News and Prayer for the Persecuted
 03/13/2012 Afghanistan (The Blaze) Afghans Burn Christian Cross and Obama Effigy- New video of civilian protests shows a cross being burned and anger running rampant in Afghanistan. Angry demonstrators chanted anti-American slogans, and later burned a cross and effigy of President Obama. It is believed that this demonstration was in response to the inadvertent Koran burnings and the killing of sixteen Afghan civilians, alleged by an American soldier. Pray that tensions in Afghanistan would be subdued.
Pray that Christians in Afghanistan would be emboldened to reach out to their neighbors.
Pray that God soften the hearts of the Afghan civilians. |
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 03/19/2012 Yemen (Christian Science Monitor) Christian American Teacher Killed by Gunmen in Yemen for "Proselytizing"- Militants linked to Al Qaeda, who claimed responsibility for the death of an American teacher in Yemen, said he was targeted for being "one of the biggest American proselytizers in the Arab nation." This act of violence shows the distrust of Christian workers and nonprofit organizations in Yemen. Some people who believe these organizations are simply fronts to convert Muslims to Christianity. Pray that God comforts the family of the murdered American teacher.
Pray that God continues to protect the workers of Christian nonprofit organizations in the Arab world.
Pray that violence in Yemen ceases. |
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 3/20/2012 Sudan (CDN) Christians Targeted in Sudan's "Ethnic Cleansing"- The "ethnic cleansing" that Sudanese President Omar al-Bahir has undertaken against black Africans in the Nuba Mountains is also aimed at ridding the area of Christianity. By targeting Christians, Muslims, and adherents of other faiths in the Nuba Mountains, military force helps the regime portray the violence as "jihad" to Muslims abroad, and thus raise support from Islamic nations. This ethnic cleansing has resulted in countless cases of violence. Pray that God protects those facing this ethnic cleansing.
Pray that the non-Christians facing ethnic cleansing may come to know the peace of God.
Pray that the ethnic cleansing in Sudan comes to an end. |
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 3/20/2012 China (ChinaAid) Chinese Police Raid House Church in Xinjiang, Detain Seventy Christians- A house church that has been meeting for nearly twenty years in China's Province of Xinjiang was raided by police who took more than seventy Christians into custody. The police stated the meeting was an "unapproved, illegal meeting," and ordered an immediate end to it. They also forced each Christian to be photographed then took them to the local police stations for questioning; some were not released for two days. Pray that God empowers this house church to continue meeting and preaching the Gospel.
Pray that the detained Christians avoid future legal trouble.
Pray that God uses houses churches like this one to reach the Chinese people. |
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 3/20/2012 United States (USCIRF) USCIRF Identifies World's Worst Religious Freedom Violators- The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recently released its 2012 Annual Report highlighting different countries with instances of religious persecution. They named the following nations as "countries of particular concern" or CPCs: Burma, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. USCIRF stated that these countries often have laws and rules that encourage discrimination and are often some of the most dangerous and destabilizing places on earth. Pray that the countries on this list shift towards encouraging religious freedom.
Pray that Christians in these countries are empowered by God to continue living for Him despite the persecution and discrimination that is present.
Pray that the USCIRF continues to raise awareness about future cases of persecution throughout the world. |
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 3/21/2012 Egypt (ICC) Egypt's Christians Mourn Loss of Spiritual and Political Leader in Pope's Death- The death of Coptic Pope Shenouda III has left many Egyptian Christians fearful that persecution and discrimination will increase as Islamist parties gain political power. Shenouda served as the spiritual leader of the Coptic church as well as a political leader who defended the rights of Egypt's Christian minority. Pope Shenouda was a respected voice among the Islamist-dominated government. Christians fear there will be an increase of persecution in the absence of such a respected man. Pray that Christians are protected during this transitional period in Egypt.
Pray that God provides a new pope that will serve and protect Egyptian Christians.
Pray that the Christian church in Egypt continues to reach out to non-believers in the country. |
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 3/21/2012 United Kingdom (Christian Today) Judge in U.K. Rules Human Rights Don't Apply to Christian Facebook Case- A Christian demoted by his employers over comments he made about gay marriage on his Facebook page has been told he cannot appeal to human rights arguments in his defense. Adrian Smith was demoted and had a salary reduction of forty percent after he expressed his disapproval of gay marriages being performed in churches. Smith's spokesman said this decision "reinforces the widely-held perception that Christians are not afforded the same human rights as others. Pray that Adrian Smith's future case is decided in his favor.
Pray that the courts start looking at cases similar to Smith's from human rights perspective.
Pray that Christians in the U.K. stay encouraged in the face of cases like this one. |
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