Posted: 09/20/2005 at 8:33am | IP Logged

'I WILL CONTINUE TO LOVE GOD'

Three Indonesian Women, Millions More Persecuted Christians Need Our Prayers; IDOP Kits Available Now

OPEN DOORS USA
Jerry Dykstra, Media Relations Coordinator

SANTA ANA, CA (ANS) -- Three Indonesian women know what it means to be persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ.

On September 1, the Indonesian Indramayu local court found Dr.Rebekka Zakaria, Eti Pangesti and Ratna Bangun guilty of breaching the 2002 Child Protection Law and sentenced them to three years in prison. The three were convicted simply for running a religious education program for children in their community.

But Islamic leaders became angry when several Muslim children started to be attracted to the classes and regularly attended although they were not Christians. The parents were said to have consented to their children attending the class and also participated in some of the activities.

Open Doors was able to interview the accused before the hearing started. The women were waiting in the court house’s holding cell. When asked how ready they were to face the verdict, Bangun said, “My hope is, of course, for the judge to set me free, but if his verdict is not so, like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, I will continue to love God more than anything. He will give me the best because he is in control.”

Zakaria stated with conviction the following statement: “Whatever the verdict, I will accept with gladness. God had personally told me and I believe that it is a very small thing for God to set me free. Either now or later, it does not matter. His timing is always the best timing.”

Later, after the verdict was pronounced and the women were rushed to the van that would take them back to their prison cell, an Open Doors staff member inched his way by the window of the van to get the women’s reaction to the sentence. With big smiles on their faces, they said, “Praise the Lord! He is good!”

Open Doors, an international ministry celebrating 50 years of service to persecuted Christians in 2005, is urging Christians around the United States to pray for suffering believers during the 2005 International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) on Sunday, November 13.

More than 200 million Christians are being persecuted worldwide for their faith in Jesus Christ – that is more believers than in any other century.

That is why it is so vital that Christians worldwide unite in prayer. Open Doors USA is committed to helping your church to both learn about and pray for the persecuted Christians on November 13. During that day millions of Christians around the world will lift up their prayers for our brothers and sisters. The theme of 2005 IDOP is “Storming the Stronghold.”

“Many people are asking us how they can help Christians in the Middle East, China, Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America,” says Open Doors USA President Dr. Carl Moeller. “I urge them to join with us in prayer. It is the most powerful way to help. God is active and hears our prayers. Our Christian brothers and sisters across the world – like these three faithful Indonesian women – are counting on us for strength and support.”

Open Doors USA is offering a free kit filled with resources for pastors to lead their churches in this effort. The materials provided in this kit can be used throughout the year, including:

• DVD featuring a short but powerful video with testimonies from the persecuted Christians.
• Pastor’s guide featuring a sermon outline rich with content related to our call to stand beside our brothers and sisters.
• Bulletin inserts to prepare your congregation for a focused time of prayer.

Additional items include children’s activity sheets, country profiles and current prayer requests.

You can order IDOP materials by going to www.odusa.org/IDOPinfo  or by calling 1-888-5-BIBLE-5.

Prayer Requests For The Indonesian Women:

• Continue to pray that our sisters will not suffer despair or discouragement. Prison life is difficult. Pray that they will continue to trust God for His wisdom and His purposes through all this.
• For protection against any abuse or inhuman treatment inside prison.
• The women’s families may continue to be strong and to trust God for the future; that they will be drawn closer together and to the Lord.
• For the Indonesian Church, especially that the independent house churches may be given wisdom and sensitivity on how to effectively witness for Christ in the midst of increasing intolerance.

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 Persecuted Church in the world’s most difficult areas through Bible and Christian literature distribution, leadership training and assistance, Christian community development, prayer and presence ministry and advocacy on behalf of suffering believers. To partner with Open Doors, call toll free at 888-5-BIBLE-5 (524-2535) or go to our USA web site at www.opendoorsusa.org.  To request a complimentary six-month subscription to our monthly newsletter Frontline Faith, call 888-5-BIBLE-5 or register on-line

(For more information, contact Jerry Dykstra at 616-915-4117 or email jerryd@odusa.org)