World Watch List | India

[ World Watch List Challenge • #28 India ]

India Five years ago, Pastor Rasiya Damore was illiterate and unable to read his Bible. Then he joined an Open Doors sponsored Adult Literacy program, becoming one of 350 adults in the Jhabua district whose life has been powerfully impacted by learning how to read, write, and do basic math. Since 2009, the Adult Literacy Program has held evening classes in 10 mostly Christian villages throughout the Jhabua district. The district is known for having the lowest literacy rate in the state an appalling 36.9%, compared with India's national average of 65%. Once Rasiya learned to read and write, he began to teach his church congregation the importance of education. In this region, it is common for illiterate people to be taken advantage of. "Those who take out loans from local contractors are often deceived and paid a smaller amount than what is written on the receipt," Rasiya explains. According to the literacy coordinator of this project, a special emphasis is placed on teaching the students how to count money so they will be able to verify their wages. After completing the program, Rasiya went on to become a volunteer in the literacy training centers, where approximately 150 students are now registered in classes. Since the establishment of this program, the community has seen many positive changes. Approximately 60% of the students entered the government literacy exam in the spring of 2013 to qualify for the third grade board exams. Many of these were poor children who dropped out of school to care for cattle and tend to their families' farms. Students also included adults who had never attended school: pastors, lay leaders, men, women and young people. According to the literacy coordinator, the best part of volunteering with this project is seeing the students learn to read the Bible. "Most of all it is a joy to see our students read the Word of God in their own language, which so far they had only heard!" *Names, photographs and other information have been changed for security purposes   Share This Story Quick Facts on India Rank: 28 Previous Rank: 31 Leader: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Government: Federal Republic Religion: Hinduism Population: 1.3 billion (59 million Christians) Source of persecution: Religious militancy Pray Christians in India need your prayers. Post a prayer or word of encouragement. Share Be a voice for persecuted Christians in India. Share their stories and make others aware of their plight Give Help us in assisting Christians around the world who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. Donate to help the persecuted church Your gift goes to Bible and gospel development, women and children advancement, and Christian community restoration.

World Watch List | Oman

[ World Watch List Challenge • #27 Oman ]

Quick Facts on Oman Rank: 27 Previous Rank: 22 Leader: Sultan Qaboos Government: Absolute monarchy Religion: Islam Population: 3 million (35,000 Christians) Source of persecution: Islamic extremism/Dictatorial paranoia   Oman There has been no visible change in recent years in the situation for Christians in Oman. Oman scores 56 points on the World Watch List 2014, the same score as in 2013. The main persecution dynamics in Oman are Islamic extremism and Totalitarian paranoia. Islam is the state religion, and legislation is based on Islamic law. All public school curriculums include instruction in Islam. Apostasy is not a criminal offense, but it is not respected by the legal system either, which assumes that all citizens are Muslims. The very concept of changing one’s faith as an Omani citizen is an abomination. A convert faces difficulties under the Personal Status and Family Legal Code, which prohibits a father from having custody over his children if he leaves Islam. Deportation of foreign workers (because of their Christian activities) continues. Because of Totalitarian paranoia, Christians face restrictions when their activities are considered a threat to the ruling power. Almost all Christians are expatriates. Pray that the few indigenous Christians will find ways to meet for fellowship, in spite of the ongoing persecution. *Names, photographs and other information have been changed for security purposes   Share This Story Pray Christians in Oman need your prayers. Post a prayer or word of encouragement. Share Be a voice for persecuted Christians in Oman. Share their stories and make others aware of their plight Give Help us in assisting Christians around the world who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. Donate to help the persecuted church Your gift goes to Bible and gospel development, women and children advancement, and Christian community restoration.

World Watch List | Jordan

[ World Watch List Challenge • #26 Jordan ]

Jordan This year, Jordan ranks 26th on the World Watch List (WWL), versus 34th last year. It is the highest position Jordan has had in the history of the WWL. The rise is explained mainly by a further deterioration in the situation of religious freedom, especially for Muslim Background Believers (MBBs). The main persecution engine in Jordan is Islamic extremism. Tribal antagonism also plays a role, as Christians are surrounded by the continuing influence of age-old norms and values that have been shaped in a tribal context. Tribal antagonism can come in the form of traditional religion, and in the case of Jordan, this is clearly mixed with Islam. Drivers of these persecution engines are government officials, ethnic group leaders, non-Christian religious leaders, fanatical movements, ordinary people and (extended) family. Tensions between moderate and Islamic extremist in Jordanian society are on the rise, under influence of the Arab Uprisings. The Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists, emboldened by their increased influence in the region, have hijacked the demands for more reforms to serve their agenda: to transform Jordan into an Islamic state. Jordan has been spared from major terrorist attacks, the latest dating back to 2005. However, there have been attempts to attack Western diplomats and shopping centers in the city of Amman in the recent past. Jihadists from abroad, who are heading for Syria, are crossing Jordan. Also, hundreds of Jordanian jihadists are reportedly fighting against Assad in Syria, together with other Islamic extremists from all parts of the world. *Names, photographs and other information have been changed for security purposes   Share This Story Quick Facts on Jordan Rank: 26 Previous Rank: 34 Leader: King Abdullah II Government: Constitutional Monarchy Religion: Islam Population: 6.7 million (172,000 Christians) Source of persecution: Islamic extremism Pray Christians in Jordan need your prayers. Post a prayer or word of encouragement. Share Be a voice for persecuted Christians in Jordan. Share their stories and make others aware of their plight Give Help us in assisting Christians around the world who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. Donate to help the persecuted church Your gift goes to Bible and gospel development, women and children advancement, and Christian community restoration.

World Watch List | Columbia

[ World Watch List Challenge • #25 Colombia ]

Colombia "When I was preparing my sermon for our service, the guerrillas came into the church and started to yell at me," said Pastor Roberto. "One of them told me that I must leave the region, or I would be killed. I knelt and took my Bible in my arms, and I started to pray while he continued insulting me. Suddenly, he began to destroy the chairs with a machete. When he got close to me, I kept in silence on my knees, praying. He tried to hit me, but thanks to the mercy of God, his attempt failed." On several occasions, Pastor Roberto received threats from FARC militants who came to the church. "You are not allowed to continue teaching ideologies opposite to ours," they would say. They also accused him of being a paramilitary and an army informant. They even threatened him when he was preaching the gospel inside the church. A month before the last attack, one militant came into the church and shouted at him saying, "You are not here for preaching. You are working with the army, and because of that you must leave or we will kill you." In addition to this, the guerrillas went to his house two separate times, but his wife told them that Pastor Roberto was not there. *Names, photographs and other information have been changed for security purposes   Share This Story Quick Facts on Colombia Rank: 25 Previous Rank: 46 Leader: President Juan Manuel Santos Government: Republic Religion: Christianity (Roman Catholicism) Population: 48.8 million (44.6 million Christians) Source of persecution: Organized corruption/Tribal antagonism/Aggressive secularism Pray Christians in Colombia need your prayers. Post a prayer or word of encouragement. Share Be a voice for persecuted Christians in Colombia. Share their stories and make others aware of their plight Give Help us in assisting Christians around the world who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. Donate to help the persecuted church Your gift goes to Bible and gospel development, women and children advancement, and Christian community restoration.