stepped up attacks to stop the spread of Christianity in rural areas of this Asian nation, a missionary group said Tuesday August 9. Especially "native missionaries working among tribal groups on the northern island of Luzon say ministry is becoming riskier as Communist rebels in rural areas increase their activities," said Christian Aid Mission (CAM) in a statement to BosNewsLife.
"Rebels oppose the spread of Christianity in part because they know faith in Christ makes their potential tribal recruits unwilling to fight," added CAM, which is supporting native missionaries in the troubled region.
There are also reports that rebels in "heavily Islamic southern Philippines" have threatened
missionaries reaching Muslim tribes there. "Some religious leaders have threatened Gospel workers [working among tribes] with harm if they do not stop missionary work," the group claimed.
TERROR THREAT
There was no confirmation of the reported threats from the rebel groups Tuesday, August 9,
but missionaries stress that what what they call "Muslim extremist groups" pose a threat not
only to Christians but to all residents of the southern Philippines.
"We are warned not to go to big establishments in order to avoid being victims of a terrorist
attack," said one native missionary on condition of anonymity. A series of suicide bomb attacks intended to take place over Easter were narrowly prevented after Filipino authorities uncovered the plot.
The ministry leader, who CAM said heads a Christian school for poor children, reported that
such events "have fearful effects" on the local community. "People panic, students don’t go to
school, parents bring their children home from classes," he said.
CAM said it had urged its supporters to "pray" for the indigenous ministries throughout the
Philippines "as they carry on gospel work amid such upheaval." (With Stefan J. Bos in Bangkok, and reports from the Philippines).
