{"id":29140,"date":"2020-08-11T15:00:36","date_gmt":"2020-08-11T06:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=29140"},"modified":"2020-08-22T10:03:05","modified_gmt":"2020-08-22T01:03:05","slug":"vomk-report-116","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2020\/08\/11\/vomk-report-116\/","title":{"rendered":"ERITREA: REGIME ARRESTS 30 CHRISTIANS AT WEDDING"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”29105″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”In a further crackdown on Christians, the government of Eritrea arrested 30 people that were attending a wedding ceremony held in the capital, Asmara, during the last week of June 2020. That brings the number of Christians arrested in Eritrea since last April to 45.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” el_class=”headline”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cNot many people have even heard of the small country of Eritrea, but it is of special importance to Christians<\/span><\/span>. Since May 2002\u00a0<\/span><\/span>it has been one of the fiercest persecutors of Christians worldwide,\u201d Voice of the Martyrs Korea representative Foley Hyun Sook explains. \u201cIt is often called the \u2018North Korea of Africa\u2019 as its president is known to have a fondness for the North Korean model of leader-worship and desires to implement it in his own country.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”29207″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]R<\/span><\/span>epresentative Foley says that weddings and funerals are especially dangerous gatherings for Eritrean\u00a0<\/span><\/span>underground\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Christians. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/span>These are the only public gatherings that\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the underground Eritrean\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Christians<\/span><\/span>\u00a0do<\/span><\/span>, since\u00a0<\/span><\/span>their regular\u00a0<\/span><\/span>church services\u00a0<\/span><\/span>must be done<\/span><\/span>\u00a0secretly,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201c<\/span><\/span>Eritrean authorities\u00a0<\/span><\/span>know this, so they\u00a0<\/span><\/span>closely watch every wedding that is held in the country<\/span><\/span>\u00a0to see if underground Christians are present. U<\/span><\/span>nderground Christians typically seek the help of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>sympathetic\u00a0<\/span><\/span>pastors from the few legal state churches\u00a0<\/span><\/span>when\u00a0<\/span><\/span>underground Christians need\u00a0<\/span><\/span>weddings and funerals.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]According to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>R<\/span><\/span>epresentative Foley, only four religions are legal in Eritrea, and all four are strongly monitored and restricted. Among Protestantism, only Lutheran churches are permitted. Many of Eritrea\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><\/span>non-Lutheran\u00a0<\/span><\/span>pastors have been imprisoned and tortured for more than ten years. In Eritrea, prisons\u00a0<\/span><\/span>are located in<\/span><\/span>\u00a0the hot desert and prisoners are kept in metal shipping containers. Due to the strong persecution against Christians, many flee the country and are living in refugee camps in Ethiopia.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span> \u00a0<\/span><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says that the recent arrest of these 30 Christians\u00a0<\/span><\/span>at the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>June\u00a0<\/span><\/span>wedding follows\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>arrest\u00a0<\/span><\/span>last April\u00a0<\/span><\/span>of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>15 Christians\u00a0<\/span><\/span>at\u00a0<\/span><\/span>a<\/span><\/span>n underground<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>church\u00a0<\/span><\/span>worship service\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the Mai\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Chehot<\/span><\/span>\u00a0area<\/span><\/span>\u00a0near the Eritrean capital of Asmara<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat means that there are now 45 more Christians\u00a0<\/span><\/span>recently imprisoned\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in Eritrea because of their faith,\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>says Representative Foley. \u201c<\/span><\/span>Hebrews 13:3 says we are to remember our fellow Christians when they go to prison.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>All Christians\u00a0<\/span><\/span>around the world\u00a0<\/span><\/span>should add to our prayer list<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>these<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>45\u00a0<\/span><\/span>brothers and sisters<\/span><\/span>, many of whom\u00a0<\/span><\/span>are now most likely\u00a0<\/span><\/span>suffering in\u00a0<\/span><\/span>metal shipping container<\/span><\/span>\u00a0prisons<\/span><\/span>\u00a0in\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>deserts of the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u2018<\/span><\/span>North Korea of Africa<\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>, simply because of their faith<\/span><\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”29099″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” link=”https:\/\/www.vomkorea.com\/tfc”][vc_custom_heading text=”Doctor Foley speaks to Eritrean church leaders about what trauma is and how to work through it.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230c0c0c|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”29100″ img_size=”229×305″ alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” link=”https:\/\/www.vomkorea.com\/tfc”][vc_custom_heading text=”Dr. Foley prays for an Eritrean woman whose husband was martyred in prison. This woman has four young children to care for.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230c0c0c|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Voice of the Martyrs Korea administers a fund to provide ongoing support to families of<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>martyrs and Christian prisoners<\/span>. Churches and individuals interested in\u00a0<\/span>making a donation<\/span>\u00a0to VOMK\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Families of Martyrs\/Families of Prisoners (FOM\/FOP)<\/span>\u00a0Fund can do so at www.vomkorea.com\/<\/span>en\/<\/span>donation (select \u201c<\/span>FOM\/FOP<\/span>\u201d from the donation option menu) or via electronic transfer to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\uad6d\ubbfc\uc740\ud589<\/span>\u00a0(KB Bank)<\/span>\u00a0463501-01-243303<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\uc608\uae08\uc8fc<\/span>\u00a0(account holder)<\/span>: (<\/span>\uc0ac<\/span>)<\/span>\uc21c\uad50\uc790\uc758\uc18c\ub9ac<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Please include the phrase\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>FOM\/FOP<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>on the transfer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_video link=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=z6S9_R-SxZI”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”29105″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”In a further crackdown on Christians, the government of Eritrea arrested 30 people that were attending a wedding ceremony held in the capital, Asmara, during the last …","protected":false},"author":659,"featured_media":29104,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[857,235,869,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-russian-special","category-special-column","category-china-special","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29140"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29140\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}