Egypt SPEAK OUT! ILLEGAL: TRANSFORMING LIVES EVERY RIGHT. Voice of persecuted Christians. Support Egyptian Christians by signing our petition

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1 #ReleaseInt ReleaseInternational Voice of persecuted Christians MAY / JUNE 2015 releaseinternational.org Egypt EVERY RIGHT Support Egyptian Christians by signing our petition SPEAK OUT! How you can help prisoners of faith ILLEGAL: Praying for the sick in Laos TRANSFORMING LIVES Release Women

2 2 Release May / June 2015 Editorial Paul Robinson Imagine what can happen if the worldwide Body of Christ got on its knees for the persecuted church! Use your freedom Join us and help to: Show God s compassion providing for the needs of the families of Christians who are being persecuted or have been imprisoned or killed Serve God s church enabling believers to survive persecution and its effects Share God s love helping persecuted Christians bring to Christ those who are opposed to the gospel Spread God s Word supplying Bibles and literature to meet the need for growth and evangelism Speak as God s advocates being the voice of the oppressed and persecuted At the end of her autobiography, Song of the Nightingale, Helen Berhane, the Eritrean gospel singer who spent two years in prison because of her Christian witness, writes: So I want to give a message to those of you who are Christians and live in the free world: you must not take your freedom for granted. Use every opportunity to praise the Lord every day. If I could sing in prison, imagine what you can do for God s glory with your freedom. It s a challenge, isn t it? Do we use every opportunity to praise the Lord? What is God asking you to do for His glory with your freedom today or this month? How does God want you to be His advocate on behalf of your persecuted family this year? There s a lot to do. In your new-look magazine you can find out how you can act as God s advocate by supporting the campaign to secure the rights of Egyptian Christians (pages 4-5); on pages 6-7 you can read how your letterwriting can express the love of God to those suffering for their faith, how your words can bring encouragement at a time of deep pain for your brothers and sisters; and on page 8 there s an opportunity to write to a Christian aid worker who has been detained by the Chinese authorities. Facebook, Twitter and other social media are excellent modern-day tools for those who want to act as God s releaseinternational advocates. By liking Release s Facebook page and encouraging your contacts to engage with the issue of persecution we can initiate a wave of prayer for our suffering brothers and sisters that crosses the globe. Imagine what can happen if the worldwide Body of Christ got on its knees for the persecuted church! Kerolos Shouky Attalah liked a Facebook page for converts in Egypt and was jailed for six years. We can t stand by while our brother suffers this injustice. But we can use the very medium that sparked his arrest to help him. Let s publicise his case on social media so that his name is not forgotten. Pray! So, there are plenty of opportunities to act but the greatest thing you can do to help your brothers and sisters is to pray. That s why, more than anything else, the Prayer Shield in the centre of this magazine is so important. If you do nothing else, please set aside even just a minute a day to pray for those who are suffering because of their faith. Helen Berhane says: Imagine what you can do for God s glory with your freedom. Let s use the freedom we have to help our persecuted brothers and sisters today. Paul Chief #ReleaseInt

3 May / June 2015 Release 3 How you can help persecuted Christians in Egypt CONTENTS 4 Join the campaign Egyptian Christians face discrimination and violence. Please sign our petition. 6 Speak Out! Your letters and cards make a real difference, say former prisoners. 10 Praying for the sick could land you in jail in Laos. Above and cover photos: Christians pray in Cairo in February following the murder by militants of 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya. Photo: Reuters/Mohamed Abd El Ghany Take the Challenge says Release Potential. 16 Persecution Watch Massacre of Christian students in Kenya Numbed and shocked Supporters Simon and Ruth describe their visit to Pakistan. Your prayers and gifts are transforming the lives of needy families Release helps Christians in the UK and Ireland to actively engage with their persecuted brothers and sisters around the world: praying with them, standing with them, helping them, and learning lessons of true Christian discipleship with them.

4 4 Release May / June 2015 SPEAKING AS GOD S ADVOCATES Egypt EVERY RIGHT You can help persecuted Christians in Egypt by taking part in our latest campaign and by encouraging your friends and church to do so too. E gyptian Christians remain very much in the news following the killing of 21 Coptic Christians in Libya by members of the terrorist group Islamic State. A number of families who lost members in the attack demonstrated the strength of their Christian faith by choosing to forgive the perpetrators. If you are a regular reader of Release you may recall the case of Bishoy Armia Boulos, who was previously known by his Muslim name, Mohammed Hegazy. Bishoy received international media attention in 2007 as the first Egyptian Christian convert to file a lawsuit to try to change the religious status on his ID card. Death threats were made against him, and Islamic scholars demanded his execution. Bishoy today remains in jail due to longstanding charges against him. Despite the many positive changes to the Egyptian constitution in 2014, which declares equal status Fighting discrimination: Egyptian Christian Bishoy Armia Boulos remains in jail following his attempts to change the religious status on his ID card. for members of all faiths, including Christians, the experience of Bishoy and many others shows that this has not yet been demonstrated in practice. Islamic judges often give higher priority to Sharia (Islamic law) in the courts, rather than to the newlyadopted constitution. We and our partners in Egypt are very encouraged by the changes to the constitution, but these changes have not yet been fully implemented, said Release chief executive Paul Robinson. Christians have every right to equal treatment by the authorities and to live out their Christian faith without harassment, and they have every right under the new constitution to expect the full support of the legal system when they come under attack. Now is the time for Christians in the UK and Ireland to pray, and to act on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Egypt. That s why we are asking you to petition the Egyptian Government (see opposite). Please give your full support to this campaign by signing the petition and encourage others in your church family to get involved. Now is the time for us to call on the Egyptian Government to take these very necessary steps. Christian women take part in prayers in Cairo in February following the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya. Photo: Reuters/ Mohamed Abd El Ghany. Jailed for liking a page on Facebook Have you ever considered that simply clicking the like button on Facebook could lead to you being attacked by neighbours, arrested by the police and then imprisoned for six years for blasphemy? This sounds far-fetched, but this is exactly what happened last year to Egyptian Christian Kerolos Shouky Attallah. Once he realised he had caused offence by liking a Facebook page used by converts to Christianity, he even tried to unlike the page, but to no avail. He was subsequently sentenced in June 2014.

5 reform. However, Egyptian Christians remain vulnerable due to misinterpretations of the constitution. As signatories to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, we would draw your attention to the unjust treatment of individuals such as Bishoy Armia Boulos, also known as Mohammed Hegazy (who is in jail after trying to change the religious status on his ID card), Kerolos Shouky Attalah (sentenced to six years in To the Ambassador, Embassy of the prison for liking a Facebook page) and Dimyana Arab Republic of Egypt in London Abd Al-Nour (a teacher sentenced to six months in We commend Egypt for its new constitution, jail for blasphemy ). We call on the Government adopted in 2014, which offers more rights to of Egypt to put in place the proper mechanisms to Christians and other minorities, and for the enforce in practice Christian and other minority Government s attempts to bring about religious rights specified in the constitution. Please photocopy the reverse of this sheet before collecting signatures. Please use BLOCK CAPITALS. Title First name Surname Address (your county is not needed) Postcode Signature MR JOHN SMITH 1, ANY STREET, ANY TOWN A B B B Church/event PLEASE TICK BELOW This will not be sent to the Embassy Please send Date of me regular birth if information* under 15 3 DDMMYY Please return as soon as you are able, and by 30 September, 2015 latest, to: Release International PO Box 54 Orpington BR5 4RT. *We will not send you information unless you tick. UK charity no May / June 2015 Release 5 CAMPAIGN WHAT DIFFERENCE CAN YOU MAKE? Egypt EVERY RIGHT Please sign this petition to help secure the rights of vulnerable Egyptian Christians. Enclosed with this magazine is a petition form addressed to the Egyptian Ambassador in the UK which is calling on the Egyptian Government to put in place proper mechanisms to enforce the rights of Christians and other minorities covered by the constitutional changes made last year. Please use this form with your friends and in your church to collect as many signatures as possible so that when we speak to the Ambassador later this year we can demonstrate the depth of concern there is in the UK and Ireland about this issue. We plan to present the petition in November, so please return the completed forms as soon as possible, but by September 30th at the latest. You may also sign the petition online at releaseinternational.org/campaign. Please forward this link to your friends and post it on your social media networks. GIVE PLEASE HELP CHRISTIANS IN EGYPT Your gifts and prayers have helped Egyptian Christians by providing: a safe house for Christian women from a Muslim background discipleship training for new believers in Christ support for Christians who have been attacked Self Help Groups to empower needy women, helping them to transform their communities (see page 12) Your ongoing prayers and gifts will enable each of these vital ministries to continue to provide direct help for Egyptian believers. To make a financial donation please use the back-page coupon. Through Self Help Groups you are transforming the lives of needy Christian women in Egypt. See page 12. AMAZING GRACE DVD Find out more about the pressures facing Christians in Egypt in our award-winning 12-minute DVD Amazing Grace, which includes topical prayer points. Request your free copy by calling WRISTBANDS We have produced colourful wristbands to remind you to pray for Christians in Egypt. They cost 1 each, three for 5 or 25 for 10, and can be ordered by calling or via releaseinternational.org/estore.

6 6 Release May / June 2015 SPEAKING AS GOD S ADVOCATES SPEAK OUT! You can directly help Christians in prison by writing them a letter of encouragement or campaigning on their behalf

7 May / June 2015 Release 7 I wish to thank all my brothers and sisters who prayed for me while I was imprisoned Uzbek Pastor Dmitry (David) Shestakov, who spent four years in prison because of his Christian activities, pictured above with his family after his release. I felt God s love through those letters they bring the hope of heaven to our home... this is God s love Chinese pastor Shi Weihan (above, right) who was imprisoned for four years for printing Bibles. Former prisoners Pastor Shi Weihan, Dmitry Shestakov and Helen Berhane can each recall the powerful impact of your letters and prayers while they suffered in jail because of their Christian activities. We know of more such testimonies from Christian prisoners, whose faith was directly strengthened and encouraged by your personal messages. We heard from our guards that forty to fifty letters were coming each day This was something that gave us hope, said former Iranian prisoner of faith Maryam Rustampoor. The guards who opened our letters read the Bible verses and were impacted, said Maryam s friend and fellow prisoner Marzieh Amirizadeh Esmaeilabad. They told us and mentioned some of the verses from the gospel. Just as your letters and prayers helped to sustain Maryam and Marzieh while they endured nine months of brutal treatment in jail, so today your cards and letters can bring hope to many other courageous Christians who are suffering for their faith in Jesus. It will only take a few minutes of your time, but by writing you can remind your brothers and sisters that they have not been forgotten by their Christian family in the UK and Ireland. Please carry on praying for my fellow prisoners just like you did for me. That way my joy would be complete. Former Eritrean prisoner of faith Helen Berhane Continued over

8 8 Release May / June 2015 Send a card to Peter Your encouraging words will remind aid worker that he is not alone. Peter Hahn, a Korean-American aid worker who lived in China on the border with North Korea for more than a decade, has been detained by the Chinese authorities since December 9, The Christian aid worker, 73, who escaped from North Korea many years ago, is accused of embezzlement and possession of fraudulent receipts. Peter ran a Christian school and aid agency in Tumen City, a trading town across the border from North Korea in northeast China, from where he provided supplies to the poor in North Korea. Supporters of Mr Hahn point out that he had used his life savings to help relocate from the US and set up his organisation. They say the allegations Free booklets Reach Out! Writing letters or cards of encouragement to Christians imprisoned for their faith. Speak Out! Writing letters to the authorities on behalf of Christians imprisoned for their faith. against him are likely to have been politically motivated. I never thought he would get detained, said his wife. My heart beats very hard when I imagine how bad his circumstances are. She is concerned for his health as her husband suffered two strokes last year and is diabetic. You can help Peter by sending him a personal card of encouragement, and to let him know that you are praying for him. Please mark your envelope For Peter Hahn and send to: Release International, PO Box 54, Orpington, BR5 4RT. Find out more about how you can pray for Peter by downloading our free Prisoner Profile for March 2015 from releaseinternational.org/prisoners. Download our free booklets Reach Out! and Speak Out! from releaseinternational.org/ prisoners. They are packed with useful information on how to write personal cards and letters to prisoners, and how to campaign on their behalf. Alternatively call us on and we will be happy to send you the booklets. RELEASED Iranian pastor Victor Bet-Tamarz was released on bail from Evin prison, Tehran, in March. Iranian pastor Victor Bet- Tamarz, who has an Assyrian Christian background, was detained in December last year after security officials raided his home during a Christmas meeting. He was taken to Evin prison in Iran s capital Tehran, a jail well-known for the brutal treatment of prisoners. During his two months detention Victor lost weight, and suffered breathing difficulties and a tooth infection. Iranian Christians are rejoicing at his release, and ask you to pray that he will recover quickly from his ordeal, and that he will receive good legal support. CAMPAIGN Sign the petition Don t forget: you can help persecuted Christians in Egypt by signing our new petition (see page 4).

9 May / June 2015 Release 9 RESOURCES JARS OF CLAY Ever-present Christians who endure persecution are treasure in jars of clay who show God s all-surpassing power (2 Corinthians 4:7). grace We need reminding that we never move away from, or beyond, the grace found at the cross. The grace that first brought us to the cross in repentance and saving faith is the same grace that sustains us and works in us throughout our Christian lives. In the midst of opposition, persecution and suffering, Christians learn of the need to rely not on themselves, but on the Lord. Release s new book argues that engaging with persecution is a mark of authentic Christianity. T he New Testament, it is sometimes said, was written by persecuted Christians for persecuted Christians. That may be a slight exaggeration, but it contains, or implies, several important, and challenging, factors for Christians living in the free west. It reminds us that suffering for Christ is a central theme in New Testament Christianity. It reminds us also that, as part of the one Body of Christ, persecution affects (or should affect) every Christian, one way or another. Jars of Clay focuses on five key areas: mission, the gospel, grace, the church and hope. The book includes a foreword by the Archbishop of York, and has been commended by Canon Andrew White, Mervyn Thomas (Chief Executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide) and Lisa Pearce (CEO of Open Doors UK). BUY YOUR COPY TODAY Jars of Clay is suitable for personal reading and reflection, and would also be an excellent resource for churches and house groups. We suggest you could: use the study questions at the end of each chapter for a short home group study series use the themes and Bible passages in the book as the basis for a preaching series in your church buy one as a gift for your minister Jars of Clay costs 8 including postage and packing and may be ordered by calling , or from our estore releaseinternational.org/estore. Extract from Jars of Clay Embrace the struggles of our persecuted family In the so-called liberal democracies of the West today we are surprised and shocked when we hear of discrimination and violence against believers in other less tolerant parts of the world. And yet too often we lack the magnanimity to embrace, as we should, the struggles of those who are at the (literally) sharp end of today s conflicts. This book will help us attend to their cry, and learn from the grace of their sufferings in Christ. From the foreword by the Archbishop of York

10 10 Release May / June 2015 PRISONERS HELPING CHRISTIANS IMPRISONED FOR THE FAITH LAOS Praying for the sick Five leaders were detained and fined for praying for healing for a Christian sister who later died, writes our Prisoners of Faith manager. I n the past five years you have helped to support Bible college students, children, pastors and emerging leaders in the South East Asian nation of Laos all of whom have experienced some form of persecution as a result of their faith in Christ. More recently, Release partners have told us about the arrest and imprisonment of five church leaders in Savannakhet province, western Laos, because of their part in praying for a woman who was seriously ill. Offering to pray for people who are sick has been the practice of Christians around the world since the time of Christ and is something that many of you here in the UK and Ireland can identify with. The five were charged with medical malpractice after praying for a sick Christian woman, Mrs Chansee, who later died. The woman had been ill for two years with an unknown condition. Various local healers and doctors in her village had tried to treat her without success. The People s Court of Savannakhet province in February sentenced the five Christians to nine months in prison and a fine of 500,000 kips (around 40) each. In addition, the five were told to pay jointly a much larger fine of 20 million kips (around 1,700) for emotional damages and funeral costs to the family of the deceased. Without proving that the five Christians had malicious intent or that their prayer was a cause of death, The arrest and conviction was to stop the believers from spreading the Christian faith. the court has abused the law, said the representative of a local Christian agency. The arrest and conviction was to stop the believers from spreading the Christian faith. Mrs Kaithong and Messrs Puphet, Muk, Hasadee and Tiang have been in jail since the woman s death in June None of them was allowed legal representation during the trial. The court found them guilty of treating [a person] without an official [medical] licence, causing her to die. However, the authorities never investigated the cause of death. During the funeral service, authorities arrived at the family home and tried to force the family to recant their Christian faith. A few hours later, village leaders arrived with Buddhist

11 May / June 2015 Release 11 The authorities in Laos have deemed it illegal for Christians to pray for the sick. monks to perform a funeral service, and the body of Mrs Chansee was taken away and buried in the village cemetery, which is off-limits to Christians. The five church leaders were locked up at a sub-district prison where they were kept in handcuffs, and their feet were fastened in wooden stocks. Court documents stated that the Christians had claimed to heal every sick person without resorting to any medication at all, ignoring the fact that they had taken Mrs Chansee to hospital for treatment. PRAY Please pray that God will encourage the five imprisoned church leaders, and that they will be released soon. Pray that God will give strength to all Christians in Laos facing persecution by the authorities. GIVE You and your church can support persecuted Christians in Laos by making a gift using the back-page coupon or form which comes with this magazine. Your gift will be used to provide pastoral care and practical support to Christians being persecuted because of their faith.

12 12 Release May / June 2015 WOMEN ENCOURAGING OUR SISTERS INSPIRED BY THEIR FAITH I AM CHANGED Thanks to your gifts, a small network of Self Help Groups in Egypt is beginning to transform the lives of Christian women, though not without challenges, writes our Release Women manager. years ago we were finding it hard. We knew that the Five situation was highly complex: many Christian women in Egypt face extreme poverty and lack of opportunity for work and a good education for their children. Yet Egypt is a nation where there has been a continuous Christian presence since the gospel came from the first witnesses of Pentecost. Many believers look in hope to the prophecy of Isaiah 19: They cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, He will send them a saviour and defender and He will rescue them. So the Lord will make Himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the Lord (Isaiah 19:20-21). Today we are thrilled to see the signs of a radical transformation, beginning in the slums of Cairo where the majority of Christians live. Mary (not her real name), for example, is a Christian who lives in the east of the city. She is single and in her early 30s. She is well-educated and from a good family who, like many, came to the capital to find work. She trained as a nursery teacher. But Mary s biggest issue is that she is not married. Her brothers and her mother call her a loser for being single. They tell her that she is not beautiful, that she doesn t mean anything to anyone and that she needs to marry. Mary tried to avoid these hurtful comments by staying in her room. She

13 May / June 2015 Release 13 Release s Self Help Groups are working with poor Christian women to help them transform their families and communities. Photo: Reuters/Asmaa Waguih. was now free to serve God in a way she could never have dreamed of. I am changed now, she said. I have made boundaries in my own life so that I ask my family not to talk to me harshly, but with the respect I deserve because of who I am in Jesus. In another Self Help Group in the south of the capital, Megan (not her real name) joined as a new facilitator. She was brilliant, said our partner. A housewife and very sweet and gentle. She focused on the training and asked good questions. But I did not know what was happening at home. Megan was being abused by her husband and as a result was unable to continue going to the group. Our partners are praying to find a way for Megan to be involved still. Regional heart2heart conference for women Love Your Neighbour Saturday, July 4, am-3.30pm (arrival and coffee from 9.30am) Riverside House, 21 Alcester Road, Moseley, Birmingham B13 8AR Cost 5 (payable on the door) For more information and to book your place please call our office on or info@releaseinternational. org. Download a poster and flyer for your church from releaseinternational.org/events. PRAY would lie there crying, finding it hard to sleep. Then a Release partner told her about the Self Help Groups. When Mary joined she was almost silent, but slowly began to talk about her deep Mary began to see that she was now free to serve God. hurts. She received biblical training and counselling to address her emotional wounds. She was reminded of her identity in Christ: that she is unique and chosen by God. Mary began to see that she You can make a difference by praying for Mary and Megan. In this way you can be as much a part of Release Women as our partner in Egypt. Persecution is a threat to our brothers and sisters, but so are the cultural pressures and values that poison and harm God s people from within. Pray that the gospel will bring far-reaching freedom from these pressures. GIVE Vulnerable Christian women in Egypt need your support. Your gift will be used to start more Self Help Groups, enabling more families and communities to be transformed. To make a donation, please use the backpage coupon. Thank you. Before new Self Help Groups are started, their facilitators receive training in how to lead the groups effectively.

14 14 Release May / June 2015 BE THE CHANGE EGYPT LOVE WITHOUT LIMITS RELEASE POTENTIAL VISITS AN INSPIRING GROUP OF CHRISTIANS IN EGYPT WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR ALL TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES DESPITE INTENSE PERSECUTION REPORTS CHANGE MAKERS MENTOR LYANNA. team from Release Potential, including our two Change The Makers Abena and Renee, spent seven days with Release s Christian partner in the capital Cairo. It was a privilege to meet first-hand some of the courageous believers who are suffering today because of their faith in Jesus. From day one, we were all struggling to comprehend the level of injustice that many Christians in Egypt face daily. This includes discrimination at work, in education and in the legal system. Believers from a Muslim background face the greatest pressures, and may even be disowned by their families. In some cases converts have been physically attacked by family members. There were often tears as believers opened their hearts and shared with us their struggles and the difficult walk they ve experienced. We heard about some of the projects that are helping persecuted Christians, and these really opened my eyes to the Change Makers Abena (left) and Renee meet young Egyptian Christians. importance of the role Release supporters are playing. Especially as we are called to God brought hope in the most desperate situations, making the impossible possible support one another through trial and adversity practically and prayerfully. It was so encouraging to see how your gifts and prayers are enabling our partners to meet the needs of many Christians suffering persecution. They shared story after story of how God brought hope in the most desperate situations, making the impossible possible. What impacted me the most, however, was the display of unconditional and sacrificial love by Egyptian Christians. The teams we met shared their frustrations and worries with us, but they remained resilient, never giving up, because they understood something great about God s love. They shared stories of how they had shared the gospel, in situations where I would have been in fear of my life.

15 RELEASE POTENTIAL TEENS AND TWENTIES May / June 2015 Release 15 I realised that day that my love has a limit, a point that I struggle to break through. I learned that I need to do the hard thing: to adopt a love without limits approach. To be the change I want, I need to choose to raise the standard by loving even when it hurts and there may be loss. My heart has been filled with God s love for me so, in turn, I want to love my enemies even if it hurts. So again I say, do the hard thing. Carry this message in your heart and as you put it into practice you will see a transformation you will be able to love without expecting anything in return. It was Jesus Himself who said: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:43). VIDEO REPORT Watch the video of our visit at releasepotential.org /change-makers #IAMCHRISTIAN AS A PART OF THE EGYPT CAMPAIGN, RELEASE POTENTIAL IS INVITING YOU TO TAKE PART IN A SERIES OF ONLINE CHALLENGES. THE FIRST IS TO PROVE YOUR IDENTITY BY TAKING PART IN THE #IAMCHRISTIAN CHALLENGE. WRITE OR DRAW #IAMCHRISTIAN ON YOUR ARM OR THE BACK OF YOUR HAND, TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH ON YOUR PHONE AND UPLOAD IT TO RELEASE POTENTIAL S FACEBOOK AND TWITTER PAGES. Sign the Petition This year Release Potential is campaigning for Christians in Egypt. We will be petitioning the Egyptian Government to enforce constitutional rights for Christians. Please add your voice to the thousands of Christians who are standing up on behalf of our family. Egypt EVERY RIGHT Get the card To help you gather signatures for the petition from your friends and church, we have produced a postcard which includes background information and the petition wording. You can order these by calling You can also sign online at releasepotential.org/ bethechange/#latestcampaign. The petition will be presented to the Egyptian ambassador in London in the autumn. NEW WEBSITE We are excited to announce the launch of the brand new Release Potential website releasepotential.org. We have been working really hard to bring you the latest stories, news and resources. Check it out and let us know what you think. FOLLOW US Twitter Facebook You tube Releasepotential.org

16 16 Release May / June 2015 PERSECUTION WATCH KENYA Massacre at university Islamist extremists from the Somaliabased al-shabaab group attacked Garissa University College in northeastern Kenya just before Easter, killing at least 147 people, including two policemen. More than 79 were injured. Survivors of the attack reported that the militants went through the dormitories asking if students were Christians or Muslims. One of the victims who received treatment at Garissa General Hospital said, They started questioning the students whether they were Christians or not before shooting. I heard some of my fellow students reciting verses from the Koran, he said. That is when I was shot on my left hand, but I managed to escape to a nearby military base, then was taken to the hospital. The attack began around 5am. I heard several gunshots as I woke up in the morning, and this continued for several hours within the university compound, said a local pastor. After talking with some of the injured at the hospital he was convinced that Christians were targeted. It was a selective kind of attack, as many Muslims went unhurt, he said. Pray for all the families who lost loved ones in this attack, and ask God to heal all those injured or traumatised. A Christian prays for victims of the attack on students at Garissa University, Kenya, as part of an Easter service in Nairobi. Photo: Reuters/Thomas Mukoya. INDIA Christians attacked by mob at funeral More than 700 Hindu extremists attacked 45 Christians during the burial of an elderly Christian woman at a cemetery in Faridabad, near the capital New Delhi. The Christians were beaten very severely, said the Rev Virendar Kumar of Bethenia Church. Around 35 Christians were hospitalised. Some were seriously injured, he said. The Christians were forced to flee, taking the body of the deceased woman with them. The assailants said that the Christian burial ground was too close to their village. However, believers in Faridabad said they have all necessary permissions and papers. Pray for all those injured, that they would know the peace of God, which transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7). PRAY DVD resource Find out more about the growing number of attacks against Christians in Kenya by watching our new DVD The Gathering Storm Kenya. This 12-minute film includes topical prayer points and so is ideal for encouraging your church or home group to pray for persecuted Christians. The DVD is free to supporters, although a suggested donation of 10 helps towards our costs. It may be requested by calling , or can be purchased from releaseinternational.org/estore for 10. CORRECTION In the previous edition of Release magazine in the background information to our Egypt campaign we described the current Egyptian Government as being transitional military rule. However, military rule ended in June 2014 following the election of the current president Abdel Fattah al-sisi.

17 May / June 2015 Release 17 GIVE A lasting legacy IN BRIEF Have you been thinking about making or updating your Will, or are considering leaving a gift to the charities you support? Gifts left in supporters Wills make a vital difference to many persecuted Christians every year. Our free booklet contains useful information, and describes how your gift will be used to bring practical support to believers facing persecution because of their faith in Jesus. Please call our Supporter Relations Team on , and we will be delighted to send you a copy. INDIA: A group of 20 evangelical Christians were reportedly detained illegally in March while on a trip to northwest India and then beaten by police. Several of the group were left with severe bruising after police in Jaipur beat them on their hands with sticks, according to a human rights group that helped secure their release. IRAN: Believers celebrated the release from prison of two Christians detained since February 2012 for allegedly disrupting national security. Vahid Hakkani was freed at the end of January, and Mojtaba Hosseini in March. Homayoun Shokouhi continues a threeyear prison sentence. MEXICO: Two men in Hidalgo State were imprisoned and later expelled from their community, along with their families, after refusing to renounce their Christian beliefs. Casto Hernández Hernández and his cousin Juan Placido Hernández, both evangelical Christians, were imprisoned for about 30 hours by officials in Chichiltepec village, Tlanchinol Municipality, in March. SAUDI ARABIA: A top Muslim cleric has called for the destruction of all churches in the Arabian peninsula after legislators in Kuwait moved to pass laws banning the construction of religious sites associated with Christianity. Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah, the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia, said the destruction of churches was required by Islamic law, Arabic media reported. The Chinese Government has ordered an end to a campaign of demolishing church buildings that drew international condemnation, Chinese bishop Paul Meng Qinglu has claimed. At least 400 churches in the eastern province of Zhejiang have been damaged or destroyed since early Photo: China Aid. TANZANIA: Three churches near Lake Victoria were set on fire in March. Although no one was killed, substantial damage was caused. A Release contact says that a Christian man was recently killed in a Pentecostal church in Bukoba, leaving a widow and two children. Sources: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Middle East Concern, Mohabat News, Morning Star News, Release partners, The Telegraph.

18 18 Release May / June 2015 RELEASE SPEAKERS Why not invite one of Release s team of development managers to speak in your church or small group? North Tel Central England & Wales Tel South of England Tel Ireland Tel Scotland Tel Chief Executive: Paul Robinson Council of Reference: Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali Rt Rev Wallace Benn Lyndon Bowring David Coffey Martin Goldsmith Frog and Amy Orr-Ewing Board of Trustees: Robert Ashurst (Chairman) Geoffrey L. Alexander (Vice-Chairman) Peter C. Ewins ACA (Vice-Chairman and Acting Treasurer) David Adeney, Ian R. Frith, William J. Hanna, Mary Print, Susan V. Rand, Geoffrey A. Seaton Release International PO Box 54, Orpington BR5 4RT Telephone info@releaseinternational.org website RELEASE MAGAZINE Design: Mike Thorpe Copyright 2015 Release International Registered Charity The ministry of Christian Mission to the Communist World, a company limited by guarantee in England, No Registered office: Times House, Throwley Way, Sutton SM1 4JQ. The Word on persecution W e can never over-estimate the value and importance of godly leaders in the church of Jesus Christ. And in contexts where the church faces the on-going threat of serious persecution, leaders are vital. At the end of his first missionary journey the Apostle Paul retraced his steps, visiting again those places where there had been initial opposition, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22; ESV). It is noticeable that in the next verse we read of Paul appointing elders in all of those churches. In the New Testament, as the Pastoral Epistles emphasise, the role of the elder was both to teach the truth of God s word and to refute error. This was in the face of the twin For reflection Praying for leaders The essence of the Christian religion is not winning, but daring. Jesus is the way, not only the prize. dangers of heresy from within, and persecution from without. The elders that Paul appointed in those churches would, therefore, have been charged with the task of continuing that work of strengthening and encouraging, in the face of the tribulations that the church of Jesus Christ would inevitably face. Some years later, as he bade a final farewell to the church elders at Ephesus, we see in Paul the same emphasis on teaching the truth - in the face of opposition and heresy (Acts 20:18-32). Today, as ever, the persecuted church needs godly leaders who are equipped and capable of teaching the truth of the Scriptures, in order to strengthen and encourage those living in the firing line of opposition to Christ and the gospel. Pray that God will continue to raise up such leaders for His church. Read Acts 20: What were Paul s priorities, in the midst of the trials and opposition he faced? How, specifically, might this encourage us to pray for church leaders in situations of severe persecution today? Paul describes his comprehensive teaching ministry as declaring the whole counsel of God (v27). To what extent do you pray for, and encourage, your own pastor in their preaching and teaching ministry? Please use this Bible study and discussion questions in your home group as a way of encouraging prayer for church leaders. FOUNDATIONS Pastor Richard Wurmbrand was imprisoned for 14 years in communist Romania in the 1950s and 1960s. He inspired the founding of Release International in 1968 to serve persecuted Christians and to make the church in the West aware of their suffering.

19 May / June 2015 Release 19 Supporter view Ruth & Simon Christians carry the coffin of one of the victims of the suicide attacks on two churches in Lahore in March. Photo: Reuters/ Mohsin Raza. Numbed and shocked When Release supporters Simon and Ruth joined a ministry trip to Pakistan in March, little did they think that they would witness the aftermath of suicide bomb attacks on two churches in Lahore which killed 19 people and injured dozens more. T oday has been a very emotional day. Most of us are a bit numbed and shocked still by the events, but God is unchanging. He is faithful and He is good. We have just driven past one of the churches that were bombed. All the shops were shut and it was unusually quiet, with police dotted along the road. The team had to stay in the van while our partners went into the house where the body of their friend was lain in a coffin. We were taken to visit one of the widows who was mourning for her husband, with her three children. We stood with them, praying and loving them. God will never leave them. This was just one family out of the 19. The funerals will be held tomorrow. Ruth: God is faithful and He is good. We hope to be able to minister more to the grieving families then, but pray to be led by God each step of the way. Ruth The reality of persecution I hardly know how to begin We have just returned after praying for the widow and children of one of the men who died today. He was outside on the gate of the church and when he realised that an attack was imminent, he grabbed the bomber just as he detonated his bomb. That act of courage saved many lives. This is the reality of persecution for Christians in Pakistan, and it makes their faith strong. But they need courageous leaders who will speak out and give a lead to the people. I feel very privileged to be here and stand with our precious brothers and sisters. The worship here has a depth and intensity that I have not Simon: I feel very privileged to be here. experienced anywhere else in the world the result, I am sure, of persecution. Simon Pray that Christians in Pakistan will today know their God as a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm (Isaiah 25:4). PRAY Christians in Pakistan are under violent attack and need your support. You can help them receive pastoral care and practical aid by making a gift using the back-page coupon. GIVE He grabbed the bomber just as he detonated his bomb. That act of courage saved many lives.

20 Show your compassion for Christians like Quang Pastor Quang recovers after being attacked in January. In March a mob of 25 thugs attacked Mennonite pastor Nguyen Hong Quang (pictured) and his son at their church building in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Pastor Quang suffered facial injuries and a broken finger, and his son was badly bruised after being kicked repeatedly. Police reportedly failed to stop the violence. This was the second attack this year on the pastor who was hospitalised in January after being brutally beaten by a mob armed with bricks and rocks. Despite this persecution, Pastor Quang s desire to continue in Christian ministry remains undiminished. You can help courageous persecuted Christians in Vietnam and around the world by making a donation using the form below. Your gift will be used to provide pastoral care and practical support for believers who are willing to follow Jesus, no matter what the consequences. Through our international network of missions, Release International serves persecuted Christians in more than 30 countries around the world by supporting pastors and Christian prisoners, and their families; supplying Christian literature and Bibles; and working for justice. YES I want to support persecuted Christians around the world. Please send me regular information. Here is my gift of (please make cheque payable to Release International) Please use my gift: where most needed or to help persecuted Christians in Laos (page 10) ref 670 Egypt (Self Help Groups) (page 12) ref SHG176 Pakistan (page 19) ref 460 I am a UK tax payer and would like you to recover tax on my giving Please send me a standing order form so that I can give regularly I want to receive your regular Prisoners of Faith alerts (please give address below) Title Name Date of birth (if under 18) Address Postcode Tel (please write clearly) We will keep your details so we can contact you in the future about our activities and how you can support us. We will never share your personal data with other organisations. Please tick if you are already on our mailing list. If not, please indicate how you received this magazine: from a friend a church (please specify) an event (please specify) You may also give by debit or credit card by completing the details below Name on card Signature Name of card (please tick) Visa Mastercard Electron CAF charity card Maestro Card No. Start date / Expiry date / Issue No. (Maestro only) R85 Release International, PO Box 54, Orpington BR5 4RT Tel: info@releaseinternational.org Registered Charity