Today's News
Today is April first, April Fool's Day. I already played my first April Fool's prank on my children this morning. It was fun . . . but that was before I read the news. I keep slipping into this happy-go-lucky attitude that everything is okay. As a Christian I think this comes naturally. I trust God, He blesses me, it's a wonderful life! But it isn't so wonderful. I'm not talking about the most recent attack in Fallujah, Iraq - that is worth a whole other article! I'm talking about two articles on Christian persecution - one in Egypt and one in Burma.
On January 26, 2004 at 9:00a.m., Peter Nady Kamel, Ishaq Dawoud Yassa, John Adel, and Andrew Sa'id (all University students) were arrested at their hotel in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The charges against them sound quite serious: "forming a group that threatens the national unity, social peace and national security." In these days of terrorism, even in soft-on-terrorism Egypt, one would expect that bombs, explosives, guns, rocket launchers, or other such tools of mayhem were confiscated from their hotel rooms. No. The police confiscated (are you ready for this?): Bibles and Christian music tapes! They have been charged with attempting to proselytize Muslims, a charge they deny. They were attending a Christian retreat at a resort hotel. Christianity is not outlawed in Egypt but attempting to convert a Muslim is. I thought to myself, "How can Christians in these places live?" I immediately prayed for their safety, release, and for their strength and faith. There is nothing in my experience to compare with this! How will Jesus make sure His Great Commission will be carried out before He returns with all this going on? What bravery these four men have! I barely acknowledge Christ to "safe" people and groups and I pat myself on the back when I do this . . . but these people risk their lives just by associating with other Christians, by owning a Bible, by singing or playing Christian music! What a spoiled brat I am! Further in the article (see the complete article here: Ekklesia Article) I learned that it is not uncommon for Christian girls in Egypt to be lured from supermarkets with promises of prizes, only to be kidnapped and forcefully "converted" to Islam.
Not to be outdone, Burmese Buddhists have taken to kidnapping children between the ages of five and ten, shaving their heads, and forcing them to become monks in Buddhist monasteries. The children never see their parents again. The Chin and Kachin people of western Burma are especially targeted by the Burmese government in deliberate acts of religious persecution. For the complete article, see Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
Are we just lucky to be born in America (those of you who are) or some other country where religious persecution is unknown? Certainly, we can praise God for this but can we stop there? The Bible says in Proverbs 24: 11-12:
"Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don't stand back and let them die.
Don't try to avoid responsibility by saying you didn't know about it. For God knows all hearts, and He sees you. He keeps watch over your soul, and He knows you knew! And He will judge all people according to what they have done."
When we know about this stuff, what do we do? How can we stop it? We can pray. I prayed for both situations already. Please do the same. But we must do more. We can contribute money to organizations like Christian Solidarity Worldwide or Persecution.org or Voice of the Martyrs. There are more organizations. Find somewhere to help.
You can also write to our goverment leaders to inform them of the situations in Egypt and Burma and other places where Christians are being persecuted. Here's where you can contact your Congressmen and women: Write Your Representative. Here's where you can contact your Senator: U.S. Senate. Or go right to the top and tell the President of the United States what you think: Contacting the White House.
Please do something. I promise I will too. When we stand before Jesus Christ on That Day and we see Him place a martyr's crown on one of these men from Egypt or one of these children from Burma, do we want to have to turn away in shame? Or do we want to be able to say, "I did what I could." Do what you can. May God bless you.
~Gary~(4-1-2004)