INDIA: House Church Attacked in Karnataka

Date of Bulletin: 19 March 2014

India

On Jan. 24, Hindu radicals attacked a group of house-church believers at a one-day prayer meeting in  Karnataka. The leader of the house church, Pastor Anand, has ministered in the area for more than three  years, and the house church is attended by about 10 families.

At about 4 p.m., six hours after the prayer meeting began, Hindu radicals arrived at the house church and interrupted the meeting by shouting at the believers. They snatched Bibles from believers' hands, tearing  some of them up and taking others away. They beat some of the Christians and took them to the police  station.

Pastor Anand as well as another pastor and four other believers were charged with forced conversions. The  men were detained overnight and released the following afternoon. The case is ongoing.

VOM Sources

Photo: Indian believers worshiping in a church destroyed by Hindu radicals


Please Pray!

• Pray that all charges will be dropped against these believers and that their work for God's kingdom will not  be thwarted.

• Pray for their protection as well as that of their families.

• Pray for the salvation of the Hindu radicals.

"Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan,

but it will not stand, for God is with us."

- Isaiah 8:10 -

VOM assists Christians in India through the Families of Martyrs fund, the Participating with Strategic  Partners program and Bibles Unbound.

 

KAZAKHSTAN UPDATE: Pastor Bakhytzhan Kashkumbaev

Date of Bulletin: 12 March 2014

 

 

Kazakhstan

Bakhytzhan Kashkumbaev, the retired pastor of Grace Church in Astana, Kazakhstan, was released on Feb. 17 after spending nine months in jail awaiting trial on a charge of "intentionally inflicting serious harm to health." He was convicted of the charge and received a four-year suspended sentence after the family of a church member accused him of putting drugs in the Communion drink. The court ordered Kashkumbaev to pay his alleged victim large "moral damages" as well as all court expenses, experts' fees and lawyers' fees (around $20,000).

"In my experience as a lawyer, this is one of the strangest cases I have seen in terms of legality," said Nurlan  Beysekeyev, Pastor Kashkumbaev's lawyer. "It was not just strange, but from the standpoint of the law all types of violations occurred, when the case was opened, when it was being investigated and during the trial."

Kashkumbaev plans to appeal the conviction.

Forum 18 News Service, VOM Sources

Please Pray!

• Thank God for Pastor Kashkumbaev's release. 
• Pray that the truth will prevail and he will be absolved of any  wrongdoing.
• Pray that he and his family will continue to stand firm and grow stronger in faith through the turmoil.

"Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge. His truth shall be your shield and buckler."

Psalm 91:3-6

To learn more about the challenges facing Christians in Kazakhstan, visit the VOM Restricted Nations map.

NIGERIA: More Than 100 Dead in Village Attack

Date of Bulletin: 5 March 2014

Nigeria

Members of the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram attacked the Christian village of Izghe, in Borno state, on Feb. 15, killing 106 residents. They also looted businesses and stole residents' vehicles.
 

Nearly 100 members of Boko Haram, which seeks to eradicate Christianity from Nigeria and establish Sharia law, entered Izghe on trucks and motorcycles, witness Ali Ndume reported to the BBC. They shot and hacked to death male residents who had gathered in the town square. From there, they marched door to door, searching for men who had attempted to hide, shooting them or cutting their throats. They also took the life of a grandmother who had attempted to save her grandson's life.
 

The Nigerian military left the area after nine soldiers were killed last week, leaving the region even more  vulnerable to attacks from Boko Haram. The military was reportedly absent throughout the five-hour attack.
 

Source: Christian Post

Photo: Nigerian woman who survived a previous attack

Please Pray!

• Pray that God will comfort those who lost loved ones and property in this attack.
• Pray that they will sense His presence and cast their cares and anxieties upon Him.
• Pray that Boko Haram members will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you." 1 Pet. 5:8-10

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

CHINA: Free Gao Zhisheng

Date of Bulletin: 11 February 2014

China

February 4 marked the five-year anniversary of the disappearance of Christian attorney Gao Zhisheng. The  Chinese government has tried to silence him since 2005 because of his work defending persecuted Christians in China. Gao's wife and two children, who were also abused and tormented by the police, escaped to the United States in March 2009 and were later granted political refugee status.

Gao reappeared briefly in March 2010 but disappeared again after spending a weekend visiting relatives. In  March 2012, it was learned that Gao was being held at the Shaya prison in a remote part of Xinjiang, in far western China. Gao's older brother and father-in-law have visited him, but it has been more than a year since Gao's family has been allowed to contact him, even though they and the attorneys they have hired to represent Gao have made numerous attempts.

Source: China Aid

Photo: Gao Zhisheng

Pray & Take Action!

• Please pray for Gao Zhisheng's release and for his safety in prison.
• Pray for his wife and children who eagerly await his release. 
• You can sign the petition to free Gao at FreeGao.com.

"For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven the LORD viewed the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoner, to release those appointed to death." Ps. 102:19-20

Voice Of the Martyrs assists Christians in China by providing Bibles, Christian literature, scholarships for training and emergency aid to families of prisoners.

Transcending Fear: The Story of Gao Zhisheng (Trailer)

Please visit  transcendingfearfilm.com

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.

 

SRI LANKA: Three Churches Attacked

Date of Bulletin: 5 February 2014

Sri Lanka

Two churches in Hikkaduwa, Galle District, were attacked on Jan. 12, and a third, in Pitipana, Homagama, Colombo District, was set on fire the same day.

The Assemblies of God and Calvary churches in Hikkaduwa had received warnings prior to the attacks and were promised police protection. However, during worship services on Jan. 12, about 300 people led by Buddhist monks stormed the churches and obstructed a main road, claiming the Christians' presence was illegal. The mob dispersed only after a senior police officer promised that the churches would be closed until  Feb. 10, during which time a solution would be sought.

The Church of the Foursquare Gospel, in Pitipana, was set on fire by unidentified attackers during a prayer  vigil. The fire was doused before serious damage could occur. A threatening note was left on the gate of the church.

Voice Of the Martyrs Sources, National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka

Please Pray!

• Remember the pastors and congregations of these churches as well as other Christian churches in Sri Lanka.
• Pray that they will remain steadfast and unmovable in their faith.
• Pray that they will find favor with the authorities and that many will come to faith in Christ through their witness.

"Plead my cause, O LORD, with those who strive with me; fight against those who fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help. Also draw out the spear, and stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, 'I am your salvation.'" Ps. 35:1-3

The Voice of the Martyrs provides training for pastors in Sri Lanka.

Other Sources:

Sri Lanka police "identify church attackers" in Hikkaduwa, By Charles Haviland BBC News, Colombo


The video below was posted on YouTube by Srilanka Majahedin. 

UGANDA: Pastor Umar Mulinde Update

 

Bulletin Date: 29 January 2014

Uganda

 

After undergoing numerous surgeries in Israel, Pastor Umar Mulinde is improving and is very optimistic. He recently shared with Voice Of the Martyrs that his skin grafts are normalizing and becoming softer. He is also thankful that after some struggles, his children have greatly improved in their studies. He hopes to return to them soon in Uganda.

Pastor Mulinde was attacked in 2011 just after completing a week-long revival at his church. He was on his way to a Christmas Eve party with his congregation and new believers when a man called out to him. As Pastor Mulinde turned, a man poured acid onto his face while others poured more on his back. The attackers ran away shouting, "Allahu Akbar [God is greater]." The acid burned about 30 percent of his face and blinded him in one eye.

Pastor Mulinde requests prayer for another surgery scheduled for 3 February 2014 (TODAY!) to re-open his ear and revisit scars around his lips and nostrils.

VOM Sources

Photo: Umar Mulinde and children

Please Pray!

• Please pray for Pastor Mulinde's upcoming surgery and continued recovery.
• Pray that he will be able to return home to his family and church soon.
• Pray for his congregation in Uganda that continues to be affected by other forms of persecution.

"The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever - do not abandon the works of your hands."  Ps. 138:8

Uganda is on VOM's list of Monitored Nations. VOM provides various means of assistance to Christians in Uganda, including support through the Families of Martyrs Fund.

This is a follow-up of my blog post "Uganda - Acid Attack On Church" from 14 March 2013.

Prayer Request: Uganda - Acid Attack on Church

Prayer Request: Uganda - Acid Attack on Church