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From: The Voice of the Martyrs [thevoice@persecution.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 3:17 PM
Subject: VOM-USA News & Prayer Update (May 31, 2005)
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"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:3-8) |
| Prayers for May 31, 2005 From The Voice of the Martyrs |
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 BANGLADESH  (ASSIST News Service)According to Christian Freedom International, Kumkum Roy, who is living at an undisclosed safe house in Dhaka, is concerned that an attempt will be made to kidnap her and take her back to the man who initially abducted, beat and raped her. She is afraid that this time she will be killed. Her situation is all too common in Bangladesh, where women who have converted to Christianity are abducted, beat, raped and forced to marry and reconvert to Islam. Peter A. Khaleque, a former Bangladeshi police officer who converted to Christianity, is now working as a pastor. He is facing a possible prison sentence on trumped-up charges because he shared his faith with a Muslim driver. He is concerned that if he is sentenced to prison, his unprotected 12-year-old Christian daughter will be abducted, raped, beaten and forced to marry and convert to Islam. (Click here) Pray our omnipotent Father will work in mighty power to protect these believers and all others who have left Islam for faith in Jesus Christ. Pray against any spirit of intimidation that would rob converts of the joy of their salvation. Pray the Holy Spirit will surprise many Bangladeshi Muslims with a revelation of how much they are loved by God.  INDIA (Compass Direct) Hindu extremists physically attacked 11 Christian families from Jamanya village in Jalgaon district, Maharashtra state, India, on May 15th and 16th. Village officials had summoned the families to a panchayat (community court) on May 15th, and asked them to renounce their faith. When the families refused, the men were beaten with heavy sticks and chased from the village. On the following day, the mob attacked the women and children; some children fainted after being beaten. Witnesses said the mob also tried to disrobe the women. Police are investigating the case, and local Christians say they will push for a resolution to the three years of hostility in the village. Pray God will heal these victims quickly and give all of them, especially the children, His grace to forgive their attackers. Pray the Holy Spirit will shine the light of God's glory on this troubled village. Pray He will lead the Hindu extremists to repent of this brutal attack on their neighbors. (Missions Insider) On May 21st, in Andhra Pradesh state, a man's body was identified as that of a native missionary who had gone missing on May 19th. Though no one has yet been charged with the crime, many suspect Hindu extremists opposed to the spread of Christianity are behind it. For the safety of the murdered man's family, Christian Aid is not releasing his name. Apparently Brother D. left his house with gospel tracts early on May 19th. He never returned. On the morning of May 20th, local newspapers brought news of an unrecognized dead body some boys had found while playing on the outskirts of a nearby city. It was found that he was tortured with acid poured over his face and body. Whoever killed him put his body in a gunny sack and threw it outside the city into the bushes. Pray God will use this tragic murder to His eternal glory. Pray He will comfort Brother D.'s grieving family with the assurance that he is safely home, rejoicing with the white-robed martyrs at the Throne of God. Pray the assailants will be found and brought to justice and repentance.  IRAN (Compass Direct) An Islamic court in southern Iran acquitted Christian lay pastor Hamid Pourmand on apostasy and proselytizing charges two days ago, declaring, "Under sharia (Islamic law), there are no charges against you." The judge at the May 28th hearing in Bandar-i Bushehr said he was acquitting Pourmand, a former Muslim who converted to Christianity 25 years ago, because he had "done nothing wrong" according to Islamic law. But the lay pastor has been sent back to Tehran's Evin Prison to serve out a three-year prison sentence still under appeal before the Supreme Court for a separate conviction, also linked to his religious conversion. During the weekend protests intensified in front of the Iranian Parliament demanding the release of prominent prisoners of conscience jailed with Pourmand at Evin Prison. (Click here) Give thanks to God that Pourmand was acquitted on the apostasy and proselytizing charges. Pray God in His mercy will move the hearts of the Supre粃e Court judges to release him from the three-year sentence also. Pray that those still in prison for standing up for Jesus will take heart and trust God for their future.  MEXICO (Compass Direct) On May 15th, Pastor Francisco Sanchez Gonzalez and church member Raul Bautista were arrested. The arrests came after a decision by the town assembly to "eradicate" evangelical Christians from the area. Local officials informed church members that they must renounce their evangelical faith and pay a fine of 1,000 pesos (approximately $110) by the end of May, or else their homes and the church's chapel will be torn down. Legal representatives of the evangelical church have asked state and federal authorities to intervene and see to it that the Cuateceometl Christians be allowed to worship freely, which is guaranteed in Mexico's constitution. Pray our awesome God will work a miracle of His power and grace to bring the leadership in Cuateceometl to a deep, personal relationship with their Savior. Pray the Mexican government will recognize the lordship of Jesus over all their country. Pray Pastor Gonzalez and Raul Bautista will be witnesses of Jesus to everyone around them.  1BANGLADESH http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s05050096.htm 2IRAN http://www.compassdirect.org/en/newslongen.php?idelement=3827   www.persecution.com |
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"To belong to God is to belong to His heart. If we respond to the call of Jesus to leave everything and follow Him, then there is a voice within us crying out. 'Fight for the heart of your King!' "Yet Christianity over the past two thousand years has moved from a tribe of renegades to a religion of conformists. Those who choose to follow Jesus become participants in an insurrection. To claim we believe is simply not enough. The call of Jesus is one that demands action" (Erwin Raphael McManus, The Barbarian Way). In the above quote (from one of VOM's newest resources), McManus challenges us to let go of a sanitized Christianity and return to the powerful, raw and ancient faith that chooses revolution over compromise, peril over safety, and passion over lukewarm and watered-down religion. We have the privilege of praying for those who have answered this call of Christ. They risk prison, torture and even death for the pleasure of leading others into a relationship with their King-Jesus Christ. Our challenge to you this week is not only to take the time to pray for our persecuted brethren, but also to seek further ways to share the name of Jesus with those around you. VOM Web Team |
| Prayers for May 17, 2005 From The Voice of the Martyrs |
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 EGYPT (Compass Direct) An Egyptian convert to Christianity is being held in a Cairo mental hospital where supervising doctors have told him he will stay until he recants his faith and returns to Islam. Gaser Mohammed Mahmoud, 30, was committed to the El-Khanka Hospital in early January by his adoptive parents after they learned he had become a Christian two years earlier. The hospital medical committee placed Mahmoud under the care of a female physician identified only as Dr. Nevine, whom sources describe as a "fanatic Muslim." Since his forced confinement, Mahmoud has reportedly endured beatings, whippings and potentially fatal injections. Pray God will keep Mahmoud safe and his mind clear as he clings to his faith in Jesus. Pray international publicity concerning this situation will bring about his release. Pray Jesus will reveal Himself to Dr. Nevine, causing her to repent and turn to Him. Add your voice on behalf of Gaser Mohammed Mahmoud by writing to: Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt Ahmed Maher El Sayed, Ambassador 3521 International Ct. NW Washington, D.C. 20008 Phone: (202) 895-5400 Fax: (202) 244-4319 E-mail: embassy@egyptembdc.org  RUSSIA (ASSIST News Service) According to Anneta Vyssotskaia, Russian-language translator for the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, the situation for evangelical Protestants in Russia is "explosive and unstable." She believes the future security of Russia's Protestants depends on whether the authorities of the Russian Orthodox Church continue their policy of developing political cooperation with the government at the expense of religious minorities or decide to concentrate on spiritual matters. The situation for Russian Catholics is equally troubling as the Russian Orthodox Church seeks every avenue to hinder Catholic growth. Officials who are oriented solely toward supporting the Russian Orthodox Church are concerned that evangelical churches have experienced tremendous growth throughout Russia in the last decade, and the number of Protestant churches exceeds that of Russian Orthodox ones. Pray God will continue to empower the evangelical churches to bring thousands of Russians into a personal relationship with Jesus. Pray the new believers will grow in faith and wisdom, rejecting the legalistic traditions of their forefathers. Pray for a mighty move of the Holy Spirit to revive the Russian Orthodox Church.  NEPAL (Equip Nepal) Last week VOM reported the April 27th arrest of a Christian couple charged with forcibly converting minors at the orphanage they manage. Babu and Sabitri were released after 13 days, and the case was dismissed because "there was no proof" that they had forcibly converted any children. While in jail, Babu shared the gospel with a policeman and a member of the military who both received Christ. Hindu organizations who are angry with the dismissal of this case called a one-day general strike against Birganj City in protest. Although Babu and Sabitri have lost a lot of weight and are very tired after the days spent in separate crowded and foul-smelling cells, they are doing well and want to thank everyone who prayed for them. Thank God that Babu and Sabitri were released early with no charges against them. Rejoice with the angels in heaven that Babu was able to lead two more into God's eternal Kingdom. Pray the Lord will protect the Christians in that area from any retaliation by disgruntled Hindus.  CHINA (VOM-Canada) On April 27th, seven Catholic priests were arrested on their way to a retreat. Six were released the next day, and the seventh, Li Suchuan, was released a few days later. Police in that area are prepared to "turn a blind eye" to the activities of the unofficial Catholic Church as long as they are "not too obvious." However, the Auxiliary Bishop of Xiwanzi in Hebei province has been detained and is being subjected to "re-education through labor." The 83-year-old bishop, Yao Liang, was arrested March 31st, and then released in mid-April. Soon after his release, he was again detained, undoubtedly to convince the bishop to leave the underground Catholic Church and join the official government church. (Click here) Pray God will give supernatural physical and emotional strength to Bishop Yao. Pray his Christlike attitude will lead other prisoners to seek the Savior of their souls. Pray for those in authority who have never known the One who loved them enough to die for them.  NIGERIA (Compass Direct) Fourteen Christians were among 17 people killed in the central state of Benue, Nigeria, after Muslim militants attacked the villages of Chilakera and Imbufu on April 10th. A local government official, Tsenongo Abancha, told Compass that tensions between the two religious communities was fueled by the rape of a Christian student at the hands of two Muslim men. "This girl was not only raped by these Muslims, but was also poisoned to death on March 17," Abancha said. Police have reportedly arrested nine people in connection with the incident, including relatives of the dead Christian girl. Meanwhile in the city of Lagos, a street fight broke out when Muslims accosted a Christian woman on a street near a mosque. The fight left four people hospitalized and caused considerable property damage. Pray God will bless the family of the raped and murdered student with the peace that comes from forgiving hearts. Pray God will work out His eternal purposes in the trial of those who killed her. Pray Christians worldwide will unite in prayer for Christians in Nigeria who are suffering at the hands of Muslim extremists. 1Search for The Barbarian Way at: https://www.vombooks.com 2 Egyptian Embassy embassy@egyptembdc.org 3 CHINA http://persecution.net/pnp.htm#4 www.persecution.com |
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