According to an eye witness, one of the insurgents wanted to take the Children's Bible from Joel's hand but the little boy refused. The angered Muslim insurgent snatched the Bible by force and threw it into a nearby burning fire. Joel ran toward the fire to rescue his beloved Bible.
While struggling with a stick to remove his Bible from the fire, Joel was hit on the head with the butt of an AK-47 and pushed into the fire. Not satisfied, the insurgent proceeded to step on the young child's head, pressing it into the burning flames, all the while railing curses and abuses on the little boy, calling him a "stubborn infidel." After causing this incident, the heartless Boko Haram member then callously walked away, leaving the wounded child at the scene.
While we can be thankful that this young child's life was spared, let us cry out to God on behalf of Joel and others like him who have so unjustly suffered at the hands of Boko Haram...asking the Lord to bring justice in such an unjust world. Additionally, ask Him to protect and preserve His people (Psalm 140), including vulnerable children. Pray that the Lord will not only completely heal little Joel and the other victimized members of his Christian community, but that He would also bless them with a strong faith, great endurance, and an unquenchable desire to love and serve Him despite the attack.
AFGHANISTAN: Humanitarian Workers Killed by Taliban Gunmen
Source: Voice of the Martyrs USA
Three South Africans and two Afghan nationals were killed in an attack on the Partnership in Academics & Development compound in Kabul on Saturday, November 29th. Werner Groenewald was killed along with his 17-year-old son, 15-year-old daughter, and two Afghan co-workers.
Three Taliban gunmen had entered the compound dressed as policemen and carried out an attack that lasted for three hours. Werner's surviving wife, Hannelie, was at the clinic where she worked as a doctor when the attack occurred. Werner, who had worked in Afghanistan for 12 years, was killed while trying to protect his children.
The Taliban later claimed responsibility for the attack by posting a message on the Twitter social networking site, stating that it was a "Christian proselytizing compound." A friend of Werner's reported that he had closed his last session with an international group of co-workers by saying, "We only die once, so it might as well be for Jesus."
(To learn more about what Christians are facing in Afghanistan, review
our online country report.)
Please uphold the distraught families of the two slain Afghan workers and Werner's now suddenly widowed wife, Hannelie, who has tragically lost three close family members of her own. Ask the Lord to supernaturally sustain these bereaved Christians as they come to terms with their tremendous loss. Pray that as they grieve, He will give them the strength and grace needed to exemplify His love through their Godly response, as well as through their prayers for the persecutors (Matthew 5:43-48). May their tragic loss not be in vain, but rather serve as a powerful testimony -- one that will ultimately strengthen fellow believers and draw many Afghans to Christ.
SUDAN: Christians Resist Hostile Takeover
Source: Morning Star News
Following the secession of South Sudan in July 2011, Sudanese Christians have experienced escalating attacks resulting from a government policy to eradicate Christianity from the country. Since 2012, Sudan has expelled foreign Christians and bulldozed many church buildings on the pretext that church property belongs to investors. (For more information on the persecution taking place in this country,
click here.)
The most recent attack at the end of November included a wrecking crew (accompanied by police carrying weapons) to bulldoze the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church's "Khartoum Bahri Evangelical Church," along with some houses -- including one belonging to Nile Theological College.
Police beat worshippers and arrested 38 for refusing to surrender the property, but the Christians resisted the attacks. "Boisterous young men" willing to die for their faith faced off with police, and church members formed a human shield to ward off additional demolition attempts. One of the arrested believers announced: "We have enjoyed worshipping and praising God in prison. The power of God was present among us."
Officials claim they have a court order demanding that church leaders surrender the property to a Muslim businessman who signed a contract giving him a right to invest in land. Church leaders who hold property ownership papers suspect the government made a secret agreement to sell him the church's property as part of Sudan's campaign to eliminate Christianity.
What an inspiration these believers are to the rest of the world through their spiritual fervency and steadfastness! May God continue to strengthen them in the midst of this unseen heavenly battle, also serving as their divine Advocate and Mediator when dealing with officials over the legalities of property rights. Pray that as these Christians lift up the name of Jesus in both word and deed, their adversaries will themselves come to realize their need of salvation through our Risen Saviour.
We encourage you to post a prayer on behalf of our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ. You may join along with others who are also concerned about their plight by going to the
Persecuted Church Prayer Wall.
