Christian Advocacy Now

With the recent turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa, many believers in the region found their situations becoming profoundly more dangerous, difficult, and oppressive. Many have fled, but those who remain daily face real uncertainty—and truly need our encouragement. This September, take a moment to write a brief note to each of the two imprisoned Iranian pastors listed below. A few words can go a long way in bringing a bit of hope and light to these dark places. If you would like to send an extra special message, you can go to www.prisoneralert.com, and use the “write a letter” function to send some phrases of encouragement and scripture verses in their own language. As always, for the safety of the prisoners, do not mention specific religious organizations or speak critically of the Iranian government.

Act!

Pastor Behnam Irani, is 41-year-old husband and father, who has been imprisoned since January 2011. He is enduring under very harsh conditions, including months of solitary confinement and then also being placed in group cells with so many prisoners, they cannot lie down. Behnam is suffering from significant health problems—possibly facing amputation of his foot. He was hospitalized in July, but was recently returned to a regular cell, with orders to be beaten regularly.

The notorious case of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani has m ade headlines and sparked international outrage, and yet this 34-year-old husband and father of two young sons still faces the death sentence for his peaceful protest of the mandatory teaching of the Koran to his children in school. Beyond suffering the absence of their husband and father Youcef's family also suffered when his wife was imprisoned for a time as well, and the two children had to stay with relatives, uncertain of the fate of their parents. They prison has used a variety of extreme methods in an attempt to get Youcef to recant his faith, including medications, but he has continued to remain steadfast.