The girl's plight is likely to reignite debate about growing religious intolerance in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where strict anti-blasphemy laws make defaming Islam or the Prophet Mohammed or desecrating the Qur'an, a capital offence.
Human rights activists say the law is often used to settle petty disputes, but in the face of huge public support for the legislation, the government says it has no plans to change it. Many of those accused of blasphemy have been killed by violent mobs, while politicians who advocate a change in legislation have also been targeted.
Please pray for this young girl and her family. Pray for their protection and for her release, pray for the Christian families who fled their homes. Pray this case will shed further light on the problems of the current blasphemy laws and bring about change.
To post a prayer for Rimsha, go to our
Persecuted Church Prayer Wall. To learn more about the suffering Church in Pakistan, please visit the
Pakistan Country Report.
Syrian Christians fleeing by thousands
(Source: BosNewsLife, VOM USA)
Thousands of Christians have fled Syria after being accused of supporting the Assad regime or observing a "Western religion." Some believers have been killed, among whom is Atallah Ibrahim Bitar, who was shot to death while taking food to people forced into hiding by a week-long bombardment.
Most of the 10,000 Christian residents have left the area of Qusayr, near Homs, "after reportedly being given an ultimatum to leave, a threat which was also echoed by the mosques," according to aid workers in the region. Workers with another ministry described the city as "an extremely dangerous place for those who remain and it is clear that Christians no longer feel safe in their homes." According to a Dutch aid group, 90 percent of Christians living in Homs fled after "fanatics" forced them to leave their homes. An estimated 50,000 people have fled Homs since February.
Pray for the divine protection of Christians in Syria. Pray that they will find safe refuge and that they will prosper and flourish wherever they go. Pray for peace in Syria.
Go to the
Syria Country Report to learn more about the opposition our brothers and sisters face in Syria.
Missing Christian children found in radical madrasas in Bangladesh
(Source: International Christian Concern)
80 children from Christian homes in Bangladesh were taken under false pretences by mullahs (Islamic clerics) to various madrasas (Islamic boarding schools). Attempts were made to forcibly convert them to Islam. Eleven of the children have been rescued, while the whereabouts of the remaining 69 are unknown.
The children come from the Chittagong Hills of Eastern Bangladesh where their Christian faith makes them a minority and the target of overt discrimination. In January and February, the Christian parents each paid 15,000 BDT (roughly $182 CDN ) to individuals who promised to house and educate their children in nearby cities. A quality education in the Chittagong Hills is rare, and parents often do this as a way of providing a future for their children.
Parents lost communication with their children almost immediately. After months of conducting their own search, they contacted Hotline Human Rights Trust (HHRT). According to the HHRT director, the rescued children recounted acts of physical abuse when they refused to pray, read the Qur'an, or learn Arabic. The children went on to explain that they attempted to escape after being told they would be forcibly circumcised.
Thank the Lord for the children who have returned to their families and pray the missing children will be found soon. Ask the Lord to protect these children both physically and spiritually. May the Holy Spirit strengthen them through this ordeal. Pray the perpetrators will be brought to justice and the families in this area of Bangladesh will have other ways of providing an education for their children.
For more information on persecution in Bangladesh, visit the
Bangladesh Country Report.
Pastor and his wife assaulted by mob in Sri Lanka
(Source: World Evangelical Alliance)
A pastor and his wife were attacked in Deniyaya, Sri Lanka, while returning home after visiting a church member. A large mob of around 40 men, accompanied by five Buddhist monks and the assistant secretary of the local government authority, approached the pastor and his wife shouting, "attack them," "kill them." The pastor was then assaulted and accused of spreading Christianity in the area.
The pastor and his wife were then forcibly dragged to the home they had visited and the mob shouted at the lady of the house asking how much she was paid to convert to Christianity. She replied that she had become a Christian based on conviction and was not paid to do so. The pastor was once again assaulted but managed to escape with his wife. The pastor suffered injuries to his legs and body in the incident.
Pray the Lord will completely heal and restore the pastor and his wife. Pray for their protection and pray their faith will be strengthened so they can continue with their ministry. Pray for the perpetrators.
To learn more about the trials our brothers and sisters face in Sri Lanka, visit the
Sri Lanka Country Report.
