The amazing similarities between The Holy Bible and man’s DNA are shown in this “must see” video teaching. As the Bible is, so the Human Genetic Code is truly THE BOOK OF LIFE!
Pastor Mike Online 12-1-16 A continuation of our study of the hidden message of the movie Arrival. The lead character plays the part of Shekinah, Sophia, the Witch of Endor who had a familiar spirit.
“We don’t have to let the fear of insult or persecution sway us from obedience. Instead, we can step into it with confidence, knowing God’s good plans for the persecuted. Even in our hurt and shame, the Kingdom is breaking in, and our lives are a big, bright flashing signpost beckoning the world to Him.” ~ Sharon Hodde Miller
KAZAKHSTAN: Dismissed Evidence Results in Imprisonment
Source: icommittopray.com
Yuri Pak
A local church leader and teacher in Kazakhstan was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on October 3rd, 2016, after being convicted of making a false emergency call. On April 14th, 2015, someone made a prank phone call to Kazakhstan’s emergency services (much like calling 911 in Canada) using Yuri Pak’s cellphone.
The evidence used against Yuri is a two-minute recording of a drunken man making a bomb threat and using prison jargon. Expert witnesses testified that the caller’s voice does not match Yuri’s voice. Additionally, the caller references spending ten years in prison and being angry at police, yet Yuri has never been in prison before.
The government in this majority Muslim country appears to be using these false charges to persecute him because of his role in the Christian church. For information on other cases of persecution in Kazakhstan, visit our online country report.
Please pray that Yuri will be sustained by God’s loving presence throughout this ordeal and built up strongly in his faith. May the Lord, who has promised in His Word to work all things together for good in Yuri’s life and situation (Romans 8:28), use this dedicated church leader as a shining light to those blinded by spiritual darkness. While awaiting his appointed deliverance from prison, may Yuri be granted many divine opportunities to lead others to salvation and freedom in Christ.
LIBERIA: New Believers Persecuted by Family Members
Source: VOM USA
Seventeen Liberian believers are being persecuted by their families after having converted from Islam to Christianity. They have been threatened, beaten and ordered to stop attending church and listening to Christian music. As a result of the persecution, many of them have fled to nearby villages for safety.
These young believers placed their faith in Christ after hearing the Gospel from visiting pastors who also gave each of them a pocket-sized Bible. Although they were initially afraid to listen to the pastors for fear of persecution, the new believers continued attending night meetings. The relatives noticed that they had stopped going to the local mosque and eventually learned of their conversions to Christianity.
Pray that these new believers will continue to follow Jesus, growing stronger every day in their new-found faith in Him. May they also encourage one another to stand firm in the face of hostility (Matthew 10:34-39). Ask the Lord to give them opportunities to receive effective discipleship, so they will not only be ministered to personally but also adequately equipped to reach others of their community — including the family members who are currently opposing them.
PRAISE REPORT
CHINA: Pastor Released After Seven Years’ Imprisonment
Sources: China Aid, VOM USA
Yang (centre) on the day of her release.
Yang Rongli, pastor of a mega house church network in the northern Chinese province of Shanxi, was thankfully released from prison on October 10th. Yang and her husband, Wang Xiaoguang, had been arrested in 2009 while visiting their hometown of Linfen to protest the government’s demolition of a house church. Yang is now joyfully reunited with her husband whose release took place back in October 2012.
During her time at the Shanxi Women’s Prison, Yang suffered from two kidney stones, in addition to developing diabetes and a heart condition. Despite her suffering, she continued to preach to Christians in the prison and even invited prison officials to listen. Despite everything she has endured, Yang is reportedly positive and bears no resentment.
On November 25th, 2009, the couple and three other believers were convicted of “gathering a mob to disturb public order” after organizing a prayer rally. Yang was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, and her husband was sentenced to three years. Together, they were fined a total of 40,000 yuan (approximately $7,780 Canadian). Five days later, they were ordered to serve in a labour camp for two years.
Yang, a 1982 graduate of Linfen Normal College, was retained by the college to teach because of her excellent academic record. She had also worked as an editor and reporter prior to going into ministry. To review a previously posted prayer alert report on the pastoring couple’s arrest and sentencing, go to this page.
If you would like to post a prayer of praise or petition on behalf of our persecuted family around the globe, visit VOMC’s prayer wall.
The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of:
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, P.O. Box 608, Streetsville, Ontario, L5M 2C1
Tel. (905) 670-9721 Website: www.vomcanada.com
Pure Bible Study 11-30-16 – Paul lays out how man is saved, how he receives the Holy Spirit, and how miracles can be done, it is all done by the hearing of faith.
Chinese Christian Zhao Weiliang was sentenced to four years in prison after Chinese officials raided a choir practice on June 25, 2014. As the believers practiced hymns at a factory owned by a church member, about 50 uniformed and plainclothes policemen raided the practice in the village of Sanwuqi in Heze City, Shandong province. Twenty-two believers were arrested, including a pregnant woman and four children.
Zhao was taken separately from the police station to a hotel, where an intoxicated police captain abused him physically and verbally. The police told him, “You can go home as long as you admit what you believe in is a cult…” Zhao refused to give in.
The children, their parents and the pregnant woman were released immediately. The remaining believers were released on bail July 23, 2014, but Zhao and Cheng Hongpeng remained in custody.
On May 27, 2015, Zhao was sentenced to four years in prison under the charge of “using a cult organization to undermine law enforcement.”
According to VOM partners, Zhao’s Total Scope Church is a Bible-based house church centered on the teachings of Christ and is not a cult.
Zhao has a wife, Liu Cuiping, and two small children. He also supported his elderly parents. His wife currently depends on church members to maintain a few acres of farmland.
Chinese Christian Cheng Hongpeng was sentenced to three years in prison after Chinese officials raided a choir practice on June 25, 2014. As the believers practiced hymns at a factory owned by a church member, about 50 uniformed and plainclothes policemen raided the practice in the village of Sanwuqi in Heze City, Shandong province. Twenty-two believers were arrested, including a pregnant woman and four children.
The children, their parents and the pregnant woman were released immediately. The remaining believers were released on bail July 23, 2014, but Cheng and Zhao Weiliang remained in custody.
On May 27, 2015, Cheng was sentenced to three years in prison under the charge of “using a cult organization to undermine law enforcement.”
According to VOM partners, Chen’s Total Scope Church is a Bible-based house church centered on the teachings of Christ and is not a cult.
Chen has a wife and two children. His mother suffers from advanced esophageal cancer and cannot work.
“So many of the believers who have experienced incredible pain and suffering, and those living under constant threat and hardship, all seem to have a clear understanding of the fact that we are not citizens of this world, but rather citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20). This life on earth is just temporary…. Heaven is eternal!” ~ Greg Musselman, The Voice of the Martyrs Canada
NIGERIA: Fulani Herdsmen Accelerate Attacks
Source: World Watch Monitor, RLPB, Morning Star News
The aftermath of a recent attack by Fulani herdsmen.
World Watch Monitor
On the evening of November 13th, Fulani herdsmen besieged and attacked five villages located within the Kauru Local Government Area in the predominantly Christian Kaduna State. Armed with guns, knives, machetes and explosives, the Muslim militants killed 45 civilians — mostly women, children and elderly residents — while wounding dozens more and displacing thousands. Numerous vehicles and over 120 houses (including eight house-churches) were torched.
It is reported that attacks in northern Nigeria have accelerated in recent months, marked by greater sophistication in training and arms. Frustrated by the endless carnage, Christian leaders have reiterated the call for more security, including the establishment of a military base in Southern Kaduna.
Referencing previous attacks in the area, Rev. Dauda Samson of the Evangelical Church Winning All states: “Two churches were destroyed at Angwan Ali and Sabon Gari villages…all 22 Christians killed by the herdsmen (in these attacks) were members of local church congregations in area villages.”
National chairman of the Kaninkon Development Association, Waje Goska Williams, concludes by saying, “We are under unprovoked and sustained attacks by people…working closely with the local Fulani (whom) we have lived with for many years.”
More information on the serious concerns facing believers in northern Nigeria, as well as previous reports and video documentaries, can be found at our Nigeria Country Report.
Pray that the Lord will draw especially near to the persecuted Christians in Southern Kaduna — including those who’ve been displaced — as they struggle with tragic loss, fear, doubt and despair; and against the temptation to hate or retaliate against the perpetrators of the attacks. May they be encouraged to lift their heads and look to Jesus for their comfort, healing, justice and security. May His divine grace strengthen them in their time of tremendous need. Also pray for President Muhammadu Buhari and Kaduna Governor Nasir el-Rufai, asking God to help them in their endeavours to strengthen security in Christian regions and crack down on the illegal activities of the Fulani.
INDONESIA: Young Children Victims of Church Attack
Source: The Jakarta News, BBC, Reuters, VOM contacts
Intan Olivia Marbun
A three-year-old girl has died from injuries after an attack took place at a church on the island of Borneo. Little Intan Olivia Marbun was severely burned when an attacker threw petrol bombs at a group of small children playing outside Oikumene Church near Samarinda on November 13th. Three of Intan’s young friends — Alvero (4), Triniti (4), and Anita (2) — were also badly burned.
Police arrested a 32-year-old suspect after he was captured by local people following the attack. The police stated that the attacker was imprisoned in the past on terrorism charges. He has been identified as a militant linked to local extremists supporting the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group.
“The man passed by the church and threw what we suspected (were) low-explosive cocktail bombs, causing injuries to four children who were playing there,” local police spokesman Fajar Setiawan reported. Police say the attacker was wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the word “jihad.” The spokesperson added that “Intan suffered extensive burn injuries and respiratory problems, and doctors could not save her.”
Indonesia, which has the world’s largest Muslim population, is also home to significant numbers of Christians, Hindus and Buddhists. The country has suffered a series of attacks inspired by the ISIS militant group in recent times. Additional reports on persecution in this country are available at the Indonesia Country Report.
Please uphold Intan’s grieving family and other members of this victimized Christian community, asking the Lord to comfort and strengthen them in their shock and sorrow. Also intercede for the three young children who thankfully survived the attack yet were hospitalized because of the seriousness of their injuries. May they fully recover — not only physically but also from the emotional trauma. Pray that this church fellowship will be able to safely meet for worship services so they can encourage one another in the faith. May their witness continue to reach many, including those who currently oppose the Gospel.
PRAISE REPORT
SUDAN: Christian School Resumes after Attempted Takeover
Source: World Watch Monitor
A school in Sudan. (cc)
Photo: Flickr / SuSanA Secretariat
A judge in eastern Sudan ordered a Christian school, which government officials had previously taken over, to resume classes under the prior Christian administration. “The court has ordered the school to continue its function with the current administration and without interference from the commissioner,” announced the school’s headmaster, Rev. Samuel Suleiman Anglo. “Things are normal, thank God.”
The Appeal Court for Administrative Affairs in Madani, Al Jazirah state, cancelled a previous order by which the Madani commissioner had called for the closure of the Evangelical Basic School. On October 24th, armed police — along with civilians from Khartoum and elsewhere — had seized the school, which serves more than a thousand students aged three to 18 and belongs to the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church.
Harassment, arrests and persecution of Christians of various denominations have intensified in Sudan since the secession of South Sudan in July 2011. Since 2012, Sudan has expelled foreign Christians and bulldozed church buildings on the pretext that they belonged to the South Sudanese.
The Sudanese Minister of Guidance and Endowments announced in April 2013 that no new licenses would be granted for the building of new churches in Sudan, citing a decrease in the South Sudanese population. To learn more about the political and spiritual climate of this country, click here.
If you would like to post a prayer of praise or petition on behalf of our persecuted family around the globe, visit VOMC’s prayer wall.
The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of:
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, P.O. Box 608, Streetsville, Ontario, L5M 2C1
Tel. (905) 670-9721 Website: www.vomcanada.com
Yang Hua’s wife, Wang Hongwu, came to pick him up on Dec. 20, 2015, from the detention center in China where he had been held since Dec. 9 for his involvement with Living Stone Church, also known as Huoshi Church. But instead of signing paperwork and bringing her husband home, Wang Hongwu witnessed four men from “Detention Management” throw Yang Hua in an unmarked van.
Yang Hua (also known as Li Guoshi, his legal name) serves as a pastor of the Living Stone Church in the southwestern city of Guiyang, China. He is a third-generation pastor and is no stranger to persecution. His father spent time in jail in the late 1960s for his Christian faith. Yang Hua has also been detained before.
The church has been the subject of government harassment since it was founded in 2009 by Yang Hua and Pastor Su Tianfu. In that time, the church grew from approximately 20 to more than 700 members. Authorities have continued to pressure the church to join the government-sanctioned Three-Self Movement or face destruction. Members are monitored, interrogated, and prohibited from attending prayer groups.
Torture In Prison
Yang Hua was transferred to criminal custody on December 22. After his arrest was approved in January, he was accused of “divulging state secrets,” but given no trial date. His wife and his two lawyers were initially denied permission to visit him. When they were finally permitted to visit, they observed prison officials’ harsh treatment and Yang Hua’s poor health.
Recently, Yang Hua reported that government prosecutors have threatened his life, along with those of his wife and children, and stomped on his feet in an effort to force his cooperation. One of the prosecutors told him, “I am a torture expert. I know how to beat you up without leaving a mark on your body for people to see. Doctors won’t be able to diagnose you. Even you won’t know what you died of.”
With the aid of his lawyers, Yang Hua filed a lawsuit against the prosecutors, despite the danger it could cause him. One of his lawyers believes that the pastor was arrested on false charges to intimidate Living Stone Church and that Yang Hua’s case demonstrates the arbitrary denial of basic human rights for many Chinese Christians.
Though she is caring for the couple’s two sons alone, Yang Hua’s wife is most concerned about the well-being of Living Stone Church members in their pastor’s absence. She worries that the government harassment will cause believers to fall away from their faith.
Though the couple faces many personal difficulties ahead and the church faces an uncertain future, they remain committed to the Lord. In a letter to his wife dated June 6, 2016, Yang Hua encouraged Wang Hongwu to continue doing the Lord’s will through prayer, gratitude, and trust in God’s plan, writing, “Let’s pray and leave other things to God.”
A Letter from Prison – Nov. 2016
Yang Hua wrote to his wife from prison on Nov. 8. “After reading your letter, I know some of your concerns. Praise the Lord … Never be dejected and despondent, always look up at our Lord, and always keep the spiritual life above the chaos of the real environment. Rest in God’s arms. ‘Some rely on chariots, some on horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord,’ (Psalm 20:7). Be upright and take care. Be prepared for the rest of the road. I will go with you. If the Lord doesn’t allow it, not a single hair will drop to the floor.”
Yuri Pak, a teacher, dean of a high school and a local church leader in Kazakhstan was sentenced to two years in prison, after being convicted of making a false emergency-services call.
On April 14, 2015, someone (likely a student, since Yuri left his phone in a classroom) used Yuri Pak’s cellphone to make a prank phone call to Kazakhstan’s emergency services. The emergency-services call recordings show that the call was six seconds long.
However, authorities were quick to charge Yuri with making a bomb threat in that call and arrested him. During the trial, the “evidence” used against him was a two-minute-long recording of a man, obviously drunk, and using rough prison jargon. Expert witnesses testified that the caller’s voice does not match Yuri’s voice. Additionally, the caller references spending 10 years in prison and being angry at police, but Yuri Pak has never been in prison.
As a testimony to his character, Yuri’s students came to his Oct. 3, 2016 trial to support him. His pastor also wrote a letter of support. Various local news stations reported on the spurious trial, but even with all that support, he was sentenced to two years in prison, apparently in retaliation against his involvement in a Christian church.
The church in which Yuri was a lay leader has services in both Russian, the official business language inherited from when Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union, and Kazakh, the majority language. Preaching Christianity in Kazak is viewed as trying to convert local Muslims.
Yuri has a wife and two children. As he is currently in a pretrial detention center (where he can’t receive mail), letters will go to his family.
On March 9, 2010, a criminal court in Uzbekistan sentenced 27-year-old Tohar Haydarov to 10 years in prison for the “illegal sale of narcotic or psychotropic substances in large quantities.” Members of the Baptist church in Uzbekistan insist that the charges are fabricated and that Haydarov’s sentence was punishment for his religious activity. It is unclear why Haydarov received a 10-year sentence.
According to Forum 18 News, Baptists insist that police planted drugs on Haydarov, and church members insist that he is “a man with a pure conscience and an honest Christian.” Haydarov’s appeal was denied.
Parole Will Not Happen – April 2016
Prison authorities in Uzbekistan have told Tohar Haydarov that a mid-2016 parole from his 10-year sentence “will not happen.” Officials offered no further explanation about why the Christian, who has served more than six years of his sentence, is not eligible for parole. Tohar told fellow church members during a January visit that he continues to “feel like God is next to him in prison.” He also knows many people from around the world write letters to him, but he only receives a handful of the letters. He thanks those who are praying for him and thinking about him.
Sentence Confirmed; Prisoner Shown Letters
A judge recently confirmed Tohar’s ten year prison sentence, for charges church members say are false. “The court correctly stated the criminal act of Tohar Haydarov, and the punishment was given in proportion to the act, taking into account the public danger of the act,” the judge wrote.
Prison authorities recently showed Tohar some of the many letters sent to him, but he is not allowed to read them, because “there are too many citations from the Bible in them.”
Pastor Mike Online 11-17-16 Topics include critique of elitism whether it exists in Government, Big business, Academia, or an elitist mentality that exists in many churches, seminaries, and denominations, what Jesus referred to as the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, and the power and God given rights of the common Bible Believer.
“This is the prayer we need to pray for ourselves and for one another: ‘Lord, open our eyes that we may see.’ For the world all around us…is full of God’s horses and chariots, waiting to carry us to places of glorious victory. And when our eyes are thus opened, we shall see in all events of life, whether great or small, whether joyful or sad, a chariot for our souls.” ~ Lottie Cowman referencing 2 Kings 6:17
INDIA: Christian Family Brutally Beaten
Source: International Christian Concern
A 60-year-old Christian man died from injuries experienced during an attack, allegedly by Hindu radicals, in the Bastar District of India’s Chhattisgarh State. According to local believers, four members of the family, including a pregnant woman, were brutally beaten because they refused to denounce their Christian faith.
The attack took place on October 8th in Kuther village. According to locals, the perpetrators broke into the home of Sularam Kashyap and his pregnant wife, Sudri, severely beating the Christian couple along with Sularam’s parents. As a result of the attack, all four Christians were hospitalized at the Government District Hospital of Jagdalpur.
While in the hospital, the Christian family was visited by an aid worker who attempted to record the family’s testimony. This reportedly upset police from the Lahundiguda Police Station, who ordered the injured family to leave the hospital on October 15th. Because of the severity of his injuries and the lack of proper medical treatment, Sularam’s 60-year-old father, Sukru Kashyap, died at home on October 31st.
In June 2014, more than 50 villages within the Bastar District, including Kuther village, passed resolutions effectively banning the practice of non-Hindu faiths. Though these resolutions were later ruled unconstitutional by the Chhattisgarh High Court, Hindu radicals have used them to justify assaults, threats and social boycotts against Christians living in the district.
As a part of the social boycott against Christians, local Hindus blocked Sularam from burying his father in the Kuther village graveyard. Thankfully, Sularam was able to perform the burial there the next day but only after police intervention.
Ask the Lord to minister to this distraught family by healing them of their injuries, strengthening their faith and comforting them in their grief. Thank Him for the faithfulness of their Christian community; praying that they will continue to stand firm and utilize every opportunity to share the Gospel. Intercede for those currently opposing His people, asking God to remove the hatred from their hearts and bring them to a saving knowledge of Christ.
CHINA: Christian Magazine Editor Under Investigation
Source: icommittopray.com
The Chinese government has shut down a quarterly Christian magazine that encourages the faith of up to 100,000 believers and provides information on recent incidents of persecution. The underground magazine, Ai Yan (which translates as Love Feast), benefits thousands of urban underground churches, as well as rural house churches.
Recently, police have closed the factory that prints Ai Yan and arrested the owner. The editor, who is also under police investigation, subsequently decided to temporarily suspend the publishing of Ai Yan. She is hoping to begin printing a second magazine titled, Show the Way.
Thank you for upholding the arrested printer, asking God to mediate on behalf of this case. Pray also that the editor, who is presently under investigation, will find a way to print the second magazine, “Show the Way,” while “Ai Yan” is suspended. May the printing and distribution of Christian publications in China resume without government interference so unity can be promoted among the country’s numerous believers and encouragement provided for their ongoing spiritual growth.
PRAISE REPORT
IRAQ: The Cross Returns to the Nineveh Plain
Source: World Watch Monitor
Another newly erected cross was placed
on the roof of a church in Qaraqosh.
Photo: World Watch Monitor
There were tears, praying and singing as the cross — deemed illegal by ISIS — returned to the Christian villages in Iraq’s Nineveh Plain. News continues to emerge of villages being reclaimed from ISIS, and signs of the terrorists’ previously committed destruction become apparent.
As soon as it was remotely safe, priests were escorted back to their villages by car. In Christian villages like Karamles and Qaraqosh — half an hour’s drive east of Mosul — they were among the first non-combatants to return to villages liberated from ISIS occupation.
Father Thabet, who lives with his congregation within a complex for internally displaced people in Erbil, brought a cross about the size of a man with him when he returned to his home village of Karamles.
“I am so happy I can do this. I’m smiling from cheek to cheek, and I weep tears of joy at the same time. This is the trip I have been praying for…two years now,” he said. The Christian leader climbed Barbara Hill, next to his village, and planted a cross covered with flowers firmly into the ground in an area overlooking Karamles.
ISIS conquered the Nineveh Plain — including Iraq’s second city of Mosul and many Christian villages surrounding it — in 2014. Tens of thousands of Christian families had to run for their lives. The battle for Mosul is still being fought, but large Christian settlements surrounding Mosul, like Karamles and Qaraqosh, are thankfully already liberated. It is expected that it will take some time before families can start returning to their villages close to Mosul. Most of them will wait for Mosul itself to be liberated and for ISIS to be driven out completely.
Praise God for this opportunity, making it possible for these followers of Christ to return home. Continue to pray for the protection of the country’s civilians as ISIS becomes more desperate. Ask that the city of Mosul and all surrounding villages will soon be liberated and made safe so that many more people will have the opportunity to return home and rebuild their communities. May the name of Jesus be proclaimed all over Iraq so that His church will not only recover from the aftermath of severe persecution but may also flourish, grow strong, and become firmly united together in Him.
If you would like to post a prayer of praise or petition on behalf of our persecuted family around the globe, visit VOMC’s prayer wall.
The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of:
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, P.O. Box 608, Streetsville, Ontario, L5M 2C1
Tel. (905) 670-9721 Website: www.vomcanada.com
Pure Bible Study 11-16-16 From Galatians 3. Paul reveals the relationship between witchcraft and the religion of works-based blessings, or, self righteousness.
“A Communist officer told a Christian he was beating,
‘I am almighty, as you suppose your God can be. I can
kill you.’ The Christian answered, ‘The power is all on my
side. I can love you while you torture me to death.'” ~ Richard Wurmbrand
NORTH KOREA: Detained Canadian Pastor Hospitalized
Sources: The Gospel Herald, UPI
Hyeon was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour.
A Canadian pastor, who was arrested in North Korea last year for allegedly plotting to overthrow the state, is presently hospitalized because of poor health. According to Canadian diplomats, Hyeon Soo Lim has been receiving treatment in the hospital since August.
Hyeon, a pastor of Light Presbyterian Church in Toronto, had gone missing in January 2015. The following month, news of his arrest broke out, reporting that North Korean officials accused him of committing crimes against the state. In August 2015, North Korean state news released a video of Hyeon confessing to the alleged crimes. However, those monitoring persecution noticed that he appeared to be reading from a script, raising suspicions that the pastor had been coerced into confessing the crimes.
In December of that same year, after a brief trial, Hyeon was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour. The pastor is in his 60s, and many people — including his family — expressed concerns over his health.
For almost 20 years, Hyeon has been involved in humanitarian work in North Korea, where he helped establish orphanages and nursing homes. By the time of his arrest, he had travelled to the country more than a hundred times. During an interview with CNN in January, Hyeon said he was required to work eight hours a day, six days a week, in the labour camp. He dug holes for the planting of apple trees. “I hope I can go home someday,” Hyeon added. “Nobody knows if I will ever go home, but that is my hope. I miss my family. I am longing to see them again, and my congregation.”
Please pray for Pastor Hyeon during his time of need. Ask the Lord not only to heal him physically, but to also comfort him in his longing to be with family. May he be released from imprisonment at the labour camp so he can return safely home — whole in both body and spirit. Intercede for Pastor Hyeon’s captors that they may come to know Christ through his testimony, and thus receive the assurance of God’s salvation and promise of eternity.
UGANDA: Burning of Home Where Converts Took Refuge
Source: Morning Star News
On October 30th, militant Muslims of a village in eastern Uganda gutted the home of a Christian family for providing refuge to two boys who were threatened with violence for leaving Islam. Stephen Muganzi, 41, explained that the two teenaged boys sought refuge on October 16th after their parents began questioning them about their conversion to Christianity and subsequently threatened to kill them. The two boys, aged 16 and 17, had secretly become believers about seven months earlier.
After the youths fled their homes and the parents began searching for them, Stephen himself began receiving threats: “I started receiving threatening messages on my phone accusing me of converting the boys to Christianity, as well as housing them in my house without the parents’ permission. But I did not take (them) very seriously.”
The boys’ fathers (names withheld, for the security of their endangered sons) organized a group of sharia (Islamic law) vigilantes to punish them for apostasy. The mob, including the boys’ fathers, then set fire to the Christian man’s home.
The church sent one of its elders to check on the extent of the damage. “The loss is enormous,” the elder announced. While at the premises of the burned home, he also discovered leaflets that were left behind by the attackers. The notes read: “Be informed that we are not yet finished with you. Expect more. Worse things are on the way.” Stephen’s family and the youths have been forced to seek shelter elsewhere.
Thank you for joining with us in praying for the safety of the imperilled teens whose lives are being sought by the militant Muslims of their community, a situation instigated by their very own fathers. May these young believers experience the comforting presence of their Heavenly Father in personally meaningful ways. Also pray for Stephen and his family, who have kindly offered to help the two boys in an effort to keep them safe and their newfound faith strong. May the Lord give Stephen the strength and provision to continue assisting the boys, ensuring that they have good quality care, education and a promising future.
PRAISE REPORT
NIGERIA: Released Chibok Girls Reunite with Their Families
Sources: BBC News, VOMC contact
Some of the kidnapped Chibok girls.
Further to VOM Canada’s previously announced report on October 13th, the day on which 21 of the Chibok schoolgirls were safely released from captivity, here is an update on the students’ joyful reunion with their families which took place a few days after their release….
During an emotional ceremony on October 16th in the capital city of Abuja, 21 of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls were joyfully reunited with their families. The girls, who were among more than 200 kidnapped in April 2014, survived almost two-and-a-half years of brutal captivity by the Boko Haram terrorist group.
One of the freed girls openly expressed her gratitude for the Lord’s help while testifying at the ceremony: “I was…(in) the woods when the plane dropped a bomb near me but I wasn’t hurt. We had no food for one month and ten days but we did not die. We thank God.” Another girl stated, “We never imagined that we would see this day but, with the help of God, we were able to come out of enslavement.”
Excited relatives were waiting with great anticipation for this reunion which took place three days after the girls’ release from captivity. One parent announced, “We thank God. I never thought I was going to see my daughter again, but here she is… Those who are still out there, may God bring them back to be reunited with their parents.”
Most of the students kidnapped in April 2014 are still missing, and some may have died in captivity. It is unclear how the release was negotiated, but a government official reports that further negotiations are under way to free more of the schoolgirls.
To view a brief news clip of the 21 Chibok schoolgirls being joyfully reunited with their families, visit this page. Let us rejoice over the Lord’s deliverance of these girls, remaining mindful to pray for the safe and speedy release of their companions still in captivity.
If you would like to post a prayer of praise or petition on behalf of our persecuted family around the globe, visit VOMC’s prayer wall.
The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of:
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, P.O. Box 608, Streetsville, Ontario, L5M 2C1
Tel. (905) 670-9721 Website: www.vomcanada.com
John Podesta – Marina Abramovic, her occult based performance art, powerful leaders in this world being led by familiar spirits, the lies told by the media, and why they are told, and much more!
Pastor Mike Online 11-3-16 – The Prophets Amos and Obadiah both foretold of man’s attempted escape from God’s wrath by either digging a deep pit or by building a nest among the stars. Now a new nation is being planned, a nation whose city will be built in space, named after the city of the gods – ASGARDIA!! Find out how this fits in with Bible prophecy.
On Nov. 25, 2009, Pastor Yang Rongli and four other Linfen-Fushan church leaders from Shanxi Province were sentenced to criminal detention for two to seven years, according to China Aid Association. The five church leaders were accused of “gathering people to disturb the public order,” because they organized a prayer rally on Sept. 14, the day after 400 military police raided the church’s grounds. During the raid, more than 30 believers were seriously wounded and 17 buildings were destroyed.
Yang Rongli Released Oct. 10, 2016
Yang Rongli was released on Oct. 10 after seven years in prison. After her release, according to China Aid, she “showed physical signs of the brutality she endured while incarcerated.” Pastor Yang suffers from several complications, including a heart problem and diabetes as well as kidney stones. She did not receive treatment for these conditions while in prison. Even so, she was reportedly in good spirits.
She remains under government restriction.
Yang Rongli Severely Ill – August 2013
Halfway through her sentence, Yang Rongli is suffering with severe medical problems. She is suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, and hepatitis – she feels dizzy and disoriented all the time. The prison will not provide the medical care she desperately needs. Please pray for her health and that the prison officials will have mercy on her and allow her to receive treatment.
“Here is a simple rule of thumb for behaviour: Ask yourself what you want
people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love
the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that….
‘I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return…. Live out
this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and
graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.'” ~ Eugene Peterson’s commentary on Luke 6:31-36
IRAN: Christians Facing Persecution in Refugee Camps
Source: World Watch Monitor
A message by militant Muslims
posted on the walls of the refugee centre.
Photo: Open Doors Germany
Religiously motivated violence among immigrants at a refugee centre in the central German town of Rotenburg an der Fulda has left life for some Christians “still unbearable” despite praiseworthy responses to incidents this summer. A case study, which Open Doors has released as an example for other refugee centres to follow, notes that “much action is needed” and demands there be “no more integration experiments at the expense of Christians.”
According to the report, the victims of religiously motivated attacks in most centres represent the minority, and the reasons why (militant) Muslims attack Christians and other religious minorities are not well known to the facilities’ operators and management.
The following letter was written by group of Iranian Christian refugees:
“We, the Iranian refugees based in the city of Rotenburg, have fled from the Islamic Republic of Iran because we have been accused of being Christians and, therefore, have repeatedly been threatened by torture, imprisonment and the death penalty…. Here, where we have been accommodated presently, we are exposed to the same kinds of threats as before, this time at the hand of Afghan Muslims, and we fear for our lives. The Afghan refugees…call us Iranian Christians ‘apostates’ and ‘infidels’ because of our decision to leave Islam and consider the shedding of our blood as legitimate (or even necessary).
The Muslim Afghans, who by far outnumber us, have beaten us repeatedly…. They have threatened to kill us…. Therefore, we are very much afraid. We are asking you, our fellow citizens, desperately for help. You, who engage yourselves in the protection of pets, please also engage yourselves on our behalf. We are suffering these threats and difficulties because of our faith. In the hope for the day when throughout the world no one will be suppressed because of their faith. Thank you very much, your Iranian Christians.”
Please uphold in prayer the Christians in refugee centres and camps around the world who are experiencing persecution from fellow inhabitants. Pray a blessing of unity among all the refugees, so that even if they don’t practise the same religion, they will live in harmony with one another. Ask the Lord to provide opportunities for His people to express compassion and kindness to others so that: 1) the Gospel may be proclaimed through both word and deed, 2) peace will prevail, and 3) His name shall be exalted.
KAZAKHSTAN: Judges’ Religious Freedom May be Restricted
Source: Forum 18
Judges in the central Asian nation of Kazakhstan could be deprived of their rights to freedom of religion or belief if the proposed Code of Judges’ Ethics is adopted in its current form later this month. Judges could face disciplinary action for talking about their faith with others, being among the legal founders of a religious organization, attending a religious conference as a private individual or “providing support in any form” to a religious organization.
The code, which would apply to all of Kazakhstan’s estimated 2,660 judges, may be adopted at the next Congress of Judges. According to Madiyar Balken, a Supreme Court judge and secretary of the Union of Judges association, the congress meeting is scheduled to be held in the capital city of Astana on November 24th.
Judge Balken justified the proposed restrictions, insisting that judges “shouldn’t be very active in their religious conduct.” Aina Shormanbayeva, an Almaty-based lawyer who heads a non-governmental organization, International Legal Initiative, is among several legal specialists concerned by the union’s proposed rules.
In violation of its international human rights obligations, Kazakhstan already bans meeting for worship without state registration, talking to others about religion without state permission, and publishing or distributing literature about religion without state permission.
Join with us in prayer, especially on behalf of the Christian judges in Kazakhstan. Pray that any measures threatening their basic human rights — including the expression of their faith — will not be approved. In fact, we pray that throughout the deliberation process, these judges will be granted a platform among their peers to voice their beliefs and demonstrate their high standard of Biblically based ethics. May the country’s believers in no way be hindered from worshipping their Creator or sharing their faith with others.
PRAISE REPORT
PAKISTAN: Blasphemy Charges Dropped Against Child
Source: CLAAS (Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement)
Blasphemy charges have been dropped against a young Christian boy in Quetta, Pakistan. The youngster and his mother were both accused of burning pages of the Quran, an incident that allegedly took place on October 20th.
While the child and his mother remained behind bars, local Christian leaders negotiated on their behalf. Thankfully the matter was resolved a day later, resulting in the release of the mother and son. The blasphemy accusations were quashed and an official complaint was filed against some unknown persons.
Nasir Saeed, Director of CLAAS in the United Kingdom, said this is not the first time a minor has been charged with a blasphemy offence. He then cited examples. One such case took place in 1993 when 12-year-old Salamat Masih was charged under the blasphemy law for a crime he never committed. In 2011, a 13-year-old Christian girl by the name of F. Bhatti was accused of blasphemy by her Muslim teacher for misspelling a word.
The director further states in regards to this concern: “The Government of Pakistan must consider such cases and take appropriate steps to bring necessary changes to stop the ongoing misuse of this law. The international community has continuously expressed its concern and called for amendments.” Please pray that the needed amendments will be made so the country’s citizens — including its children — will be protected from injustice and abuse. May our Lord’s mercy and justice prevail, not only in the judiciary system but also in the hearts of the country’s majority.
If you would like to post a prayer of praise or petition on behalf of our persecuted family around the globe, visit VOMC’s prayer wall.
The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of:
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, P.O. Box 608, Streetsville, Ontario, L5M 2C1
Tel. (905) 670-9721 Website: www.vomcanada.com
Pure Bible Study 11-2-16, A much needed, but mostly ignored teaching in American churches is the doctrine of personal sacrifice and cross bearing in a Believer’s life. What did Paul mean when he told the Galatians, “I am crucified with Christ?”
Watchman Video Broadcast 10-30-16 The final part of The Gospel in the Temple series, see the amazing correlation between the human body and the temple of God in Heaven, including how the Glory of the Lord is seen in the birth of a baby!
Internet data mining expert Cliff High says the economy is much worse than most people think, and that bubble is going to pop after Election Day. High contends, “It’s more like we are in a depression now and the illusion that everybody has been manufacturing and they just give up the Potemkin Village on the 9th of November. If the Deep State is confused how things are going to occur going forward, in other words, they know their candidate lost, but they are still going to potentially try to engineer things. That level of confusion on the Deep State’s part is what is going to draw in the collapse component on the other. That will happen instantly on the 9th because the Deep State is so involved in our predatory cronyism financial structure.”
Inflation is also coming, and that will be very positive for precisions metals. High contends, “Gold and silver are going to rise relative to the falling currencies. Gold and silver in actual purchasing power will also rise. They won’t be saying an ounce of gold bought a good suit 100 years ago and an ounce of gold will buy a good suit now. That’s going to change, and it’s also going to change radically with silver. Also, in our data sets between 2019 and 2024, silver becomes the metal to have. . . . You need to have silver. The reason being the innovations that will be occurring over those next five years. Silver will become much more in demand than we can imagine now.”
High also talks about energy, war and the fate of the mainstream media in this in-depth interview.
Pastor Mike Online, 10-27-16 – A study of perception without awareness, a technique used for the purpose of forcing the mind to makes decisions in a subtle way. Used in marketing, advertisements, logo’s etc. Numerous examples are shown from our website – 666alert.net
“Let us not forget: we are a pilgrim church, subject to misunderstanding, to persecution; but a church that walks serene, because it bears the force of love.” ~Oscar A. Romero
NIGER: Missionary Abducted by Unknown Assailants
Source: World Watch Monitor
Jeff Woodke
Photo: Jeff Woodke /
Facebook via World Watch Monitor
Jeff Woodke, who works for Jeunesse en Mission Entraide et Developpement, a branch of the U.S.-based organization Youth With A Mission (YWAM), was abducted from the town of Abalak in northern Niger by unknown assailants late in the evening of October 14th.
Bilou Mohamed, the mayor of Abalak, announced that the community has “suffered a terrible tragedy” and that locals “wept with sorrow, lamenting the loss of a friend” the day after his abduction. He then spoke of the 55-year-old missionary’s dedicated service: “This man has lived among us for years, even when it has been difficult to accompany vulnerable populations…. Everyone knows his goodness.”
According to Niger’s interior minister, Mohamed Bazoum, a group of armed men — believed to be from a radical Islamic group called Mujao — burst into Jeff’s home at around 9 p.m. After killing two security guards, including a member of the National Guard who was stationed there, the kidnappers took Jeff by force and drove towards eastern Mali, where Mujao has a stronghold.
Known in Abalak for his devotion to Niger and its nomadic populations, Jeff runs several development projects among the Tuareg people, focussing on farming, health, literacy, primary school education and access to drinking water.
Please uphold Jeff in prayer as he faces this time of uncertainty in captivity. May he experience the assuring presence of our Lord, whom we pray will surround him with an angelic wall of protection. Also lift up the missionary’s concerned family, friends, colleagues and community members, asking that they be comforted and granted the “peace that surpasses all understanding” while his whereabouts are sought and his safe release pursued.
TURKEY: Christian Couple Detained Incommunicado
Source: World Watch Monitor
Andrew and Norine Brunson
Photo: World Watch Monitor
Turkish officials in the coastal city of Izmir detained American Christians Andrew and Norine Brunson on October 7th. Fortunately, Norine was released on October 19th, but authorities are still holding her husband incommunicado in an Izmir detention facility.
Rev. Brunson and his wife were refused any contact with U.S. consular officials and lawyers since their detention, under Interior Ministry orders for deportation within 15 days on alleged “national security” grounds. To date, no reason for the expulsion order has been given to the couple who have lived in Turkey for 20 years.
Although initial attempts by members of the Izmir Resurrection Church to send personal effects to their pastor and his wife were refused by officials, during the week of October 19th parcels of fresh clothing and medicine were finally permitted. The police would not, however, allow a Bible to be given to the couple.
It remains unclear whether Rev. Brunson will be deported or remain in custody. In the meantime, he has been transferred to the Cigli detention centre, which is situated in the northern part of Izmir. To learn more about persecution in Turkey, click here.
Let us praise God for Norine’s recent release from detention, praying that her husband will soon be reunited with her in freedom. In the meantime, may Andrew be granted opportunities to share Christ’s love with his guards and fellow prisoners. Pray that once Andrew is released, the Brunsons will be able to remain in Turkey to continue with their ministry to the people of this historical land.
PRAISE REPORT
IRAN: Pastor Released After Serving Six Years in Prison
Pastor Behnam Irani
Source: Release International
Pastor Behnam Irani has spent the past six years behind bars serving time for “crimes against national security” — namely, for leading a house church and sharing his faith. (To review a previous report on his case, click here.)
It has been reported that Behnam is experiencing poor health, his existing medical issues exacerbated by the abuse he suffered at the hands of prison guards and fellow inmates. Please continue to pray for Behnam, who thankfully has been reunited with his wife and children.
If you would like to post a prayer of praise or petition on behalf of our persecuted family around the globe, visit VOMC’s prayer wall.
The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of:
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, P.O. Box 608, Streetsville, Ontario, L5M 2C1
Tel. 905-670-9721 Website: www.vomcanada.com
Pastor Mike Online – 10-25-16 A follow up to a previous PMO where we look into the witchcraft based ideas of the Law of Attraction and how the prosperity preachers of today teach the same doctrine.
So, what needs to be done to fix the economy? Investment advisor Catherine Austin Fitts contends, “The big issue in 2017 is how the government is going to get people to pay their taxes if the government is not viewed as legitimate? . . . We have a win/lose relationship between human productivity and labor productivity. If we want to get more labor productivity, and if we want a stronger stock market, then we need to change those models to win/win. The problem is you have folks like the Clintons who only know how to play in the win/lose model. They only know how to slap out government money, and they are deeply corrupt. They are very vested in the current model, and they don’t want to change. They think if you change the model, you are going to have to change to different kinds of people, which is true. You are going to need engineers instead of lawyers. They (Clintons) are not willing to change. They are not willing to bring more transparency to the system. They are basically addicted to privilege. The question is how do we change the leadership? It now appears the leadership is not willing to change without a crisis.”
“Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord…. He looked down from His holy height; from heaven the Lord looked at the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die, that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord, and in Jerusalem His praise.” ~ Psalm 109:18-21 ESV
ETHIOPIA: Teens Detained for Distributing Christian Literature
Source: World Watch Monitor
Three young teenage Christian girls have been arrested following the distribution of a Christian book in the town of Babile. The three girls — Eden, 15, Gifti, 14, and Mihiret, 14 — first appeared in court on September 28th with an 18-year-old woman known to her friends as Deborah. Police and governing officials have continually asked for extensions in the case.
This case involves the distribution of a Christian book written in Ethiopia’s main language: Let’s Speak the Truth in Love: Answers to Questions by Ahmed Deedat. The book, which was written by a local author, answers questions posed by the late South African Islamic scholar (and former head of the Islamic Propagation Centre International) about the Christian faith. Local Christians decided to distribute it following their cross-cultural evangelism training. Threats against the girls’ church leaders have since arisen. On September 21st, a group of about 20 militant Muslim youths reportedly visited the home of one of the leaders, warning him to leave the area or risk losing his life and property.
There is also concern over the well-being of the girls. Eden suffered a beating on her first night of imprisonment. But according to a source who was able to visit the girls in prison, their faith is unshaken. “This (suffering) is an honour for us,” Eden says. “We should expect persecution. We are not afraid. We are singing and praying here in prison.”
Ethiopia’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and in most cities people of different faiths co-exist peacefully. However, evangelical Christians (including those who formerly adhered to Islam or to Ethiopia’s Orthodox church) are subject to discrimination, threats and sometimes attacks. To review previous reports on persecution in Ethiopia, visit this page.
Please pray that Eden, Gifti, Mihiret, and their friend Deborah, will receive justice, mercy and protection from potential harm. Thanking God for their steadfastness in the face of persecution, let us pray that they will continue to speak His Word with great boldness and conviction (Acts 4:29). May their witness inspire others to grow in the Christian faith and to live more courageously — despite whatever obstacles or opposition they encounter. Ultimately, may God’s message of salvation and peace prevail throughout Ethiopia.
KENYA: Alarm after Gruesome Attack on Christians
Sources: Morningstar News, BBC
Church members are alarmed over the gruesome attacks.
Photo: Flickr / Brad Bell (cc)
Church members of a northeastern town in Kenya are concerned for their safety after Islamic militants targeted Christians in a grenade and gun attack that killed six people at a residential compound in Mandera on October 6th. Targeting predominantly Christian migrant workers from Kenya’s interior, rebels from Somalia’s al-Shabaab terrorist group took responsibility for the attack. A spokesman for the militants stated that it was designed to drive Christians from the area.
The attack wounded several others. Among the 27 people rescued were Christians who arrived at their church traumatized and in shock. “The loud grenade woke me up, and I heard one of the attackers saying the ‘infidels’ should leave the Muslim area of Mandera,” one survivor explains. “There were loud cries for help as the attackers were shooting from all directions.”
One of the pastors of a church in the area spoke of two church members whom he lost in the attack. “(They) were brutally murdered…. The government needs to improve security, especially in areas where non-locals who are mostly Christians reside. Otherwise we are opting to leave the area for the sake of our lives.”
The BBC reports that Muslims in Kenya’s northeast increasingly see al-Shabaab as a threat to their own interests and are seeking to improve relations with local Christians. Many of these Christians are skilled workers who have moved into the region, which happens to be one of Kenya’s poorest, to work in its schools and hospitals. For more information on persecution in this African country, please visit this page.
Ask God to bind up the brokenhearted in Mandera, and to provide protection for His faithful servants in this volatile part of the world. Thank Him for the collaborative efforts of citizens in northeast Kenya as they seek to curb the threat of militants. Pray for wisdom on behalf of the Kenyan government, military and police as they tackle extremism and work to achieve peace and harmony within these communities. Most of all, may the Prince of Peace work mightily in the hearts of all Kenya’s citizens — including the members of al-Shabaab — so that true peace may be achieved in this country.
PRISONER UPDATE
PAKISTAN: Asia Bibi Case Adjourned After Judge Steps Down
Source: Release International
Asia Bibi’s agonizing wait has been prolonged as Pakistan’s Supreme Court adjourned her appeal hearing. A leading Supreme Court judge, who was due to hear Asia’s appeal last week stepped back from the case on the grounds that he had been a judge in the trial of Mumtaz Qadri. (Mumtaz was previously convicted and condemned to death for murdering Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, who had opposed the country’s blasphemy laws.)
Tensions are running high over Asia’s case. Approximately 150 Muslim clerics issued a “fatwa” (a religious edict), warning the government not to release Asia and threatening to kill anyone who helps a person accused of blasphemy. More information on Asia’s case can be found here.
Please pray that God’s strength and peace will sustain Asia, her family and those representing her (Philippians 4:7), while also keeping them safe from any assault or threat against their lives. Ask Him to grant wisdom, courage and protection to the members of the Pakistani government, as well as the Supreme Court judges who will be hearing Asia’s appeal. May they not be intimidated by the militants but rather encouraged to act justly and extend mercy. Through it all, may Asia’s case be used to highlight the injustice of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and to testify of her steadfast Christian faith to many around the world.
If you would like to post a prayer of praise or petition on behalf of our persecuted family around the globe, visit VOMC’s prayer wall.
The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of:
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, P.O. Box 608, Streetsville, Ontario, L5M 2C1
Tel. 905-670-9721 Website: www.vomcanada.com
On the upcoming Presidential election, trader/analyst Gregory Mannarino says, “Wall Street wants the status quo, and Hillary Clinton belongs to Wall Street. They want her because she will keep everything going the way things are now. . . . I hope people are going to go out and vote for Trump because Hillary is going to destroy us all. I am certain of this. Wall Street wants her. The political elite want her, and there is a reason for that. Her interests are not for you, her interest is for them. We are seeing the systematic extermination of the middle-class right before our eyes, and this is going to accelerate.”
Join Greg Hunter as he goes One-on-One with Gregory Mannarino of Traders Choice.net.
Behnam Irani, a 41-year-old pastor from Karaj, Iran, was convicted of crimes against national security in January 2011 and sentenced to one year in prison. After voluntarily surrendering to authorities on May 31 to begin his sentence, he learned that he would be forced to serve five years in connection with a previous conviction.
Officers from the Ministry of Intelligence and National Security (MOIS) raided Irani’s house church on April 14, 2010, and assaulted him before taking him into custody. Although he was released on bail two months after his arrest, he later received the one-year prison sentence.
When Irani voluntarily began serving his sentence in May 2011, he was prepared to spend one year in prison. But he received a letter in October stating that he must now serve five years from his previous sentence.
Irani was first arrested in December 2006 and tried for crimes against national security. He was released in January 2007 but was soon re-arrested, tried and sentenced to five years in prison. Irani was never called to serve the sentence that is now being held against him.
Irani became a pastor in 2002, 10 years after becoming a Christian. Please pray for his wife and two children as they wait for him to return home.
Behnam Irani Released! – Oct. 17, 2016
Behnam Irani was released from prison on Oct. 17, after spending six years in prison.
Behnam was originally given a five-year suspended sentence in 2008 after being charged with action against national security. He was re-arrested in 2010 during a house church service, and in May 2011, he was summoned to serve a one year prison sentence. Authorities later added his original five-year sentence to his detainment.
During his imprisonment, Behnam spent time in solitary confinement and suffered serious health problems.
Please pray for his continued spiritual, emotional and physical recovery.
Pastor Wins Appeal – December 2014
Following a Dec. 9 appeal, Pastor Behnam Irani was informed that he will not have to serve an additional six-year prison term. The pastor had been sentenced to six years on charges of “action against national security” and “creating a network to overthrow the system.” These charges were revoked, but the pastor will continue to serve a one-year term for action against the state and a five-year prison sentence for “action against national security” in Karaj. Both charges are euphemisms for his work as a pastor.
Six Years Added – October 2014
Officials added six years to Pastor Behnam Irani’s prison sentence, and he no longer faces the death penalty. The charge of “spreading corruption on earth” was dropped in exchange for new charges that add six years to his current five-year sentence. Pastor Irani is expected to be transferred to the city of Zabol, near the border of Afghanistan, where he will not be due for release until 2023. The prison is located over 900 miles away from Karaj and it will difficult for his family to visit.
Family Concerned from No Contact – Sept. 2014
Behnam Irani’s family has not heard from him since Aug. 25, and they are very concerned. During this time, VOM partners heard there was a riot at the prison where Behnam is held. Please pray that Behnam’s family soon receives word from him.
Behnam Irani Held in Solitary – July 2014
Pastor Behnam Irani has returned to prison after being beaten on June 7 and held in solitary confinement for weeks. The pastor was held in an undisclosed location by religious police, who threatened him with further prison time after a judge charged the pastor with communicating with media. Behnam Irani taken to a detention center and held in solitary confinement. Officers interrogated the pastor four hours at a time on five separate occasions while he was there.
Pastor Behnam Underwent Surgery
Pastor Behnam Irani underwent surgery on Feb. 22 at the Shahid Madani Hospital in Karaj, Iran, because of severe bleeding as a result of stomach ulcers and colon complications. According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), the surgery was successful. He was expected to be returned to the prison as of Feb. 26 to continue serving his six-year prison term. Please continue to pray for Pastor Behnam Irani and his family.
Still Ill, But Full of Faith – September 2013
Pastor Behnam Irani remains in poor health. He has served a little over two years of his six-year sentence. VOM partners report that his faith remains strong and his attitude is positive. His family misses him a great deal. He has a 12-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son. Pray for healing for Pastor Behnam and for protection for him while he’s in prison. Pray especially that God would strengthen and encourage his faith during this season.
Behnam Remains in Prison – August 2013
VOM contacts sent this update recently: Pastor Irani is still in prison and is still sick. His wife is mostly doing well, but she gets quite lonely. Their young son forgets he has a daddy sometimes. Their daughter is still shaken by what happened; she saw her father getting beaten by the police during the service.
Behnam Transferred to Prison Hospital – July 2012
Within the last week, Behnam Irani became so sick that he lost consciousness. As a result, he was finally allowed to be transferred to to prison hospital. His family had been worried for weeks that he appeared to be suffering from an intestinal issue. Instead, it appears that Behnam suffers from a bleeding ulcer. We are thankful Behnam is being treated by a doctor, but we encourage you to continue to pray for him since the situation is so serious.
Irani is Ill – February 2012
The family of Behnam Irani are very concerned over reports of his ill health. He is experiencing some sort of intestinal disorder. His family is very concerned because his brother died from intestinal cancer. Please pray for his health, as well as for his family.
Pastor Irani Being Mistreated and in Poor Health
For the first few months of his sentence, Behnam Irani was held in solitary confinement in a very small cell. Afterward, he was moved to another small cell with other prisoners. The room was so full, the prisoners were not able to lie down to sleep, so they had to sit all day and night. The room also got very hot.
Pastor Behnam is now in a normal cell, but authorities have asked for him to be beaten regularly. All his hair has turned white, and his friends fear he may lose the use of his foot, due to a severe foot injury.
Please keep Behnam and his family in your prayers.
Sihon and Og, the Giant Kings and their cities, seen in light of Bible prophecy, AND False prophetess Patricia King OPENLY endorsing THE LAW OF ATTRACTION, based on New Ager Rhonda Burns ‘The Secret’, which is PURE WITCHCRAFT!!!!
“We never pray against our government or call down curses on them. Instead, we have learned that God is in control both of our own lives and the government we live under. (He) has used China’s government for His own purposes, molding and shaping His children as He sees fit. Instead of focussing our prayers against any political system, we pray that regardless of what happens to us, we will be pleasing to God.” ~ Brother Yun
CHINA: Pastor Endures Poor Treatment in Detention
Source: China Aid
Yang Hua preaching in an undated photo.
Photo: ChinaAid
Lawyers representing incarcerated church pastor Yang Hua discovered during a recent visit with their client that he has been suffering from serious health conditions. Yang, who has been in police custody since December 9th of last year for “divulging state secrets” and other falsified charges, is experiencing pain due to a liver condition and additional major health concerns.
Previously, China Aid had received a report from Yang’s lawyers, Chen Jiangang and Zhao Yonglin, confirming his poor treatment at the hands of government officials. According to an interview Chen and Zhao conducted with Yang, prosecutors visited him twice, applied pressure to his feet, and repeatedly threatened to kill him and harm his family members if he failed to confess his supposed crimes. After obtaining this information, the lawyers sued the prosecution team, accusing them of “using torture to extort a confession,” and requested that the prosecution receive legal repercussions.
Yang’s lawyers originally understood that his trial would take place soon after the admittance of evidence to the courts. However, as of yet, no trial date has been announced. More information on the challenges facing Christians in China is available here.
Please pray that Yang will be renewed in spirit, soul, mind and body. May he sense the nearness of our Almighty God’s reassuring presence, filling him with greater confidence and faith during this time of trial. Also intercede for Yang’s lawyers as they advocate what we hope will be a fair trial and Yang’s release so he can receive greatly needed medical attention. May God’s peace, strength, wisdom and favour be upon Yang, his loved ones, as well as those representing him, in Jesus’ all-powerful name.
In northern Nigeria, members of the Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, have struck again. On September 26th, the terrorists took over three villages near the town of Chibok which is located within Borno state. It has been reported that at least eight people, including a village elder, have been tragically killed. The attackers have brazenly hoisted their flag around these villages.
At the time of these attacks, many families in the Chibok area were waiting in agony for news of the more than 200 schoolgirls who were abducted in April of 2014. Although a couple of the girls were rescued in May, and others have narrowly escaped, the majority of those seized by Boko Haram remained missing. (For a previously posted report on this situation, click here.)
In an attempt to bring about a resolution, Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, recently made arrangements for further negotiations to take place with the militants. The president spoke of his willingness to arrange a swap, freeing a few imprisoned militants in exchange for the girls’ safe release. On the day of this posting (October 13th), it was reported that negotiations mediated by the Red Cross and the Swiss government have resulted in some success. According to various news sources, 21 of the girls have just been released!
May God minister great comfort and healing to all those who have been injured and bereaved as a result of these recent attacks. In addition, pray for the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls, that they will be assured of the Lord’s abiding presence, love and healing as they await their own release from captivity. Continue to uphold President Buhari, and other members of the Nigerian government, as they make further attempts to rescue the remaining girls and defeat Boko Haram. As they persevere in their endeavours to overcome terrorism, may they be granted wisdom, courage, strength and help from on high.
PRAISE REPORT
NEPAL: Young Convert Stands Firm Despite Accusations
Source: icommittopray.com
Leah holds a Nepali Bible.
“Leah,” a 15-year-old girl from a rural village in Nepal, has been told that her Christian faith was the cause of her father’s illness. Although Leah’s family was initially opposed to her conversion to Christianity, the young believer steadfastly held onto her faith in Christ, walking for about four to five hours to attend church with other believers.
Thankfully, Leah’s family members are now showing an openness to the Gospel as they are attending church with her. Please pray that they will also wholeheartedly commit their lives to the Lord, joining Leah by becoming strong witnesses of the Christian faith.
If you would like to post a prayer of praise or petition on behalf of our persecuted family around the globe, visit VOMC’s prayer wall.
The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of:
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, P.O. Box 608, Streetsville, Ontario, L5M 2C1
Tel. 905-670-9721 Website: www.vomcanada.com
“The Apostle Paul reinforced the idea that the way we view our circumstances is more important than the circumstances themselves. While he, too, was in prison, he wrote: ‘I have learned whatever state I am, to be content.’ …Lasting satisfaction can be found only with (the Lord), for in His ‘presence is fullness of joy; at (His) right hand are pleasures forevermore.'” ~ D. Fisher referencing Philippians 4:11; Psalm 16:11
EGYPT: Nearing “Breaking Point” Due to Relentless Persecution
According to a report by The New York Times, Christians in areas of Egypt that are largely dominated by Muslim militants continue to suffer from violence and humiliation. These believers are under constant threat of their houses and other properties being burned down, or possibly being mugged while walking along the streets. Even church buildings are not spared as they are desecrated and marred with hate graffiti written on the walls.
The New York Times also cited data from Coptic Christian officials, indicating that the Christian community has suffered 37 attacks within a span of three years. This figure does not include the 300 previously made attacks which took place immediately after the former Islamic president, Mohamed Morsi, was ousted from power in 2013. With these continued attacks, Bishop Makarios is concerned that the persecution is becoming too much for the believers to handle: “We are at a breaking point,” the church leader openly admits.
The relentless persecution experienced by Egypt’s Christians is making it difficult for them to follow the advice of Coptic Pope Tawadros II which is to shun the protests for now. What’s more disheartening, according to Bishop Makarios, is that perpetrators of such attacks are being freed. “Every one of them is released,” he explains. “Not a single one has been punished, and that’s what really upsets the believers.” For other reports on persecution in Egypt, click here.
Pray that these Christians will receive the strength and encouragement they need to stand firm before their oppressors. Also include the country’s Muslim background believers in your prayers, asking God to provide them the right opportunities to share Christ’s love with their family members and neighbours. Intercede on behalf of the church in Egypt as a whole, asking the Lord to unify the hearts of His people, even though they represent various Christian denominations. Last but not least, pray for a strong and trustworthy government that will act in the best interest of all its people, ensuring justice and protection for citizens who are being targeted and victimized.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Massacre in North-Central Region
Source: Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin
The Central African Republic, with 76 percent of its population representing the Christian majority, remains divided with the north, which is largely under the control of foreign-backed local and foreign Islamic militants. Unfortunately, Christians residing in towns and villages within rebel-held territory are experiencing terrible insecurity. Hundreds of thousands of them are displaced and the “front line” is perpetually volatile.
On September 16th, an Islamic militia swept through the mostly Christian village of Ndomete, killing 19 residents and wounding dozens of others. The government has labelled it a “massacre.” The next day clashes erupted in nearby Kaga-Bandoro, claiming at least five more lives. United Nations’ peacekeepers were deployed to the area and are now trying to maintain “peace.” May the Lord intervene in this forgotten yet continuing conflict, bringing about true peace, justice and liberty.
Ask God to mightily intervene in Central African Republic, giving all who are working for peace and reconciliation (including President Touadera and the country’s church leaders) the wisdom, strength, courage and authority to mitigate this troubling situation. Pray that the Lord will rise up on behalf of CAR’s many innocent civilians so that opposing foreign militants will be driven out of their land and the borders secured. May the hearts of those belonging to the Muslim minority — many of whom also long for an end to the senseless violence and chaos that has only resulted in trouble, displacement and poverty — be open to the Gospel so that many in this nation can experience His healing, peace, and unity in spirit.
URGENT PRISONER UPDATE
PAKISTAN: Asia Bibi Approaches Final Appeal
Source: Release International
Asia Bibi has been on death row since 2010 for telling her co-workers about Jesus. After testifying of Him, she was accused and convicted under Pakistan’s widely misused blasphemy laws. Her final appeal to the country’s Supreme Court is due next week. (Previous reports on Asia’s situation are available here.)
This imprisoned wife and mother is not alone in having suffered under these laws. Minorities such as Christians are often the target of accusations, sometimes made just to settle personal scores. If Asia’s death sentence is upheld by the court, then her only chance from a human perspective would be a presidential pardon.
Please join us in praying that “God will make a way where there seems to be no way” (lyrics by Don Moen), providing Asia miraculous deliverance from the impending death penalty she has so bravely faced over the years. Additionally, uphold her family and those mediating judicially and politically on her behalf, interceding for their divine protection as well. May the Almighty God silence the chants of the masses who want to end her life, transforming their ‘hearts of stone’ into hearts that are receptive to His love and mercy and the work of His Holy Spirit — not only for the purpose of saving Asia’s life but also for the salvation of their own eternal souls.
On behalf of our Christian sister, Asia, and other members of our suffering family, we wish to include the song, God Will Make a Way, which can be played here.
If you would like to post a prayer of praise or petition on behalf of our persecuted family around the globe, visit VOMC’s prayer wall.
The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of:
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, P.O. Box 608, Streetsville, Ontario, L5M 2C1
Tel. 905-670-9721 Website: www.vomcanada.com
Financial expert and Investment advisor Catherine Austin Fits says there are “bad signs” all around in the economy. Fitts explains, “What I have been watching in the cut and run is the leadership organizing and coming into what I would call a controlled demolition. So, it’s not a crash, it’s a controlled demolition. Now, the problem is people and factions start fighting, and you can get a crash. So, that’s possible. In the annual wrap-up, I am going to take the chances of a slow burn in 2016 and 2017 way down. We are coming into what is potentially a very radical change. . . . The chances of this slow burn continuing are radically diminished.”
In closing Fitts says, “We’re coming into a real crunch. It’s either war, depopulation or change. Now, I am for change. I’ll use my old Tina Turner quote, ‘We can do this nice or rough.” There is a way to do this nice, but it’s going to require all of us growing up and taking responsibility and we are going to have to change.”
Join Greg Hunter as he goes One-on-One with former Assistant Housing Secretary, Catherine Austin Fitts, publisher of The Solari Report.
October 5, 2016
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The Talk Show Hell Hates shows the relationship between DNA, the Word of God, how Bible Prophecies have yet to be unsealed and manifested, and how cults are able to change Bible doctrines.
“God does not come to us in nicely defined, rationally explained, thought categories. (He) does not fit Himself into our theological textbooks…. He is near, yet transcendent; clothed in human form, yet holy; more terrifying than can be imagined, yet compassionate; invisible, yet revealed; judging, yet merciful; sovereign, yet humble….” ~ S. Moen
NORTH AFRICA: Captain on Trial for Throwing Migrants Overboard
Source: Christian Today
The Mediterranean Sea.
Photo: Wiki Commons / Andreas Meck
A boat captain faces a prison sentence of up to 90 years after being charged in Spain with the murder of six Christian migrants by allegedly throwing them overboard. According to the indictment against him, the captain and a colleague attacked the six Nigerian Christians because they believed the passengers’ prayers had provoked a storm during the voyage from North Africa.
The inflatable boat had about 50 migrants aboard when it left Morocco in December of 2014 to make the 14-kilometre voyage to Spain. Police state in the indictment that the attackers pulled back slats and beat the Christians, then threw them into the “raging sea” where they were lost. One body was found a few days later off the coast of Granada.
The captain, named as Alain N.B. from Cameroon, has denied all charges. He was one of two men arrested in connection with the incident; the second man died before the start of the trial. Prosecutors in the Spanish city of Almería have requested 15 years for each of the six offences. If convicted of all charges, Alain will be serving 45 of the total 90 years behind bars.
So far this year, more than 300,000 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean Sea in order to reach Europe, after fleeing countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Nigeria. Another 3,000 died while attempting to make the crossing. (For a report on a similar incident involving the persecution of migrants, click here.)
Please pray for the grieving families and friends of the six Nigerian Christians whose lives tragically ended while at sea. May they continue to sense God’s comforting presence and strength. Likewise, let’s uphold the loved ones of the many other migrants who perished while crossing the Mediterranean Sea in their attempts to seek refuge. In addition to praying that justice will prevail during the upcoming trial, please intercede on behalf of the accused captain who is, from an eternal perspective, spiritually lost and destined to perish unless he genuinely repents and turns His life over to God. May Alain experience our Lord’s unconditional love and, as a result, receive His mercy and salvation.
PHILIPPINES: Fatal Gunshots Fired by Motorcyclists
Sources: VOM Australia, Release International
A dedicated church elder from Sultan Kudarat, Philippines, was brutally murdered by two men on September 11th. Witnesses say Perfecto Padilla, 52, was resting outside his house in a hammock when two militant Muslim men came by on motorcycles and began firing what was believed to be a 45-calibre pistol from about five metres away. Perfecto was struck by seven bullets in his chest, thigh and other parts of his body. The assailants quickly fled the scene.
Perfecto’s daughter Naomi ran to her wounded father, crying and screaming for help. A pastor was nearby, visiting a church member, when he heard the screaming and promptly came to assist. Noting the seriousness of Perfecto’s wounds, Pastor William borrowed a tricycle so he could immediately take him to the hospital, but the wounded man died on the journey. Perfecto is remembered for his dedication to the church and desire that more people come to know Christ.
Perfectos’ two children, Naomi (12) and Joseph (10), are now left alone without parents. Since their mother went to work overseas many years ago, they have lost contact with her. Our local ministry partner immediately tended to them after being informed of the tragedy. VOM is providing financial assistance for the children so they can receive necessary care, rebuild their lives, and have a hopeful future. More on the persecution of Christians in the Philippines is available here.
Thank you for joining us in praying that Naomi and Joseph, who are deeply grieving the sad loss of their loving father, will experience the compassionate care, comfort and provision of their Heavenly Father who longs to meet their every need. Ask Him to strengthen their faith so that as they grow and mature, they will be able to build on their deceased father’s spiritual legacy. May there be an end to the tensions between Christians and militant Muslims in the Philippines, particularly the Sultan Kudarat area, so that land disputes will be resolved and people can live in safety and harmony.
PRAISE REPORT
LAOS: Young Persecuted Christian Now Trains Teachers
Source: icommittopray.com
A young Christian woman who was disowned by her parents because of her faith is now visiting churches in Laos this month to train Sunday school teachers. After becoming a Christian at the age of 14, Sonxi was beaten by her parents, denied food, and locked away in her room — all in an attempt to prevent her from attending church.
When the abusive parents realized that none of these punishments was able to weaken Sonxi’s faith, they threatened to force the young teen into a life of prostitution. As a result, she ran away from home and was eventually disowned by her parents. The Voice of the Martyrs ministry has since come alongside the abandoned girl, making it possible for her to receive practical skills training in sewing and, later on, with the required assistance to attend Bible school.
We are thanking God that today Sonxi vibrantly shares her faith and is involved with the training of new Christian teachers. May He wonderfully bless her life and ministry, granting her more opportunities to reach out to others and — in His perfect timing — even her unsaved family.
If you would like to post a prayer of praise or petition on behalf of our persecuted family around the globe, visit VOMC’s prayer wall.
The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of:
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, P.O. Box 608, Streetsville, Ontario, L5M 2C1
Tel. 905-670-9721 Website: www.vomcanada.com
From the Prophecy Road Show. Our Study from Genesis through Daniel, into the book of Revelation on the identity and the purpose of the Four Horsemen of Revelation 6.
“(God) sees the perils that are in our path that we cannot see. He speaks to us in mercy and grace, and He builds us up to meet the dangers and be prepared to receive the things we could not wisely use today. There are many things which we can employ tomorrow that we cannot wisely use today.” ~ A.A. Conrad
CHINA: Released Lawyer Under Surveillance
Sources: ChinaAid, South China Morning Post
Zhang Kai
Photo: Zhang Kai via ChinaAid
Security officials have been noticed near the home of Christian lawyer Zhang Kai, and they appear determined to put him back behind bars. Zhang was released from detention this March after being held eight months for representing Zhejiang churches in opposition to the government’s forceful removal of their crosses. More about the cross removal campaign can be found here.
In February, while still in detention, Zhang participated in a televised interview where he seemed to criticize fellow lawyers who had been arrested during China’s recent crackdown on human rights activists. Then, on August 30th, a statement retracting that criticism appeared on Zhang’s social media feed. It said he had been forced to smear his fellow lawyers, including Zhou Shifeng, who was sentenced to seven years in prison for “subversion.” (A report on Zhang’s arrest is available at this page.)
“It was a forced act out of fear and I’m retracting all of my comments,” the statement said. Zhang’s social media account has since been deleted. Now Public Security Bureau officials are monitoring his home.
Pray that Zhang Kai will know God as his “fortress, rock and deliverer” (Psalm 18:2). May he experience the Lord’s perfect peace and protection. Please intercede for all who are affected by this crackdown on China’s churches, including the lawyers trying to represent them. Ask God to touch the hearts of the governing officials involved so that they may also seek the truth of the Gospel and receive His gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
IRAQ: Family Longs for Return of Kidnapped Child
Sources: World Watch Monitor, Open Doors Australia and New Zealand
Christine’s photo on the wall of her
family’s place of refuge.
Photo: World Watch Monitor
During a “medical check-up” in the northeastern Iraqi town of Qaraqosh, ISIS militants took notice of Ayda Abada’s three-year-old daughter Christine. Suddenly they snatched the child out of her mother’s arms and gave the crying girl to a bearded fighter. This story was previously reported in a VOMC-produced video documentary which can be found here.
Two years later, Christine is still missing. Her distraught loved ones, who now live in an Erbil camp for displaced people, continue to suffer sleepless nights and unimaginable fears over her welfare. On the wall of their cabin, they have placed a low-resolution photo of Christine that her brother happened to find on Facebook. The photo had been taken during the time Christine was away from the family.
Christine’s mother, Ayda, forces herself to smile when she speaks. Yet her eyes convey a deep sadness that goes beyond expressed words. “We heard that Christine is living with one of the Christian women kidnapped by ISIS. The woman was forced into ‘marriage’ with an ISIS fighter and somehow managed to take our Christine under her care.”
Ayda’s days are filled with uncertainty. “Sometimes I fear that my Christine (will) grow older without me and that I will never see her again.” She looks down to fight a tear, but this heartbroken mother doesn’t want to give up hope. As long as her daughter is in Mosul, Ayda and the rest of the family will not leave Iraq. She will not rest until her little girl is safely back in her arms. “Without her, it’s like part of our heart is missing. We are not complete without her.”
Please uphold Ayda and her family during this time of uncertainty. Pray that each member will experience God’s comfort and encouragement, knowing that He is able to lovingly watch over little Christine. May those holding the child hostage sense a strong conviction to safely return Christine to her family. In fact, let’s remember all of the Middle Eastern children/loved ones who have been wrongfully abducted by militants, praying that the estranged families will be miraculously reunited — giving God praise for His divine intervention. Intercede for the abductors, that they will discover the reality and love of Jesus and, as a result, turn from their sinful ways.
PRAISE REPORT
UZBEKISTAN: Pastoral Family Granted Asylum
Source: The Voice of the Martyrs USA
Dmitry and Marina Shestakov with their three daughters:
Alexandra (left), Vera (centre), and Maria (right).
Pastor Dmitry Shestakov and his family fled Uzbekistan three years ago after he had endured four years in a labour camp and, subsequently, received numerous death threats. The family’s journey to freedom officially ended on August 30th with their arrival in the United States where they were granted asylum.
Nearly ten years ago, authorities had arrested the pastor after raiding the Full Gospel Church in Andijan. Uzbekistan’s Religious Affairs Committee claimed Dmitry was not an authorized leader of any officially recognized religious organization. Labelled an “imposter,” he was sent to a prison camp more than 640 kilometres from his home. The distance made it difficult for his wife Marina and their three daughters — Maria, Alexandra and Vera — to visit him. (A previously posted report on Dmitry’s arrest may be reviewed here.)
Following Dmitry’s release on January 21st, 2011 (exactly four years since he entered prison), the government continued to monitor him closely, requiring him to obtain written permission in order to leave his house. After two years of living under these restrictions and receiving death threats, Dmitry finally moved his family to Ukraine where the United Nations Human Rights Council granted them refugee status.
Today, Dmitry and Marina, along with their youngest two daughters, Alexandra, 20, and Vera, 16, are starting a new life in the United States. Their eldest daughter, Maria, 22, will remain in Ukraine with her husband.
We are thankful to the Lord for providing Dmitry and his family safe passage to their new home. May He now lead them to a church where they can continue to grow in their faith and serve Him within a community of fellow believers. Pray that the testimony of the suffering experienced by Dmitry, his wife and daughters will be used to encourage believers in the West to also live out their faith with unwavering commitment and courage.
If you would like to post a prayer of praise or petition on behalf of our persecuted family around the globe, visit VOMC’s prayer wall.
The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of:
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, P.O. Box 608, Streetsville, Ontario, L5M 2C1
Tel. 905-670-9721 Website: www.vomcanada.com
Former Reagan Administration Budget Director David Stockman’s view of the wealthy buying gold is most sobering and illuminating. Stockman contends, “I think some people are realizing the central bank era of bubble finance and massive money printing is leading to a dead end and some kind of crackup phase in the world monetary system and a breakdown of confidence in the central banks. I think what this means is when the market loses confidence in the current regime, when they no longer believe the Fed has your back, that there is a put under the market or that they know what they are doing, when that confidence finally evaporates, the monetary system will be in crisis. Gold prices, in my view, will soar because it will be seen as the last refuge of monetary assets that are outside the purview of the control of a failing central bank system. I don’t think we have seen anything yet. It’s only a matter of time when we see the gold price revisit the $1,950 per ounce price that was achieved a few years ago and probably goes well beyond that.”
Join Greg Hunter of USAWatchdog.com as he goes One-on-One with David Stockman, the best-selling author of the new book titled “Trumped!”
Visit http://WatchmanVideoBroadcast.com – The Gospel In Your Body Part 7 | The Tabernacle Part 4 | Pastor Mike Hoggard discusses the amazing way God has designed the human body — its bones, organs, blood, and much more — all of which shows the handiwork of the Creator, Jesus Christ. In this video, we learn about the menorah, how it relates to the number seven and the light of God. This study begins with 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 and 1 Corinthians 6:19. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17 KJB) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19 KJB)
This video series takes an in-depth look at how we are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God and how that directly relates to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Discover how perfectly correct Psalm 139:14 truly is! I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. (Psalm 139:14 KJB)
“There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD” – Proverbs 21:30
I am a conservative evangelical Christian. This blog intends to speak up and out for all those, but especially Christians, who are being crushed under the jackboot of oppression.
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Seventeen Liberian believers are being persecuted by their families after having converted from Islam to Christianity. They have been threatened, beaten and ordered to stop attending church and listening to Christian music. As a result of the persecution, many of them have fled to nearby villages for safety.
A 60-year-old Christian man died from injuries experienced during an attack, allegedly by Hindu radicals, in the Bastar District of India’s Chhattisgarh State. According to local believers, four members of the family, including a pregnant woman, were brutally beaten because they refused to denounce their Christian faith.
The Chinese government has shut down a quarterly Christian magazine that encourages the faith of up to 100,000 believers and provides information on recent incidents of persecution. The underground magazine, Ai Yan (which translates as Love Feast), benefits thousands of urban underground churches, as well as rural house churches.
On October 30th, militant Muslims of a village in eastern Uganda gutted the home of a Christian family for providing refuge to two boys who were threatened with violence for leaving Islam. Stephen Muganzi, 41, explained that the two teenaged boys sought refuge on October 16th after their parents began questioning them about their conversion to Christianity and subsequently threatened to kill them. The two boys, aged 16 and 17, had secretly become believers about seven months earlier.
Write a Letter Petition Official
Judges in the central Asian nation of Kazakhstan could be deprived of their rights to freedom of religion or belief if the proposed Code of Judges’ Ethics is adopted in its current form later this month. Judges could face disciplinary action for talking about their faith with others, being among the legal founders of a religious organization, attending a religious conference as a private individual or “providing support in any form” to a religious organization.
Blasphemy charges have been dropped against a young Christian boy in Quetta, Pakistan. The youngster and his mother were both accused of burning pages of the Quran, an incident that allegedly took place on October 20th.
Three young teenage Christian girls have been arrested following the distribution of a Christian book in the town of Babile. The three girls — Eden, 15, Gifti, 14, and Mihiret, 14 — first appeared in court on September 28th with an 18-year-old woman known to her friends as Deborah. Police and governing officials have continually asked for extensions in the case.
Asia Bibi’s agonizing wait has been prolonged as Pakistan’s Supreme Court adjourned her appeal hearing. A leading Supreme Court judge, who was due to hear Asia’s appeal last week stepped back from the case on the grounds that he had been a judge in the trial of Mumtaz Qadri. (Mumtaz was previously convicted and condemned to death for murdering Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, who had opposed the country’s blasphemy laws.)
In northern Nigeria, members of the Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, have struck again. On September 26th, the terrorists took over three villages near the town of Chibok which is located within Borno state. It has been reported that at least eight people, including a village elder, have been tragically killed. The attackers have brazenly hoisted their flag around these villages.
The Central African Republic, with 76 percent of its population representing the Christian majority, remains divided with the north, which is largely under the control of foreign-backed local and foreign Islamic militants. Unfortunately, Christians residing in towns and villages within rebel-held territory are experiencing terrible insecurity. Hundreds of thousands of them are displaced and the “front line” is perpetually volatile.
Asia Bibi has been on death row since 2010 for telling her co-workers about Jesus. After testifying of Him, she was accused and convicted under Pakistan’s widely misused blasphemy laws. Her final appeal to the country’s Supreme Court is due next week. (Previous reports on Asia’s situation are 
A dedicated church elder from Sultan Kudarat, Philippines, was brutally murdered by two men on September 11th. Witnesses say Perfecto Padilla, 52, was resting outside his house in a hammock when two militant Muslim men came by on motorcycles and began firing what was believed to be a 45-calibre pistol from about five metres away. Perfecto was struck by seven bullets in his chest, thigh and other parts of his body. The assailants quickly fled the scene.
A young Christian woman who was disowned by her parents because of her faith is now visiting churches in Laos this month to train Sunday school teachers. After becoming a Christian at the age of 14, Sonxi was beaten by her parents, denied food, and locked away in her room — all in an attempt to prevent her from attending church.
THE BLACK KETTLE 