Monthly archive for May 2020

A pastor and seven others were assembling relief packages for the poor in the area, when they were accused & detained for gathering for worship in numbers forbidden under the COVID-19 restrictions.

The pandemic lockdown has been the hardest on the poor who are unable to obtain food and other necessities. So Pastor Ramesh and several church families, pooled their own resources, and gathered in a home, to pack gifts to be distributed to the poor in the area when they were taken in for violating the lockdown restrictions.

Pastor Ramesh and the group were eventually released after the intervention of the village head, Kallu.

Pray that all charges against Pastor Ramesh and the other members who assisted him with the humanitarian relief efforts will be dropped.

Pray that God will multiply whatever little resources they have so that many more will be blessed.

Pray for God’s blessings and protection to be upon them as they seek ways to continue reaching out to the community with His love and compassion.

Do share this prayer request.

 

(Source & Photo Credits : VOMC)

#persecuted Church

Trinity Pentecostal Church in the town of Kala Shah Kaku, Pakistan, was vandalised in May this year over an alleged land dispute.

A group of men demolished the main gate and boundary wall of the church, broke the cross, damaged another wall and threatened to burn the building and the Christians present there.

According to Pastor Samuel Hadayat, who has been pastoring this church for the past 22 years, the church purchased an empty plot of neighbouring land to accommodate their growing congregation. But the previous owners of the land are now trying to put pressure on the church to relinquish the empty lot.

Please pray that this dispute will be resolved amicably through legal mediation and that peace and stability will be maintained in this town.

Pray that the church will be a shining light of Christ’s love, grace and forgiveness in this community and the perpetrators of this attack will be convicted of their wrong doing and turn in repentance to Christ.

Please share this prayer request.

 

(Source & Photo Credits : VOMC)

#persecuted Church

Vera is a Christian and single mother raising her children without any family support. She had a part-time job teaching Russian at a national university. She was a good teacher and her students liked her.

Less than six months into her job, Vera was told the university could not allow a church member to hold the teaching position she had. She was told to either give up her church membership or resign.

Vera chose to keep her faith and leave her job.

We praise God for Vera’s boldness in choosing faith in God over survival. Pray that she will find another job that will give her sufficient means to support herself and her children.

Pray that God will honour and bless her in many ways as she continue to put her trust and confidence in the Lord. Pray that her testimony will encourage those who are struggling to stand firm in their faith in Christ.

 

Source & Photo Credits : VOM)

#persecuted Church

In October 2015, Neelam’s father, Pastor Chamu Hassa Purty, was shot and killed at his home in Sandih village, Jharkhand, after he had prayed for a sick boy and helped him to get to hospital.

Five years later, 2 men entered Neelam’s home knowing it was the home of the slain Pastor Chamu. The men shouted, “the pastor was killed but you did not learn a lesson and have continued assembling in large numbers for Christian prayers.”

The men identified Neelam, accused her of being a spy and shot at her before fleeing. The bullet pierced Neelam’s thumb and entered her thigh which required hospitalisation and surgery.

Pray for Neelam’s full recovery from her physical wounds as well as from the trauma of the incident that would have brought up painful memories of losing her father.

Pray that Neelam and her family will experience the peace of God that transcends all understanding and divine protection over their lives. Pray that those responsible for both shootings will be brought to justice and genuine repentance.

Please share this prayer request.

 

(Source : VOMC, Photo Credits : Internet)

#persecuted Church

Earlier this year, three families from the Akha tribe in Laos were recently accused of abandoning Akha customs and failing to follow the rules and traditions of the village.

They were told to renounce their “Jesus religion”, if not they would have to leave the village.

The Christians would not renounce their faith in Christ, pointing out that they had not broken any laws and they wanted to stay in the village.

The villagers then loaded the Christians and their belongings into a truck, drove them to an empty farmland outside the village and left them there. The Christians’ homes in the village were subsequently destroyed.

We praise God for the faithfulness of these Laotian believers.

We pray that they will be able to find a new place to live. Pray that God will provide the finances and resources for them to set up new homes.

Pray that they will be effective witnesses of Christ wherever they go, and many people will have the opportunity to hear and receive salvation in Christ through their personal testimonies.

 

(Source & Photo Credits : VOM)

#persecuted Church