(Source: International Christian Concern)
On November 4, a church building in a predominately Muslim area in Garissa, Kenya, was targeted in a grenade attack. The chaplain of the church, Julius Mukonzi, was killed and 11 others were wounded. Six of the 11 were air-lifted to Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi due to the seriousness of their injuries.
The grenade, which was thrown onto the roof, tore through the sheet-metal and landed at the podium where the chaplain was delivering a sermon. "It hit him right in the forehead. He died immediately," a source said to the press. "The force of the explosion was so strong that it uprooted a nearby tree."
Police suspect the Islamic terrorist group al Shabab is responsible, but there has been no word about whether suspects have been identified or arrested. Al Shabab has a large presence in the Somali immigrant community in Garissa. Churches have been targeted by the terrorist group in many attacks since Kenyan troops were sent into Somalia in October 2011 (for more information on these attacks,
click here).
Please intercede for the grieving and the injured. Ask the Lord to bring them comfort, strength and healing, and pray that He will help them remain steadfast in the faith (1 Peter 5:8-10). Pray that the Lord will bring a change of heart to members of al Shabab.
To post a prayer of love and support for these believers, please visit our
Persecuted Church Prayer Wall.
Church building set ablaze in Indonesia
(Source: Asia News)
Unidentified attackers torched a church building in Poso, Indonesia, in a series of renewed violence against the local Christian community late last month. The fire at the Madele Pentecostal Church began when attackers doused a collection box with petrol and set it on fire. The pastor's residence was also damaged in the blaze. Reports state that the timely intervention by villagers, including some Muslims, was crucial in curbing the damage caused by the fire. In a recent spurt of violence against Christians in Poso, a number of places of worship as well as buildings owned by Christians have come under attack.
Pray that the believers will be encouraged to continue to meet together despite opposition (Hebrews 10:23-25). Ask the Lord to grow the believers in courage and in faithfulness. Pray that the perpetrators will repent and come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
Please visit the
Indonesia Country Report to learn more about our persecuted brothers and sisters in Indonesia.
Update: Christian school in Sudan reopens amidst growing persecution
(Source: Morning Star News)
Amid threats of further losses, classes recently resumed at a Bible school and church compound in Khartoum, Sudan, that Muslim extremists set ablaze in April.
On April 21, Sudanese Muslims set Gerif West Bible School on fire -- a fire that not only obliterated school walls, but also destroyed cartons of Bibles and school textbooks (for more information, please
click here). While students and administrators have yet to fully recover their losses from the attack, classes resumed on October 15.
However, Muslims are continuing to target the believers by attempting to take school land and by broadcasting anti-Christian messages from a nearby mosque loudspeaker. Muslim leaders have been asserting through the mosque loudspeaker that Christian institutions should not be permitted in Sudan, as the country should be a "purely Islamic state" since the secession of South Sudan on July 9, 2011.
Thank the Lord for the reopening of Gerif West Bible School! Pray that the Lord will protect the students and staff. Pray that the Holy Spirit will be at work in the hearts and minds of those opposed to Christianity in Sudan. Pray that Sudanese believers will exemplify the love of God through consistent love and prayer for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:43-48).
For more information about Sudan's persecuted Church, please visit the
Sudan Country Report.
Massive Christian rally in Egypt brings estimated 25,000 to Christ
(Source: Open Doors)
During the first weekend in October, 10,000 young people gathered in the desert 100 kilometres north of Cairo to sing and pray and to worship the Lord. The youth gathering was followed up on October 25-28 with an even larger event at the same location -- a Christian rally which drew approximately 45,000 people. The focus of the event was to present the message of salvation and call people to give their lives to Jesus. The rally was especially timely as Christians in Egypt are facing increased persecution since the June election of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohammed Morsi.
An estimated 25,000 people gave their lives to Jesus, with 8,000 cards filled out by people who requested follow-up visits by churches. Two to three million people followed the rally on two Christian satellite channels broadcasted live each day to North America, Australia and the Middle East.
A Christian leader wrote that Egyptian Christians "want to thank all our Christian brothers and sisters worldwide who have faithfully been praying with us and for us as we stood back and watched what mighty things God has done in the lives of many people. We are grateful to Him for His great work among us and for you as our partners in the Kingdom of God."
Praise the Lord for the work He is doing in Egypt. Pray for the thousands who heard the message and responded. Pray that they will have the opportunity to receive effective discipleship. Pray these new believers will never be ashamed of the gospel because God's power brings salvation through it (Romans 1:16).
To learn more about the difficult reality for our Christian family in Egypt, go to the
Egypt Country Report.
