| Dear Friends, |
| As we have watched the crisis in Afghanistan unfold recently, we are all reminded that our brothers and sisters in Christ, and especially women and children, are vulnerable and in need. |
| James 1:27 tells us: |
| âReligion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.â |
| Many Christians living in the Muslim world face ridicule and violence for accepting Jesus as their Saviour. In fact, The World Watch List noted Afghanistan as the 2nd most difficult country to be a Christian, and Time Magazine ranked it as the worst place in the world to be a woman. And this was all prior to the recent crisis. |
| Adding religious persecution on top of cultural discrimination puts women in an especially perilous situation throughout this region of the world. |
|  | | ⢠|  | 37% of Arab women have reported experiencing violence. The actual number is assumed to be much higher. |
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|  | | ⢠|  | 14% of girls under 18 are forced into marriage in this region of the world. |
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|  | | ⢠|  | 92% of women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49 in Egypt have experienced female genital mutilation. |
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|  | | ⢠|  | Rape is one of the most common forms of persecution against women in the Arab world. In many places, rapists can avoid prosecution by marrying their victim. |
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| The data is overwhelming, yet it is difficult to fully understand the impact of these statistics without knowing some of the women behind them. |
| When Amira and her daughters came to faith in Jesus Christ, she kept it hidden from her Muslim family. A friend found out and told her husband. He and her parents beat Amira severely. Then they threatened to mutilate her daughters. |
| Amira and her daughters fled with nothing. She has been living in a nearby country and recently heard that the police were looking for her. She is frightened, but so grateful for the Body of Christ. |
| Help The Persecuted is supporting Amira and her daughters, assisting them with medical needs and living expenses during this difficult time. Our Field Ministry Team also encourages them in Christ through prayer and Godâs Word. |
| "When you lose everyone and everything you feel that life is over. Having Christ, however, gives us hope and peace. Thank you for helping us." - Amira |
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| Our support was a reminder of love and unconditional care. Most women who come to faith in Christ are beaten, tortured, burned, or killed by their families. To be able to get your life back is considered a miracle. |
| And thatâs where YOU come in, and why your support of Help The Persecuted today is so important. Through our on-the-ground Field Ministry Team we are able to reach the most vulnerable, in the last year we have helped over 46,000 persecuted Christians, including many women and their children. We deliver tailored packages of support based on individual needs. |
| With your help we can serve more persecuted women and children today, including those from Afghanistan. |
| Your gift will help provide critical support. This can include food, safe housing, and medical assistance. In addition, we provide Bibles and other discipleship materials along with pastoral care. |
| Your swift response today answers the calling given to us in James 1:27 to look after women and children in their distress. |
| Thank you for being such an important part of the Body of Christ to these persecuted believers today. It is a privilege to serve together. |
| In Him, |
 |  |  | Joshua Youssef
President and CEO
Help The Persecuted |
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