News and Prayer for the Persecuted
 2/13/2012 Uzbekistan (Forum 18 News Service) Baptist Church Raided in Uzbekistan- Police and the NSS secret police in Uzbekistan raided the Sunday morning service of a Baptist congregation in Chirchik. Charges are being prepared against some Baptists. Mahalla Chair Nurmina Askarova, who took part in the raid, told Forum 18 that "we told them to attend another church in Chirchik, which is registered." She also claimed that "we treat everybody equally, both Christians and Muslims." Pray that the Baptist church will continue to hold services.
Pray that no charges are filed against the Baptists.
Pray that God uses the Baptist church to do heavenly things in Uzbekistan. |
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 2/13/2012 United States (Charisma News) Battle To Allow Evicted Churches To Rent NYC Public Schools Continues- The Feb. 12 deadline in New York City that would prevent churches from holding services in public school buildings has come and gone. Churches in New York City are officially banned from holding worship services in public schools. But the fight is not over yet. There’s a hearing on Tuesday in federal court. The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) filed a motion with the court on Feb. 3 to seek an order to stop the evictions based on violations of portions of the First Amendment that had not been ruled on previously in the case. A ruling from the court could occur as early as this week. Pray that churches in New York would be encouraged and united in their fight against this law.
Pray that the evictions of the churches will be overturned.
Pray that Christians in New York stay encouraged in their faith during this time. |
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 02/14/2012 China (ChinaAid) China Denies Visa To American Ambassador For Religious Freedom- Chinese officials denied a visa to a top State Department envoy and refused to meet with her to discuss issues of religious freedom days before this week’s high-profile visit to Washington by China’s vice president. Suzan Johnson Cook, the U.S. ambassador at large for international religious freedom, was scheduled to travel to China on Feb. 8, but as the date drew near, Chinese leaders refused to grant her meetings with government officials. They then cited her lack of scheduled meetings as a reason for denying her visa application. Pray that Cook may have another opportunity to visit China.
Pray that Chinese officials have open ears to future meetings about religious freedom.
Pray that churches in China stay encouraged in the face of persecution. |
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 02/14/2012 Kazakhstan (Forum 18 News Service) Kazakhstan: First Known Use of Harsh New Punishments for Exercising Freedom of Religion- In Kazakhstan's first known use of expanded and increased punishments for exercising freedom of religion or belief, a Baptist in eastern Kazakhstan has been fined what local people estimate to be 18 months' average local wages for leading an unregistered religious organisation. Shoe-repairer and father of ten, Aleksei Asetov was fined 485,400 Tenge (3,273 US Dollars), for leading the small congregation that meets in his home, under a provision introduced in new Amending and Religion Laws local Baptists told Forum 18 News Service. The judge also banned the congregation from being able to meet. Pray that the charges against Asetov would be dropped.
Pray that his congregation would be allowed to meet.
Pray that his congregation is encouraged through God during this trying time. |
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 02/15/2012 Egypt (Ahram Online) Coptic Church in Egyptian Village Threatened After Girl Disappears- Two thousand Muslims surrounded a church, threw stones and Molotov cocktails, and set vehicles on fire. They demanded that the priest release a girl who had allegedly converted to Islam and was kidnapped by her parents. While the allegations proved false, no one has been punished for the threats and acts of vandalism. The girl's whereabouts are still unknown. Pray that the girl is safe.
Pray that the Coptic church is able to rebuild after the damage done to the building and property.
Pray that the church seeks God's comfort and protection. |
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02/15/2012 United States (Ethiopian Review) Protest At Saudi Arabian Embassy In Washington DC To Demand Saudis To Release Ethiopian Christians- Ethiopian-Americans and friends of Ethiopia are organizing a protest outside the Saudi Arabia Embassy in Washington DC on Feb. 21, 2012. The purpose of the Protest is to demand the release of Ethiopians who are unjustly detained by the Saudi Arabia Government. Thirty-five Ethiopians — six men and twenty-nine women — remain in jail under inhumane conditions since December 15th 2012. The protesters condemn the unjust incarceration of these Ethiopian Christians who are arrested for praying in their own homes, and call on the Government of Saudi Arabia to respect their rights and to release them immediately. The Protest will take place in front of the Saudi Arabia Embassy in Washington DC on Tuesday Feb 21, 2012 starting at 10:00 AM. Pray that the protest continues to raise awareness of the Ethiopian prisoners.
Pray that the protest is successful in demanding the release of these prisoners.
Pray that the prisoners are comforted during their detainment. |
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 02/16/2012 Indonesia (The Jakarta Globe) Embattled Indonesian Church Heads To Constitutional Court- Disappointed with the president’s vague pledges to “resolve” the plight of GKI Yasmin church, the nation’s main Christian organizations have taken the matter to the Constitutional Court. Andreas Yewangoe, chairman of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI), said there was deep frustration in the Christian community over the state’s failure to make the Bogor administration comply with a Supreme Court order to unseal the church and allow the congregation to worship in peace. Pray that the Christian community stays united.
Pray that the Constitutional Court holds a fair hearing.
Pray that Christians in Indonesia seek God's strength rather than their own during this process. |
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