NO, NOT ONE!


Last week we were treated to the horrific pictures of the earthquake devastated island of Haiti. The scenes look like the old pictures of Nagasaki or Dresdan during WW2. I had not thought much about Haiti before. I do remember the ruthless regimes of Papa Doc Devalier and his ruthless offspring Baby Doc. But I must be honest: I never thought about my brothers and sisters there and I am ashamed.


Last Sunday morning CBS's Sunday Morning program was reporting news about and from Haiti. In the middle of a street strewn with dead bodies, wounded and people aimlessly moving about trying to find food, water, anything to survive, there was a group of people clustered together and they were singing. The reporter kept speaking and the singing grew louder. They were singing in their native language, but suddenly I recognized the tune...then I began to weep. Out of the depths of that terrifying misery some of God's precious children had congregated together and were singing, "Jesus knows all about our struggles, He will guide till the day is done! There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus - no, not one! No, not one!" Oh how my heart soared and broke all at the same time! These were my brother and sisters in the midst of terror, tribulation and trial and like Paul and Silas in the Philipi jail, they were worshiping and praising Jesus.


We should never forget to pray for Christ's bride scattered through the world. They are pilgrims and strangers in their lands. Ingrid Shuster of Crosstalk blog posted this from the *Institute of Religion and democracy: In the past week alone, leaders of the Chinese House Church Alliance were detained by the authorities in Hebei province according to China Aid. House churches in both Beijing and Shanghai have also been closed recently by the police. In Shanxi province, authorities demolished the Fushan House Church’s building, giving church leaders long prison sentences. In December, a Ugyhur Christian convert from Islam was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for his faith. Sadly, The Institute on Religion & Democracy (IRD) is also dismayed at the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA)’s having ignored religious persecution in China during its recent visit. Instead, it spoke only of cooperation with the government-registered church while disregarding restrictions by the communist regime on unofficial churches. The vast majority of Chinese Christians, conservatively estimated at 80 million in number, worship in unregistered congregations that meet in homes and other settings.



In response, IRD’s Religious Liberty Program will launch Ten Thursdays of Prayer for China’s Church beginning on January 21 in Religious Liberty Program director Faith McDonnell’s e-newsletter, Faith on Freedom and on the IRD website. Each Thursday will have a special focus with information from China Aid. McDonnell is asking for aggressive intercessory prayer on behalf of the Church in China.


IRD Religious Liberty Program Director Faith J.H. McDonnell commented:
“We are glad that the WEA was able to minister to and encourage China’s officially registered church. But we cannot do service to one part of the Body of Christ at the cost of doing disservice to another.


“One would not be able to discern the presence of any other church in China from the WEA’s report. We find it staggering that there was no acknowledgment of the 80 million or more Chinese house church Christians or what they face from the Chinese government.


“Acknowledgment of the Chinese house churches, and of those who are in prison for their faith, is our duty as fellow Christians.


“We see the inability of good intentions and legislation to stop the persecution of Christians around the world. We see what appears to be a juggernaut of policies and politics crushing freedom and democracy. But have we seen the power of God released in these circumstances by faithful and constant prayer? We must get serious about praying for the persecuted church."


Too the best of my ability I am going to pray for my brothers and sisters all over the world. I must remember that they are out there and suffering through some terrible persecution in a variety of ways. May the Lord bless and keep them and shine His face on them and grant them comfort wherever they reside.



*The Institute on Religion and Democracy, founded in 1981, is an ecumenical alliance of U.S. Christians working to reform their churches’ social witness, in accord with biblical and historic Christian teachings, thereby contributing to the renewal of democratic society at home and abroad.


www.TheIRD.org