Nigisti Haile was not the first such victim. According to Compass, other Christians in Eritrea have died after suffering torture, including two who had dared to hold a religious service in a private home. What a contrast to our experience here in the United States -- where, praise God, we think nothing of walking into any church we please. (Sometimes, we think so much “nothing” about it that we don’t even go. After all, there’s always next Sunday.) 

In Turkey, police recently arrested a man who set a fire at the entrance to a Protestant church in Izmit and repeatedly fired a gun. The incident was caught on a security camera installed several months earlier -- after three Christians had been stabbed to death. “In the last year, there have been scores of threats or attacks on congregations and church buildings,” according to a report compiled by the country’s Protestant churches.

For those who want to know more about how religious persecution affects real people in our time, I recommend the book “Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe in Christ.” Written by Brother Andrew and Al Janssen of Open Doors, it’s a compelling look at some Muslims who were drawn to Christ -- despite the danger, in their land, of professing any religion other than Islam.

You’ll meet a father whose son has been arrested and is being tortured for holding “illegal religious meetings.” Two government officials visit the father and question him. One says: “It must hurt you terribly to be the father of an apostate. I have a son, just two years old. If my son turned away from Islam, I don’t know what I’d do.” The other official says, “I’d kill him,” to which the first official replies, “Yes. That is all you really can do with an apostate. If he won’t return to Islam, kill him.”

If these chilling tales outrage you as much as they do me, resolve to do something about it. Educate yourself through groups such as Compass and Open Doors. Make sure that others know what’s going on, too, and do whatever you can to raise awareness and to make a difference, however small.

And, of course, don’t forget to pray -- first and foremost for the relief of those persecuted for their faith. Then consider adding a prayer of thanks for the blessing of living in a nation where you can worship freely.