forwarded
by Jerry Dykstra
When you think of those being persecuted for their faith, who comes
to mind? Quite possibly you think of pastors in prison. Evangelists
tortured. Bold leaders who are beaten for their faith.
But there's something missing in this picture. All the faces
possibly belong to men. If so, that image is incomplete.
The reality is that well over half of those with limited or no
religious freedom today are made up of wives, mothers and daughters. But
their faces are often unseen, their voices rarely heard.
Yet these women are also arrested, imprisoned and tortured. Many,
whose husbands have been locked up or martyred, are left behind to raise
fatherless children in cultures that despise them. Some are illiterate,
unskilled and unable to find work.
The plight of women is especially difficult in the Muslim World.
Women who become Christians are abandoned by their families and may even
be murdered by male relatives.
In Africa, women may be raped, mutilated and sold as slaves. In the
State of the World's Mothers 2005 report, Africa was listed as the
worst continent to be a mother or child.
In China, the wives of evangelists often struggle alone while their
husbands are away for months at a time. Or in jail.
Also, according to a recent report, three times more women were
killed on average in some tsunami-devastated countries than men and the
scarcity of females has led to reports of forced marriages and rape. In
2005, ministering to these persecuted women is one of the four key goals
of The Lighthouse Project - Open Doors' bold initiative for its 50th
anniversary year.
Open Doors - an international ministry which supports and
strengthens Christians persecuted for their faith - seeks to provide literacy
classes for women, open new safe houses to provide refuge, equip women
who are leaders and much more.
Another way of helping suffering women is by equipping them with
vocational skills. Through indigenous crafts, they can earn a living and
keep their families together. For example, some persecuted women in
Vietnam have learned to make purses. Open Doors USA recently purchased
those purses and the entire shipment was quickly sold here. Open Doors
also helps by teaching sewing and tailoring skills so the women can
support themselves.
"An alarming percentage of women are abused, belittled and allowed
no voice in their home and communities merely because of their gender
and their faith," says Dr. Carl Moeller, president/CEO of Open Doors
USA. "Yet these women are not without hope. Joining hands together we can
help change their lives through teaching vocational skills, counseling
and educating families and supplying them with resources to overcome
oppressive cultural influences. The Lighthouse Project is an exciting
initiative that will strengthen persecuted women and equip them for
greater ministry."
Open Doors USA also partners with women's church groups in the
United States to support their sisters in Christ through various projects.
One group of women from Saddleback Church (Lake Forest, CA) encouraged
persecuted women during a trip to Chiapas, Mexico this spring and
another group from the church will visit later this month.
An estimated 200 million Christians worldwide suffer interrogation,
arrest and even death for their faith in Christ, with another 200 to
400 million facing discrimination and alienation. Open Doors, celebrating
50 years of service to the Persecuted Christians in 2005, serves and
strengthens the those suffering in the world's most difficult areas
through Bible and Christian literature distribution, leadership training and
assistance, community development, prayer and presence ministry and
advocacy on behalf of suffering believers.
For more informaton go to their web site at:
http://www.odusa.org" title="http://www.odusa.org" target="_blank"http://www.odusa.org.
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2.) Executed for Distributing Bibles
When 34-year old Jiang Zongxiu went to her neighboring market last
June in Guizhou Province, China. Along with her mother-in-law, Jiang
went through the marketplace, taking opportunities to hand out Bibles and
Christian literature and telling people about Jesus. Only this day they
had an encounter with the Chinese police.
The two Christian women were handcuffed together and brought to the
police station. They were interrogated throughout the evening of the
17th. The next morning they were sentenced by the Public Security Bureau
(PSB) to 15 days incarceration for 'suspected spreading of rumor and
disturbing the social order.'
Jiang and her mother-in-law knew the risk of spreading Christian
literature in communist China. Both had been active in their church for
more than 10 years and dared to go forth. Even when they were arrested,
interrogated and sentenced to serve 15 days, they were willing to
accept the consequences of their actions - all from a government that claims
to have 'freedom of religion.'
But it was not enough for the PSB to arrest and beat these two
Christian women for the crime of passing our Christian literature. In the
afternoon of June 18th, Mrs. Jiang Zongziu was pronounced dead by the
PSB office of Tongzi County. They claimed she died of 'natural causes.'
The fact is she was beaten to death.
The Voice of the Martyrs has received video testimony from the
surviving family, photos of Jiang body showing her bruised body, and a copy
of the actual arrest document. All of this had to be smuggled out of
China as the authorities continue to attempt to hide their systematic
persecution of Christians. An international campaign is now under way on
behalf of the surviving family.
Much of the world would like you to believe Christians are no
longer persecuted. Sister Jiang's family would disagree.
If you would like to learn the truth about what is happening in
China and over 40 other nations where Christians are systematically
persecuted, order your FREE subscription today.
CLICK HERE:
http://christiansunite.com/vom.shtml" title="http://christiansunite.com/vom.shtml" target="_blank"http://christiansunite.com/vo...
TLW...?
This was a very important about love...to wait...for more info visit http://trueloveweds.blogspot.com/" title="http://trueloveweds.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"http://trueloveweds.blogspot.... and you'll learn what are the basic standard of waititng to your right one...godbless you all guys...
bored
in love
love you, because of who you are,
And because of who I am when I am with you.
No man or woman is worth your tears,
And the one who is, won't make you cry.
Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to,
Doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart.
The worse way to miss someone is to be sitting right beside them,
Knowing you can't have them.
To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.
Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.
Don't try so hard, the best things come when you least expect them to.
Love starts with a smile, grows with a kiss, and ends with a tear.
Don't cry over anyone who won't cry over you.
Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave and impossible to forget.
The hardest thing to do is watch the one you love, love somebody else.
Don't let the past hold you back, you'll miss the good stuff.
Life's short-if you don't look around once in a while you might miss it.
A best friend is like four leaf clover, hard to find & lucky to have.
Some people make the world a better place just by being in it.
Best friends are the siblings God forgot to give us.
When it hurts to look back and you're scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there.
True friendship never ends. Friends are forever.
Good friends are like stars, you don't always see them but you know they are always there.
Don't frown, you never know who's falling in love with your smile.
What do you do when the only person who can make you stop crying is the person who made you cry?
Nobody is perfect until you fall in love with them.
Everything is okay in the end. If it's not okay then it's not the end.
Most people walk in and out of your life but only friends leave footprints in your heart.
I love you hydee...
al...
mah fav song :) heyah:)
And I dont know what to do
All I think about is you
Seems everything around me
Things I've never understood
They all make sense when I'm with you.
Refrain:
Oh, I've heard it before
Finding so called love then you leave it all behind
But now I feel so sure
I'll listen to my heart this time
So I'll it on the line put my heart before my mind
Chorus:
I know that what I've found is once in a lifetime
(and) I know there's no way out
Coz its once in a lifetime
I've always been so lonely
No one there for me to hold
And every night was just so cold
Oh don't get me wrong i've been around
But i've resigned myself to thinking
Mine is just another story often told
Repeat refrain then Chorus:
Coda:
It's not like im runnin' outta
I'm takin' everything in stride
It's just i never thought i'd find
what would make me change my mind
STorY 0f Th3 y3ar
Being with her makes mah days complete...not just a day BUT it makes mah whole being...mah whole life complete...
We've been together for such a long time...She knew everything to me...Mah fear,my doubt...EVERYTHING...
Everytime Im with her...she always make sure if Im on my knees...if Im ok...It just makes me fell so precious...Am i not? Whtta nice concerned...
I found mah bheb in times when everythng Trust into a very hug messy...time when I almost waste my life...going nowhere fast...turning mah life into messy...I was down that time when she came and talk to me...We've been talking for an hou...And unconciously...I found mah self laughing and happiness fill mah burdened heart and life...(baduy na ba ako)I don care anyway...lolz
That night It"s very hard for me to catch my sleep...wanting to see her again...
The next day...we've been that scenario again...not a days goes by that we dind't talk...for her being caring and charisma huh!I fall in love with her...And everyone's I always saying to my self...Al you have to win he heart of that girl...
The next day...Me too...I was shocked when I tell her I love her maybe because I cant contain it anyway the love that bursting out...
she was confused about that cozy she was committed to someone that time...BUT she wasn't sure too If she really love that guy or rather to say If she still in love with that guy...
Days later...her confusion turn to happineess when she found out that she was being fooled by that guy...She was happy co'z there's np reason to stick to that guy anymore...That was the happiest time for me to when she ask me to take care of her...
And till now...No matter how busy I am...I'll alays make sure that I have ma time to be with her...NO matter what...
And to you bheb...I am really desperate to you...I always trust you as you do to me...Though were far to each other always remember taht Best lover are those who are capable of being apart but still the power and spirit of love still in their heart...
And alays remeeber that we already changed our VOWS...na that vows would be our firm foundation of our love...Of course we cannot deny the fact that christ is the center of this relationship...
Always remeber that no matter what...come what may I will be true to you and to your love to me....I will always love you for as long as I live...I LOVE YOU
life changing
mah 1st m!racl3
crazy
In your dad’s old beat-up ford
Singing at the top of the your lungs,
You’re crazy for the lord
You’ve got a blazing wildfire
In the depths or your own soul.
You want the entire world to know
Christ Jesus made you whole
You roll down the windows
As the car keeps going by
And, by chance, you sneak a glance
At the bluest sky
“My god live there” You think to your self
And outwardly you smile
God’s saving grace and love for you
Is undoubtedly worthwhile
You know the story of god’s own son
You’ve heard it again
It always gets you every time
Makes your round head spin
This amazing God came down to earth
To walk along as man
He died for you, gave his life
Got nails pierced through each hand
“He loves me” you say loud
And you’re hearts know that it’s true
And you decide, you’ll leave for him
Because he died for you
this poem was send to me...and it was so preety cool...to young but to desprate to serve the lord
caitlin Palmer (age 14)
prayer time
I was talking to my mentor last time…sharing how life…and she told me bout her concern so I decided to add this in my blogs .and I want to pls pray for her…her name is Christina…pls do pray for her especially in their finances…that god would continue to provide their everyday need…pls do also pray for her mother that god would continue to embrace her that the loving arms of our heavenly father will be her comfort…also include me in your prayers that god would continue to strengthen me in my spiritual life…pls pray for chris that god would continue to use her in spreading the good news…that god would continue to give her the passion…the desire…and everything she need in doing her calling…and don’t forget also to pray to all the Christian around the world….tnx and godbless us all
Seldom, & nbsp; &n bsp;
al
mhy
I love you hydee...By gods grace we can work it out though were fra from each other but Im just hoping that no matter how far we are...our love would last for ever co'z i know that if God is the center of this...No one can separate us...always take care or youer self...your devotion dont forget also your quite time...
i love you mhy...
al...