Morocco, Turkmenistan, Refugee Safe House, Reza & Mona August 2008

Since last writing, our team have been fully taken up with working with issues related to Islam and the difficulties it makes for our dear brave brothers and sisters affected by it. However, the conflict in Georgia is a very real issue for many in Eastern Europe, and we've produced some suggestions as to its possible significance in latter day Bible prophecy at http://www.aletheiacollege.net/ld/d1-1.htm .

MOROCCO
There have been around 20 baptisms here over the last 5 years, and in every case there have been difficulties for those baptized. The King of Morocco claims to be a direct descendant of the prophet Mohammed, and so considers himself the spiritual head of the nation. Any deviance from submission to Islam leads to at least being shunned by society and family- and family is about everything to people in this culture. Yet all the same, there is great interest in the Gospel here, especially in the small towns and villages on the edge of the Atlas Mountains and Sahara desert. Here, every huddle of houses has its "Teleboutique" where people can have a go on the internet- and read our material. Many are just a tin shack with a phone line, a computer and some terminals. Yet through them the Truth has come to these areas.

Here's a typical one:     

We drove a few thousand km over the desert roads, visiting brethren and contacts.. the surface of the roads isn't bad but there are animals, including camels, wandering everywhere:
         

Everywhere there are signs of major drought and global warming- large rivers are totally dry, used now as tracks for vehicles; and in the two photos below you can see the difference between a river where we baptized someone almost 5 years ago to the day- and how it is now, the same spot (although taken from the other bank), totally dry. It's not seasonal variation- this is the reality of climate change here.

              

Life is therefore very hard, and everywhere there's evidence of Islamic aid flowing in. Schooling is very poor- unless you send your kids to the 'Ecole Coranique', the Koran School, funded by strict Islamic aid organizations. We were most encouraged by the faith of our new brother Alae, but he warned us that there is now a religious police operating, similar to that which operates in Iran. They pose as interested contacts and then seek to get us to visit them in some remote location for baptism, aiming to lynch on the spot or at best gather evidence against us. We had a narrow escape from such a set up, actually travelling out to some remote Wadi, before we smelt a rat and were able to escape. Meanwhile we're pleased to say that there ARE sincere folk, and with joy we report the baptism of brother L.

TURKMENISTAN
We've reported previously about our sister Guncha here, whose bags, sandals and stuffed camels have been succesfully sold in a number of ecclesias worldwide. We're still unable to get visas to make a visit there; and so finally sister Guncha has been able to baptize her mother in the Caspian Sea on her own. We commend her for her faith in holding on despite so much difficulty in this very closed Islamic country.

REFUGEE SAFE HOUSE
As mentioned in previous reports, Carelinks have for some years operated a 'safe house' for brethren and sisters to flee to. It's located in Turkey, and has been made very good use of all this time, and currently has 2 brothers and 2 sisters staying in it. It's also been used for baptisms and for gatherings of the brethren and sisters who are now refugees seeking asylum with the UNHCR. With rising prices and so many issues of need we are appealing to see if anyone would be interested in supporting the running costs of this project, which including providing basic food at times for those there, comes to about GBP?1500 / year (about 3000 $). Maybe an ecclesia or group of individuals would be interested in supporting this?

Br REZA & Sis MONA
We've written recently about this young married couple from Iran seeking asylum in Turkey. The Turkish Police have told them they have to live in a small town which they designate, far from Istanbul ; and have given them an interview date of Summer next year. This is the interview at which their case will be considered; they have so far had an interview which merely registers their presence in Turkey. They aren't allowed to work legally in Turkey, and have to support themselves all that time. Unless they are registered with the Turkish Police as the Police stipulate , the United Nations High Commission For Refugees (UNHCR) won't take on their case, and it's only through the UNHCR that they can be considered as refugees and put in line for legal transfer to another country. The whole process is of course because Turkey doesn't want refugees to be in their country- because of their geographical location bordering Iran and Iraq they have possibly 2 million refugees in their country. So they try to make it hard. People like Reza and Mona fled for their lives to Turkey and are quite unable to support themselves. You can see some of the legalese in the form letter below, given to Br Reza recently. We've been able to send them some funds for immediate care and for them to go to the town where the Turkish Police insist they live, but landlords want quite a bit of rent upfront. This is an ongoing need for support which could go on 2 years or more. We are trying to persuade UNHCR to reduce the waiting period, but there are so many refugees and they are understaffed, so it's hard for them. So please do pray over these issues. We are already regularly supporting others in their position and really need wider support for them.

With love and joy from your brothers and sisters of Carelinks