|PIC1|Over 30,000 people are expected to stir up support next month as part of Open Doors’ Great Big Tea Party to raise awareness of Christians around the world who are suffering for their faith.

In homes and churches from Aberdeen, Inverness and Exeter to Belfast, North Wales and Leeds, on Sunday 7 June, partygoers at over 1,000 venues will drink tea, eat scones and pledge their support.

This initiative is the brainchild of Oxford-based charity Open Doors, which provides training, practical support and encouragement to persecuted Christians in over 50 countries worldwide.

This year the Tea Party is focusing on India, which is the world’s second-largest tea producer. Despite being the world’s largest democracy with a population of over 1.1 billion, Christians face mounting pressure and persecution, particularly from extremist Hindu nationalists.

Last year, violence meted out in Orissa led to the destruction of over 150 churches and 300 villages. Sixty Christians were murdered.

Globally, persecution today takes place on an epic scale. Right now, 100 million Christians are suffering for their faith in countries as widespread as Iran and Burma, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and Columbia.

Persecution may take many forms. It ranges from being unable to obtain Christian literature and being prevented from holding church services, to hardcore physical, sexual and emotional abuse which forces believers to live secret lives underground.

By doing something as simple as putting on the kettle at the Great Big Tea Party, Christians in the UK will raise thousands of pounds for persecuted Christians in India and around the world.

The money will provide them with Bibles and Christian literature, training, financial and practical help, and livelihood skills to enable them to live out their God-given right to practise their faith.

Christopher Goodwin, a church leader in Burton on Trent, Staffordshire, said, “It was an exciting experience that I will never forget and will hopefully have made many more people aware of the persecuted church than I have been able to within the four walls of my church congregation."

Allen Moxham, head of communications at Open Doors, said: “165 million cups of tea are drunk in the UK every day, which is almost three per person.

"However, few people realise that Christians in countries such as China, India and Sri Lanka, where tea is produced, often face intense persecution from their families, communities and even government officials.

"We hope the Great Big Tea Party is a case of ‘information becoming inspiration’ to take action.”