Monday, August 22, 2005

YOUTH REACHING OUT TO IMPRISONED ERITREANS

OPEN DOORS USA
Jerry Dykstra, Media Relations Coordinator
Phone: 616-915-4117
E-mail: JerryD@odusa.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SANTA ANA, CA (ANS) -- Young people across America have the opportunity to support imprisoned and suffering Christians in the eastern African country of Eritrea.

Currently 16 full-time pastors and nearly 900 Eritrean Christians, including approximately 60 young people, are being held in prisons, military confinement camps and shipping containers for meeting secretly for prayer and worship outside government-approved churches, according to Compass Direct. According to a report, one of the Christian prisoners died last month as a result of mistreatment in detention.

Underground, the youth ministry of Open Doors – an international Christian organization which supports and strengthens persecuted believers, is facilitating several ways young Christians can help imprisoned believers and their families. They include:

* Purchasing a “Pray For Eritrea” bracelet. It reminds people the price Eritreans must face for their faith in Jesus Christ. And it tells others you are taking a stand in support of persecuted Christians. Cost is $5 plus $1 shipping.
* Purchasing a Underground Citizen Kit when you sign up to become a Citizen of the Underground. The kits includes: a t-shirt identifying Underground citizenship, a wristband featuring a Citizen logo, a poster featuring Eritrea and the book The Calling by Open Doors founder Brother Andrew. Cost is $25 plus $4 shipping.
* Attend a “Night of Persecution” event in your area or find out how to sponsor an event. Through role playing and other activities youth learn first hand of some of the stresses and pressures which persecuted Christians face every day. Young people will have their faith challenged like never before.

“For young people in America who are looking for a cause – something greater than themselves and something urgent – this is it,” says Underground Coordinator Jeff Shreve. “Working together we can bring hope to a hopeless situation in Eritrea. This is a time when our generation of young people can stand and make a difference in the lives of suffering Christians.”

The goal of the campaign is to raise $55,000 to help support believers in Eritrea.

“Night of Persecution” sites scheduled for this the rest of the month include: Aug. 26, Community Evangelical Free Church (530-257-2924), Susanville, Calif and Aug. 28, Valley Christian Church (909-762-6463), Chino, Calif. Many “Night of Persecution” events have already been held this summer.

For information on other “Night of Persecution” sites, go to www.undergroundusa.org or email Shreve at JeffS@odusa.org. There are a few open dates this fall for your church group.

To purchase the Underground Citizen Kit and “Pray for Eritrea” bracelet, go to www.opendoorsusa.org/store and select Underground.

An estimated 200 million Christians worldwide suffer interrogation, arrest and even death for their faith in Christ, with another 200 to 400 million facing discrimination and alienation. Open Doors, celebrating 50 years of service to the Persecuted Christians in 2005, serves and strengthens the Persecuted Church in the world's most difficult areas through Bible and Christian literature distribution, leadership training and assistance, Christian community development, prayer and presence ministry and advocacy on behalf of suffering believers. To partner with Open Doors, call toll free at 888-5-BIBLE-5 (524-2535) or go to our USA Web site at www.opendoorsusa.org. To request a complimentary six-month subscription to our monthly newsletter Frontline Faith, call 888-5-BIBLE-5 or register on-line.

(For more information or to set up an interview with Jeff Shreve, contact Jerry Dykstra at 616-915-4117).