One night at around 9:30 p.m., after the family of Pastor James and his wife had gone to bed, two men on a motorcycle stopped by the home. The men lured the pastor outside by asking him to help them fix their motorcycle. When the pastor went to take a look at the vehicle, he heard men behind him ask his wife her name. When she replied, they shot her twice at point-blank range.
Pastor James and his family were the only Christians in their village, and his wife was very active in sharing Christ with everyone she met. The pastor and his four daughters are now being cared for by a VOM contact in another city as they mourn the unexpected loss of their greatly missed wife and mother.
Please bring this heartbreaking situation to our loving Heavenly Father in prayer, asking Him to grant His peace to those who are grieving. May He provide safety and shelter for this family as they mourn, shielding each one of them from further attack. Please intercede on behalf of the gunmen, praying that they will heed the conviction of the Holy Spirit and repent of their sins so they may also become bold disciples of Jesus Christ. In addition, remember in prayer the other brave men and women who are ministering in dangerous areas of Colombia, that God would grant them wisdom and endurance as they serve Him at great personal risk.
For more information on Colombia's persecuted church, please
visit our website.
NIGERIA: Attacks Against Churches Result in More Casualties
Sources: Morning Star News, Christian Solidarity Worldwide
At least four Christians and a soldier were killed in the city of Kano, Kano State, on July 27th after a bomb was thrown over a church's fence as believers were leaving their Sunday worship service. Many other Christians were hospitalized with injuries. Several other sites in the area have also been bombed in recent weeks, and the Islamic militant group "Boko Haram" (which translates to "Western education is a sin") is suspected to be behind the assaults. The terrorist group seeks to impose Sharia law throughout the country, often targeting Christians.
In another incident, Fulani gunmen stormed a church service in southern Kaduna State on August 3rd and began firing at those present. A young man who was guarding the church was killed, while several others were seriously injured. There has been a surge in attacks by increasingly well-armed Fulani herdsmen on non-Muslim villages in several Nigerian states this year. The progressively sophisticated tactics and weaponry utilized by the herders has led several knowledgeable observers to conclude that they have developed links with Boko Haram.
As our Christian family in Nigeria faces ruthless assaults from militant groups and Fulani gunmen alike, pray that the Lord will not only protect them from further attack but also greatly strengthen their faith and encourage their hearts. May they look to Jesus for the grace to forgive their persecutors and earnestly love and pray for all who oppose them. Please ask God to grant Nigeria's governing authorities the wisdom needed to adequately protect vulnerable believers, and the desire to pursue justice on behalf of those already victimized in the heartless attacks.
You can learn more about the ongoing struggles facing our Christian family in Nigeria by visiting our
Country Report.
RECENT PRISONER UPDATES
EGYPT: Christian Convert Re-arrested Shortly After Release
Source: Morning Star News
Bishoy Armia Boulous (previously known as Mohammed Hegazy) was recently released from detention only to be re-arrested on charges of "defaming Islam." The 31-year-old convert to Christianity was released on bail after appealing his June 18th conviction of "inciting sectarian violence," having been caught by authorities with a camera and several flash drives in Minya, Upper Egypt. Authorities claimed he was contributing to a "false image" that there is persecution in Minya, even though believers there have suffered numerous and well-documented public kidnappings, assaults and destruction of property. (For more information on these charges, please
visit our website.)
However, despite the encouraging news that he was released on bail, Bishoy was re-arrested on July 21st on charges filed five years ago in 2009. According to one of Bishoy's lawyers, the unexpected charges include defaming a revealed religion, perverting a holy book or ridiculing a religious celebration, and two counts of inciting public sedition. "It's very obvious (that) because he's a convert, they wanted to keep him in prison," the lawyer explains. The legal representative further notes that despite his client's re-arrest, "(Bishoy's) faith is getting stronger."
Bishoy has faced severe persecution since 2007, the year in which he filed a legal suit to change the religious identity on his ID card from Muslim to Christian. To learn more about the opposition he and his wife -- and their children -- have endured, you can watch a 2009 video interview with him on our
multimedia site.
Please pray for Bishoy as he now faces these new charges. May he and his family rest in the sure knowledge that the Lord is walking closely alongside them through this valley (Psalm 23:4). Pray that the charges filed against him will soon be dropped and that Bishoy will be free to return to his loved ones. Ask God to grant wisdom to the legal team, as well as compassion to all of the authorities involved as they proceed with this case. Throughout the legal process, may Bishoy's testimony be used in a mighty way, leading many others in Egypt into a genuine and lasting relationship with our Lord Jesus.
To share your own prayer requests for Bishoy and his loved ones, please visit our
Persecuted Church Prayer Wall.
