letter writing guide january 2011, open doors - english

8/7/2019 Letter Writing Guide January 2011, Open Doors - English

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Issue 7 : January 2011 - June 2011

Youcan encourage persecuted Christians to stand rm in their aith-just by putting pen to paper!

The simple act o sending a letter or card can bring new comort, hope and strength to brothers and

sisters who are persecuted or their aith. To assure them that you cover them in prayer, and that they

are not orgotten, is one o the greatest gits you can give persecuted believers.

Getting started There is nothing so great to a person in distress than a word o encouragement. No matter how longor short the word is; it has the power to heal, console and encourage. In a situation o loneliness, loss

or need, words can turn a painul moment into a moment o courage. Words o encouragement can

serve as a riend in times o loneliness. Letters o encouragement can be a mirror to glance at and a

pillar to hold on to when no one else is around.

Post Letters To:

Letter Writing: Believers Namec/o Open Doors SA

PO Box 1771

Cresta

2118


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Here are a ew simple guidelines to help you as you write

your letters and cards:

Pray before you start

Ask God to give you the right words to communicate.

Share Gods WordShare Bible verses that have been an encouragement to you.

Show sensitivity

Please dont dwell on the recipients plight, or share about the blessings o lie in your coun-

try.

Translation

Write in simple English.

Keep it short and simple

Posting on short letters cost less or us and are also easier to translate to those recipientswho do not speak English.

Feel free to include your details

Its ne to include your name and country, but do not include your ull address or e-mail

address.

Security

Please do not mention Open Doors in your letters, criticize a countrys religion or religious

extremists, its government, judicial system or political leaders.

PostcardsI you are writing on a postcard, send it in an envelope rather than writing Open Doors ad-

dress on the card.

Handmade cards

I you are a Sunday school teacher or youth group leader, making cards can be a great way

o allowing younger people to respond and to do something to connect with the perse-

cuted Church. Please note that any cards or pictures sent, must be small, light and not too

ragile or posting.

GiftsPlease do not send money or make any proposals or nancial aid.

CHINA: Zhang Rongliang

NIGERIA: Widows

WRITING CAMPAIGNS THAT HAVE ENDED ON THE31ST OF DECEMBER 2010:

The ollowing writing campaigns have ended, so please do not specically

write cards or letters to them:


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Updates, additional inormation & prayer points or all thecurrent letter writing campaigns:

UZBEKISTAN - Tohar Haydarov: On 9 March 2010 Tohar Haydarov (27), a Believer rom a

Musllim Background, was sentenced to ten years imprisonment ater being alsely accused o pos-

sessing and manuacturing drugs.

Tohar is now a member o an unregistered Baptist church in Gulistan. According to the members o

his church, Tohars relatives asked local police in January to help them orce Tohar to return to Islam.

The police put great physical pressure on Tohar to deny Jesus, but he reused to do so.

On 18 January he was arrested ater drugs were unexpectedly ound in his pockets and in his apart-

ment, and he was charged with producing and storing drugs. Three days later, Tohar made a brie

court appearance. Church members reported that he could hardly walk and showed signs o havingbeen badly beaten.

At a court hearing on 4 March, church members were not allowed to testiy on Tohars behal and his

lawyer was not allowed into the courtroom. Tohars ather (72) attended the hearing to support his

son. The next day, he was ound

dead in the amilys garage. Police

concluded that he died by acci-

dentally alling onto an electricheater. Five days later, Tohar was

convicted o manuacturing and

possessing drugs and sentenced

to ten years inprisonment.

His ellow believers insist that

the case has been abricated

and that the police planted the

drugs on him. Several acquaint-

ances have supplied written

statements to the police, claim-

ing his innocence.

Tohar has since been trans-

erred to a labour camp in

Qarshi, 400km rom his home

town. He is preparing to ap-

peal to the Supreme Court. ToharHaydarov


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CHINA: On 28 October

2009, Gulnur Yimits hus-

band Alimjan, a pastor,

was charged with providing

state secrets to overseas or-ganizations and sentenced

to 15 years imprisonment.

This sentence is the most se-

vere or a house church lead-

er in nearly a decade.

Alimjan is an agricultural

worker, so it is unlikely that

he would have had access

to classied inormation.

Friends believe his aith is the

real reason or his arrest.

Once a Muslim, Alimjan be-

came a Christian more than

10 years ago and was soon

active in the growing Uyghurchurch. He was initially ar-

rested in January 2008, on

an alleged national security

issue and held at Kashgar De-

tention Centre in Chinas

troubled Xinjiang region.

Gulnur and Alimjan have twoyoung sons. Having been de-

nied all contact with her hus-

band or over two years, Gul-

nur was nally allowed a 20-minute visit with him in April. The amily were allowed two urther

visits in May and July.

Gulnur is grateul or the support their amily has received. I am greatly moved by our brothers

and sisters who are urgently interceding or us, she said. This has sustained Alimjan and our

amily and enabled us to miraculously keep standing in aith to this day.

Please continue to send letters o support to Gulnur and her sons.

GulnurYimitandherso

n


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PastorAdriano

ZANZIBAR - Pastor Adriano:Pastor Adriano (42), ounder o the Christian Lie Church in Zanzi-

bar City, had his church building demolished on 27 December ollowing a land dispute with a

government ocial.

Christian Lie Church was started in 2006 to minister to Believers rom a Muslim Background who had

nowhere to worship. We decided to start a ellowship in one o our members homes to make it easier

or Believers rom a Muslim Background to attend, said Pastor Adriano. The church had 52 members.

In May 2008, the authorities ordered them to evacuate the government-owned house. The church

moved to another residence, only to be ocially kicked out again two months later. The church was

then given permission to build a temporary assembly hall on land owned by a man named Benedic-

tus. However, on 25 December, the authorities announced that the land belonged to the government

and had been given to another party or the construction o another building.

Pastor Adriano made an appointment with the government minister or land to discuss the matter,but beore the meeting had taken place, labourers demolished the church building. They warned

churchgoers that any attempt to intervene with their work would lead to imprisonment.

Pastor Adriano kept his appointment with the minister, who promised to compensate them with land

in Tunguu area. But the authorities have done nothing [since], says Pastor Adriano.

Church members have

decided to join theneighbouring Church

o God on Sundays

until the dispute has

been resolved.


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NIGERIA - Saliha: Saliha* (18) was raised in a Christian amily in a village in northern Nigeria. But

when she was 8 years old, her ather became a Muslim.

He tried to coax Saliha and her mother into accepting Islam, but when they reused, he disowned

them. Saliha and her mother went to live with her grandparents.

A ew years later, Salihas mother married a Christian. Saliha was happy or her mother, but the new

husband was unable to provide or both o them, so Saliha had to move in with her elder brother.

Saliha ound comort in the local church. But then her elder brother also became a Muslim, and began

to pressure her to convert to Islam. When she did not listen, his kindness turned into threats. Even-tually Saliha was orced to return to her athers house. She was told she was now a Muslim and was

made to attend the local Islamic school. Ater a ew months o misery, Saliha ran away.

Saliha went to her pastor or help and he encouraged her to stand rm. But the local Muslim com-

munity knew her and did not leave her alone. So the church helped Saliha nd a amily who were

willing to take her in.

Despite the intimidation, Salihas aith has remained unshakable. But the pressure has afected herhealth. She wants to nish her education, but her illness is slowing her progress and the unding o

her studies remains a challenge.

*Name changed for security reasons

Nigeria


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ETHIOPIA - Sintayehu and children:On 20 December 2009, the body o Sintayehus husband,

Markos, was ound near the gate o their home in Senkele.

He had been killed with a machete and robbed.

Police claim Markos died because o a amily eud. They

switly arrested a amily member and imprisoned him ormurdering Markos - although he alleged he was tortured

into a conession. Church leaders insist Markos was killed

because he sponsored the legal proceedings o his church

ollowing an attack by Muslim extremists last September.

As a single parent o seven children, Sintayehu now a-

ces an uncertain uture. She was unaware o any unpaid

debts Markos had, but some claims have already beenmade.

Additionally, the amily continues to ace pressure rom

the Islamic community. Muslims in Loke recently ac-

cused Sintayehus son, Abe, o insulting their aith by

wearing Islamic clothing, which had been lent to him

by a Muslim boy. Church leaders suspect this was an

attempt to endanger Abe.

So Sintayehu has made the dicult decision to send

six o her children to temporarily live with relatives in

Sashemene. Only the youngest, Sarah, still lives with

her.

Despite not having any capital, Sintayehu has also

taken a step o aith and reopened the restaurantthat Markos owned in Loke. God has miraculously

helped me! she testies. I have not had any serious

[nancial] need so ar.

However, Sintayehu remains in need o encourage-

ment as she comes to terms with her loss and the

realities o single parenthood.

Sintayehus church in partnership with Open Doors

is doing all they can to support her. You can partner

with us by writing her an encouraging letter.

Sintayehu


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MEXICO: On 22 December 1997, 45 Tzotzil Indians were murdered during an armed conronta-

tion in Chenalho, Chiapas, Mexico. Ninety people were imprisoned or the killings, 83 o them

unjustly so. Six were acquitted and one died, reducing the number o men detained without

valid reason to 76.

On 12 August 2009, Mexicos Supreme Court, ordered the release o 20 men, stating that they

were convicted as a result o unair trials. On 4 November 2009, they released a urther 9 men,and ordered that 16 cases should be re-tried.

Sadly, the cases o the remaining prisoners remain stalled in a lower state court. Those who have

been released are still in communication with the Christians in this group and are encouraging

them to continue to wait on God.

The released prisoners are very thankul or the prayers and letters sent by Christians all over the

world, which sustained them through their ten-year ordeal.

Those who have been released have not been able to return to their homesthreats made

ActealInterviewees

by the relatives o those

murdered have made it

unsae or them to do

so. But they are continu-

ing to trust God or the

uture.

One believer, Alonso

Lopez Entzin, shared: It

is Gods will that we do

not return to our homes

yet, as it was His will that

we would be in prison

or some time. We need

to trust God to knowwhat direction to take in

the uture.

You can still write to the

remaining prisoners and

separately to their wives

and children.


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COLOMBIA CHILDRENS HOME:In January 2000, Open Doors opened a Childrens Centreor the pastors and church leaders children who are targeted and threatened by the civil war in

Colombia.

There are 50 children rom diferent regions o the country staying at the Centre. Even though

their stories vary widely, all o them are heartbreaking.

Diego (14) arrived at the Centre ater his ather was killed by guerrillas. At rst he did not want

to know anything about God. God does not exist, he would say, where was He when those

men killed my ather? But through the love shown to him at the Centre, God has healed Diegos

heart. I like to pray now, says Diego, its good to do it.

Jacqueline (19) came to the Childrens Centre ten years ago, ater the town where she and her

amily had lived, was taken over by guerrillas. She was separated rom her amily when her a-

ther, a Christian leader in the community, was killed. Despite her circumstances, Jacqueline gives

thanks to God or allowing her to stay at the Centre. The Centre is my home and everyone who

works or Open Doors is my amily, she said.

Please write to the children staying at the Centre and let them know that their amily in Christ

remembers them.

ChildrensHome


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UZBEKISTAN: Marina Shestakovs husband, Pastor Dmitry, was arrested or illegal

religious activities in January 2007 and was sentenced to our years in the Navoi labour camp.

International appeals or Pastor Dmitrys early release have so ar not been honoured and he is

still acing more than a year in prison. He is aware, however, o all the eforts being made on his

behal. The amily is grateul or the support they receive rom Christians around the world.

Pastor Dmitry is reported to be well respected in the prison. He is not allowed to pray openly,

or to read a Bible. He tries not to pay too much attention to what is going on around him, says

Marina. He ocuses on Jesus and says, Jesus, You are with me.

Dmitry has recently sufered some health problems due to high blood pressure. His main prayer

request is or spiritual and physical health.

Marina and her daughters, Masha, Sasha and Verochka visit Dmitry as oten as they are permit-

ted. Marina is supported and encouraged by the letters she requently receive rom all over the

world. Personal cards or the daughters are also much appreciated, as they give the girls the

assurance that they are not orgotten.

Uzbekistan


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CHECKLIST:Have I made sure there is no mention o Open Doors in my card or letter?

Have I included an encouraging Bible verse?

Have I prayed or the person(s) who will receive the card or letter?

Your letter will arrive saely at its

destination.

The recipient will be blessed by

what youve written and com-

orted by the knowledge

that you are praying or them

(Romans 15:30).

God will give the recipient

strength to persevere, and that

they will know His compassion

and mercy (James 5:11).

Once youve posted yourletter, remember to pray orthe person youve written to.Your prayers really make adiference!

PRAY THAT:


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letter writing guide january 2011, open doors - english

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