Update: Brutalized teenage believer in Sudan prays for forgiveness for her tormentors

(Source: International Christian Concern) A young Sudanese Christian teenager who was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and physically attacked over the course of one year is praying that her former captors, a gang of Muslims who tried to force her to convert to Islam, find mercy. After escaping last July, she says she is praying that Jesus reveals himself to her assailants, and "forgives them for what they did to me." Hiba Abdelfadil Anglo says she escaped from them with the help of God who did not want her to suffer any more (for more information, click here). "I want to thank God who saved me from the hands of the abductors," said Hiba just two months after she escaped. "I also thank God for all believers all over the world for their prayers for me and my family. It was because of your prayers that my situation changed." Hiba, who missed one year of school due to the abduction, is in school again, but her widowed mother lost her job after taking time to search for her daughter, so the financial burdens are a strain. Please pray that Hiba's physical and emotional wounds will be healed and that she will succeed in her studies and grow in her faith. Please pray that her captors' knees will bend before Jesus, and that they will turn to the one true God in repentance. Pray that God will strengthen and embolden the Church in Sudan. To post a prayer of solidarity with Hiba, please visit our Persecuted Church Prayer Wall. To learn more about how Sudanese believers suffer for Christ's sake, visit the Sudan Country Report.

Update: Bomber of Christian family in the West Bank deemed fit to stand trial

(Source: VOM-USA) An American-born man who bombed the home of a Messianic Jewish family in the West Bank has been declared fit to stand trial. Yaakov "Jack" Teitel, 39, stands accused of planting a bomb in the home of Pastor David Ortiz in 2008 (for more information, click here). Teitel, who has been dubbed the "Jewish terrorist," is also charged with the murder of two Palestinians and with other serious offenses. Teitel's lawyers had tried to argue that he was not mentally competent, but a district court judge in Jerusalem ruled that the married father of four is fit for trial. He emigrated from Florida to Israel in 2000, and in March 2008, Teitel attempted to murder 15-year-old Ami Ortiz, the son of a Messianic Jewish couple in Ariel, by allegedly placing a bomb in a Purim gift basket at the Ortiz's home. The bomb, believed to be intended for Ami's father, exploded when the teenager opened it, and he was severely burned and injured by shrapnel. The trial is scheduled to begin in several weeks. Please pray that Ami will continue to heal and that all the victims of Teitel's violence will be comforted. Pray that authorities will act justly in this case. Pray that Teitel will repent and come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. For more information on the opposition facing Christians in the West Bank, go to the Palestine Country Report.

Buddhists oust believers from their homes in Nepal

(Source: VOM-USA) Buddhists in Nepal drove a pastor and other believers from their village, accusing the pastor of bringing a foreign religion to the village and promoting teachings against society. The oppressors accused Christians in the village of using bribery and coercion to covert local residents to Christianity. It is also believed a six-year-old girl was sexually abused by one of the individuals who incited the expulsion. A VOM worker has helped the victims resettle in another village and also prayed with the family of the girl who was abused. Pray that the passion these believers have for Christ will be the light that draws others to Jesus (Matthew 5:14-16). Pray for healing for the girl who was abused. Please pray that hostility against Christians in Nepal will cease and that believers will be allowed to live and worship freely. Please visit the Nepal Country Report for more on the trials believers face in Nepal.

Three Iranian pastors report to prison

(Source: VOM-USA) Three pastors, who are also husbands and fathers of young children, have been ordered to report to prison in Shiraz, Iran. Pastor Parviz Khalaj, a husband and father to a 10-year-old son, was convicted of committing crimes against the order and was sentenced to two years in prison. Pastor William Belyad who was convicted of the same crime, was sentenced to five years in prison and will be taken away from his wife and one-month-old son. William's wife, Nazly, was arrested with him but has not been called to serve a sentence yet. Pastor Behrouz Sadegh Khandjani, a husband and father to a seven-year-old daughter, was sentenced to one year in prison for the same conviction. Another pastor, Mehdi Foroutan, was arrested at the same time and has already reported to prison (for more, click here). Please pray that these brothers will remain faithful and will be soon returned to their families. Please pray for strength and peace for their wives and children. Praise God that William's wife, Nazly, has not been called to prison. Ask God to be near to those suffering in prison for His name's sake. For more on the trials believers face in Iran, go to the Iran Country Report.

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