Christian Refugees Share Christ at Christmas
All year Christian refugee children dodged authorities and kept up their studies at Christian Freedom International’s school in Bangkok.
| Their families had fled Pakistan to seek asylum from persecution, waiting years for the UN to resettle them in a safe country. Christian Freedom International (CFI) started the school three years ago. It is the only opportunity for these Christian kids to get an education.
Last Christmas an immigration crack-down forced the families to scatter and hide. CFI’s school relocated and now melts into a crowded neighborhood. This Christmas the Pakistani refugee children in our covert school hosted a Christmas pageant – to tell their neighbors the majestic story of Jesus Christ. They eagerly shared the faith that caused them to be persecuted in Pakistan. Just days before Christmas, 28 Pakistani Christians, including eight children, were arrested and separated in detention centers around Thailand. On the other side of Thailand, Christian refugee students spent the year training to be leaders to their communities. The young adults are studying at Christian Freedom International’s school for Karen Christians. Planted in a village on the border of Burma, CFI’s school reaches Christians long persecuted by Burma’s militant government. The students are grounded in the Bible and trained in skills to make a living. Each week they gather village children for a night of Bible lessons and songs. It is hands-on training for what they are learning in classes. This Christmas, CFI’s students hosted a tropical Christmas play to share the story of Jesus – and spread the faith that caused their families to be persecuted in Burma. After the pageant, CFI’s students trekked deep into Burma’s Karen State to isolated villages.
|
| They put their school training into practice in a harsh real world.
Days later, Burma’s military announced they will shoot on sight anyone seen bringing food or supplies to people living in certain Karen State areas — and imposed a curfew, banning travel between certain villages. Over 245 million Christians face extreme persecution for their faith. Last week the U.S. State Department criticized Pakistan and Burma for “engaging in or tolerating systemic, ongoing, [and] egregious violations of religious freedom.” Christian Freedom International provides aid for persecuted Christians who face extreme risks – and more. We are equipping persecuted Christians to rise above their circumstances – and serve others. Your gifts to Christian Freedom International help Christians – like our refugee students who fled persecution – to rise above persecution. Would you consider an end-of-the-year gift to equip more persecuted Christians? For Christ, A Karen leader in the U.S. just sent this note about his trip to Karen State in Burma: “When I visited my village I met a lady who was a former student of Christian Freedom International. She was very grateful for the opportunity to attend CFI’s school years ago. “Now she is a church leader and takes care of the small Christian community in my village.” Greh Moo Thank you for helping Christians who face extreme risks – simply because they are Christians – with your prayers and donations to Christian Freedom International. |
