Monthly archive for May 2021

Five members of a group responsible for the attack in Central Sulawesi that left four Christians dead in November 2020 (click here for more information: https://gosheninternational.org/pray-for-indonesia-salvation-army-attack-leaves-4-dead/ ), were recently spotted in the village of Kalimago on 11th May this year.

When villagers combed the area in search of the group of five, they found the bodies of four Christian farmers who had been working on a coffee plantation. A fifth worker, who managed to escape, were able to identify the assailants. The four slain victims were aged between 42 and 61. One of the victims was decapitated whilst the others were found with wounds on their necks.

Please pray for the families and friends of the victims as well as the survivor who is still recovering from the trauma of this brutal attack. Pray that God’s peace will reign in the hearts and minds of those enduring intense persecution in Central Sulawesi.

Pray that the notorious crimes of this group of assailants will be stopped and those responsible for the violence will be held accountable. Pray that these men will encounter Jesus, like the Apostle Paul,  and turn from the violent ways and receive salvation.

 

(Source & Photo : VOMC)

#persecuted church

Thanh and her husband dedicated their lives to advancing God’s Kingdom among the remote villages throughout Vietnam.  During their ministry, they have experienced much persecution. They were beaten and detained for preaching the gospel to many tribal groups.

Thanh was first diagnosed with cancer in 2011 which relapsed in 2020. She needed surgery and hospitalization. However, because of coronavirus protocols, Thanh was hospitalized for an extended amount of time.

During her stay in the hospital, she shared the gospel with more than 100 patients and 32 of them received salvation. She also started teaching the Bible to new believers and many of them returned home and shared the gospel in their communities.

We thank and praise God for Thanh’s faithful witness despite her own challenging health condition. Pray that God will divinely provide for Thanh and her husband’s physical and material needs as she continues to minister to others during her recovery process.

Pray that these new believers will continue to grow in their faith.

 

(Source & Photo : VOM)

#persecuted church

Chinese Christians are finding it harder to obtain Christian resources as Bible apps have been removed, Christian “WeChat” public accounts closed and hard copies of the Bible are no longer available for sale online. Bookstores owned by certain churches are displaying and selling more non-Christian books instead.

Pray that God will make a way for Chinese believers to receive spiritual feeding and grow in their faith despite the escalating restrictions. Pray that they will continue to boldly reach out to those around them with the message of the Gospel.

Pray that those who are persecuting them will come to personally understand that Jesus is ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life’, and turn to Him in faith.

 

(Source & Photo : VOMC)

#persecuted church

Adnan, a mentally challenged Christian man living in Gujjar Kahn, Punjab, was deceived and forced to renounce his Christian faith and embrace another faith. A video of the false conversion was posted online and Adnan’s family has been pressured to do the same and also threatened with punishment if Adnan reverts back to Christianity.

Pray for the safety of Adnan and his family as they face this difficult situation. Pray that they will receive wisdom and guidance to overcome this challenge whilst remaining firm in their Christian faith.

Pray that those responsible for deceiving Adnan and threatening his family will experience God’s love and receive salvation in Christ.

 

(Source & Photo : VOMC)

#persecuted church

Shortly after several families in two separate villagers accepted Christ, they were pressurized to reject this “foreign religion”.

Four of the Christian families in one village were threatened with imprisonment if they did not reject Christ. Whilst about 15 Christian families in a nearby village were told their children would not be allowed to attend school if they continued to follow Jesus.

A local pastor visited the families in both villages to encourage them to remain firm in their faith.

Pray for courage and strength for these families. Pray that they will grow in their faith through their study of God’s Word, and through prayer and fellowship with one another. Pray that their testimonies of God’s goodness in their lives will touch other villagers and draw them to Christ.

Pray that they will continually commit every difficult situation or challenge they face to the Lord, trusting that He will help them (Psalm 37:5). Pray that they will be able to remain in their village and their children will be able to remain in their schools.

 

(Source & Photo : VOM)

#persecuted church