The Director of the Bible Societies in Israel received this letter for help from a friend we will call Richard (as we can’t use his real name or home country) Richard is a Muslim Background Believer (MBB) and has suffered much for his decision to follow Christ. He feels abandoned by the Body of Christ. Richard had to flee from his home country. Sadly, the Christians in the country Richard’s family now resides in will have nothing to do with him because they fear retaliation from both Muslims and the local Church. Richard said the worst part of all this is the total lack of fellowship with other Believers. He says he is starving spiritually. 

The Director passed Richard’s letter along to me. The letter explains the dire needs of a whole family. It is a cry of a heart that feels like Jesus felt on the cross “Abba why have you forsaken me”. Richard is asking, “Where is Jesus?” In other words, “Where are we?” His child asked him once: “Dad we have no food and no friends…where is Jesus? Can you ask him to visit us even for one night only?”

“I wrote this letter to tell everyone that human efforts and all pieces of advice are useless now in our situation. All we need is your prayers. At the present time, we feel the Lord is NOT listening to us and NOT responding to our prayers. We want believers to intercede for us before Him.

Our family fled our home country because we were persecuted by some people there and by the government at the same time. A few months after we fled, the Sharia Court announced I was an "apostate from Islam" and dissolved my marriage. In addition, there are "Arrest Warrants" out against my wife and me. So, we cannot return home. We went to Syria and Lebanon . The Believers in Lebanon advised us NOT to apply to the UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency) because the possibility of [the government] deporting us back home is high and the UNHCR cannot protect us from deportation. That's why we came to Cyprus. We applied for asylum; unfortunately, asylum seekers may wait for years before they are interviewed.

We sent 2 registered letters and 2 faxes to the head of Asylum Services in order to tell him we are a genuine and documented case. He did not respond to any of our letters or faxes. A lawyer sent a letter to the Asylum Services on our behalf urging them to process our case. Again, there was no response! As long as we are asylum seekers, we are NOT allowed to work. Although I am still working in translation, my income is not enough (especially since private schools are expensive and we cannot send our 11 and 12-year-old kids to Greek-speaking schools). The American Embassy here apologized for NOT receiving refugee applications.

We also applied to Australia on humanitarian grounds. Australia refused our application because they believe we have an opportunity here in Cyprus and because we have no family in Australia .

In short, we are stuck and cannot do anything. We are thinking of going to Syria or back to Lebanon in order to apply to the UNHCR. Yet, if the local police decide to deport us back home, the UNHCR cannot stop them. Although this step might lead to a better solution for our resettlement problem, it is a very risky one!

Thank you again, brother, for keeping in touch and for a willingness to help.
 
Rich blessings in Christ,
        Richard & Family

Please pray for Richard and his family, along with all other displaced Christians, to find that Christ is working on their behalf and not to give up. Help them to be strengthened and find the help they need to care for their families and to grow spiritually.

A Ministry to Persecuted Christians