In January 2023, Pastor Jose and his wife, Sheeja, were sent to jail after a leader of the BJP party accused the couple of luring people to Christianity. Although the 2 believers appealed against the decision, their application for bail was denied in March 2023.

Fortunately, following a ruling issued by the High Court on 6th September, the 2 Christians were released on bail. The court ruled that “accusations of alluring people to convert” can only be filed by the person being targeted or by a family member of that person and not by a 3rd party, as was done in the case of Pastor Jose and Sheeja.

The court also determined that providing teaching, distributing a Holy Bible, encouraging children to receive an education, organizing an assembly of villagers and performing bhandara (providing a free meal), instructing villagers not to enter into an altercation or take alcohol do not amount top an allurement under the 2021 act.

This High Court ruling has brought encouraging news to Christians in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh as Christians in this region have frequently been targets of false accusations by vindictive neighbours and community members.

We thank and praise God for the wisdom demonstrated by the High Court Ruling.

Pray that this ruling will help to prevent other similar cases from being filed against our Christian brothers and sisters not just in Uttar Pradesh but in other states throughout India.

Pray that the Lord will protect Pastor Jose and Sheeja as they return to their community and adjust to life after this ordeal.

(Source & Photo: VOMC)

#Persecuted Church

BoonTaWong came to faith in Christ because he wanted a changed life, like what he saw in other Christians.

That decision to follow Jesus came to the attention of a village leader in his community who began to threaten and harass BoonTaWong. The leader demanded BoonTaWong to recant his faith in Christ and blamed his Christian faith for causing the death of BoonTaWong’s wife and the impoverishment of most Lao Christians.

BoonTaWong said, “I believe God for reasons other than to be wealthy. I received salvation and eternal life and that is enough for me.”

Pray that the Lord will strengthen BoonTaWong and other Lao believers who are facing similar harassments because of their faith. Pray that they will remain firm in their faith and because of their testimony, many people in their community will come to faith in Christ.

La and her husband became Christians while they were seeking a cure for his illness. Though he died three months later, they remained faithful due to the love and care they received from their brothers and sisters in Christ.

In 2020, La’s daughter married a non-believer and her son-in-law moved into her house. He practiced animism, made offerings to spirits and tried to force his mother-in-law to do the same.

He threw away La’s Bible and tried to keep her from practicing her Christian faith. In June, La’s daughter and son-in-law threatened to kick her out of the house if she continued to follow Christ.

However, La continued to listen to Christian radio and receive encouragement from the church. She has asked for prayer for her current situation. “No matter what will happen to me, I will not leave God,” she said. “I have hope that one day I could meet my husband again in the kingdom of God, and I will meet my God, too.”

Pray that the Lord will strengthen and encourage sister La as she has chosen to remain steadfast in her faith. Pray that the Lord will soften the hearts of her daughter and son-in-law and they will be gracious towards sister La. Pray that they will come to faith in Christ.

(Source & Photo: VOM)

#Persecuted Church

On 22nd September, two priests from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine were guilty of violating Russian law by conducting missionary activities. The two church leaders, Father Khristofor Khrimli and Father Andi Chui, were pressurized to transfer to the Russian Orthodox Church but they refused.

Both leaders were detained and fined the equivalent of two months’ wages. They were also given deportation orders to go to areas not under the control of Russian forces. The two men appealed against the court’s decision, but since then, they mysteriously disappeared whilst in detainment.

When relatives attempted to take personal items to the prison for them, it was discovered that the men were no longer there. And at the time of this report, the diocese received no information on the church leaders’ whereabouts.

Pray for the safety of these two missing church leaders. Pray that they will be released soon and reunited with their family members.

Pray that the Lord will minister His peace, protection and provision for other Ukrainian believers who are facing some form of oppression because of their faith in Christ.

(Source & Photo: VOMC)

#Persecuted Church

Thank you for all those who prayed with us for Christian couple, Shaukat and Kiran, who were taken into custody on charges of being irreverent and desecrating a religious book. Click here to find out more: https://gosheninternational.org/pakistan-christian-parents-detained-and-charged-for-being-irreverent/

In September 2023, a man filed a report against the Christian couple when he noticed pages of a religious book falling from the rooftop of the couple’s home. Upon investigation, a bag of loose papers was found on the rooftop which Kiran said was given to her by her employer to sell to a scrap vendor. She explained further that her children may have unintentionally thrown some of the pages down without realizing their significance.

The couple was subsequently taken into custody leaving their children without parental supervision.

On 18th October, the Christian couple appeared before a local court where their defense lawyer argued that the couple were not at home at the time of the offense. And the pages found were taken from a grade nine school book. But because the couple’s three young children do not attend school, so they could not have torn the pages from the school book.

Due to a lack of evidence, the couple have since been released on bail pending a more extensive investigation. Shaukat said, “We have been away from our children for over a month and each day in prison was spent thinking what would become of them if we couldn’t get out.”

Even though the couple has been freed, they do not feel safe returning to the home that was initially provided for by their employer.

Pray that all charges against them will be dropped so that they can look after their children and resume their daily lives without any fear of further legal troubles of harassment from members of the community. Pray that the Lord will provide for this family and give them a safe place to live and work.

(Source & Photo: VOMC)

#Persecuted Church