WhatFinger


Voice of the Martyrs, Persecution and Prayer Alert

Update: Vietnamese Christian lawyer released



(Source: VOM-USA) Nguyen Van Dai, a Vietnamese human rights lawyer and religious freedom advocate was recently released after serving his four-year sentence. Van Dai, arrested in March 2007 on accusations relating to his defense of religious freedom (click here for more information), must still fulfill a four-year administrative, or "house arrest," sentence.

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Praise the Lord for Van Dai's release! Ask God to fill him with enduring hope and faith as he serves his house arrest sentence. Pray that the Church in Vietnam will continue to grow and be a light to others. Pray for comfort for the many other Vietnamese Christians in prison. You can encourage an imprisoned Vietnamese Christian by writing to him or her online at (link). You can also download VOM's free letter-writing guide, "Doing Time for God," which equips you to write to prisoners of faith around the world at. For more on the persecution of Vietnamese Christians, go to the Vietnam Country Report.

Update: Detained Bibles released in Malaysia

(Sources: VOM-USA, AsiaNews) Two shipments totaling approximately 30,000 Bibles detained by Malaysian port authorities in January (click here for more information) were recently released. Authorities seized the Bibles, which had been imported from Indonesia for distribution in schools, churches and longhouses, because they claimed they could cause a conflict with an ongoing court case involving use of the word "Allah" in a Catholic newspaper. Most Christians, however, believe the government is worried that the Bibles will be distributed to Muslim Malays, and see the seizure as part of a systematic plan to deny access to the Bible in Malay. Authorities had taken similar action in March 2009, when they detained 5,100 copies of the Good News Bible in Malay in Port Klang. The government's decision to release this recent shipment came with the condition that the books are stamped with a serial number and the inscription "For Christians Only" on the cover. Malaysian Christian leaders have refused these terms, fearing the government would use the serial numbers to track the Bibles and penalize those who accepted them. At last report, the Malaysian Bible Society has rejected the restrictions placed on the Bibles and is refusing to collect them. Praise God for the release of these Bibles. Pray Christians in Malaysia will remain faithful in spite of opposition from those in authority. Pray they will know that they are not alone, but part of the Body of Christ. Pray these Bibles will somehow get into the hands of those who long for the life and truth found through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). You can learn more about the challenges facing Christian in Malaysia at the Malaysia Country Report.

Two Christians slain in Pakistan

(Source: Compass Direct) Two Christians were recently killed by Muslim youths who opened fire on believers outside a church in Sindh Province, Pakistan. Residents of Hurr Camp, a colony of working-class Christians in the city of Hyderabad, were reportedly celebrating the 30th anniversary of their Salvation Army church when a group of Muslim youths gathered outside the building and started playing music loudly on their cell phones. The Muslims also started teasing Christian women as they arrived for the celebration. Four Christians went outside the church building and told the Muslims to stop teasing the women and to respect the sanctity of the church. An argument ensued. The Muslim youths eventually left, but returned with handguns. They then opened fire on the Christians. Younus, 47, and Jameel, 22, were killed instantly. The other believers, Siddique, 45, and Waseem, 20, were seriously injured. At last report, they were hospitalized in the capital city of Karachi. Younis leaves behind a wife and four children. Jameel is survived by his wife of one month. The grief of the slain believers' families has been exacerbated by the police's indifference to the case. Authorities did not even register a case in the killings until late that night, and only did so after local Christians blocked the main highway with the two bodies for some hours. Jameel's paternal uncle, Anwar, alleged that the police were biased against the Christians, as none of the accused has been arrested so far. "Please pray for us," he said. Ask God to comfort all those who mourn for Jameel and Younis, filling them with the peace that surpasses understanding in the midst of their grief (Philippians 4:7). Pray that the Lord will bring their murderers to justice. Pray for cross-bearing disciples in Pakistan committed to the Great Commission. You can learn more about the suffering of Christians in Pakistan at the Pakistan Country Report.

House Church raided by police in China

(Source: ChinaAid Association) Chinese authorities recently raided a home in Shaanxi Province where believers were gathered for Sunday worship. On March 13, a dozen Christians were attending a house-church service in the village of Ma'an when the local police chief and two other officers barged into the building. The officers confiscated Bibles and other Christian literature. They also took all of the believers into police custody. Ten of the Christians were released that same evening. At last report, however, two believers--Weng and Zhang Yongkuan--remain detained. Pray for the release of the two detained Christians. Pray that believers in the village will not lose heart but will trust the Lord in all things. Pray for wisdom for area church leaders in the midst of opposition. Pray that authorities in China will truly respect the religious freedom of all citizens. You can find out more about the trials facing Christians in China by visiting the China Country Report.


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