Pastor Sanjay, his wife and children, and several members of their church in Shyampur, Uttarakhand, were taken into custody on 13th June because of a complaint that they were violating COVID-19 protocols.

However, instead of being questioned about the alleged breach of COVID-19 protocols, he was interrogated about the ministry of his church and accused of converting others to the Christian faith by giving financial incentives to them. He was also beaten, whipped with a belt and had insults hurled at him.

The detained believers were eventually released. Pastor Sanjay was asked to move out of the village upon his release. His landlord asked him to vacate the home he and his family had been living in and no one else in the village was willing to rent any accommodations to them. So, Pastor Sanjay and his family had to leave the village and move to an undisclosed location for their safety.

Church members continue to face ongoing opposition and pressure to abandon their Christian faith and to stop attending fellowship.

Please uphold Pastor Sanjay and his family in prayer. Pray that as they adjust and settle into their new home in a new location, they will experience a time of healing and spiritual refreshment. Pray that they will find divine guidance and direction for future ministry opportunities.  

Pray for the church in Shyampur, that they will find the courage and strength to stand firm in their faith.

(Source & Photo : VOMC)

#Persecuted Church

Riaz, a Christian, has been working at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in Karachi for the past 6 years. After he was promoted to the position of deputy director on 8th April, he started receiving death threats from his colleagues who refused to work under the leadership of a Christian.

Because of the persistent pressure from fellow staff members, Riaz officially withdrew from the position on 16th June. But that did not appease his opponents who now wanted him removed completely from the hospital.

On 23rd June, two doctors and their aides entered Riaz’s office and began breaking furniture and manhandling Riaz. Three officers present at the scene did not intervene but merely looked on while the abusers continued to attack him.

Finally, hospital security staff intervened and removed the assailants from the office. The aggressors then turned on the director of the hospital, who was thankfully able to lock his door in time. From outside the current director’s office, the aggravated doctors continued to demand that Riaz’s employment be terminated immediately.

While police reports have been filed, no arrests have been made. Riaz continues to face harassment and threats. Speaking of his co-workers, he says, “It seems that the entire staff had turned against me and were protecting the attackers.”

Please pray for the protection of Riaz, his family, and other Christian staff members at the medical centre who are at risk.

Pray that the rest of the staff will not condone such discrimination of fellow workers but will speak up for the importance of fairness and respect for one another in the work place.

As Riaz continues to demonstrate the love of Jesus to all who cross his path, pray that that Lord will soften the hearts of his opposing co-workers, leading them to accept Riaz as a valued colleague and work alongside him in harmony.

(Source & Photo : VOMC)

#Persecuted Church

A Christian memorial service in Guiyang city was raided and all items of religious nature was removed. Praying, singing of hymns or reading Scripture at the service was also not allowed. People entering the building for the service were being monitored and anyone who brought musical instruments were prohibited from entering into the venue.

The persecution of Christians has been intense in Guiyang. Many worship services have been raided, as well as the homes of pastors. And Christians were arrested merely for professing their faith in Jesus.

Pray for Christians in Guiyang and others in China facing increasing pressure to deny Christ. Pray that they will courageously remain firm in their faith and boldly continue to minister to one another and share the gospel message of love and hope.

(Source & Photo : VOMC)

#Persecuted Church

Village leaders were angry with Mannan for deciding to follow Jesus Christ.  They told villagers to ostracize Mannan’s relatives and even told local vendors to deny them food. As animosity between the parties grew, village leaders accused Mannan of causing trouble and called for police to arrest him.

As a result, Mannan and his relatives were summoned to the police station on 15th June. As Bangladeshi law allows for freedom of religion, police officials tried to calm tensions, and called for peace and coexistence between the parties as there were no grounds for arrest.

We praise God for the police officers who prioritized peace and religious freedom.

Pray for Mannan to remain strong in his faith and for his relatives to receive salvation in Christ.

Pray that the hearts of the village leaders and villagers will be softened, and that they will turn to Jesus for forgiveness, salvation and everlasting life.

(Source & Photo : VOM)

#Persecuted Church

Shakeel and his family shared a home with a Catholic Christian family. A Christian worker, who visited the Christian family regularly for prayer and encouragement, was introduced to Shakeel’s family. When the Christian worker prayed for Shakeel and his family, they were moved and felt peaceful. So, they requested that the worker continue visiting and teaching them the Word of God. They were given an Urdu Bible, which their teenage son was able to understand and read to them. After some time, Shakeel received salvation and was baptized. The rest of his family has also requested to be baptized.

Pray for Shakeel and his family – that they will continue to grow in their faith and Christlikeness. Pray that as they delight in and meditate on the Word of God, they will be fruitful and will prosper in all that they do (Ps 1: 2-3).

Pray that many more in Pakistan will hunger for the truth of God’s Word and respond in faith to the gospel message.

(Source & Photo : VOM)

#Persecuted Church