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One Free World International
El Shafie Ministries
"We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed;
We are perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed."
2 Corinthians 4:8-9
Maryam and Marzieh are safe and
Rev. El Shafie is headed to Afghanistan
Dear Friends and Partners,
We would like to take this opportunity to give you some wonderful news: as a result of international pressure, Maryam and Marzieh, the Iranian Christian converts whose story of courage and dignity in the face of their persecutors has been an inspiration to all of us, have been acquitted of all charges and have left Iran.
Please continue to pray for these courageous young women as they recover from their ordeal and adapt to a new culture and environment, that they will be able to use their story to glorify God and help improve the lives of their fellow Iranians. Please also continue to pray for the Iranian government and people, and especially for the Christians, converts and other minorities in Iran, that they would be able to freely exercise their faith without having to leave their families, homes, and country to escape persecution.
Update: Operation Horizon of Hope
In the meantime, we recently sent an alert highlighting Rev. El Shafie’s upcoming return mission to Afghanistan. Rev. El Shafie will be leaving soon on this mission to encourage our troops, but also to meet with Afghan government officials in order to challenge the government about human rights issues in the country.
This mission is rapidly approaching and so we are re-sending the alert to encourage you that now is the time to send your letters and donations in order to make this mission a success. We must receive your cards and letters of support by June 15th in order to ensure that Rev. El Shafie can deliver them. Please stand with us and with our troops through your notes and letters, as well as your prayers and financial support for this important mission.
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May 4, 2010
Dear Friends and Partners,
You may recall that
Rev. El Shafie travelled to Afghanistan almost three years ago to
support and encourage our troops who are sacrificing their comfort and
risking their lives on our behalf to help bring peace and freedom to the  Afghan people. He presented the troops with
several cards signed by over 2000 of our friends and partners, including
several members of parliament and the prime minister. The visit and
your messages of support clearly meant a lot to the troops so before he
left, Rev. El Shafie promised to return. He is now preparing to fulfill
that promise by travelling back to Afghanistan where he will be visiting
Canadian, American, and NATO soldiers.
This is a critical time in the mission for Canadian troops. As they
prepare to come home next year in accordance with the government’s
decision, they will face great dangers. At the same time, questions over
Canada’s role in the treatment of detainees by Afghan authorities have
grown into a full-blown controversy. OFWI supports any necessary,
legitimate, and democratic investigation into the detainee issue in
accordance with Canadian law; however, we must not let this controversy
overshadow the sacrifices our troops continue to make. After all, those
who are demanding information and documents from the government are only
able to do so because our soldiers once fought to defend our freedoms
here in Canada as they are doing today in Afghanistan. The purpose of
OFWI’s mission is not to get involved in the political debate, but to
show our troops that we have not forgotten them and that we support and
pray for them regardless of what happens on Parliament Hill.
Rev. El Shafie is inviting a delegation of Members of Parliament from
both major parties to join him in this mission. In addition to
encouraging the troops, Rev. El Shafie and his delegation will meet with
Afghan officials to discuss their progress in the area of human rights
and to stress the importance of ensuring equality and the human rights
of all Afghan people both now and after Canadian troops leave.
OFWI would like to give you the opportunity to participate in this
mission. Once again, we are asking our friends and partners across the
country to sign one of six cards of support and appreciation for the
troops that are currently circulating. Also, some of you may not have
the chance to sign the large cards, so we would like to give you the
opportunity to send personal cards or letters of support which Rev. El
Shafie will deliver to the troops together with the joint cards. Simply
prepare your card or letter and send it to One Free World International
marked “Operation Horizon of Hope”, making sure we receive it by June
15th.
Finally, as you know, OFWI is fully supported through the voluntary
donations of our friends and members without whose support none of our
work would be possible. Please join us by participating financially in
this important mission so that we can make it a reality. Your donations
are important and will have a lasting impact on the Afghan people by
encouraging our troops and through the contacts Rev. El Shafie will be
able to make. Please note that your donations are not tax deductible
because OFWI has chosen not to seek charitable status so that we can
pursue our goals freely, without the limits placed by law on charities.
Canadians can disagree about whether we should be in Afghanistan and
OFWI does not take a position on this question. However, the reality is
that Canadian soldiers are on the ground risking their lives daily on
behalf of peace and freedom for the Afghan people and for Canadians.
These brave men and women are doing their jobs and need and deserve our
support.
Please
pray:
• for all the details of this mission to come together smoothly and for
Rev. El Shafie’s safety throughout the mission;
• for the government and leadership of Afghanistan, that they would
commit wholeheartedly to human rights, democracy, and equality and that
they would have the strength of will and political leadership to
implement these goals effectively for the benefit of all Afghan people;
• that the troops would be encouraged and uplifted by Rev. El Shafie’s
visit; and,
• for the continued safety and protection of the troops who will then
stay behind on the battlefield while Rev. El Shafie returns home to the
safety of Canada. Pray particularly that the troops would have unusual
wisdom and compassion in dealing with the Afghan people whom they are
trying to help and that they would have supernatural discernment and
intuition in order to prevent attacks by the Taliban that could harm
them and ordinary Afghan people.
ACTION:
The Bible teaches
that faith without action is dead, so please take action urgently and:
• send your card or letter of support to the Canadian troops by June
15th to:
One Free World International
c/o Operation Horizon of Hope
20 Bloor Street East, Box 75129
Toronto, ON
M4W 3T3
• send your financial contribution by cheque to the above address or
deposit it directly to:
Bank: Royal Bank of Canada
Institution Code: 003
Transit Number: 5452
Account Number: 1008507 (Canadian
deposits); 4003232 (U.S. dollar deposits)
Swift: ROYCCAT2
Remember, that the
persecuted Christians are dying every day, but they are still smiling. They are in a very deep dark night, but they have the candle of the
Lord. The enemy can have a very strong weapon and a very strong army,
but we have the Lord Almighty.
"They can kill the dreamer, but they cannot kill the dream" in the
Lord’s name.
Be with God and may God be with you.
One Free World International
El Shafie Ministries
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