Everyday Persecution

When I think of religious persecution, I generally think of people who have been martyred or falsely put in prison. But in Turkmenistan, persecution means so much more than this. It means that church members who feed the homeless may be detained by police. It means that youth playing sports at a Church’s conference may be taken in to the police station for fingerprinting while their computer files of hymns are confiscated. It means that Christian women who gather in a home for a birthday party may face an “anti-terror” raid. This persecution is very real for the 76 year old Christian woman who is trying to survive on a small state pension and who has now been charged with a massive fine.

This kind of persecution is every-day reality for some Christians. As I sit at my desk and go about my life, it is easy to forget how much persecution affects the everyday lives of many Christians. All the events I listed above actually occurred, and they occurred recently. These are the Christians who need our prayers.

Source: Forum 18