Today's action comes from Prisoner Alert, a ministry of Voice of the Martyrs:

"Lacheng Ren, a Christian sponsoring a new Christian bookstore in Taiyuan, and Wenxi Li, a Christian bookstore employee, were arrested and sentenced to prison terms for their role in the Enyu Bookstore in Taiyuan. On June 17, 2013, Lacheng Ren was sentenced to five years in prison by the court of Xiaodian district of Taiyuan in central China."

From the link below, click "Petition Official" underneath his picture on the left.  Then click on "Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations ," also on the left. 

In your email to the Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations please be brief and respectfully request Lacheng Ren's release. Do not mention Voice of the Martyrs, Prisoner Alert or Engage Daily. I suggest you also ask the government of China to respect Article 18 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states the following:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."

Today's action is from 21Wilberforce:

“Happy Birthday to my beloved daughter. Wish you were here to celebrate your 20th birthday with you, I pray that the Almighty will bring you home safely. I can’t wait to be with you again and forever. I miss you so much my child. #Bringbackdorcas”

This heart-breaking message was posted to Facebook Friday morning. Dorcas Maida Yakubu, youngest of the 276 Chibok secondary school girls kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014, turned 20-years-old this week. It’s been four years since her abduction, and while 164 girls have been reunited with family, Dorcas remains in captivity

In the four years since Dorcas was kidnapped, her mother Esther Yakubu has demonstrated incredible courage and faith as she has advocated for the release of her daughter and all the girls still missing. On Dorcas’ birthday, I asked Esther what she would like me to share with you. This was her reply: “I would like you to ask those who know 21Wilberforce to pray for the protection of Dorcas and for her freedom.”

This family is not alone. In the last decade thousands upon thousands of girls and boys have been kidnapped, injured or killed. Abducted children are taught how to handle assault rifles and they are being indoctrinated into violent fundamentalism.

But today, ours is a plea for Dorcas, whose story has drawn attention to an entire generation at risk in Nigeria.
With the hope that Dorcas’ story moves you to take action..."

"Write a letter of encouragement to Esther Yakube and Yakube Kabu, the parents of Dorcas — email it to info@21Wilberforce.org."

Today's action is from Christian Solidarity Worldwide:

"Leah refused to renounce her faith. She paid the price: with her freedom.

She was one of 110 girls abducted from their school in Dapchi, Nigeria by Boko Haram in February 2018. The next month, following negotiations by the government, the remaining girls were put into trucks to go home. But Leah wasn’t among them. She wasn’t released because she refused to convert in exchange for her freedom.  

Join the campaign. Free Leah. "

Today's action is from The 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, aka 21Wilberforce:

"In a remote village in the South of Nigeria, a recent church service was shattered by violence. The Roman Catholic mass on April 24th was interrupted when men thought to be Fulani extremists opened fire, killing two priests and 17 parishioners.

21Wilberforce and other NGOs urged President Trump to raise this and other incidents that underscore growing conflict in Nigeria during a planned visit to the White House this week by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. The violence falling along ethno-religious fault lines is pulling Nigeria apart, displacing whole communities and threatening even more mass migration into Europe. In a press conference following that meeting, President Trump commented, “We’re deeply concerned by religious violence in Nigeria, including the burning of churches and the killing and persecution of Christians.

Contact the White House to thank President Trump for meeting with President Buhari and to urge his support of Nigeria’s efforts to bring rule of law, human rights, and religious freedom to all her people."

Today's action comes from CitizenGo.  For background on her case, click here.  Also, take further action, here.

"Did you know that the President of the Supreme Court of Pakistan has announced that the court will imminently review the Asia Bibi's death sentence?

It's not the first time that this case has aroused our hope (or has left us frustrated), but it is the first time that the head of the highest judicial institution in Pakistan has responded favorably to her lawyer's requests. Asia Bibi's lawyer has petitioned the court for an urgent and immediate review of her case in order to release her.

I beg you to write a message of support and affection to Asia Bibi, so that she knows she is not alone in these hours of waiting and anguish. CitizenGO will send it to her and her family in your name.

This is the letter that Asia Bibi's family sent us after their last visit in prison:

"Asia's case is in the best hands we could hope for. We are even excited and our wait could conclude soon. We ask all the believers in the world to intensify their prayers. Asia's test may be near the end, God willing. We have found Asia in good health. She was very happy to see her family. When we spoke with her about the audience, she was excited, full of hope and reacted with great faith, praising God. She is truly an example for all of us."

President of the Supreme Court of Pakistan has promised that he will accept Asia Bibi's appeal, which suggests that the end of the case could be close.

Send your message of support and encouragement now that the end may be near. CitizenGO will send it to her in your name."

Today's action comes from The American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ):

"Asia Bibi has spent nearly 8 years on death row in Pakistan, separated from her husband and five children. Her supposed "crime" - blasphemy, for offering a Muslim coworker a glass of water. It's not justice. It's barbaric.

Finally, the Chief Justice of Pakistan's Supreme Court has just announced that the Court will soon hear Asia Bibi's appeal.

It's unfathomable what this ordeal has done to her horrified family, having her ripped away, knowing she faces execution, and desperately praying for any sign of hope.

It is our sacred duty to act. At the ACLJ, we've mobilized our office on the ground in Pakistan. We've sent numerous legal letters to Pakistan demanding her freedom. We've made oral interventions on her behalf at the U.N.

Now as Pakistan's Supreme Court prepares to hear her appeal, Asia Bibi needs YOU. Join over 700,000 people in demanding this Christian mom's freedom."

Today's action comes from CitizenGo:

"Turkey’s crackdown on Christianity has put an American clergyman in jail for over 500 days without due process.

Pastor Andrew Brunson, an American clergyman and missionary from North Carolina, has lived peacefully in Turkey for the last 23 years. During his time in Turkey, Pastor Brunson, alongside his wife Noreen, has served as the pastor of a small Protestant congregation, of around 40 members, at the Izmir Resurrection Church on the west coast of Turkey.

In October 2016, when Pastor Brunson and Noreen were asked to go to the police station, they were under the impression it was to receive notification about the status of their permanent residency request. Instead, they were both locked into a prison cell, accused of collaborating in a conspiracy “against national security” and “membership of an armed terrorist organization.”

Noreen Brunson was released two days later while Pastor Andrew Brunson remains in prison awaiting trial, which is expected to begin on April 16, 2018.  

A 62-page indictment was recently released against Pastor Brunson, claiming his involvement in "Christianization," which is being treated as an act of terrorism. Also, the indictment is full of false witnesses claiming Pastor Brunson misrepresented Christianity and spoke against the government. All which Pastor Brunson claims as untrue as he maintains his innocence.

Pastor Brunson is 50-years-old and, if convicted, these serious charges carry with them a 35-year sentence. Without pressure from President Donald J. Trump and the United States Department of State, this could be a life sentence for Pastor Brunson."

Today's action comes from Voice of the Martyrs and its Prisoner Alert ministry:

"Abraham Ben Moses, also known as Saifuddin Ibrahim, is a well-known former Muslim and Christian apologist in Indonesia. He was active in Internet evangelism and debates with Muslim groups.

Abraham, 53, was arrested on Dec. 5, 2017, after a video showing him sharing his faith with a Muslim taxi driver was widely circulated. In the video, he can be heard speaking with the taxi driver about the Prophet Muhammad’s teachings on marriage. He can also be heard asking the driver to convert to Christianity. Shortly afterward, Indonesia’s second largest Islamic organization filed a complaint against the evangelist, citing his Internet evangelism as a basis for blasphemy charges. Abraham, who is from Tangerang, Java, faces the possibility of five years in prison if convicted."

From the link below, click "Petition Official" underneath his picture on the left.  Then click on "Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia to the United Nations ," also on the left. 

In your email to the Indonesian Ambassador to the United Nations please be brief and respectfully request Abraham Ben Moses's release. Do not mention Voice of the Martyrs, Prisoner Alert or Engage Daily. I suggest you also ask the government of Indonesia to respect Article 18 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states the following:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."

Small, quick actions add up when everyday Christians engage every day.

Today's action comes from In Defense of Christians:

"The Armenian Genocide – a known case of genocide, documented in the U.S. archives and through an overwhelming body of first-hand, governmental, and diplomatic evidence – remains unacknowledged by Turkey and unpunished by the international community. Denial of this genocide set the stage for subsequent atrocities, including genocide and other crimes that have taken place recently. Turkey’s campaign to escape responsibility for this atrocity constitutes an ongoing crime against the victims, their descendants, and humanity. Turkey also represents a threat to Armenia, a predominantly Christian nation, which has welcomed victims fleeing recent violence throughout the region.

Prior to the Armenian Genocide of 1915, the territory of modern-day Turkey was home to a large, ancient, and indigenous Christian population, comprised of millions of Armenians, Greeks, Pontians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, and other Christian peoples.  Today, Christians account for less than 0.1% of Turkey’s population.

Forty-three U.S. states have affirmed the Armenian Genocide through resolutions or proclamations and over 20 nations and international bodies have affirmed the Armenian Genocide, including the European Union and NATO allies Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, and Slovakia.

Write to your representative to cosponsor H. Res. 220 introduced by Representative Trott (R-MI) and Representative Schiff (D-CA) to Commemorate the Armenian Genocide!"

Today's action comes from Voice of the Martyrs and its Prisoner Alert ministry:

"Abraham Ben Moses, also known as Saifuddin Ibrahim, is a well-known former Muslim and Christian apologist in Indonesia. He was active in Internet evangelism and debates with Muslim groups.

Abraham, 53, was arrested on Dec. 5, 2017, after a video showing him sharing his faith with a Muslim taxi driver was widely circulated. In the video, he can be heard speaking with the taxi driver about the Prophet Muhammad’s teachings on marriage. He can also be heard asking the driver to convert to Christianity. Shortly afterward, Indonesia’s second largest Islamic organization filed a complaint against the evangelist, citing his Internet evangelism as a basis for blasphemy charges. Abraham, who is from Tangerang, Java, faces the possibility of five years in prison if convicted."

From the link below, click "Petition Official" underneath his picture on the left.  Then click on "Ambassador," also on the left. 

In your email to the Indonesian Ambassador to the United States please be brief and respectfully request Abraham Ben Moses's release. Do not mention Voice of the Martyrs, Prisoner Alert or Engage Daily. I suggest you also ask the government of Indonesia to respect Article 18 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states the following:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."

Small, quick actions add up when everyday Christians engage every day.

Today's action comes from In Defense of Christians:

"The Coptic Christian Community is the largest Christian minority in the Middle East and faces ongoing violence and threats from terrorists, once being described by ISIS as their “favorite prey”. Over the last year they have been the target of repeated bombings and shootings which have killed over 100 people. In response to this persecution, Rep. French Hill (R-AR-2), Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL-27), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA-30), Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI-1), Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY-12), Rep. Dave Trott (R-MI-11) have introduced Resolution 673 which reaffirms the importance of the U.S.-Egypt partnership in the region and the fight against terrorism, and encourages the Egyptian government to bring terrorist who have targeted Coptic Christians to justice. It also pushes for Coptic Christians to be given the same rights as other Egyptian citizens. IDC is excited to be working in partnership with these legislative champions to promote the justice and safety for the Coptic Christian community in Egypt and the broader Middle East. 

Please take a moment to send your Member of Congress a letter encouraging them to cosponsor House Resolution 673. We can not be silent while the Coptic Christian community continues to be the target of violence."

Today's action comes from Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) and its ministry Prisoner Alert.  (For background and earlier, related actions click here and here.)

VOM recently provided this update:

"VOM staff spoke with Asia Bibi’s lawyer, and he reported that she is healthy and in good spirits in the Multan jail. She’s alone in the prison, and a female prison guard is with her at all times, both to keep watch over her and to provide security for her. Her lawyer reports that he is working with the court registrar to fix a new hearing date for her."

From the link below, click on "Petition Official," on the left-hand side of the page, then "Her Excellency Ambassador," also on the left.

In your email to the Pakistani Ambassador to the United Nations please be brief and simply and respectfully request Asia Bibi's release. Do not mention Voice of the Martyrs, Prisoner Alert or Engage Daily. I suggest you also ask the Pakistani government to respect Article 18 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states the following:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."

As the Winter Olympics fade into memory, let us not forget the thousands of brothers and sisters in Christ imprisoned in North Korean labor camps.  (For background on why North Korea is the worst persecutor of Christians in the world, go to the Open Doors North Korea Fact Sheet.)

Today's action comes from NorthKoreanChristians.com.  From the link below copy their letter and go to the U.S. State Department's website and paste it into their contact form.

The letter urges the U.S. to require that North Korea end its human rights violations as part of ongoing nuclear disarmament negotiations.  Here is an excerpt:

"For Kim Jong Un to give up his nuclear program, he needs to feel secure that he will be embraced by the international community thereafter. And for the international community to embrace Kim Jong Un, he needs to have earned that embrace by cleaning up North Korea's atrocious human rights record, starting with the cessation of religious persecution, closure of concentration camps and the liberation of their political prisoner population.

The present US policy of seeking North Korea's nuclear disarmament without addressing its human rights violations is not only strategically flawed, but also unconscionable and un-American. It must be replaced with a policy that prods Kim Jong Un to clean up North Korea's human rights violations before or while pushing for nuclear disarmament."

Today's action comes from Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) and its ministry Prisoner Alert.  (For background and an earlier, related action click here.)

VOM recently provided this update:

"VOM staff spoke with Asia Bibi’s lawyer this week, and he reported that she is healthy and in good spirits in the Multan jail. She’s alone in the prison, and a female prison guard is with her at all times, both to keep watch over her and to provide security for her. Her lawyer reports that he is working with the court registrar to fix a new hearing date for her."

From the link below, click on "Petition Official," on the left-hand side of the page, then "Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan," also on the left.

In your email to the Pakistani Ambassador to the United States please be brief and simply and respectfully request Asia Bibi's release. Do not mention Voice of the Martyrs, Prisoner Alert or Engage Daily. I suggest you also ask the Pakistani government to respect Article 18 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states the following:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."

Although based in the U.K., this cause is too important not to get involved and sign the petition.  It is from Christian Solidarity Worldwide:

"We want to ensure that no child is punished for their faith.

Schools have enormous power – to broaden young minds, to introduce them to new ideas, to show them the world’s endless possibilities. But all too often, that power is used to teach hate, to tell children that they’re worth nothing, and to tell other children that they should look down on them. That’s what Jacob endured at school in Pakistan.

Gurinder, a Sikh boy, was beaten by his teacher twice a week from age four to age six. Then, as he got older, the torture took a different form, as the constant pressure to convert became more than he could endure. He dropped out of school with no qualifications.

These injustices happen to children of all faiths, all over the world. Christian children in Nigeria are forced to take Muslim names just to get into school. Rohingya Muslim children in Burma see their schools knocked down. Baha’i students in Iran are expelled from university if their religious beliefs are discovered. This is a truly global problem."

The first initiative of this new movement is to urge the British government to ensure that its foreign aid does not fund biased textbooks which teach prejudice of religious minorities.

Today's action comes from Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) and its ministry Prisoner Alert.

One of the most well known cases of persecution is that of Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian woman who has been in jail since 2009 for defending her faith to her neighbors in the village of Ittanwali, where hers is only one of three Christian families among 1,500.

For more background on her case, follow the link below.   VOM recently provided this update:

"VOM staff spoke with Asia Bibi’s lawyer this week, and he reported that she is healthy and in good spirits in the Multan jail. She’s alone in the prison, and a female prison guard is with her at all times, both to keep watch over her and to provide security for her. Her lawyer reports that he is working with the court registrar to fix a new hearing date for her."

From the link below, click on "Petition Official," on the left-hand side of the page, then "President and Chief Executive," also on the left.

In your email to the Pakistani President please be brief and simply and respectfully request Asia Bibi's release. Do not mention Voice of the Martyrs, Prisoner Alert or Engage Daily. I suggest you also ask the Pakistani government to respect Article 18 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states the following:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."

The information behind today's action comes from the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative:

"On January 2, 2018, the Middle East Concern released a note from Pastor Andrew Brunson highlighting some of his experiences of life behind bars in Turkey. Pastor Brunson’s wife, Norine, shared the following from Brunson:
“I am deeply grateful to all who have prayed for me. This trial – time in prison – has stretched me far more than I ever would have imagined. I have been very weak, had many doubts, felt very alone. I know that God’s grace is sustaining me, even when I do not feel that grace, and I know that the prayers of God’s people are surrounding me and giving me strength.”

For more than two decades, Brunson, a U.S. Citizen and resident from North Carolina, has lived with his wife and three children in Turkey. He was pastoring the Izmir Resurrection Presbyterian Church along the Aegean coast when he was arbitrarily arrested in October 2016. According to the Wall Street Journal, among the charges the government brought against him are alleged membership in an armed terroristic organization, espionage, and actions to overthrow the Turkish Parliament.

The details surrounding Pastor Brunson’s case remain complicated. Since an attempted coup in July 2016, the Turkish government has detained or suspended more than 75,000 government officials for alleged links to the Gulen Movement and its founder, Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who currently lives in the U.S. The Turkish government refuses to release Pastor Brunson from prison unless the U.S. Government extradites Fethullah Gulen.

Despite international attention, Pastor Brunson remains locked behind bars. The U.S. Government has shown encouragement to Brunson’s family. Early in 2017 after Secretary Tillerson met with Mrs. Brunson, ACLJ reports that Vice President Pence sent a letter to her stating that his release is important to the White House and the State Department. Six months later, in October 2017, delegates from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) traveled to Izmir, Turkey to meet with Pastor Brunson in prison. In their meeting with Pastor Brunson, they noted that he had been denied basic rights of due process. In addition, the Turkish government had given him almost no information on the charges brought against him and no court date had been issued. In prison, where no one speaks his language, Pastor Brunson faces continued physical isolation. Due to the stress of imprisonment, he has lost more than 50 pounds this past year.

A high-level U.S. delegation arrived January 23 in Turkey for bilateral talks in Ankara, and World Watch Monitor reports that Pastor Brunson’s case will be part of the discussions. Pastor Brunson has not given up hope. In his note to Middle East Concern, he also said:

“One of my big fears has been that I will be forgotten in prison. Thank you for not forgetting! It is a great encouragement to know there are people praying for me – it reminds me that I am not alone, and that I need to stand firm, with my face pointed in God’s direction always. Thank you for standing with me in this most difficult time.”

We must stand for Pastor Andrew Brunson and call for his immediate release."

So today, please call the U.S. State Department's Public Comment Line by dialing 1-202-647-6575 then choosing prompt #8 and urge Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to work harder toward the release of Pastor Brunson.  Be brief as the line leave you only about 30 seconds to leave your comment.

Governor (and former Senator) Sam Brownback of Kansas was renominated by President Trump this month for the position of Ambassador-At-Large for International Religious Freedom.  This position within the State Department is crucial for combating persecution of religious minorities, including Christians, around the world.  Having it vacant is hindering U.S. influence on this issue around the world. 

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the nomination for the second time on January 18.  But Senate Democrats are delaying a floor vote on the nomination because of Gov. Browback's opposition to the political agenda of the Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender movement.

Please call your Senators, especially if they are Democrats, and urge them to put aside domestic politics for the sake of persecuted minorities around the world and confirm Gov. Browback as Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom.  Call the Capitol switchboard at 1-866-720-3733, provide your zip code, and you will be connected to your Senators' offices.

Today's action is from Open Doors.  They recently released the 2018 version of their annual World Watch List of the countries which most persecute Christians:

"Most Christians in the West understand that brothers and sisters around the world are persecuted for their faith. But often, it can be difficult to understand what reality is like on the ground for these oppressed Christians. What kinds of challenges do they face? What is day-to-day life like? And how can Christians in the United States stand with believers around the world in prayer and support?Each year, the World Watch List provides a searing glimpse into the 50 places around the world where it costs the most to be a Christian. In some countries, familial and social pressure make it terribly difficult to follow Jesus, while in other places, faith in Christ is threatened by daily risk of violence and physical oppression.

The full, in-depth report is available to download above—you’ll see each country’s persecution profile, along with a glimpse at the context in which these persecuted believers live. And most importantly, you’ll see a list of prayer requests that will help you stand with Christians worldwide.

1 Corinthians 12:26 says “If one part [of the Body of Christ] suffers, every part suffers with it.”  We invite you to explore the 2018 World Watch List and learn how the Body of Christ is hurting—and invite you to stand with God’s one, global Family."

Do you want to pray for the persecuted church, but wonder how to pray?  Whenever you hear of a persecuted believer by name, this is an excellent guide to use.  They include how prayer points for spouses and children of the persecuted too. 

Today's action is from Open Doors USA:

"By writing a letter of encouragement to a persecuted Christian, you remind them that they are not alone and that believers around the world are praying for them. This brings hope, peace and encouragement to stand strong in the face of persecution!"