WASHINGTON, D.C. (ANS) -- An orphanage in Ain Leuh, Morocco, has been ordered to close by government authorities.

ICC (International Christian Concern) www.persecution.org  says the 20 expatriates who run the Village of Hope orphanage have been told they must leave the country within three days.

The reason given by officials is that the staff has been proselytizing the children to Christianity. In a media release, ICC says Voice of Hope orphanage has been operating for 10 years, taking in children abandoned by their parents and society.

The release says: "Thirty three children lived there, some since its founding in 2000. Without Voice of Hope (VoH), the future for these children is grim: life on the streets or one of the government 'mega' orphanages."

ICC says the closure came without warning.

“We have always been open about our faith to the authorities,” said Chris Broadbent, Human Resources Manager for VoH.

“Watching the children be told by their [foster] parents that they had to leave, that they would maybe never seethem again, is the most painful thing I have ever witnessed…This is a shame and a disgrace to the leaders of Morocco.”

ICC explained this is the latest in recent similar actions by the Moroccan government. On February 4, authorities raided a Christian meeting in Asmis, arresting 18 and deporting the lone foreigner. Since then five other foreign Christian workers have been expelled.

ICC’s Regional Manager, Logan Maurer, stated, “This is indeed a shameful act by the Moroccan government, and especially poignant. Lately Morocco has taken a tyrannical stance against Christians, forcibly deporting foreigners and bringing charges against the Moroccan nationals they associated with. This marks a swift and ominous change in Moroccan policy toward human rights; the world must pay attention.”

ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church. For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Logan Maurer, Advocacy Officer
1-800-422-5441, logan@persecution.org  

** Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent of ANS, is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649,at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can donate online to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Chief Reporter