Update: Ugandan girl tortured by her father for her faith walks again
(Source: Compass Direct News)
A 15-year-old Christian girl in Uganda is slowly regaining the use of her legs after her father, in an attempt to make her convert back to Islam, confined her in a small room and deprived her of adequate food and water.
Susan Ithungu was locked in a room for six months after accepting Christ as her Saviour in 2010 (for more information, click here). She weighed just 20 kilograms when she was finally rescued after her brother informed neighbours of his sister's life-threatening condition. The two children lived alone with their father who was arrested last fall when the girl was removed from the home by police and hospitalized for more than a month. Susan's father was quickly released, however, and remains unapologetic for the abuse. Susan now lives in a rented house in an undisclosed location.
"Well-wishers have been paying the house rent and buying me food and clothing," said Susan, who added that she has forgiven her father. A church member, Biira Dreda, left her own four children with family to care for Susan. Susan has begun to walk with support, but cannot squat or stand upright due to the amount of time she spent immobilized. She hopes to return to school soon, but remains in very fragile condition.
Please pray that Susan will continue to make progress in her physical and emotional healing. Pray that she will regain full use of her legs and will be strong enough to continue in her studies. Pray that her brother and her father will see Christ's love in Susan and that they will be brought to salvation. Please pray for Biira; pray that her love and compassion for Susan will be rewarded with abundant blessings.
Update: Two imprisoned Christians in Pakistan released
(Sources: Asia News, Compass Direct News)
Blasphemy charges against a 74-year-old believer have been dropped while a Christian woman who was brutally beaten by police while pregnant has been released on bail due to lack of evidence.
The elderly believer arrested in June 2010 under Pakistan's contentious blasphemy law, which is often used to persecute Christians in the predominantly Muslim nation, was released after 18 months in prison. Rehmat Masih was charged shortly after he had engaged in a dispute with a local Muslim leader, Tahir Hameed, who wanted to lay claim to some plots of land that belonged to local Christians. Hameed's brother was the man who accused Rehmat of insulting Muhammad (for more information, click here). After months of investigation, the court ruled that statements of witnesses were filed too late and were full of contradictions.
Thirty-year-old Salma Emmanuel and her husband, 30-year-old Emmanuel Rasheed, were severely beaten for three days when they refused to confess to false allegations in November 2011 (for more information, click here). Salma was taken to a hospital in critical condition and the life of her unborn child was also threatened. Rasheed, who was freed on bail in November, lost his job as did his wife, who was falsely accused of theft by the woman who employed her as a maid. The couple is now struggling to support their three children. Salma was released on bail in December 2011 after police failed to produce evidence incriminating her.
Praise God that these faithful believers have been freed! Please pray that Salma and Emmanuel will find employment and will be able to provide for their family. Pray that the lives of these believers will be an encouragement and will offer hope to other Christians imprisoned in Pakistan. Please pray that other persecuted Christians in Pakistan will endure the trials before them by trusting in the Lord.
For more on the persecution of Pakistani Christians, go to the
Pakistan Country Report.
Church leaders in Sudan may face arrest
(Source: Compass Direct News)
Sharing Christ could land pastors in prison as Sudan's Ministry of Guidance and Religious Endowments has threatened to arrest church leaders if they carry out evangelistic activities and fail to provide their names and contact information.
The threats were sent by letter to church leaders of the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SPEC) shortly after the New Year. It arrived just a few days after Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity in Darfur, told cheering crowds that following the secession of the largely non-Islamic South Sudan last July, the country's constitution will be more deeply entrenched in Shariah, or Islamic, law (for more on the secession,click here).
Christian leaders said Christianity is now regarded as a foreign religion following the departure of 350,000 people -- most of them Christians -- to South Sudan following the secession. Sudan's Interim National Constitution (INC) holds up Shariah as a source of legislation and laws, and the policies of the government favour Islam. War in Sudan's South Kordofan state has also led leaders there and in North Kordofan to incite hatred against Christians with officials in both states calling for holy war against the predominantly Christian Nuba people.
Pray that the gospel will advance throughout Sudan despite all efforts to thwart it. Please pray that President Omar al-Bashir will be brought to justice for his crimes and that he will repent and bend his knee to Christ. Pray the Nuba people will be protected by God.
To learn more about how Sudanese believers suffer for Christ's sake, visit the
Sudan Country Report.
Update: New laws in Azerbaijan attempt to repress the gospel
(Source: Forum 18 News Service)
Believers in Azerbaijan who distribute religious material that hasn't been through compulsory state censorship will now face prison terms of two to five years or fines equivalent to nine years' minimum wage salary. The punishments are included in amendments to the Criminal and Administrative Codes, which were prepared by the powerful Presidential Administration (for more information, click here) and signed into law by the president on December 12, 2011.
Azerbaijan has been increasingly restricting religious freedoms for several years. In 2009, the Religion Law was twice amended to restrict rights and freedoms related to religion, and in December 2010, fines for religious activity under the Administrative Code were increased by up to 20 times. More amendments in July 2011 introduced new controls on religious education as well as other restrictions.
Please pray that President Ilham Aliev will succumb to international pressure and stop violating the rights and freedoms of the people he governs. Pray that believers in Azerbaijan will continue to be bold in sharing their faith so that more will be saved (1 Timothy 2:4).
Please visit the
Azerbaijan Country Report to learn more about persecution in Azerbaijan.
UK Christians raise voice for North Korean believers
(Source: Release International)
A funeral procession for freedom was staged by VOM's sister mission in the UK, Release International, on January 20 outside the North Korean Embassy in London. Release International called on North Korea's new leader, Kim Jong-Un, to reverse the nation's reputation as one of the worst persecutors of Christians.
To the beat of a drum, Release International's supporters accompanied a coffin to the Embassy. Dressed for mourning, their faces painted with running tears, they staged a prayer vigil. A 52,000-signature petition was also presented to the Embassy, calling for religious freedom.
The coffin signified the death of freedom in North Korea under the previous leadership. After the petition was handed in, the coffin lid was opened and white balloons released -- a sign of hope for a new beginning.
"With the country's new young leader, now is the time for change," said Release International's CEO, Andy Dipper. "Christians are treated as political prisoners and held in prison camps, which have been likened to concentration camps.... Because of their faith they are detained, brutally tortured and removed from society. Many are forced to flee the country they love to avoid terrible persecution and oppression. Given a chance to practice their faith freely, North Korean Christians would work to support North Korean society and unity."
Pray that North Korean Christians will remain steadfast to God in every circumstance they face. Pray that religious freedom will soon be respected. Ask God to work powerfully in the life of Kim Jong-Un. Pray that Christians around the world will be dedicated to pray for believers in North Korea.
For more information on our brothers and sisters in North Korea, visit the
North Korea Country Report.
