Believers Stand Strong in 2010 Despite Persecution

During the past year there were many heroes of the faith in restrictive countries around the world; Christians who refused to recant their faith in Jesus Christ. Some found their "reward in heaven" as martyrs. Others suffered in inhumane prisons or were tortured, kidnapped, shunned by family and friends in their own communities. Here are just a few of their names.

In 2010 the faces of the persecuted included Asia Noreen (Bibi), Said Musa, Maryam Rostampour and Marzieh Amirizadeh.

Asia's case drew global attention when she became the first woman to be sentenced to die by hanging in Pakistan under the country's controversial blasphemy law. She was accused by a co-worker who held a grudge against her of blaspheming Mohammad and defaming the Quran. Asia had already spent a year and a half in prison without having the opportunity to state her case before being sentenced last month. She could possibly be pardoned depending on a higher court appeal. However, even if she is released, Asia and her family face a tenuous future. On Dec. 3 a hard-line Pakistani Islamic cleric offered a reward of $6,000 to anyone who kills Asia if she is released. Asia told Compass Direct News that she has not lost faith in God and asked for prayers.

Musa, an Afghani amputee, has spent seven months in prison after he left Islam for Christianity. Conversion is still a capital offense under Afghanistan's strict Islamic laws still. The subject of Afghans becoming Christians became national news following the broadcast on a local Noorin television station showing Afghan believers being baptized last May. Musa wrote letters to President Barack Obama and NATO officials stating that he has been sexually abused, beaten, mocked and derived of sleep in prison for refusing to recant. Musa also pleads for prayers, saying: "I request of you please tell other believers they must pray and not give up," according to Compass. 

One story does end happily. More than one year ago, Maryam and Marzieh appeared before an Iranian judge who asked them if they would deny their faith and return to Islam. The women were held in the notorious Evin prison in Tehran for months and accused of two serious charges. Still, both refused to recant their faith. The judge sent them back to their prison cells where they suffered severe illness.

Open Doors and other organizations launched an advocacy campaign to pressure the Iranian government to release the brave women. Millions of Christians prayed for their release in November 2009 during the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Later that month both women were released pending another court appearance. In May, Maryam and Marzieh were acquitted of all charges by Iranian judicial authorities and secretly fled the country. Truly, their escape was God's awesome answer to the prayers of millions.

Asia, Maryam, Marzieh and Said drew attention on the international stage, but there were millions of others who suffered for their faith in obscurity. A month ago Ferewini Gebru Tekleberhne, an evangelical Christian, was killed while trying to escape from the Sawa Military Training Centre in the tiny African country of Eritrea. She had been incarcerated in a metal shipping container for the past two years.

Also, in the last month, Christians in North Korea were put in even more danger due to the recent increase of tensions between North and South Korea, and Egyptian Christians faced an increase in persecution and anti-Christian sentiment. Indonesian churches faced closure from pressure from Islamic extremists.

What will 2011 bring? Could Christians in southern Sudan face renewed persecution from the north in wake of a Jan. 9 referendum on whether the south will become independent? Could the ongoing turmoil in Pakistan put Christians even more at risk? Only the Lord knows the answers to those questions. But the Bible says persecution will always be with us - if we are true followers of Christ.

The bottom line is this: first, we need to be persistent and consistent in our prayers for the persecuted. Second, we need to stay informed about the status of those suffering for their faith and advocate for them. Please make prayer and advocacy priorities in 2011.

A few weeks ago I read a letter sent to Open Doors from Martha, a believer in war-torn Iraq where 70 to 80 Christians were killed in the cities of Baghdad and Mosul over the last month. She writes, "Christmas is coming, but peace does not exist in Iraq. Pray for us that we can have a peaceful Christmas. God is so good, and I love Him so much. Pray for me so I again can say what Paul says - ‘However I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me….' (Acts 20:24). Let us remember and believe God is good all the time."

Carl Moeller, Ph.D., is president and CEO of Open Doors USA, the American arm of Open Doors International, a worldwide ministry that has supported and strengthened persecuted Christians since 1955.