Victory Report: OFWI Helps Torture Survivor Win Freedom in Canada Dear Friends and Partners,
One Free World International (OFWI) is delighted to report that Magdi Youssef, who was deported by Canadian officials to Egypt in September, is now safely back in Canada. Mr. Youssef was tortured by Egyptian authorities and threatened with false charges because of his Christian faith and failed attempt at a refugee claim in Canada. The story of his torture was exposed by the Whistleblower Report of CTV’s National News on December 14, 2006 with the help of audio and video footage of Mr. Youssef’s wounds and pleas for help obtained by OFWI through our team in Egypt.
OFWI has advocated tirelessly on behalf of Mr. Youssef with the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Immigration and Public Safety. Finally, thanks to the courageous intervention of our team in Egypt and Canada, Mr. Youssef arrived in Canada by way of a third country last week and has been granted a temporary residence permit by immigration officials. Mr. Youssef, whose family remains in Egypt where they face possible retaliation by Egyptian authorities, continues to suffer from the physical and psychological effects of his experiences but is relieved and grateful to be back in Canada.
One Free World International would like to extend a special thanks to Kathy Tomlinson from CTV’s Whistleblower for her interest and determination in pursuing this story and to Mr. Youssef’s lawyer, Chantal Desloges of Green and Spiegel, for all her hard work on Mr. Youssef’s behalf. We would also like to thank the Honourable Jason Kenney for taking an active interest in this matter. The contributions of all our friends and partners who prayed for Mr. Youssef and donated money for his support during this difficult time were indispensable. Our guiding principle at One Free World International is that we are all part of one great family and, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.” Our brothers and sisters everywhere have stood beside Mr. Youssef in his suffering and now we rejoice together in his victory.
Mr. Youssef is one of many Coptic Christians seeking refuge in Canada from religious persecution in Egypt on behalf of whom OFWI has been advocating since December 2005. Our active cases have increased from about 20 to over 50 individuals with an estimated total of over 100 such cases in Canada. We are thrilled to see Mr. Youssef safely back in Canada and are inspired by this victory as we continue to labour on behalf of the Coptic Christian refugees facing deportation from Canada and persecuted Christians worldwide.
The enemies of freedom need to hear the message loud and clear that if they hurt one of us, they hurt us all. Our commitment on behalf of the persecuted church is not just our mission, it’s a promise.
Please take this opportunity to praise God for His victory and faithfulness to Mr. Youssef through these trials and pray:
• that he would be fully healed and restored from his ordeal;
• that his family would remain safe and be able to join him;
• that the other Coptic refugees facing deportation would be encouraged and their faith strengthened by this good news; and,
• that the decision-makers on the Immigration and Refugee Boards and in the Department of Citizenship and Immigration would take notice and recognize the danger faced by Christian refugees fleeing persecution in Egypt and that they would take prompt action to grant them a place of refuge in Canada.
ACTION:
The Bible teaches that faith without action is dead, so please take action and write (contact details are included below):
• to the Honourable Jason Kenney, thanking him for his interest in this matter and encouraging him to continue to lend his support on behalf of religious freedom, human rights, and Coptic refugees in Canada;
• to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, the Honourable Diane Finley, thanking her for her department’s intervention in Mr. Youssef’s case and asking her to take action without delay to ensure that over 100 other Coptic Christians fleeing religious persecution are not deported to Egypt where they will likely suffer the same experiences as Mr. Youssef did; and,
• to the Minister of Public Safety, the Honourable Stockwell Day, urging him to stop the deportations immediately in order to uphold the human rights of the refugee claimants and help send a clear message that Canada will hold Egypt accountable for its record on human rights.
Please remember to send us a copy of your correspondence at: info@onefreeworldinternational.org
Remember, that the persecuted Christians are dying every day, but they are still smiling. They are in a very deep dark night, but they have the candle of the Lord. The enemy can have a very strong weapon and a very strong army, but we have the Lord Almighty.
"They can kill the dreamer, but they cannot kill the dream" in the Lord’s name.
Be with God and may God be with you.
Rev. Majed El Shafie President and Founder One Free World International El Shafie Ministries
The Honourable Stockwell Day Minister for Public Safety House of Commons Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6 Tel: (613) 991-2924; Fax: (613) 998-9589 Email: use the form at http://www.psepc.gc.ca/abt/electronic-en.asp or ds@parl.gc.ca or days@parl.gc.ca