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History – How it all began
The Action Committee for Persecuted Christians (AVC) began as an aid campaign for persecuted Christians in what was then the Eastern bloc and the Soviet Union.
 1972: It started in Cologne
It was during the time of the Cold War and the persecution of believers in communist states. In the middle of a wave of persecution, we demonstrated in Cologne against the arrest of pastors in Romania. The pastors were set free and the AVC was born. Our beginnings date back to February 21, 1972, the day of the silent march in Cologne. Further demonstrations and petitions followed..
 1973: Silent march in Bonn
There was a great lack of Bibles among believers in many countries of the Eastern bloc, since it was permitted neither to print nor to import Bibles. For this reason, we carried out “Bible shipping”. A barn was used where vehicles were prepared with much skill and imagination and then the secret compartments were loaded up with Bibles. The specially trained, brave “couriers” set off for the Eastern bloc, not without pounding hearts and prayer. They always had to be prepared to be arrested and interrogated, as well as for the vehicle and its contents to be confiscated, which did indeed happen.
 Bible van: A vacation bus fitted with secret compartments
Although the Iron Curtain has now fallen, the persecution of Christians has not ceased, on the contrary. According to cautious estimates, around 160 000 Christians are killed for their faith worldwide and 200 million are subject to severe persecution and discrimination. In many countries, possession of a Bible can mean the death sentence.
 2002: Demonstration in Berlin in front of the Chinese embassy
So the focuses of our work today are still helping the persecuted, distributing the Bible and Christian literature, as well as evangelism, church planting and Bible schools.
Alongside the spiritual needs, we have also always helped to meet people's great material needs. In 1990 we founded the NEHEMIA Christian Aid Ministry in order to give our humanitarian aid a firm basis. The Stiftung HOFFNUNG (or “Hope Foundation”) was added in 2002. |
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| CONTINUITY: Our magazines document the unceasing work over decades for those who are persecuted and in need. |
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1973:
Freedom in Russia!
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1979:
This is how the USSR guards Christians
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1986:
Torture chamber for active Christians
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1990:
The walls are coming down
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1997:
Continued persecution
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2002:
30 years of AVC
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2006:
Persecution of Christians today
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2007:
35 years of AVC
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