Barnabas Aid July/August 2014

THE AID AGENCY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
www.barnabasfund.org
JULY/AUGUST 2014
IN THIS ISSUE
Syria
Students
CAR
Horror and hope in

a brutal conflict
A future for
persecuted Christian
communities
Helping Christians
survive the chaos
6.00
Breaking through
the Barriers
5.00
Leading Muslims to Christ
Why Christian
Women Convert
to Islam
Rosemary Sookhdeo
Rosemary Sookhdeo
How can we understand our Muslim friends

and neighbours so that we can share the
Gospel effectively with them? This book
discusses their religion, culture and practices
to find points of contact that will help Muslims
respond to the Christian Gospel and provides
crucial information on the differences between
Islam and Christianity.
Women are being attracted to Islam in

increasing numbers. The author explores the
reasons why they convert and highlights the
problems that they face. She examines the
issues confronting women who marry Muslims
and addresses the long-term implications of
conversion. This is an essential guide to a vital
topic for parents and church leaders.
ISBN: 9780982521816 | Cover: Paperback |

No. of pages: 160 | RRP: 8.99 | P & P: 2.99
ISBN: 9780978714116 | Cover: Paperback |

No. of pages: 125 | RRP: 7.99 | P & P: 2.99
To order these books, visit: barnabasfund.org/shop. Alternatively, please contact your nearest Barnabas Fund
office (addresses on back cover). Cheques for the UK should be made payable to Barnabas Books.
The paper used in this

publication comes from
sustainable forests and
can be 100% recycled.
Front cover: An aid distribution funded by Barnabas for displaced and vulnerable Christians in the
Central African Republic
To guard the safety of Christians in hostile environments, names may have been changed or omitted. Thank you for your understanding.
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are taken from the New International Version.
Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and obtain permission for stories and images used in this publication. Barnabas Fund
apologises for any errors or omissions and will be grateful for any further information regarding copyright.
Barnabas Fund 2014
WELCOME FROM
THE DIRECTOR
Struck down, but not destroyed

(2 Corinthians 4:9)
he Apostle Paul, writing his second letter to the

Corinthians, uses four emotive phrases in chapter
4 verses 8-9 to describe the conditions that he and
his colleagues had faced in their perilous mission. He uses
phrases drawn from either a military conflict or wrestling in
the sports arena.
First, he speaks of how they were hard pressed, literally attacked by an adversary who had pummelled them into
a corner, and they are now shattered. He uses, secondly, the
phrase we are perplexed, which can also mean lacking
in resources. He was confused not only as to what was
happening but also as to why God had allowed it to happen.
He now lacked the physical, psychological and spiritual resources to fight on. Thirdly, he speaks of being persecuted.
The meaning of the word here is to be hunted. Not only was
he now shattered, confused and devoid of resources, but
also his adversary is now stalking him, hunting him, waiting to pounce, to destroy him. Finally, he speaks of being
knocked down; a terrifying blow had struck him, and he lies
in an abject heap in the corner, unable to pick himself up. To
those looking on, he was now finished. He was defeated.
There was no way out.
But Paul not only uses these terms to describe his condition but also uses parallel terms to describe his response
to these four attacks. So whilst he was hard-pressed, he was
not crushed. Whilst he was perplexed, he was not in despair.
Whilst he was persecuted, he was not forsaken. Whilst he
was knocked down, he was not knocked out or destroyed. In
speaking of persecution he was thinking of his Master, who
in Johns Gospel (15:20) says that if people persecuted Him
they would also persecute His followers. Following in the
footsteps of his Master, persecution was a reality.
Pauls experience is replicated in the lives of many Christians undergoing difficulties of various kinds, who can testify to
the fact that, in the midst of extreme suffering, God kept them
from being crushed and destroyed.
We may reflect in light of these verses on current events
in places where the Church is under great pressure today. In
Nigeria, the Church faces acute challenges, particularly in the
aftermath of the kidnapping of more than 200 Christian girls.
So many Christians in northern Nigeria have died in recent
years; so many of their homes have been destroyed; so many
have fled. They are hard pressed. In Syria today, the Christian
community are perplexed. They have seen their beloved country
systematically destroyed. The stability and peace they used to
have are gone. Homs is devastated, Aleppo a battle-field. Syrian
Christians see no way out why has God allowed this? And
worse, they are lacking resources, whether physical, mental or
spiritual. Where is God, they ask? They are close to despair.
In Zanzibar, the meeting place of a Christian church made up
mainly of converts was destroyed on 9 May. Christian leaders
are targeted for assassination; Christians are forced into hiding as
their pursuers seek to kill them. They are persecuted. The Church
in Iraq is knocked down, overwhelmed. Will she survive?
And yet, Pauls words suggest that despite all of these
trials the Church will never be crushed. She will never be in
despair. She will never be forsaken. She will never be knocked
out. She is caught in a conflict. She has an adversary, and that
adversary is Satan. Jesus said, I will build my church and the
gates of hell will not prevail (Matthew 16:18, ESV). The promise of the Christian Gospel is that the Church will overcome; she
will be triumphant in the face of the most appalling suffering.
The experience of Paul was the experience of his Master
and is the experience of the Lords people even today.
Dr Patrick Sookhdeo
International Director
Dr Sookhdeo wrote this editorial while on sabbatical

from his duties as International Director.
Contents
4
Compassion in Action
Emergency relief for
displaced believers in CAR
Syria Update
Suffering Christians tell
their stories
Living in Babylon
Christian suffering and
final judgment
Pullout
8
Suffering Church Action Week
Staying faithful to Christ in
a hostile world
Project Update
Supporting persecuted
Christians in higher education
11
12
Newsdesk
Christian girl gang-raped in
Pakistan; mass kidnap of
schoolgirls in Nigeria
In Touch
Art, sale and fasting raise
funds for Barnabas
18
14
18
COMPASSION
IN ACTION
how barnabas
185,000 for basic needs
(US$311,706; 228,857)
62,901 for emergency
relief
(US$100,000; 77,225)
Helping the least

of these
Surviving
displacement
and loss
1,562 for motorbike

(US$2,638; 1,918)
Ministry on a
motorbike
Christians found refuge in

churches during the violence
Mary was extremely happy with the

emergency relief she and over 900
other Christian families received
from a church in Juba, South Sudan,
thanks to Barnabas Fund.
Thirty Christian university

students, who were on the verge
of quitting their studies because
of lack of funds, also received
support so they can complete
their education.
BARNABAS AID JULY/AUGUST 2014
She told one of the church members

that the food, sleeping mat and
blanket were greatly helping her
family after all their belongings were
looted during the violence that broke
out between supporters of two rival
politicians on 13 December 2013.
In the anarchy that followed, over
860,000 people, many of them
Christians, were displaced as they
fled from the violence.
The relief items are helping the
families survive as they live in harsh
conditions and without a home. John,
another recipient, was also very glad
to receive the food, as it will give him
time to find work to provide more
food for the family. He and his family
praised God for the practical help.
George can now minister more

easily
A new motorbike given by

Barnabas Fund is helping George,
an active Christian student
coordinator, stay in touch with a
rapidly growing number of study
groups scattered across the southwest region of Bangladesh.
Project reference
48-1171
We are supporting Christian

families with housing costs,
medicines, food and schooling
for their children, especially
those most affected by the recent
political turmoil as churches are
burnt down and families forced to
flee from some villages.
Project reference
11-220
Barnabas Fund is helping those

who are really in desperate need
in Egypt, a church leader told us.
He compared our help to that of
the righteous in the Matthew 25
parable who helped their fellow
believers, giving food to the
hungry, homes to the homeless
and care to the sick.
He can now reach these pockets

of Christians living in the
overwhelmingly Muslim country
much more easily to encourage
them in their faith.
Thanks to his hard work, the
number of study groups had
already grown from one to 14
in just four years. Now, with the
motorbike, he is planning on
starting new groups in a city 60
miles from his home church.
Project reference
04-640
Christians in Upper Egypt are

receiving support
is helping
COMPASSION
IN ACTION
Our brothers and sisters in Christ tell us time and again
how encouraged they are by the help they have received
from Barnabas Fund. Thank you for supporting them
in their time of need. On these and the following page
are just a selection of the many ways you are helping
persecuted Christians. Please pray as you read.
4,272 for Christian
training
(US$7,215; 5,245)
Teaching
from personal
experience
35,000 for survivors

of bombing
(US$58,971; 43,297)
2,994 for water pumps
in Pakistan
(US$5,057; 3,676)
Time to grieve
Water pumps
quench thirst
The teachers patiently
explained matters over and
over again
One of the widows with her

children
Much excitement about having

their own water source
The hand pumps, installed with

funds from Barnabas Fund, have
intentionally been placed on church
grounds so that entire congregations
can benefit from them. Especially
during the summer months, when
electricity regularly breaks down for
hours on end, the pumps are the
only water sources within several
miles for many of the church
members.
Another eleven pumps should be
installed in three districts of Punjab
province this year. The cost per
pump is 158.
Project reference
41-1160
Members of nine congregations

in Pakistan are overjoyed to have
clean drinking water on their
church premises.
This means that even though the

families breadwinners were killed
in this deadliest-ever attack on
Christians in Pakistan, the families
now have enough to eat and the
children can go to school. It also
gives them time to process the
trauma they experienced and to
grieve the loss of their loved
ones, comforted by the knowledge
that Christians around the world
are supporting them and praying
for them.
Another 18 families who were
affected by the bombing have
received help from Barnabas Fund
towards paying for their childrens
school and college fees or starting
up small businesses.
Project reference
00-345 (Victims of Violence Fund)
Seventeen widows, who lost their

husbands in the bombing of All
Saints Church in Peshawar, are
receiving monthly financial support
for one year from Barnabas Fund.
As her teachers were also all

Muslim-background believers and
local pastors, they could tailor the
course to the needs of the students,
homing in on basic Christian
doctrines and issues that confront
the students in their ministry. I liked
very much that there was free style
communication when we could
discuss all topics and come to
correct understanding of important
foundations of our faith, confirmed
Zarif, another student.
This study has opened my eyes
on many questions, added Zarina,
who ministers to children and young
people. Now I know how to explain
to people many spiritual things from
the Bible. I have got great experience
in understanding the Bible.
This project is now complete, but similar

projects can be supported with a gift to
our Leadership Training Fund (00-430).
They not only taught us but also

took care of all students, Dalina
said, referring to her teachers.
She had just completed a twoyear Barnabas Fund-sponsored
leadership training course for 60
Christians in Tajikistan, all of whom
are converts from Islam.
BARNABAS AID JULY/AUGUST 2014 5
COMPASSION
IN ACTION
bringing hope,
Bibles bring hope for the desolate

I was so happy and treasure this Word of God.
It brings me so much peace and hope, Uu Dee
KoMang, an elderly Christian woman in Burma
(Myanmar), said about a Kachin Bible she had
received through Barnabas Fund. She explained
why the Bible is so important to her.
She and her husband had eight children, but six
of them died, three of them before the age of one
from fever and diarrhoea. These diseases are
normally easily curable, but the family were unable
to access a clinic for treatment. At that time the
predominantly Christian Kachin minority were
being oppressed by the Burmese army, and they
were afraid to travel.
Around two years ago this nightmare started again
after 17 years of relative peace. The Burmese
army entered Uu Dees village and ordered
everyone to leave within the next hour and
never to come back. All the people in my village

panicked. We were so afraid, especially the older
ones who knew too well how brutal the Burmese
army can be.
I took some clothes and food and ran. I had a
very old, heavy Bible but did not bring it with me; it
was too heavy. Later, I deeply regretted not taking
it, because the Bible always gives me hope.
Several weeks ago Uu Dee received a new Bible
in the relocation camp. Barnabas Fund had paid
for the transporting into Burma of 45,000 Kachin
Bibles and 10,000 Lisu study Bibles.
My most favourite Bible passage is on the
resurrection of Jesus. I know that when I get
to heaven, all my children will be there and
we will be reunited forever. No more pain and
sicknesses.
Uu Dees new Bible gives her much solace
17,063 for transporting Bibles into

Burma (US$28,824; 20,934)
This project is now complete, but similar
projects can be supported with a gift to
our Christian Literature Fund (00-360).
Son leads Muslim mother to Christ

Zemphira from Tajikistan was a Muslim until
her 13-year-old son came back from a Christian
summer camp. He had been profoundly affected
there by the teachings of Aigul, a full-time
Christian worker whom Barnabas Fund is
supporting for two years.
much and Aigul suggested to me that she can

lead the same lessons with adults, too. I invited
her in my home. They started having regular
meetings, reading the Bible and praying. In
September I asked God to forgive my sins and He
gave me peace in my heart.
I saw that he had changed very much,

Zemphira relates. He started to help me at
home, stopped fighting with other children in
the yard. He sang many songs about Jesus in
home. She asked him what he had learnt. He
told me that all people are sinful and me too.
He told me what I need to do so that God can
forgive my sins.
Zemphiras brother-in-law, a mullah, has tried to

stop them from meeting, but Zemphira prays that
he and all her relatives will soon find the truth.
Zemphira decided to come along to one of Aiguls

childrens Bible studies with her son. I liked it very
Besides leading the childrens Bible studies and

camps, Aigul also teaches Christian handicraft
lessons twice a week in a school. Through her
childrens work, she has established contacts
with several more Muslim families, who are
opening up to Christ.
Aigul (left), a Barnabas-funded Christian

worker, with Zemphira and her son
2,310 for Christian worker in

Tajikistan (US$3,902; 2,834)
Project reference 00-477

(Pastor Support Fund)
COMPASSION
IN ACTION
transforming lives
Survival in times of disaster
This [kit] will bring us

a little happiness as
our kitchen utensils
were burned together
with the house
Aid was given to the most vulnerable families
y wife will be the happiest

person for the kitchen utensils,
and my children will be happy
for the cartons of milk and other foods. said
Pastor Abel. His family was one of 589 displaced
Christian families in the Central African Republic
(CAR) who received emergency relief paid for by
Barnabas Fund. Another 99 Christians, mainly
elderly and disabled, and an orphanage also
received bags of food.
The aid is helping make the Christians lives
more bearable in the makeshift displaced
peoples camps where they are living. Many fled
from their homes carrying nothing as they tried
to escape the violence that erupted in December
2013 between the Seleka, an Islamist militia,
and the anti-balaka groups that oppose them.
This [kit] will bring us a little happiness as our

kitchen utensils were burned together with the
house, our Barnabas Fund partner was told by
Michel, whose family received a kit containing
food and basic household items such as a water
bucket, cooking pot, jerry can, cup, detergent
and antiseptic soap, and also a Bible.
Michel added, My little brother and my own son
were murdered by Seleka of my neighbourhood.
Muslims fired a shell onto the roof of the church
which is right behind my house. My house was
burnt down with all its contents. I was left with
the clothes I have on me.
All the families receiving aid have lost one or
more of their members, many at the hands of
the Seleka. After seizing control of Christian-
majority CAR in March 2013, they went on a

rampage, looting, raping and killing thousands
of Christians.
Our partner says that the families are very
excited and grateful to Barnabas Fund because
they did not hesitate for a moment to come to
their aid in times of disaster.
30,754 for survival kits

(US$51,951; 35,985)
Project reference 105-1172
SYRIA UPDATE
CRIES FROM THE CONFLICT ZONE

Syrian Christians speak out
Syrias brutal civil conflict, now in
its fourth year, remains in stalemate.
Deadly violence continues to ravage
many parts of the country, with no end
clearly in sight. Christians continue to
be at particular risk from Islamists, who
often deliberately target them.
The dire humanitarian crisis in the country is likely
only to worsen in the coming months. It is feared that
an expected drought in the region could result in a
record low wheat harvest, and the UNs World Food
Programme announced in April that because donor
countries have failed to fulfil their aid pledges, it has
been forced to cut the size of food parcels given to
Syria by a fifth.
This article discusses the condition of Christians in
five locations Aleppo, Kessab, Kharaba, Maaloula
and Homs and includes testimonies from some
of them. The words of our persecuted brothers and
sisters in these places speak both of horror and of
hope. They tell of dire events and destroyed lives, but
they also reveal profound trust in the Lord and deep
thankfulness for the prayers and support of their
Christian family around the world.
Aleppo
Christians and other residents of Syrias largest

city have continued to suffer terribly. Aleppo,
a key battleground, has seen intense fighting
and bombardment. Barrel bombs have caused
widespread devastation, and civilians are
being killed and injured by mortar fire, rockets
and snipers.
The battle for Aleppo has led to desperate
shortages of essentials, as supply routes into
the city have often been blocked off. One of our
project partners, Dr Jany Haddad, wrote on 22
April, People here are in a miserable and
unbearable situation. For seven days there

has been no electricity, total darkness.
Very little water. No fuel. Just a tiny road
has been opened to move in some food.
Most people are hopeless, helpless. At
the time of writing, Aleppos taps have been dry for
They were
horrible, terrible
hours in my memory. I
lost everything. But praise
the Lord I still have my
family members with me
and we can start
new steps.
Aleppo
Kessab
Wadi al-Nasara
Victim of the Kessab

invasion
Displaced Christians from Kessab
The unexpected
nature of this
attack caused many of
Kharabas residents to enter
a state of shock. Memory of
the recent events continues
to cause many to fear
immediate return to
their homes.
Aid for families displaced from
Kharaba
Maaloula
Kharaba
Barnabas partner
more than a week; rebel fighters have shut down

the generators that pump the citys water supply
from its only source, the Euphrates River. Last year,
Barnabas helped to build 14 wells in Aleppo to
help ensure that believers have a constant supply
of clean water at times such as this. This year the
city authorities requested that water from these
wells also be distributed to other parts of the city, so
many other war-affected civilians will also benefit.
Many Christians have been forced to flee
Aleppo. It is estimated that of a pre-war Christian
population of around 450,000, only around
180,000 believers are left. Just three or four
senior church leaders have been able to remain,
where once around 15 lived in the city.
Kessab
Homs
Kessab, a Christian town in north-west Syria

that had remained relatively safe, once provided
a place of refuge for the displaced. But when

Islamist militants seized the town, this safe
haven became a front line.
Rebel fighters from Sham al-Islam, Ansar alSham and al-Nusra Front, a group linked to alQaeda, attacked Kessab on 21 March. Around
3,000 Armenian Christian residents fled for their
lives. One displaced believer said, We left
our places semi-naked, with no money

in our pockets, we forgot even to take
our ID cards or our personal documents
and official papers for our houses
and lands. The Christians took refuge in
neighbouring Latakia and Bassit.
The trauma of the Armenians ordeal has been

compounded by the involvement of Turkey; the
country allowed hundreds of Islamist militants to
cross its border to attack Kessab. The Armenian
SYRIA UPDATE
Many thanks for standing by me
and all of us here in Aleppo and
Syria through your sincere supportive
prayers. I dont have enough words to
extend my gratefulness for His
protection and for your prayers.
Dr Jany Haddad, a Barnabas
partner in Aleppo
Christians in Aleppo
collect food parcels
What the church did through you was to root

the Christian presence in this region.
Barnabas church partner
Qamishly
We appreciate a lot the role that

you are playing in spreading peace
and safety all over Syria, defending the
rights of Christians here to make our
voices heard (the voice of the orphans, the
homeless mothers, the injured, the martyrs
families, the voice of right to the tough
hearts that wanted Syria to be destroyed).
We believe that God is with us and He will
spread peace and good in our
country soon.
Syria
Senior church leader from Homs
Displaced Christians receive blankets

and heaters from Barnabas
At first we thought we
could survive it and all
we had to do was hang in there
a while longer and all would be
over. But what happened a few
days later proved us wrong.
Our family was ripped to pieces
when we lost our
youngest son
A Christian father from
Maaloula
Committee of America said that the attack was

a horrifying and bitter reminder of the Armenian
genocide. Between 1894 and 1923, more than
1.5 million Armenian and Assyrian Christians
died as a result of the murderous policies of the
Turkish Ottoman government.
An elderly victim of the Kessab attack said,
We used to hear from our parents about

the Genocide and how it was chaos
and a terrible event, and we could not
understand them. Now just ask me and
I'll paint one of the most awful, horrible
pictures ever painted.
Kharaba
Up to 350 families were driven from their homes

in a shock attack on Kharaba, a Christian village
in Sweida province. The attack on 23 April
followed the disappearance of a young Christian
Some believers from Maaloula fled to Wadi alNasara, where Barnabas is feeding hundreds of
Christian families
man; eight houses were torched, including the

home of the missing mans father, who had
stood up to the attackers.
The fighters kidnapped 49 Christian men. The
local bishop helped to negotiate the release of all
but around half a dozen of those kidnapped, but it
is not known what has happened to the others.
On 27 April, the Syrian army drove the rebels
out of Kharaba. A few families have started to
return, but as our partners words show (see
map), the attack has caused great distress
among the community.
Maaloula
At least seven Christians were killed when this

historic Christian village was invaded by alQaeda-linked rebels last September. The village
was quickly recaptured by regime forces but was
seized by Islamist fighters for a second time in

December 2013.
On 10 March, 13 nuns and three other women
who were kidnapped by rebels in the second
attack were released as part of a prisoner
swap deal. Government troops then recaptured
Maaloula on 14 April.
The initial invasion forced most of Maaloulas
3,000 residents to flee to Damascus and the
surrounding areas. Although many of the
displaced are keen to go home, some have
very little left to which to return. Homes were
looted and burned, and Christian sites were
badly damaged, defaced, looted or altogether
destroyed. Several historic churches were
among the targets.
SYRIA UPDATE
A Christian father from Maaloula who took refuge

in Wadi al-Nasara (Valley of the Christians),
described the horror of the first invasion:
The fire was coming from everywhere.
And we could barely leave the house to
get our basic needs. At first we thought we
could survive it But what happened a
few days later proved us wrong. Our family
was ripped to pieces when we lost our
youngest son to a stray bullet that killed
him immediately.
Through the unbearable pain and guilt
we (my wife and two boys) left everything
behind and moved out to the valley area to
rent a shared house with other two families.
I lost everything. My wife suffered a severe
breakdown after our sons death and we
lost our decent life. Now we are one of three
families living in one house that is divided
up each family lives in a room.
Homs
By early 2014 only a few dozen members of

Homs once 60,000-strong Christian population
remained, held as a human shield in the
rebel-held Old City and dying, one by one, of
deprivation and disease. When many of the
group were released in evacuations earlier this
year, stories emerged of the intense suffering the
believers had endured, both as a result of severe
shortages and at the hands of the rebels.
On 7 May, the remaining rebels were cleared
out from Homs. Some displaced Christians now
plan to go home, but many will return to find their
homes destroyed, their possessions looted and
great hostility to Christians. For example, one
Christian couples home is now an empty shell
with no windows, doors or furniture; only two
laundry baskets and some photos were left by the
looters. Yet they are determined to return,
with His blessing and the help of those
who helped us when we were displaced
and miserable.
How can I help?

Pray Please pray for all those whose words appear in this article,
their families and the wider Syrian Christian community. Ask the Lord
to keep them safe, meet all their material needs and be their comfort
and strength throughout all they endure. Pray also for all Syrians
suffering in the conflict.
Give Barnabas has been able to help around 10% of Syrias remaining
Christian population, but the needs extend far further. We are helping
Christians from or in all the locations mentioned in this article. Please
consider giving a gift to project number 00-1032 to support our work.
Sponsor a child When Christians suffer violence and hardship
as described in this article, it is often their children who suffer the most.
Barnabas child sponsorship scheme provides for the basic needs of
vulnerable children from Christian families. We are so grateful to the
supporters who are already sponsoring 690 Syrian Christian children;
your support is making a world of difference to young lives.
We still need sponsors for 1,310 children. Just 18 on average covers
the basic needs of one Syrian child; could you be a lifeline for them?*
* Sponsors receive a prayer card with a photo and details of one child
they can pray for, as well as a twice-yearly newsletter. Because of security
concerns, direct contact between sponsors and children is not possible.
To begin sponsoring a child, please use the form on p. 19, giving the project reference
00-1147 and using the I would like to give regularly box. You can also set up a
regular gift at www.barnabasfund.org or by contacting your nearest Barnabas office
(addresses on back cover).
This article was written in May 2014 and reflects conditions in Syria at that time.
10 BARNABAS AID JULY/AUGUST 2014
How generous
Thou art O Lord!
A volunteer who distributed aid from Barnabas
described the reaction of one beneficiary:
Immediately the tears went down from
her eyes and she started crying aloud.
She led me to a very humble kitchen with
shelves and refrigerator empty of food
apart from a packet of bread.
I heard the woman saying, with tears
falling down, Thank you Lord, because
from nowhere and from empty kitchen
I can now buy some food. She then
shouted loud, How generous Thou art O
Lord! She then started thanking God for
all those who made this possible for her
family and so many others. I heard her
saying in a faint voice, I can buy food, my
eye drops and a bottle of cooking gas!
Last year, Barnabas Fund sent almost

2.2 million in aid for Syrian Christians. It
was used for the following:
It was used as follows:
1,793,800
for regular monthly food, medicines

and other basic needs
209,370
for winter relief
93,710
to help provide a shelter for

displaced families
48,040
for emergency assistance for victims

of attacks on Christian areas
20,190
for water wells
15,780
to train Christians in how to counsel

traumatised children
8,880
to support Christian children who have

lost one or both parents in the conflict
6,370
for baby milk for under-twos
LIVING IN
BABYLON
Living in Babylon
Faithful to Christ in a
hostile world
he first letter of Peter in the New Testament is written to sustain and direct
the faith and discipleship of Christians
facing persecution. Its message applies not
only to the more severe forms of anti-Christian hostility experienced by some 10% of
believers around the world today, but also to
the more subtle kinds of antagonism suffered
by Christians in the West. In fact, the context
it addresses is more similar in some respects
to the Western one.
Whether persecution is limited to social
pressure or involves deliberate discrimination,
harassment or violence, its purpose is essentially the same: to shame and bully us into
forsaking our Christian beliefs and lifestyle
and resuming our old ways. The derision and

rejection that we face from wider society result
from our being citizens of heaven and therefore
exiles on earth, foreigners in a land that is not
our own, whose values and customs are different from those of our neighbours. Our condition is summarised in the name Babylon
(5:13), which in 1 Peter is probably a symbolic
reference to Rome and identifies its empire as
the place of exile for Gods people.
In these challenging circumstances, 1
Peter provides its readers with encouragement
to persevere in our Christian faith and discipleship and offers us guidance in how to do so.
In this issue we continue our series of pull-out
supplements reflecting on its teaching.
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LIVING IN
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1 Peter 4
In earlier chapters, the letter explains the status of Christians as Gods new people and
our resulting hope of salvation in Christ, and it calls us to a lifestyle that reflects that
standing and expectation. In the central section (from 2:11), it applies this general appeal
to specific areas of life, calling us to conduct ourselves well among unbelievers and to
handle unjust suffering in the right way. The first eleven verses of chapter 4 conclude this
section with instructions on how to live within a hostile culture (verses 1-6) and among
ourselves (verses 7-11).
The last main section begins at verse 12, as the letter picks up the theme of Christian
suffering and sets it in the context of Gods final judgment. These verses show us how
to face anti-Christian hostility and the sufferings that follow from it in light of this wider
perspective and encourage us to entrust ourselves to God.
tion
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The previous passage has referred to the unjust sufferings of Christ and described His
victory over the cosmic forces of evil. The letter now applies this teaching to the lives
of the readers. It encourages them to do the will of God, in contrast to the customs of
their society, and despite the abuse that follows, in light of Gods final judgment.
Christs death has removed the readers sin once and for all, and for this reason they
are to make a decisive break with their past sinful lives. In other words, they are to renounce the evil human desires that once controlled them and to live instead in obedience
to Gods will. They have spent enough time doing what pagans like to do, in a lifestyle
of debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry (verse 3).
This clean break with the past is still required of Christian converts today, whatever our religious and moral background may be. Not everyones pre-Christian past was
marked by such public and grievous sins as those listed here, and not all of us bowed
down to carved or cast images in shrines. But all of us failed rightly to honour the true
God, and gave our devotion instead to other objects of worship, and as a result God gave
us all over to the sinful desires of our hearts. But because Christs death has finally dealt
with our sin, we are now to live differently, doing the will of God.
The problem is that this change of lifestyle brings insults down upon us. When we
conform to societys standards, it does not oppose us, but by becoming Christians and refusing to conform any longer, we are in effect devaluing and condemning those standards.
Societys disapproval is therefore inevitable; people who still accept the immorality that
marks unbelieving society will be first surprised at our refusal to join in with it, and then
abusive. This hostility inevitably puts pressure on us to revert to our former way of life.
But the letter immediately makes clear that this is the wrong course of action. People
who live in that sinful way and who reject and afflict Christians for living in Gods way
will be accountable to God, who stands ready to judge both the living and the dead. The
text implies (though it does not explicitly say) that such people will in turn be rejected and
condemned by God. If we associate ourselves with them by reverting to our old lifestyle,
we will bring this sentence upon ourselves at the judgment.
On the other hand, to persevere in our Christian conduct is to guarantee a better
verdict. Yes, we suffer the divine judgment of physical death like everyone else, and by
the human standards of our contemporaries our lifestyle may thus appear to be futile. But
because the Gospel was preached even to those Christians who have since died, we know
that this judgment and death are not the last word; we will be vindicated before God when
He raises us to new life in the Spirit.
Christian values and behaviour are always in tension, and often in open conflict, with
those of non-Christian societies. So those who live in obedience to Gods will, whether
in the West or elsewhere, are bound to attract the bewilderment and rejection of others,
especially in contexts where social unity and conformity are highly valued. But although
our Christian lifestyle is censured by other people, it is approved by God. They may inflict suffering upon us and write us off, but God will condemn them and vindicate us at
the judgment. Despite the persecution we experience now, we have the best of reasons to
maintain our distinctiveness.
Thr
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Lies
Abused for following Christ
Ali Touahir, a former Muslim
from Tizi Ouzou in Algeria,
gave his life to Christ in 2012.
But his wife was strongly
opposed to his new faith, and
in June 2013 she left him,
taking their seven-year-old
daughter; she said that she did
not want Ali to poison [the
girl] with his Christian ideas.
Her brothers persuaded her
to seek a divorce, and one of
them openly threatened to kill
him. Her lawyer wrote to the
court, It is not possible that
my client remain under the
same roof with a man who
has renounced his religion.
At a hearing in January 2014,
the judge suggested that Ali
renounce his Christian faith,
but he boldly refused.
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Adamus mother raised him as

a Muslim in Central Africa, but
after he was orphaned he became
a Christian. When his uncle
invited Adamu to live with him,
he asked the boy to perform the
Islamic ablutions and come to
the mosque. Adamu said that
he did not want to be a Muslim,
and when his uncle persisted,
he collected all his belongings
and left the house. Adamu
escaped to another relative and
told her he was running away
from Islam, and he started doing
petty business by the roadside to
make a living. His uncle rebuked
him for bringing shame on the
family, but Adamu stood firm.
The Message of 1 Peter
Living in a hostile culture (4:1-6)
Making the break
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LIVING IN
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Hospitality for the rejected
Debbie comes from a strict

Muslim family, but after she
moved to the UK, she began
to attend church and became a
Christian. She was staying with
her aunt, but when she told her
father about her conversion, she
found herself thrown out on the
streets; he even sent his friends
to abduct her and take her back
home. Hungry and homeless,
Debbie cried out to God to give
her a new family, and a few
minutes later her phone rang. A
couple from her church invited
her for lunch, and when they
found she had nowhere to live,
they gave her a room in their
house. They got her a Bible in
her own language, answered her
questions and helped her to grow
in her new faith. Later, when she
was kidnapped, wounded and
threatened with death if she did
not return to Islam, she had the
courage and strength to refuse.
She is now an evangelist among
Muslims in another country.
Living with each other (4:7-11)
The central section of the letter draws to a close with instructions that deal mainly with the
internal life of the churches; that is, on the conduct of Christians towards one another. In a
context of rejection and hostility from wider society, this section is directed to the building up of the Christian community as a source of strength and protection for its members.
Christians can stand firm in the face of persecution much more easily when they belong
to healthy and supportive congregations.
The passage begins with an announcement that the end of the age is near. It is at this
time that God will judge the living and the dead, vindicating His people and condemning
their enemies, as described in the previous paragraph. It is therefore vital that Christians
be ready for it, and therefore we are to be clear-minded and alert, seeing our life in the
light of the impending end and acting accordingly. This kind of discipline will enable us
to pray effectively for power and guidance to endure our sufferings without wavering. It
will also equip us to relate properly to one another as that great day approaches.
The letter goes on to list some of the characteristics of these right relationships.
First and foremost among them is earnest, fervent love for one another, because this will
generate forgiveness of the many acts and kinds of sin that believers can commit against
each other, not least when they are under pressure because of their faith. Also required is
ungrudging hospitality towards one another, by which we provide support for brothers
and sisters who have experienced rejection from a hostile society, or perhaps for Christian
leaders who travel around building up the churches in the face of persecution.
God also gives gifts to His people for them to serve one another, as stewards of His
varied grace. Two examples are given of this mutual ministry: someone who utters inspired
speech, who is to make sure that s/he is speaking Gods words, and someone who serves,
who must do so in the strength that God supplies. Gifts are to be used in this way so that
it is God who is glorified by them, through Jesus Christ, who makes it possible for us to
praise God. And in light of this, the section closes appropriately with an acknowledgment
of Gods eternal glory and power.
Self-controlled and sober living, love and forgiveness, hospitality, serving others with
the gifts God has given us: all these promote the cohesion and strength of our churches
and provide Christians with the unity and stability that we need to face the disapproval
and abuse of our societies. As we give glory to the exalted and sovereign God through
Jesus Christ, we are enabled by Him to stand firm to the end.
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ution
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Suffering and judgment (4:12-19)
Thr
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The last main section of the letter begins here, with teaching specifically focused on the
sufferings of Christians in the perspective of Gods final judgment. The paragraph contains two sets of commands; each of these is supported by its own reasons; and they are
followed by a concluding word of exhortation.
In the first set of commands, the readers are urged not to be surprised at the fiery
ordeal of persecution that is taking place among them as a test for them, as though a strange
thing were happening to them. In fact, this is only to be expected. The burning fire of Gods
judgment has now been kindled on the earth; we Christians experience this in the form of
persecution, and its purpose is to test us, as metal is tested in a furnace. This testing has
to happen to us, because it is only those who have been tested and found genuine whom
God will finally number among His people.
But remarkably, persecution is not only to be expected; it is also reason for rejoicing.
It was the vocation of Christ to be afflicted by others, so when the same happens to us as
His people, we share in His sufferings. But just as through those sufferings He enters into
glory, so also will we; when the greatness and perfection of God are openly disclosed to
the world in Christ, they will also be revealed in us. The abuse that we receive as Christians
is a sign of Gods blessing in the present too, because it shows that Gods Spirit abides
with us, and the Spirit gives us a share even now in the glory we shall later experience to
the full. The promise and presence of Gods glory within and among us are good reasons
for us to rejoice in our persecutions.
The second set of commands begins with the instruction that none of the readers
should suffer as a murderer, a thief or a criminal, or as a busybody. The kind of suffering
that will come upon us if we behave in any of these ways reveals nothing good about us,
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BARNABAS AID JULY/AUGUST 2014 iii
LIVING IN
BABYLON
and we should not seek to attract it. But if it is as a Christian that one of us suffers, we
are not to be ashamed of our Christian identity by compromising or denying it. On
the contrary, we are to maintain that identity by glorifying God, acknowledging His
mighty and holy presence among us in what we say and how we live.
The reason given for these instructions is that the time has come to begin (Gods)
judgment from the household of God. The persecution that we suffer is intended to test
whether we are really Gods people; if we come through the fire with our faith intact,
then He will find in our favour. But what then will be the end of those who disobey
the Gospel? If even a righteous person can be saved only with difficulty, by enduring
persecution, what can be expected for those who reject God and His will? The implication is that they will be consumed in the fire.
It is very unpleasant for Christians to be despised and maligned, whether mildly
as in the West, or severely as in other parts of the world, and such suffering inevitably
puts us under pressure to renounce our Christian identity. But this passage tells us that
even at such a cost it is worthwhile for us to persist. Yes, we have to suffer the fiery
ordeal of Gods judgment in the form of persecution, but if we are faithful and obedient
we will come through it, whereas the unbelieving and rebellious will not.
The conclusion of the argument is that those who suffer according to Gods will
should entrust their lives to a faithful Creator in doing good. God made us, and He is
loyal to us as His people. So as we endure His judgment in the form of persecutions
as He has decreed that we must, we can trust Him with our very selves, knowing
that He will bring us through. We do this by persisting in what He has told us to do:
confessing our faith and living it out; to do that when we have to suffer for it is really
to trust Him. This is Gods calling to His people in their experience of persecution,
however mild or severe it may be.
Persisting through
persecution
In Northern Nigeria, the

militant Islamist group Boko
Haram has launched a major
terror campaign to establish
an Islamic state. They have
mounted numerous attacks
on churches at worship, and
thousands of Christians are
estimated to have died at their
hands. Yet still Christians
insist that they will continue
to meet, and in some places
their services are full of joyful
singing, rousing preaching and
focused prayer. A Christian
mother of two said simply,
The Bible teaches me that
we should have faith in God.
This is our town. This is our
home. This is where we should
worship, so we feel very free.
Conclusion
Living in Babylon the place of exile for Gods people is a tough challenge for
Christians, especially those who are severely persecuted for their faith. But the fourth
chapter of 1 Peter provides guidance and perspectives to enable us to deal with the
hostility and pressure that we face at its hands.
First, the chapter continues to apply the earlier appeal for the kind of lifestyle
that reflects our status and hope as Gods people to specific areas of life. In relation to
our hostile culture, we are to make a clean break with our past sinful lives and resist
the resulting social pressure to revert to them, in light of Gods coming judgment. And
in relation to each other, we are to prepare ourselves for the impending end of the age
by building up our churches and binding them together, so that we can stand firm in
the face of societys disapproval and abuse.
Secondly, the chapter expounds the nature of Christian suffering and the proper
response to it in the context of final judgment. Persecution is to be expected, but it is
also ground for rejoicing, as it testifies to our sharing Gods glory now and in the future.
It represents the beginning of Gods fiery judgment, but if we maintain our Christian
identity in the face of it we will finally be vindicated, while the fire will consume His
enemies. So we are to trust ourselves to God by continuing to do His will.
Barnabas fund hope and aid for the persecuted church

UK
9 Priory Row, Coventry CV1 5EX
Telephone 024 7623 1923
Fax 024 7683 4718
From outside the UK
Telephone +44 24 7623 1923
Fax +44 24 7683 4718
Email info@barnabasfund.org
Registered Charity Number 1092935
Company Registered in England
Number 4029536
iv
New Zealand
PO Box 27 6018, Manukau City,
Auckland, 2241
Telephone (09) 280 4385 or 0800 008 805
Email office@barnabasfund.org.nz
Australia
PO Box 3527
Loganholme QLD 4129
Telephone (07) 3806 1076 or 1300 365799
Fax (07) 3806 4076
Email bfaustralia@barnabasfund.org
Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

PO Box 354, Bangor, BT20 9EQ
Telephone 028 91 455 246
or 07867 854604
Email krisb@barnabasfund.org
USA
6731 Curran St, McLean, VA 22101
Telephone (703) 288-1681
or toll-free 1-866-936-2525
Fax (703) 288-1682
Email usa@barnabasaid.org
International Headquarters
The Old Rectory, River Street, Pewsey,
Wiltshire SN9 5DB, UK
Telephone 01672 564938
Fax 01672 565030
From outside UK
Telephone +44 1672 564938
Fax +44 1672 565030
Scotland
Barnabas Fund Scotland, PO Box 2084,
Livingston, EH54 0EZ
Email scotland@barnabasfund.org
SUFFERING
CHURCH
ACTION WEEK
Living in Babylon
Faithful to Christ in a
hostile world
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Action Week, Barnabas Fund is calling on all

Christians to join us in offering practical and
spiritual support to our brothers and sisters in
Christ who suffer most severely because of
their faith in Him, to help them withstand the
persecutions that they face. The week also
provides an opportunity to build ourselves up in
our own faith, so we too can resist the pressure
to fall away.
The New Testament uses the name Babylon

to refer to the Roman Empire as a place of
exile and suffering for Gods people. And today,
Christians everywhere live in our own Babylons,
experiencing various levels of contempt, rejection
and hostility for Christs sake.
The words above represent some of the

many ways in which you could get involved in
Suffering Church Action Week. Barnabas Fund
will provide the resources you need for your
event, whether it is a Suffering Church Sunday
church service, a childrens event, a prayer
meeting or a fundraiser.
Insult
But we are called to stay faithful to Christ in our

hostile world. In this years Suffering Church
Available resources will include:

An A3 poster to advertise your event
Prayer materials
A DVD with resources relating to our work
Childrens resources
A sermon outline and Bible study
A money box for collecting donations
ion
Opposit
Christians, we are exiles here on

earth, living in a land that is not
our heavenly home. As a result,
we are often despised and rejected because our
values and practices are different from those
of wider society. In many parts of the world
Christians suffer discrimination, harassment and
violence, and even in the West we face social
pressure to water down or abandon our faith.
Look out for further details of these free

resources in the September/October issue of
Barnabas Aid magazine. In the meantime, visit
www.livinginbabylon.org to find out more.
Force
d
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*or any other week that suits your churchs calendar
Our persecuted brothers and sisters need our

prayers and support, and Suffering Church
Action Week is the perfect time to raise
awareness and reach out to them. Dont miss
out on your chance to make a difference.
PROJECT
UPDATE
aduating
Gr
w it h a
Mission
to study
Enabling Christians
at tertiary level
proclaim
I have committed to
rsity.
His name in the unive
ristian
There are very few Ch
ent, so
students in my departm
I started my Master of
Science
glorify
with a goal that I will
is name.
His name and only H
for
He has really used me
best time of
This training was the
ining I was
my life. Before this tra
t nobody loved
frustrated and though
ly
me. But God very clear
His name. Erica
spoke to
and totally
me through His Word
Adwin
.
changed my direction
have a love in my heart for my

community, especially for students,
Asif told a visiting Barnabas Fund
staff member in Pakistan. I want to help them
financially and teach them free of cost. I trust
God will help me. I [also] want to get a good
knowledge of Islam to help students know what is
wrong about Islam.
his newly acquired professional expertise, he can

now help his Christian community as he wanted to.
When Asif spoke those words he was a student

himself. Now, as a graduate in accountancy, he is
one of scores of Christians in Africa, Asia and the
Middle East who have completed a tertiary degree
thanks to a scholarship from Barnabas Fund. With
Barnabas Fund knows how much Christian

communities can be strengthened if a few
of their members attend university. The
graduates can give the communities a voice.
They can also use their expertise to resource,
Champions of their community
I would like to be a spokesperson for Christians

in the future, Andrew, a medical student
in Lahore said. Muslims are afraid of welleducated Christians.
empower, strengthen and protect their Christian

communities, giving trustworthy services at
minimal cost. Law graduates, for example,
can defend them when they are wrongfully
accused; accountants can recognise when
they are being cheated on financially; and
business administration graduates can assist
in self-sufficiency and income generation
projects. Engineers can help to build homes
and churches, and medical staff can give free or
reasonably priced treatment to Christians who
are sick or injured. The support provided by a
few scholarships can transform a beleaguered
Christian community.
PROJECT
UPDATE
e
Your support has mad
my
a significant impact in
hope
life now that I have a
for
which had eluded me
could
over two years when I
Rose
not go to school.
At medical school I was the only Christian

together with one other Christian student out
of a group of 100 students. In Luke Jesus says
that Christians should be the salt of the world. In
Pakistan we are very small in number, so we can
truly be called salt. This gave me enthusiasm to
Andrew
be clear about my faith.
Transcending humiliation
Another way in which Barnabas Fund is helping

Christian students in Bangladesh and Pakistan
is through support for student ministries. The
weekly Bible studies and annual camps that
these ministries offer help the students to get
a thorough grounding in their faith. This helps
them stand strong in a vast sea of Islam.
to
They have the right
should
preach to us. But we
k about
have the right to spea
difficult
our faith as well. Its
ey are
to live with them if th
. Asif
always preaching at us
(clockwise from top centre):

Rose from Uganda, Andrew,
Erica and Asif from Pakistan, and
Adwin from Bangladesh have all
had part of their university fees
paid by Barnabas Fund
Vision for the future
Our support is also enabling young, talented

Christians to serve God in any context where God
has called them to work.
My vision is to serve the Lord with all my heart.
Christ died for me, I will live the rest of my life
glorifying Him, wrote Rose, who is close to
I would like to be a spokesperson

for Christians in the future
Andrew, a medical student in Pakistan
Its difficult to be a Christian here, Asif
continued. Like most Christian students in
Pakistan, he was the only Christian in many of
his classes, or was with only one other Christian.
We have to face a lot of questions and endure
humiliating words. The teachers preach at us.
obtaining a diploma in secretarial studies at

Kampala University, thanks to a grant from
Barnabas Fund. With my professional skills and
spiritual gifts I would like to support [a pastor] to
establish a church in Iganga Town, where I
come from.
The camps are vital to many of the students who

attend. Their communities are likely to rely on
them to take spiritual leadership roles later in life
alongside their professional jobs, and the camps
equip and inspire them, and help them
to prepare.
Rose, who comes from a Muslim-majority town,

converted from Islam to Christianity several years
ago. Her family became very hostile and disowned
her, refusing to support her financially. Without a
grant from Barnabas Fund, she would not have
been able to pay for her studies. I am very much
delighted to be a student with your support. It has
made a significant impact in my life, she adds.
If I had missed this training I would not have

been able to understand my purpose in life,
Adwin from Bangladesh said after following a
training session for student leaders. Now I am
fully committed to serving my local church and
Bible study group and to help other students
develop their spiritual life journey.
Through Roses patient witnessing and exemplary

lifestyle, her mother has already given her life to
Christ. Her vision is for the future is clear: she
prays that her entire family will come to know
Christ and that a strong church will be established
in her home town.
00-1031
(Students' Fund)
NEWSDESK
MASS KIDNAPPING OF SCHOOLGIRLS

BY ISLAMISTS
NIGERIA More than 250 girls
were kidnapped by Islamist group
Boko Haram in a night-time raid on
a boarding school in a predominantly
Christian town in Northern Nigeria.
Militants stormed the Government
Girls Secondary School in Chibok,
Borno state, on the night of 14 April.
They herded the girls on to trucks
and took them away. They also set
the school ablaze and looted and
torched houses and shops.
A Christian leader said that
most of the kidnapped girls were
members of the Church of the
Brethren in Nigeria. More than 40 of
them managed to escape, but at the
time of writing it is believed that 230
are still missing. At least some are
thought to have been sold as wives
to members of the Islamist group
and moved to neighbouring Chad
and Cameroon.
The group appears to be putting
into practice Quranic verses that
grant Muslims the right to take, as
spoils of war, female non-Muslims as
slaves. According to the Quran and
sharia, they have sexual rights over
these captives and can take them as
wives or concubines. Although they
may not enslave their fellow-Muslims,
a non-Muslim who converts to Islam
remains a slave. Girls and women
kidnapped by Boko Haram are
The girls were abducted from the Government Girls Secondary

School in Borno state (shown here)
often forced to convert and to marry

militants; they are also subjected to
year, specifically threatened to

target schoolgirls.
Boko Haram-related violence claimed 1,500

lives in the first three months of 2014 alone
physical and sexual violence. After
issuing a general threat to Christian
women in March 2012, the group,
in a video released in March this
As well as kidnappings, the

Islamists are continuing to launch
deadly attacks against Christians and
other targets. Boko Haram-related
violence claimed 1,500 lives in the

first three months of 2014 alone and
hundreds in just a few days in May.
The group is fighting to establish an
Islamic state in the North of Nigeria.
Christians are also being attacked
by ethnic Fulani Muslim herdsmen. At
least 119 people were killed in attacks
on three Christian villages in Kaduna
state, Northern Nigeria, on the night
of 14-15 March. Scores of herdsmen
armed with guns and machetes
descended on the villages of Ugwar
Sankwai, Ungwar Gata and Chenshyi,
torching homes and churches. Only a
handful of properties were left standing.
The violence displaced hundreds
of people, and their food supplies
were looted.
On the same day, around 600
Fulani gunmen divided into four
groups and descended on Bondong,
Rafin Gora, Hayin Birom and Ung
Kura in the Manchok area of Kaduna
state, where Christians have been
repeatedly targeted over the past two
years. They attacked the Christian
residents, killing over 121 of them,
around half of whom were children.
Earlier in March, Fulani Muslim
herdsmen also attacked a number of
Christian villages in Plateau state in the
Middle Belt. At least 16 people were
killed, and around 200 houses as well
as churches were burnt down.
CHURCH BUILDING CONFISCATED

KYRGYZSTAN A church is
appealing against the confiscation
of its building by the authorities,
who claim that the sales contract
signed more than 14 years ago was
invalid. The Church of Jesus Christ
bought from the State Property
Fund in 1999 a cultural centre in
the capital, Bishkek, to use as its
worship building. In January a court
annulled the contract, claiming that
it violated the law.
The seizure of the building may be

motivated by the authorities hostility
to the congregations Christian
bought for just US$46,000 (27,400;

33,500). The State Property Fund
has said it will return to the church
The seizure of the building may be

motivated by the authorities hostility to the
congregations Christian activities
activities. But the incentive could also
be financial. The building now has a
market value of around US$1 million
(596,000; 729,000), having been
only what it paid 14 years ago.

The judge said that the church
had not fulfilled its obligations to
maintain social activity as its main
profile. The church insists that it

has done this, having arranged
dancing and singing lessons, and
classes for children; it also rents
space to organisations that support
young people.
Bishkeks Hope Baptist Church
has also been visited by the
authorities on several occasions.
The pastor said that they were
ordered to vacate the land, which
they are renting.
NEWSDESK
CHRISTIAN GIRL GANG-RAPED;

MORE BLASPHEMY CONVICTIONS
Saira Iqbal was gang-raped by four Muslim men
PAKISTAN Saira Iqbal, a sevenyear-old Christian girl, was gangraped by four Muslim men in Sialkot
district, Punjab province, Pakistan, on
23 April. She was taken into intensive
care, where her condition was
stabilised. The gang also kidnapped
her father, Iqbal Masih, to try to force
him to reach an agreement with his
daughters rapists. He was freed by
police after two days in captivity.
The police seemed reluctant to

take action against the perpetrators,
but following repeated appeals
and pressure from the Christian
community and human rights
organisations, an investigation was
launched and at least one suspect
arrested. Christians have held
torchlight processions and prayers
and have called for justice for Saira.
Christian girls and young women
are extremely vulnerable to sexual

violence in Pakistan. A recent report
found that around 700 are kidnapped
and forced to convert to Islam and
marry Muslim men every year. They
may be subjected to sexual assault,
rape, domestic abuse, forced
prostitution and human trafficking.
Meanwhile, three more Christians
in Pakistan have been sentenced
to death for blasphemy. Sawan
Masih (26), a father of three, was

convicted on 27 March of defiling
the name of Muhammad. Following
the accusation against him in
March 2013, a 3,000-strong mob
of Muslims attacked his Christian
neighbourhood, leaving hundreds
of Christians homeless and destitute.
Sawan has denied committing
blasphemy and argued that the
allegation was motivated by a
property dispute between him and
his friend. His appeal is set to be
heard by the Lahore High Court
on 25 July.
Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta
Kausar, who have four children, were
sentenced on 4 April. They were
accused of sending blasphemous
text messages insulting Muhammad
to two local Muslims; the texts came
from a mobile phone registered in
Shaguftas name but that she had
lost. They deny the allegation and
will also appeal.
The couples lawyer said that the
police had tortured Shafqat, who is
confined to a wheelchair, to force him
to confess, and that the couple could
not have written the text messages
as they cannot read or write Urdu
properly. He said that the judge
was clearly intimidated by Islamist
prosecution lawyers.
The blasphemy laws are
frequently used to settle personal
scores, with Christians and other
minorities being particularly
vulnerable to malicious, false
accusation. Nobody has been
judicially executed for blasphemy, but
52 people implicated in blasphemy
cases have been killed by vigilantes.
Those convicted often spend years in
jail waiting for their appeal.
The plight of Christian mother
Aasia Bibi has become a focal
point for campaigners against
what is referred to as the black
law. Her long-awaited appeal was
scheduled for February but has been
repeatedly deferred.
NEWSDESK
CONVERTS ATTACKED BY FAMILY MEMBERS

UGANDA A young Ugandan
woman has been beaten to death by
her Muslim father after he found out
that she and her sister had converted
to Christianity. Nawudo Hasifa (19)
and Nanvunani Shamimu (17)
became Christians after they had
the same dream on the night of 4
April in which a man dressed in white
appeared to them, telling them to go
and be prayed for in a church.
On 6 April, they went to a church
in Kawaga. Nawudo told Morning
Star News, [We] straight away went
to see the pastor and explained to
him about the dream and that we
were ready to be Christians. The
pastor prayed for us to accept Jesus
as Lord and Saviour of our lives.
Local Muslims who had seen
them enter the building told their
father. When they returned home
that evening, he was furious.
Nawudo said, Our father took a
blunt object and started beating us
indiscriminately. My sister fainted and
became unconscious. My father tried
to wake up my sister, but there was
no response. I knew she was gone.

Nawudo escaped to the home
of a church elder, who took her to
another town where she is now being
cared for by local Christians.
In another recent attack in
Uganda, a former sheikh who
converted to Christianity was
apparently poisoned with insecticide
by his Muslim relatives. Hassan
Muwanguzi had been asked to
attend a family meeting at the home
of an aunt, but he started to feel
unwell immediately after taking the
tea and food he had been served.
He was taken to hospital in Mbale,
and his condition improved after
treatment, but he cannot afford
the more specialist care that was
recommended.
Since Hassan became a Christian
in 2003, he has lost his wife and job
as a school teacher, been beaten
by his family, been falsely accused
of a criminal offence, been ordered
to shut the Christian school he had
opened, had his home burned down
and been threatened with death.
Hassan Muwanguzi, a convert from Islam, was apparently poisoned by

his Muslim relatives
MULTIPLE ATTACKS ON EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANS

LIBYA Ten Egyptian Christians
were killed in Libya in just over
a month in what appears to be a
concerted campaign to wipe them
out of the country.
The first seven victims were
rounded up by suspected Islamist
militants, taken away at gunpoint
and shot dead. Their bodies were
found on a beach in Benghazi on
24 February. A group of masked
men had gone door-to-door in their
apartment building asking if the
residents were Christian or Muslim
before abducting the seven, who
were aged 17-25. The militants
spray-painted a message on the
building and others in the area
offering a reward for anyone who
would turn a Christian over to them.
Then on 2 March, Salama Fawzy
Tobia (23) was ambushed by at least

one gunman while he was loading
fruit and vegetables onto his produce
stand in Benghazi. He suffered
extensive brain damage. His family
took him back to Egypt, where he
Finally, on 29 March, the body

of Jad Abdulmasahi Abdulmalik
was found in the Gwarsha district of
Benghazi. He had been shot several
times, including in the head. Jad, who
was in his late 30s, was targeted by
A group of masked men had gone door-todoor in their apartment building asking if the
residents were Christian or Muslim
died in the early hours of 15 March.
He had lived in Libya for two years.
His uncle Tawfik described him as
a peaceful person who came into
the world and left the world without
hurting anyone. The following day,
another Egyptian Christian was
found shot dead in Jarutha on the
outskirts of Benghazi.
an armed group while unloading

vegetables at a shop.
The killings happened in a
part of the country where Islamist
militants are particularly active. The
Libyan authorities are struggling to
assert control over them three years
after the revolution that ousted
Colonel Gaddafi.
Tens of thousands of Egyptians

live in Libya, doing mostly manual
labour, but many Christians are now
trying to flee the persecution and
possible death. An Egyptian church
leader said attacks and threats
against Christians in the region are
an attempt at genocide. He said that
as well as being targeted because of
their faith, they are continuing to be
scapegoated as political enemies of
the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood.
As well as killing individual
Christians, militants are forcing the
closure of Egyptian churches. The
one in Benghazi was closed following
arson attacks last year. And the one
in Tripoli shut in March this year after
the minister and his family were
threatened with death if they did not
immediately leave the country.
NEWSDESK
New constitution
could threaten
Zanzibars Christians
Tanzania A proposed new
three-tier political system that would
give greater power to Zanzibars
government has raised concerns
about the future of Christians in the
Muslim-majority archipelago.
The system put forward in the
countrys draft constitution would see
a third government, separate from the
two that currently represent Tanzania
as a whole and Zanzibar respectively,
been reserved for Christians, but

this precedent is now being ignored.
Zanzibars tiny Christian minority
has increasingly come under violent
attack in recent years three
churches were targeted in early
2014 and Christians now have
only minimal political representation
to help protect them. Some nonMuslim Zanzibaris have converted
to Islam in order to enter politics.
More than 60% of CRC members

are Muslim, although Muslims are
not thought to form a majority in
Tanzania. In fact, Christians are
estimated to make up between 50
and 60% of the population.
As the draft constitution is
debated, some Islamists have called
for the outright segregation of Muslims
and Christians in Tanzania. In video
messages, Sheikh Ilunga, the leader
Zanzibars tiny Christian minority has increasingly

come under violent attack in recent years
set up to represent Tanganyika
(mainland Tanzania). Some areas
of policy that are currently decided
by the central government, including
police matters, would be devolved
to the governments of Tanganyika
and Zanzibar.
Some Christians fear that giving
Zanzibars government increased
powers could allow the archipelago,
which is around 98% Muslim, to
become an Islamic state under
sharia law. These concerns are
compounded by the fact that now,
for the first time, all but one of the
members of Zanzibars House of
Representatives are Muslims. Three
places in the House have traditionally
Tanzanias draft constitution

will be voted on by a 640-member
Constituent Assembly, two-thirds of
which must approve the document
before it can become law. Some
Christian observers have called the
impartiality of this body into question,
saying that the Assembly is likely
to promote policies favourable to
Muslims, because although 105 of
the 200 ordinary citizens chosen to
take part are Christians on paper,
30 of these are allegedly Muslims
in reality.
Concerns have also been
raised about the impartiality of the
Constitutional Review Commission
(CRC) that drafted the document.
of radical movement Dawal Islamiya,

said that the country should be divided
into two parts, one Christian-majority
and the other Muslim-majority, and
that the Islamic area should be ruled
by sharia. He also called for Muslims
living in Christian-majority areas to
move into Muslim-majority ones.
In Zanzibar, separatist group
Uamsho (the awakening) advocates
for the islands complete autonomy
from mainland Tanzania. An interfaith
group, UNDUGU (Tanzania's Muslims
and Christians Brotherhood Society),
called recently for Uamsho to be
banned, saying the Islamic group is
not different from al-Shabaab, Boko
Haram and al-Qaeda.
FOUR
KILLED IN
CHURCH
ATTACK
Mary Sameh George was

murdered by Islamist militants
EGYPT Four people were killed

in an Islamist attack on a church in
Egypt on 28 March. Supporters of
the Muslim Brotherhood shot at the
church building in Ain Shams, a
suburb of Cairo, and set cars parked
by it on fire.
A young Christian woman, Mary
Sameh George, was among those
killed. She was in a car outside the
church and was targeted by the
Islamists when they spotted a cross
hanging from the rear-view mirror.
An eyewitness said that Mary was
savagely attacked by the Muslim mob.
Christians remain vulnerable to
Islamist hostility amid ongoing political
tensions in Egypt.
CONVERT KILLED IN FRONT OF DAUGHTERS

SOMALIA A mother of two and
her cousin have been publicly killed
in Somalia after al-Shabaab militants
found out they were Christians. Sadia
Ali Omar (41) and Osman Mohamoud
Moge (35) were beheaded in Barawa
in the Lower Shebelle Region on 4
March.
Residents were called to witness
the executions, and Sadias two
daughters, aged 8 and 15, were

among those subjected to the
left orphans, as their father died

after falling ill in 2011. A family friend
The girls have been left orphans, as

their father died after falling ill in 2011
gruesome spectacle; the youngest
cried out for someone to save
her mother. The girls have been
has helped them to relocate to

a different area.
The Islamist group al-Shabaab,
which is said to have spies throughout

Somalia, became mistrustful of
Sadia and Osman because of
their irregular attendance at the
mosque for Friday prayers. The
fact that both had been living
in Christian-majority Kenya
until last year may also have
aroused suspicion.
IN TOUCH
Fasting to feed
hungry believers
rt
Chloes art with a hea
aged 8, I have been
I am Chloe and I am
y
d selling them to m
drawing pictures an
where
ey for countries
family to raise mon
s. I am sending you
it is hard to love Jesu
dI
things they need an
money to buy them
ture I have drawn so
am also sending a pic
ing for them.
they know I am pray
An inspired Barnabas suppor

ter
remembered our persecute
d, hungry
brothers and sisters in Syria
in a very
appropriate way last year, by
undertaking a
65-hour sponsored fast.
wonderful letter from Chloe

Barnabas Fund received this
loe has learned about
Cooper from Oxford, UK. Ch
ding through Barnabas Aid Eight-year-old Chlo
persecuted Christians by rea
e reached
Christian
out to
s in coun
and selling her drawings
tries wh
to love Je
magazine with her parents,
ere it is h
sus
ard
a.
was her own ide
Chloes artistic efforts raised
42, which will make such a
difference to the persecuted
Christians Barnabas helps.
We are very thankful to
Chloe for using her artistic
talent to help our suffering
brothers and sisters;
the heart that God has
given her for them is an
inspiration to us all.
One of Ch
loes fund
raising cre
ations
Reach the
persecuted Church in
just a few clicks
If you are looking for a direct and efficient way to give to Barnabas Funds
work, look no further than our website. To donate online, simply visit
www.barnabasfund.org, click the Donate now button and fill in the required
information. This secure method of donating is available to supporters
around the world, including in the UK, the US, Australia and New Zealand.
David James, from Northamp

ton,
UK, raised an amazing 1,492
.50 in
sponsorship for his fast, and
was very well
supported by his church fam
ily at St Giles
Parish Church. He chose to
fast over the
Christmas period, a time wh
en abstaining
is often particularly challengin
g.
We are so grateful to David
for going without
for the benefit of our persecute
d Syrian
brothers and sisters. The fun
ds raised by
his fast will be used to provid
e food parcels
for those in desperate need
of essentials.
Sale for Syria scores

strong support
A fundraising sale with a sporting twist has

raised more than
2,000 for persecuted Christians in Syria.
A signed football shirt,
kindly donated by Liverpool Football Club,
proved a very popular
prize at the sale, organised by Barnabas supp
orter Kate Moss.
Kate and her mother were inspired to raise
funds to help suffering
Syrians by news coverage of the plight of
Syrian refugees. The
table-top sale was publicised on Facebook
and in the local area,
and Kates idea began to bring the local com
munity together.
Anything and everything was for sale at the
event on 22 February,
from clothes to plants to hot dogs. Face-pain
ting and childrens
games were also on offer.
The sale at Aigburth Community Church in
Liverpool, UK, was well
attended both by church members and by nonchurchgoers, and
it proved such a success that several people
asked when the next
one would be held. Our thanks go out to all
who attended the sale,
and especially to Kate and the other organiser
s for their hard work.
If you would like your donation to be split between two or more of our
projects, please email finance@barnabasfund.org with the relevant project
numbers. If you would like, you may also email this address to check if your
donation has arrived safely.
All the gifts that we receive, whether through our website or by any other
means, are so appreciated by the persecuted Christians whom we serve.
This signed LFC shirt proved a

very popular prize
Visitors w
ith a swe
et tooth h
plenty of
ad
choice at
the sale
YES, I WOULD LIKE TO HELP THE PERSECUTED CHURCH

Title...................... Full Name......................................................................................................................................
0800 587 4006
Address..........................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
Postcode..................................... Telephone............................................................................................................
Email......................................................................................................
PLEASE USE MY GIFT FOR
Wherever the need is the greatest (General Fund)
Other..........................................*(give reference number of project to be supported)

HERE IS MY SINGLE GIFT OF .......................................................................................
Visa
American Express
A direct debit can be set up either by completing the form below, by

telephoning the number above or by going to our website.
Mastercard
Maestro
CAF card /other charity card
Card Number
................................................
(amount in words) .............................................................................................................
or issue date
Maestro issue number

Expiry Date
(On your transfer, please quote as your reference your postcode and house number. To receive a
letter thanking you for your donation please add the letters TY to the end of the reference.)
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE REGULARLY THROUGH MY UK BANK
I enclose a cheque/voucher payable to Barnabas Fund OR

Please debit my
I have made an internet transfer to the Barnabas Fund bank account

(Sort Code: 20-26-46) Account Number: 50133299
Signature........................................................................
I do not require an acknowledgement of this gift
Mag 07/14
Please start on 1st/11th/15th/21st of ........................................(month) and

then every month/quarter/year (delete as applicable) until further notice.
This Direct Debit is a new one/in addition to/replaces an earlier Standing
Order/Direct Debit in favour of Barnabas Fund. (delete as applicable).
Instruction to your bank or building society to pay by Direct Debit

Please fill in the whole form using a ball point pen and send it to: Barnabas
Fund, 9 Priory Row, Coventry CV1 5EX
Name and full postal address of your bank or building society
Service User Number
2 5 3 6 4 5
Reference (Barnabas Fund to complete)

Instruction to your bank or building society: Please pay Barnabas Fund
Direct Debits from the account detailed in this instruction subject to the
safeguards assured to by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this
instruction may remain with Barnabas Fund and, if so, details will be passed
electronically to my bank/building society.
DD18
Name(s) of account holder(s)

Bank/building society account number
Branch sort code
Signature(s)
Date
GIFT AID DECLARATION
(Applicable to UK tax payers only)
ALTERNATIVE GIFT CARD
Name of charity: Barnabas Fund

Please treat as Gift Aid donations all qualifying gifts of money made: (Please tick all
boxes you wish to apply)
this gift and if applicable
in the past 4 years
in the future
I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax
for each tax year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that
all the charities or Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to will
reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and
Council Tax do not qualify. I understand the charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every
1 that I give.
Signature.................................................................................... Date ....................................................

Please inform us if you want to cancel this declaration, change your name or home address or no longer
pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains. If you pay Income Tax at the higher or additional
rate and want to receive the additional tax relief due to you, you must include all your Gift Aid donations
on your Self-Assessment tax return or ask HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code.
Mag 07/14
*If the project chosen is sufficiently funded, we reserve the right to use designated gifts either
for another project of a similar type or for another project in the same country.
Registered Charity number 1092935 Company registered in England number 4029536
Dear ................................................. A gift of ................ has

been received on your behalf
from..............................................................................................
This gift will assist Christians who are persecuted for their
faith. With many thanks on behalf of the persecuted
Church
Tick here if you do not want the amount to be stated
on the card
Tick here if you do wish details about the project to be
included on the card
Please state your preferred card choice (see left): ..........
Please return this form to Barnabas Fund at your national office or to the UK office. Addresses
are on the back cover. Barnabas Fund will not give your address, telephone number or email
to anyone else.
Supporters in Germany: please turn to back cover for how to send gifts to Barnabas Fund.
Phone 0800 587 4006 or visit our website at www.barnabasfund.org to make a donation by
Direct Debit, credit or debit card. From outside UK phone +44 1672 565031.
If you would like to make a donation as an alternative

gift for a friend or relative, we can supply you with an
attractive Thank you card, which you can send to the
person for whom you have made the donation. Please
fill in the details as you would like them to appear on
the card.
If you would like to have the card sent directly to the

recipient, or if you would prefer to receive blank cards and
fill them out yourself, please contact your national office
(address details on back cover).
If you would like more cards, please photocopy the form or

attach a separate piece of paper with the details for extra
cards and send it with your donation. You can also call your
nearest Barnabas Fund office with the details and pay by
credit/debit card over the phone.
The Direct Debit Guarantee

This Guarantee is offered by all Banks and Building Societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits. If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your
Direct Debit Barnabas Fund will notify you 10 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request Barnabas Fund to collect a
payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request. If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit by Barnabas Fund or your bank
or building society, you are guaranteed a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society. If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay
it back when Barnabas Fund asks you to. You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.
The Barnabas Fund Distinctive

We work by:
irecting our aid only to Christians, although

d
its benefits may not be exclusive to them
(As we have opportunity, let us do good to
all people, especially to those who
belong to the family of believers.
Galatians 6:10, emphasis added)
iming the majority of our aid at Christians
a
living in Muslim environments
hannelling money from Christians through
c
Christians to Christians
hannelling money through existing structures
c
in the countries where funds are sent (e.g.
local churches or Christian organisations)
sing the money to fund projects
u
that have been developed by local Christians
in their own communities, countries or regions
onsidering any request, however small
c
cting as equal partners with the persecuted
a
Church, whose leaders often help shape our
overall direction
How to find us
UK
9 Priory Row, Coventry CV1 5EX
Telephone 024 7623 1923 Fax 024 7683 4718
From outside the UK
Telephone +44 24 7623 1923 Fax +44 24 7683 4718
Registered charity number 1092935
Company registered in England number 4029536
For a list of all trustees, please contact Barnabas Fund UK
at the Coventry address above.
Australia
PO BOX 3527, LOGANHOLME, QLD 4129
Telephone (07) 3806 1076 or 1300 365 799
Fax (07) 3806 4076 Email bfaustralia@barnabasfund.org
Germany
German supporters may send gifts for Barnabas Fund via
Hilfe fr Brder who will provide you with a tax-deductible
receipt. Please mention that the donation is for SPC 20
Barnabas Fund. If you would like your donation to go to a
specific project of Barnabas Fund, please inform the
Barnabas Fund office in Pewsey, UK.
Account holder: Hilfe fr Brder e.V.
Account number: 415 600
Bank: Evang Kreditgenossenschaft Stuttgart
Bankcode (BLZ): 520 604 10
What helps make Barnabas Fund distinctive from other

Christian organisations that deal with persecution?
cting on behalf of the persecuted Church, to

a
be their voice making their needs known to
Christians around the world and the injustice
of their persecution known to governments
and international bodies
We seek to:
eet both practical and spiritual needs

m
ncourage, strengthen and enable the
e
existing local Church and Christian
communities so they can maintain their
presence and witness rather than setting up
our own structures or sending out
missionaries
ackle persecution at its root by making known
t
the aspects of the Islamic faith and other
ideologies that result in injustice and
oppression of non-believers
nform and enable Christians in the West to
i
respond to the growing challenge of Islam to
Church, society and mission in their own
countries
acilitate global intercession for the persecuted

f
Church by providing comprehensive prayer
materials
We believe:
we are called to address both religious and

secular ideologies that deny full religious
liberty to Christian minorities while
continuing to show Gods love to all people
n the clear Biblical teaching that Christians
i
should treat all people of all faiths with love
and compassion, even those who seek to
persecute them
n the power of prayer to change
i
peoples lives and situations, either through
grace to endure or through deliverance
from suffering
Whatever you did for one of the

least of these brothers of mine,
you did for me.
(Matthew 25:40)
You may contact Barnabas Fund at the following addresses:

New Zealand
PO Box 27 6018, Manukau City, Auckland, 2241
Telephone (09) 280 4385 or 0800 008 805
Email office@barnabasfund.org.nz
Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland
PO Box 354, Bangor, BT20 9EQ
Telephone 028 91 455 246
or 07867 854604
Email krisb@barnabasfund.org
Scotland
Barnabas Fund Scotland, PO Box 2084,
Livingston, EH54 0EZ
Email scotland@barnabasfund.org
Singapore
Cheques in Singapore dollars payable to Barnabas Fund
may be sent to:
Kay Poh Road Baptist Church, 7 Kay Poh Road,
Singapore 248963
USA
6731 Curran St, McLean, VA 22101
Telephone (703) 288-1681 or toll-free 1-866-936-2525
Fax (703) 288-1682 Email usa@barnabasaid.org
International Headquarters
The Old Rectory, River Street, Pewsey,
Wiltshire SN9 5DB, UK
Telephone 01672 564938 Fax 01672 565030
From outside UK:
Telephone +44 1672 564938
Fax +44 1672 565030
barnabasaid the magazine of

Barnabas Fund
Published by Barnabas Fund
The Old Rectory, River Street, Pewsey, Wiltshire

SN9 5DB, UK
Telephone 01672 564938 Fax 01672 565030
From outside UK: Telephone +44 1672 564938
Fax +44 1672 565030
Barnabas Fund 2014. For permission to reproduce articles from this

magazine, please contact the International Headquarters address above.
The paper used is produced using wood fibre at a mill that has been
awarded the ISO14001 certificate for environmental management.
To donate by credit card, please visit the website

or phone 0800 587 4006 (from outside the UK phone +44 1672 565031).

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THE AID AGENCY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH

Horror and hope in

Leading Muslims to Christ

How can we understand our Muslim friends

Women are being attracted to Islam in

ISBN: 9780982521816 | Cover: Paperback |

ISBN: 9780978714116 | Cover: Paperback |

The paper used in this

Struck down, but not destroyed

he Apostle Paul, writing his second letter to the

Dr Sookhdeo wrote this editorial while on sabbatical

Helping the least

1,562 for motorbike

Christians found refuge in

Mary was extremely happy with the

Thirty Christian university

BARNABAS AID JULY/AUGUST 2014

She told one of the church members

George can now minister more

A new motorbike given by

We are supporting Christian

Barnabas Fund is helping those

He can now reach these pockets

Christians in Upper Egypt are

35,000 for survivors

One of the widows with her

Much excitement about having

The hand pumps, installed with

Members of nine congregations

This means that even though the

Seventeen widows, who lost their

As her teachers were also all

This project is now complete, but similar

They not only taught us but also

BARNABAS AID JULY/AUGUST 2014 5

Bibles bring hope for the desolate

never to come back. All the people in my village

Uu Dees new Bible gives her much solace

17,063 for transporting Bibles into

Son leads Muslim mother to Christ

much and Aigul suggested to me that she can

I saw that he had changed very much,

Zemphiras brother-in-law, a mullah, has tried to

Zemphira decided to come along to one of Aiguls

BARNABAS AID JULY/AUGUST 2014

Besides leading the childrens Bible studies and

Aigul (left), a Barnabas-funded Christian

2,310 for Christian worker in

Project reference 00-477

Survival in times of disaster

This [kit] will bring us

Aid was given to the most vulnerable families

y wife will be the happiest

This [kit] will bring us a little happiness as our

majority CAR in March 2013, they went on a

30,754 for survival kits

Project reference 105-1172

BARNABAS AID JULY/AUGUST 2014 7

CRIES FROM THE CONFLICT ZONE

Christians and other residents of Syrias largest

unbearable situation. For seven days there

the time of writing, Aleppos taps have been dry for

BARNABAS AID JULY/AUGUST 2014

Victim of the Kessab