Bibles, New Testaments and other Christian publications and audiovisual materials to "relative closed countries" including China, Iraq and Egypt.
The reported massive distribution of Christian publications in 2005, when Open Doors celebrated its 50th anniversary, was an annual increase of 25 percent, the international organization announced at its headquarters in the Dutch town of Ermelo.
In addition 107,000 pastors and church workers were trained, an increase of 11 percent, while
over 100,000 persons received "social-economical support," Open Doors said.
Open Doors Director Tjalling Schotanus said he was "especially thankful" that his organizations activities increased despite apparently growing opposition from the Chinese government. "In China we saw for instance in 2004 that our work suffered under increased pressure from Chinese authorities. That remained a problem last year. Yet, we saw that the Lord leads us to new channels to distribute Bibles and [other] books."
PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS
He said Open Doors, which helps persecuted Christians, managed to bring 3.6 million Christian books into China, about one million more than in 2004. In Iraq, he said, Open Doors distributed also "many Bibles and books," without mentioning precise figures.
In 2005 Open Doors also distributed about 1.5 million Bibles, books and other materials for children, many of them in Egypt, he said. "The ‘Project Children Bibles for Egypt’ was especially significant,” Schotanus said. "Christian children in Egypt are often harassed because they are not Muslims. One Children Bible is read by at least 10 Christian and Muslim children."
Open Doors claimed to have distributed nearly a quarter-of-a-million Bibles for Egyptian children in 2005 and plans to distribute Bibles for youngsters later this year.
The organization said it increased aid programs for Christians and currently supports over 100,000 persons, 2,500 families, 131 churches, 22 schools, a village, 5 local mission ministries and two Christian centers.
ASIAN DISASTERS
It said the increase in social programs was related to the recent tsunami in Asia and earthquakes in Pakistan en India. Open Doors has said it increasingly supports Christians who are persecuted in their surrounding because of their choice for Jesus Christ.
"We see this kind of persecution especially with Christians who were Muslims," explained Schotanus. "We are helping them to find accommodation and for instance with starting an own company. In countries like Nigeria we also provide social support to Christians who were attacked by Muslim groups," he stressed.
Open Doors was founded in 1955 by Dutchman Anne van der Bijl, who became known worldwide as Brother Andrew. He initially smuggled Bibles into the Communist East Block during the Cold War. His activities later expanded towards Asia, the Muslim world, Africa and South America. (With Eric Leijenaar, Editor-in-Chief of the Dutch leading evangelical newspaper Uitdaging (Challenge).
