Eighteen-month-old Luka Eyvazov does not officially exist because Azerbaijani authorities refuse to issue a birth certificate for children with Christian names. Speaking to Forum 18, a Christian working in the legal field said, "You can call your child 'Communist' or 'Tractor.' Why not a Christian name?" When the parents attempted to register their son's birth, they were told to select an Azerbaijani name instead of naming him Luka (Luke). Other Christians told Forum 18 of similar problems registering names from the Bible, often taking months and several appeals before the birth certificate is issued. Following inquiries from Forum 18, Mehman Soltanov of the Justice Ministry's civil registration department told them that the Eyvazov couple should try again and they would now be able to receive the birth certificate.
Legal issues like this, while not a matter of life and death, cause considerable difficulties for Christians in Azerbaijan and many other countries around the world. Pray for patience and peace for Christians facing these types of challenges on a daily basis.
For more information on the difficulties facing Christians in Azerbaijan , click here. The Voice of the Martyrs has been aggressively working in Muslim countries since 1991 with a special emphasis on printing, video duplication and Christian radio and television. The December edition of The Voice of the Martyrs' newsletter focuses on how God has provided the means for local Christians to evangelize their Muslim neighbors.
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