Displaying items by tag: Asia

Despite the pandemic, the Winter Olympic Games hosted by China are expected to go ahead as normal. However human rights groups have raised concern over the religious freedom violations carried out there. US president Joe Biden has already introduced a diplomatic boycott, followed by other nations including the UK. Now Christians are being urged to play their part in standing in solidarity with persecuted brothers and sisters in China. Open Doors and a former US ambassador for religious freedom are calling for action, saying, ‘In the USA people of faith are woefully ignorant of the plight of their fellow believers in China. The persecution of Chinese Christians is rarely if ever mentioned in American megachurches. Raising awareness has been a long, slow struggle for organisations exposing religious persecution in China and elsewhere’. They are calling for Christians to break their silence, pray and fast, and pressurise their politicians to act.

Protests in Kazakhstan began on 2 January when the government removed a fuel price cap. The speed with which protests turned violent surprised everyone, hinting that they are not only about fuel. This is a traditionally stable Central Asian state, often described as authoritarian, with no electoral democracy - so people needed to take to the streets to be heard. Accusing foreign-trained ‘terrorist gangs’ of being behind the trouble, President Tokayev imposed a state of emergency that includes a curfew, a ban on mass gatherings, and Russian assistance to help ‘stabilise’ the country. Dozens of protesters were ‘eliminated’ after they stormed police buildings to steal weapons. By 6 January about 1,000 people had been injured; 400 are being treated in hospital and 62 are in intensive care. Twelve members of the security forces have been killed, and 353 injured.

In the wake of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the country’s highly secretive Christian community began to experience a rapid increase in threats. Charities began moving the most vulnerable Christians and pastors out of the country, but for those left behind it is a long and uncertain road ahead. International Christian Concern (ICC) continues to rescue Afghan Christians and secure shelter for them beyond Afghanistan’s borders. There are currently about 200 families under ICC’s care - in hiding and protected. In addition, ICC’s advocacy team is giving updates from the ground and telling US and world leaders what is needed to save the Christians left behind. In the early months of 2022, ICC will launch a strategic initiative for a long-term solution for Christians stuck in transit countries without a final destination, while also serving those still in hiding in Afghanistan.

Everyone in Pastor Martin’s community on the coast of Bangladesh is painfully aware of climate change as they suffer an increasing number of extreme storms, losing possessions and evacuating to temporary shelters. The vulnerable, the elderly and children suffer the most. People also lose their crops so they no longer have food to put on the table, but Pastor Martin is helping them take steps towards a better future. World Concern Bangladesh showed him how to prepare for disasters and lead disaster response efforts. He set up a community group to prepare for and respond to disasters. During recent floods, Pastor Martin’s community group pooled resources to deliver food and essential supplies locally and far beyond to eight local villages and 10,000 people. His church has now been renovated to be used as a shelter during cyclones and a relief hub.

Born and raised in Bethlehem, Grace teaches at Bethlehem Bible College and serves her local church. The Holy Land’s Christian population is just 1%. Grace said, ‘Today in Bethlehem, as Christianity continues to dwindle, we trust that the Lord will not leave Himself without a witness in this land. This year, my niece will be Mary in our church’s nativity play. As we watch the children join her as shepherds, wise men and angels, our hearts will be strengthened to know that Christianity still remains the heartbeat of this region, despite its decreasing percentage.

The Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-se) says, ‘Schoolchildren are brainwashed by Palestinian leaders and “scholars” teaching hate against Jews on a daily basis. They are assured that anyone who dies while carrying out an attack against Jews is a “martyr” whose place in heaven is guaranteed.’ IMPACT-se discovered that Palestinian leaders failed to fulfill their promise to Western donors to change the textbooks. The newly published schoolbooks, more radical than previous ones, have systematic insertions of violence, martyrdom and jihad across all grades and subjects. Extreme nationalism and Islamist ideologies are widespread through the curriculum, including science and maths textbooks. The possibility of peace with Israel is rejected. One Arabic book has a story describing Molotov cocktails igniting an Israeli bus to burn Jewish passengers alive. This is described as a ‘barbecue party.’

Archbishop Joseph D’Souza said, ‘In Belguam police are not allowing Christian groups to meet in local churches, house groups and halls. This situation will mean the inability to have Christmas services. There have been increasing numbers of attacks against Christians in Karnataka, where Hindu radicals have been disrupting Christian meetings. In many areas, Christians are now afraid because of the way the extremists are taking the law into their hands. There is no place in India’s democracy for incessant campaigns of hatred aimed squarely at the Christian community, its churches, NGOs and schools. We expect protection from the prime minister as the Christmas season approaches.’ Extremists are ‘walking into Christian worship to disrupt it by conducting their own services with Hindu chanting. We have not seen anything like this before and these extremists are not being arrested.’ He is calling on prime minister Modi to engage in the struggle of India’s Christians.

The Philippines has an average of twenty storms and typhoons annually, wiping out harvests, homes and infrastructure. The strongest this year, Typhoon Rai, killed 375 people and more deaths are expected as rescue operations continue. Pray for God to comfort all who mourn. Pray for adequate relief housing for the 300,000 who fled their homes and beachfront resorts. Pray for clear organisation and speedy delivery of water, food and medicines by the Red Cross and other relief groups. Pray for families living with no electricity or means of communication to be found and helped. Pray for God to give wisdom and endurance to the thousands of military, police, coast guards and fire personnel assisting in search and rescue efforts. They are describing scenes of ‘complete carnage’. Establishing the scale of the loss of life is difficult in areas where landslides and flooding may have claimed more lives. See also

A court in China has upheld the sentences against booksellers Chang Yuchun, 53, and his wife, Li Chenhui, 44, for 'inciting subversion of state power'. They each face a seven-year jail term and must both pay fines of 250,000 yuan (approximately £29,700). A local source said this is not the first case of religious booksellers being given a jail sentence, but seven years plus a hefty fine is rare. In recent months, authorities have clamped down further on the distribution of Christian resources including audio Bible players and a Bible app.

11% of Lebanon’s population is over the retirement age (65), and 80% of retired people have no health care coverage. Previously Habeeb and Elham had a good life; they could eat meat, afford medicine and have the lights on. But those times are over. When Habeeb retired their income stopped and now the 80-year-olds face poverty and uncertainty. ‘There is no government pension when you are old, no one is helping. How can we pay our bills?’ asks Habeeb with tears in his eyes. Lebanon has one of the world's worst economic crises. The Lebanese pound has lost 90% of its value since 2019. The banking system crumbled with much of the elderly’s life savings. The young are abandoning Lebanon in search of a more dignified life. Lebanese lack electricity and water, and food and medicine are difficult to import. The aid group Medonations imports medication and provides it to those who need it, and there are a few relief outlets for the vulnerable.