Crosstalk: January 15, 2015

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.