As we observe the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, beyond prayer there are several other ways to be practically involved in supporting those who are persecuted for their faith.
For the month of November, DCC is partnering with two different organizations to help support Christians who are currently being persecuted, those who have fled their homes because of persecution, and those who are reaching out with the Gospel to others who have been persecuted.
The Afghan-American Church
Fremont, California, affectionately known as “Kabul by the Bay,” is home to one of the largest populations of Afghans in the United States. Many of these Afghans are Pashtun. The Afghan-American Church, led by “Mike,” a Pashtun believer and native of Afghanistan, is reaching out to both Afghan Christians and Muslims in the greater Bay Area through open-air evangelism and the distribution of food, schools supplies, and other necessities to this marginalized community. In addition, the church is partnering with 24 house groups in Afghanistan to provide necessary food and heating fuel for over 60 Afghan Christian families who would otherwise starve or freeze because of the lack of services available to them. Their goal is to raise $10,000 for 100 families to receive fuel to protect them during the cold winter months.
To donate toward the work of the Afghan-American Church, please visit: https://www.afghanamericanchurch.com/give OR send your cash or check donations to the DCC church office and write “Afghan-American Church” on the memo line.
TeachBeyond “Beyond Borders” Program
Last September, fire on the Greek island of Lesvos destroyed Camp Moria, Greece’s largest refugee camp leaving nearly 13,000 people without shelter (see BBC report here). Many of these refugees have come from countries where they have been persecuted for their faith, with about 70% coming from Afghanistan. Muslims and Christians alike have sought asylum in Europe, and Lesvos is a melting pot where refugees wait for their paperwork to be processed. This journey can take years. While many of the refugees were able to be relocated to other camps, “Beyond Borders” a ministry of TeachBeyond, has continued to work at Moria to provide shelter for those who remain, and to continue to provide education, care, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to these who have been displaced because of persecution. To learn more about Beyond Borders, visit https://teachbeyond.org/beyondborders/#where
To donate toward the work of “Beyond Borders, please visit https://teachbeyond.org/beyondborders/#support OR send your cash or check donations to the DCC church office and write “Beyond Borders” on the memo line.