Monthly archive for June 2021

On 4th May, 13 new believers, from three families who are related, received salvation in Christ after witnessing one of their relatives miraculous healed of an ailment following the prayer from a pastor.

Out of the 120 families living in this village, 40 families are already Christian.

After becoming Christians, the men from each of the three families of new believers were taken into custody and interrogated. The men were told they had to first obtain official documentation from a government office if they wanted to continue following a foreign religion or else face jail term. The families’ case is now with the provincial authorities awaiting the required documentation.

Pray that these three families will be able to obtain the proper documentation and continue following Jesus. Pray that they will continue to trust in the Lord to make a way for them, for those who believe in God will not be put to shame (Rom 10:11).

Pray that many other villagers will also come to know the Lord through the faith and living testimonies of these new believers.

 

(Source & Photo : VOM)

#Persecuted Church

Pastor Wang, founder of the Early Rain Covenant Church, has been in custody since December 2018. He is currently serving a 9-year prison sentence. It has been reported that he has been kept in solitary confinement, not given adequate food and medical treatment.

Pray for Pastor Wang’s physical, emotional and mental health as he continues to serve out his prison sentence. Pray that God will strengthen and sustain him.

Pray that God will protect and watch over Pastor Wang and his family, and his church members – that they will remain firm in their faith and continue to do the work of the ministry wherever they are.

It is reported that Preacher Wu, from the heavily persecuted Early Rain Covenant Church (ERCC), and his family have been confined in their home against their will since 4th June.  They are not allowed to leave their home and no one is allowed to visit them or enter into their home.  Visitors can only bring food and pass it to them through the door.

Pray for Preacher Wu and his family – that they will remain strong spiritually, emotionally and physically despite being locked in their own home and deprived of social interaction with others.

Pray that they will continue to wait patiently upon the Lord and hope in His word (Ps 130:5), having the confidence that everyone who puts their hope in God will never be put to shame (Ps 25:3).

 

(Source : ICC, Photo : Internet)

#Persecuted Church

God is at work in Lebanon as Christians reach out to share the hope of Christ through visitations, food distribution, family counselling, Bible study groups, educational and athletic programs for kids.

One VOM worker visited a man who wanted to divorce his wife. After the worker shared Biblical truths with the man and prayed with him, he no longer wanted to divorce his wife and is more open to hearing more from the Bible. In another case, a single mother expressed gratitude for how the sports has discipled her son with biblical principles and have been role models for her son in the absence of his father.

Pray that many more families will find hope in Jesus and receive salvation.

Pray that God will provide these ministries with all that they need to reach out to Lebanese families with the Gospel.

 

(Source & Photo : VOM)

#Persecuted Church

Christian couple, Shafqat and Shagufta, were convicted in 2014 of sending insulting text messages to someone.

The text messages were allegedly sent from Shagufta’s handphone, which had gone missing one month before the incident and which was never recovered. Furthermore, the couple were illiterate and could not have been able to send the alleged texts.

Shafqat is paralyzed below the waist due to an accident in 2004. As a result he was constantly at the mercy of prison guards as he needed their assistance.  The years he spent in prison were extremely hard as he suffered from severe bed sores and was in significant pain. The family also disclosed that Shafqat was in a coma for 3 days in March this year but was not taken to the hospital for treatment.

We praise God that the courts, in June 2021, have ruled in favour of the couple and cleared them of all charges. And they have been released them from prison.

Pray that the Lord protect and bless Shafqat and Shagufta and their 4 children from any negative repercussions from their accusers and the community persecuting them.

Pray that Shafqat will receive the appropriate medical treatment even as he and his family are living in hiding. Pray that all attempts to harm them and their loved ones will be thwarted and there will come a time when the couple and their children will no longer need to hide but be able to live in safety and harmony with others in their community.

 

(Source & Photo : VOMC)

#Persecuted Church