April 2017 Persecution Magazine

WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG 

APRIL 2017 

PERSECU ION 

China’s 

Christians 

In the midst of a 

crackdown on China’s 

Christians, ICC 

examines the lives of 

Christians in China 

PERSECU ION.org 

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

Table of Contents 

In This Issue: 

ANNOUNCEMENT 

3 | The Bridge 

Join ICC and other leaders, experts, 

and organizations as we host The 

Bridge conference, focused on North 

Korea on June 2 and 3 at Saddleback 

Church in southern California. 

FEATURE 

16 | Imprisoned for Christ: ICC 

Working to Free Prisoners of Faith 

ICC’s advocacy department aids two 

Christians wrongfully imprisoned in 

Sudan and Turkey. 

FEATURE 

20 | Believers in China 

ICC examines China’s fear of religion 

and how it affects Christians every day. 

FEATURE 

24 | Egypt Disintegrating 

Currently, the people of Egypt, 

Christians in particular, grapple with 

an economic crisis, growing Salafist 

sentiment, and Islamic State militants. 

THE BRIDGE 

THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON THE PERSECUTED CHURCH 

2017: NORTH KOREA: THE RELEASE OF THE BRIDE 

MARCO RUBIO 

U.S. SENATOR 

(INVITED) 

JOSEPH KIM 

NORTH KOREAN DEFECTOR 

POLICY DAY: MAY 24 

MAIN CONFERENCE: JUNE 2-3 

HYEONSEO LEE 

BEST SELLING AUTHOR & NK 

DEFECTOR (INVITED) 

DAVID CURRY 

PRESIDENT, OPEN DOORS USA 

RICK WARREN 

PASTOR & FOUNDER OF 

SADDLEBACK CHURCH 

JEFF KING 

PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL 

CHRISTIAN CONCERN 

3 

U.S. CAPITOL BUILDING 

SADDLEBACK CHURCH, SoCal 

4 

Regular Features 

4 Letter from the President 

A few words from ICC’s president, Jeff 

King, on finding the ultimate treasure. 

6 World News 

A snapshot of the persecution that 

impacts our brothers and sisters daily, in 

every corner of the world. 

10 Your Dollars at Work 

Learn how your gifts are providing 

comfort, relief, Bibles, education and 

vocational training to the persecuted. 

14 Volunteers 

Learn how members of ICC’s volunteer 

teams are making an impact in their 

communities for the persecuted. 

WWW.THEPERSECUTIONCONFERENCE.ORG TO REGISTER OR LEARN MORE 


INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN 

20 

3 

17 

25 

2 PERSECU ION.org 



THE BRIDGE 

THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON THE PERSECUTED CHURCH 

2017: NORTH KOREA: THE RELEASE OF THE BRIDE 

MARCO RUBIO 

US SENATOR (INVITED) 

HYEONSEO LEE 

BEST-SELLING AUTHOR & NK 

DEFECTOR (INVITED) 

RICK WARREN 

PASTOR & FOUNDER OF 

SADDLEBACK CHURCH 

JOSEPH KIM 

NORTH KOREAN DEFECTOR 

DAVID CURRY 

PRESIDENT OF OPEN DOORS USA 

JEFF KING 

PRESIDENT OF INTERNATIONAL 

CHRISTIAN CONCERN 

POLICY DAY: MAY 24 

MAIN CONFERENCE: JUNE 2-3 

U.S. CAPITOL BUILDING 

SADDLEBACK CHURCH, SoCal 

WWW.THEPERSECUTIONCONFERENCE.ORG TO REGISTER OR LEARN MORE 



3

President’s Letter 

Finding 

The Treasure 

Years ago I was in China and I asked my handlers to arrange a 

meeting with pastors that had been imprisoned for ten or more 

years. These were giants of the faith but little known. I sat and 

discussed persecution with these leaders and one of my first 

questions was, “What would the Chinese Church would be like 

if there was no persecution?” 

They said it would be a mile wide but an inch deep (my paraphrase). 

Famous speakers would gather large crowds, but they 

would have no anointing and little knowledge of the Spirit. I 

asked them if they knew anything about the Western Church 

and they had no idea as they were simple pastors without international 

experience. 

The Church in the West is largely adrift. There are many reasons 

for this, but, from my vantage point, a core problem is that we 

live out Christianity without real cost. Witness Lee, the great 

Chinese pastor of the early twentieth century and devotee of the 

great Watchman Nee, eloquently described this problem: 

The biggest problem today is that it is hard to find 

any wounds or scars in most Christians. Most of 

us do not have any wounds, scars, marks of death, 

or experiences of the cross. Even though we have 

been saved and truly have Christ’s life in us, this 

life has no way to come out. The reason is not that 

our behavior is too poor or too good but that we are 

too whole and too impregnable. Because we have 

no wounds, Christ has no way to be released from 

within us. 

-Witness Lee, The Crucified Christ, Chapter 1 

While we may not have any wounds or scars, our persecuted 

brothers and sisters have them in abundance. These believers 

and especially the faces of the martyrs are always in front of 

me, Christians like Pastor Ohii, Tilman, Necati, Pastor Kevin 

and so many more. 

The Choice 

These martyrs, like so many others, were almost always given a 

Above: Witness Lee 

chance to live if they utteedr three little words, “I deny Jesus.” 

Do you ever wonder why they don’t do it? 

Locked away in secret prisons, in the midst of beatings, torture, 

or under unrelenting pressure, certain Christians are transformed. 

When stripped of all that the world values, including 

dignity, strength, relationship, power, and standing, they 

let go of the world and any hope in its false answers to life. 

Somewhere deep within themselves, they place all of their 

physical and psychic treasure on the sacrificial altar. They put 

all of their proverbial chips into the middle of the table and they 

wager everything on God. In losing “everything,” though, they 

become immensely wealthy and concurrently truly dangerous in 

the spiritual world. 

In Kenya, Pastor Kevin was on his way to church on Sunday 

morning when he got calls from his sheep that were being 

slaughtered. “They were under attack. I heard gunshots, people 

screaming, crying. It was like a horror movie. It was just like 

hell,” he said. His assistant pastor standing in his place was 




President’s Letter 

killed at the lectern along with six others. Twelve others were 

wounded. Everyone else was, of course, traumatized. Pastor Kevin 

died and came to life that day. Listen to what he says. . . 

“After the attack, God inserted into me a spirit of courage. After 

your church gets shot up, you don’t fear anymore and you stop 

caring [about the danger]. We have been through a lot [but] we 

don’t fear anymore… There is nothing human beings can do to 

you.” 

Amazing right? 

Now here’s a little secret . . .In one way or another, this is what the 

Lord is doing in your life and mine! 

This process may be cathartic or it may be slow and gradual. 

Regardless of pace or tool, God is always working in gain and loss 

to get you to give up on this world and desire Him above all other 

treasures and relationships. 

All of our idols (that which we live for or through) and all of our 

crutches must fail. We must continue to toss them overboard one 

after the other, until we each find ourselves left with the one TRUE 

thing that we can live THROUGH, and live FOR. 

You can see the Lord’s heart on this in many passages such as 

Luke 14:26-27, Luke 14:33, Matthew 13:44-46, Luke 14:33, and 

Mark 10:17. 

You can see the Lord’s heart on this in many passages: If you don’t 

give up EVERYTHING you cannot be my disciples (Luke 14:26)! 

When a man discovered the treasure that is God, he went and sold 

everything he had to buy it (Matthew 13:44). What must I do to 

live forever? Go and give away everything that is most precious 

to you and follow me (Mark 10:17). 

Watchman Nee, the great Chinese Church leader of the early twentieth 

century, spoke about this process in one of my favorite books, 

“The Release of the Spirit.” 

Anyone who serves God will discover sooner or later 

that the great hindrance to his work is not others but 

himself. He will quickly detect that the greatest difficulty 

lies in his outward man, for it hinders him from 

using his spirit. The Lord employs two different ways 

to destroy our outward man; one is gradual, the other 

sudden. To some, the Lord gives a sudden destruction 

followed by a gradual one. It would seem the Lord 

usually spends several years upon us before He can 

accomplish this work of destruction. 

-Watchman Nee, Release of the Spirit 

Jeff King, President 

International Christian Concern 

We Must Give Up On The World 

The believer has to let go of the world and brokenness is a great 

catalyst in that process. Whoever has wagered all they have on 

God returns to the world as an alien and they stand out as such. 

They have been set ablaze by God and become a light in the darkness. 

This is the secret to why the persecuted Church is pure and 

grows. 

My core problem is that I don’t have enough of Him inside me and 

what I do have is restrained from being released into the world due 

to my being impregnable. 

Our trials, though wholly unwelcomed, are used to work on both 

of these issues. I want to invite you to embrace your trials. Evil 

does not come from the Lord but He will use trials and evil to try 

and make you rich beyond your wildest dreams. 

So many of the persecuted have discovered this truth and are 

worthy of your time treasure and talent. Please serve them with us! 

Jeff King 

President, International Christian Concern 

www.persecution.org 

Adapted from a chapter of a soon-to–be-released book from ICC’s 

president, Jeff King: “Last Words of the Martyrs.” 



5

News 

3 

6 

4 

5 

1 

2 

“Local leaders 

often turn a 

blind eye to 

discrimination 

and harassment.” 

ICC Documents 361 Attacks on 

Christians in India in 2016 

1 | INDIA In 2016, ICC documented a total of 361 attacks 

against Christians in India, making 2016 one of the most 

trying years for India’s Christian community in recent 

years. In 2015, the Evangelical Fellowship of India 

recorded 177 incidents. This upsurge in attacks is both 

noteworthy and a cause for concern for local Christians 

and the international human rights community. The 

recorded attacks ranged from vandalism to social boycotts 

to violent physical assaults. 

Due to several factors, these attacks often go unreported 

by victims or witnesses; therefore, we can estimate that the 

actual number of incidents that took place last year is much 

higher. According to Dr. John Dayal, a human rights activist 

in India, it is possible that the number of attacks could be 

up to 10 times higher than what was recorded. 

The perpetrators in many of these attacks were radical 

Hindu nationalists who have enjoyed total impunity for their 

actions, encouraging further violence against the Christian 

minority. Each attack which goes unpunished emboldens 

new criminals to carry out more daring and audacious 

crimes. Since the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister 

Narendra Modi rose to power in 2014, Christians have experienced 

a notable rise in attacks. 

Despite the fact that the Indian constitution protects the 

religious rights of all citizens, it is evident that this right is 

being selectively enforced by Indian authorities. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi 

Muslim Converts 

to Christianity, 

Martyred 

2 | PHILIPPINES 

According to reports 

from Christian Aid 

Mission, a Muslim man 

in the Philippines converted 

to Christianity 

after hearing a presentation 

of the Gospel at 

his daughter’s wedding. 

The officiant at the 

wedding was a Gospelpreaching 

pastor and 

the groom’s father. It was 

by God’s grace that the 

father of the bride came 

to Christ during this 

message because he had 

previously engaged in 

attacking this very same 

pastor by tossing rocks 

at him and his church. 

Upon the man’s 

conversion, he began 

experiencing similar 

harassment at the 

hands of his Muslim 

relatives. As a final 

testament to his faith, 

the man was stabbed 

to death by local 

Muslims after refusing 

to stop sharing the 

Gospel. Once a persecutor, 

then a believer 

and now a martyr, his 

testimony is sure to 

survive him. 

Mexican Churches and Communities 

Deprived of Electricity 

3 | MEXICO Although widely unreported by the 

mainstream media, Christians in Mexico continue to 

face persecution for their faith, particularly in rural 

areas. While the Mexican constitution protects religious 

freedom, local leaders often turn a blind eye to 

discrimination and harassment. 

On January 22, local town leaders in Comitan de 

Dominguez, Chiapas, Mexico, cut off the power to 

a house church called “Templo Solo Cristo Salva.” 

According to the Coordinacion de Organizaciones 

Cristianas (COOC), the town leaders decided on this 

electrical cut a week prior during a town assembly 

meeting. However, the COOC also noted that the 

evangelical church members are not permitted to 

attend such meetings. 

Local residents have made official requests to 

the state government in an attempt to rectify the 

situation but, to date, there has been no definitive 

action. Thankfully, the federal government has taken 

measures to relieve such injustice by paying individual 

fines to help those affected by such incidents. 

Hopefully, this federal action will curb some of the 

deliberate targeting of religious minorities. While this 

is absolutely a step in the right direction, local leaders 

must also be willing to protect vulnerable minority 

groups in order to effect long-lasting change. 

Comitan de Dominguez, Chiapas, Mexico 




The Reina nightclub in Istanbul where a gunman with ISIS connections killed 39 people on New Year’s Eve. 

ISIS Claims Responsibility for Turkey Nightclub 

Massacre 

4 | TURKEY On New Year’s Eve, a shooter stormed into a Turkish 

nightclub in Istanbul, killing at least 39 people and wounding many 

more. Shortly after, an ISIS-linked news group released a video claiming 

responsibility for the attack. Furthermore, they reported that the 

gunman specifically targeted Christians who were ‘celebrating their 

pagan feast.’ A suspect was taken into police custody shortly after the 

attack and has since confessed to the crime and made clear his original 

intent of killings Christians in the violent attack. 

Christian Converts Banned from Iranian Churches 

on Christmas 

5 | IRAN In Iran, both government officials and business owners are 

ever attempting to drive Christianity out of the country by enforcing 

restrictions on religious activities. This past year, many Muslim 

Iranians and Farsi-speaking Christians were prohibited from attending 

Christmas services because the regime feared further spread of 

Christianity. Despite these crackdowns and the general persecutionesque 

disposition of the Iranian government, the Word of God continues 

to rapidly spread throughout Iran. 

Nearly 900 Churches Destroyed by Boko Haram 

6 | NIGERIA Toward the end of January, the Christian Association of Nigeria 

(CAN) reported that Boko Haram has destroyed more than 900 churches in 

northeastern Nigeria to date. In their report, CAN urged the Nigerian government 

to assist these churches in the rebuilding process and take stronger action 

to prevent violence against religious minorities. Boko Haram has become notorious 

for suicide bombings, attacks on Christian homes and churches, and the 

infamous kidnapping of the 276 primarily Christian schoolgirls from Chibok. 

All of this violence falls under the umbrella effort to wipe out the influence of 

Christianity in the region. 

CAN’s report is a grim reminder that Boko Haram is holding fast to their 

promise made last year to specifically target Christians in their campaigns of 

violence. Until more action is taken, both moderate Muslims and Christians in 

Nigeria will remain vulnerable at the hands of Boko Haram. 



The aftermath of a Boko Haram bombing. 

7

News 

5 

2 

3 

1 

6 

4 

An entrance to the Christian neighborhood of Joseph 

Colony in Lahore, Pakistan. 

Court Acquits Suspects of Joseph Colony 

Attack 

1 | PAKISTAN On March 8, 2013, a mob of Muslim radicals 

attacked the primarily Christian neighborhood of Joseph 

Colony in Lahore, Pakistan. Reports estimate that as many 

as 3,000 Muslims participated in the violence. When the 

dust had settled, at least 150 Christian homes were burned 

to the ground, along with several businesses and a church. 

The backing for this onslaught followed a trail back to 

a blasphemy accusation against a local Christian named 

Sawan Masih. During an argument, a Muslim friend accused 

Masih of making derogatory comments about the prophet 

Muhammad. Shortly afterwards, the aforementioned violence 

broke out. Masih was then taken into custody, charged 

with blasphemy, and sentenced to death in 2014. 

Despite the swift legal action taken to condemn Masih, 

in January 2017, nearly four years after the initial riots, 

a Pakistani court acquitted all 115 suspects accused of 

participating in the violent attacks. While widely available 

photo and video evidence proved their guilt, the 

court cited a lack of 

evidence as the reason 

for their acquittal. 

All charges, ranging 

from attempted murder 

to terrorism, were 

cleared, denying justice 

to the hundreds of 

families whose lives 

were upturned by this 

violence. 

The response to 

this mob violence has 

drawn criticism, even 

from within Pakistan’s 

own government. In 

one instance, a Supreme 

Court bench criticized 

Punjab officials for their 

apathy and inaction 

toward the Christian 

minorities in this case, 

though this produced 

few results in terms of 

proper due justice. 

This case is indicative 

of two major issues 

affecting Pakistan’s 

Christian community: 

the misuse of blasphemy 

accusations 

and the lack of government 

response to 

crimes directed at religious 

minorities. Unless 

the government takes 

more decisive action 

in defending its vulnerable 

Christian community, 

it seems unlikely 

that these families will 

receive justice. 

Soad Thabet, an elderly Coptic woman assaulted by three 

men who broke into her house. 

“The men stormed 

into her home, 

dragged her into 

the street, stripped 

her...and beat her.” 

Case Reopened Against Men Who 

Abused Elderly Coptic Woman 

2 | EGYPT Last June, Soad Thabet, an elderly Coptic 

woman, was assaulted by a group of three men who 

accused her son of having an extramarital affair with a 

Muslim woman. As the unconfirmed rumors about her 

son spread, the men stormed into her home, dragged her 

into the street, stripped her of her clothing within view 

of the public, and beat her. She and her husband had no 

option but to flee their village. 

In January, Egyptian authorities cleared the three 

accused men of their charges on account of a “lack of 

evidence.” Even though Thabet was able to identify her 

attackers and the president issued a public apology, the 

case was still dropped. Thabet and her family expressed 

their disappointment in this decision, as they felt let down 

by the Egyptian authorities and fearful that this case 

would set a precedent of impunity for future attacks. 

After Thabet’s legal team filed an appeal stating that 

witnesses involved with the incident changed their testimonies 

upon receiving threats, the case was recently 

reopened. At the time of writing, the case is still ongoing. 

Although there is a difficult road ahead to achieve 

justice for Thabet and her family, human rights activists 

view the reopening of this case as a significant step in 

the right direction. 




Pastor Expelled from Sudan for Planting Churches 

3 | SUDAN On December 6, 2016, Sudanese authorities gave Christian pastor Koat Akot 72 hours to vacate the North African country. Akot was 

expelled from Sudan due to his involvement with evangelism and for planting three churches in the country. One of those churches has amassed 

approximately 500 members since its foundation. The government officials responsible for Akot’s expulsion reportedly confiscated several 

church-owned items from the congregation’s property during his interrogation. Akot was previously detained last November for leading worship. 

He was held for only one day, but had to report to authorities on a daily basis following his release. Pastor Akot is just one of the many Christian 

pastors facing persecution at the hand of the Sudanese government. 

A Chinese Bible. 

Six Women Detained for Holding Bible Study 

4 | CHINA In China’s Hubei province, six Christian women were 

recently taken into custody for hosting a Bible study in a house 

church. According to reports, officials accused the women of holding 

illegal religious gatherings, beating the six women and confiscating 

their property. The officers began to shove and beat the Christian 

men who tried to stop them. To date, family members of the detained 

have yet to receive official detention notices for their loved ones. 

This incident is unfortunately just one in a long string of targeted 

discrimination against religious groups at the hands of the Chinese 

government led by President Xi Jinping. 

Don and Ruth Ossewaarde. 

American Missionary’s Case to Russian Supreme Court 

5 | RUSSIA As previously reported, American missionary Don 

Ossewaarde was convicted last year under Russia’s newly implemented 

“Yarovaya” laws. These laws impose harsh restrictions on missionaries 

and their ability to evangelize in Russia. According to Christianity Today, 

32 have already been convicted under this law since its implementation. 

Ossewaarde was issued a fine of approximately $600 USD and has 

appealed his conviction all the way up to the Russian Supreme Court. The 

Supreme Court’s ruling will set an important precedent for Christian missionaries 

and ministries operating in Russia. This ruling is anticipated to 

make clear the Russian government’s attitude toward religious freedom. 

Compassion International Forced to Close in India 

6 | INDIA In 2016, the Indian government made revisions to its Foreign Contribution 

Regulation Act affecting international organizations that provide aid to the country. 

One major group that was affected by this change was a Christian child sponsorship 

organization, Compassion International. Although the organization has made multiple 

negotiation attempts with Indian officials and implored the US government to 

intervene, their attempts have been unsuccessful thus far. 

The CEO of Compassion International reported that this regulation will affect 

147,000 children in India who receive aid through the organization. Some experts 

speculate that Hindu nationalism is the reason why Christian groups are being 

forced out of the country, despite the numerous societal benefits that their work 

provides. It is unsettling to witness the Indian government let its religious ideology 

overshadow the needs of thousands upon thousands of children. 



9

Your Dollar$ at Work 

ICC Helps Pass Most Important 

Religious Freedom Law in Nearly 

Two Decades 

Where Most Needed 

At 2:30 p.m. on December 14, in a vote 

that very few witnessed or took notice 

of, Congress passed what may be the most 

important bill on religious freedom in almost 

18 years. The new law, known as the Frank 

R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, 

was passed in the very final hours of the 114th 

Congress and was the culmination of years of 

efforts by ICC and many other religious freedom 

advocates. The bill includes numerous 

important provisions, including a requirement 

that all US Foreign Service Officers (FSO) 

receive mandatory training on religious freedom. 

These officers, who serve in over 190 

countries around the world, are the frontline 

advocates of the United States. They promote 

American values across the globe and hold 

government officials in each country accountable 

for persecuting Christians and other religious 

groups. Prior to the Frank R. Wolf Act, 

training on religious freedom was optional for 

FSOs, and many did not participate. 

The bill also creates a new tool for the US 

to sanction groups that persecute Christians 

by allowing the president of the United States 

to designate “non-state actors” as “entities of 

particular concern.” This means that groups 

that aren’t a part of a government, like Boko 

Haram in Nigeria or the Bajrang Dal in 

India, can face economic sanctions and travel 

restrictions for persecuting people of faith. 

Before this law, only entire countries could 

be sanctioned, leaving many groups and individuals 

to escape notice for causing persecution. 

ICC may now directly recommend to 

the US government specific individuals for 

sanctioning if they have engaged in severe 

religious freedom violations. 

The bill also moves up the deadline for the 

State Department’s annual report on international 

religious freedom. It requires an 

analysis of US efforts to promote religious 

freedom, and pushes the president to closely 

review if countries are making improvements. 

All of this means that the United States will, 

by law, play an even greater role in speaking 

out on behalf of the persecuted. This is 

wonderful news for millions around the world 

who are often persecuted in complete secrecy. 

When the United States speaks up on their 

behalf, other countries often listen, and it can 

frequently mean the difference between freedom 

and captivity, or even life and death for 

those who are oppressed. The day the Frank 

R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act 

ICC President Jeff King with 

Congressman Frank Wolf. 

passed, two of the lead congressional offices 

involved took a moment to thank ICC and 

other groups who advocated for years to see 

the bill get through Congress. “Thank you for 

all of your help, your passion, and commitment 

to this noble cause. Without your assistance 

and persistent lobbying and persuasion, 

we would not have succeeded in getting this 

bill over the line,” said one office. “You all 

represent the very best of principled advocacy 

for a worthy cause. Thank you,” said another. 

Advocacy on behalf of the persecuted can 

be incredibly challenging, taking years of work 

behind-the-scenes without any guarantee of 

success. Yet occasionally, thanks to persistent 

prayer and support from our donors, the impossible 

can be accomplished. The Frank R. Wolf 

International Religious Freedom Act is one such 

accomplishment, and we believe countless lives 

will benefit from it for many years to come. 




Assistance for Fulani Attack victims 

Hand of Hope 

Towards the end of 2016, Fulani militants carried out a series of consecutive attacks in different 

villages in Nigeria’s southern Kaduna state. The attacks specifically targeted Christian 

farmers and their families, many of whom were brutally slaughtered in the onslaughts. ICC 

reached out to several of these families in order to provide them with long-term assistance. 

ICC recently visited two internally displaced people (IDP) camps in the Kafachan area to speak 

with victims who fled their homes during and after the Fulani attacks. Thankfully, ICC was able to 

deliver a one-month supply of food and basic clothing to at least 110 families in two camps during 

the first trip. Additionally, we visited the four most affected villages in Chawai and were able to assist 

victims with food, clothing, fertilizer and irrigation water pumps that were previously destroyed by 

militants. At least 200 families benefitted from these gifts, all made possible by your donations. 

The interaction with these victims revealed other needs they have as Christians who are constantly persecuted. 

Let’s continue to pray for their provision and protection as ICC develops new projects to assist them. 

Medical Aid for Rachael Gikonyo 

Suffering Wives and Children 

R 

achael Gikonyo survived the attack at Garissa University, Kenya, in 2015. She did not, 

however, walk away unscathed. Rachael was shot several times in the chest, legs, and back, 

leaving her in a wheelchair and in need of further medical assistance. She has visited with several 

physicians in both Kenya and India, but she needs surgery on her legs in order to walk again. 

When ICC heard about Rachael’s condition, we developed a two-phase project to help the 

Gikonyo family with her medical expenses and injuries. 

Due to the extensive nature of her injuries, Rachael accumulated a hefty medical bill, including 

medications, nursing care, physiotherapy, and further follow-up treatments for her recovery. 

ICC has teamed up with the Gikonyo family to tackle these mounting medical costs. 

Let’s continue to pray for Rachael’s condition and God’s provision for her and her family. It 

will not be an easy road to recovery, but God is providing a way. 



ICC Aids Prisoner’s Family in Pakistan 

Suffering Wives and Children 

ver 20 people died on March 15, 2015, when twin suicide bombers attacked two separate 

O churches in Youhanabad, Pakistan, a Christian neighborhood often targeted in sectarian conflict. 

In retaliation, local Christians killed two Muslim suspects. Police then arrested roughly 43 Christian 

men, most of whom were innocent, for the murders. These Christian men were the breadwinners of 

their families who have lost access to basic necessities, including food. 

ICC was able to locate four of the innocent imprisoned men and their families to assist during 

this time. Shabana, the wife of one prisoner, told ICC, “The situation of my family after the arrest of 

my innocent husband is extremely miserable. It is very difficult for me to live without my husband, 

to pay school fee[s], and bear [the] expenses of my three children. Therefore, I sold out house stuff 

e.g. blankets, vessels, washing-machine etc. to feed my children.” 

Because of your generosity, in December 2016, ICC was able to respond by providing food and 

educational assistance for the families, including Shabana’s. Acknowledging ICC’s efforts, she 

said, “I am very thankful to ICC for extending [to] me all the winter stuff, food aid, and bearing 

schooling expenses of my three children. Sometimes my children go to bed without food; they 

have nothing to enjoy their childhood.” We intend to be there until their breadwinners return home. 

11


ICC Helps Rebuild Two Churches Destroyed in India 

Community Rebuild 

In India, ICC has reported almost double the number of attacks in 2016 compared 

to 2015. From social boycotts to deadly assaults, Christians and other 

religious minorities struggle to survive in this country. Not only are Christians’ 

livelihoods under threat, radicals also target Christian places of worship. 

Hindu radical forces successfully convinced government revenue officials 

to raze the Shalem Prayer House in Telangana. Because the church had no 

prior warning of the demolition, they lost everything inside. The church 

served as a house of worship for more than 100 Christians for 11 years. Pastor 

Raju explained, “Many of our believers are day laborers and can hardly meet 

their daily needs…We are not sure if we can build [the church] again.” 

ICC responded to the situation by purchasing new equipment for the 

church. While it may seem like a small gesture, the church’s congregation 

was incredibly grateful. “On behalf of the church, we really want to thank 

ICC for providing carpets, [an] amplifier and instruments, etc…Thank you 

very much for encouraging us through practical help.” 

The Christian community described how “many leaders and people came 

and sympathized, when the incident took place, but ICC was the only organization 

to come back and replace the broken items.” The new equipment has 

renewed members’ hope in God and strength to endure further persecution. 

The same Hindu radicals who attacked Shalem Prayer House also had a 

role in burning a church in Nagapattinam, India, destroying both the building 

and the equipment inside the church. The pastor remembered the attack 

vividly: “[My son called me and] he said, ‘Appa, the church is on fire.’ I was 

really shocked, broken and I was in tears. I immediately rushed to the spot 

and saw that really the church is on fire. I was not able to believe my eyes. I 

was speechless and I was still for some time.” 

In the midst of tragedy, God still showed up. The pastor’s daughter encouraged 

her father saying, “God is with us, Appa, do not cry. He will build His 

church more strongly.” We are excited to tell you that because of your donations, 

ICC was able to provide construction assistance, including cement, 

sand, iron rods, and bricks. Congregants are now “faithful and hopeful that, 

we will not stop and continue [until the] completion of the work. May God 

help us in doing that.” 

Christmas Gifts for 

Orphans 

Kids Care 

In 2008, radical Hindus launched anti-Christian riots across India which 

orphaned many Christian children. In response, ICC constructed a 

children’s home and adopted 14 of these orphans and has been providing 

them with food, shelter, education, medical assistance, and the Gospel. 

No children’s program would be complete without Christmas gifts. 

Last year, ICC was able to provide gifts for each individual child and 

worker. Each child received two new sets of clothing. The children’s 

home workers were also given new clothes. At the special request of the 

workers, a television was installed at the home. We were able to provide 

these gifts of encouragement because of our donors. 

We pray that this small token continues to exemplify the love of 

Christ to these children. 




Education Assistance for 

Abducted Bauchi Girl 

Suffering Wives & Children 

In March 2016, a 13-year-old Christian girl was abducted on her way 

to school by a Muslim man in Bauchi State, Nigeria. The young victim 

was not only forced to deny her faith and convert to Islam, but also forced 

to marry her abductor. Fortunately, the young woman was recovered in 

May of 2016 with help from a network of Christian communities. 

These incidents are common in the Bauchi state area, though many 

go unreported, overlooked, or even condoned by the Muslim authorities. 

To protect themselves from retaliation, the aforementioned family 

decided to move from their home to a less Muslim-dominated 

area. Unfortunately, the family did not have the resources to supply 

their basic needs, including the continuation of the girl’s education. 

Thankfully, ICC was able to connect with the victim’s family and pastor 

to determine a solution in a safe environment. 

With God’s provision, ICC sponsored the enrollment of the young 

girl in a local boarding school. Additionally, ICC provided her with 

books, uniforms, and one year of tuition, so that she can continue where 

she left off before her abduction. 

We recently spoke with this same girl who had a message to send to 

our donors: 

“Say to all that I am very grateful to them. May God bless them and 

open more doors for them. I am looking forward to studying Mass 

Communication. I want to be a journalist. I want to be able to tell the 

world true stories of what is happening to people.” 




Food Aid in Muranga to 

Mandera Victim Families 

Hand of Hope 

O 

n October 6, 2016, al-Shabaab militants carried out a brutal attack 

targeting Christians in the town of Mandera, Kenya. At least 

six Christians were killed in the attack. The town is located near the 

Somali border and includes a vast community of Christians who live 

under constant threat. The families left behind after the October attack 

not only suffered the pain of losing loved ones, but also their primary 

breadwinners. Last November, ICC sent a representative in Kenya to 

find out more about the details of the attack and provide these families 

with food assistance and spiritual support. 

David Chege, one of the six victims killed during the attack, used to 

work as a barber to support his family. ICC was able to deliver a onemonth 

food supply to his parents and brothers, who were still mourning 

the loss of David. 

John Ndegwa had previously survived an attack by al-Shabaab in 

2014, but was unfortunately killed during this last one. He used to 

work as a stone cutter to provide for his parents and siblings also, who 

are now forced to find different means to support themselves. ICC was 

also able to deliver a one-month supply of food to these victims and is 

currently looking into long-term solutions for both families. 

13

Volunteers 

Sierra Leone Pastor Teaches 

Students to be a Voice for 

the Voiceless 

Persecution 

Conference 

Volunteers 

ICC volunteers serve across the globe, 

raising awareness by bringing attention 

to the suffering of persecuted Christians 

around the world. Pastor Vandi is one such 

volunteer serving in Sierra Leone. He works 

in this country by raising prayer support in 

schools across his community. 

Pastor Vandi and his ministry, Soldiers of 

Jesus Christ Network Sierra Leone, work 

alongside students, teaching the scriptures 

and spreading the Gospel. The ministry has 

a central focus on teaching students “what 

it means for them to endure and become 

a voice for the voiceless.” Each day at 

lunch, Pastor Vandi shares the Gospel and 

presents updates about persecution to the 

students. They then gather as a team to 

pray together. 

Pastor Vandi reports that the students have 

welcomed this ministry with open arms. In 

these schools, “students are now very much 

active in spreading the Gospel and transforming 

lives of students passing through 

oppression at home and in the school community.” 

He explains how this has reduced 

the amount of persecution, harassment, and 

stigmatization within the schools. 

“The pain of the persecuted can never be 

distant since we are called to be one Body 

in Christ Jesus,” Vandi told ICC. “There 

should be no schism in the body.” Rather, 

we are called to serve one another and build 

each other up in faith. This is why Pastor 

Vandi does what he does. 

Instead of prioritizing his own needs, 

Pastor Vandi is one of many volunteers fulfilling 

the mission laid out in Hebrews 13:3: 

“Continue to remember those in prison as 

if you were together with them in prison, 

and those who are mistreated as if you 

yourselves were suffering.” By bringing 

attention to their suffering and educating 

today’s youth on such issues, we can bring 

reassurance to our persecuted brother and 

sisters around the world. Think about the 

ways you could impact your community for 

the persecuted. 

“Whatever you did 

for one of the least 

of these brothers of 

mine, you did for Me.” 

– MATTHEW 25:40 (NIV) 

Last July, volunteers from all walks of 

life offered their assistance to help with 

ICC’s first annual Bridge conference. The 

response was incredible. Without the help 

of these volunteers, this conference would 

not have operated so smoothly or received 

as much attention as it did. 

Local volunteers helped with logistics at 

the actual event by helping with set-up, 

registration, distribution of materials, and 

more. Other volunteers helped get the word 

out about this event by promoting it in 

their churches, raising awareness on social 

media, and simply spreading the word among 

friends and family. Lastly and most importantly, 

volunteers around the world took on 

the invaluable task of covering this conference 

in prayer. 

As ICC prepares for the second annual 

Bridge conference in June, your support is 

both welcomed and encouraged. Whether 

you live locally in southern California 

or wish to support this conference from 

afar, your help is greatly appreciated. 

To find out more about how you can get 

involved with the Bridge, contact ICC’s 

Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@persecution.org. 




Looking for a Way to Make a Difference in the World? Join Our Team of Volunteers! 

For those wishing to make difference on behalf of the persecuted Church, many are not sure how to get started. Many around the world are wanting 

to make a difference on behalf of the persecuted Church, but not everyone knows how to get started. Volunteers across the globe are making a 

difference within their own communities as members of ICC’s five volunteer teams: Advocacy, Awareness, Office, Prayer, and Special Projects. By 

standing up for the persecuted in countless different ways, ICC’s volunteers have played a crucial role in connecting the global Church by bridging 

the gap between the persecuted and the Western Church. It only takes one person to make a difference – are you willing to make the call? 

Multilingual Volunteers 

Because ICC has an international reach, many of our supporters 

do not live in areas where English is the native language. 

Therefore, the need for informational materials in other languages 

is common. Several bilingual ICC volunteers are working to bridge 

this gap. By translating ICC’s informational materials, including 

news releases, prayer requests, and newsletter articles, these volunteers 

are helping to spread awareness about persecution in communities 

that may otherwise go unreached. These volunteers play 

an essential role in creating a bridge between the Western and the 

persecuted Church as part of ICC’s Awareness team. 

Prayer for the Persecuted 

The landscape of persecution is one that is always changing. 

Yet one constant in this world is the need for prayer. 

Christians living in dangerous regions of the world come to ICC 

on a regular basis, asking for prayer above all else. Thankfully, 

ICC has a team of volunteers designed to meet exactly that 

need. Whether leading prayer groups, distributing prayer 

resources, or simply setting aside a period of time each day to 

pray for the persecuted, these faithful volunteers are making a 

difference and reminding their brothers and sisters in Christ that 

they are not alone. 

Volunteer Teams 

1 Advocacy Fight for justice for the persecuted through petitions, Congress 

calls, and more. 

2 Awareness Raise your voice through speaking in churches, writing, and 

social media. 

3 Office Lighten the load of ICC’s staff by helping with administrative assignments. 

4 Prayer Intercede for our brothers and sisters in Christ both individually and 

as a church. 

5 Special Projects Volunteer on your own schedule through one-time projects. 



Interested in Serving? 

Online Apply on our website at: 

http://www.persecution.org/how-you-canhelp/volunteer 

or send an email to 

volunteer@persecution.org 

Phone Want more information? Feel free 

to call us at (301) 585-5915. 

15

Profile 

Imprisoned for Christ: 

ICC Working to Free Prisoners of Faith 

An illustration of 

Andrew Brunson 

that ran on 

christianpost.com 

“Remember those 

who are in prison, as 

though in prison with 

them, and those who 

are mistreated, since 

you also are in the 

body.” 

- Hebrews 13:3 ESV 

By Nate Lance & Isaac Six 

Imagine that you are suddenly arrested for a crime that you 

didn’t commit. Before you know it, you’re being shoved 

into a cold, dark prison cell packed with drug addicts, 

thieves, and murderers. You are thousands of miles away 

from friends and family and no one lets you make a phone 

call. They say you’ve committed crimes against the state, 

but you know that the real reason you’ve just been imprisoned 

overseas is because you followed faithfully after 

Christ. 

This scenario was the reality for two imprisoned Christian 

leaders. Andrew Brunson, an American pastor in Turkey, and Petr 

Jasek, a Czech national and Christian aid worker in Sudan, were both 

recently imprisoned abroad for their work. For months, ICC’s advocacy 

team has been hard at work raising the cases of both of these Christians 

with high-level US government officials, doing our absolute best to 

secure their release. 

Petr Jasek 

Sudan has a long-standing and well known preference for imprisoning 

political opponents and Christians. Their latest crackdown on 

Christians included the arrest of Petr Jasek and two Sudanese men, 




“In December, ICC initiated a multi-faith letter signed 

by over 40 like-minded religious freedom and faithbased 

organizations to the president of Sudan...” 

Reverend Hassan Abduraheem and Mr. Abdumonem 

Abdumawla in 2016. 

The Sudanese government has laughably tried to 

frame these Christian workers with providing aid to 

rebel groups, committing crimes against the state, 

and a myriad of other charges. After over a year in a 

Sudanese jail, the government sentenced Jasek to 20 

years in prison on January 29, 2017. The two Sudanese 

Christians each received 12-year sentences. 

These charges are undoubtedly politically and religiously 

motivated. Since the separation of South Sudan 

from Sudan, President Omar al-Bashir and his Islamist 

government have intensified their persecution of religious 

minorities. It is clear that Jasek and the others were 

imprisoned because of their beliefs and for their aid to 

Christian communities, not because they have any connections 

to the false charges levied at them by Sudan’s 

“kangaroo court.” 

In December, ICC initiated a multi-faith letter signed 

by over 40 like-minded religious freedom and faithbased 

organizations to the president of Sudan, requesting 

Jasek’s freedom and reminding the president of 

his country’s past commitments to upholding basic 

religious freedom. 

Petr Jasek was released after 445 days of imprisonment 

and returned home. His two Sudanese co-workers, 

Pastor Abduraheem and Mr. Abdumawla, remain 

imprisoned to serve their 12-year sentences. 

Andrew Brunson 

In October 2016, Andrew Brunson and his wife were 

called into a local Turkish police station for questioning. 

They expected to discuss their application for residence 

visas. Instead, police accused them of being involved 

in a terrorist organization and arrested them. Brunson’s 

wife, Norine, was released within a week, but Brunson 

remains in a Turkish prison. 

Since the coming to power of President Erdogan in 

Turkey in 2003, the Turkish government has become 

increasingly hostile to Christians and others in Turkey. 

A failed attempt to overthrow the government in August 

2016, only made matters worse. Unfortunately, it seems 

that Andrew Brunson, who has been serving the people 

of Turkey for over 20 years, has been targeted as a result. 

After his arrest, Brunson was barred from legal representation 

or even a visit from US embassy officials, 

a clear violation of Brunson’s rights. To make matters 

worse, his eyeglasses and Bible were taken from him, 

and for a time, his wife was not allowed to visit him. 

After engagement with a number of congressional offic- 



Above: Petr Jasek with a boy in a community in Sudan where he did aid work 

until his arrest and 20-year sentence. 

Below: Andrew Brunson, an evangelical pastor, with wife Norine, ministered 

in Turkey for 23 years before he was arrested Oct. 7, 2016. 

17

“For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise 

his own people who are prisoners.” - Psalm 69:33 ESV 

Above: Khartoum is Sudan’s modern capitol and second largest city, home to over five million people. Petr Jasek and two Sudanese 

associates were imprisoned in a detention center in Khartoum. Flickr creative commons photo by user Christopher Michel. 

Above: Petr Jasek and an associate in 

Sudan. 

Above: A protest held on behalf of Jasek 

calling for his immediate release by Sudanese 

President Omar al-Bashir. 

Above: The entrance to Al Huda Prison 

in Khartoum where Petr was held until 

his release after 445 days. Two of Jasek’s 

Sudanese associates remain imprisoned. 




es, the US Commission on International 

Religious Freedom, and the US State 

Department regarding this case, there 

have been some improvements. Brunson 

now has his glasses, Bible, and his wife 

is sometimes allowed visits. US embassy 

staff has also visited him and we know that 

Andrew’s imprisonment has been raised at 

very high levels by the US government. 

In addition, as this article was going 

to print, a US congressional letter initiated 

and promoted by ICC on behalf 

of Brunson had just been completed. 

At time of writing, 31 senators and 35 

representatives had signed the letter to 

President Erdogan, calling for Brunson’s 

quick release. President Trump’s staff 

have also been briefed on the case. Our 

hope and prayer is that overwhelming 

congressional and public attention 

will encourage President Erdogan and 

Turkey’s government to release Brunson 

and return him to his family. Brunson’s 

daughter, Jacqueline, is engaged, but has 

delayed her wedding until the day her 

father can walk her down the aisle. 

We ask that you pray for these prisoners, 

their families, and their loved 

ones, but also pray that the leaders of 

Turkey and Sudan would release them. 

Proverbs 21:1 tells us, “The king’s heart 

is a stream of water in the hand of the 

Lord; he turns it wherever he will” 

(ESV). Please pray that He would shape 

the hearts of those in power in Sudan 

and Turkey so they may set these men 

free and truly begin to embrace religious 

freedom in their country. 

Above: Izmir is Turkey’s third most populated metropolis and home to the 

Brunsons. Andrew remains in prison near Izmir. 

Above: Andrew and Norine Brunson have lived in Turkey for the past 23 years. 

Right: Norine Brunson stands below Izmir’s 

Harmandanli Detention Centre, where her 

husband has been held since October 20, 

2016. World Watch Monitor photo. 



19

BELIEVERS 

IN CHINA 

ICC examines China’s fear of religion and 

how it affects Christians every day. 

By Amy Penn 






Sheshan Basilica 

The Basilica is a 

prominent church in 

Shanghai, China. Flickr 

Creative Commons image 

by user Maxime Guilbot. 

Religion frightens the 

Marxist leaders of 

China. It is a force that 

unifies people outside 

of state control and 

looms as a potential 

threat to their mafialike 

wielding of power. 

They have reason 

to fear. Not from 

Christianity, but rather from the populace as 

they seem to be trapped. If they give away 

too much freedom, many of them would 

spend years in prison for human rights abuses, 

embezzlement, and murder as the Chinese 

State is one of the most murderous governments 

in history. 

While most Christians have some awareness 

of the macro-level issue of Chinese 

persecution of the Church, we rarely have the 

opportunity to hear from individuals about 

their day-to-day experiences as Christians 

living in China. ICC recently had a chance 

to speak with the wives of two imprisoned 

Christians and human rights activists. They 

explained the broader context of Chinese 

persecution and also shared their personal 

experiences with persecution on a daily basis. 

Sinicization of Christianity 

Historically, persecution in China has demonstrated 

an ebb and flow trend. During 

Mao’s reign, for example, Christians were 

horribly persecuted. Later, as China tried to 

modernize under Deng, persecution decreased 

in a way that allowed church growth. In fact, 

until 2008, there was moderate freedom to 

worship. 

While in the big picture, the Chinese government 

has become less repressive, they are 

being led presently by a belligerent hardliner. 

They are in a crackdown phase and intolerant 

of human rights lawyers, as well as churches 

and their crosses in the public eye. 

Any institution that can rally large numbers 

of people is naturally understood as a threat. 

China only wants one thing to unite its people 

– state ideology. 

In 2015, China Aid reported that there 

was an 11 percent increase in persecution 

cases from 2014 and 709 percent increase 

from 2008. 

State officials have tried to control the 

Church while maintaining a semblance of religious 

freedom with state-approved churches 

called the Three Self Patriotic Movement 

(TSPM). TSPM churches must submit sermons 

for approval from government authorities. 

Their services can be, and often are, 

monitored by the religion department of the 

Chinese government. 

21

Feature Article 

TSPM ministers must be approved by the 

state and are often individuals indoctrinated 

with pro-government ideology. The Chinese 

government is slyly attempting to balance out 

international expectations of religious freedom 

with the security of a controlled, prostate, 

religious experience for its religious 

citizens. They call this “sinicization” – the 

creation of Chinese-centric doctrines, ideologies, 

and beliefs. 

Two Witnesses 

Being a Christian in China can be dangerous 

but, what does it look like at the individual 

level? What does it really mean to be a 

Christian in China? 

Jiang Tianyong is both a Christian and 

human rights activist. He is also missing. 

His wife, Jin, fears that the government has 

detained him and is torturing him in prison 

somewhere. On November 21, 2016, Jiang 

was traveling to Beijing to meet a friend. 

He entered the train station, texted his friend 

that he was boarding, but he never arrived at 

Beijing. Nobody knows where he is or what 

has happened to him. 

Unfortunately, this fear of detainment is not 

new. Jin told us how the government continually 

detained, beat, and harassed her husband 

because of his faith and activism. State officials 

even disbarred him from practicing law 

because of his human rights work and faith. 

When life in China became too dangerous, 

Jiang sent Jin and his daughter to the US. Jin 

recalled how government agents followed her 

while she went to the grocery store or how 

authorities locked her out of her own home, 

gluing the door shut so she couldn’t get in. They 

tracked her as she tried to go about her daily life. 

When prominent foreign visitors came to 

China, Jin remembered the mandatory house 

arrests and how her husband would conveniently 

disappear for the duration of the visit. 

Today, she continues to wait for word on 

her husband. Is he alive? Is he detained? Is he 

being tortured? Is he eating? Is he sleeping? 

Since she and her daughter left in 2013, 

Jin knows that her husband has furthered the 

Gospel and helped many others underground. 

Such work comes at a cost, however. “He 

live[d] as if he [was] homeless. He has had to 

move almost daily. And there is no normalcy 

in his eating habits. He is always running and 

escaping from the police.” 

The state saw Jiang as a threat to the government 

and Chinese culture because he dared 

rally around an ideology and belief other than 

the Chinese state. Now he’s missing. The 

consequences of following Christ in China are 

severe as ever. 

Tang and his wife, Wang, also know what 

it’s like to be persecuted for their faith. Before 

he became a Christian and a human rights 

activist, Tang studied chemistry. After reading 

“Stream in the Desert,” he became a Christian 

and soon, “his faith strengthened his pursuit 

for justice…The Bible [became] the foundation 

of his faith and pursuit.” 

Swallowed 

In 2014, the government tried to silence 

Tang. They charged him with subversion 

and sentenced him to five years in prison. 

Government officials now allow Wang to visit 

her husband once a month, but she cannot be 

alone with him. Five or six guards supervise 

their short meetings and can end visitation 

rights if anything ‘inappropriate’ is said. 

Wang related how government authorities 

deny Tang the right to have a Bible in prison 

and how he lives under horrific conditions. 

“[The] condition in prison is terrible- no matter 

it is food, environment or medical resource. 

Twenty, 30-ish people are packed in one dark 

cell. There’s no real outdoor exercises whatsoever 

but only staying in a room with a sunroof. 

Prisoners that live under these conditions suffer 

greatly and can die from infection or suffer 

mental consequences.” Tang’s faith didn’t just 

get him in trouble; Wang suffers too. She has 

been harassed, tracked, and detained for five 

months. She even lost her job. Wang cannot 

rely on anyone or anything but God. 

Jiang and Tang are just two caught in the 

middle of the Chinese government’s attempt 

to silence faith and justice. Even if the government 

releases them, neither will ever be the 

same. Li Chunfu never was. 

Ruined 

In 2015, Chinese authorities arrested and 

detained over 300 human rights lawyers. The 

authorities held some for extensive periods, 

among which was Li. After 18 months of 

detention, the government released Li on bail. 

No one will ever know what happened to him 

during the year and a half of detention and his 

family could never have prepared for what 

they saw when he came home. 

Emaciated and exhausted, Li was very frail 

and seemed to have aged years. But even more 

alarming was his mental state. Once released, 

Li rejected his wife’s embrace. When she 

would make phone calls, he would cry out for 

her to put the phone down, accusing her of 

conspiring with the government against him. 

His family and other activists believe that Li 

is suffering from some degree of schizophrenia 

from torture and extensive mental stress. 

Unfortunately, we may never know for sure 

since the Chinese government refuses to give 

insight to Li’s condition. 

ICC works to get Bibles into 

the hands of hungry believers 

throughout Southeast Asia. 

Jiang, Tang, and Li are faces of Chinese 

persecution. They live out their lives in the 

shadows, hiding from further incarceration 

and ill will. Religious freedom does not exist 

in China. Human rights activists and Christian 

leaders live in a constant state of fear or as 

prey waiting to be devoured. Their futures 

are unsure, their families are unsafe, but their 

determination for the Gospel and justice is 

unfaltering. 

Up Next 

China’s future is hardly looking up. New 

and developing legislation is making it harder 

for Christians to live out their faith freely. For 

example, in China it is illegal to be involved 

in a cult or participate in cult activities. 

Unfortunately, the definition of a ‘cult’ is 

highly subjective and government officials can 

accuse anyone of participation in such activi- 




ICC’s Interview with 

Jiang Tianyong 

On November 21, 2016 in China’s 

Hunan Province, Jiang Tianyong was 

on his way to meet the family of an 

imprisoned human rights activist. As 

a human rights activist and Christian, 

Jiang felt compelled to assist this family 

in any possible way. After entering a 

train station, Jiang texted his friend that 

he was boarding a train to Beijing. He 

never made it. 

On December 9, 2016 Jiang’s wife, Jin, 

told ICC about her husband’s life as a 

Christian in China. “In the past three 

years…my husband has not had a normal 

living condition. He lives as if he is 

homeless. He has had to move almost 

daily. And there is no normalcy in his 

eating habits. He is always running and 

escaping from the police.” 

Heroically and yet tragically, Jiang had 

the chance to leave all his struggles 

behind in 2013 and escape to the US 

with his family, but he chose to stay 

behind and help his country. 

“He felt like he could do more to help 

those who are vulnerable and need 

legal defense.” Jin told ICC. 

ties so long as it proves beneficial. 

While China does not generally consider 

Christianity to be a cult, government officials 

will often use charges of cult activity 

against individuals. Often, Christians do not 

understand what a cult actually is or how their 

actions fall into this category. Recent legislation 

has further empowered government officials 

to utilize the cult accusation status. ‘Cult’ 

members accused of proselytizing government 

officials, children, or foreign groups can now 

be imprisoned under the new law. 

With many Chinese churches and pastors 

working with foreign mission offices, this new 

change will prove exceptionally problematic 

and dangerous. 

Further legislative changes include amendments 

requiring that religious work “be 

[involved with] politics…be politically clearheaded…be 

strict in discipline and…dare 



to be responsible.” In other words, religion 

must be politically correct and sinicized. It 

is unclear how Chinese officials will judge 

churches to be politically clearheaded and 

responsible, although registration with China’s 

state church is likely. 

‘Unprecedented suppression’ is expected 

in China under the new political and legislative 

climate. The combination of legal 

changes, increased arrests and church closures, 

and the change in cult status legislation 

creates new and more severe challenges 

for the Chinese Church. 

Despite all of this, Christian aid organizations 

are estimating that China will have the 

largest Christian population in the world by 

2030. To a certain degree, it matters not what 

the Chinese government does; the Church is 

sure to flourish even under, or because of, the 

harshest of persecution. 

ICC’s Interview with 

Chris Smith 

“I am a strong believer. I believe in the 

importance of working with Evangelicals 

and across the spectrum of Christianity 

and other faiths.” Rep. Chris Smith said 

in an interview with ICC. 

Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey 

has worked closely with ICC in order to 

promote human rights and religious 

freedom across the globe. Whether it’s 

Chinese human rights violations or the 

brutalities of ISIS, Congressman Smith 

not only feels the burden of the suffering 

people around the world, but also 

works to rectify these mistreatments. 

As a testament to his conviction, Smith 

regularly travels to persecuted countries, 

meeting with Christian families to 

hear firsthand accounts of their struggle, 

and looking for more opportunities 

to provide assistance State-side. 

23

Egypt 

Disintegrating 

Currently, the people of Egypt, Christians in particular, grapple 

with an economic crisis, growing Salafist sentiment, and Islamic 

State militants. For a people acclimated to the spirit of revolution, 

we may see yet another uprising in Egypt. 

By Sandra Elliot 

“ 

Our church has been built 

on the blood of martyrs.” 

–Fr. Boulos, Cairo, Egypt. 

On December 11, 

2016, Mahmoud Mostafa 

strapped on an explosive 

vest under his church 

clothes. At 9:50 exactly, 

Mostafa detonated his 

vest in the women and 

children’s seating section of St. Mark’s Cathedral in 

Cairo, Egypt. The resulting carnage was severe. 

Twenty-nine people lost their lives because of the 

bombing that day in the worst single attack against 

Christians in modern Egyptian history. 

These numbers, though, don’t tell the human story 

of loss, heartbreak, and heroism. At ICC, we are ever 

filtering through terrorism and sectarian attacks. We 

find that it is most important to keep the personal 

loss of victims at the forefront of our work. Below 

are snippets from just a few of the victims we interviewed 

from the Cairo church bombing of 2016. 

The Church Defender, Nabil 

Habib, 48 

Nabil Habib was a proud man. He loved his work 

and he swore to defend his church until the day he 

died. His wife, Nadia, hated it when Nabil would 

speak of martyrdom. 




St. Peter and St. Paul’s 

Church 

On Dec. 11, 2016, a suicide 

bomber killed a total of 29 people 

and injured 47 others. This 

was the largest church attack in 

Egypt in recent history and ISIS 

claimed responsibility. Wikimedia 

Creative Commons image. 



25

Feature Article 

The aftermath of the 

bombing in St. Peter 

and St. Paul’s Church 

on Dec. 11, 2016. Coptic 

Orthodox Media Center 

photo. 

“He dreamed to be a martyr and his dream 

came true,” she told ICC. 

Nabil was the church guard at St. Mark’s 

cathedral for 20 years and his family of five 

lived on the church compound. On December 

11, someone saw Nabil running towards the 

suicide bomber just as he detonated himself in 

the St. Marks hall. Nabil’s daughter, Marian 

found him buried under the rubble of the 

destroyed hall. 

“My father died 18 days before my birthday,” 

Marian told ICC. “On my birthday, my 

father used to wake me up in the morning and 

sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to me, kiss me and give 

me a present…” 

Marian’s birthday passed this year without 

her father’s wakeup call or touch. His children 

and wife feel his absence deeply. Nadia, only 

33, must now raise her three children by herself. 

“Life is very hard without [Nabil]…,” she 

explained to ICC. “Life is very long and I cannot 

bear it alone. I hoped [he]…would be with us.” 

She Loved the Children, 

Samia Kheer, 36 

Mohsen Tanius remembers his wife’s last 

day: “On Sunday morning, at 4:00 a.m. she 

woke me up and said to me, ‘Don’t be lazy, 

let’s go to church.’” 

Part of her enthusiasm for church came 

from her love of the children that she worked 

with. Before moving to Cairo, Samia worked 

with special needs kids in upper Egypt. It was 

always difficult for Mohsen to understand his 

wife’s commitment to such children, but he 

admired it all the same. 

“She was always saying they [special 

needs kids] were angels and very intelligent,” 

Mohsen told ICC. “She loved them so much.” 

Samia and Mohsen weren’t supposed to 

be at St. Mark’s Cathedral on December 11. 

In fact, the couple was going to Anba Royce 

Church in Abassia when Samia noticed the 

St. Mark’s doors open. She insisted they go in 

and say the Lord’s Prayer before continuing on 

their way to the cathedral at Abbasia. 

“She sat down on the third bench in the right 

side of the church and I sat down on the third 

bench on the left side of the church.” Mohsen 

explained, “Some time passed and I looked 

to her to ask if we could leave, but I saw her 

focusing on prayer and her eyes were looking 

to heaven.” 

At 9:50 a.m., the ISIS suicide bomber 

detonated his vest in the right wing of the 

cathedral, causing the roof to cave in. At the 

sound of the blast, Mohsen rushed to where 

his wife once sat. 

“I found her lying [still], her eyes still looking 

to heaven but not moving,” he recalled. 

“She had passed away.” 

Samia leaves her husband and her inspiring 

legacy of love behind. She was devoted 

to her work in the children’s ministry, writing 

songs and plays for the Sunday school classes 

for various congregations. Many in Egypt’s 

church body feel her loss. 

The Brides of Christ 

On December 12, wooden coffins lined the 

walls of the Virgin Mary Church. On each, a 

cross was painted to celebrate the martyr laying 

inside. Nahla stood between two coffins, 

one hand on each. It felt so unfair to have lost 

so much. 

“I see now that it was a grace from the Lord 

to take my two daughters together, as they 

loved each other very much,” she recently 

explained to ICC. “It would be very difficult if 

one of them left and the other stayed. This is 

still very hard to me to say.” 

The night before Nahla lost her children, 

the three stayed up late drinking tea and shar- 




ing jokes. The two sisters agreed before bed 

that their mother needed rest and should skip 

the next morning’s mass. The girls had been 

attending St. Marks their whole lives, so they 

hardly missed a service. 

“My two daughters were linked to each 

other, they were together everywhere,” their 

father, Fahim Helmy, remembered. “Now they 

are together in the same place, in heaven 

enjoying the Lord Jesus Christ and that is the 

only thing which comforts us. They are the 

brides of Christ.” 

What’s Next 

These are just a few stories of persecuted 

Christians in Egypt. Not only are Christians 

persecuted with suicide attacks, but they face 

social and economic persecution. 

Discriminatory persecution can often be less 

obvious, though it still affects a wide population 

in Egypt. 

Egypt is currently grappling with a massive 

economic crisis and currency collapse. 

Christians in particular are bearing the weight 

of suffering through marginalization and discrimination 

in education and the workforce. 

Such discrimination has forced countless 

Egyptian men to journey to Libya in search of 

work. This travel is dangerous. 

“Now they are 

together in the same 

place, in heaven 

enjoying the Lord 

Jesus Christ and that 

is the only thing which 

comforts us. They are 

the brides of Christ.” 

– NAHLA, MOTHER OF DAUGHTERS 

KILLED IN THE BOMBING 

The 21 Martyrs 

You’ve heard the story and the fates of 

these men before. Twenty-one Christians 

lined up in orange jumpsuits. ISIS militants 

in military garb. The Christians 

knelt, then the militants slit their throats. 

The world was horrified, but moved on 

with their lives while families were left to 

suffer the loss alone. 

So, what now? What is the future of this 

nation? Currently, the citizens of Egypt and 

Christians in particular are grappling with 

an economic crisis, growing radical sentiment 

and Islamic State militants. 

For a people acclimated to the spirit of 

revolution, we may see yet another uprising 

in Egypt. With inflation rising exponentially, 

foreign reserves failing, and gas prices 

increasing, social tension and fanaticism 

is on the rise and social upheaval leaves 

Christians in a very vulnerable position. 

Please pray for these brothers and 

sisters as they suffer innumerable abuses 

in unstable circumstances. Fear is 

woven into the fabric of life for Egyptian 

Christians and they need our support now 

more than ever. 

Challenges in Egypt 

Security camera footage captures the dust 

cloud moments after the bomb went off in St. 

Peter and St. Paul’s Church on Dec. 11, 2016. 



Egypt’s failing economy has contributed 

to marginalization and discrimination. 

Persecution is not confined to economic 

or discriminatory measures, but these are 

some of the ways in which Christians bear 

an uneven weight in Egypt. 

We must understand that, in Egypt, 

economics and radicalism are connected. 

To put it plainly, financial desperation 

in Islam often results in the 

growth of fanatic sentiment. This puts 

Christians at risk. We have seen an 

increase in religiously motivated attacks 

in many rural parts of Egypt as well 

as in Cairo. While President al-Sisi 

has promised to support the Christian 

minority and has made many wonderful 

pronouncements, little has changed and, 

in fact, radicals have a free hand with 

the Christian community. 

Christians are more vulnerable than 

ever as the economic crisis and the sectarian 

drift are pushing them to further to 

the edge of society. 

With no official protection, Christians 

are a likely scapegoat for the growing 

dissatisfaction in Egyptian culture and 

economics. 

ISIS seems to be floundering. With 

security forces in Iraq and Syria liberating 

more of the militant occupied territories, 

we are seeing a new strategy emerge 

from the group: suicide bombings. 

The Islamic State has, for the most part, 

occupied itself with territorial expansion 

and ethnic cleansing in the last three 

years. So why the sudden change in strategy? 

Certain scholars argue that terrorist 

organizations will employ suicide tactics 

as a response to territorial loss as a last 

resort. With liberating armies continuing 

to push militants out of Iraq and Syria, 

the umbrella organization is resorting to 

a desperate power play. Suicide bombings 

are particularly sinister in nature 

and the carnage is extensive, making this 

terror strategy very effective in instilling 

widespread panic. 

Attacks like we’ve seen in Belgium, 

France and Turkey are ISIS’ desperate 

attempts to inflict damage. They are no 

longer confined to an established territory. 

While we shouldn’t fool ourselves 

into thinking them defeated, ISIS new 

strategic approach to terrorism may also 

be their final strategy. 

27

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A group of Christian 

women learn sewing 

techniques as part of 

a clothing factory that 

ICC set up in Egypt 

to provide sustainable 

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April 2017 Persecution Magazine

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