Darkness Despite The Beauty
Crystal clear waters, white sandy beaches, bright blue skies. Everything about Maldives seems absolutely picturesque, yet this beautiful island country ranks 6th on Open Doors World Watch List, which identifies countries where Christians face the greatest persecution.
Crystal clear waters, white sandy beaches, bright blue skies. Everything about Maldives seems absolutely picturesque, yet this beautiful island country ranks 6th on Open Doors World Watch List, which identifies countries where Christians face the greatest persecution.
In fact, Maldives is the only country in the
world that requires its citizens to be Muslim, and therefore boasts a
population of 100% Muslims. Conversion to another faith is prohibited by
law and all converts face extreme pressure from family and society. If
discovered, some are forced to leave the country. There are no church
gatherings or buildings, and authorities exert extensive control to
prevent any deviation from Islam. Today, their religion is moving
towards Deobandi Islam - the religion of the Taliban, whose mission is
to cleanse Islam of all outside influences.
On condition of anonymity, a Christian worker recently talked about the reality of following Christ in a 100% Muslim population:
“There are very few believers in Maldives,
and their world is very small. It is often difficult for them to reach
out to fellow believers outside of their small community for many
reasons. First, they are leery of sharing with outsiders because they
are afraid their personal stories of faith will be traced back to them.
Secondly, some Christians have been betrayed by people who were
supposedly fellow believers, but ultimately reported the true Christians
to the authorities. This is further aggravated by a prevailing culture
of mistrust throughout the country. Believers live in fear of being
discovered and having connections to foreigners who are Christians.”
One With Them
Be One With Them as you pray this prayer: Today, I lift up my brothers and sisters who don’t know who to trust in their communities. Give them wisdom and guidance, and most importantly, Lord, let them know you are faithful…even if they feel alone. Assure them that there is an entire Body praying for them in their silent walk with You. Amen.
Be One With Them as you pray this prayer: Today, I lift up my brothers and sisters who don’t know who to trust in their communities. Give them wisdom and guidance, and most importantly, Lord, let them know you are faithful…even if they feel alone. Assure them that there is an entire Body praying for them in their silent walk with You. Amen.
One With Them CHALLENGE
Learn more about the situation regarding persecution in Maldives by visiting the 2013 World Watch List.
Learn more about the situation regarding persecution in Maldives by visiting the 2013 World Watch List.
4/12/2013
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