Two more Christian teenage girls in Egypt are missing, according to CFI’s contact in that country. They are the most recent of hundreds of Christian girls reportedly kidnapped by Salafist Muslims to be forcibly converted to Islam and forcibly married. Mariam Magdy Roshdy, a 19-year old student, was last seen leaving her university after finishing … Read more
While world attention is drawn to Burma’s attacks on the mostly-Muslim Rohingya, the military is advancing into other territories inhabited by minorities, including Christians. Several students at CFI’s Bible Institute are sheltering at the school instead of returning to their villages inside Burma after their school year ended last week. As CFI’s students were celebrating … Read more
The struggle over religious freedom is oftentimes not straight-forward. Restrictions can come in tricky wording or bureaucratic regulations. If “freedom of religion” is changed to “freedom of worship” then, just like that, Christians would not be free to live their faith outside church walls and in their every-day lives. One back-handed method is happening right … Read more
A Christian leader expressed alarm this week at the arrest of two extremists in Bangladesh. The militants were tracking Christian converts from Islam to kill them. “I am afraid, not for myself but for my children,” the leader wrote, “If I would be killed by Islamic militants, what would happen to them?” The arrests took … Read more
Update: The U.S. Senate confirmed Gov. Sam Brownback today as the U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom. Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote as Democrats opposed Brownback for his Christian beliefs on the sanctity of life and marriage. The U.S. came one step closer to having an Ambassador for International Religious Freedom — … Read more
Egyptian Christians Celebrate Christmas Despite ISIS Attacks. Egyptian Christians will celebrate Christmas this weekend even as Islamic militants step up attacks and vow to “wipe them out.” “Pray for a safe and peaceful Christmas here, and for the protection of the Coptic Christians and the Egyptian church,” said Christian Freedom International’s s co-worker. Coptic Christians … Read more
This Christmas, the stark reality of life as a Christian was displayed in Pakistan. In Quetta, Islamic terrorists attacked a church during a packed pre-Christmas service where a children’s Christmas play was scheduled. At least 11 people were killed and 50 injured. In Lahore, Christians gave colorful clothes and toys to brighten Christmas for children … Read more
The bad news came as Christian Freedom International’s volunteers were distributing food and provisions to refugees from Pakistan last month. A Christian family, who is hiding in Thailand while seeking asylum, was arrested while on the way to pick up the aid and food packet. “We prayed together from the core of our heart,” said … Read more
An e-mail from our co-worker in a restricted country arrived last week. He warned that a police officer is trying to track us down after we visited Christians in a remote area of that country. The officer wants to know who we met with, and why. “If you get any mail from police officer in {restricted country} please don’t respond,” … Read more
After the beheadings and terrorist attacks, after the world turns to the next breaking news, what happens to the families of Christians killed by ISIS? Many times, they are forgotten. The problem is not that people don’t care. There are just too many tragedies to keep up. In Egypt, one man remembers. One early morning … Read more