Fifteen Christians gathered for worship service in Western Sri Lanka when the pastor received a call telling him that a demonstration was going on and that he should stop the service in order to maintain the peace.

About fifteen minutes later, a group of 15 villagers gathered outside the church. The pastor was told by the authorities that there were five noise complaints against the church, and since the villagers were opposed to the church, he should stop the meeting.

Pray for Pastor Yaqoob and his congregation. Pray for guidance and wisdom to resolve the situation peacefully.

Pray that no amount of opposition can stop the gospel message from being spread in this village and nation. Pray that many lives will be touched by the Lord and transformed for the better.

(Source : VOM, Photo : Internet)

#Persecuted Church

Teresa’s husband has been missing for more than 6 years. There has been no news of him. It is not safe for her and her teenage daughter to remain in Afghanistan for fear that they will be forcibly married to men who are opposed to the gospel. They are now in hiding.

Pray that God will keep Teresa and her daughter safe and provide for their every need whilst in hiding. Pray that God will strengthen them, guide them and help them to endure the difficulties and not be discouraged.  

*Name has been changed to protect the individual.

(Source : VOMau, Photo : Internet)

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Hamed was the founder of an NGO that employed fellow Christian Hazaras. The organization helped to oversee projects for the Western governments for the past 20 years. Recently, his organisation’s office was ransacked and money was stolen. Thugs are now searching for Hamed and his employees.

Pray for the safety and protection of Hamed and his employees, and for their respective families. Pray that they will not fearful but will continue to trust in the Lord for He has promised that He will strengthen them, help them and uphold them with His righteous right hand (Isa 41:10).

Since the beginning of 2021, about 20 cases have been taken to court for holding religious meetings without state permission and made to pay fines equivalent to between three weeks’ to four months’ average wages.

Places of worship are being closely monitored to determine if any laws have been contravened. A Baptist church in the city of Oral, which was previously fined, is regularly being visited by an official who sits at the back of the sanctuary to monitor the church’s services and write down the names of those present.

Pray for wisdom and discernment as church leaders and congregation members seek ways to meet the needs of their communities in spite of the many restrictions. Pray that they will find innovative ways to effectively reach out to those around them with the message of God’s peace in these unprecedented times. May the Lord speak clearly into the hearts of the officials monitoring the church services, working by His Holy Spirit in and through their lives so that His great Kingdom purposes will ultimately be fulfilled.

(Source & Photo : VOMC)

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Jante is a Christian. She is a writer and an advocate for women and Hazaras. Her writing features criticism of the current regime and their crimes. She is currently now in hiding.

Ako is a known Afghan Christian who worked as an engineering contractor for the US. Thugs are now searching for Ako and his family with the intention of killing them for being Christians and for collaborating with US forces.

Pray for Jante and Ako and their respective families. Pray that God will hide them and keep them safe from their enemies.

Pray that they will be strong and courageous. And they will not be afraid or terrified because of their enemies, for their Almighty God will go with them and He will never leave or forsake them (Deut 31:6).

*Names changed to protect the individuals.

(Source : VOMau, Photo : Internet)

#Persecuted Church