International Christian Concern

Rufinah met her husband, Boniface, years ago in a Kenyan town near the Somalia border. Boniface, a water-drilling machine assistant operator, worked tirelessly to help people access safe drinking water in Somalia.

On Sept. 30, 2022, al-Shabab killed Boniface, three of his friends, and four non-local Christians at a water drilling site. Rufinah, who was pregnant at the time, was left devastated. Soon, she delivered their baby and started raising the sweet boy on her own.

Without any means to financially support herself or her son, Rufinah soon fell into despair. But then she connected with ICC. ICC provided Rufinah with materials to open a shop to sell household goods. Rufinah can now provide for herself and her son, ensuring a more secure path for their family.

“I am immensely grateful for ICC’s unwavering support and kindness,” Rufinah said. “They’ve been like guardian angels to us by providing hope and encouragement during our darkest days. Thank you, ICC, for your compassion and generosity. You’ve given us the strength to face the future with hope and optimism.”

We praise God that following the loss of Boniface, the man who provided water for so many, the Lord has brought living water to the lives of Rufinah and her son. It is a reminder of Christ’s words in John 4:14: “But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

We praise God that the Lord so clearly provided for Rufinah in her time of need, displaying His omnipotence and faithfulness.

After Indonesian Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas told a group of church leaders earlier this month that it would soon be easier for churches and other minority religious groups to obtain building permits, another government official is challenging the change to the licensing process.

Indonesian Officials Clash over Change in Church Building Permits - International Christian Concern After Indonesian Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas told a group of church leaders earlier this month that it would soon be easier for churches and other minority religious groups to obtain building permits, another government official is challenging the change to the licensing process.

Read more: https://www.persecution.org/2024/07/05/11-imprisoned-vietnamese-christians-missing/

The Taliban celebrated the third anniversary of its takeover of Afghanistan on Wednesday with a military parade at Bagram Airfield, once the largest U.S. military base in the country.

The Islamic extremist group seized Kabul on August 15, 2021, after Afghanistan’s U.S.-supported government collapsed and its leaders fled the country. The anniversary falls a day earlier on the Afghan calendar.

Following the Taliban’s return to power, the religious and civil liberties Afghans had cherished for years rapidly deteriorated.

Afghan Christians Isolated as Taliban Celebrates Three Years in Power - International Christian Concern The Taliban celebrated the third anniversary of its takeover of Afghanistan on Wednesday with a military parade at Bagram Airfield, once the largest U.S. military in the country.

R**e as a form of Christian persecution is a grave human rights violation and an egregious act of violence used to intimidate, degrade, and destroy communities.

This heinous crime is employed to target Christian women and girls. Perpetrators use r**e with the intent of achieving specific goals. They wish to change the demographic makeup of a region by forcibly impregnating women, ensuring that the offspring belong to the perpetrator’s group.

This is intended to diminish the presence of the targeted minority over generations. They intend to break the spirit and cohesion of a community by inflicting deep psychological trauma and stigma. This makes it difficult for the community to recover and reassert its identity and presence.

R**e as a Form of Persecution - International Christian Concern R**e as a form of Christian persecution is a grave human rights violation and an egregious act of violence used to intimidate, degrade, and destroy communities.

Read more: https://www.persecution.org/2024/07/05/muslims-alarmed-at-rapid-growth-of-christianity-in-indonesia/

Six years ago, the Fulani extremist violence that had terrorized much of Nigeria’s Kaduna state reached the Wayit family, leaving Josiah Micah Wayit and his five younger siblings without their beloved parents.

Their father, a pastor with the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), and their mother, a devout Christian known for preaching peace to both Fulani herdsmen and traditional idol worshippers in their village, were brutally murdered after they had attended the burial of a fellow Christian who had also fallen victim to the violence.

“The Fulani herdsmen targeted my parents because they were Christians and preached the gospel of Christ,” Josiah, 28, told an International Christian Concern (ICC) staffer. “They killed them because they were spreading a message of peace, even to the Fulani.”

Following in the Footsteps of the Fallen - International Christian Concern Six years ago, the Fulani extremist violence that had terrorized much of Nigeria’s Kaduna state reached the Wayit family, leaving Josiah Micah Wayit and his five younger siblings without their beloved parents.

If you haven't started already, it's not too late to jump in with prayer for the persecuted this month! Join us in prayer this month with daily prayer requests for the persecuted and corresponding news stories to help you stay informed.

Grab your free, downloadable copy today: https://www.persecution.org/take-action/prayer-calendar/

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently announced plans to expand the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) role to enhance the country’s dignity and status.

Anwar met with Jakim’s leadership to draft a national development policy framework based on Malaysia Madani. Previously, Jakim focused on preaching, training, and organizing Quran recital competitions but had a limited role in the 12th Malaysia Plan and Madani Budget.

Prime Minister Plans to Expand Islamic Development Department - International Christian Concern Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently announced plans to expand the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) role to enhance the country’s dignity and status.

The remains of more than 30 people were found on July 24 following yet another brutal attack on a Christian community by Islamic extremist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in Eastern Congo.

Islamic Rebels Kill More than 30 Christians in Eastern DRC - International Christian Concern The remains of more than 30 people were found on July 24 following yet another brutal attack on a Christian community by Islamic extremist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in Eastern Congo.

Read more: https://www.persecution.org/2024/07/03/5-christians-killed-in-hwrra-village-attack/

Here at ICC, we constantly witness God working in the lives of His children. Let's kick off the week on a high note by sharing recent praise reports so we can celebrate how the Lord is working in your life!

Islamic Fulani militants shot two Christian men during the evening of Aug. 4 in Bokkos local government area of Plateau state.

The men, whose names are being withheld for their protection, are thankful to be alive.

“To the glory of God, we both survived,” one of the men told an International Christian Concern (ICC) staffer.

2 Christians Injured in Militant Fulani Attack - International Christian Concern Islamic Fulani militants shot two Christian men during the evening of Aug. 4 in Bokkos local government area of Plateau state.

Read more: https://www.persecution.org/2024/07/03/village-leader-challenges-church-over-worship-building-permit/

International Christian Concern (ICC) has released a full report on Nigeria calling for the U.S. Department of State to designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).

For years, ICC has been pointing out the need for Nigeria’s inclusion on the CPC list (see here for example). This new report, titled “A Case for Nigeria’s Country of Particular Concern Status,” goes beyond the easily accessible data points.

This report collates data from multiple sources with eyewitness accounts, personal testimonies, and official government documentation.

In short, this report represents a heaping load of hard work. Work that was hard to gather, hard to hear, and hard to report. So, the question above is fitting: Why bother with such hard work?

Difficulties and Determination: Appealing for Nigeria to Be Called a Country of Particular Concern - International Christian Concern International Christian Concern (ICC) put a lot of work into its new report on persecution in Nigeria, urging the U.S. Department of State to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern. Will its hard work pay off?

For many years, Boko Haram and Fulani militants have terrorized Christian farming communities throughout Nigeria. The attackers violently sweep into the villages, destroying the families' farms and displacing them from their land.

In response, ICC has been helping these communities get back on their feet through massive communal farms. By handling the upfront costs of rebuilding the farms, we are helping them get back to the work they love in a dignified manner.

But we are just getting started! Click here to learn more: https://www.persecution.org/nigeria-crisis/

Intergenerational trauma resulting from Christian persecution refers to the psychological and emotional wounds passed down through successive generations within Christian communities affected by persecution.

This form of trauma can have profound and enduring effects on individuals, families, and entire communities, shaping their identity, worldview, and interactions with society.

Intergenerational trauma often begins with historical events where communities face persecution, such as genocide, forced displacement, or systematic discrimination.

Examining the Intergenerational Trauma of Persecution - International Christian Concern Intergenerational trauma resulting from Christian persecution can have profound and enduring effects on individuals, families, and entire communities, shaping their identity, worldview, and interactions with society.

Read more: https://www.persecution.org/2024/07/02/court-sentences-christian-man-to-death-a-year-after-jaranwala-riots/

In a report published Wednesday, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) called religious freedom conditions in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan dire, documenting how the regime has continually worked to “repress and significantly stifle any action or behavior that does not conform with their strict interpretation of Islam.”

USCIRF has recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate Afghanistan as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) every year since 2022, but this recommendation has yet to be followed.

USCIRF Condemns Taliban Rule in Afghanistan in New Report - International Christian Concern In a report published Wednesday, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) called religious freedom conditions in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan dire, documenting how the regime has continually worked to “repress and significantly stifle any action or behavior that does n...

The violence and destruction that has fueled weeks-long protests in Bangladesh and forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign earlier this week and flee to India is now reaching religious minorities, including Christians.

Protests in Bangladesh Lead to Violence Against Hindus, Christians - International Christian Concern The violence and destruction that has fueled weeks-long protests in Bangladesh and forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign earlier this week and flee to India is now reaching religious minorities, including Christians.

Read more: https://www.persecution.org/2024/07/01/six-lao-christians-arrested-at-prayer-meeting/

International Christian Concern (ICC) recently sent U.S. government officials a formal sanctions request against Azerbaijan and prisons where Armenian prisoners of war and Christians were allegedly tortured.

ICC filed the sanctions request with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of the Treasury under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. The requested sanctions — which include freezing assets and banning travel to the United States — would hold Azerbaijan accountable for its egregious human rights violations.

ICC Files Human Rights Sanctions Request Against Azerbaijan - International Christian Concern International Christian Concern (ICC) has sent U.S. government officials a formal sanctions request against Azerbaijan and prisons where Armenian prisoners of war and Christians were allegedly tortured.

"While the State Department has recognized religious tensions in the region, the violence is often attributed to issues of climate change, farmer-herders conflicts, and ethnic divides," ICC's Advocacy Manager McKenna Wendt wrote. "Although these factors are certainly at play, it is a grave misjudgment to downplay the religious components of these conflicts and solely attribute them to secondary issues."

Biden admin.'s refusal to acknowledge Christian persecution in Nigeria undermines foreign policy: watchdog The U S government continues to face pressure to classify Nigeria as one of the world s worst prosecutors of religious freedom as terror attacks against Christians and a lackluster government

After significant fighting, rebel forces in Myanmar announced this week that they had taken the town of Lashio, on the country’s border with China, from the ruling military junta.

The development is the latest in a long string of victories for rebel forces, which are largely composed of ethnic and religious minorities.

Ethnoreligious Minorities in Myanmar Gain Major Victory over Junta - International Christian Concern After significant fighting, rebel forces in Myanmar announced this week that they had taken the town of Lashio, on the country’s border with China, from the ruling military junta.

Read more: https://www.persecution.org/2024/07/01/fleeing-war-and-finding-a-stable-future/

Many nations claim to uphold religious tolerance, yet they imprison Christians who proclaim their faith to non-believers. Anti-proselytizing laws in these countries produce little more than governments that profess religious freedom and civil liberties in name only.

Algeria, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Yemen, among others, allege certain levels of religious freedom in their legal frameworks. However, Christians are punished for pursuing the fullness of their faith.

Anti-Proselytizing Laws: Christians Persecuted Under the Guise of Religious Freedom - International Christian Concern Many nations claim to uphold religious tolerance, yet they imprison Christians who proclaim their faith to non-believers.

Farah had endured more hardships in her young life than most people could ever imagine. The invasion of ISIS had turned her world upside down, shattering her dreams and tearing apart her family’s stability.

Her father’s medical conditions only added to their burdens, requiring visits to doctors and costly medications. Even as ISIS invaded their area, Farah defied the odds and completed her exams, earning her diploma in mechanical engineering. But the aftermath of the conflict had left her family in dire straits, relying solely on food aid to survive.

After moving back home, Farah searched for a way to support her family. By the end of 2020, Farah started a scented candle business. But Farah lacked the necessary resources to produce high-quality candles.

ICC supplied her with the proper equipment needed to flourish in her business. They symbolized an opportunity — a chance to break free from the chains of her financial constraints and create a business that would not only sustain her family but also empower her dreams.

“I was very happy that I now have the tools I need because I could not afford to buy them due to my financial situation,” Farah expressed. “I used to face difficulties in making the candles because of the bad quality of items, but I will no longer worry in this regard, and I will focus on developing my business. Thank you so much for helping me to get the tools to produce better quality candles.”

On Aug. 3, Vietnamese President To Lam was elected as the country’s next Communist Party general secretary, a move that concerns religious freedom advocates.

New Communist Leader Seen as Threat to Vietnamese Christians - International Christian Concern On Aug. 3, Vietnamese President To Lam was elected as the country’s next Communist Party general secretary, a move that concerns religious freedom advocates.