VIETNAM: New Believer's Home Burned by Relatives

Date of Bulletin: 12 February 2014

Vietnam

Youa Thao lives with his wife and three children in Va Who village, Dien Bien Province. When he became a  Christian, his relatives began to harass him. But Youa refused to give up his Christian faith.

On Dec. 9, 2013, Youa Thao's relatives burned his house and everything inside. They then kicked Youa Thao and his family out of the village. Local officials refused to take action because he is a Christian.

Youa Thao and his wife don’t know how they will survive without their home and belongings. They are currently living with a Christian family in a nearby village.

Voice Of the Martyrs Sources

Photo: Youa Thao and family

Please Pray!

• Please pray for Youa Thao and his family.

• Pray that God's faithfulness will see them through this trial and that their faith will strengthen as they see His hand at work in their lives. 

• Pray for the salvation of Youa Thao's relatives, village officials and others in the village.

"For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory,  to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." Heb. 2:10

Voice Of the Martyrs assists believers in Vietnam by providing Bibles, shortwave radios, Christian literature and support for  families of prisoners, among other means of assistance.

 

LAOS: Believers Blamed for Deaths in Village

 

 Date of Bulletin: 27 November 2013

Laos

A group of new Christians in a Laotian village have been blamed for the unrelated deaths of three men. In March 2013, two evangelists brought the gospel message to three remote Hmong and Khmu villages. As a result, 178 people received Christ and 18 were baptized. Less than a month later, three villagers died in a series of unrelated deaths. One was given the wrong medicine, one died in his sleep, and the third was accidentally electrocuted while trying to run a cable line.

The shaken community consulted a witch doctor, who concluded that the strange new religion brought by the evangelists had angered their ancestors. "Those Christians have to renounce their faith or they have to leave the village!" he warned. "Otherwise, more people will die." The community leader told the believers to renounce their faith. So far, all of them remain committed, but they may soon be forced out of the village.

Voice Of the Martyrs Sources

Please Pray!

• Please pray that God will strengthen the new believers and fill them with his peace.

• Pray that the community leaders turn from their false gods to the true, living God.

• Pray that the believers will be allowed to stay in the village and that they will continue to be a light to the community.

"Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter." 1 Pet. 4:16

VOM provides various means of assistance to Christians in Laos, including Bibles, Christian radio broadcasts, skills training and support for pastors.

VIETNAM: New Hmong Believers Need Prayer

Bulletin Date: 20 November 2013

In recent months, an evangelist visited a remote village in Vietnam and shared the gospel with about 30 Hmong families. About 20 people gave their lives to Christ and soon began meeting in a believer's home, forming the first house church in the area.

Photo: House church gathering of new Hmong Christians

In October, police raided the home where the believers gathered for worship, confiscating Bibles, hymnals and a cellphone. A policeman was stationed to watch the house, and the believers were not allowed to contact anyone. Police warned them that if they continue meeting they will kick them out of their home and tear it down. In addition, the Christians were told that their leader would be arrested.

These believers are asking us to pray that they will stand strong in their new faith.They are the first Christians in this area. The nearest Christian  outside their village lives more than 6 miles away.

VOM Sources

Please Pray!

• Pray that these new believers will not become discouraged.
• Pray that they will have a hunger for the Word and that they will grow in their knowledge and faith.
• Also pray that the authorities will come to faith in Christ.

"By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward." Heb. 11:24-26

Voice Of the Martyrs assists believers in Vietnam by providing Bibles, shortwave radios, Christian literature and support for families of prisoners, among other means of assistance.

ERITREA: 185 Christians Arrested at Prayer Gathering

 

Bulletin Date: 13 November 2013

Eritrea

Eritrean security forces recently raided a prayer meeting and arrested 185 Christians in Maitemenay, a northern suburb of Asmara. VOM sources say the believers had apparently gathered to pray about the worsening exodus of Eritreans from the country.

The gathering is said to have been organized by an underground fellowship known locally as "Hiyaw Amlak" (Living God). The fellowship is part of a network of underground fellowships that have been in operation throughout the country since 2002, when the Eritrean government closed all churches not belonging to officially sanctioned religious groups.

The believers are being held at a police station near an area known as Edaga Hamus in the adjoining district. Some of the women and children were released after signing an agreement that they would stop meeting with other believers. The arrests have alarmed underground church leaders, who fear that more raids may continue in the future.

VOM Sources

Please Pray!

• Praise God for the women and children who were released.

• Pray that God will grant the remaining believers favour with the authorities and that they will be released unharmed.

• Pray that they and their families will be filled with God's peace.

• Pray that believers in Eritrea will remain steadfast in their faith despite the opposition they face.

"Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith." 2 Thess. 3:1-2

For more information about Eritrea visit VOM's Restricted Nations Map.

NIGERIA: Twenty-Five Christian Buildings Marked for Demolition

Bulletin Date: 23 October 2013

Nigeria

Government authorities in northern Nigeria's Borno state plan to demolish 25 churches and schools,  ostensibly to make room for new housing. However, no plans for the housing development have been produced. Christian leaders believe this is yet another attempt by local governments in northern Nigeria to persecute the Christian minority.

The proposed demolitions would compound the security challenges that these believers are already facing from the militant group Boko Haram. "We have seen the eviction notice from the Borno state government," says Dr. Asake, general secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria. "We are Nigerians, and there are other places where the state government can develop. The areas earmarked for demolition are already developed with churches and schools. Christians have already suffered enough in Borno state."

VOM Sources, All Africa

Please Pray!

Please pray that believers will be spared the loss of their churches and schools. Pray that believers will remain firm in their faith, regardless of the outcome, and continue to serve God.

"Do not say, 'A conspiracy,' concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread." Is. 8:12-13

Voice Of the Martyrs assists hundreds of pastors in Nigeria and also provides food, clothing and medical aid to Nigerian Christians who are attacked.

Christians Targeted for Destruction!

"Barnabas is using this black X as a symbol of solidarity with Christians who are being targeted for their faith in Egypt and Syria. The sign has been daubed on Christian properties by Islamists in Egypt to mark them out for attack.

We're encouraging people to adopt it as their profile image on Facebook to show their support for persecuted Christians.

Download it here: http://bit.ly/16SPqxS Barnabas is using this black X as a symbol of solidarity with Christians who are being targeted for their faith in Egypt and Syria. The sign has been daubed on Christian properties by Islamists in Egypt to mark them out for attack.

We're encouraging people to adopt it as their profile image on Facebook to show their support for persecuted Christians."

Download it here: http://bit.ly/16SPqxS

Remember Saeed Abedini!

Please sign the petition to help free Saeed Abedini from an Iranian prison.

Please pray for Saeed, his wife, Naghmeh & their children.

Prisoner Profile: Alimujiang Yimiti

Prisoner Profile

PRISONER NAME: Alimujiang Yimiti

LOCATION: China
ARRESTED: February 2008
REVISED: January 29, 2013
  
In September 2007 Chinese government officials closed Alimujiang Yimiti's business and accused him of using it as a cover up for "preaching Christianity among people of
Uyghur ethnicity." He was later arrested in January 2008 and accused of "subversion of the national government and endangering national security," a crime punishable by
death.


Alimujiang, a former Muslim, became a Christian more than 10 years ago and has
been an active Christian in the growing Uyghur church. On May 27, Alimujiang's case went to trial. His case was referred back to the Chinese Public Security Bureau's prosecutors due to "insufficient evidence." He remains in custody.

A Brief Overview of the Case:

On Sept. 13, 2007, the Kashi Municipal Bureau for Ethnic and Religious Affairs of Xinjiang stated: "Since 2002, Alimujiang Yimiti has been engaging, in the name of employment, in activities of illegal religious infiltration which include preaching Christianity among the people of Uyghur ethnicity, distributing religious materials and converting Christians."

However, on Jan. 12, 2008, the Kashi Municipal Public Security Bureau placed Alimujiang on criminal detention on the two charges of "suspicion of inciting people to secede from China" and "illegally providing state secrets to foreigners." On Feb. 20, he was formally arrested.

On Aug. 6, 2009, the Kashi District Intermediate Court secretly sentenced Alimujiang to 15 years imprisonment on the charge of "illegally providing state secrets to foreign nationals."
It was not until Oct. 27 that the court in Kashi notified Alimujiang's wife, Gulinuer, and his lawyer of the sentence. Alimujiang appealed.

On March 6, 2010, the Higher People's Court of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region tried the case in private, refusing to let the lawyer appear in court. They upheld the ruling from the Kashi District Intermediate Court, sentencing Alimujiang to 15 years of imprisonment and depriving him of political rights for five years.

On April 12, 2010, Alimujiang's wife Gulinuer got a phone call notifing her that Alimujiang had been transferred from Kashi Detention Center to serve his sentence in No. 3 Prison of Xinjiang in Urumqi.

In Nov. 2010, the Higher People's Court of Xinjiang accepted the appeal by Alimujiang's wife and mother and decided to retry Alimujiang's case of "disclosing top state secrets". After Christmas 2010, the Higher People's Court of Xinjiang told Gulinuer that they had already made the decision through a collegial bench on December 20.

In Feb. 2011, the Higher People's Court of Xinjiang notified Alimujiang, who is serving his sentence, that they upheld the original sentence of 15 years of imprisonment in the reconsideration.

Family Visits to Alimujiang Cut

Prison officials informed Alimujiang's wife, Gulinuer, that her monthly visits to the prison were being reduced to one visit every three months. Gulinuer went to visit her husband on Jan. 23, but was denied entry. Their last meeting in November 2012 lasted just 15 minutes. Since then, she has only spoken to her husband once by phone, on New Year's Day. Gulinuer believes the prison authorities' decision could be connected to her husband's current appeal. His lawyer believes the restrictions are illegal, since the normal allowance for prison visits is once per month.

Please add

Alimujiang Yimiti

to your prayer list.

Iran Sentences Pastor Saeed Abedini to 8 years in Evin Prison

Pastor Saeed Abedini, who is an American citizen, has been beaten and tortured since his imprisonment last fall and is now facing eight years in Evin Prison, one of the most brutal prisons in Iran. He has been convicted for his involvement in house churches in the early 2000s.

Evin Prison is a prison in Iran, located in Evin, northwestern Tehran. Beatings, torture, mock executions and brutal interrogations are the norm at Evin prison.

Farshid Fathi is also being held at Evin Prison.







You can sign a petition, calling for his release by following this link.

Please pray for Pastor Saeed, his wife Naghmeh, and their two children who live in the U.S.

You can read more at  America Centre for Law and Justice's website.

Prayer Alert: Younis Masih's Life Sentence for Blasphemy Heard in Court Tomorrow!

Pakistan Christian Younis Masih is scheduled to have his appeal against a life sentence for blasphemy heard in court tomorrow. The Punjabi father-of-four has been detained since November 2005 – after asking local Muslims to reduce noise levels during their worship. Younis is still recovering from a heart attack last week which caused him to be hospitalised. Continue to pray God's protection over him, his family and Release partners supporting them: some fear that Younis may be at greater risk of attack from extremists while he is in hospital. 

 

(Source: Release partners)

Younis Masih, a Christian father of four, is serving a death sentence in Pakistan for blasphemy & suffered a serious heart attack,  according to Release International's prayer alert on 8 January 2013.

Younis, who is detained in a jail in northern Punjab, was transferred to a civilian hospital. His wife, Meena, and their children live nine hours' drive away from the prison, which has made visiting hard since his transfer there in July. Meena featured in our DVD, Pray for Pakistan.

Younis has been in jail for more than seven years. He was detained in November 2005 after a Muslim cleric accused him of making derogatory remarks about Islam's prophet, Mohammed. Younis's supporters say he was falsely accused after asking those attending an Islamic religious ceremony in his neighbourhood to make less noise.

Release partners are concerned that Younis could be at greater risk of attack from Islamist extremists while he is in hospital – and have gone immediately to try to visit him. They are also handling his appeal against the death sentence. A court hearing has been set for January 17.

(Source: Release partners)

http://www.releaseinternational.org

But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.

Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.

(Micah 7: 7-8)

News: Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani Again Free!

 Let us thank & praise the Lord for this wonderful news!

"Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani was just released in Iran.

A leader in Pastor Youcef’s church has confirmed to the ACLJ that Iranian authorities released Pastor Youcef from prison shortly after 1:30 p.m. near Rasht, Iran.

He had been re-arrested on Christmas Day in Iran, the first Christmas he would have been able to spend with his wife and two young sons after his nearly three-year imprisonment for his Christian faith.

After initially spending 1,062 days behind bars under a death sentence for apostasy (becoming a Christian), he has now been forced to spend an additional 14 days in prison because of his faith even after his apostasy conviction was absolved.

The ACLJ welcomes his release from this unjust and illegal imprisonment.  Iran must not be allowed to persecute individuals because of their faith.

Pastor Youcef has become the face of persecution around the world, and his re-arrest on Christmas Day shows Iran’s intent to make an example of Pastor Youcef to intimidate people of minority faiths.

While Pastor Youcef is now once again free, American Pastor Saeed Abedini remains imprisoned for his faith in one of Iran’s most notoriously brutal and abusive prisons."

 

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani Again Free | Iran, American Center for Law and Justice ACLJ