God bless you. Thank you so much for joining us today. It is persecution day in the world of podcasts in here at Elim church we welcome you in wherever you are today persecuted podcast today we have Sandra with us wherever you are across this earth today we pray that the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, will guide you and strengthen you. We have a report that Simon was going to go through today, we're having a recap. In Afghanistan, the underground church, the refugees, and today's title is released internationals report the trends that are happening. So Sandra will bring that through to us. We pray that wherever you are today, God will just continue to give you strength and guide you. May God continually, just continually continually bless your life. We thank you so much for sharing with us. You can find us on iHeartRadio Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify and Buzzsprout. Thank you so much for sharing all this stuff out. But today, the podcast is very simply the persecuted church as we do this weekly. Thank you so much for sharing everything. In the mighty name of Jesus Sondra. Good morning.
Sandra Robson:Good morning. So a Monday, Thursday, just on the very powerful day Eve of
Reverend Ben Cooper:Good Friday. Yes. But what have you got for us today?
Sandra Robson:Well, we're going to look back at Afghanistan. And there were a few things that I had on on that we looked at the underground church, the fact that there is a church there. Obviously, it is, you know, not seen by people, you wouldn't know it was there if you were in Afghanistan, but if you know is operating, and you're just saying about the pressures, and it's, you know, people think about the Taliban coming in, and the pressures from them, but it's also pressures from family who've found out and we were talking about this, particularly because it's Ramadan, thinking about those brothers and sisters, who have come to know Jesus, who were Muslims, and now they call them Muslim background believers. And they're now very much on fire for the Lord. And they want to share him. And that's what we were seeing that say young men and women are desiring to share the gospel. And they are doing that. And they are listening to radio, though. We talked about the fact that there are some radio stations that are managing to put programs out and one of them operation Angel, and that that's very encouraging. And we started to touch on the refugee situation. And we had two testimonies about that. And then I said there was something in Barnabas report, but we didn't get on to that. So I just thought I just finish with that. And that was about, you know, we know that a lot of people tried to escape, and it was terrible scenes, wasn't it with the aeroplane scenario? Yes, yeah. But since then there have some organizations have managed to get some some Afghans out who are particularly at threat. And you know, Barnabas are asking for support for a letter writing campaign. Excellent. So the little bit is, it was certain that that Christians who remained in Afghanistan would be killed for their faith in Christ unless they could escape. But escape was not easy. And then Taliban fighters closed in Kabul airport. And in order to, you know, just stop everything, any any more from escaping or going anywhere. Thankfully, some Christian families were able to escape country, overland and Barnabas Fund have been channeling donations and support for these believers. And yet they are still in Muslim majority countries. So they've fled Afghanistan, but they've gone into other countries where they are still at threat, but they are safe for them where they were.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So they're slightly safer, but they're, they're under the same sort of oppression. Same sort of control, but they are slightly safer. Yeah, well, Wow, it's just just goes on and on and on, doesn't it but Sandra is coming out of release International's world today. The voice of the persecuted Christian, I'm just looking at online, there's some fantastic titles and stories and everything that's in there. And she's mentioned mentioned Barnabas as well. So if you want to follow all this what Sandra is doing, it's easy to find very easy to find. So just type in realist international.org, and it will come up and it's a very easy site, easy to navigate, easy to flow through. And you can find out everything, everything that Sandra is speaking about everything that Sandra brings to the mics, is there in plain sight for every human being to read and to see, nothing is hidden? Everything is out in the open. Sandra, they just move in, aren't they from from one Yes, from one place to another. So
Sandra Robson:Barnum was fond of now set up this operation safe havens, and they've worked tirelessly to find safe and permanent places for for our persecuted brothers and sisters who fled over the borders to wherever they could find. And they are they this was written in November, December last year. And so they said that, you know, by the time you know that this time now they should be in countries of safety. And nevertheless, more Christians will be trying to escape from Afghanistan, the UK despite it's the you know, they haven't been able to, to be able to get safe passage ways and they're still working on that. And you know, they are they are Barnabas have been working with them and wanting the government to do more about it. So then they're saying that they want us to join this letter writing campaign so you can see whether it is still on because as I say, this is a little bit from December, so we're now in April. But they had if you go to their website, you can find out what's going on with
Reverend Ben Cooper:I've got an omnibus fund here we're collecting for you crime refugees, it's all over there a safe haven everything given food safe haven, you know, the magazine it's, it's loaded, it's it's completely full, we got the Bible reading for today, which is interesting. Got some great pictures, great stories on there. So everything is online, everything is so easy. I mentioned, release International, that's a beautiful site to to go through omnibus fund as well. So just simply type in Barnabas, fund.org and everything will come up and it is there for you. So much information that is on the table that is wide open. That clearly tells us everything that's going on. Barnabas funds, it works to provide hope and aid for the persecuted church for Christians. Form from Christians to Christians and through Christian. So there's a lot of activity on this site. And I would urge you to grab, grab your apple, laptop, a ie your tablet, your iPhone, whatever you got your Android your computer at work and just just have a read through. Just type it in as a lot of stuff going on. Brilliant.
Sandra Robson:Brilliant. Yeah. So they say they're in touch with several 100 Christians, men, women and children. Yeah. who remain in Afghanistan. That's what they were saying at the time. So yeah, that's good. That's another angle. Right? So now we're looking at this report that's came in, are we going to release Internet yes, released international are going to be with release International. And so this is the January March issue, this year of voice. And why I'm doing this is because these different organizations work in different ways. And release International is connected with Voice of the Martyrs and and they have partners that they work in with in different countries, open doors is more they look at the whole of what's going on and do levels of persecution and things. And they do have particular campaigns with a particular country. And so I just thought we'd look at how release international are working. And I like this particularly because we are hearing direct from people who are in the countries and I'm talking about so I've particularly highlighted what these partners are saying and how they see things developing this year. So And so it's gonna it's gonna be a brief overview because we've looked at Africa and eastern Asia, but I'm particularly going to focus on Central Asia. But because we have looked at these, the some of these things, but it's just good to refresh ourselves and see where things are at. So as Shreya and Ethiopia, that's the first one the UN half a million air trains left Ethiopia that's 10% of the population in 2021, due to repression, forced military conscription, conch encryption. And that's partly due to that T Gray, you know, civil war and economic collapse. So the civil war in Tigray rumbles on and 1000s have fled, including Christians from UN refugee camps, which we did cover about, and they comment that that was brutal, and the food shortages, and it's resulted in a famine as well. So things are very, very, you know, very, very difficult. But we know that there are, you know, those glimmers of hope people who have come out and gone into Ethiopia, and they've been able to support them and with small business loans and things like that a lot of really powerful stuff. Yeah, have been very easy now. Yeah, very badly affected. I mean, I read that one where some refugees have come into the Capitol, and they'd wanted to be hairdressers and partners are able to set Yeah, in that. And, you know, those small those small stories mean a lot and they are witnessing, so there's pressure there. And in Nigeria, we know there's been terrible things going on all year. So the warning the, you know, things could be even more difficult this year, because it's the political campaigning here and they have noticed when it's a political campaigning year, that there's an increase in attacks by Boko Haram and the Fulani and the the Fulani attacks include kidnapping for ransom, destroying villages, and yeah, displacing people and those churches and apparently up to date 50 villages and 5000 Christians by July 2021, over 3400 being killed.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Goodness gracious. Wow.
Sandra Robson:So yeah, that's,
Reverend Ben Cooper:that's mind blowing, isn't it, when you listen to the statistics, when you when you really dive into what's going on in the persecuted church is quite upsetting. But thank God for the power of His word. It's very difficult subject. Sometimes you get really drawn into this, and your heart really goes so deep in it. But when we look at what's happening, there's nothing that we should be taken by surprise, because everything is written in the scripture, God, Christ, Holy Spirit, they write very clearly about the persecution that that will fall on on the earth. At the end times, we clearly understand that but as human beings, we can't understand how someone would be so barbaric to another human being. But as Christ said, very clearly in the scriptures, as they persecuted me so more they persecute you. And when you look at Christ, how Christ was removed from the earth, even though the scriptures were fulfilled, and he said, It is finished, he was persecuted, he was beaten, he was spat upon, He was whipped. So as you look at that day, it's a very, it's very difficult, isn't it? The word persecution because I don't think the westernized church really understands the true depth of it. But when you start studying it and start reading it and looking at it, and going a bit further and trying to get an understanding of in a school, it really is very upsetting. But we just pray that for what God is doing through these powerful ministries, Barnabas Fund, release International Open Doors, transport radio, and so many other great ministries out there that are working and helping the refugees, the displaced Christians that God will continue to show mercy on these lives. But this is quite heavy hitting, isn't it? These ripples,
Sandra Robson:yeah. And Burkina Faso is also you know, come into the spotlight as well. And they they have partners there. And they said that in 2021 jihadist targeted the North Oh dear and close churches and people are having to meet in secret it and they say that they feel most of it is linked to Islamic State. And there's been bombings, killings, kidnappings, schools set on fire, assaults on churches and leaders. And they feel that this situation is starting to become similar to Nigeria. Okay.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So there's a pattern. But there seems to be a pattern doesn't know, wherever we seem to look, there is a general rule of thumb to what happens to the persecuted church. And we are referring to the deep persecuted church, not just what we might think in the westernized world, but in the very depths of what we are looking at today that there is a pattern doesn't matter what, what nation or what country they're from, or who whatever leaders that are in position. They it seems to follow this really brutal pattern, didn't it? Close enough? Churches, families been displaced families been split apart? You know, ostracized set aside imprisonment, so much
Sandra Robson:leaders, the leaders, it's killed kind Yeah,
Reverend Ben Cooper:yeah. Pastors, people, families being torn to pieces. brutality. It seems to be a
Sandra Robson:widows, lots of widows and children.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Without parents. Yeah, Father, less mother less, you know, without families without without anyone around them, you know, living off living off the off whatever they have around them. I'm looking at a picture right now. On release International, the voice of the persecuted church, and it's got three little children just sitting on the ground. Are they with any clothing on whatsoever? No shoes just absolutely look like, goodness gracious me sitting on the dirt almost just flies all over them? Wow. Yeah.
Sandra Robson:And, particularly like the youth because, you know, it, you know, just for them to remain strong in their faith and in their pet, you know, what their parents taught them, because they are very vulnerable to these groups, you know, because I've told you, they give them money, they offer them all sorts of things. And, you know, they, they can be pulled away. And, you know, and you can imagine that, you know, the sort of anger and frustration, everything, they say, sue the authorities not doing anything, and it would be so easy for them just to get involved in in, you know, violence and, and yeah, just think, you know, there's a cause and fight, cause what's the point? What's the point of, you know, we've been downtrodden. And you know, and they can forget, forget the gospel Can't they? do pray for them that are a lot of very strong young men and women. But it's incredibly hard. And just thank the Lord for all the different supports that are there. And for the leadership that is there. And for those partners who are working with churches, yes. And the amazing, amazing job that they're doing and a very dangerous, difficult job, but they're continuing and trust in the Lord. And, you know, and yeah, great things are happening behind the scenes. A lot of it we can't talk about No, because it would put people in danger. Very much so. So as is this North Korea, and Dr. Eric Foley is the CEO of Voice of the Martyrs. So as I said, that's the the connection with release International, the Voice of the Martyrs. And he's says that persecution remains constant. But despite this in 2021, there was an increase requests for Bibles during COVID as the authorities did less house to house searches to avoid infection. And so it reminded me of the thing with Terry come Boone where she says about the fact that they were able to conduct worship services because of the fleas.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, story.
Sandra Robson:She said that, that they choose to talk to the Lord about it and say, why do you why don't you take away these pesky fees? But then she realized that they were a deterrent to the to the German the soldiers coming in and finding I would just leave them alone. Leave them alone. And I just thought about that when I heard about this. So while everybody else was like trying to protect themselves. Christians have have actually found respite from their persecution. But now things are you know, as we said, there was that low and they crank things up again, haven't a really Yeah, you know. But anyway, in that time, more and more, came to know Jesus and they have Bibles. So thank the Lord for that. And he says, Let's be encouraged by their witness to seize continued extreme systematic persecution, unless the regime collapses, who says that, that will continue? I think
Reverend Ben Cooper:the scripture that comes to mind all things work together, for the good of those that love Christ Jesus, you know, God uses and His ways are mysterious, and its ways are just interesting about the fleece. Very interested. So what is around us where we're asking it to be removed, when actually God is saying find peace in the situation? Because what what you are in is a deterrent for the enemy, you know, so you have to be very careful of our environment that we're in. Yeah, very, very careful what the enemy meant for harm, God will turn for good. He is a winemaker. He is the king. And as we press through this podcast this morning, 22 minutes in already Sandra, you know, violence and imprisonment, kidnapping and killing, and so much going on. But what all across the notes that we you gather together and everything we look at, there is a steady, a steady rhythm, a steady move of what is happening across every nation that you you will call the persecuted nation from East, Eastern Africa to Asia, South Africa, you know, all these different places, the Middle East, you know, Afghanistan, Korea, North Korea, China. You know, there's one one thing one core thing isn't there that to remove Christianity, yeah, that that that that is the center point to remove, remove Christ, remove Christ
Sandra Robson:is what the Chinese are doing. Now, they won't let anything, anything with Christ on us to be removed. And the latest thing you know, they've got the things to do with the internet, that people won't take things down, large groups haven't been able to meet. And the messages that are related to religion is bad for education. And a progress in life is being promoted in schools and universities. We anything that doesn't promote the ideal old ideology of the Communist Party is unchanged Chinese, and a push is to remove it is very strong. And so therefore, Christianity is unacceptable. And there's been an increase in persecution across the country. So it was in pockets, but now it's widespread across the country. And they said the partners China, right. Like saying that that's going to continue in 2000. This year. And yeah, and is happening, as we just said,
Reverend Ben Cooper:very, very strong internet, when you when you really think about that they're just closing
Sandra Robson:down every possible way, flick of a switch, and they could
Reverend Ben Cooper:remove Christianity removed Christ from the school
Sandra Robson:radio available, but they've got to be very careful with that.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So from the schools to the internet, the political parties are driving an ideology that is so strong, that we will we must remove Christ we must remove Christianity. Lord, have mercy on all those that think that they can they can drive Christ out. Religion is dangerous. Religion is dangerous, but Christ is the healer. And anyone that comes against a believer God have mercy on them, but to actually stand up and be a political party and say that we are going to remove Christ and Christianity out of our nation. That is very dangerous, spiritually dangerous, Christ is a God that will not be marked. His ways are just He is the King of kings, and he is the Lord of lords. But the signs are clear through the Scripture and what we see in here, that God's return Christ's return, I should say, as he comes in the way that he ascended, and he will descend as the King of glory, but we are seeing an increase, not because man's power is getting stronger, but the end times is getting closer, and Thessalonians and Revelation and the Good Book tells us what to expect. So the world is only doing what the Bible has already prophesied. So we shouldn't be being taken by some prize in any way shape or form through what Sandra is bringing to the table. But we try to stay so jolly in a westernized church and be completely oblivious sometimes to what really is happening. The persecute the church is really the frontline Church, the model church, it is the church. non denominational, isn't it interesting, Sandra? Yeah, non denominational, it has no denomination, but it belongs to the kingdom, the persecuted church, when you really think about that? It has no offices, it has no structure, it has no, yes, I understand that there may be some leaders that belong to A, B, C, or D denomination, but at the end of the day, that is all removed. And they are still gathering as believers.
Sandra Robson:Yeah. They learn a lot about unity in the Spirit. And I know that they've said that before. You know, persecution is a struck in particular places when the different organizations have been doing like seminars of realizing that it was on, you know, that things were changing. And they said that there was greater unity, okay, in churches, because they had had different ideas and been in different directions and had been sort of building their own square and, and as they they saw the pressure coming, then they started to unite. And so that's been one thing. And then, of course, they haven't been able to meet and a lot of them have had to go underground and just meet in very small numbers.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So they're meeting as believers, obviously. So they are meeting as Social Security Christians not as an organization, we have a conference that is absolutely impossible to do. They are not meeting as denominations, they are meeting as persecuted Christians that are having everything stripped back from them. It's very, very interesting to find that, you know, a denomination has its place. But when true persecution comes in, it gets stripped back to the bare bone. And you'll find that you will just be standing there as a believer, with no denominational strength or system to be able to help you but all we have, and what we have is correct is the word of God. That is the true church. It is not denominational, it is the kingdom, the kingdom, the Church of Jesus Christ is the kingdom where the king is the king. He is the head of the church. So when you look at all this persecuted church going on around the world, it's nondenominational. Yes, they might start out as a denomination, they might start out as an organization. But you will find that as persecution comes, they are just found to be persecuted believers. It strips everything back. It strips everything back. We box ourselves off so easily within the West, into denominations. And people say and different denominations say we are the church, we are the church. But actually when persecution comes, it strips all that back. And you see where people really stand and what they actually believe in. So as you look at these pictures, you will find that they are nondenominational. They are believers, holding on to the breath of life, dodging bullets, dodging arrows, dodging, dodging, rapists and terrorists, fundamentalist, they are dodging everything. So the denomination has no strength and has no power. But they are found to be in the kingdom of God. Interesting, isn't it? Sandra, that you get stripped back of all that? And you find that you are just a believer?
Sandra Robson:Yeah, yeah, in some places that the churches have just had to close their doors, but there are Afghanistan, as we know, as the next place south. Yeah, South Asia, we've, we've done quite a bit on that. And, you know, the same lack of work and food is a major problem for everyone. And known Christians are likely to be discriminated against. And so that's the partner that's working with those in Afghanistan. And then India, and more states are imposing anti conversion laws and a growing number of but a growing number of Delights. They're the lowest class underclass in India, due to in the Hindu system, they're turning to Christianity. And, but the right wing Hindu nationalism is on the rise. So the evangelical fellowship of India so they have It still got there. The denominational groupings, record 145 incidents of religious persecution against Christians, including three murders, wow, in the first six months of 2021. So that's really increased in India. And there have been 300 violent attacks against Christians over a nine month period, including 288 incidents of mob violence across 21 states. And they say attacks against Christians are likely to continue in 2020. So we were away at the weekends, and the some, some people that my husband knows a couple of my husband knows their son goes out to India, with an organization and three of the pastor's they know are in prison at the moment. And basically, I mean, I read it in one of the Open Doors reports, but when you hear it,
Reverend Ben Cooper:you bring it back to reality. Yeah. Yeah, that you know, that someone that someone that someone, yeah, he's one of those someone's it really brings an open. Yeah, the reality of what we are talking about. So
Sandra Robson:So what they're doing is the these, the Hindu nationalists, right, so churches in certain areas, they haven't got the conversion law thing yet. But they still have to say they're having a meeting to the, the authorities. So this church has said they were going to have this meeting. And from what he was telling me, these three pastors were at this meeting. So what you know, worship and service and everything was a special meeting they were having. And so that Hindu nationalist came in. And they sat in the meeting all the way through the meeting. And then they called the police, and said that these people were converting, and, and then instead of these Hindus being arrested, or being, you know, sort of spoken to, they arrested the pastor's. So this is what is is happening. And he hadn't heard. He hadn't heard what had happened, but there was no news about what was happening with these pastors. And, you know, whether they'd been released or whether they were still, you know, at police station, what had happened. So that was quite, you know, that was quite
Reverend Ben Cooper:strong. This is so powerful. This is so deep.
Sandra Robson:Yeah. But there is a big push, because if you remember, this was a long day. It was like at the beginning of when I started to do this, they said they wanted to get rid of all other minorities. They wanted to be Hindu only by this this year. 10 years. Right. Yeah, that's, you know, trying everything, trying everything, trying everything. Because there's attacks against Muslims, there's attacks against Sikhs, there's attacks against anybody who is not a Hindu. It's not just Christian. Muslims. Yeah. Yeah, that's what he was saying. Yeah. But there's still a lot, you know, India, it's a big place. And I mean, he's planning a trip, you know, in November to support different pastures. And, you know, and he's saying that, you know, there are still that, you know, not safe, but you know what I mean, you can go and you can support, but you've got to be careful, you've got to know, you've got to
Reverend Ben Cooper:be very careful, and really got to be careful. So,
Sandra Robson:but yes, but he was saying yes, that there's there's three, three of the people that they particularly a bit know and have supported that. Yeah. So do pray for India, because it's meant to be, you know, a democracy isn't it isn't meant to be. And I have written letters to the MP about this. And my MP and I know open doors have encouraged people to write to MPs.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, it's really important that we write to the local MP to try and get some weight behind this but you've heard it there. We knew that this was coming. And India is probably driving us so hard at this moment I've done about properly but they definitely are. Without any shadow of any doubt they are trying to erase I will say try to but but this has happened from the cross, isn't it? Really, when when we think about this, this is nothing new because the world has always been trying to arrange Christ. And we're on Monday, Thursday on what this week represents. It was about removing Christ and Christianity off the Earth. But Christianity and the kingdom of God is still growing. It's still moving.
Sandra Robson:That's right. And we know that villagers are, yeah, the Lord villages. He's healing. He's, he's the healer, Jesus is healing and as an amazing, amazing thing that is going on. In India, there are many, many healings. And it's not been particularly orchestrated by the church. I mean, the prayer is there, but people are being healed and then coming to the church, or they're having, you know, like we said,
Reverend Ben Cooper:I love that. It's outside The church
Sandra Robson:and they come to find
Reverend Ben Cooper:the inside. Yeah, well, it's all this.
Sandra Robson:Or I, you know, I need help, and nobody else can help me. I've tried this doctor, I've tried that Doctor, can you know, can you do?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Like the lady with the issue of blood, isn't it? Yeah, I've got to get to Jesus. Yeah, I have to get to the Messiah, I've got to get to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. I've got to get to Jesus, you know, we're running that type
Sandra Robson:of thing. So we, you know, we've got Pakistan. And we've had, you know, we know quite a bit about Pakistan, praise God, that, you know, somebody we were praying for has been released very quietly, so that there wasn't any backlash, you know, from extremists or anything. And, yes, Central Asia is my next My next poster call. And this is a positive story. And it just shows a certain as places some places are closing down, and persecution is very hard. Some places are having a relaxation. We don't know for how long but there's a relaxation, relaxation. Wow, in authorities, the way they're thinking the church. And
Reverend Ben Cooper:that's what it comes down to, doesn't it the authority, if the authority and the governance is changed, and their attitude, so it's driven from the top? It's obviously this is driven from the leadership of the nation. So if there is a change in leadership, and that's really a good prayer point, actually, that Lord change the leadership of the nation, put in Christians, putting Christians that are leaders, you know, powerful,
Sandra Robson:just like Cyrus's, you know that sympathetic?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yes. Yes, true. Yeah, yeah.
Sandra Robson:So, in general, at the center and local levels, there are restrictions and discriminatory bureaucracy. Preventing churches from obtaining permits, is especially targeting Pentecostal and charismatic groups as they are the fastest growing churches in the region. That was what one of the partners has said. And, however, during the past year, the intensity of persecution has decreased. But that's not because they have changed their minds about Christianity. It's more to do with other problems caused due to COVID-19 As we said, and poor state of medical institutions and lack of medicines. But a partner has noted that in Uzbekistan, there is a noticeable improvement in the area of state church relationships. And so thank the Lord for that. And there's an article about that and a bit more detail. And so it's saying that in pardon me for I tried to get these rights very difficult. Cause SAS cause this Stan, and then it has this done? Yes, yes. Yes, it's done. And then there's K y. Yeah, can I can? I can.
Reverend Ben Cooper:I can't it's not. Magazine. I can't read
Sandra Robson:KKYRG y as Zed s t a n and take money, Stan, and Takistan I think it is an Uzbekistan Yes. So those are the Central Asian areas that release international particularly are involved with and the saying that Islamic leaders actively promote the point of view that all converts from Islam to Christianity are traitors To the faith of their people. In addition, evangelical Christians are often associated with Western countries and are seen as American spies and agents of Western imperialism. But they these are the things that they how they restrict them. Open preaching of the gospel is prohibited by law, limiting the num number of believers ban on holding Christian meetings, a ban on distributing Christian literature outside church buildings, and under realistic regulate regulations. Such as in Kurdistan, they're only they have to have 200 local Christians registered to be able to say they can have a church. Oh, really, however,
Reverend Ben Cooper:how ever you've dropped the however, in
Sandra Robson:answers to prayer. And the authorities of these countries are busy coping with the governmental issues and so have less time and capacity to engage in persecution. And in addition, it has become easier for Christians to live and work in his Pakistan, for some churches, and some churches have been registered. Some of our co workers from these areas were able to come to see us which is a real miracle from the Lord. And they've also been able to hold Bible teaching sessions and, and local leaders are growing in strength and vision. And one of the pastors in Turkmenistan said, The Lord is still working in our country. We pray for revival in the face of the pandemic so that many people will turn to God and trust more in him than in people. We hope that this disease will decline soon. We know that God has everything under control. And yeah, this partner, Pavel leads a team of Christian workers who provide support and training and pastoral care to the underground believers throughout
Reverend Ben Cooper:the ground believers. nondenomination. Again, yeah, so
Sandra Robson:we're going back to that. So there's, there are, we have still areas and there's now pressure on those churches so that they'll find difficult to meet. But then we're we've so we started off with the underground and we ended up going back to the underground church, I suppose. There we go. So but yeah, to be encouraged, and to end on that being encouraged and strengthened by the witness of the North Korean Christians and these South Central Asian Christians. And in my prayers for 30 days of prayer for the Muslim world, it was about Central Asia. And so the, the, one of the prayer points was to pray for governments to protect religious freedom and allow Christians to worship safely and be able to contribute to the development of the nations and I like this Colossians, one nine to 12. So
Reverend Ben Cooper:as we finish on a beautiful piece of scripture, Sondra,
Sandra Robson:as time has gone. So for this reason, we also since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. That's what we pray for ourselves. That you may walk worthy of the Lord fully pleasing Him being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. So as we stand with our brothers and sisters, that's what we are desiring that they will be able to be fruitful in their work and strengthening with all knights according to his glorious power for all patients and long suffering with joy, giving thanks to the Father who is qualified as to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Amen. Thank you. There we go scripture. persecuted church today, wherever you are across the world. May God bless you and strengthen you. You've been listening to Sandra Robson, as she's brought so much to the table this morning. And myself, Reverend Ben Cooper, you can find us on iHeartRadio Amazon music, Apple Music and so many other social platforms. Have a great day. Wherever you are. Please share all this stuff out. And may God bless you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.