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From: charli@cylixd.UUCP (Charli Phillips)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: persecuted Christians
Message-ID: <226@cylixd.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Aug-85 17:32:07 EDT
Article-I.D.: cylixd.226
Posted: Mon Aug 26 17:32:07 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 28-Aug-85 20:14:56 EDT
Reply-To: charli@cylixd.UUCP (Charli Phillips)
Organization: RCA Cylix Communications , Memphis, TN
Lines: 64

Is anyone interested in praying for, writing to, or working on behalf
of Christians in other nations who are persecuted for their faith?

Western public opinion has a marked effect on the treatment of individual
believers and churches in nearly all countries that persecute Christians
(Albania and Iran being the only notable exceptions).  Because of this,
letters to Christians in prison or being persecuted, letters to government
officials (our government and theirs), and similar actions have a
pronounced effect on the conditions of prisoners and the treatment of
Christian dissidents.

I don't want to bore anyone or waste everyone's time and money if there
isn't any interest.   If there is interest, I can post (or mail,
depending on the number of you who are interested) information on
the status of religious rights in various countries, names of Christian
prisoners (and those who are persecuted without necessarily being
imprisoned), addresses of Christian dissidents, addresses of government
officials, and the like.

For example, Galina Vilchinskaya is a Baptist woman who lives in
the Soviet Union.  She is 26 years old.  When she was 19, she was
arrested for "violating the separation of church and state" (she
taught Sunday school to children).  She was sentenced to 3 years in
a strict-regime camp.  During this time, her health was severely
damaged.  She lost all but 8 teeth as a result of malnutrition and
mistreatment.  Most of her hair fell out.  When she was permitted to
write her family, she told them she did not expect to live out her term.
The KGB pushed her to collaborate at her release, to provide names of 
other Christians, and the like.  When she refused, they told her they
would disgrace her before all Christians.  A few months later, they
arrested her on trumped-up drug charges.  She was convicted and sent
to another strict-regime camp.  She was released last December.
Her parents were told not to have a welcome-home party for her when
she returned, and when they did, the family was fined a month's wages.

Galina still has to report to her parole officer daily.  She must
observe a curfew, and is not permitted to travel.  She is continuously
in danger of re-arrest, as she maintains her Christian life and
witness.

Letters to Galina will help reduce the chance that she will be
re-arrested.  If she is arrested, they will tend to reduce the
severity of the charges brought, and soften the sentence.  (Sergei
Khodorovich, a Russian Orthodox leader, was arrested for treason.
The flood of letters on his behalf caused the authorities to reduce
the charges to "possession of illegal literature".)

Galina's address is:

	Galina Vilchinskaya
	224007 BSSR
	g. Brest
	ul. Sergeya Lazo 20
	SOVIET UNION

There are many more like Galina, in many countries, who could use your
prayers, letters, and support.  The Letter to the Hebrews instructs us
to "remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners,
and those who are mistreated as if you yourself were suffering."  We
can stand with them at their time of trial. 

If you want to know more, let me know.  I can send you (or post) groups
that can provide more information, newsletters you can subscribe to,
fellow Christians who need your love.