The Persecution & Prayer Alert

The Persecution & Prayer Alert
The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada

http://www.persecution.net

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

A weekly news digest on the Persecuted Church and how you can
respond.

Follow The Voice of the Martyrs on Twitter at

http://www.twitter.com/vomc.

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In this week’s edition: reports from India, Ethiopia and China with
updates from China and Egypt
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1. Relief camp bombed in Orissa, India

A Christian relief camp in Nandarigi village, Orissa state — where
several families fled following the outbreak of anti-Christian
violence in August 2008 (for more, see
http://www.persecution.net/in-2008-08-27.htm) — was bombed on
September 27. Four Christians were seriously injured in the blast and
the Hindu man that set off the bomb was killed. Five days earlier, the
man had reportedly threatened Christians at the camp with violence,
demanding that he be given food and shelter. He returned the night of
the bombing and, in a heavily intoxicated state, physically assaulted
two Christian boys and uttered more threats against the believers
present. When the man slipped and fell, he accidentally detonated the
bomb. Officials have claimed that Maoist militants were behind the
attack but local Christians maintain that the bombing was planned and
executed by Hindus.

Pray for healing for those injured. Pray that the displaced
Christians will continue to look to the Lord as their enduring source
of strength, provision and wisdom. Ask God to work in the hearts of
Hindu militants targeting Christians so that they will repent and
come to faith in Christ. Demonstrate your support and concern for
suffering Indian Christians in relief camps by posting a prayer on
our Persecuted Church Prayer Wall at

http://www.persecution.net/prayerwall.

To view a video of children displaced by the violence in Orissa
singing praises to God, go to http://www.persecution.tv. For more
information on the persecution of Christians in India, go to

http://www.persecution.net/india.htm.

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2. Christians imprisoned for evangelizing in Ethiopia

On September 21, a court dismissed an appeal made by two Ethiopian
Christians accused of using gifts and money to entice people to
convert to Christianity, according to a September 25 report from
Compass Direct. Temesgen Alemayehu and Tigist Welde Amanuel went to
Debre Tabor, Amhara state in July to plant a church. After only a
week, several people came to know the Lord through their witness. On
July 19, locals began to question Alemayehu and Amanuel, resulting in
an attack on the Christians. According to local believers, the
instigators were from the “Fellowship of Saints” — a group within
the Ethiopian Orthodox Church that works to counter reform movements
and protect the church from outside threats. Amanuel was able to
escape the assailants and flee to a home nearby, where she was kept
safe until police arrived. When officers arrived on scene, they were
able to rescue Alemayehu, who was wounded, from the crowd and bring
him into custody. The attackers accused Alemayehu and Amanuel of
insulting their religion. The believers were found guilty on July 23
and sentenced to six months in prison.

Pray that these believers will exemplify the love of God through
consistent love and prayer for those who persecute them (Matthew
5:43-48). Pray for their safety and release from prison. You can post
a prayer for Alemayehu and Amanuel on our Persecuted Church Prayer
Wall at http://www.persecution.net/prayerwall.

Learn more about the persecution believers are facing in Ethiopia by
visiting http://www.persecution.net/ethiopia.htm.
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3. Pastor attacked by Hindu militants in Andhra Pradesh, India

Pastor Vanamali Parishudham (35) was brutally assaulted by Hindu
militants in Yellareddygudam village in Andhra Pradesh on September
20, according to a September 28 report from Compass Direct. The
militants attacked the pastor while he walking home from a Sunday
worship service, battering him with sharp-edged metal rods. He was
left for dead in the middle of the road, unconscious and bleeding
profusely from his head. He was later taken to a local hospital where
he received six stitches. At last report, he was undergoing head scans
to detect any internal injuries. Commenting on the incident, Pastor
Parishudham said: “I am scared and fear facing more attacks in the
future, but I will continue to preach and go to the prayer house.”

Pray for healing for Pastor Parishudham. Pray that he will grow in
Christlikeness as he suffers for his faith (James 1:2-4). Pray that
the faithfulness of Indian Christians will be a light that draws
others to Christ.

For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, go
to http://www.persecution.net/india.htm.
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4. Chinese pastor and wife forced to vacate home

Pastor Zhang “Bike” Mingxuan and his wife were forcibly escorted
from their home on the morning of September 23 by Beijing Public
Security Bureau and Religious Affairs officials, according to a
September 25 report from ChinaAid. The two are being detained at an
undisclosed location in Henan to “preserve stability in the province”
for China’s National Day celebrations on October 1. Pastor Zhang, the
leader of the Chinese House Church Alliance, has been frequently
attacked and detained by officials (see
http://www.persecution.net/cn-2009-04-08.htm). He has been warned
against speaking or communicating with outside sources about his
detention, especially the foreign media. The couple will reportedly
be held for the duration of the National Day celebrations.

Ask God to sustain and protect Pastor Zhang and his wife while in
detention. Pray for significant and lasting advances in religious
freedom in China.

The October edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter shares
the testimonies of other Chinese Christians under fire for their
faith. Sign up for a free subscription today at
http://www.persecution.net/nlorder.htm. Find out more about the
plight of Chinese Christians at http://www.persecution.net/china.htm.
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5. Update: Fushan church leaders detained by officials in China

Nine church leaders of the Fushan Church in Linfen City, China were
seized by Shanxi Public Security Bureau officials on September 25,
according to a September 29 report from ChinaAid. The leaders were
travelling to Beijing to seek justice from the central government for
the September 13 attack on their church site (see
http://www.persecution.net/cn-2009-09-16.htm) when they were
apprehended without warrant. Following the arrest, officials
confiscated church-owned property such as computers and televisions,
terming them “illegal materials,” and placed the church’s other
leaders and members under house arrest and constant surveillance. The
next day, state military police were stationed inside the church
building to prevent believers from entering or holding services. More
than 30 daughter churches nearby have also been prohibited from
gathering together for worship. At last report, the whereabouts and
condition of the detained Christians were unknown.
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6. Update: Convert to Christianity barred from leaving Egypt

An Egyptian Christian convert from Islam who has been fighting for
legal recognition of his faith (see
http://www.persecution.net/eg-2009-06-17.htm) was detained and
mistreated by officials at Cairo International Airport on September
17, according to a September 26 report from Assyrian International
News Agency. Maher El-Gohary and his daughter, Dina, were at the
airport setting out on a two-week holiday to China when officials
stopped them. El-Gohary’s passport was confiscated and he was told
that orders from a “higher authority” barred him from leaving the
country. His lawyer later joined him at the airport and filed an
incident report at the airport police station. That same day,
El-Gohary told a Christian media source that “the authorities are
trying to pressure us  to convert back to Islam,
but this will never happen, even if we have to live on the streets. We
love our Lord Jesus, and we have left Islam for good.” On September
22, El-Gohary and Dina again attempted to leave for China but were
stopped by officials.
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7. Latest Persecution Report now online

Watch the October edition of VOMC’s 10-minute Persecution Report
today to meet a remarkable young lady from Orissa State in India who
has refused to let a brutal attack destroy her life and has learned
what it really means to walk in forgiveness. Also learn about how
Christians continue to face harassment and violence at the hands of
government officials in China. Other reports come from Somalia,
Colombia and Iran.
Download the October hi-definition edition of the Persecution Report
for free at http://www.persecution.tv/downloads.html and introduce
your church, prayer group or family to the latest on Christian
persecution from around the world.
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8. In this week’s VOMC weblog
(http://www.persecution.net/weblog.htm)

Have you been following VOMC’s Persecuted Church Weblog? Here are
some of the posts by our staff this week:

a) For more information about the trials facing the Fushan Church in
China, read “Chinese officials offer compensation for attack on Fushan
church.” (Posted September 22)

b) Read “Words from our founder” for an excerpt from an incredible
book of sermons written by Pastor Wurmbrand while he was in prison
for his faith. (Posted September 25)

c) Be inspired and challenged by the faith of past Christians in our
regular weekly post, “This week in persecuted church history
(September 27-October 3).” (Posted September 28)

d) “If I live, I live for Jesus. If I die, I die for Jesus” shares
the testimony of an Indian woman whose husband was brutally martyred
by Hindus last August. (Posted September 29)

To make comments on these and previous VOMC weblogs, go to

http://www.persecutedchurchblog.com.

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