Brunson served as a pastor in Turkey for 23 years until he was arrested a year and a half ago on false charges of terrorism and espionage.

On April 21, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a live interview that if the United States government wants Brunson to be released, they must extradite Fethullah Gulen and hand him over to Turkey. Gulen is a Muslim cleric residing in the United States whom the Turkish government believes orchestrated the failed 2016 coup.

Erdogan declared, “The US is behind [Gulen]…. If you want Brunson, look at the steps you have taken in the past. Why don’t you deport this man in accordance with the extradition treaty?”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Image courtesy of World Economic Forum, Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic | Wikimedia Commons)

This isn’t the first time Erdogan has connected Brunson and Gulen. But the US is not interested in a hostage swap. And it seems Erdogan is not in any hurry to lose his Brunson bargaining chip.

Open Doors USA’s President and CEO David Curry says, “[Erdogan] is using this need to have revenge on a political rival as a reason to hold hostage Pastor Brunson in Turkey…. It’s really had a chilling effect on this case with Pastor Brunson because he is essentially an innocent person who has been arrested, we believe, for his faith. He’s obviously not a political actor in any way. So we’re at a bit of a stalemate if this is truly going to be [Erdogan’s] position.”

A question many people have asked in Brunson’s case is, why him?

Curry explains, “A lot of times when we see the rise of religious persecution through the lens of nationalism like we’re seeing here in Turkey, people will say any American who is a Christian is a foreign agent and they will use that as a leaping-off point to make whatever case they choose to make.

“I think people need to understand that Christianity is a spiritual movement. It’s not about Americanism, it’s not about the ideals of the West, it’s not a Western idea, as much as it may have popularity here in the States or the West.

“But people like Erdogan and others are trying to make that case. But [Brunson] is clearly not a political actor, a spy, any of these kinds of things. He is a pastor who has worked in Turkey for many, many years and clearly loves the people there.”

Brunson’s first court hearing was on April 16 and his next hearing is scheduled for May 7. Curry says these latest remarks from Erdogan could definitely affect Brunson’s trial.

“I think this has certainly been their sticking point the whole time they have tried to make this case. It is very, very thin. I think our government has done the right thing and is being very vocal in support of Pastor Brunson. And I think at this point the American people just need to continue to let their voice be heard, that we don’t want American citizens being held hostage for diplomatic reasons essentially, political reasons.”

Andrew and Norine Brunson (Photo courtesy of Open Doors USA)

Two-thirds of the US Senate has signed a petition to Erdogan asking that “justice would be done and Pastor Brunson would be reunited with his family”.

Curry shares, “We are so grateful at Open Doors to see some of the statements of many senators. In particular, Ambassador Brownback has been very on-point about this as has been Senator Lankford from Oklahoma. We need to let our voice be heard to more senators to make sure we are sending all the right political messages and diplomatic messages that the United States government is unified in supporting our citizen who has been unfairly arrested and detained in Turkey.”

Click here for information on how to contact your senator if you are a US citizen.

But the most important thing you can do is pray to our God who is sovereign over the kings of this world.

“Turkey is a country that can go either way and clearly in the last year or two it has become more stringent, more virulent in its Islamic agenda, and more unpredictable, frankly, as we’re moving into dictatorship territory. I think the West has always looked to Turkey for some stabilizing influence, so I think we need to be prayerful about how that government is moving, for the Church there, for the believers there who have some very legitimate concerns.”

Please also be in continued prayer for Brunson and his family, that they would be spiritually encouraged and comforted at this time. Pray also for Brunson’s swift release.

(Header photo courtesy of World Witness)

“In the Presence of My Enemies” book written by Gracia Burnham.

Today, Gracia Burnham travels and shares her story at various speaking engagements. We recently connected with her at The Voice of the Martyrs, USA’s latest Advance Conference in Lynchburg, Virginia.

She says, “Voice of the Martyrs was some of the first to come alongside me and my family after that event, and so I have tried to plug into a lot of their conferences they do around the nation.”

Burnham reflects on what God taught her from her captivity 15 years ago: “In my case, what I learned was who I am. I think if you were to ask my children, they would say a different mother came out of the jungle than went in. I was always a real black-and-white person…. Then all of a sudden the bottom dropped out from me, and I saw myself at my lowest and I saw my sin and my hatred for those guys [our captors], and it was shocking. So when I saw myself for what I really was, then I learned God’s grace in a whole new way.”

There have been miraculous developments in Burnham’s story. “I have found some of the guys who held us captive, in a maximum security prison in Manila, and I’ve been able to work with them in a small way through a missionary couple who works in the prison. So far, four former Abu Sayyaf have come to know Jesus as their Savior.

“God writes really good stories. All of that could be happening in the Philippines and I wouldn’t even know about it, but the Lord let me even be in on some of it, and I’m just very grateful to Him.”

Gracia Burnham (Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs)

Coming off the heels of the International Day of Prayer and the focus on the worldwide Church, we asked Gracia how her life experience has influenced her thoughts on missions.

“I think my philosophy on missions is you just love people and you invite them into your circumstances. You tell them your story and what God did for you — and how God can work in their hearts and lives as well.”

For those in more volatile mission fields today, Gracia says this is her prayer — and how we can pray as well:

“I pray they’ll have a place to sleep tonight, they’ll have a pillow for their head, a blanket so they don’t freeze, a cup of hot coffee with sugar in it — something that will bless them, some encouragement from God’s Word…. They need the basic things, so my prayers for them are very simple: God, give them what they need today, their daily bread, and give them something to hang onto from you today to encourage their hearts and let them know, ‘God is here with me.’”

Click here to check out Gracia Burnham’s second book, To Fly Again.

Ultimately, says Burnham, “It’s an honor to tell my story…. I just try to love people and do what I can do, and watch God do what only He can do.”

(Photo courtesy Open Doors USA)

Syria (MNN) — Open Doors USA confirms reports that members of the Islamic State terror group have abducted 90 Assyrian Christians from villages in northeast Syria. Thousands of Assyrian Christians live in a string of villages on both sides of the Khabur River North of the city of Hassaka.

Open Doors USA CEO and president David Curry explains, “What you have is ISIS–which controls a large part of Syria and Iraq–taking back some territory near the Turkey border where they have kidnapped 90-100 Christians within that community.”

The early morning raids followed an assault that re-took two villages from the Kurds on Monday. The question is: why take captives now? Curry says, “I think that these folks are going to be used as an example or certainly held perhaps for ransom, but I’m guessing that it’s going to be a very difficult situation.” According to A Demand For Action (ADFA), an awareness group, ISIS wants to exchange the captives for ISIS prisoners.

Open Doors shared the following from an Assyrian Christian woman from Tal Shamiram who now lives in Beirut. She has been desperately trying to find out what has become of her parents, as well as her brother and his wife and children.

“Land lines have been cut, and their mobiles are closed,” she told Associated Press. “Have they been slaughtered? Are they still alive? We’re searching for any news.” She spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of endangering relatives believed to be held by the militants.

“My family visited me last month and returned to Syria. There were clashes, but it was normal, nothing exceptional. I feel so helpless. I cannot do anything for them but pray,” she said by telephone, her voice breaking.

(Infographic courtesy Open Doors USA)

Will ISIS give the remaining Christians in Tal Shamiram the same options they gave those in Mosul, Iraq? When ISIS began its advance, it gave Christians three options in territories it occupied: leave, pay a tax to stay, or die. Curry doesn’t think those options will be available this time around. Besides, “People have found that ISIS will not keep their word. There were a handful of people who paid a tax in order to stay and then were executed anyway. So, I don’t think the Christians in Tal Shamiram or this area here, where the Christians were abducted, are going to trust them and try to pay a tax.”

Just weeks ago, ISIS beheaded 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya, setting off international condemnation and strengthening the union among the 60 groups working to destroy ISIS. It was essentially a declaration of war. “It’s genocide of Christians within Iraq and Syria in that they’re targeting the elimination of this part of their culture.”

Because of the advance of IS, thousands of inhabitants from the villages fled to the bigger cities. Open Doors sources say that IS has reported today on their radio station that they detained tens of crusaders and seized 10 villages around Tal Tamr after clashes with Kurdish militiamen. IS frequently refers to Christians as “crusaders.”

Are they followers of Christ, or people who are not Muslim? Curry wonders if that matters. To the terror group, there is no distinction. “Whether they come from Orthodox faith or evangelical movements, these are people who have, for centuries, stood for Jesus in this region.” While every Christian may not have a personal faith in Christ, he adds, “If it was a casual thing, I don’t think people would be willing to die for it. They’re standing by their faith. I take them, not just by their word, but by what they’re doing.”

That’s also another way to pray: Ask God to make Himself real to those who don’t have a personal faith in Him. Pray that God will change the hearts of the extremists. Why? “There are people, even in the midst of this difficulty, who are coming to a personal faith in Jesus there. They’re really coming to peace in the midst of a very chaotic and difficult environment.”

Please give to help our brothers and sisters in Christ who live in areas like Syria and the critical parts of the Middle East, where extremists are targeting Christians. Your help will save lives, providing not only needed supplies such as food and water, but also counseling, Biblical training, and Scriptures to Christians in the Middle East who face violent persecution for being followers of Jesus.

(Image courtesy Wikipedia)

Kenya (MNN/ODM) – The Somali based al-Qaida linked Al-Shabaab militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack at the Westgate shopping center in Nairobi that left over 60 dead and at least 175 injured.

Kenya’s military chief was quoted as saying that because the gunmen came from around the world, “We are fighting global terrorism here.” Western powers have been alarmed by a spread of al Qaeda-linked violence across Africa, from Nigeria and Mali in the west, though Algeria and Libya in the north to Somalia and now Kenya in the east.

On Monday, security forces fought for control of the four-story building from the terrorists. A spokesman for al-Shabab reportedly threatened to kill hostages if Kenyan security forces stormed the mall. As a result, the death toll is expected to rise.

The nightmare began around noon (local time) on Saturday. A group of ten to fifteen heavily armed masked militants arrived in cars at the mall, blocked several entrances and then stormed the building. They threw grenades and tear gas and indiscriminately shot at fleeing crowds.

Jerry Dykstra, a spokesman for Open Doors USA says, the terror group clearly marked non-Muslims for murder. “They asked them if they could read the sentence in Arabic, and if they could, they were reportedly released, if they couldn’t, they were shot.” Witnesses told media they heard the attackers tell Muslims to run away. In fact, Al-Shabaab tweeted, “All Muslims were escorted out before the attack”.

About an hour into the siege security forces entered the building and were joined later by

(Image courtesy Westgate.co.ke)

Special Forces. The security forces rescued at least 1,000 people over several hours. Those who were rescued exited the building in a straight line with arms raised.

As to the reason for the attack, Dykstra explained, “Two years ago, Kenya sent troops into Somalia because there were a lot of border skirmishes between the two groups, the military of Kenya and al Shabaab. So, they’re retaliating for the Kenya government sending troops into Somalia.”

Westgate shopping center is popular among the expatriate community of Nairobi and among tourists. It is owned by an Israeli-national. The owner apparently received terror threats before and says he had put in place various security measures. A tweet from an account linked to Al-Shabaab (which has since been pulled down) read, “It is going to be a long ordeal at Westgate.” They also said, “There will be no negotiations whatsoever at #Westgate.”

However, if the skirmish they’re avenging was military, why did the terror group choose a soft target for retaliation? Two reasons: 1) to terrorize a general populace, 2) to make a point about Islam. Specifically, Dykstra says, “Many of the militants think that all people from the West are Christians. In their minds, these people that were being targeted, were probably Christians.”

A somber President Uhuru Kenyatta said he lost a nephew and the man’s fiancé in what he called the “cowardly act.” “The despicable perpetrators of this cowardly act hoped to intimidate, divide and cause despondency among Kenyans. They would like us to retreat into a closed, fearful and fractured society where trust, unity and enterprise are difficult to muster. An open and united country is a threat to evil doers everywhere. With our values of solidarity and love for our homeland, we fought proudly and bravely to secure the freedom to lead our lives as we choose. Our choice is codified in our Constitution.”

Open Doors (OD) staff reported that the situation across the capital and the country remains tense. The good news: no staff members were affected by the attack. However, Dykstra adds, “One of the workers there says that we need to join in prayer for Kenya as the country comes to terms with this horrific attack. Pray for the loved ones and the victims, and the families.”

The brazen assault shows one thing: “The violence against Christians is increasing. That’s not only from al-Shabaab, but there’s also a real tension between Christians and Muslims in the northern part of the country and the coastal part.”

Dykstra explains that the concern is over the emerging pattern for Kenya. “Kenya, over the years, has been a pretty stable country. It’s very troubling to see the level of violence increasing against Christian churches and there is a real Islamist drive to get Kenya under the African ‘House of Islam’.” ‘Islamic extremism’ is an important source of hostility against Christians in Kenya. ‘Tribal antagonism’ is also an upcoming persecution dynamic.

As these trends have increased, so has Kenya’s appearance on the World Watch List. It is currently ranked 40th on the Open Doors persecution index. According to the research, the increasing level of violence against Christians or churches is frequently connected to al-Shabaab or al-Shabaab-inspired extremist groups.

Prayer points:
• Pray for a safe release of the hostages.
• Pray for comfort for the families who have lost loved ones in the attack.
• Pray for good medical care and healing for the injured.
• Pray for restored security. Stability in Kenya is extremely important for the entire region.
• Pray that Christians will have the grace to respond to this incident with the love of Christ.

Reverend Paolo Dall’Oglio. (Photo courtesy of VOMC/Flickr /veDro – l’Italia al futuro)

Syria (MNN/VOMC) — Rev. Paolo Dall’Oglio is still missing two weeks after his disconcerting disappearance in Syria.

Dall’Oglio, an Italian Jesuit priest, was last heard of on Monday, July 29th. Activists in the region speculate he may have been kidnapped by Syrian rebel forces linked to Al Qaeda.

Rev. Paolo Dall’Oglio spent three decades in Syria before the government deported him last year for helping victims of President Bashar al-Assad’s military crackdown, according to Voice of the Martyrs Canada’s (VOMC) source Assist News Service. He re-entered the country in late July.

A source close to Dall’Oglio got an email from him on July 26. The reverend wrote in the email that he would be travelling to assist “difficult mediation,” according to the Religion News Service. The Christian Post says the source suggested, “It is possible the priest purposely went off the grid in Raqqa to help mediate the release of two hostages being held by Islamic rebels.”

The reverend’s disappearance comes three months after the kidnapping of the Greek Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox archbishops of Aleppo in April. According to VOMC, these reflect the dangers Christians are still facing in this war-torn country.

Paul Yazigi of the Greek Orthodox Church, and Yohanna Ibrahim of the Syriac Orthodox Church, were kidnapped near the village of Kafr Dael on April 22nd while returning from the Turkish border on a humanitarian relief trip. The abduction happened on the road to Aleppo from the rebel-held Bab al Hawa Province, where gunmen intercepted their vehicle and killed the driver.

The fate of both clergymen is still unknown.

According to the United Nations, Syrian Christians have been vulnerable since the beginning of the civil war in 2011 which has left more than 100,000 people dead. Reportedly hundreds of believers have been kidnapped since hostilities began in 2011, and thousands more have fled the country. Many have crossed over into Lebanon or Turkey where they await legal or illegal means to reach Europe and obtain political asylum. To review a previous report on the crisis, click here.

VOMC asks for prayer that the Lord would be a shield to the multitudes of innocent people who are caught in the cross fire between the forces of good and evil. Ask for His divine protection and strength to be upon all of His faithful servants who are boldly taking a stand for righteousness.

Click here to receive more prayer requests through VOMC.

Dall’Oglio, an Italian Jesuit priest, was last heard from on Monday, July 29th. Activists in the region speculate he may have been kidnapped by Syrian rebel forces linked to al-Qaeda.

Rev. Paolo Dall'Oglio spent three decades in Syria before the government deported him last year for helping victims of President Bashar al-Assad's military crackdown, according to Voice of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC) source, Assist News Service. He re-entered the country in late July.

A source close to Dall’Oglio got an e-mail from him on July 26. The reverend wrote in the e-mail that he would be travelling to assist “difficult mediation,” according to the Religion News Service.
The Christian Post says the source suggested, “It is possible the priest purposely went off the grid in Raqqa to help mediate the release of two hostages being held by Islamic rebels.”

The reverend's disappearance comes three months after the kidnapping of the Greek Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox archbishops of Aleppo in April. According to VOMC, these reflect the dangers Christians are still facing in this war-torn country.

Paul Yazigi of the Greek Orthodox Church and Yohanna Ibrahim of the Syriac Orthodox Church were kidnapped near the village of Kafr Dael on April 22nd while returning from the Turkish border on a humanitarian relief trip. The abduction happened on the road to Aleppo from the rebel-held Bab al Hawa Province, where gunmen intercepted their vehicle and killed the driver.

The fate of both clergymen is still unknown.

According to the United Nations, Syrian Christians have been vulnerable since the beginning of the civil war in 2011 which has left more than 100,000 people dead. Reportedly hundreds of believers have been kidnapped since hostilities began in 2011, and thousands more have fled the country. Many have crossed over into Lebanon or Turkey where they await legal or illegal means to reach Europe and obtain political asylum.

VOMC asks for prayer that the Lord would be a shield to the multitudes of innocent people who are caught in the cross fire between the forces of good and evil. Ask for His divine protection and strength to be upon all of His faithful servants who are boldly taking a stand for righteousness.

Click here to receive more prayer requests through VOMC.

Tom Doyle with
E3 Partners explains,
"There's been a resurgence with the Taliban. Some believers have actually
been escaping into Iran. Wherever we
went in Afghanistan, we just sensed that there was so much more tension."

Gayle Williams, a 34-year-old British national, had been working with handicapped Afghans for two years with
SERVE Afghanistan. "Here you have someone like Gayle Williams who
is just helping the people, not out there evangelizing, and they kill her. The Taliban is claiming
'proselytizing.'" 

Afghanistan is a conservative
Islamic nation. Proselytizing is prohibited by law, and other Christian
missionaries or charities have faced severe hostility.

However, SERVE Afghanistan
rejected the charge of preaching and said it believed the claim was
opportunistic. The group's Web page says
the charity has been working with Afghan refugees since 1980 in Pakistan,
explaining that "SERVE Afghanistan's purpose is to express God's love and
bring hope by serving the people of Afghanistan, especially the needy, as we
seek to address personal, social and environmental needs."

The murder exacts a  high price: life or death for those who can
least afford the latter. The Afghanistan
aid agency which employed Williams has stopped operations and may pull out altogether.

Doyle says he met Williams during
his visit in Afghanistan two weeks ago. Her
murder has sent shock waves through the Christian community there.  

Workers and those in other forms
of ministry are close, and they won't be intimidated into silence.  However, Williams' death has a clear message
from the Taliban: "You're not welcome here."

"Bottom line is that it is
dangerous out there," agrees Doyle. "We
don't want to see ministries do things foolishly and be put in harm's way. But
on the other hand, we want to make sure the work continues, so there's a
tension there. We just really need prayer from the body for the leaders there
to know when to pull back and when to move forward."

Pray that Christians in Afghanistan will be able to stand for their
faith, despite the small numbers, and that they will reach out to those around
them with the Gospel of Christ.

Oh Soo-In, a senior administrator at the Sammul Protestant
Community Church, the sending church, explained the abductees had been on a
short-term medical missions trip in Afghanistan since Friday, July 13. They
were due to return to South
Korea yesterday.

The 23, including 18 women, were working at an aid
organization in Kandahar.
Most of the Koreans are in their 20s and 30s, and include nurses and English
teachers.

Voice of the Martyrs' Canada's
Glenn Penner says the militants threatened to execute the South Korean hostages
if the government didn't free imprisoned insurgents and withdraw its 200
soldiers from Afghanistan.

Given the conditions, there were questions as to whether or
not the group was targeted because of its national affiliation, or because the
team was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. "It's not safe for
NGOs period, and certainly not for Christian ones, particularly.  But I'm quite certain that they were not
specifically targeted because they were Christians. I am concerned, however
that the way that they are treated may differ when it is discovered that they
are specifically, Christian missionaries."

The South Korean embassy says a delegation of Korean
diplomats is aiding the negotiations.  Penner
says this time is crucial for the hostages. 
They're urging prayer.  

"Pray for wisdom for the South Korean government
as they are negotiating with the Taliban at this time. Pray for the safety of
these missionaries.  Their organization
has made it very clear that they were not involved in evangelistic work. Having
said all that, pray that they will be faithful witnesses to Christ, in love and
action."

.