On 13th April, several Christians were worshipping God and having fellowship when a group of men came over and accused them of causing a disturbance. An angry mob soon formed and started beating four Christian men with sticks and stoning them. The four suffered head wounds and their lives are still in danger.

Pray for physical and emotional healing from the trauma of the unprovoked attack. Pray that these men will have the courage and strength to remain firm in their faith and continue with their ministry. Pray that they will be able to release forgiveness towards the perpetrators of the attack.

Pray that the attackers will have the opportunity to hear the gospel and receive salvation in Christ.

(Source & Photo : VOM)

#Persecuted church

Keo’s wife suffered from numerous health problems for several years. A witchdoctor advised the couple to live separately until his wife receives healing. So, Keo lived in a small hut he built for himself.

In November 2019, Keo attended a worship gathering and was touched by the Lord. He received salvation and was baptized.

In early 2020, his wife, relatives and fellow villagers found out about his Christian faith.  His wife and relatives threatened to leave him and cut him off from family if he did not stop believing in Jesus. Village leaders warned of possible eviction from the village.

Despite the persecution, Keo refused to abandon Christ, so villagers destroyed his hut. 61-year old Keo is now living with a local pastor. He is in poor health and has no job.

Pray that Keo will remain strong in his faith and will continue to grow in maturity in Christ. Pray that he will experience healing, find work to support himself and get a place of his own to live in.

Pray that the Lord will bless the pastor who so generously welcomed Keo into his home, and the pastor’s family and church. Pray that all their physical, financial and spiritual needs will be met even before they ask of the Lord.

Pray that Keo’s wife will be open to hear and believe the gospel and receive salvation, and be reunited with Keo.

(Source  & Photo : VOM)

#Persecuted church

Five members of a group responsible for the attack in Central Sulawesi that left four Christians dead in November 2020 (click here for more information: https://gosheninternational.org/pray-for-indonesia-salvation-army-attack-leaves-4-dead/ ), were recently spotted in the village of Kalimago on 11th May this year.

When villagers combed the area in search of the group of five, they found the bodies of four Christian farmers who had been working on a coffee plantation. A fifth worker, who managed to escape, were able to identify the assailants. The four slain victims were aged between 42 and 61. One of the victims was decapitated whilst the others were found with wounds on their necks.

Please pray for the families and friends of the victims as well as the survivor who is still recovering from the trauma of this brutal attack. Pray that God’s peace will reign in the hearts and minds of those enduring intense persecution in Central Sulawesi.

Pray that the notorious crimes of this group of assailants will be stopped and those responsible for the violence will be held accountable. Pray that these men will encounter Jesus, like the Apostle Paul,  and turn from the violent ways and receive salvation.

(Source & Photo : VOMC)

#persecuted church

Thanh and her husband dedicated their lives to advancing God’s Kingdom among the remote villages throughout Vietnam.  During their ministry, they have experienced much persecution. They were beaten and detained for preaching the gospel to many tribal groups.

Thanh was first diagnosed with cancer in 2011 which relapsed in 2020. She needed surgery and hospitalization. However, because of coronavirus protocols, Thanh was hospitalized for an extended amount of time.

During her stay in the hospital, she shared the gospel with more than 100 patients and 32 of them received salvation. She also started teaching the Bible to new believers and many of them returned home and shared the gospel in their communities.

We thank and praise God for Thanh’s faithful witness despite her own challenging health condition. Pray that God will divinely provide for Thanh and her husband’s physical and material needs as she continues to minister to others during her recovery process.

Pray that these new believers will continue to grow in their faith.

(Source & Photo : VOM)

#persecuted church

Chinese Christians are finding it harder to obtain Christian resources as Bible apps have been removed, Christian “WeChat” public accounts closed and hard copies of the Bible are no longer available for sale online. Bookstores owned by certain churches are displaying and selling more non-Christian books instead.

Pray that God will make a way for Chinese believers to receive spiritual feeding and grow in their faith despite the escalating restrictions. Pray that they will continue to boldly reach out to those around them with the message of the Gospel.

Pray that those who are persecuting them will come to personally understand that Jesus is ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life’, and turn to Him in faith.

(Source & Photo : VOMC)

#persecuted church