"This incident is indeed so very sad. Yet for these children whose lives have been tragically ended (prematurely as well), it is a very happy and blessed time," states VOMC's editor Karyn Marianne. "No doubt, they have already seen our Lord Jesus face to face, and we know He loves them very much. Of course, we need to pray for the surviving children and their families, plus the teachers and other members of this grieving community. May the prospect of heaven be even more real to them, and may the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit bring them great hope and consolation."
As this community of believers mourns their tragic loss, pray that they will know and rest in our "Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction" (2 Corinthians 1:3b-4a). Ask Him to bring physical and emotional healing to the surviving injured children. Pray that through prayer, forgiveness and grace, this community will be a shining light to their persecutors.
To stand in solidarity with these grieving believers, please share your prayers for them on our
Persecuted Church Prayer Wall.
NORTH KOREA: Pray for Successful Bible Balloon Launches
Source: The Voice of the Martyrs
In the late hours of October 23rd, the staff of a VOM partner organization gathered to launch Bibles into North Korea via balloons. The launch party prepared packages containing lightweight Korean New Testaments, attached them to hydrogen-filled balloons, and released a total of 3,600 into the air. After the overnight launch, the group was just 675 short of their goal of sending 48,000 into a country where the Bible is forbidden.
The only acceptable religion in North Korea is Juche, or "Kim Il-Sung-ism," the cult of the deceased leader. All other religions are harshly repressed. Hundreds of thousands of Christians have died because of severe persecution, and up to 35,000 are currently facing deplorable conditions in the country's prisons or work camps. The exact number of Christians is unknown, though estimated by most reliable sources to be around 100,000.
Pray that the Scriptures launched into North Korea will fall on "good soil" and yield a fruitful harvest (Luke 8:8). Ask God to richly bless those sharing the Gospel in North Korea with endurance and wisdom. May those suffering unspeakable hardships in the prison camps remain steadfast in their faith, trusting that the Lord is working out His greater plans (Romans 8:28).
Please visit the North Korea Country Report to learn more about
North Korea's persecuted church.
CHINA: Detainment of Members from State-Approved Church
Source: ChinaAid
More than 20 believers from Nanle County Christian Church, a state-approved church in Henan province, were recently detained. The arrests began on the morning of November 16th, when the pastor, Zhang Shaojie, arrived at the church for a meeting with the Nanle County Public Security Bureau Chief and a deputy. However, sources believe the meeting was actually a ploy to detain the pastor. When Pastor Zhang arrived, approximately a dozen police officers, without showing formal documents, entered the church and bound him.
Church members and Zhang's family gathered in front of the police station to protest his detainment. The group was denied entry to the building and some were beaten. According to church members, Pastor Zhang's elderly parents were hospitalized for high blood pressure and his two sisters were apprehended.
In order to prevent their own detainment, Pastor Zhang's daughter, son-in-law, and their 10-month-old daughter were forced to flee Nanle County. Pastor Zhang's daughter also reported receiving more than 10 threatening phone calls, with the callers making threats to "wipe out her entire family" if she continued to seek international help and provide information about the persecution of the church.
Over the course of the night, local government authorities had church members come to a government building where they were lectured and threatened. By morning, every gate to the church was guarded and anyone who tried to enter for Sunday worship was detained. At last report, the whereabouts of the majority of those apprehended was not yet known.
As well as pastoring the church, Pastor Zhang serves as the president of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement Christian Church in Nanle County. Church members believe these latest arrests are part of a plan to select a new president to replace Zhang. The members explain that the government's problem with Zhang stems from his frequent defense of marginalized social groups and individuals who have had their rights violated.
"This case against even the officially approved churches again shows the current Chinese regime has no intention to relent its increasing persecution on citizens for religious freedom," states Bob Fu, founder and president of ChinaAid, a partner of VOMC.
While we do not know the whereabouts or condition of all those being detained, we can rest in the fact that our Father is fully aware of their exact location and their every need. Ask Him to meet these needs and to encourage His faithful followers with the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. Pray that the detained believers will soon be released, and that the persecution they experienced in Nanle County will result in an increased boldness to share the Gospel (Acts 4:29-31).
For more information on our persecuted brothers and sisters in China, please visit our
China Country Report.
