Shagufta was arrested in July 2021 for allegedly forwarding a text message in a WhatsApp group chat that was deemed insulting. The Christian woman’s court hearings had been repeatedly delayed by the Pakistani courts.

Shagufta’s husband was allowed to visit her but he and their sons have had to flee to Islamabad for the sake of their safety. The accused Christian woman has asked for prayer that her faith would remain strong. She said, “I’m in prison for my faith and not for any criminal act.”

Pray that Shagufta will receive strength and shalom peace as she awaits trial in solitary confinement. Pray that she will be cleared of all wrongdoing and released early to be reunited with her loved ones.

Pray that God will also strengthen, protect and sustain her husband and children, and help them to relocate and settle down safely as they await the outcome of the trial. Pray that this family will continue to remain strong in their faith.  

Source & Photo : VOMC)

#Persecuted Church

In May this year, Protestant church leaders in Tajikistan were summoned to a meeting and told that the government would no longer be registering any new churches. They were also reminded that those under 18 years of age are not permitted to participate in any religious activities or events except for attending funerals. This ban includes participation in religious camps.

Tajikistan believers feel that such regulations would restrict the sharing of their faith and limits any potential increase in the country’s Christian population.

Pray for Tajikistan’s church leaders and pastors. Pray that God will give them the wisdom and guidance to address these challenges to their ministry. Pray that Christian families will receive the help and support they need as they endeavour to raise their children in the ways of  the Lord. Pray that these unjust restrictions on religious freedoms will be lifted.

(Source & Photo : VOMC)

#Persecuted Church

Pastor Kuriachan and his wife, Selin, and their assistant pastor, Manikanta, were beaten and arrested on the evening of 17th May 2022.

The attack occurred after the three of them visited a Christian’s house in a nearby village where a majority of the villagers are opposed to the gospel. The three believers have been released on bail but their case is still ongoing.

Pray that the case against these three church leaders will be overturned. Pray for their safety and well-being whilst they await the outcome of their pending case.  Pray also for protection of the Christian villager that they visited.

Pray that God will soften the hearts of the villagers who are persecuting Christians in the village where this attack took place. Pray that they will encounter the Lord, repent and receive salvation.  

Sahid and his wife, Memona, and their six children live in a small village in Pakistan. In April 2022, a village leader and one of Sahid’s relatives confronted Sahid and Memona about their Christian faith. The couple was asked why they did not participate in some of the festivals and prayers together with the other villagers. And they were pressured to renounce their faith in Christ

About two weeks after this confrontation, Sahid and Memona’s family home was set on fire and two of their youngest children were killed. A police report was made but the couple was pressured to claim that the fire was an accident.

Pray for Sahid and Memona as they process their grief over the loss of their children and their home. Pray that this family will be able to find comfort and peace in God’s presence. Pray that God will provide a new home for them and they will be able to recover all that they lost in the fire.

(Source & Photo : VOM)

#Persecuted Church

17-year-old Shanti lived with her aunt and cousin who belonged to a high caste in Nepal. Shanti, a Christian has a passion for leading others into a deeper walk with Christ. She has led youth and women’s groups and regularly visited believers in their homes.

Some of the believers she visited are Dalits who belong to the lowest caste. When Shanti’s cousin, a respected teacher in the village, learned of her visits to these Dalit believers in late 2021, he repeatedly beat her and eventually forced her out of his home. And Shanti’s aunt did not come to her defense. Since then, Shanti’s pastor let her live in the church.

Pray that Shanti will continue to grow in her faith despite the challenges she is facing. Pray that she will be able to find a more permanent and appropriate housing soon.

Pray that Shanti’s aunt and cousin will come to faith in Christ.

(Source & Photo : VOMC)

#Persecuted Church