Make Your Voice Heard on Behalf of the Voiceless!
Petition Calling for the Immediate Release and
Safekeeping of Rimsha Misrak
Rimsha is a Christian, and today she is sitting in a Pakistani jail awaiting trial
on the charge of blasphemy. The charge carries a potential death
sentence, and even though it’s unlikely she will be sentenced to death,
her life is still in danger. Her crime? Allegedly burning pages with
bits of the Quran written on them. Today, you have an opportunity to
speak up on behalf of little Rimsha, and potentially set a precedence for others like her. Sign our petition today!
Here's how you can help:
#1 Pray: The first thing you can do is stop right now and ask the Lord to intervene on behalf of Rimsha.
#4 Print out the petition and take it to your friends and church and have everyone you know sign it. Send it back to us so we can compile the responses.
When you have collected all your signatures, please mail to:
ICC
PO Box 8056
Silver Spring, MD 20907
Please get them back to us as soon as possible.
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Ready to be Martyrs; Coptic Christians Claim Their Ancient Roots
9/10/2012 Egypt (America Magazine)
Egypt’s so-called Arab Spring quickly turned to a Christian winter
following the political rise of Islamists and increased assaults on
Christians and churches. As a result, an estimated 100,000 Christians
have fled or are preparing to flee the country. However, many Egyptian
Christians believe this is not the time to flee, but to endure God’s
“test” on the Church. “We’re ready to be martyrs. We’re ready to be with Christ, to live with Christ,”
a Coptic Christian told America Magazine. In this important article,
David Pinault, a professor of religious studies at Santa Clara Christian
University, explores the history of martyrdom in Egypt and the
country’s Christian identity in an op-ed for America Magazine, a
National Catholic Weekly.
Pray for the church of Egypt, that the Holy Spirit would comfort them and bring them peace.
Pray that there will be reconciliation between Christians and Muslims in Egypt.
Pray for the political turmoil and that God will have ultimate authority in this ancient Christian land.
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Petition on Behalf of Rimsha Masih Gains Momentum
9/6/2012 Pakistan (International Christian Concern)
A petition posted on the Web site of ICC calling for the release of
14-year-old Rimsha Masih from a Pakistani prison quickly garnered over
2,000 signatures. The signatures came within a week of the petition
being posted online as Rimsha’s case continued to make headlines around
the globe.
The petition, directed to Pakistan’s ambassador to the United
States, calling for the “immediate release” of Rimsha, a Christian who
doctors say is mentally disabled and is currently imprisoned in
Islamabad. Rimsha was arrested in mid-August on charges of blasphemy
after being accused of intentionally burning pages with lines of the
Quran printed on them.
Pray for Rimsha’s immediate release from prison!
Pray for the
protection of her, her family and friends, and other Christian
minorities in Pakistan, that no harm or backlash will come to them.
Pray that
cultural climate of Pakistan shifts so that Christians and Muslims can
live peacefully side by side, without injustice coming to the weak and
vulnerable.
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Iran Prayer Update: Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani to Appear in Court Tomorrow
9/6/2012 Iran (Middle East Concern)
On September 8, Iranian Pastor Youcef Nardarkhani is scheduled to
face a new trial on different charges. The pastor is currently on death
row for apostasy. His life has been spared largely due to international
pressure on the Iranian government calling for his immediate release. In
this update, Middle East Concern and Iranian Christians have asked the
international church to remember Youcef and 16 other imprisoned Iranian
Christians in prayer.
Pray that the Iranian courts proceed with integrity in the courtroom.
Pray that the
Spirit of the Lord is with Pastor Youcef, and that he will walk
confidently in the knowledge that the Lord is on his side.
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Kenya Church Attacks are Latest Sign of Tension Between Christians, Muslims
9/6/2012 Kenya (Kansas City Star)
On August 27, the Salvation Army Church in Mombasa, Kenya was attacked after a Muslim sheikh was gunned down in the streets.
Although the Christian community was not responsible for the
Muslim’s death, they were among the first to be targeted by radical
Islamists in the city. The escalating violence targeting Christians
raises concerns that Islamic extremism is on the rise in the
Christian-majority country of Kenya. Many of these extremists are
connected to or sympathizers of al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked terrorist
group in Somalia.
Pray for the
Church in Kenya, that God will place a hedge of protections around
believers in the region, and that it will be a safe haven for Christians
to reside amidst the dangerous climate of east Africa.
Pray that a spirit of reconciliation will fall upon Christians and Muslims alike, allowing them to once again live in peace.
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Police Join in on Beating of Pastor in India
9/5/2012 India (Christian Persecution Update)
A pastor in India was not rescued by police, who arrived while he
was being beaten by 15 Hindu radicals. Instead, the police joined the
radicals in kicking the pastor and other believers present. The police
arrested the pastor on charges that he was “forcibly converting” people
to Christianity. This is very typical for India and false charges like
this are easily brought against Christians who are arrested and jailed
without due process.
Pray for the physical and spiritual healing of Pastor Damodara.
Pray that Pastor Damodara’s testimony will be spread far and wide, and it will be uplifting to believers in India.
Pray that those who attacked him will have a change of heart and give their life to the Lord.
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Egypt: Kill a Christian, Collect a Reward
9/4/2012 Egypt (Gatestone Institute)
An Egyptian Muslim recently posted a video of himself on YouTube
cursing Islam and tearing the Quran. Not surprisingly, several prominent
Muslims (whose interviews are quoted in this article) called for the
man’s immediate execution. While the man’s actions were wrong and
blatantly offensive, they resurface the topic of free speech and
religious expression in Egypt and throughout the Muslim world. In
Pakistan, for example, an 11-year-old girl was arrested after allegedly
burning pages of the Quran.
Pray for the immediate protection of Christians in Egypt.
Pray that
Muslims will not be tempted to harm Christians, but would they instead
have radical encounters with God and give their lives to Jesus.
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International
Christian
Concern
Providing assistance, advocacy and awareness to persecuted Christians with integrity towards God and our donors.
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"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of the destitute."
Proverbs 31:8
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