Prayer for the Persecuted - June 2, 2025 @ 7 PM

1. Open in Prayer

2. Locked in a Metal Box, Baking in the Sun

3. Scripture / Worship Video: Joshua 1:8 9 (NKJV) "Be Strong and of Good Courage" (Esther Mui)

4.  IRAN: Detained Pastor's Wife in Solitary Confinement

5. INDIA: Villagers Forced from Their Homes

6. Ethiopia - Evangelist Martyred by Islamists

7. Pakistan - Christian Survives Knife Attack 

8. CHINA: Young Children Detained for Participating in Bible Lesson

Recent news: 

                One of Two Kidnapped Christian Workers Freed in NW Nigeria

                Bill Criminalizing Child Marriage in Pakistan Rejected as ‘Un-Islamic’    

                Ex-Addict in Somalia Driven from Home for Accepting Christ

                Christian Graves at Three Cemeteries Vandalized in Indonesia

                Herdsmen Slaughter 42 Christians in Taraba State, Nigeria

MALAYSIA: Christians Forcibly Registered as Muslims

Source: VOMC
Sources: International Christian Concern, Mission Network News

A church in Malaysia. Photo: Public Domain

Christians constitute a minority of the population in Malaysia, where they are frequently marginalized and pressured to convert to Islam. According to recent reports from the community of Nabawan, the national identity cards of some Christians have been secretly changed, classifying them as Muslims rather than followers of Jesus. These changes were made without the believers' knowledge.

Individuals who are designated as Muslims in this predominantly Islamic country are subject to Sharia law – a requirement not imposed on those having other religious designations. As stated by VOMC's CEO, Floyd Brobbel, "So now these Christians who were immune from Islamic courts are...going to have to follow Islamic tradition [and] Islamic law. There's no recourse for them."

As pointed out by Floyd, however, "Just because these Christians now are...classified as being Muslim doesn't mean that they're Muslim in their hearts or faith levels.... Christians will continue to do the work of evangelism and live out a Biblical worldview."
Further information concerning the difficulties facing Malaysian Christians is available at our country profile.

• Pray that God will provide guidance and wisdom to those who are working to resolve this issue of concern.
• In the meantime, may Christians in Malaysia continue to rejoice in the eternal hope they have through the atoning life, death and resurrection of Christ.
• Additionally, pray for increased evangelistic efforts to take place within this Muslim-majority nation, so that the "Good News" of the Gospel can be readily received by many more spiritually needy people throughout the country.

LAOS: Christian Families Expelled

Source: VOMC
Source: Barnabas Aid

Some of the believers who were evicted. Photo: Barnabas Aid

Four Christian families were forcibly evicted from their village in northwestern Laos on May 5th and 6th. According to local sources, opposing community leaders and other residents of Huang Khan Village in Luang Namtha province specifically targeted the Christians.

Thankfully, essential aid has been provided to those who were left homeless, and efforts are now being made to find them safe accommodations. Unfortunately, the eviction of these families is not an isolated situation for believers living in rural districts of the country. While legislation passed in 2019, granting Christians throughout Laos the right to conduct worship services and practise their faith, the enforcement of this law has been inconsistent – particularly in rural areas.
For previous reports addressing persecution in this Buddhist-majority nation, go to our country profile.

• Please lift up these recently displaced believers in your prayers, asking the Lord to continue meeting their daily practical and spiritual needs while leading them to suitable housing.
• Pray that the efforts of those who are assisting these families with needed humanitarian provision and encouragement during this time of relocation and emotional recovery will be blessed and multiplied.
• Ultimately, may relational restoration and a renewed sense of harmony take place between these evicted Christians and the villagers opposing them.
• In the interim, pray that appropriate action will be taken to ensure all followers of Jesus throughout Laos are granted due consideration and fair treatment within the country's legal system.

INDIA: Christians Denied Burial Rights

Source: VOMC
Sources: UCA News, International Christian Concern, Clarion India, The Tablet

A cemetery in India. Photo: Public Domain

Since 2022, Christians in the Nabarangpur district of Odisha have faced at least eight separate instances in which they have been denied the right to bury their loved ones. In many of these cases, opposing community members refused to allow the burial of deceased Christians in a cemetery used by Hindus, forcing the families to instead bury their loved ones in the forest or other locations.

In the latest incident, which took place in mid-May, the villagers claimed that they could not allow the burial of a Christian because it would defile their gods and the land. Despite attempts from local authorities to resolve the situation, the Hindu villagers could not be convinced to permit the burial, requiring the body to be taken to another location.

Several other incidents have been documented in which deceased Christians were either posthumously "converted" to Hinduism or their grieving family members were forced to convert in order for the burial to be permitted. In some of these cases, individuals have feigned their conversions, while secretly stating that they remain Christians. For instance, on March 2nd, a 70-year-old believer named Kesab Santa passed away in a predominantly Hindu village. The Hindu villagers refused to allow the burial unless his cousin Turpu converted to Hinduism. As a result of the pressure, Turpu underwent the Hindu conversion process, along with his wife and two adult children.

Similar problems have also taken place in the neighbouring state of Chhattisgarh. On January 27th, the Supreme Court ordered the Chhattisgarh state government to specify exclusive burial sites for Christians in order to prevent further disputes.
To learn more about the persecution confronted by followers of Jesus in India, go to our country profile.

• As you bring these situations before the Lord in prayer, please uphold the families that are mourning the loss of their loved ones, while also having to deal with the added toll of harassment from disapproving community members.
• Pray that God's abounding peace will rest on each one of these grieving believers, along with the comforting assurance that "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8).
• May peaceful resolutions be established in order to prevent further incidents of discrimination against our Indian family in Christ.

Joshua 1:8 9 (NKJV) Song "Be Strong and of Good Courage" (Esther Mui)

Pakistan - Christian Survives Knife Attack

Source: iCommitToPray 
May. 15, 2025

Waqas has had two
throat surgeries and
remains hospitalized.

Waqas, a Christian who worked at a paper factory, was attacked at work for refusing to reject Christ. When a Muslim supervisor asked him to renounce his faith and embrace Islam as the “true religion,” Waqas responded, “I do not need to change my religion. I have the living God.” Waqas was told that if he converted, his life would be easier, but his mother encouraged him to stand firm. “You have Jesus, who is the truth and the life. Therefore, do not worry and just focus on your work,” she said. On March 21, 2025, the man who tried to convert Waqas attacked him with a paper cutter, slicing his jugular vein. Waqas barely survived and is currently unable to speak. The attacker now claims that Waqas was destroying Islamic texts, and Waqas’ father, who worked at the same factory, was also fired, so the entire family has lost their income. 

They request prayer that Waqas will fully recover and for strength to stand firm in their faith.

As the entire family has lost their income, prayer for provision for them.

Many Pakistani Christians are forced to work in low-paying, undesirable jobs. Pray for new opportunities and freedoms.

Pray for the encouragement of the roughly 4 million Pakistani Christians, using Joshua 1:9 as a guide.

Ethiopia - Evangelist Martyred by Islamists

Source: iCommitToPray
May. 29, 2025 | 

Ibrahim was shot
because of his
Christian witness.
He died in the hospital.

A Christian convert from Islam was killed for sharing his faith with other Muslims. Ibrahim Mohammed became a follower of Christ in 2021 and immediately began sharing the Good News with others in his predominantly Muslim community in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. In one year, he led 80 Muslims to Christ, and he devoted himself to discipling the new believers. Because of his bold witness, Ibrahim began receiving death threats from local Islamists; still, he remained determined to share about Christ. On May 15, 2025, he was witnessing in a rural area when someone wearing Islamic dress approached him, told him it would be his last time to evangelize and shot him. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died from his injuries three days later. 

Front-line workers request prayer for Ibrahim’s wife and two young children, for their church, and for God’s kingdom to continue to advance in this area. 

Pray for Christians like Ibrahim who suffer great loss for leaving Islam to follow Christ. Pray for their joy and peace.

Pray that Christians whose churches were destroyed by Islamists will experience God's love and provision. 

Pray that every believer will have access to God's Word.

Praise God that Christians continue to plant new churches and send out missionaries despite growing Islamist pressure. 

Locked in a Metal Box, Baking in the Sun

INDIA: Villagers Forced from Their Homes

Source: VOMC
Sources: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, International Christian Concern, AsiaNews, Morning Star News

Belongings removed from the homes of Christian families. Photo: CSW

Six Christian families from Karingundam, a village located in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh state, were evicted from their homes on April 12th for refusing to renounce their faith in Christ. Opposing villagers loaded their belongings onto a truck – only to be hauled out of the village and dumped. The desolate families were forced to spend the night in the forest without any shelter. At least 25 individuals were affected by this dire situation.

The next day, members of the Central Reserve Police Force attempted to help the believers return to their homes, but other villagers prevented them from entering. Consequently, the Christians had to seek refuge in a local church. On April 14th, police officers again addressed the situation with the opposing villagers, reminding them of the constitutional rights of all citizens and threatening legal action against them if they failed to comply. As a result, the Christian families were finally allowed to return to their homes.

Several similar situations have taken place within the Sukma district over recent months. In another incident, ten Christian families, consisting of about 45 people, were reportedly assaulted and forced from their homes in Durandarbha village on April 24th. The hostile community members who forced the believers' exile from the village then warned of life-threatening consequences if they attempted to return.

These evicted families are presently receiving refuge in a church building located approximately 17 kilometres away from Durandarbha village. After reporting the incident to police, they were advised to stay away from the village for now, in hopes that the matter would eventually settle. Police have also told those who threatened the Christians of potential legal action; however, at last report, no charges have been laid. In the meantime, the displaced villagers are at least receiving a very basic means of shelter in the makeshift church, despite the building's leaky roof.

While no specific cause for this rise in violence is known, there has been increasing political pressure placed on those who allegedly participate in what some militant Hindus refer to as "illegal conversions."
For more details on the various forms of persecution being perpetrated against Christians in India, go to our country report.

• Remember these ostracized believers in your prayers, asking God to continue mediating on their behalf as they attempt to live peaceably among opposing fellow villagers.
• For those who are still displaced, please pray that the Lord will give them wisdom and guidance as they seek a permanent place in which they can safely and harmoniously reside, hopefully within the homes of their former communities.
• May villagers who are opposed to Christianity come to understand the unfathomable love of God and the wonderful plan of eternal salvation that He has made available for them through His Son, Jesus Christ.

PAKISTAN: Accused Christian Acquitted

Source: VOMC
Source: Morning Star News

Chand Shamaun (in tan) with attorneys. Photo: Christian Daily International-Morning Star News

In June 2024, Chand Shamaun was arrested and charged with insulting Islam, a charge that is commonly used in Pakistan against citizens belonging to minority religious groups. In fact, a recent report indicated that a record number of blasphemy cases had been filed during the year of 2024 – reaching a total of 344 official accusations. For the accused, imprisonment is typically dangerous and, in some cases, even deadly. And those who've been released on bail or acquitted frequently face vigilante violence from people who still perceive them to be guilty.

In Chand's particular situation, it became clear early on that there were problems with the case against him. In October, the Lahore High Court released him on bail after hearing his case. However, upon his release, he was forced into hiding because of the people's threats against him.
For more details, see this report.

On May 10th, a final verdict was reached when a judge acquitted Chand of all charges. The court noted that prosecutors had "miserably failed" to establish their case against the innocent Christian man, even suggesting that the accusers may have "spun out an imaginary story with their imagination."

• Praise God for this encouraging court ruling, and for the fact that justice has been served in Chand's case!
• Pray for his safety as he now deals with the aftermath of the initial accusations against him. May those who hold anger against this Christian man no longer threaten him nor make any attempt to harm him, but rather may they realize and acknowledge his innocence.
• Pray for the many other believers presently facing accusations of blasphemy in Pakistan, asking for the Lord's intervention to take place in each of their situations as well – so that His justice will ultimately prevail.

CHINA: Long-Awaited Trials for Pastoral Couple

Source: VOMC
Source: ChinaAid

Yang Rongli (light jacket) upon her 2016 release. Photo: ChinaAid

Yang Rongli and Wang Xiaoguang are a pastoral couple who have been subjected to ongoing persecution from the Communist government for many years. In 2009, they were sentenced for allegedly disrupting public order. As a result, Yang spent seven years in prison, while Wang served three years. In August 2021, the couple had been arrested again. This time, they were accused of fraud in relation to the donations received by the church from its members. After almost four years, both cases have finally gone to court, through which the husband and wife were each tried separately.

The hearing against Yang began on April 17th. Claiming that it was a sensitive case, the court insisted that the trial be non-public. Ultimately, defense lawyers were not allowed into the courtroom to represent their clients. In protest, three lawyers formally resigned from the case while a fourth publicly demonstrated outside the courtroom as a show of resistance. At last report, no information was available about the status of Yang's trial.

Wang's trial began on the morning of April 18th. According to a report from their son, the pastor refused to admit any wrongdoing. Instead, when the time came for his defense, he stood before the court and pulled out a prepared sermon from which he preached to those present. In his homily, he explained the principles of the Christian faith, including the Bible's teachings on giving. In recounting the incident, the couple's son stated, "I couldn't help laughing, but I know in my heart that this was his style."

Christians throughout China repeatedly experience opposition and accusations from governing authorities. Numerous previously published reports concerning the challenges faced by this ministerial couple, along with reports addressing the situations encountered by other persecuted believers, have been made available at our country report.

• Continue to prayerfully uphold Pastors Yang and Wang, in addition to the fellow church members who were charged along with them.
• Pray that those in the courtroom who heard the message spoken by Pastor Wang would respond with open hearts to the presented Scriptural truths and, as a result, realize their need to turn in repentance to God and receive His gift of salvation through Christ.
• Please also remember to intercede for the many Chinese believers who are presently facing opposition on numerous fronts. May justice prevail in each of their cases as well.

NIGERIA: Ongoing Suffering of Nigerian Christians

Source: VOMC
Sources: Morning Star News, ECSPE, Christianity Today

A church gathering in Nigeria. Photo: VOMC

Attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria have continued unabated over the years, resulting in even more recently reported cases involving casualties and horrific trauma. Not only were these recent attacks the cause of death for several innocent victims, they have also been the source of physical wounding and emotional trauma for many survivors whose suffering has been further compounded by the devastating loss of loved ones and the destruction of community homes.

In Barkin Ladi County of Plateau State, three Christians were shot dead on May 3rd after being ambushed by Islamic militants. The next day, three others were killed and four injured as attackers opened gunfire and proceeded to lacerate the villagers.

On May 6th, rebel members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) attacked a group of Christians who had been travelling between villages in the southern part of Kaduna state. As a result of this attack, three believers were killed and several others wounded. According to eyewitnesses, the perpetrators asked questions to identify the victims as Christians before executing them.

In yet another separate attack, which took place on May 7th in the village of Otapi-Alpa, Benue State, two Christian farmers were slain – one of them a village leader named Tony Adejoh. Both victims had been working in their fields when they were suddenly ambushed and killed. This latest occurring incident follows a similar attack that took place during the previous month within the same village. As a result of the April 13th attack, ten fatalities had taken place and homes in the community were destroyed. Agbo Kennedy, a member of Benue State's House of Assembly reported that the April attack, which included victims as young as five years old, was "appalling and gory."

Those who manage to escape the violence frequently experience added long-term suffering when they are forced to flee their homes. In cases where entire villages have been destroyed, thousands of survivors seek refuge in the country's Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. A recently released report from Christianity Today features the testimony of one such Christian by the name of Jennifer.

During 2014, Jennifer and her family were forced to flee their home in Gwoza after violent killing sprees committed by Boko Haram terrorists left hundreds of neighbouring Nigerians dead. After fleeing almost 1,000 kilometres, Jennifer, her husband Abraham, and their four children had hoped to settle in the area of Abuja. However, in August 2015, Abraham was tragically killed by a group of unidentified men in the Durumi IDP camp.

Left to raise their children on her own, Jennifer still struggles to provide basic needs such as food and medicine. However, she is determined to leave the camp some day and build a home that her husband would be proud of. "I don't know when, but soon," she says with a glimmer of hope. "God help me...."

Jennifer's story is indicative of the numerous difficulties facing thousands of displaced Nigerians who are seeking to avoid the violence that's so prevalent in various parts of the country.
To review further reports concerning the persecution of Christians in this volatile region, including information about the 2014 attacks in Gwoza, see our country report.

• Please remember to prayerfully uphold the families of those who were slain in these more recent attacks, as well as the many others who've experienced physical injuries and emotional trauma.
• Pray for the practical and spiritual needs of the thousands of displaced victims who have been forced to flee their homes, livelihoods and communities – including those who are presently trying to survive amidst the daily challenges of life within the IDP camps or other temporary shelters.
• Pray for governing officials, church leaders and humanitarian workers as they continue to seek lasting solutions to the relentless hardships facing the people of this violence-torn nation.