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August activities: Week two – Speak to your MP!

Earlier this month, we posted out a little series of postcards setting you a challenge each week throughout August to make a stand and do something simple to help your persecuted church family. This week, we want you to speak to your MP. Sounds scary, boring or hard work? Don’t get put off – we’ve made it simple. And it’s really important – your MP represents you in our government, part of their job is to hear your views, so tell them you’re worried about persecution and the rights of Christians around the world! Read on…

Week two: Speak to your MP!

Ever had someone push in front of you in a queue? It’s pretty annoying, and just not fair, isn’t it?

Well, did you know that Christians around the world are forced to be the last in the line when it comes to getting help from their governments and communities?

During the Covid-19 pandemic, already vulnerable Christians are being ignored and left to fend for themselves. In northern Vietnam (a communist country, where the government sees Christianity as a bad western influence), 107 people from 18 families, who couldn’t work and earn money because of the Covid-19 lockdown, were refused aid by the local authorities. They were told: “You are Christians and your God will take care of your family! The government is not responsible for your families!”

This is shocking. It shouldn’t be happening. And did you know, you have power to do something about it?

Challenge

Send your MP a message: Your voice is powerful. You can influence those in power to change the systems and regimes that mean Christians are ignored in the first place. Writing to your MP means they will know about this issue and can then act; they also HAVE to respond to you, it’s an important part of their job.

1. Go to opendoorsyouth.org/last and fill out the simple form to send an email to your MP, asking them to urgently write to the Department for International Development about how Christians are being treated. It will take one minute, you don’t have to write anything and when you put in your postcode, it’ll automatically find your MP for you!

2. Now, take a pic of yourself with a cross and an empty bowl (like the example pic here).

3. Share the pic on Instagram, tagging your MP (whose name you’ll know from step one) and also @opendoorsyouthuk and #thelastinline

Cook

Your words have power. After writing to your MP, why not share what’s going on with a friend or your family over a meal? Offer to cook, and over the meal share what you’ve done, why and challenge those present to do it too. We’ve shared a situation from Vietnam above, so you might want to cook a simple noodle dish. You can find more stories about Christians who are #thelastinline here…

Pray

Father God, we thank You for those following You even if that means they are last in the line. We pray for provision of food and for protection and wisdom for Open Doors partners as they serve those in need. Help Christians use the Covid-19 crisis as an opportunity to show and share God’s love with their neighbours. And help me use my freedom to boldy follow You and speak against injustice. Amen.