Barnabas Aid May/June 2013

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MAY/J UNE 2013

THE AID AGENCY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH www.barnabasfund.org

IN THIS ISSUE

Sri LankaVulnerableChristians under attack

ChildrenChristian ministryin Egypt and

Central Asia

Hopein the midst of

suffering

O U R

G O D I SFAI T H F U L

CHRISTIANSUNDERTHREAT IN

SRI LANKA



direct and indir ect challenges to the Church and its

This book co paresIslam with Christianity (offerin

theological understandingof Islam),discusses the

of Isla on theWest, andexamines var ious issues

Christian-Muslim relations, includingdialogueand

ISBN: 9780978714185 | Format:Paperback | No. of pa

RRP: £9.99 | P & P: £3.00

Front cover: A Sri Lankan Christian widow whom Barnabas helped to start up a business and support her

familyTo guard the safety of Christians in hostile environments, names may have been changed or omitted. Thank you for your understanding.

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are taken from the New International Version®.

Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and obtain permission for stories and images used in this publication. Barnabas Fundapologises for any errors or omissions and will be grateful for any further information regarding copyright.

© Barnabas Fund 2013

The paper used in this

publication comes fromsustainable forests and

can be 100% recycled

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i Lankan Christian widow whom Barn e ped to start up a business and support her

Christians in hostile environments, names may have been changed or omitted. Thank you for you .

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To order these books, visit :

barnabasfund.org/shop

Alternatively, please contact your nearest

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cover). Cheques for the UK should be

made payable to “Barnabas Books” .

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2 BARNABAS AID MAY/J UNE 2013



WELCOME FROM THE DIRECTOR

The passion that drives Barnabas Fund is for justiceand righteousness. America’s third president, Thomas Jefferson, declared:

“God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the libertiesof a nation be thought secure when we have removed their

only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the peoplethat these liberties are the gift of God? That they are notviolated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for mycountry when I reflect that God is just; that His justicecannot sleep forever.”

The God who gave us life and liberty also gave us justice, and this motivates all Barnabas Fund has soughtto do. Despite having to take on leaders, organisations andeven nations in this struggle for justice, we have sought tobe faithful above all else to God and the calling that Hehas given to us.

“Hope” is not always an easy word. It has been much

devalued, and despair can so easily reign. The Biblicalhope that we have is an eschatological hope: the hope thatour almighty and matchless Lord will indeed rule overthis earth that He has created, over His heavens and Hisuniverse, that He will restore order and bring justice to Hispeople and that they will be vindicated. With such a hope,Christians in the midst of suffering can echo the words of Job: “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shallstand at the latter day upon the earth” (Job 19:25, KJV).

June 1st 2013 will mark the twentieth anniversaryof Barnabas Fund. Looking back, we can see how Godhas worked in bringing into being a ministry that He haschosen to use for the succour, welfare and good of Hispeople. Looking ahead, we face uncertainty and a world of increasing chaos, bringing new pressures upon beleaguered

Christian communities, not least in the Middle East and inparticular Syria and Iraq.

It is by looking back that we derive our confidencethat the God who has led us thus far is the God who willcontinue to be with us in the future. For our God is faithful.As we look forward we live with the eschatological hope

that it is God who will bring right and justice out of wrongand injustice.

At the heart of justice lies truth. Truth is not adriving force in today’s society. We live with half-truths,embellishments, lies and deceptions. We live in a day where

governments can lie to their people, media can lie to theirconstituencies, and sadly even Christian leaders can lie toall and sundry.

But truth in its absolute form is inextricably linked torighteousness, which in turn is linked to justice. Barnabas’passion has been to speak the truth, even though this is

condemned as confrontational in contexts such the UK where the soft and pleasant half-truth is often moreacceptable.

If Barnabas Fund continues under God for another20 years, it must continue to base itself on truth. It mustcontinue to tackle the dif ficult questions. Who are the

persecutors of the Church? How do they persecute theChurch? Why do they persecute the Church? Who willbring aid and succour to the persecuted Church? Whymust their fellow believers make it a priority to assist thepersecuted Church? May the God who has led us thus far,the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, continue tolead us into the next stage of our ministry, whatever formor shape it may take.

I commend to you the enclosed booklet,Our Godis Faithful, which reflects on the last two decades and theway in which the Lord has led my wife Rosemary andme and blessed and grown the work. We trust and believethat He has used Barnabas not just to bring practical aidbut also to bring spiritual encouragement, as summed upin the phrase “Hope and aid for the persecuted Church”under our logo.

Jefferson’s statement encapsulates a theme thatshaped the USA. It gives us a vision of God’s desire thatnations, as well as individuals, should strive always forliberty and justice. I pray that these will continue to bepriorities for Barnabas Fund in the coming years.

Dr Patrick SookhdeoInternational Director

Our Redeemer lives

Contents

6 10 16

In TouchBird tables and birthday

lunch raise funds for

persecuted Christians

Biblical ReflectionRomans 5:1-11: Hope in the

midst of af fl iction

Newsdesk

Church leaders gunned down

in East Africa

Testimony A North African convert

freed to serve Christ in his

homeland

Country Profile

Sri Lanka: Christians burdened

by poverty and pressure

Compassion in ActionChildren’s ministr y in Egypt

and Central Asia4

8 14 18

11 16

3BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013



how barnabasCOMPASSIONIN ACTION

New believers in Uganda

studying the B ible together

Converts: care in

vulnerable times

When Muslims turn to Christ, they

are often rejected by their families

and their employers. Last year 71

converts in eastern Uganda were

thrown out of their family homes.

Thanks to a recent grant from

Barnabas Fund a local ministry

provided them with emergency food

and also with medical care.

Moreover, the ministry made sure

that the new believers could stay

temporarily in Christians’ homes,

where they were surrounded by

loving care and fellowship.

A total of 136 recent converts from

Islam received intensive discipling

through the ministry in 2012. Bible

study, time for communal prayer

and the sharing of experiences

formed the core. And English and

hair-braiding classes were provided,

so that the converts could become

economically self-suf ficient.

Praise God that through the

ministry’s outreach another 175Muslims came to know the Lord

Jesus as their Saviour in 2012.

P r o j e c t r e f e r e n c e

5 6 - 6 4 1

ce v n -- ng

emer ongo

Usually disabled people end up last

in the queue to receive aid in the

Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Because of their disability it takes them

longer to reach aid distribution points.

But Barnabas Fund reversed the

order by focussing all their relief on

this vulnerable group. “I’m glad to see

that there are people who think of us,”

said Antoinette, who has lost her right

arm. In total 406 disabled Christians

received a kit with food, water cans,

plastic sheets, blankets, bedding and

soap in three camps in eastern Congo.

In November last year numbersof displaced people in the east of

the country rose dramatically, from

500,000 to 800,000. Peoplefled from

their homes after renewedfighting

broke out between the rebel group

M23 and the national Congolese army.

A great number of those displaced are

Christians.

“God is great because He has given

answer to my prayer,” said Sebutoni,

who has lost his leg. With the kithe can now cover his family’s hut,

protecting them from the rain.

Priority for disabled Christians


9 2 - 7 6 5

A Chr is tian mo ther arri ves by

plane in South Sudan

Joy and relief were etched on the

faces of many of the Christian

women descending the aeroplane

stairs at Juba airport in South

Sudan. Mothers holding infant

children, elderly women helped by

young men, a disabled woman with

crutches, all streamed out onto the

tarmac. There they were welcomed

by church leaders.

Their big smiles spoke volumes:

they had just been brought out of

Sudan, a place of anti-Christian

discrimination and oppression, to

a Christian-majority country wherethey could look forward to equality

and freedom. One of the women

said, “We have reached here with

the help of God. We shall live well

with God’s help in our land.”

Because of your generous

donations 2,300 Christians have

already reached the safety of South

Sudan by plane or bus. At the time

of writing the rescue operation is

ongoing; another 1,500 Christianswill be transported by road, Lord

willing.

Sudan exodus:escape to safety


4 8 - 1 0 7 8

£14,528 for convert care in

Uganda

(US$21,987; €17,059)

£457,797 for airlift and bus

transport

(US$692,822; €537,545)

how barnabas

£38,402 for refugees in DR

Congo

(US$58,131; €44,378)




is helpingCOMPASSIONIN ACTION

A simple blanket can not only help a Christian

experiencing discrimination survive a harsh winter. It

can also encourage her in her faith – by showing that

Christians far away care about her plight. Thank you for

your generous support.

Below and on the fol lowing pages are just a few

examples of the many ways we have recently assisted

persecuted and pressurised Christians.

“Oh! What a wonderful gift from

God,” said Sontos, an impoverished

Christian in Bangladesh. He was

one of 1,000 Christians who

received a blanket from Barnabas

Fund to help him survive last year’s

exceptionally cold winter.

As a Christian, Santos is partof a tiny Christian minority in

Bangladesh. Believers experience

much discrimination, and sometimes

violence, in this Muslim-majority

country. As a consequence many

are very poor.

“Last few weeks ago in our place

we felt so cold,” Sontos continued.

“I wanted to buy a blanket but I had

not enough money… When I came

to a brother’s house, that day hegave me a blanket. I am so happy

about this blanket.”

Hearts and bodieswarmed

A Chr is tian woman in

Bangladesh receives a blanket


0 4 - 8 5 4

A congregation in Central Asia

can now support its pastor

Two years of support from

Barnabas Fund was all afledgling

congregation in Central Asia

needed. It has now matured and

become self-suf ficient.

Two years earlier its 40 members

– all converts from Islam – were

meeting in various home groups.

Several of the members were

struggling; some had been turned

out of their homes by their families

for deciding to follow Christ; others

were experiencing pressure from

local Muslim elders to reconvert.

Their pastor supported himself

through a secular job, but that meanthe had little time for pastoring the

church members.

Barnabas’ support covered 86% of

the pastor’s living costs and travel

for two years. In the freed-up time

he could visit all home groups and

ministry leaders. In one year 38

more people were baptised, and

after two years the congregation

had grown to 100 members. They

can now rent a building for Sundayservices and cover the pastor’s

support.

Congregation nowself-suf ficient

P r o j e c t r e f e r e n c e 0 0 - 4 7 7

( P a s t o r s ’ S u p p o r t F u n d )

A tap now brings c lean water

nto this Egyptian Christian’s

home

All of the desperately poor

inhabitants of a town in Upper

Egypt are Christian. Their faith and

the town’s isolated location leave

them generally ignored by the rest

of Egypt’s Muslim-majority

population. Barnabas Fund helped

improve some of the 25,000

inhabitants’ sub-basic living

conditions.

Now 70 families have clean,running water in their homes. And

37 homes have direct access to

electricity.

The difference these connections

make to the families’ lives is

enormous. Mothers and daughters

no longer have to carry heavy loads

of water several times a day from

the nearest water source. Electric

fans bring some relief from the

summer heat, and in the eveningthere is light for the children to

study.

Water and electricitybring relief


1 1 - 4 2 4

£3,899 for blankets in

Bangladesh

(US$5,902; €4,505)

is helping

£37,603 for water and

electricity in Egypt

(US$56,916; €43,445)

£1,177 for pastor in Central

Asia

(US$1,782; €1,360)




COMPASSIONIN ACTION

bringing hope,COMPASSIONIN ACTION

A unique children’s club in Egypt is setting

Christian youngsters’ faith aflame. The

clubs started last year with support from

Barnabas Fund. They are helping children and

teens become committed to Christ and live out

their faith in daily life.

“I have learned that the Word of God brings joy,”14-year-old Raouth said about the club. ”That is

why I go share the Bible verses that I learn with

my mum and also memorise them, so we can

have joy in our house.”

A total of 7,000 Christian children and teenagers

started attending weekly clubs last year through

53 churches in Upper Egypt. In this region of

extreme poverty, these popular clubs are the

only ones of their kind. They are also proving

to be an antidote against the enormous peer

pressure that the kids experience from the

Muslim majority.

The youngsters are encouraged to learn Bible

verses, go to church and pray every morning

and evening. There is also a time of worship and

prayer.

If the club were to stop, eleven-year-old Samira

would be “very, very upset because I feel really

happy when I go the club”. Raouth agreed: “[The]

club is something very big in my life. I feel really

comfortable in there and I wish that it stays in my

life forever.”

A magazine in Kyrgyzstan is so popular

that one copy can pass through many

hands. One reason for this is that it

is the only Kyrgyz-language Christian children’s

magazine in this Muslim-majority country, made

available with support from Barnabas Fund.

Although it is written for Christian children – and

so packed with pictures, poems, crossword

puzzles and stories – adults also like to read it.

It is read out loud during church meetings and

also distributed on the streets and on buses.

Children like to share copies with their friends and

classmates.

But when one girl wanted to hand out a pack at

school, she was blocked by her teacher. Scolding

her, the teacher grabbed an issue and threw itin the girl’s face. At first the girl was frightened.

But upon her return home she realised that what

had happened is part of Christian life; she had

suffered for Jesus’ sake, and knowing thisfilled

her with faith and joy.

With support from Barnabas the magazine is

also translated and distributed in Kazakhstanand Bulgaria. Usually six issues are printed every

year, with print runs of 3,000 to 5,000 copies each

time. In Kazakhstan the magazine’s distributors

have to be careful when mailing out the issues

because of tightened laws on religious practice.

In the face of many challenges, ten-year-old

Johanna in Bulgaria sums up what the magazine

is truly about: “[It] talks to me about God. And I like

to hear about Him.”

Project reference 80-664(Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan),62-1016 (Bulgaria)

£39,562 for Christian children’s

magazines in Bulgaria, Kazakhstan,

Kyrgyzstan (US$59,864; €46,430)

£33,534 for a children’s ministry in

Egypt (US$50,787; €38,350)

FOCUS ON CHRISTIAN CHILDREN

On fire for God

Magazine shared in face of resistance

Project reference11-1080

r is ia il r ’ s y av ecome ns l p r

Enjo ri h en’s

to r n

6 BARNABAS AID MAY/JUNE 2013



COMPASSIONIN ACTION

transforming livesCOMPASSIONIN ACTION

Muneer was deeply touched when a

Barnabas volunteer visited his family

in their rudimentary place of refuge

in Syria. The volunteer had come to see how

Barnabas Fund could help them.

“You are thefirst one to come to ask if we need

help or even to see how we are living and if we

are living!” Muneer told the volunteer with joy

and gratitude. Barnabas Fund gave them food,a cash donation and winter clothes for their

children to sustain them in this dif ficult time.

This help from Barnabas was thefirst act

of mercy they had experienced since their

displacement.

Displaced by violenceBefore the uprising Muneer had lived

comfortably. His family of three girls and a boy,

as well as extended family, were all part of a

sizable Christian minority in the city of Al-Qusayr,where they lived in peace.

But fighting between the army and militants in

Al-Qusayr forced them toflee. In doing so, they

joined the throng of hundreds of thousands of

other Christians throughout Syriafleeing from

their homes to escape bombing and shelling.

Like most of them, theyfled with hardly any

possessions or a place to go.

Christ ians targeted

Christians, besides being victims of the generalviolence, have also been targeted in the crisis.

Many rebels consider all Christians to be

supporters of President Bashar al-Assad, and

thus enemies, because Christians were treated

well by al-Assad’s regime. And Islamist rebel

groups are using the chaos as a cloak to oust,

kidnap, torture and kill Christians.

While trying to escape, Muneer’s uncle and

brother were killed in the violence. The family

struggled tofind another place to stay in Wadi

al-Nasara, where they hadfled. When they werefinally offered a derelict, one-room hovel, they

eagerly jumped at the offer.

Surviving with your helpBarnabas’ support enabled Muneer’s displaced

family to survive the harsh winter. They are

“thankful to God and to those who have the love

of God in their heart”.

Since March 2012 Barnabas Fund has been

sending monthly grants to help Christians

affected by the Syrian crisis. Between January

and March 2013 we sent £400,781. Throughthese grants they received food, winter clothes,

blankets, lamps, mats and medical support.

£400,781 for emergency relief in Syria(US$606,264; €470,366)

“ Mu eer” a d h s et nded f th ir o e-roo plac f sca e

Not forgotten in Syria

“ You are the

first one to

come to ask

if we need

help!”

Project reference00-1032




Despite Christianity’s long history in

Sri Lanka (see text box, far right), the

Christian faith is seen as a foreign

influence, and evangelism is often presented

as an unethical means of forced conversion.

Our brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka face many

dif ficulties. They are under great pressure from

Buddhist nationalism and at risk of violent attackby its proponents. They are discriminated against

in several areas of life. And many, still feeling the

effects of the protracted civil war (1983-2009) that

is estimated to have killed more than 200,000

people, live in extreme poverty and need. The

hardship resulting from the years of conflict has

been intensified in recent years by a series of

devastating natural disasters.

The “ foremost place” of Buddhism

Sri Lanka’s constitution affords Buddhism the“foremost place” in the country’s public life.

Although Buddhism is not of ficially the religion

of the state, this status ensures its protection

and promotion. Buddhism’s “foremost place” is

exploited by a powerful ethnic Sinhalese and

Buddhist nationalist lobby, which demands

rights and privileges for itself at the expense

of other religions, especially Christianity. More

than a decade ago, the Sinhala Commission,

which enquires into “injustices caused to the

Sinhala people”, identified Christianity as the

main enemy of Sinhalese culture and religion.

Nationalist groups campaign for the introduction

of anti-conversion legislation that would greatly

hinder evangelism; similar laws in some states

of India have been used to obstruct people from

becoming Christians. Thankfully, the proposed

law has not so far been accepted by Parliament.

Buddhism has a reputation for being peaceable

and non-violent, but in Sri Lanka it is not notably

tolerant of other religions. Since the conflict

ended, the religion has been encroaching visibly

into northern and eastern areas traditionally

inhabited by the minority Tamil people, who arepredominantly Hindu with a significant Christian

minority. Buddhist statues, monasteries and

monuments have been erected in these areas by

government troops, and people from elsewhere

in the country have been resettled there even

though local people remain landless. This

of ficial pressure is accompanied by the action

of extremists on the ground, who often launch

attacks on local Christian communities.

Violence and harassment

Christian communities, and especially those inrural areas or traditionally Buddhist preserves,

live in danger of violence and harassment by

Sri Lanka has historically been associated with toleranceand peace. As a Buddhist kingdom, for centuries itwelcomed Hindu, Muslim and Christian refugees who werefleeing persecution in India. Although these values arestill reflected in Sri Lanka’s consti tution and laws, whichguarantee freedom of religion, in practice the country isnow far from being a safe haven for Christians.

A young flood vic tim

rece ves food f rom rna as




Buddhist extremists. Mob attacks on church

services are sporadic but severe. Church leaders

are particularly vulnerable to being threatened

and violently attacked. Christians can also face

pressure from Hindu or Muslim extremists, and

those who commit crimes against them are rarely

brought to justice. Churches may be forcibly

closed: by extremists with the support of the

authorities, or by the authorities themselves.

It is not only extremists who pose a threat to Sri

Lankan pastors. Some of them (including some

who are Tamils themselves) put themselves

at great risk by speaking out against the

government’s abuses of the beleaguered Tamil

minority. More than a dozen Christian ministers

have “disappeared” and are thought to have been

abducted and murdered by the government after

they criticised it. The government threatened in

March 2012 to “break the bones” of those who

supported a UN Human Rights Council resolution

calling on the country to investigate war crimes

properly. Open threats have been made against

the Bishop of Mannar, Rayappu Joseph, who

along with two others submitted a report to the

government’s “Lessons Learnt Reconciliation

Committee” highlighting the disappearance of

over 145,000 people during the last stages of thecivil war.

DiscriminationDiscrimination blights the lives of Sri Lankan

Christians in several ways. Government schools

have been known to refuse to enrol Christian

students because of their faith, and the classroom

is not always a safe place for Christians. In June

2012 a 14-year-old Christian schoolboy who

professed his faith at school was beaten severely

by a Buddhist monk. When Amila Tharanga

Thilakaratne said that he was a Christian, themonk beat him until he was left bleeding from his

ear. Amila, who is the only Christian in his class,

was refused medical treatment and told not to tell

anyone about the incident.

Churches can face dif ficulties in gaining

permission for their buildings. Government

approval must be gained for the construction or

maintenance of a place of worship, and newer

denominations in Buddhist-majority areas may

be refused this. Congregations have even been

denied permission to rebuild churches that were

destroyed in the civil war. There have also been

reports of Buddhist monks or local residents

preventing Christians from burying their loved

ones in public cemeteries.

Also, although churches are not required to

register with the government, in order for a churchto carry outfinancial transactions the government

must register it as a company. Because of

allegations against churches of “unethical

conversion”, it is now more dif ficult for some of

them to register. If a church is not registered

in this way, its freedom to carry out financial

operations will be limited.

Significant growth has been seen in the number

of Christians amongst workers on the tea, coffee

and rubber plantations. The workers, who are

often exploited and paid very little, endure greathardship and persecution.

Centuries of ChristianpresenceThe history of Christianity in Sri

Lanka long pre-dates the arrival of

Westerners. According to tradition,the island was evangelised by the

apostle Thomas, and certainly the

Christian faith reached the region

no later than the second century;

small groups of believers were

a lively presence on Sri Lanka’s

coasts after this time. Christianity

made significant progress after the

sixteenth century.

In spite of their long-standing

presence, Christians now make

up only 7% of a population that is

76.7% Buddhist, 7.8% Hindu and

8.5% Muslim. Conditions in recent

years have forced many Christians

toflee the country.

Buddhist 76.7%

The population of Sri Lanka,

classified by religion

H i n d u 7 .8 %

C h r i s t i a n 7 %

M u s l i m 8. 5 %

s i o hr i is

n Anur a u a, Sr

,,, u

L ag , up Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Buddhi i

ol owe y 70% on

More than a dozen Christianministers have “disappeared”and are thought to have beenabducted and murdered

Monks among the mobThe pastor of a church in Weeraketiya,

Hambanthota district, was injured when a large

mob, including numerous Buddhist monks,

stormed his church in December 2012. The mob

overwhelmed eight police of ficers, who were

stationed at the church to protect it during a planneddemonstration by the monks. During the attack the

pastor was injured by a rock that was thrown at him

and left with severe pain in his abdomen. The mob

damaged church furniture and equipment as well as

nearby vehicles belonging to church members. The

violence was witnessed by children.

On the day before the incident a group of Buddhists,

including a number of monks, had visited the pastor

and told him that he was not allowed to conduct

worship services in the area. They falsely claimed

that the constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion, had been changed. They warned that if

the pastor did not stop holding services, they would

destroy the church.


COUNTRYPROFILE



Humanitarian crisis As well as enduring the threat of violence,

harassment and discrimination, many Christians

in Sri Lanka live in desperate poverty and need.

The civil war, which was sparked by ethnic

tensions between the majority Sinhalese and

the Tamil minority, devastated the country’s

economy and infrastructure. Hundreds of

thousands of people were displaced, and

Christians have faced disadvantage in theresettlement programmes that have followed,

which have forced many to survive for long

periods in inadequate housing.

In one particularly shocking example, 145

Christian families from Mullikulam in Mannar

District, who lost everything in the civil war, were

prevented from returning to their land because

the government plans to build a naval base onit. Instead of being properly resettled, they were

forced to live in the jungle. The Christians had to

sleep on the ground with no protection from the

elements, surrounded by elephants and snakes.

They could not rebuild their homes because

they had no tools. One church leader said, “We

are witnessing an intolerable and meaningless

discrimination.”

The dire conditions endured by many have been

worsened by the impact of successive natural

disasters. Sri Lanka was one of the countriesworst hit by the 2004 tsunami, and it has since

suffered from both frequent, severeflooding and

a prolonged drought. Most recently, over 30,000

homes were damaged or destroyed byfloods that

swept through the country in December 2012,

and many families lost their only source of income

when their crops or livestock were lost.

Please prayThese post-conflict years present an opportunity

for rebuilding in Sri Lanka, but the disadvantages

faced by the Christian minority often prevent them

from sharing in the fruits of peace. Pray that the

Lord will meet all the needs of His people in Sri

Lanka, and that those who face discrimination in

His Name will know His peace. Lift up Christian

leaders who are at risk of violence and ask that

the Lord will protect them. Give thanks that an

“anti-conversion” law has not been passed, and

pray that the campaign of Buddhist nationalists

to impose their identity on minority groups, bylegislation and by force, will be abandoned.

i anka een r tedly ravag d by

o n

How Barnabas is helping

Relief for ravaged communit ies After severeflooding swept through Sri Lanka in December 2012, destroying homes and livelihoods,

many Christians were forced to survive in makeshift shelters without access to food, clean water and

medicines. Barnabas helped to meet the basic needs of 4,500 Christians by providing them with food

parcels containing rice, sugar, milk powder, lentils and pulses. Barnabas also helped Christians affected

byflooding in 2010 and 2011. (Disaster Relief Fund, reference 00-634)

Rebuilding livesBarnabas Fund is building houses for Christians whose homes were destroyed during the civil war.

Christians who were displaced into camps or reduced to living in primitive huts for many years are

now safe and settled in secure housing. One Christian family said of their new home, “This house is an

unexpected blessing and we are happy beyond our expectations.” (Project reference 85-961)

Hope for the futureDesperate hardship calls for long-term solutions. Barnabas is supporting Christian widows who lost their

husbands in the civil war with the skills training and start-up funds that they need to start their own small

businesses. Through food, agriculture or sewing businesses, our sisters are now able to support their

families. (Project reference 85-1063)

Strengthening the ChurchOne of the great needs of Sri Lanka’s vulnerable Church is for strong leadership. Barnabas is helping to

support needy students at inter-denominational theological seminaries. The students include some who

are in full-time Christian ministry, as well as other Christians, and the teaching aims to help the students

to be more effective in their ministry. (Project reference 85-985)

Blessing with buildingsDecades of violent civil war destroyed at least 100 church buildings in Sri Lanka. Barnabas is helping to

rebuild these so that shattered Christian communities have a place where they can come together. One

church was holding a service when the 2004 tsunami hit, and tragically 56 people were killed. Barnabas

Fund helped the congregation to rebuild the church, only for it to be destroyed again by fighting in 2007.

When the church members were able to return to the area, they met under trees and prayed for a newbuilding. The average cost of reconstructing a church building such as theirs is around £5,000. (Project

reference 85-927)

on u a e tro e c

e p of r na

B he o build h

lies o lost everything in the civil war

a a y studen s a

ca sem nar es


COUNTRYPROFILE



A North African conver tfrom Islam can now workfor Christ in his countryagain

Threats to his life by radical Muslims had already forced “Ahlilou” to escape

from his home country. But from February 2010 he was effectively barred from

visiting. An arrest warrant had been issued accusing him of a scam fraud he

had not committed. All attempts to clear his name were ignored or sabotaged

by the authorities. It was increasingly clear that the warrant was a ploy to

block Ahlilou from furthering God’s Kingdom in his home country.

Late last year came a breakthrough. Ahlilou wri tes:

In early November 2012, my nephew

called me [from North Africa]. A man

had inquired about me. He was

determined to help me clear up the arrest warrant.

I was puzzled and wondered in my spirit,

“What does this man do?” I heard he might be

an of ficial in the government, but I was not sure

what to do.

My mother and sister met with the man and

they said he was a Christian and seemed to be

an honest man. I called him and he urged me

to come the last two weeks of December 2012.

[Atfirst] my wife was reluctant to let me go. But

we prayed with the kids about it and felt peace.

My leadership team in the church also prayed withme and I was strengthened in my faith. I bought

my ticket for a morningflight.

On the one hand, doubts and restlessness

started to creep into my mind. On the other hand,

I was confident in the Lord and His promises. I

have known His faithfulness and trusted Him in

everything in my life. Why shouldn’t I trust Him

now?

At the [arrivals] passport checkpoint I

was arrested and was escorted to the police

station. I didn’t know what was going on! I

had been praying without ceasing, so theLord must be in control of this situation.

Then I was surprised when I was received

by a police of ficer who was kind, helpful, and

reassuring. I realised someone must have given

him orders to treat me well. It was 2pm when my

file was ready and two policemen put me in an

armoured van.

[At the police headquarters] they put handcuffs

on my wrist. The sunset’s rays penetrated through

the open window. That moment was so special

to me, as if Christ Himself lit the great planet in

front of me to see the wonderful light. God gave

me this sign to rekindle my fire for Him and I

was encouraged to take hold of Him who never

failed me.

Two hours later the cell was packed. Therewerefive of us in the same cell of five metres.

They were all sleeping and snoring and I was left

awake praying. In this confined jail cell everyone

was smoking.

On Christmas Day at 8.30am, I was released

from the jail and was escorted to the court. The

public prosecutor was expecting me and he

welcomed and apologised several times – almost

as if he were afraid of someone! He behaved

like a friend – talking about soccer and speaking

some English. He got all the papers ready to

acquit me and then he took me to his of fice.By 1pm, I left without knowing exactly (nor

have I heard anything since) about who was

behind the plot to arrest me. The man who

promised to help me did everything, acting behind

the scenes. My case was never an easy one to

solve, yet it was solved.

When I got to my home town my father was

waiting for me, sitting outside on the doorsteps.

We hugged each other and both cried. The Lord

had willed it that this moment would happen!

On 4 January 2013 I returned safely [to

Europe] to be reunited with my wife and my

three boys, thanking God for His faithfulness.

He provided answers and solutions to my

problems. Christ lifted away the burden that

had weighed on me for almost three years.

To Christ be the Glory!

“ Ahlilou” led hundreds of Muslims

in North Africa to Christ after his

own conversion from Islam as a

young man.

Death threats by radical Muslims

made him seek refuge in Europe

in 1994. There he helped launch

a Christian broadcasting network

that brings the Gospel to North Afr ica. Barnabas Fund has

supported this ministry.


LEARNINGFROM THEPERSECUTEDCHURCH



herever you see the Barnabas Fund

logo, you will find underneath it a

small strapline that sums up our work:

“Hope and Aid for the Persecuted Church”.

Providing practical aid to Christians who suffer

discrimination, harassment and violence because

of their faith is of course at the heart of what we

do. But the reference to “hope” alongside “aid” is

an acknowledgment that this kind of help, thoughvital, is not enough to meet all their needs. We

must also give them hope for the future.

Sometimes this hope is for relief from persecution

here and now. The convert from Islam in Uganda

who is disowned by his Muslim community can

find hope through vocational training that enables

him to earn his own living. The Christian in India

whose village is destroyed by Hindu militants can

find hope in the provision of a new house that




allows her to raise her family in relative safety.

Isolated pastors in Kyrgyzstan struggling to care

for their flocks in the face of communal hostility and

government restrictions canfind hope in a church

leaders’ conference that encourages and equips

them to minister more effectively.

But present relief from anti-Christian hostility is

often limited. The New Testament leads us toexpect that ill-treatment and suffering will be part

of the Church’s vocation until Christ comes again,

and even that every Christian will be persecuted

(Romans 8:17-18; 2 Timothy 3:12). And although

under God Barnabas is able greatly to improve

the lives of many harassed and helpless

Christians, the persecution of God’s people still

goes on day after day and year after year. All of

us, and especially those who suffer most severely

for the Name of Christ, need a greater hope to

sustain us in our trials.

In chapter 5 of his letter to the Romans the apostle

Paul presents such a hope. In the opening chapters

he has been expounding the great theme of God’s

righteousness, that is, God’s faithfulness to His

covenant promises, and he has shown that this

righteousness is effective for those who have faith

in Jesus Christ (3:21-22). It is such believers whom

God justifies, forgiving them their sins and declaring

them to be members of His family (3:23-26). Then

in chapter 5, Paul begins to explain what a great

difference God makes to the lives of Christian

people as the result of our being justified by faith.

Romans 5:1-11 focuses on the experience of the

individual believer, and hope is its key theme. Its

sub-sections focus respectively on the blessings

that we enjoy in the present (verses 1-2), the

sufferings that we have to endure (verses 3-5) and

God’s action on our behalf in the death of Christ

(verses 6-11). But each of these topics points

beyond itself to the hope that is ours, of salvation

through Christ from God’s wrath and our sharing in

His glory.

In verses 1-2 Paul sets out two of the benefits thatGod gives in the present to those who are justified

by faith. First, we have peace with God through

our Lord Jesus Christ. This peace is more than

a peaceful feeling; the word refers to well-being

and harmony, and it is applied here to believers’

relationship with God, which is brought into a state

of concord through the living Lord. Through Him,

secondly, we also have access by faith into the

grace in which we stand; by believing in Christ we

have the right to approach God and to enjoy His

free favour.

But Paul’s list of blessings reaches its climax with

his statement that we also boast in hope of the

glory of God. Human beings were created in the

image of God, to reflect His nature and character

and thus to share in His glory, which is the

greatness and goodness of God on display to His

creatures. This glory was forfeited through human

idolatry and sin, but God promises to restore it to

those who are justified by faith. The peace and

grace that we experience now point forward to a

greater privilege yet to be enjoyed: transformationinto the likeness of God Himself.

It is this hope that enables believers to celebrate

even in the midst of af fliction (verses 3-5). Of

course, our suffering is not a good thing in itself,

and it can be intensely painful, especially for

those Christians on the front line of persecution.

But we can still boast in it because of its effects

upon us: it generates patient endurance, which

then shapes character, and this in turn produces

hope. The positive fruits of af fliction show us that

God is working out His saving purpose in our

lives and give us confidence that He will bring that

process to completion. And this hope does not

put us to shame; its fulfilment is guaranteed by

the love of God that He has given us through the

Holy Spirit, which also proves that the process of

transformation is already under way.

Many Christians who suffer severely because of

their faith are outstanding examples of enduranceand character in the midst of af flictions, and often

they also testify to the powerful assurance of

God’s love through the Spirit. These qualities and

experiences demonstrate that God is at work, even

through their grievous persecutions, to transform

them into His likeness, and in this way their hope is

renewed of sharing in His glory. And even though

our sufferings for Christ may be less serious than

theirs, our hope can be strengthened in the same

way.

In verses 6-8 Paul grounds this hope in the love of God revealed in the cross of Christ. It is exceptional

for anyone to die even for a good person. Yet

when Christ died for us we were still weak, unable

to do God’s will; we were ungodly, living without

regard for God; we were still sinners, ignorant of

or disobedient to God’s law. But it was at this time

that Christ died for us, and His death therefore

demonstrates God’s love for us. The cross confirms

what the Spirit in our hearts tells us: that we are the

objects of God’s concern and care.

Once we understand what God has done for us

in the past, we realise that we also have a certain

hope for the future (verses 9-10). Because we have

been justified by the shedding of Christ’s blood,

how much more will we be saved through Him

from God’s wrath! Because when we were God’s

enemies we were reconciled to Him through the

death of His Son, how much more, now that we are

reconciled, will we be saved by Christ’s life! In the

cross God has done the hard part of what it takes

to rescue us; He will certainly nowfinish the work

by doing the easy part. For this reason we alsoboast in God (verse 11), because He has become

our God for ever through the reconciling death of

our Lord.

So for Christians the cross of Christ is another sure

support for hope in the midst of our suffering and

ill-treatment for His sake. Because of what God

has done in the death of His Son, justifying us and

reconciling us to Himself when we were sinners,

we can be certain that He will also deliver us from

His judgment through the transforming life of Christ.

On the foundation of the cross our hope of the glory

of God isfirmly grounded, even in the midst of the

most severe af flictions.

When Christians are persecuted because of our

faith, we become more conscious of the tension

between what we already possess in Christ and

what we do not yet enjoy. We already have peace

with God and access to His grace; our af flictions

are already producing in us the good fruit of

patience and character; we already experience

God’s love through the Spirit; and we have already

been justified by faith and reconciled to God

through the cross. However, we have not yet beensaved from the pain of a world under God’s wrath,

and we do not yet share God’s glory.

But our passage gives us good reason to hope

for what we do not yet possess. Our present

experience of God, and God’s past action for us,

guarantee that we will be changed into His likeness

and delivered from His judgment. Seen in this

perspective even our sufferings are grounds for

celebration; their transforming effect in our lives

assures us that God will fulfil to the end His good

purpose for us. No matter what persecutions befallus, we have a hope for the future that will not put

us to shame.

Once we

unders tand wha t

God has done for

us in the pas t, we

realise tha t we

also ha ve a cer tain hope for the fu tu

re


BIBLICALREFLECTION



NEWSDESK

DELIBERATE ATTACKS ON CHURCHESCONDEMNED AS WAR CRIMES

SYRIA – Attacks on churches

by rebel groups in Syria have beencondemned as war crimes by

advocacy body Human Rights Watch.

Findings released on 23 January

revealed that opposition fighters

had “deliberately destroyed religious

sites” and that the attacks had been

carried out after the areas had fallen

to opposition control and government

forces had left.

The leading human rights

organisation investigated rebel action

in Latakia and Idlib governorates inNovember and December 2012.

It reported events in the Christian

villages of Jdeideh and Ghasaniyeh

in Latakia, which saw a common

pattern of destruction. In Jdeideh,

rebels seized control of the area on 11

December, and broke into the village

church once government troops had

fled. There they stole items andfired

numerous shots inside, causing

structural damage. One resident told

Human Rights Watch that opposition

fighters stole medicine from a

church-run clinic, looted homes and

kidnapped civilians.

Similar events were reported in

Ghasaniyeh, where rebels broke

into the local church to steal petrol

and diesel fuel, looted homes and

kidnapped a local resident. Many

Christians were forced by violence

and dire conditions to flee the two

villages.

Human Rights Watch has said

that, under international humanitarian

law, parties in an armed conflict have

a duty not deliberately to attack

religious buildings that are not being

used for military purposes. Barnabas

Fund’s partners in Syria have reported

several instances of attacks on church

buildings, amongst other forms of anti-

Christian action, by opposition forces

since the conflict began.

One partner explained the way in

which Christians felt they were being

forced out of their homeland, where

there has been a Christian presence

since thefirst century. “When you lose

your church building it is something

important. And when you lose a very

historical church building because

they meant to destroy it, this is

something we need to think about

and pray, because this is a very clear

message from ‘them’ to ‘us’ Christians

in the East.”

CHRISTIAN WOMAN FACING JAIL FORPOSSESSING RELIGIOUS MATERIALS

UZBEKISTAN – A Christian

women is facing up to three years

in prison after her home in north-

west Uzbekistan was raided by

police on two occasions in January.

Sharofat Allamova now faces criminal

prosecution for “illegally” storing

religious literature.

Of ficers first raided Sharofat’s

home in Urgench on 4 January.

After detaining her and questioningher about her exercise of freedom of

belief, they confiscated three Christian

books, two DVDs of a Christian film

and a sermon, and a video called “Life

in the Church”. No religious materials

were found when her home was

raided a second time on 16 January.Sharofat has been repeatedly

harassed by the authorities. She

was detained for four days in 2007

after Christian literature was found

in her bag while she travelled on a

late-night bus. Sharofat’s home was

subsequently raided and Christianliterature seized, and she was given

a six-month suspended jail sentence.

Then, in 2012, she was fined the

equivalent of ten times the local

monthly wage, again for possessing

religious literature. Sharofat appealed

this sentence, pointing out that

amongst other violations of legal

procedure by the authorities, she

had not, as the verdict had stated,

pleaded guilty, and she had been

denied access to legal representation.

Thefine and con

fiscations werenevertheless upheld by the Appeal

Court.

Sharofat has been repeatedly harassed by theauthorities. She was detained for four days in 2007

after Christian literature was found in her bag

St ar y s C i Al r k t e reb .. t ,, o ed as ar

cr imes, se a e h tt e y e n l




NEWSDESK

LANDMARK VICTORY FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOMFOR CHRISTIANS IN THE UK

UK – Nadia Eweida, a British

Airways (BA) check-in clerk who

contested her employer’s demand

that she conceal her cross necklace

in the workplace, has won her case at

the European Court of Human Rights

(ECHR). BA told Nadia in 2006 that her

necklace violated their uniform code,

despite the fact that Muslimhijabs

and Sikh bangles were permissible.

The long legal battle that ensued

culminated in the ECHR’s decision

on 15 January that Nadia’s right to

freedom of thought, conscience andreligion had been violated.

Although it has been argued

that displaying the cross is not a

requirement of the Christian faith,

Nadia argued that an employer should

not be an “arbitrator of faith” with

the power to accept or deny public

expressions of belief.

Nadia’s case was heard alongside

those of three other British Christians

who claimed to have suffered

discrimination in the workplacebecause of their faith. These included

that of nurse Shirley Chaplin, who

was also told not to display her cross

necklace by her employers, the NHS.

The three other Christians all lost their

cases. The government’s attitude to

this issue has been contradictory, with

David Cameron publicly saying that

he was “delighted” at Nadia’s victory,

despite the fact that it was the British

government that contested the four

cases.

Nadia, who is originally from

Egypt, said she hoped that her

victory would be for British Christians

an “encouragement to stand up and

be confident about what Jesus didon the cross and not be ashamed”.

Nadia receivedfinancial support from

Barnabas Fund towards her legalcosts as well as personal support

from International Director Dr Patrick

Sookhdeo, whom she thanked for being “a shoulder to cry on”.

CHURCH LEADERS KILLED IN KENYA AND TANZANIA

EAST AFRICA – A Somali

minister in Kenya and a pastor in Tanzania were killed in violent

incidents in February. Another

Tanzanian pastor died during an

attack on a Christian shop.

On 7 February the Rev. Abdi Welli

was shot dead in Garissa, Kenya,

when he and another Christian

leader, Pastor Ibrahim M. Makunyi,

were ambushed in the city’s main

market. Ibrahim also sustained

gunshot wounds. The militant Islamist

group al-Shabaab, which is a threat toSomali Christian converts in particular,

is thought to be behind this attack.

Eyewitnesses reported that Abdi’s

last words were “It is good to be in the

hands of El Shaddai (God Almighty).”Fellow Christian leaders have paid

tribute to Abdi’s ministry, with one

calling him a “fearless evangelist,

pastor and gifted missionary”. Abdi

had previously said, “I love Jesus

more than anything and I suffered in

persecution because of believing in

Him, obeying Him and serving Him. I

will not be living forever in this world

and I want to leave a living legacy for

others when I am not in this world.”

On 17 February, Pastor EvaristMushi was shot dead outside

his church in Mtoni on the semi-

autonomous Tanzanian island of

Zanzibar. As the pastor arrived to take

the evening service, he was blockedfrom entering the church by two young

men. He was shot twice in the head

and pronounced dead on arrival at

hospital.

Six days earlier a group of youths

believed to be Muslims had arrived ata butcher’s shop in Buseresere, in the

Geita region of Tanzania, armed with

machetes and sticks. Tensions had

been running high in the area; Muslim

leaders were demanding the closureof Christian-owned butcheries. Pastor

Mathayo Kachila was caught up in the

ensuing violence and was beheaded

at the scene. Several other Christians

were assaulted, andfive people were

hospitalised, some of them in a criticalcondition. During the attack, a sign

that read “Jesus is Lord” was removed

from the shop and destroyed.

Abdi had previously said, “I love Jesus more thananything and I suffered in persecution because of believing in Him, obeying Himand serving Him”

David Cameron

publicly said that hewas “delighted” at

Nadia’s victory, despitethe fact that it was the

British government thatcontested the four cases

The European Court of Human Rights r uled that Nadia’s rig t

to fre dom of re i ion : ep en

Colebourn ,e l r c r )




NEWSDESK

CHRISTIANS DEPORTED AND CHRISTIANSCHOOLS CLOSED

SUDAN – The Sudanese

government’s campaign againstChristian activities is intensifying, with

an upsurge in arrests of Christians

and closures of Christian schools.

Three Christians of South

Sudanese origin were forced to leave

the country on 30 January following

their arrest for taking part in Christian

activities. Pastor Ismail Bashir’s arrest

was due to his involvement with a

Christian radio station, while Cecilia

Jamu was detained under suspicion of

aiding Sudanese churches. Cecilia’shusband Anthony was also arrested.

These arrests followed those on

19 December of four workers from anorganisation that produces Christian

songs and films. The four were

interrogated before being released the

next day. Dozens of foreign Christians

have also been deported, and the

government is refusing to renew the

visas of many others.

Christian-run schools have also

been targeted by the authorities, with

two being ordered to close in the

capital, Khartoum. One, a primary

school, was ordered to shut at theend of the academic year because it

was not teaching Islamic studies, as

Sudanese law requires, and was not

separating girls and boys. The other,which taught English to adults, had all

its assets seized after three members

of staff were arrested under suspicion

of evangelising Muslims.

President al-Bashir appears to be

enforcing his repeated declarations

that the country will become “100%

Islamic”. Christians of South

Sudanese origin, who have been

stripped of their citizenship rights,

are particularly vulnerable. Barnabas

Fund’s Exodus rescue mission hasbeen bringing thousands of these

Christians to safety in South Sudan.

POLICE ARREST 53CHRISTIANS IN RAIDON PRIVATE WORSHIP

GATHERINGSAUDI ARABIA – Police

arrested 53 Ethiopian Christians

during a raid on a worship service in

a private home in Dammam, capital

of the Eastern Province. After the

raid, which took place on 8 February,

three church leaders who were at the

meeting were accused of attempting

to convert Muslims to Christianity. This

act is illegal in Saudi Arabia, whereWahhabism, an extreme version of

Islam, is enforced. The three were

brought before an Islamic court on

the same day.

The Christians are now likely to

face deportation; only two of them,

who have residential permits, were

expected to be released. This incident,

in which 46 of those detained were

women, is reminiscent of a similar

raid in December 2011. At that time

a group of 35 Ethiopian Christians,

29 of them women, were arrested at

a private prayer meeting in Jeddah.

The women were strip-searched and

sexually abused, while the men were

beaten and called by the insulting

Arabic term for “unbelievers”. All of

the group were eventually deported.

The government’s hard-line

religious policy forbids the public

practice of any non-Islamic religion.

Although private gatherings of

expatriate Christians for worship are

supposedly no longer illegal, suchmeetings are sometimes raided by

the mutawaah (religious police).

Conversion from Islam is punishable

by death, and the tiny minority of

Saudi Christians must follow Jesus

in extreme secrecy.

Incidents of this kind undermine

Saudi Arabia’s promotion of inter-

faith dialogue. Its recent efforts

have included the opening of

the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz

International Centre for Interreligious

and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna,

Austria, in November 2012.

CHRISTIAN WHO FACED THE DEATH PENALTY

CLEARED OF BLASPHEMY

PAKISTAN – A Christian man

who was falsely accused of defiling

the name of Muhammad, an offence

that is punishable by death in

Pakistan, has been acquitted. Barkat

Masih, who had been in

prison since his arrest

in October 2011, was

released following his

acquittal on 28 January.

Barkat, a convert

from Hinduism, wasaccused of blasphemy

by two Muslim men

in his hometown of

Khairpur. When he

refused to hand over the keys to

the site where he was working as

a sweeper, the men threatened

him with “dire consequences” and

subsequently lodged a complaint

against him with the police. It is

thought they were trying to occupy a

plot of land illegally.

Barkat’s lawyer, Lazar Allah

Rakha, said, “Today, a great justice

has been served. Masih was innocent

and everyone knew. An innocent man

was saved from a terrible fate.” But

although Barkat has been cleared

of the alleged offence under section

295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code,

he remains in danger

of attack by Muslim

extremists. He and his

family will now have

to try to rebuild their

lives in another area.

Barkat’s lawyer hashimself received threats

for representing him.

Church leader

Nawaz George said

that Barkat remainedfirm in his faith

throughout his ordeal and added

that he hoped Barkat’s acquittal

would bring hope to others who are

in prison and waiting for justice to be

done. This case has renewed calls

for Pakistan’s harsh “blasphemy laws”

to be reviewed. The laws are often

misused to settle personal scores, and

Christians are particularly vulnerable

when accused by Muslims.

r n s r nn g su r s a s r r n en n

o Sou th Su an

This case hasrenewed calls forPakistan’s harsh

“blasphemylaws” to be

reviewed. Thelaws are oftenmisused to settlepersonal scores




NEWSDESK

HINDU EXTREMISTS STORM CHURCH AND BEATCHRISTIANS

INDIA – Over 30 Christians were

hospitalised after a group of around

100 Hindu extremists stormed their

church and beat them with iron

rods. The attack, which took place

on 8 February, targeted a church

in Rajnangaon, Chhattisgarh State,

during a three-day prayer event.

The extremists, who were members

of three Hindu nationalist groups,

accused the Christians of forciblyconverting Hindus.

Police refused to file a case

against the Hindu nationalists, and

instead registered a complaint against

the church. Christians who are victims

of crimes in India often meet with such

treatment and can find it dif ficult to

obtain justice.

Two further incidents of anti-

Christian action took place in the

following days. On 9 February, Hindu

extremists assaulted two church

leaders during a prayer meetingin Nagpur, Madhya Pradesh. Both

required hospital treatment. Once

again, the police refused to register

the case, this time arguing that the

church building in question was not a

registered place of worship.

The third incident involved AnandRao, who had come to Adilabad

district in Andhra Pradesh to deliver a

lecture on the Bible. Hindu nationalists

complained to the police that Anand

was forcibly converting Hindus, and he

was arrested on 10 February before

the police had investigated whether the claims were true. He was released

on bail the following day.

HOUSE CHURCHES THREATENED BY NEW RULESON RELIGION

VIETNAM – The house-

church movement in Vietnam facesan uncertain future as new rules

on religion threaten its existence.

Decree 92, which came into force at

the start of the year, makes it almost

impossible for unregistered groups to

obtain the legal status that would help

to protect them from persecution by

the authorities.

Christian leaders have expressed

fears over the implications of the

new restrictions. Nguyen Van Dai,

a Christian lawyer who has served jail time in Vietnam for his human

rights activism, said, “The decree is

intended to provide the tools to end

the house-church movement entirely.”

The Vietnam Evangelical Fellowship

has also expressed concerns that the

decree makes house churches illegal.

It is extremely dif ficult for a house

church to fulfil the new criteria for

legal registration. In order to register,

a church must have a legal place of

worship. House churches, which by

nature do not have an of ficial building,

would not be able to obtain one if they

tried owing to their lack of legal status.

Also, a church wanting to register has

to have existed for 20 years without

infringing any civil or criminal law.

Because unregistered churches are

often vulnerable to arbitrary charges

such as “infringing national security”,

this criterion may also present a

barrier to their registration. This

requirement, along with the lengthy

registration process, means that any

church wanting to register would need

to wait a minimum of 23 years before

it could do so.

An organisation’s “religious

meetings” and “religious activities”

must also be registered before it can

be considered for full legal status.

The new rules state that leaders of

“religious meetings” must have a “spirit

of national unity and reconciliation”

and that “religious activities” must not

“contradictfine national traditions and

customs”. This condition could mean

that churches are required to carry out

activities that are incompatible with

Christian faith, such as worshipping

national heroes and ancestors.

ll-t ribe Chr ist s in t e C l u ur r e I ,

i edia o s

Police refused tofile a case against theHindu nationalists, and instead registered

a complaint against the church






Instruction to your bank or building society to pay by Direct Debit

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Name and full postal address of your bank or bui lding soc iety

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YES, I WOULD LIKE TO HELP THE PERSECUTED CHURCH

Title...................... Full Name .....................................................................................................................................

Address .........................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................

Postcode .................................... Telephone ...........................................................................................................

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A direct debit can be set up either by completing the orm below or bytelephoning the number above.

£ ...............................................

(amount in words) .............................................................................................................

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Please treat as Git Aid donations all qualiying gits o money made: (Please tick all

boxes you wish to apply)

this git only in the past 4 years in the uture

I confrm I have paid or will pay an amount o Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Taxor each tax year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount o tax thatall the charities or Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to willreclaim on my gits or that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT andCouncil Tax do not qualiy. I understand the charity will reclaim 25p o tax on every

£1 that I give on or ater 6 April 2009.

Signature.................................................................................... Date ...................................................

Please inorm us i you want to cancel this declaration, change your name or homeaddress or no longer pay suf cient tax on your income and/or capital gains. I you pay Income Tax at the higher or additional rate and want to receive the additional tax relie due to you, you must include all your Git Aid donations on your Sel-Assessment tax return or ask HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code.

HERE IS MY SINGLE GIFT OF £ ......................................................................................

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Please debit my Visa Mastercard

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Card Number

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Expiry Date / Signature .......................................................................

I do not require an acknowledgement o this git

THE DIRECT DEBIT GUARANTEE

This Guarantee is offered by all Banks and Building Societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits.If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit Barnabas Fund will notify you 10 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed.If you request Barnabas Fund to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request.If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit by Barnabas Fund or your bank or building society, you are guaranteed a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society.If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when Barnabas Fund asks you to. You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society.Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.

*I the project chosen is su ciently unded, we reserve the right to usedesignated gits either or another project o a similar type or or another projectin the same country.

Registered Charity number 1092935Company registered in England number 4029536

A 20th ANNIVERSARY GIFT

Please consider whether you could make a special 20th anniversarythanksgiving git to help Christians in Syria. Or you could leave a legacyto our legacy-holding charity “The Barnabas Fund” (charity number271602) to continue the work o bringing hope and aid to persecutedChristians.

Yes, I would like to give a special 20th anniversary thanksgiving git tohelp Christians in Syria. Here is my single git o £…………… (please make

cheques/vouchers/postal orders payable to “Barnabas Fund”) (00-1032).

Please send me a ree booklet, A Christian Guide to Making and Changing Your Will .

Please return this orm to Barnabas Fund at your national of ceor to the UK of ce. Addresses are on the back cover. BarnabasFund will not give your address, telephone number or email toanyone else.

Supporters in Germany: please turn to back cover or how to sendgits to Barnabas Fund.Phone 0800 587 4006 or visit our website at

www.barnabasfund.org to make a donation by Direct Debit,credit or debit card. From outside UK phone +44 1672 565031.

Mag 05/13Mag 05/13

Mag 05/13

PLEASE USE MY GIFT FOR Wherever the need is the greatest(General Fund)

Other.......................................... *(give reerence number o project to be supported)I have made an internet transer to the Barnabas Fund bank account(Sort Code: 20-26-46) Account Number: 50133299

Please quote as your reerence my postcode and home number and projectnumber i appropriate.

www.barnabasfund.org

0800 587 4006

Alternative Gift Card To make an alternative git or a loved one, please contact your national

Barnabas o ce.

O U R G O D I S

FAI T H F U L



UK

9 Priory Row, Coventry CV1 5EX

Telephone 024 7623 1923Fax 024 7683 4718

From outside the UK

Telephone +44 24 7623 1923 Fax +44 24 7683 4718

Email [email protected]

Registered charity number 1092935

Company registered in England number 4029536

For a list of all trustees, please contact Barnabas Fund UK

at the Coventry address above.

Austral ia

PO BOX 3527, LOGANHOLME, QLD 4129

Telephone (07) 3806 1076 or 1300 365 799

Fax (07) 3806 4076Email [email protected]

Germany

German supporters may send gifts for Barnabas Fund via

Hilfe für Brüder who will provide you with a tax-deductible

receipt. Please mention that the donation is for “SPC 20

Barnabas Fund”. If you would like your donation to go to a

specific project of Barnabas Fund, please inform the

Barnabas Fund of fice in Pewsey, UK.

Accou nt h old er: Hilfe für Brüder e.V.

Accou nt n umber: 415 600

Bank: Evang Kreditgenossenschaft Stuttgart

Bankcode (BLZ):520 604 10

Jersey

Le Jardin, La Rue A Don, Grouville, Jersey,

Channel Islands JE3 9GB

Telephone 700600Fax 700601


New Zealand

PO Box 27 6018, Manukau City, Auckland, 2241

Telephone (09) 280 4385 or 0800 008 805

Email of [email protected]

USA

6731 Curran St, McLean, VA 22101

Telephone (703) 288-1681 or toll-free 1-866-936-2525

Fax (703) 288-1682Email [email protected]

Singapore

Cheques in Singapore dollars payable to “Barnabas Fund”

may be sent to:

Kay Poh Road Baptist Church, 7 Kay Poh Road, Singapore

248963

International Headquarters

The Old Rectory, River Street, Pewsey,

Wiltshire SN9 5DB, UK

Telephone 01672 564938 Fax 01672 565030

From outside UK:

Telephone +44 1672 564938

Fax +44 1672 565030


© Barnabas Fund 2013. For permission to reproduce articles fromthis magazine, please contact the International Headquartersaddress above.The paper used is produced using woodfibre at a mill that has beenawarded the ISO14001 certificate for environmental management.

barnabasaid the magazine of Barnabas Fund

Managing Editor: Steve Carter Published by Barnabas Fund

The Old Rectory, River Street, Pewsey, Wiltshire

SN9 5DB, UK

Telephone 01672 564938Fax 01672 565030

From outside UK: Telephone +44 1672 564938

Fax +44 1672 565030


How to Find Us You may contact Barnabas Fund at the following addresses:

Thanking the Lord for 20 years of Barnabas Fund

20 years giving aid to

Christians in need

Documents

Barnabas Aid May/June 2013