with heart disease and another with a cancerous wound on<br />
his leg,” said Daniel. “We took them to the hospital. The one with<br />
the wound had a series of surgeries before being discharged.”<br />
Saendo was told that his condition had progressed too much to<br />
undergo surgery. He was treated for other health complications to<br />
make him comfortable.<br />
“He was discharged and regularly goes to get check-ups,” said<br />
Daniel.<br />
Both boys had lost their fathers and were being taken care of<br />
by their mothers who were facing their own challenges, making<br />
it impossible for the boys to receive the medical care they so<br />
desperately needed. Saendo was born with a heart condition which<br />
has deteriorated due to his family’s inability to afford medical care.<br />
“I personally could not hold back the pain when I came across<br />
the kids in these conditions, and therefore arranged for these<br />
interventions. I am still monitoring them and giving necessary<br />
support,” said Daniel.<br />
ICC has helped Saendo with monthly medical and basic care. Since<br />
then, he has begun to feel better. Our volunteers describe him as<br />
nearly a new person.<br />
“I lack the words to properly express my joy and gratitude to God<br />
and ICC for giving me life,” said Saendo. “Right now, I feel a great<br />
deal of hope. I have never felt love and care like this in my whole<br />
life. I am really surprised that people I have never seen took up my<br />
treatment and footing every single bill for me and are providing<br />
food support for me and my family. I am so grateful because I now<br />
really feel better in my body.”<br />
SHARING THE LOVE OF CHRIST<br />
This is the boy who originally described his life as being “relegated<br />
to a dark corner, laying there and waiting for death to come snatch<br />
me up with its cold arms.”<br />
Instead, Saendo, along with many of the other children at Hope<br />
House, was snatched up with the love and mercy that only comes<br />
from the Lord.<br />
“Our prayers to God are to give these children and their parents a<br />
Christ-like heart through this school. In the face of the persecution<br />
that they are going through, we hope to make them leaders after<br />
God’s heart as shining testimonies of the love and forgiveness that<br />
Christ has shown to the world by dying on the cross. We pray that<br />
God would help us make a community school after Christ’s heart,”<br />
said Daniel.<br />
*Name changed for security purposes<br />
PERSECUTION.ORG 27
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