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Persecu Ion Persecu Ion
Persecu Ion Persecu Ion
PERSECU ION
PERSECU ION
PERSECU ION.ORG
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
PERSECU ION.ORG
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
PERSECU ION.ORG
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
Contents
ON THE COVER
Kahindo’s life was
completely torn apart
when ADF terrorists
J A N U A R Y 2023 killed almost her entire
family. She recounts her
story in her own words
on page 16.
A Year Like No Other
2
022 was a challenging year. Just a glance at the
F E AT U R E S spread on page 10 can remind you of some of
the low points.
04 Y O U R H A N D S A N D F E E T ICC Projects Made Possible by Supporters Because of your help, we were able to give Kahindo
Jeff King, President a safe place and a fresh start with a small business.
06 I C C N E W S R O O M Your Source for Persecution News International Christian Concern Thanks to your investment, she’s waking up out of
Author: The Last Words of the Martyrs and a long nightmare, beyond touched that some Chris-
08 F R O N T L I N E S O F M I N I S T R Y A Deep Dive Into the Lives of Church Planters and Pastors
Islam Uncensored tians around the world were willing to rescue her.
26 HOPE FOR THE PRESENT Find Hope and Victory in the Messages of the Persecuted
But this is the Lord’s work we do together. We bring
the touch of God’s healing and restoration to those
Satan sought to destroy.
@persecuted @persecutionnews @internationalchristianconcern International Christian Concern I am incredibly grateful to do this work in partner-
ship with you and always remember, your gifts will
be used ethically, effectively, and efficiently!
OUR MISSION: Since 1996, ICC has served the global DONATIONS: International Christian Concern (ICC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) (all
persecuted church through a three-pronged approach of donations tax-deductible). ICC makes every effort to honor donor wishes in regards to I promise.
advocacy, awareness, and assistance. ICC exists to bandage their gifts. Occasionally, a situation will arise where a project is no longer viable. ICC
the wounds of persecuted Christians and to build the church will redirect those donated funds to one of our other funds that is most similar to the - JEFF
in the toughest parts of the world. donor’s original wishes.
© Copyright 2023 ICC, Washington, D.C., USA. All rights reserved. STAFF
Publisher Jeff King
Permission to reproduce all or part of this publication is granted
MEMBER Editor Mike Anderson
provided attribution is given to ICC as the source. Designer Hannah Campbell
2 Persecution | J A N UA R Y 2023 P E R S E C U T I O N.O R G 3
Your Hands and Feet
I C C P R O J E C T S M A D E P O S S I B L E BY S U P P O R T E R S L I K E YO U
AFRICA
difference,
Sofia has lived most of her life a Muslim—but it’s rarely been filled
with peace. She converted after she married her late husband, but
quickly began to disagree over how Muslims and Christians should
be treated. Sofia wanted to love everyone, but her husband thought
one project
only Muslims deserved love.
When Sofia’s husband died last year, she was free to convert back
to Christianity. His family took away everything he left her because
at a time. they disproved of her renewed faith in Christ. They went so far as to
threaten to poison her.
ICC got in contact with Sofia while she was living in a local reverend’s
kitchen. ICC relocated her and helped her rent a house and bought
her new household items.
“I thank ICC so much for the support they have given me today...
MIDDLE EAST May the Lord bless you for showing me Christ-like care when I was
suffering,” Sofia said.
T
he Burmese Army (the the G-20 Religion Forum in Bali,
Tatmadaw) attacked a Indonesia.
Baptist seminary in northern
Myanmar, injuring four men in the If the level of general violence and
dormitory. The Tatmadaw launched persecution toward Christians and
a series of attacks on the Theological other religious minorities continue,
Seminary when there was no active there will be no religious diversity
fighting in the area at the time. left in Iraq.
The militants have contacted the parents of the children asking for “So far the number of people who died
the money. has reached 100 and 300 are wounded,
T
he earth-toned walls echoed with the praises of believers group began kicking and punching Rajveer. Once construction finished, the church had a
lifting their voices to the Lord. Pastor Rajveer led his thanksgiving meeting to give praise and thanks to the
congregation in worship, when an eruption cut through “Please, please, I beg you to stop this!” She pleaded. But the almighty God who had answered their prayers.
the house. The group of radicals that had been threatening the radicals ignored her and continued. When it was all over, Pastor
congregation had finally followed through. Rajveer and his congregation were left with bruises and a broken “We as a family are so thankful to God for ICC’s
home, but not a broken spirit. assistance in rebuilding the house that was completely
Led by none other than Pastor Rajveer’s brother, the group of in bad shape,” Pastor Rajveer said. “Now that the
Hindu radicals began tearing down the roof, setting things on fire, The days and weeks following the attack, the congregation house was rebuilt, we as a congregation are meeting
and physically beating members of the congregation. Then they continued to face bullying and intimidation from the group of for worship in the house again.”
turned their wrath toward the pastor. radicals that had just attacked them and destroyed their place of
worship.
Two men grabbed Rajveer’s wife and held her back and another
The Stories Their Scars Tell The attack surprisingly occurred in the southwestern state
of Ondo, which rarely sees this kind of violence.
HOTSPOTS
they find hope? And what is ICC doing to relieve the suf- a good example, emboldened to expand its nuclear pro-
fering of those who put their faith in Jesus? gram. You can imagine what’s happening for Christians
and others living there.
What were some of the overarching contributors to
global persecution in 2022? The same thing applies to radical groups. So, you see ter-
rorists like Boko Haram, the Allied Democratic Forces, and
In 2022, two significant events affected persecution: the Fulani militants in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Democratic
Ukraine War and the sour global economy. Radically em- Republic of Congo getting a free ride to spread terror.
powered dictators, regimes, and terrorist groups took ad-
vantage of the situation. With the world’s attention dis- Also, socioeconomic factors significantly contribute to
tracted by this new war and the financial crisis, villainous Christian persecution. With increased poverty, desperate
leaders saw an opportunity to accelerate their actions people take desperate measures. If the only way to get
IN THE
O
n March 20, 2022, Kahindo, 25, and her two-year-
old daughter, Nuela, were captured from their vil-
lage by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Is-
lamic extremist group operating in the Congo. Kahindo and
her family are all Christians, as were much of the people
from her village.
Following the ADF raid, during which her husband, two
children, two brothers, and both of her parents were bru-
tally murdered in front of her, Kahindo and her daughter
were imprisoned by the militants at their camp in a nearby
forest for more than three weeks.
This is a recounting of her story.
Scan this QR code with your
mobile device to have Kahindo’s
story read aloud.
“They killed over 30 people in our small village in Luna.
They said that they wanted to kill all unbelievers because
they have defiled the call of Allah and the teaching of Mo-
hamed.
My child and I are the only ones who survived. My two chil-
dren were shot dead while escaping and I could also see
their little bodies crumpled on the ground. I was lying next
to my husband’s dead body, pretending to be dead as well.
I lay there for about 30 minutes as the rebels went on to kill
my parents, brothers, and other villages.
I scooped the soil that was soaked in my husband’s blood,
hoping to keep it as a reminder of him if I survived. They
saw my body moving and they pulled me up from my hus-
band’s body. They shouted that they had found a wife for
their leader.
T
he Sahel region of Africa is a belt pared to 2020. In March 2021, insur-
of land immediately south of the gents raided three villages in Niger’s
Sahara Desert that stretches east Tahoua region, bordering Mali, and mas-
to west across the African con- sacred 137 civilians. Blamed on affiliates
tent. The region has garnered global of the Islamic State, the attack followed
attention due to the rise in extremism a January attack that killed 100, as well
over the past decade, in what is now as an attack weeks earlier which left 58
considered an epidemic of jihadism. civilians dead.
Mali is known to be the epicenter of the In addition to Niger, Boko Haram has
Sahel’s insurgency ever since jihadists some presence in Chad and Camer-
hijacked a coup attempt in 2012 and oon. Most of the Boko Haram activity,
established a caliphate. Though French however, remains in northern Nigeria
military troops drove out the jihadists where they have maintained an insur-
just months later, the northern portion gency for 13 years. Now split into two
of the country has remained a hotbed factions, Boko Haram seems to be mak-
of terrorism. Many extremist groups call ing a comeback after its territory was
northern Mali their safe haven and con- significantly reduced in 2015, the year it
tinue to train and recruit their militants pledged allegiance to Islamic State and
from there while conducting attacks created the Islamic State West African
across borders into Niger and Burkina Province (ISWAP). Boko Haram soldiers,
Faso. largely forced out of northern Nige-
ria, entered the lake Chad Basin where
In 2021, Burkina Faso experienced a re- weak governance has enabled them to
cord year of conflict and replaced Mali regain strength.
as the epicenter of Sahel terrorism. On
June 4, 2021, the country underwent As jihadists continue to gain momentum
the bloodiest attack in its six-year strug- throughout the Sahel, they will deepen
gle with jihadists. Al-Qaeda affiliates their influence across borders and claim
killed more than 135 civilians over two territory further into Western Africa. If
nights. Seven months and several at- left without international intervention,
tacks later, soldiers staged a coup and 2022 is projected to be a year of expan-
THE SAHEL
announced a military-run government. sionism for radicals on a quest for global
Jihad.
In Niger, attacks doubled in 2021 com-
a hotbed of terrorism
24 Persecution | J A N UA R Y 2023 P E R S E C U T I O N.O R G 25
Hope for the Present
F I N D H O P E A N D V I C TO R Y I N T H E M E S S A G E S O F T H E P E R S E C U T E D
M
y name is Ruth, and I am 26 years old. I was born into a
Muslim family, and we belonged to a tribal community
with the largest Muslim population in Indonesia.
Later, in junior high school, the dream came again, except quote from a church: “You did not choose me, from my house. My neighbor is actually my
this time, I was not alone—I walked with a man. But when but I chose you (John 15:16).” Interested in family’s driver. I began to live in my family car
I woke up, I did not feel tired. The dream lasted about two these words, I went to that church. I started because my parents cannot drive, and the road
weeks. attending church without anyone knowing that in front of my house was inaccessible by car.
I was a Muslim. Whenever my parents need to use the car to
Around that time, I met a new friend at my school who was go somewhere, they will call the driver to take
a Christian. One day, I told her about my dream. She said, I remembered that Christian friend and asked it to our house. I told the driver not to tell my
“I think I know that man.” And she showed me a picture, her to guide me. She took me to her church parents I lived there.
and I immediately recognized him. I said, “Yes! Who’s he?” leaders, and they taught me about Jesus and
She told me that He is Jesus. I was surprised and filled with the Bible. In December 2019, I was baptized. I do not regret my decision; I’ve found the
curiosity. I went to a bookstore and bought a Bible. Though Truth.
In September 2022, one morning, my mother
I still considered myself a Muslim, I started reading the Bible
secretly.
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