Oct. 03, 2024 | Nepal - Threatened Pastor Continues Ministry
Source: iCommitToPray
Sep. 26, 2024
Iranian Converts to Christianity face increased threats
of imprisonment under new government restrictions,
but even after being imprisoned some witness for
Christ in their cells.
Nasser, a political prisoner in Iran, tried to commit suicide while imprisoned. A Christian inmate witnessed the attempt and prevented Nasser’s death. The Christian then shared the gospel with Nasser, and he came to faith in Christ. Nasser now meets with imprisoned Christians for times of secret prayer and worship. Another prisoner named Darius, a Muslim, reported a desire to know more about Christ after experiencing him in a dream. Darius is now in contact with Christians who are helping him learn more about the gospel.
October 2024
Since October 2023, tensions between Hezbollah and Israel have reached dangerous new heights. What began as clashes have turned into devastating violence, with Israel launching significant airstrikes against Hezbollah’s positions.
Just days ago, on September 23, 2024, Israel launched a massive assault that resulted in the deaths of over 490 people. These are not just numbers; they are lives, souls loved by God.
Over half a million people have been forced to flee their homes, escaping the south of Lebanon for safer ground in Beirut and other areas. The loss and suffering are immense.
Schools are closed, families are torn apart, and fear grips the hearts of many. As the conflict worsens, both sides claim to be acting in self-defense, but the result is the same—innocent lives often caught in the crossfire.
In this chaos, we, as Christians, grapple with difficult questions. How do we show mercy to those who have wronged us while still holding fast to justice? How do we offer compassion without compromising our values? How do we reflect the light of Christ’s love in the face of overwhelming darkness?
Refugees, both Christian and Muslim, are fleeing once more, desperate for safety. People are searching for peace that only Christ can offer.
God has placed a calling on our hearts to serve those in need. We have opened our doors, extending a hand and offering hope in the name of Jesus. Our conference center is becoming a refuge for displaced Christian families, and we are exploring ways to serve the Shi’ites and uprooted Syrians.
Our mission in these turbulent times: to be the hands and feet of Jesus, bringing the message of hope and salvation to those in desperate need.
We do not know when this conflict will end, but we trust in a sovereign God whose love knows no bounds. Let's come together, lifting our voices in prayer, believing that peace is possible through Him!
Jesus is called “Mighty God, Everlasting Father and The Prince of Peace”. Join with brothers and sisters throughout the Middle East who are asking our Mighty God to intervene and bring peace to the region.
Pray for an end to this war.
Pray for those trapped in dangerous areas and for the refugees who are once again forced to flee.
Ask for wisdom for our leaders as they navigate these uncharted waters.
Pray for the Church and ask that God gives us the spirit not of fear but of power, self-control and active love that demonstrates the character of Christ.
Pray practically for daily life and sustenance and that students can continue their academic year.
Pray for God’s intervention in changing the way people think and that God will open hearts and transform lives through the power of the Gospel.
Ask that the love of Christ would be present and that His name would be glorified even in the darkest of times.
Pray for the ministry in Lebanon during this time of uncertainty. In word and deed, that they bring the message of hope in Jesus Christ to their neighbours, communities and the refugees they have been serving for many years.
Source: Morning Star News, October 1, 2024
Convert from Islam held without charges.
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| Shrine of Shah Cheragh in Shiraz, Iran. (Herbert Karim Masihi) |
This year's International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) will be held on Sunday, November 3rd. We invite you to set some time aside on this day to prayerfully remember our Christian brothers and sisters around the world who share our faith but not our freedom. A full resource kit is available for free download to help you and your church pray more effectively. It includes a three-minute video, bulletin inserts, children's resources, sermon outlines, and more!
This year's theme is Remember Her. While all followers of Jesus can suffer for their faith, the various forms of persecution that Christian women face often look different than those encountered by Christian men. For women and girls, persecution is often complex, hidden and violent. It can be characterized by sexual violence and forced marriage, as well as by insidious, invisible abuse behind closed doors.
Let's pray for the members of our global family in Christ who are living with immense pressure due to their faith, and remember our Christian sisters in particular for the hidden persecutions they endure. For more information, visit IDOP Canada at IDOP.ca. To download the resource kit, visit VOMCanada.com/idop-resources.
Source: VOMC
Sources: Morning Star News, ECSPE
A 16-year-old Christian girl in Jaranwala, Punjab, was kidnapped on September 12th before being forced to convert to Islam and marry one of her captors. On the day of the attack, Diya Iftikhar was at home with her four sisters. The family's neighbours state that they saw three armed men force Diya into a white Suzuki van, which then sped away. The men have since been identified as Ghazaal Jutt, Afzal Jutt and Ramzan Jutt.
Although Diya's parents reported the crime to the police immediately, any actions of response made by local officials have been delayed. Since the three abductors are reputed to be hostile towards Christians, the parents are not only concerned for Diya's safety but also that of their other family members. (These same three men were known perpetrators in the Jaranwala riots during August 2023.
To review a previously posted report on this massive rioting incident, go to this page.)
On September 16th, four days after the kidnapping, the family received a video message from Diya via WhatsApp in which she claimed to have voluntarily converted to Islam and married Ghazaal Jutt of her own free will. However, the teenage girl's parents are convinced that their daughter was coerced into recording the video message. Additionally, Diya's mother states that the young woman "detested Ghazaal," for he and his friends had regularly harassed her.
This past summer, a legislative bill that deems it illegal for Christians in Pakistan to marry before the age of 18 was officially passed. One of the primary purposes of this bill is to prevent coercive marriages involving minors from taking place. However, this law is not applicable if a Christian minor converts to Islam prior to marriage. A further provincial law, which will raise the age of marriage for all people in Punjab, is presently pending. But until that law is passed, the legal age for Muslim girls remains at 16.
Unofficial statistics suggest that as many as 1,000 girls are victims of forced conversions and marriages each year in Pakistan.
To review other previously published prayer alert reports concerning the suffering of Christian women and girls in this South Asian nation, go to our country profile.
Please remember Diya in your prayers during the days to come, specifically interceding for her need of protection, strength and comfort – physically, spiritually and emotionally – as she deals with this terrible situation.
Also prayerfully uphold Diya's family members as they desperately seek legal justice on her behalf.
May the Pakistani authorities work diligently to return this precious teenage girl to her concerned family and ensure the perpetrators responsible for committing these crimes are duly held accountable.
Source: VOMC
Sources: Article18, AsiaNews, Middle East Concern, Open Doors UK
With thankfulness to God for His faithfulness, we are pleased to announce that the following two believers, both of whom were imprisoned for their faith in Iran, have been released during recent days:
Pastor Anooshavan Avedian was arrested in 2020 and charged with spreading "propaganda contrary to and disturbing to the holy religion of Islam." In 2022, an Iranian court convicted and sentenced him to ten years in prison. The pastor officially began serving his sentence in the notorious Evin Prison as of September 18th, 2023.
On September 24th of this year, an appeals court acquitted Pastor Anooshavan of all charges and ordered that he be released from prison. Upon his release, the Christian leader was reported as being excited and glad. He was also deeply relieved to learn that everyone in his family had been doing well.
For background reports published by VOMC regarding Pastor Anooshavan's case, go to this page.
Mehdi "Yasser" Akbari, a single parent of a disabled son, was arrested in 2019 on charges of "acting against national security" – a common accusation used against Iranian Christians. After being sentenced to ten years in prison, Yasser had been taken into custody and his son was sent to a facility where he sadly passed away in 2021. Despite Yasser's pleas to the authorities, he was not allowed to be present for his son's burial.
See more details about this heartrending situation.
After Yasser had served more than four years in prison, judicial officials of the country's Supreme Court agreed to hear his case in April 2024. As a result of this most recent hearing, the Christian man's sentence was reduced to four years and five months. On September 29th, Yasser had finally received permission to leave the prison as a free man! Just outside of the Evin Prison facility, his elated family members joyfully greeted him. Joining in this momentous event was Mehdi Rokhparvar, a fellow Iranian believer who had formerly been imprisoned because of his faith but released last year.
Praise God that these imprisoned believers have been released from custody!
Pray that the court officials will likewise respond impartially when hearing the cases of other innocent Christians who are serving time in various prisons across this Middle Eastern nation.
May these presently incarcerated followers of Jesus be safely released as well.
In general, please continue to pray for the ongoing ministry of all our Iranian brothers and sisters in Christ as they courageously reach out to those around them with God's love – seizing opportunities to speak of the blessed hope and joyous spiritual freedom that are readily available through faith in Jesus.
