Kim's journal 2023: Part 1, a traveler's story
My husband, Patrick, and I felt very fortunate to be able to travel recently with the team and meet with persecuted Christians in Morocco, Egypt, and Israel. While preparing for the trip, I was surprised to discover that 1 out of 7 Christians worldwide are being persecuted for their faith. That is more than 360 million Believers.
Our first stop was in Morocco, where 99% of the population is Muslim. The state religion is Islam and there is no freedom to evangelize. We were able to spend the first week with our partner, Brother S. He is an amazing man of God with a single-minded passion to share Jesus. He has such joy, and it was awesome to spend time with him. He and his team find creative ways to meet with people who are seeking for truth. They are coming to know Jesus, through online chats, reading the Bible, meeting with Christians, and experiencing Jesus coming to them in dreams. We were able to meet with several new Believers. It was so exciting to hear their stories and see the joy and peace they have, now that they have found faith in Christ. We also heard about their hardships as they face persecution from their families, neighbors, and the government.
There is one family who we visited, and they have been on my heart since we returned. They are the only Christians in their neighborhood. Walking there, you can feel the hostile tension from others living nearby. The children face severe discrimination at school because they are Christian. We had the opportunity to take the family to a restaurant by the sea, where we could give them a break and enjoy a nice time together. It was fun to see the children laughing and playing on the beach. We hope to be able to find them an apartment in another area where they will not be under such pressure. I feel such a burden for them, yet they press on and keep trusting the Lord. The only item I saw displayed on the walls of their home was a shelf holding the Bible.
Then we were off to Egypt, where 90% of the population is Muslim, and only 10% is Christian. Christians can face discrimination and persecution from their families, neighbors, and the government. We were able to visit with our partner, who reminded us of Mother Theresa. She ministers to the Sudanese refugees tirelessly and with much joy. She reaches out to the community, providing food, medicine, and clothing. This last year, they opened a school where most of the children are orphans. We went to a Sudanese church and were so inspired by the faith and resiliency of these dear Christian Believers. They fled their country, in the face of persecution and war. Yet their joy and passion for Jesus is incredible! What a blessing it was to worship with them!
We spent a good deal of time with our dear partner and his family. He radiates joy and has such love and concern for people. He has worked with our ministry for many years and continues to minister to persecuted Believers, many who were former Muslims. We were able to meet some of these dear people who have been imprisoned, beaten, or had to flee their homes. Their Muslim families have threatened, tortured, and have even attempted to kill them because they have chosen to follow Christ.
We met Sister "S," whose story we have shared in past prayer letters. Her husband was paid by a Muslim group to convert to Islam and now wants to take their daughter and raise her as a Muslim to receive more money. Sister S refused to turn their daughter over to him, so he brutally attacked her with a knife. She had lacerations and wounds across her face and body which required hospitalization and hundreds of stitches. I was really overwhelmed to meet her and her daughter personally. Sister S is a kind, caring mother who is in hiding just because she chooses to follow Jesus.
All this persecution makes no sense, except when you realize that there is a real spiritual battle going on for souls. Satan comes to kill and destroy. As Christians in America, we can be so unaware of spiritual warfare. Do we realize how powerful and important prayer is? We also have so much freedom and privilege here in the US. Do we feel the urgency to share Jesus? There are people all around us that could be lost for eternity. It is all so challenging.
It is hard to put what I have experienced into words, and yet I am surprised that this is getting longer than I had intended! So, I hope to share more in the future. I continue to process and am so thankful for the opportunity I had to travel. God is working and people are coming to Christ in the Middle East and North Africa. The Believers are standing strong, let’s stand with them!
Part 2, a traveler's story
If you travel to Egypt, something you won’t want to miss is seeing the Pyramids of Giza. Just on the edge of Cairo, this wonder of the world is incredible. The largest pyramid rises to over 450 feet and is thought to have been built about 4,500 years ago! We enjoyed our visit to this amazing area. Going for a camel ride in the pyramids is like going back in time or being in an Indiana Jones movie!
One area that may not be as well-known is “Garbage City”, an area in Cairo, where garbage is collected and 50,000-80,000 people, mostly Coptic Christians, live. In many areas of Cairo, a city of more than 22 million people, there is no garbage service, so the people living in Garbage City go out and collect mountains of trash. Then they bring it back to their homes for sorting and processing. About 85% of the garbage collected is recycled, which is the highest rate of recycling in the world.
Unfortunately, those who collect the garbage also live in it. Because of these living conditions, many are sick with hepatitis and other diseases. Driving through this area was heartbreaking. To smell the garbage and see the swarms of flies and see so many people and children living in such deplorable conditions is overwhelming.
At Living Stones International, we have partnered with ministries that help Christians in the garbage areas by providing food and medicine. Recently, through gifts to our ministry, we were able to purchase a van for one of the ministries in the garbage areas!
As we drove through Garbage City, we came to the Cave Churches. This is an amazing area with beautiful Christian churches built into natural caves. One church holds 20,000 people! There are breathtaking murals of Scripture carved into the rock. It is hard to comprehend the beauty of the churches and the amazing rock carvings. Yet you must drive through Garbage City to get there. I know there is a message from God with that.
Our last stop was in Israel, which has such amazing significance for us as Christians. It is awesome to be in this beautiful land where Jesus walked. We spent time visiting the place where Jesus was born in Bethlehem and we went to Jerusalem where Jesus ministered, was crucified, and rose again. It was humbling, inspiring, and overwhelming.
Only 2% of the population of Israel is Christian. So that is why we were there, to encourage and support the Christians who face the difficulties of being a minority and living with the ongoing political conflict. Because of these challenges, many of the Christians have left the Holy Land.
In Jerusalem, we attended a Christian church and met with pastors and leaders who are working tirelessly and creatively to share Jesus. We also support the Bible College in Bethlehem, which trains leaders in ministry. Please pray that there will always be a strong witness for Jesus in Israel!
On the last night of our trip, we were invited to the home of a Palestinian Christian family in Bethlehem. They were so warm and hospitable! We had a wonderful time as we enjoyed a delicious meal of homemade savory pastries, salad, fruit, olives, and sweet baklava treats for dessert. Their 11-year-old daughter was delightful; she told us that she loved talking with Americans! She was fluent in English and played her guitar for us. Her grandmother showed us pictures of her choir that performs in Bethlehem and at the Church of the Nativity on Christmas Eve. They also shared with us their struggles they face as Christians, being a minority and living with the political conflict.
After visiting Morocco, Egypt, and Israel, I saw persecution in all three countries, but each country presented different struggles. It seems in Morocco, Christians are such a minority, they face difficulty because almost everyone else is a Muslim. Believers must secretly gather in small groups since they cannot meet openly in churches. New Believers find that their families and neighbors often react with hostility and the government seeks to question any gatherings of Christians.
In Egypt, Christians face widespread persecution and discrimination from the government, businesses, schools, and their families. Christians are considered second-class citizens. There are recognized churches, but in many areas, the churches can face attacks and are threatened by radical Muslim groups.
In Israel, there remains a small Christian presence. Believers face a stressful, difficult life because of the political conflict. Yet, they are the real hope for peace in the Holy Land.
I have more passion and excitement now than ever to be involved in this ministry. While overseas, I saw how Living Stones International is making a difference in so many places across the Middle East and North Africa. Our partners are being encouraged as we continue to travel and meet with them. These Brothers and Sisters have expressed that because Dr. Pat and Brother Dave continue to come back, they know we are with them and share in their struggles. We provide Bibles and financial support for food, medicine, housing, and other special projects. The needs continue, and that is why we are so thankful for all of you who stand with us. We truly could not do what we do without your prayers and support! You are making a difference! Thank you for standing with us! May God bless you!
