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Speaker 2God bless you wherever you are across the world . We thank you so much for joining us today for this podcast . Sit back , relax and enjoy . God bless you . God bless you wherever you are across the world . We thank you so much for joining us today for this podcast . It's sandra robson , it's myself and we are looking at the persecuted church and whatever your life is reflecting and whatever is going on in your world at this moment . You know we never give up , we're just pressing .
Speaker 2The prayer is the key . Prayer is the way forward and whatever your nation is that you're living in , whatever your life is reflecting , whoever you are at this moment , we just want to pray for you at this moment . So we're just going to pray before we uh , hand over to sandra as we go into the persecuted church , the suffering church and everything that we discuss , and we just want to pray a blessing over your life , father . We just pray for our brothers and sisters around the world . Lord , whatever culture , dear god , whatever land they're living in , whatever nation , whatever city they're in , we just pray , lord , that you will bless them from the crown of their head to the sole of their feet , that they will feel the love of God and you will take the worry and the fear away from them . Lord and you , dear God , will open doors of opportunity . Bless them all . We ask this name in Jesus' precious name . Amen , sandra , it's that day again Amen .
Speaker 2Sandra , it's that day again . It's that time . You know it's dark outside here in the UK just gone four o'clock . You know we're pressing up into the old Christmas time Time is flying by , you know .
Speaker 3You know how are you , Sandra , I'm all right . Yes , it's Advent and schools are very busy .
Speaker 2Yes .
Speaker 3Practicing the nativity plays and you know , having about to have nativity plays in the school , that I'm at .
Speaker 2It's good that they're even having it .
Speaker 3Yeah , learning songs and yeah , so quite a happy time . You know there's some stressfulness amongst you know staff and things , because it's got assessments and stuff like that as well and people you know rushing about , aren't they to do things ?
Speaker 2Tearing around . You know the crazy thing , so , Sandra , it's so good to have you with us . And where are we going today ? Are we in open doors or are we in release international ? Is there a bit of a mixture ? What is the theme of this podcast ? And I'm going to hand it over to you and let you just get straight in with it .
Speaker 3Okay .
Speaker 2Because time is never on our side .
Speaker 3Well , most of it is coming through Open Doors resources and we're particularly looking at giving children joy at Christmas , how that is being enabled and how we can enable that . But I was preparing all that and then I heard the news that there has been an insurgence into Aleppo in Syria . That suddenly happened not so long ago . Pretty recent . Yeah , the recent news was on the 4th of December .
Speaker 2Are you referring to news ? As we understand the secular channels ? Some of it , some of it as well .
Speaker 3Really , yeah , some through the Christian channels .
Speaker 3So it's been on UCB and they get their news through Sky . So I don't know whether it's on any websites or anything , but also now through Open Doors . There's been a prayer request for Christians in Aleppo because that place has been seized , the towns and the villages , and they're very concerned about Homs being next . So it's an ongoing thing that you know that's been going on . That seemed to be dying down , but this group feel they've been mistreated and so they've now , um , going against the government and again , you know , brothers and sisters are caught up in the middle of all this . So , um , a lot of people are very scared and and they're asking for prayers , for wisdom , for the leaders of the churches to know what to do . And there's mixed reports coming out about , um , you insurgents want , they say they don't want to cause any harm to the population , they're just against the military and the government , the regime .
Speaker 3So , yes , it's all a bit of a myth , but we were asked to pray for the children because obviously they are scared , being displaced . People have tried to flee , but now apparently the roads are closed so they can't do that . So it's knowing what to do for the best and also to pray that in this time that you know , christians' lights will shine . There's about 20,000 Christians in this time that you know christians lights will shine . There's about 20 000 christians in in this area . So , um , yeah , so just remember them , you know , at this time , and and pray for them as you are led . So that's a recent um you know thing that's happened and um , last time we were praying for families of martyrs , so so just remind people about that . And we're thinking of Christmas time and how you know , like for anybody who's lost loved ones , that it can be a tricky time .
Speaker 3So we want to think of children who might be missing fathers and mothers and other family members who have been killed because of their faith , and now we're going to look at Bangladesh , but this is also happening in India , so we'll look at this . There's two testimonies I want to share about how children are affected by persecution . They can be bullied , rejected , ostracized , tormented by children and adults . The adults teach their children not to associate with Christians , particularly in the Muslim majority places , but we know in India the same is happening with the Hindus and I witnessed some of that when I was out in India how they ostracize and that , because they weren't celebrating the festival of Diwali , that some of the children were being , you know , name called and things .
Speaker 3But that's why we went at the time . We did so that we could do some a special party , so they would have a special time where all the others were celebrating Diwali , because it's very , you know , divisive and you know they do go to the same schools .
Speaker 2Oh , okay .
Speaker 3And you know they do go to the same schools . So , anyway , this first testimony is about a young girl who's nine years old . You can see her testimony on YouTube , on Open Doors YouTube , and it's very moving , it's very good and she speaks a lot of what she went through and her faith in Jesus , and you know . So I'd recommend you actually watch it . So I watched it this morning to school . Because nobody will give her a lift , nobody will help her to get to school . She walks on her own and no one says hello to her or sits near her in class , because they're told not to associate with her .
Speaker 3And in her village in Northwest Bangladesh , nearly everyone is a Muslim and when her family decided to follow Jesus , the community turned against them . Even people who don't hate Christians are reluctant to associate with family because that means that they were rejecting what the villagers had said . So they they were worried about you know anything happening to them as well ? Um , she says I don't have any friends in school because in I'm a christian and my parents are also christians . She says , if I sit with them , their parents scold them and say she's a Christian . Wow , you can't mingle with them because Christians are bad .
Speaker 2When you think about that , parents doing something to their children , yeah , you just can't contemplate . That , you can't imagine , just because of their faith or because of this . This is just crazy , some of the stuff that we hear .
Speaker 3Yeah , when the children say something unkind , I just keep smiling , but I cry when I'm alone . My teachers scold children , if they sit with me , saying don't mingle with the Christian . If you mingle with her , you might also become a Christian . I'm just alone . Christian children and youth endure considerable levels of violence as their parents choose to follow Jesus , including verbal , physical , psychological , sexual violence , explains Sister Hassas , an Open Doors partner in Bangladesh . And also you need to remember that this could be increasing because of the turbulence in Bangladesh at the moment , because of the overthrowing of the leader . Because of the overthrowing of the leader . So she says , there are hundreds of young children of Christian converts facing similar issues . Bangladesh has a strong community-based culture , so when the community cuts off the converts and isolates them , that brings huge emotional damage to
the Christian . Children Breaks at school .
Speaker 2So sad , it's just I don't know what to say . It's like really hitting me hard at this moment in time . Yeah , that's her . This is please God .
Speaker 3She's all on her own and all she can do at break time is she's got a book and she makes up her own puzzles while the children play on the field . So she's been ostracized , she's been pushed out of a friendship group .
Speaker 2She's been pushed out of the schooling system . She's been bullied goodness knows what goes on simply because I am a christ . I am a Christian . If you could see that photo , it's quite harrowing actually to see a little girl that is a Jesus follower .
Speaker 3So not only does she face persecution at school , she faces persecution when she walks to church . She says they mock her and throw stones at her and slap her , but Romana shows a remarkable generosity and forgiveness to the children who torment her .
Speaker 2She says what nation is this Sandra ?
Speaker 3Bangladesh . She's on the border of Indiaia on the border , isn't it lord ?
Speaker 2we , we just need , we need help god . That well , they need help god . What are you doing , god ? It it's really . It's a real tough call today . It's really upsetting to pictures , to hear stories like this . Yes , we know that God is moving , but when you really come to the brass tacks and the facts of everything , to think that there are Christians in school , in life , being thrown stones at for going to church , being bullied , all types of abuse for being a Jesus follower , and I get frustrated with the UK church , all this wokeness and weakness . It really has been affecting me lately how the church is really so weak in the UK and not fit for purpose . And then Sandra brings this to the table and it really makes you to the realisation , the realisation that these poor little children are really being oh , I can't say that , sandra , come on , come on , let's go .
Speaker 3Okay , so their parents really pray with them and they show them the Bible and if you watch the video she says , Jesus said I will suffer , and I know Jesus is with me .
Speaker 2That's amazing .
Speaker 3And they are prepared for this suffering from an early age and they are very mature . When you hear them speaking , you know but yeah , it is a pain , but we can see how we can support them and how they need our support as we go on . Her favorite Bible verse is Joshua 1.9 . Be strong and courageous .
Speaker 3Do not be afraid , do not be discouraged , for the Lord , your God , will be with you wherever you go . She says it relates to my life story . I will not be fearful of my classmates . I will be courageous , even at this young age . Parents taught um them how to deal with these pressures , as I said , and they teach them to love and pray for those who persecute them .
Speaker 2It's very interesting , sandra , what you're bringing , because what you said there the parents are preparing them for what is going to arise as being a believer . This is the issue that we have got , and we've had for many , many years from the UK pulpit . The preachers have never prepared us for such a time as this . So now the church is in desperate state because it has been given a woke , weak , feeble message in the UK all on prosperity , all on revival , all on the falseness of that , and we have been called out as Christians in the UK . The church is really not fit for purpose . The church should have been teaching us to be ready , just like these parents are teaching these children . Be ready for persecution . That is the correct teaching . That's what the church should do Get ready for persecution .
Speaker 3Yeah , and I mean terrible things have happened , but you know , god has been . God has been as we said . He has worked in great ways and we pray that through their fortitude and their perseverance , people will come to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour .
Speaker 3That's what it's about I mean , you know , they've come to her house when her parents weren't there and verbally abused her and told her that they were coming to kill her . Then she walks home from school and she finds the house is on fire . The fire was massive and there was nothing left of our house . No one would help them and dad collapsed because of that and even the family wouldn't help . But then somebody did and they were able to stay for a little while , and an old friend of his dad's who , because they were Muslims and they converted from Islam A friend did pay for initial medical treatments , but then they had to leave and what they did was they built a shed to live in .
Speaker 2Built a shed to live in .
Speaker 3Yeah , where their house used to be Lord , but then Open Doors found out about it and now they have rebuilt their home . So that's the sort of thing , what's a beautiful story when we give prayer is important .
Speaker 2Sowing a seed is critical , prayer is critical . They're all interwoven . They run beautifully together . They're they're in the fabric of everything you know prayer , prayer and financial . Look at that beautiful story they lived in a shed . Now they've got a lovely home .
Speaker 3And what she really wants is to meet with other children at Christmas . And so what Open Doors partners do ? They have a special Christmas party that they run in a place a safe place in Bangladesh and we're praying that they will be able to run this because obviously , as I said , things are a little bit chaotic at the moment Very , very chaotic and so we pray that they will still be able to run this .
Speaker 3And she says that you know she loves to go . I love to celebrate Christmas because all the Christians gather around together , singing songs and reading from the Bible .
Speaker 2Thank you , Jesus .
Speaker 3Sometimes we read from a storybook , we recite the Bible verses we learned from Sunday school . I like the part when they named him Jesus Christ . Also , on the day Jesus was born , there was a big star . I saw it in the Bible , in the storybook you gave me . So the Open Doors Partners as a gift , they gave them Bibles and she travels to a Sunday school that is also provided through Open Doors support and she loves that too , that she can have time to you know , be a child and have fun .
Speaker 2Yeah , be a child and have some fun and live as a child .
Speaker 3So yeah .
So the Open Doors partner was saying the greatest gift that children like Romana receive are community encouragement and love . And she says Christmas reminds Romana that she belongs to the body of Christ . It's why she can continue to walk with him , even as she knows the path will be dangerous . And Romana says Jesus loves me . I'm very valuable to Jesus . It's only because of Jesus' love that I have survived until now , despite all the persecution . His love has guided me this far and I know I am on the right path through his love . So it is a beautiful testimony , you know , of the resilience of these children .
Speaker 3And they really know Jesus as their friend and their saviour .
Speaker 2I love to hear these children talking about the book of Joshua .
Speaker 2Be strong and courageous what a what a powerful scripture to to hold and to live your life by be strong and courageous . You know whoever you are out there . We need to draw a draw some understanding from what we're looking at today , that we need to draw strength and we we need to come to the cross and say god , will you move in the church on the in the uk , because it's very weak , it's very poor , it's not , uh , it's not representing god in in many , many ways . And when you hear these amazing stories of these children , children , christ children quoting bride of Christ .
Speaker 2Children .
Speaker 3Quoting scripture they love Jesus .
Speaker 2They love Jesus , Sandra . There's no church in their life as we understand it . It is only Jesus .
Speaker 3And this is what I saw when I was in India .
Speaker 2Just Jesus Children just love Jesus . They talk about him .
Speaker 3And he's their friend . They love to sing the songs this is so good . They love being with each other .
Speaker 2It's really interesting to know that we've got these children talking about Jesus , loving Jesus , worshipping Jesus , with none of the bells and whistles , of all that stuff that's out there , that we've got in the West , of all this westernised Christianity , thatity that's so , so bad . And you've got these children that don't talk about church . They gather together wherever they can gather , but they're jesus followers and they really pray .
Speaker 3Yes , they pray for , you know , safety . They pray for the , for their , the children in their class they pray for for their village , you know , and they know what it is to be protected by Jesus , you know . So this is another little girl and her name is Moyam and she lives with her parents and older brother . She's also from Bangladesh and , again , she lives in a Muslim majority village in Bangladesh and her mother teaches Sunday school and teaches adult literacy , and her father is a pastor and evangelist and they're both converts from Islam .
Speaker 2Thank you , Jesus come on .
Speaker 3They have again faced great persecution . She walked two kilometres to school . Two kilometres to school Because no one wants to take her in the rickshaw and they mock me saying Christian . Sometimes they throw bricks at me and push me .
Speaker 2Jesus .
Speaker 3She's even been pushed off a low roof and the teachers did nothing about it . Sometimes they beat with sticks and call me Christian as an insult , and she's not allowed to play with them . Just like the other girl , you are a Christian . I didn't want to go to school anymore . I got very angry , but still asked Jesus to forgive them . So she's very real , Please God .
Speaker 2she's very real .
Speaker 3Some Muslim women once tried to convert her to Islam by offering her chocolate and asking her to recite one of the Islamic creeds .
Speaker 2It doesn't even matter if you recite everything . It's got no power over a Christian .
Speaker 3But her parents chased them off . She says I really like Sunday school . We sing songs , dance and pray together . We also read from the children's bible amen and um , she says um . She's memorized the psalms and lots of other bible verses and that that's helped her praise god .
Speaker 3She's looking forward to the christmas gathering . Um , we have lots of fun , she says . I like it when we all come together . It's a lot of fun to celebrate Jesus' birth by cutting a cake and eating it . It just showed all the children doing that from last year Because Jesus died on the cross for my sins . I forgive my friends , those who mistreat me , insult me , insult me , hate me or don't love me . I forgive them all . I want to be a teacher , she says . When I become a teacher , I will tell all children about jesus .
Speaker 2This is my dream what a beautiful , what a beautiful testament .
Speaker 2Look at these children , look at this , look they're beaming jesus , they're beaming jesus's birthday how can , how can this be happening to these beautiful little christian people not allowed to get on school , buses being beaten with sticks , bricks and rocks thrown at them . Goodness knows what else goes on in their lives , because they're jesus followers and the church in the UK can't even , can't even pull itself together . You know , these are real Christians . These , these children , are real John free , free . They're real Bible believers . There's no church in the backdrop , there's no lights glitz , smoke machines , there's no social media accounts . There's none of that . It's Jesus , jesus all the way through the thread of their hearts .
Speaker 2I pray Lord , please , please , have mercy on the UK church leaders , all the leaders . Come on , Lord , please . What else , Sandra , We've got ? We've got four minutes .
Speaker 3Okay . So we have got a couple of other places , but we'll leave them for next time . So , um , yeah , so pray for the sunday schools that are being um , supported by open doors and other ministries . Pray for protection for these children . Pray for gentle wisdom that's what open doors partners ask for to minister to these children . Pray , pray that the Christmas parties will be able to go ahead in safety and give thanks to God for their faith , for the faith of these children .
Speaker 3And also on this video I was watching , also thinking about the young people in this country who are being supportive of these children . They did a Go Without your Own Bed to raise money for these parties and they've done some other things as well , and that was really good to see . And pray that many more young people will hear about the needs of brothers and sisters in other parts of the world and gather together and encourage one another . And the verse that I had was the light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it . And that's what these little children are . They are lights shining in the darkness and they are not going to be extinguished shining in the darkness and they are not going to be extinguished , so we thank the Lord .
Speaker 3Thank you , father , for these little children . Lord , you say , let the children come to you , do not hinder them , for such is the kingdom of God . And Lord , they do know that and I thank you for them , and I thank you for their testimonies and I thank you for their courage and I thank you for their bravery , lord , and I pray that through that , people will be um turned towards you , lord , and that all the fear , that and all the pressure that's put upon them , lord um , will be not important , lord , and I do pray for the whole family and the parents , lord you know , because it must be such a pain to them to see their children treated in this way .
Speaker 3But , father , your loving arms are around them and we just thank you that your kingdom come and your will be done In Jesus name Amen .
Speaker 2Amen , sandra , we thank you so much . Thank you so much for bringing us to the table and , wherever you are across the world , you know , may God bless you and strengthen you , and I pray , and we pray here in this ministry , here , that you will just seek Jesus Christ . That today's conversation , or what Sandra's brought to the table , will really make us dig deep in the word of God , because it's not about the building , it's not about church , it's about being a Jesus follower and these children , they're following Jesus . May God bless you wherever you are across the world . We'll see you very , very soon . Take care , stay in the gospels of jesus christ and remember , never give up .
Speaker 1God bless every one of you , amen thank you for listening to us today on Reverend Ben Cooper's podcast . We hope you found inspiration and guidance in today's audio . Remember the journey of faith is a continuous one and your questions and thoughts are important . You can send us a text or an email and we will get back to you . So , wherever you are around the world , thank you for listening to our podcasts and radio ministry . For more information about our ministry , please find us on pastorbencoopercouk . Please support us with prayer . Also , you can sow a financial seed into this ministry . You can also leave us a legacy to support and continue the work of this radio ministry . If you enjoyed this episode , please subscribe and share it with others who might benefit . Until next time , stay blessed .