VOM
The Persecution & Prayer Alert
January 24, 2007
A Weekly News Digest on the Persecuted Church and How You Can Respond
In This Week's Edition:
Reports from Eritrea, India and The Voice of the Martyrs Canada
Sixty-Eight Eritrean Christians Arrested
Sawa Military Centre
Police and military authorities jailed sixty-eight Christians during the first week of January, according to a January 23 report from Compass Direct. The wave of arrests occurred in three official round-up operations against both Protestant evangelicals and Orthodox renewal movement church members.
On January 4, military commanders at the national Sawa Military Centre performed what they called "a random check-up on the activities of Christian extremists" on student conscripts. They searched the conscripts' personal effects, finding 250 Bibles which they burned in front of the entire military camp. The commanders then arrested thirty-five of the teenage students and ordered that they be subjected to severe military punishment, including physical torture.
On January 5, police took eight staff members of government ministries, five men and three women, into custody. The Christians -- who are all members of Medhane Alem, an Eritrean Orthodox Church renewal movement -- are reportedly being interrogated and pressured by police to identify all leaders and supporters of their movement. Police have informed their families that the arrest order came from higher authorities.
In another January 5 incident, twenty-five Christians in the southern port city of Assab were arrested by police. All of the prisoners, including seven women, were incarcerated at the Wi'a Military Camp, where they were pressured to recant their faith.
Pray for the release of all Eritrean Christians who are imprisoned because of their loyalty to Christ. Ask God to open doors of opportunity for them in prison so that they can share the gospel for which they suffer (Colossians 4:2-3). Pray that those who are being tortured for their faith will be strengthened and delivered by the Lord (2 Corinthians 1:9-11).
For more information on persecution in Eritrea, click here.
Pastors and Believers Beaten, Arrested
During Prayer Meeting in Karnataka, India
Pastor Raj Shekhar, Pastor Raja Naik
and the two women who were beaten
Photo from Persecution Update
Two pastors and two female Christians were beaten and arrested during a prayer meeting in the village of Gokul, Karnataka on January 19, according to a January 19 report from the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC).
Pastor Raj Shekhar and Pastor Raja Naik were attending the meeting when members of a Hindu militant organization gathered around the house. The militants accused the believers of forcible conversion, beat the four Christians and called the police. After the police forced the worship service to an end, they took the four Christians to the police station. Pastor Naik was later released but Pastor Shekhar and the two women are still being detained.
Pray for the release of the three who are detained. Ask God to heal those who have been injured. Pray that those who falsely accuse Christians in India of forcible conversion will see that the message they bring is one of a free gift, not coercion, and respond to God's grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).
For more information on the persecution facing Christians in India, click here. Also visit www.persecution.tv for recent video reports from India.
Worship Service Disrupted in Madhya Pradesh, India
A worship service in Kanpur, Madhya Pradesh was disrupted within the past week when members of the Hindu organizations Bajrang Dal and VHP stormed the meeting. According to a report from the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), the militants appeared to be targeting foreign missionaries from Japan who were present at the meeting. The pulpit and sound system were destroyed and those attending the meeting were pushed and abused for approximately two hours before police arrived.
A police report has been filed against the Hindu attackers and the GCIC reports that the local media has condemned the attack.
Pray that these believers will remain steadfast in the faith (1 Peter 5:8-10). Thank the Lord that no one was seriously injured in this attack. Ask that the Lord will enable Christians in India to continue to lovingly and boldly proclaim the gospel (Ephesians 6:18-20).
For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, click here.
Pastor and Wife Beaten in India for Preaching to Slum Dwellers
Pastor Paul David (29) and his wife Prasanna Kumari (25) were beaten and forced from their home in Bangalore, Karnataka on January 15, according to a report from the Global Council of Indian Christians. For the past two years, Pastor David has been conducting church services in his home that are mostly attended by people from the nearby slum.
On January 11, a mob gathered outside the couple's home, beating Pastor Paul and forcing him and Prassana to flee from their home. Fearing violence, local Christians did not offer them any assistance and they had to spend the night on a terrace. After finding safe storage for their belongings, the couple returned to Bangalore the next day and found a small room in the slums.
At approximately 6:30 p.m. on January 15, a mob surrounded Pastor Paul and Prassana's room. Both of them were robbed and severely beaten. When Pastor Paul demanded that they be taken to the police station, the mob continued to abuse them for over an hour before taking them to the Mico police station. They were falsely accused and questioned for two hours before being released. The couple then hid in a half constructed building in a school compound until the next morning, when they found shelter in a friend's home.
Ask God to give the Pastor Paul and his wife healing. Pray that, as sufferings overflow, their comfort in Christ will be more than enough for them (2 Corinthians 1:5). Ask that all Christians in India will keep their eyes on Jesus, persevere in their faith, and not grow weary or lose heart. (Hebrews 10:32-39; 12:1-3).
For more information on persecution in India, click here. You can also view video reports from India on the persecution facing Christians at VOMC's multimedia website, www.persecution.tv.
Christian Aid Workers Accused of
Forcible Conversion in Himachal Pradesh, India
There were two separate attacks on Christian Aid workers reported over the past week.
On January 18, five Christians working at "The Last Resort," a drug rehabilitation centre in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, were arrested on false accusations of forcing patients to read the Bible and convert to Christianity, according to a January 19 report from the Evangelical Fellowship of India. The complaints were filed by two patients who had escaped from the facility on January 16. One of the escaped patients, Vinod Saini, later told the Christian Legal Association that he was pressured to file the report and wanted to withdraw his statement to the police. The five Christians, Pastor Rajesh Toppo, Mr. Nizam Minthang, Mr. Gopal Singh Bhatia and Mr. Lalboi were released on bail on January 19.
A few days later, on January 20 or 21, as many as 250 Hindu militants from the Bajrang Dal, Siva Sena and VHP gathered at the home of Pastor Behal in Kangra, Himachal, who works with drug addicts and orphans in the comm unity. According to reports from the All India Christian Council (AICC), the militants protested Behal's missionary activities, demanding that he close down his home for orphans and his church and leave Kangra. The militants accused him of forced child labour and forcibly converting people to Christianity. The AICC has contacted officials, who assured them that all measures would be taken to protect Pastor Behal and his institutions.
Thank the Lord that those arrested were released on bail. Pray that they will remain faithful to the task He has given them, knowing that they will receive the crown of life (1 Peter 5:1-4). Pray for Christians as they continue to minister to the needy of Himachal Pradesh. Pray that those who persecute will come to repentance and salvation.
For more information on persecution of Christians in India, click here.
Web Resources from The Voice of the Martyrs
(a) If you have not yet had the opportunity to view VOMC's new monthly Persecution Report, follow the link at www.persecution.net. The fourteen-minute January 2007 edition includes a feature report from Sri Lanka.
(b) For those who want to take advantage of the convenience of RSS, the following two feeds are now available:
- For the Persecution and Prayer Alert, click here.
- For the weblog, click here.
Podcast feeds will be available shortly for audio and video resources.
Cross Posted to friendsinfaith
January 24, 2007
A Weekly News Digest on the Persecuted Church and How You Can Respond
In This Week's Edition:
Reports from Eritrea, India and The Voice of the Martyrs Canada
Sixty-Eight Eritrean Christians Arrested
Sawa Military Centre
Police and military authorities jailed sixty-eight Christians during the first week of January, according to a January 23 report from Compass Direct. The wave of arrests occurred in three official round-up operations against both Protestant evangelicals and Orthodox renewal movement church members.
On January 4, military commanders at the national Sawa Military Centre performed what they called "a random check-up on the activities of Christian extremists" on student conscripts. They searched the conscripts' personal effects, finding 250 Bibles which they burned in front of the entire military camp. The commanders then arrested thirty-five of the teenage students and ordered that they be subjected to severe military punishment, including physical torture.
On January 5, police took eight staff members of government ministries, five men and three women, into custody. The Christians -- who are all members of Medhane Alem, an Eritrean Orthodox Church renewal movement -- are reportedly being interrogated and pressured by police to identify all leaders and supporters of their movement. Police have informed their families that the arrest order came from higher authorities.
In another January 5 incident, twenty-five Christians in the southern port city of Assab were arrested by police. All of the prisoners, including seven women, were incarcerated at the Wi'a Military Camp, where they were pressured to recant their faith.
Pray for the release of all Eritrean Christians who are imprisoned because of their loyalty to Christ. Ask God to open doors of opportunity for them in prison so that they can share the gospel for which they suffer (Colossians 4:2-3). Pray that those who are being tortured for their faith will be strengthened and delivered by the Lord (2 Corinthians 1:9-11).
For more information on persecution in Eritrea, click here.
Pastors and Believers Beaten, Arrested
During Prayer Meeting in Karnataka, India
Pastor Raj Shekhar, Pastor Raja Naik
and the two women who were beaten
Photo from Persecution Update
Two pastors and two female Christians were beaten and arrested during a prayer meeting in the village of Gokul, Karnataka on January 19, according to a January 19 report from the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC).
Pastor Raj Shekhar and Pastor Raja Naik were attending the meeting when members of a Hindu militant organization gathered around the house. The militants accused the believers of forcible conversion, beat the four Christians and called the police. After the police forced the worship service to an end, they took the four Christians to the police station. Pastor Naik was later released but Pastor Shekhar and the two women are still being detained.
Pray for the release of the three who are detained. Ask God to heal those who have been injured. Pray that those who falsely accuse Christians in India of forcible conversion will see that the message they bring is one of a free gift, not coercion, and respond to God's grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).
For more information on the persecution facing Christians in India, click here. Also visit www.persecution.tv for recent video reports from India.
Worship Service Disrupted in Madhya Pradesh, India
A worship service in Kanpur, Madhya Pradesh was disrupted within the past week when members of the Hindu organizations Bajrang Dal and VHP stormed the meeting. According to a report from the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), the militants appeared to be targeting foreign missionaries from Japan who were present at the meeting. The pulpit and sound system were destroyed and those attending the meeting were pushed and abused for approximately two hours before police arrived.
A police report has been filed against the Hindu attackers and the GCIC reports that the local media has condemned the attack.
Pray that these believers will remain steadfast in the faith (1 Peter 5:8-10). Thank the Lord that no one was seriously injured in this attack. Ask that the Lord will enable Christians in India to continue to lovingly and boldly proclaim the gospel (Ephesians 6:18-20).
For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, click here.
Pastor and Wife Beaten in India for Preaching to Slum Dwellers
Pastor Paul David (29) and his wife Prasanna Kumari (25) were beaten and forced from their home in Bangalore, Karnataka on January 15, according to a report from the Global Council of Indian Christians. For the past two years, Pastor David has been conducting church services in his home that are mostly attended by people from the nearby slum.
On January 11, a mob gathered outside the couple's home, beating Pastor Paul and forcing him and Prassana to flee from their home. Fearing violence, local Christians did not offer them any assistance and they had to spend the night on a terrace. After finding safe storage for their belongings, the couple returned to Bangalore the next day and found a small room in the slums.
At approximately 6:30 p.m. on January 15, a mob surrounded Pastor Paul and Prassana's room. Both of them were robbed and severely beaten. When Pastor Paul demanded that they be taken to the police station, the mob continued to abuse them for over an hour before taking them to the Mico police station. They were falsely accused and questioned for two hours before being released. The couple then hid in a half constructed building in a school compound until the next morning, when they found shelter in a friend's home.
Ask God to give the Pastor Paul and his wife healing. Pray that, as sufferings overflow, their comfort in Christ will be more than enough for them (2 Corinthians 1:5). Ask that all Christians in India will keep their eyes on Jesus, persevere in their faith, and not grow weary or lose heart. (Hebrews 10:32-39; 12:1-3).
For more information on persecution in India, click here. You can also view video reports from India on the persecution facing Christians at VOMC's multimedia website, www.persecution.tv.
Christian Aid Workers Accused of
Forcible Conversion in Himachal Pradesh, India
There were two separate attacks on Christian Aid workers reported over the past week.
On January 18, five Christians working at "The Last Resort," a drug rehabilitation centre in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, were arrested on false accusations of forcing patients to read the Bible and convert to Christianity, according to a January 19 report from the Evangelical Fellowship of India. The complaints were filed by two patients who had escaped from the facility on January 16. One of the escaped patients, Vinod Saini, later told the Christian Legal Association that he was pressured to file the report and wanted to withdraw his statement to the police. The five Christians, Pastor Rajesh Toppo, Mr. Nizam Minthang, Mr. Gopal Singh Bhatia and Mr. Lalboi were released on bail on January 19.
A few days later, on January 20 or 21, as many as 250 Hindu militants from the Bajrang Dal, Siva Sena and VHP gathered at the home of Pastor Behal in Kangra, Himachal, who works with drug addicts and orphans in the comm unity. According to reports from the All India Christian Council (AICC), the militants protested Behal's missionary activities, demanding that he close down his home for orphans and his church and leave Kangra. The militants accused him of forced child labour and forcibly converting people to Christianity. The AICC has contacted officials, who assured them that all measures would be taken to protect Pastor Behal and his institutions.
Thank the Lord that those arrested were released on bail. Pray that they will remain faithful to the task He has given them, knowing that they will receive the crown of life (1 Peter 5:1-4). Pray for Christians as they continue to minister to the needy of Himachal Pradesh. Pray that those who persecute will come to repentance and salvation.
For more information on persecution of Christians in India, click here.
Web Resources from The Voice of the Martyrs
(a) If you have not yet had the opportunity to view VOMC's new monthly Persecution Report, follow the link at www.persecution.net. The fourteen-minute January 2007 edition includes a feature report from Sri Lanka.
(b) For those who want to take advantage of the convenience of RSS, the following two feeds are now available:
- For the Persecution and Prayer Alert, click here.
- For the weblog, click here.
Podcast feeds will be available shortly for audio and video resources.
Cross Posted to friendsinfaith