BMS supports the European Baptist Federation (EBF) in its programme of indigenous mission projects. The projects aim to encourage the development of indigenous missionaries within their own countries. The programme currently supports 65 mission workers through eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Four of these work in Azerbaijan, 95 per cent of whose population is Muslim.
Arshad*, an indigenous mission worker in northern Azerbaijan, writes of the difficult time the church there is facing:
“Brothers and sisters, Farid* and brother Natiq* and all the believers in the northern part of Azerbaijan are being persecuted. Many believers have been fired [from their jobs], after [their bosses] found out they were Christians. The same people had searches in their houses. They have even been threatened.
“Brother Farid called me two months ago and asked us to pray for them, since brother Natiq was being interrogated about his beliefs. The authorities had for a long time suspected him of being a Christian, and have now found out, and from now on it will create more problems for him in his village.
"Shortly after this people started to slander believers. During this time I talked to my brothers in Christ and with the Lord’s help I tried to inspire them so that they would not be afraid. When I went to the village the neighbours at their doors steadfastly watched where I went and whom I visited. After my departure Farid told me that there were searches being done, so possibly the neighbours informed the local policeman.
“Brother Farid is a citizen of Russia. He had taken a lot of Christian literature from his house to another place at night so it would not be found when his house was searched, but someone had seen him and the literature was found. Therefore they have hung the blame on him, saying that citizens of other countries do not have the right to preach, never mind to distribute spiritual literature. We prayed all night long for brother Farid to be released. He returned home the next day, having been questioned. The authorities decided to deport him from Azerbaijan. At present he lives temporarily with a pastor in Dagestan.
“We are praying that the question of his citizenship will be resolved, because Farid should receive Azerbaijani citizenship, since he was born in Azerbaijan and his father, siblings, wife and children all live in his village. We pray also for brother Natiq, that he might not be fired, and for sister Turan, who prayed for them most. I ask you to pray not only for them, but also for all believers in Azerbaijan who face persecution.
“In him, Brother Arshad”
*Names have been changed