Monthly archive for October 2022

Mamta, who has been faithfully following Jesus for three years, faced much opposition from her family members and neighbours because of her faith. She lives with her husband and his parents and brothers.

On 2 August 2022, her brother-in-law argued with her about her faith. He urged her to give up her faith in Jesus. When she refused, her brother-in-law fired a gun at her with the intention to kill her. Fortunately, Mamta was able to dodge the bullet which grazed only her forehead. However, she had to be taken to the hospital to have her wound stitched up.

We thank you Lord for protecting Mamta from any serious injuries. We pray that you will soften the hearts of those members who are opposed to the gospel so that they too can receive forgiveness of sins and salvation in Christ.

 

(Source & Photo : VOM)
#Persecuted Church

Teenagers, Ton and Tan, aged 17 and 15 respectively, have been harassed by their mother and older siblings since they received salvation in Christ. Their mother and the rest of the family have been aggressively pressuring them to travel to Vientiane to prostitute themselves so that they can earn money to send back to the family.

The girls, though young in age, have stood firm against this pressure because they know this is not the right thing to do. They also refused to marry unbelievers despite repeated attempts by their family to arrange such unions.

Pray that God will continue to protect Ton and Tan as they have been faithfully and boldly standing firm in their faith.

Pray that God will always make a way out for them in every challenging situation they find themselves in, so that they will not have to compromise their faith and still be able to fulfil their responsibilities as good daughters to their mother.  

Pray that the girls’ family will come to faith in Christ as they witness and experience the love of Christ through the lives of Ton and Tan.

 

(Source & Photo : VOM)

#Persecuted Church

On 5th October 2020, Sawan Masih, a Christian man was acquitted of all charges and released after spending more than 6 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. He was arrested in 2013 when a neighbour accused him of making derogatory remarks against a prophet.

Immediately after the acquittal, Sawan and his family had to be taken to a safehouse provided by CLAAS, an organization that advocates for persecuted Christians in Pakistan. There he lived in the one-room lodging together with his wife and their three children.

Although Sawan is legally free, he and his family remain virtual prisoners, for they still live with daily threats against them. In the two years following the acquittal, the family has not been able to resume any semblance of a “normal” life. Sawan’s father passed away on the day he was acquitted and his mother passed away in April 2022. Yet he was not able to attend both their funerals due to the ongoing threats against him.

One of Voice of the Martyr’s ministry partners, Steadfast Global, is working together with Church in Chain to provide Sawan and his family more suitable living conditions and additional financial support. They are also working diligently to assist the family to leave the country.

Pray for divine protection over Sawan and his family, and all those who are supporting and assisting them. Pray that  God will strengthen and encourage Sawan and his family, and fill them with peace and joy as they wait patiently for the opportunity to be able to live freely without fear and ongoing of threats to their lives.  

 

(Source & Photo : VOMC)

#Persecuted Church

In September 2022, the Mother of God Catholic church in Mobye, Shan State, was seized by troops and the building used as a kitchen for soldiers. This caused damages to the church building. This community was also hit by air strikes which destroyed more than 100 homes and displaced more than 5,000 people.

When the soldiers left the area, parishioners of the Mother of God church were told to stay away from the church as land mines were placed around the building.

Prayerfully uphold Christians in Myanmar who are experiencing oppression, violence or abuse as the internal conflict situation continues. Pray that believers will find strength, guidance and peace as they navigate the challenges they are currently facing so that they can in turn minister to others who have yet to receive His gift of salvation.

 

(Source & Photo : VOMC)

#Persecuted Church

There has been a recent increase in the number of actions taken against churches in the Russian-occupied  areas of Ukraine.

In July 2022, three Baptists were charged for conducting “missionary activities”. Then in August 2022, a Catholic priest was fined the sum of one month’s wage for failing to use the full official name of his church on materials produced by the Church, in accordance with Russian law. And in a separate case, three Christians were each fined 5,000 (about SGD $118.57), one of whom was fined for failing to register his congregation with the Russian authorities.

In August and September this year,  the Word of Life Church and Melitopol Christian Church were forcibly sealed, while the Grace Baptist Church in Melitopol and a local church in the village of Chkalovo were ordered to shut down during a worship service.

And in Mariupol, the Kurchatov Church was also recently forced to close. The church leader and his wife are currently being held in an unknown location.

Pray for the Ukrainian church. Pray that God will grant church leaders the wisdom and guidance they need on how to respond to the demands and restrictions placed on churches and religious organizations.

Pray that Ukranian Christians who are presently facing fines for practicing their faith will receive divinely needed financial provisions to cover these costs. Pray that believers will find the strength to remain firm in their faith and not be discouraged, especially those whose churches have been forcibly shut down.

 

(Source & Photo : VOMC)

#Persecuted Church