The Persecution & Prayer Alert The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada http://www.persecution.net Wednesday, August 27, 2003

A summary of news concerning the Persecuted Church and how you can respond. *********************************** Contents: 1. Three Christians Released; Others Held (China) 2. Students Arrested for Having Bibles (Eritrea) 3. Christian Prisoners Face Pressure to Renounce Christ (Laos) 4. Church Faces Huge Tax Burden (Kyrgyzstan) 5. Grenade Attack Against Archbishop (Colombia) 6. Question of the Week *********************************** 1. Three Christians Released; Others Held (China)

The Voice of the Martyrs has learned that three of the six house church leaders arrested on July 13 (see http://www.persecution.net/pnparchive/arch7.htm) were released this week. Those released report that they were held in a hotel and subjected to repeated questioning and brainwashing. They were released only when they said they would speak to their congregations about registering their church with the government. They were warned that they would be rearrested if the congregations were not registered.

Three men are still being held but were moved to a different hotel when news of their arrest reached the international community. The three still being held are Shen Shao-Cheng, Gao Chong-Dao, and Xiang Fa. Shen is over 80 years old.

At last report, the men were being held at the Kai Yuan Cheng Shi Hotel, which can be reached by fax from North America at 011-86-571-82625217. We encourage Christians to send a fax of encouragement to those being held. Even if they do not receive the fax, it will let the authorities know that Christians around the world are concerned. We also encourage you to contact the Chinese embassy in your country. Contact information for Canada and the USA is available through our website at http://www.persecution.net/links.htm.

Continue to pray for physical, emotional, and spiritual strength for the men being held. Pray for house churches throughout China facing increasing pressure from the authorities. *********************************** 2. Students Arrested for Having Bibles (Eritrea)

More than sixty teenage students have been arrested and severely punished when they were caught with Bibles at a compulsory military training camp in Eritrea. In June, hundreds of grade 11 students were ordered to report to the Sawa military base for the summer. It is believed that, in September, they will be required to continue their schooling at the base rather than returning home. According to an August 21 report from Compass Direct, military commanders searched the conscripts’ belongings on August 19 and 20, looking for Bibles. Sixty-two Protestant students were arrested, tortured, and put into metal shipping containers where they were subjected to no light, extreme heat, and limited air and food.

The latest arrests bring the number of known evangelicals in prison for their faith to 213, including seventy-nine soldiers that the Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on earlier this year, arrested for refusing to deny their Protestant beliefs.

While authorities deny any religious persecution in Eritrea, the government officially recognizes only four religions: Orthodox Christian, Muslim, Catholic and Evangelical Lutheran. For the 20,000 Pentecostal and charismatic Christians, many of whom have come from a renewal movement within the Orthodox Church in Eritrea, arrests, beatings and harassment from government officials has become increasingly common and brutal.

Pray that these students and others in prison for their faith will be released and that the escalating oppression by authorities will stop. Pray that believers will stand firm in their faith, in spite of the pressure to recant. Pray that they would witness to the faithfulness of God through their suffering. *********************************** 3. Christian Prisoners Face Pressure to Renounce Christ (Laos)

In May, twenty Christians from the southern province of Savannakhet, Laos, were imprisoned for refusing to renounce their faith in Christ. According to an August 21 by Christian Solidarity Worldwide, nine of the Christians have been released, but the remaining twelve are facing increasing pressure to deny their faith and to cover up the reasons for their imprisonment.

Authorities have reportedly pressured the believers to confess to charges of moving their families without permission in order to cover the religious charges against them. They have tried to frame them by getting them to hold guns. The Muang Nong district police chief has also told them that they would be released if they would sign sworn statements stating that they no longer follow Jesus. All twelve have refused.

It is believed that international pressure has been responsible for the release of many imprisoned Christians. Pray that Christians still in prison will stand firm. We also encourage you to write your government representatives, encouraging them to investigate the human rights violations in Laos and to put pressure on the Laotian government to release those in prison for their religious beliefs. *********************************** 4. Church Faces Huge Tax Burden (Kyrgyzstan)

Members of the Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ in Kyrgyzstan are facing a tax bill which threatens to close the church. According to Vasili Kuzin, senior pastor of the church, this is the reason behind the taxes.

The head office for the church, based in the capital of Bishkek, was assessed with taxes, penalties and fines totaling 4,822,839 soms ($154,000.00 CDN). The church appealed to the Finance Ministry, but on August 15, the inspectorate’s decision was upheld.

The church contends that the taxes are against the constitution and the tax laws, which state that “Non-profit social organisations involved in charitable activity are free from taxation.” Forum 18 has contacted the deputy chair of the Kyrgyzstan Committee for Religious Affairs, Natalya Shadrova, who says that they will look into the situation.

The Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ claims to be one of the fastest growing churches in Kyrgyzstan, with 9,500 members and 30 affiliate congregations around the country. Several of the local congregations have been denied government registration and have been forced to close. Pray that this situation will be resolved quickly. Pray also for a continued outreach to the ethnic Kyrgyz, who are historically Muslim. *********************************** 5. Grenade Attack Against Archbishop (Colombia)

At 8:00 p.m. on August 22, a fragmentation grenade was thrown at the residence of Archbishop Antonio Giraldo Jaramillo of Medillin, Colombia. Thankfully, the archbishop was not in his residence when two men on a motorcycle threw the grenade, which damaged the parking area and wounded two policemen.

According to Zenit, Jaramillo has called for reconciliation and dialogue, saying, “if someone has something against the Church, the best thing would be for us to meet and talk.”

The church, both Catholic and Protestant, has frequently been the target of drug cartels and rebels fighting the government in Colombia. Ecumenical News International reported on August 22 that at least thirty-eight Protestant leaders or members were killed in the first half of 2003.

Pray for civil and religious peace in Colombia. Pray that the church will be able to show the peace and love of Christ, who wishes to reconcile men to God. Pray for the continued ministry of the Colombian church in the midst of violence. *********************************** 6. Question of the Week

The controversy surrounding Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore and his refusal to remove a granite monument containing the Ten Commandments from in front of the state Judicial Building has caused a media furor in North America. Some are saying that this is an issue of religious liberty. Others disagree. What is your opinion? “Is the order to remove the Ten Commandments monument a violation of religious freedom?”

To participate in our poll and discussion, go to http://www.persecution.net and click on “Discussion Forum.” If you have not registered on our forum in the past, click on “Register” and select a username and password. *********************************** The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada. (Mailing address: P.O. Box 117, Port Credit, Mississauga, Ontario L5G 4L5) Tel. (905) 670.9721. Fax: (905) 670.7642 Website: http://www.persecution.net *********************************** Contact Person: Glenn Penner, Communications Director.

Important Notice: The Persecution & Prayer Alert is an open email news service sent only to those who have specifically requested it from us. We do not send it unsolicited and ask that subscribers show the same discretion in forwarding it to others. If you would like to encourage someone to read or receive this weekly publication, please use our online form at http://www.persecution.net/pnpforward.htm and help spread the message of the Persecuted Church around the world.

os.yahoo.com/rlgmediaau”>http://au.photos.yahoo.com/rlgmediaau http://community.webshots.com/user/ramon_williams ——————————————————————- Telling others, what others are doing for the Lord.

— Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).