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Air Date: January 14, 2015

Host: Jim Schneider

Guest: Emily Fuentes

Listen: MP3| Order

Emily Fuentes is the director of communications at Open Doors USA, an organization that began its efforts in 1955. Today they are in more than 60 nations around the world bringing the voices of the religiously persecuted to the attention of Americans.

After describing the factors that cause nations to be placed on their World Watch List, Emily followed up by stating that she feels 2014 was an unprecedented year for persecution worldwide, even more than any time in recent history. Some of the persecution stories that made the news included:

--ISIS specifically targeting and killing Christians in Iraq and Syria.

--Thousands of Christians killed in Nigeria by the Islamic group known as Boko Haram.

--Kim Jong Un stepping up his deliberate attacks and executions of Christians in North Korea, the nation that is #1 on the World Watch List and that is estimated to be holding at least 50,000 Christians.

--The story of Meriam Ibrahim in Sudan.

Those stories Emily noted that didn't make the news included:

--The rise of persecution in central Asia as shown by near daily house raids against Christians.

--Relatively peaceful African nations in the past rising up the World Watch List.

For 40 out of 50 of the countries on the World Watch List, Islamic extremism was the driving force.

Other points worth noting from the program include:

--Number 2 on the list is Somalia where the terrorist group known as Al Shabab still has control over much of the nation.

--The rise of persecution in the nations of Djibouti, Tanzania, India and Sub-Sahara Africa.

--The decline of Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait on the World Watch List. Emily pointed out that while there may have been slight improvements in these nations, the drops are due to the fact that persecution has become that much worse in other nations.

--Mexico comes in at #38 with most of the persecution coming from the drug cartels who see Christians as a threat to their business.

The discussion continued with mention of Turkey, Azerbaijan, China and what you can do to help the persecuted church around the globe.


More Information

www.opendoorsusa.org

1-888-524-2535

To see the World Watch List go to:

https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/