Page 16 - My Faith Mag MARCH 2016 web

OFORNFOFTNAHTIETLHINESSERVINGTHE PERSECUTED CHURCH
—by Open Doors SA

The ministry of Open Doors began when a young, Dutch, newly converted Christian, Andrew van
der Bijl, was invited to a Polish Youth Festival in 1955. Other than a change of clothes and linen, his
bag was filled with Christian literature for believers in Warsaw. What he found behind the Iron Curtain
was a Church in desperate need of support and Bibles. It was in this moment that God spoke to Brother
Andrew, as he is best known, through the words of Revelation 3:2, “Awake, strengthen what remains,
which is at the point of death…”
Under Brother Andrew’s leadership, Open Doors has gone, and today, 60 years later, still goes, where
very few Western Christians dare to go. “I think we in the West, now this is a personal confession, I think
we are cowards. We want a personal profit to come first and if that is at risk, we don’t do anything. We
ought to become people of guts, courage and strong convictions and [shouldn’t] count our lives dear unto
ourselves, if only we can fulfil the high calling of God on our lives. That’s what I’m after,” says Brother Andrew.

THE PERSECUTED CHURCH TODAY

An estimated 100 million Christians worldwide suffer interrogation,
arrest and even death for their faith in Christ. Christians like Seema*
who at age 11 was driven away by her family because she accepted
Jesus. Ever since then she has had to survive virtually on her own, but
recently received support from Open Doors to expand her tiny shop.
“I am selling many grocery items now, and my business is running
very well. I praise God for all His provisions.”
Open Doors supports and strengthens many believers in the world’s
most difficult areas, enabling them to continue shining Christ’s light
in their families and communities. We do this through Bible and
Christian literature distribution, leadership training and assistance,
Christian community development, prayer and presence ministry and
advocacy on behalf of persecuted believers.

THE OPEN DOORS WORLD WATCH LIST

The Open Doors World Watch List highlights the top 50 countries where it is
most difficult to live as a Christian. The list reports that persecution became
more intense in more parts of the world in 2015. While North Korea remains
the most difficult place in the world to be a Christian, persecution is growing
most rapidly in Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa. In the Middle East,
Islamic State violence in Iraq and Syria has increased the pace of the exodus
of the Christian population from the region and is also having, as news
headlines daily testify, a global impact.
In the 60 years since Brother Andrew’s
first mission trip, the world has