The Persecution & Prayer Alert
The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada
www.persecution.net
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
A weekly news digest on the Persecuted Church and how you can respond.
"Remember Them" -- find out how. Go to www.rememberthem.ca.
Subscribe to the RSS feed at www.persecution.net/pnp.xml.
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In this week's edition: Reports from India, Colombia, Singapore, Nepal, Israel, with updates from China and India
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1. Pastors Beaten By Militants in Andhra Pradesh, India
Three pastors were beaten with sticks by approximately 50 Hindu militants while distributing Christian tracts to children in the town of Devarkonda, Andhra Pradesh on April 14. Pastor John Kumar's hand was broken and the other two were severely injured in the attack.
Pray for healing for these believers. Ask God to give them and other church leaders in India the wisdom to know how to shepherd the believers through times of suffering (James 1:5).
For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, go to www.persecution.net/country/india.htm.
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2. Priests Receive Death Threats in Colombia
Parish priests in the province of Bolivar, Colombia have received death threats in recent weeks, according to an April 17 report from Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Priests in the communities of Tiquisio and Regidor, along with a number of local human rights groups, reportedly received e-mail messages declaring them "military objectives" to be eliminated. The messages were signed by an emerging paramilitary group made up of former members of the now demobilized United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia. Local people believe that the diocese was targeted in connection with its well-known documentation and denunciation of human rights abuses.
Pray for safety and wisdom for these priests as they carry out their work. Pray that Christians in Colombia will not be overcome by fear but remain triumphant in faithfulness (Rev. 2:10).
For more information on the difficulties facing Christians in Colombia, go to www.persecution.net/country/colombia.htm.
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3. Couple Charged For Distributing "Objectionable" Christian Material in Singapore
On April 14, two charges were lodged against a married couple for distributing a Christian publication in Singapore in March and October of last year that allegedly cast Mohammed in a "negative light." Ong Kian Cheong (49) and Dorothy Chan Hien Leng (44) are charged under the Sedition Act for "promot feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Singapore" (to view the full text of this Act, visit http://tinyurl.com/69f9tc). The two were also charged under the Undesirable Publications Act, which defines "objectionable" material as an item which depicts "race or religion in such a manner that the availability of the publication is likely to cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different racial or religious groups" (to read this Act, go to http://tinyurl.com/6hqm27). The couple was alleged to have been distributing an evangelistic tract entitled "The Little Bride." Go to www.chick.com/reading/tracts/1054/1054_01.asp to view an English version of this material.
Pray that the charges against Ong and Dorothy will be dropped. Pray for the Holy Spirit to direct them as they respond to their accusers (Luke 2:11). Pray for continued opportunities for Christians in Singapore to share the truth of Christ.
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4. Maoists' Victory Seen as Positive for Religious Freedom in Nepal
Christians in Nepal have welcomed the victory of the Maoist party in elections held on April 10 for an assembly to rewrite the constitution and make the nation a democratic republic. The Maoists clinched 119 seats of the 224 results announced for the constituent assembly. Believers see the victory as a step forward towards full religious freedom in the country which has been an official Hindu kingdom for more than 200 years.
Commenting on the election result, Bernie Daniel, a spokesman for The Voice of Martyrs Canada said: "It is indeed ironic that an electoral victory by a Maoist organization is perceived as conducive to religious freedom. It remains to be seen if this is going to be true, but we certainly hope and pray that the Maoists will keep their promise to be part of a democratic Nepal committed to respect the rights of our Christian brethren to worship God freely in the nation."
Pray for Nepalese Christians to continue trusting and serving the Lord as their country faces major change in its governance (1 Cor. 15:58). Ask God to reach the leaders of the Maoist party that won the election so that they will come to faith in Christ.
For more information on the state of religious freedom in Nepal, go to www.persecution.net/country/nepal.htm.
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5. Israeli Messianic Jews Win Citizenship Victory
The Voice of the Martyrs welcomes the ruling of Israel's Supreme Court on April 16 that ruled that Messianic Jews have the same rights regarding automatic citizenship as Jews who do not believe in Jesus as the Messiah. The case was brought to the court by twelve Messianic Jewish believers who were denied citizenship because they were part of the Messianic Jewish community. This ruling is likely to have a significant impact on Israel's Messianic Jewish community although the ruling would not cover all Messianic Jews. The ruling specifically addresses the rights of those whose Jewish descent is from their father's side (i.e. those who were not Jews previously by religious definition but were descendants of Jews).
Thank God for this legal victory. Pray for the continued witness of those in Israel who follow Jesus as Messiah.
For more information on the situation facing Christians in Israel, go to www.persecution.net/country/israel.htm. To view a video report on this story, go to www.cbn.com:80/CBNnews/358897.aspx. Other stories can also be viewed on www.persecution.tv.
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6. Bookstore Owner Re-Arrested in China
On November 29, Shi Weihan (37), a Christian bookstore owner, was arrested on charges of "illegally" printing and distributing Christian literature (see www.persecution.net/news/china189.html for more details). In early January, he was released due to "insufficient evidence." On March 19, however, Weihan was re-arrested on the same charges, according to an April 22 report from China Aid Association. He is being held without access to his family. His wife is concerned for his health in prison as he is a diabetic.
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7. Case against Pastor's Attackers Closed in Rajasthan, India
In April 2007, Pastor Walter Masih was severely beaten by Hindu militants in Manipur, Rajasthan (see www.persecution.net/news/india219.html for more details). On April 20, the state government refused to sanction prosecution of his attackers and closed the case. Local Christians see the government's refusal to seek justice for Masih as indicative of its open support of Hindu militant groups, such as the Bharatiya Janata Party, which continue to threaten and oppress believers in the region.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, go to www.persecution.net/country/india.htm. To view a video of the attack on Pastor Masih, visit www.persecution.tv.
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8. In This Week's VOMC Weblog (www.persecution.net/weblog.htm)
Check out the most recent weblog commentaries by VOMC CEO, Glenn Penner:
a. In "What Are You Reading in April?" Glenn reviews the books "Why We Are Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be)" and "The Go-Giver."
b. In "Can Rich Young Rulers Be Cross-Carrying Messengers?" he invites you to be part of a webinar that he is conducting on Thursday, April 24 with the Mission Exchange.
c. Glenn shares the positive reception he received at a recent speaking engagement in "Warm Reception in Cottam."
To make comments on these and previous VOMC weblogs, go to persecutedchurch.blogspot.com.
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The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada. (Mailing address: P.O. Box 117, Port Credit, Mississauga, Ontario L5G 4L5)
Tel. (905) 670.9721. Website: www.persecution.net
Editor: Glenn Penner
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
How Do These Things Happen?
DNA proves Austrian the father in incest case
2 hours, 45 minutes ago
AMSTETTEN, Austria (AFP) - DNA tests in Austria confirmed on Tuesday that Josef Fritzl fathered six children with a daughter he kept prisoner in a cellar for 24 years.
As the shocked local community of Amstetten rallied around his traumatised victims, Fritzl appeared in court to be remanded in custody.
His 42-year-old daughter Elisabeth and her children were carefully shielded from public glare, undergoing psychiatric counselling to help them try and adjust after their unimaginable ordeal.
Hundreds of people laid down candles under rain in Amstetten's main square on Tuesday evening to show their solidarity with the victims and their outrage at the crime.
Investigators said DNA tests had shown Fritzl was the father of six children born during Elisabeth's incarceration. A seventh died shortly after birth and Fritzl confessed to disposing of the body in an incinerator in his building.
That admission could prove pivotal when the case comes to trial, with a prosecutor saying Fritzl would face a life sentence if found guilty of manslaughter, as opposed to shorter prison terms for rape or incarceration.
Psychologist Paulus Hochgatterer, who is helping advise those counselling the family, said the three children Fritzl had kept underground were staying in a treatment container that could be locked from the inside.
Safely hidden from the global media spotlight, he said their treatment could take several weeks.
"Only very gradually are they being exposed to the outside world," Hochgatterer said, adding that "given the circumstances, they're actually doing quite well."
Three children never left the three cramped cellar rooms where they were held and had never seen natural daylight, while another three children were legally adopted by Fritzl.
With the help of letters from Elisabeth, Fritzl apparently managed to convince his wife they had been left on their doorstep. They lived upstairs in the family home, totally unaware of their siblings imprisoned below.
The two sets of children, who had been completely unaware of each others' existence, were tentatively beginning to get to know one another.
Two of the three who had spent all their lives underground "have a way of communicating that is anything but normal," added Berthold Kepplinger, director of the psychiatric clinic in Amstetten-Mauer.
The youngest child, five years old, seems most able to adapt to his new life and was excited about being able to ride in a car, his carers said.
Doctors would determine when police would be allowed to question Elisabeth Fritzl and the children, but that was unlikely to be for several days.
Local authorities said they had made all the necessary background checks for the adoptions of the three children.
"As of May 16, 1994 (the date of the first adoption), there is no criminal record for either Josef nor his wife Rosemarie," said the head of the social services in Amstetten, Hans-Heinz Lenze.
According to media reports, Fritzl was previously convicted of attempted rape in the 1960s and of arson.
Social services had made 21 documented calls to the house, as well as undocumented visits, during which Fritzl was usually absent, Lenze said.
Nevertheless, social workers never noticed anything amiss concerning either the children's education or health.
Letters found with the babies explaining that their mother could not take care of them gave the police no reason to search the Fritzl house, Lenze added.
The district court in Amstetten, which must greenlight all adoptions, also insisted it had acted correctly.
"There weren't any doubts about his (Fritzl's) integrity. Why should I put the child in a foster home, when it could grow up in a family," court president Josef Schoegl told the Austria Press Agency.
Chief police investigator Polzer said there was no sign that Fritzl's wife, who also had seven children with him, knew of the goings on in his locked dungeon.
"It would go against all logic that a mother of seven children would help the father of those children to look after seven more children whom he had fathered with his own daughter," Polzer said.
Nevertheless, police were trying to establish whether the man had other accomplices who may have helped him build the cellar.
They said they had ordered experts to look at the locking mechanism on the reinforced steel door to see if Fritzl could have set the whole thing up himself.
2 hours, 45 minutes ago
AMSTETTEN, Austria (AFP) - DNA tests in Austria confirmed on Tuesday that Josef Fritzl fathered six children with a daughter he kept prisoner in a cellar for 24 years.
As the shocked local community of Amstetten rallied around his traumatised victims, Fritzl appeared in court to be remanded in custody.
His 42-year-old daughter Elisabeth and her children were carefully shielded from public glare, undergoing psychiatric counselling to help them try and adjust after their unimaginable ordeal.
Hundreds of people laid down candles under rain in Amstetten's main square on Tuesday evening to show their solidarity with the victims and their outrage at the crime.
Investigators said DNA tests had shown Fritzl was the father of six children born during Elisabeth's incarceration. A seventh died shortly after birth and Fritzl confessed to disposing of the body in an incinerator in his building.
That admission could prove pivotal when the case comes to trial, with a prosecutor saying Fritzl would face a life sentence if found guilty of manslaughter, as opposed to shorter prison terms for rape or incarceration.
Psychologist Paulus Hochgatterer, who is helping advise those counselling the family, said the three children Fritzl had kept underground were staying in a treatment container that could be locked from the inside.
Safely hidden from the global media spotlight, he said their treatment could take several weeks.
"Only very gradually are they being exposed to the outside world," Hochgatterer said, adding that "given the circumstances, they're actually doing quite well."
Three children never left the three cramped cellar rooms where they were held and had never seen natural daylight, while another three children were legally adopted by Fritzl.
With the help of letters from Elisabeth, Fritzl apparently managed to convince his wife they had been left on their doorstep. They lived upstairs in the family home, totally unaware of their siblings imprisoned below.
The two sets of children, who had been completely unaware of each others' existence, were tentatively beginning to get to know one another.
Two of the three who had spent all their lives underground "have a way of communicating that is anything but normal," added Berthold Kepplinger, director of the psychiatric clinic in Amstetten-Mauer.
The youngest child, five years old, seems most able to adapt to his new life and was excited about being able to ride in a car, his carers said.
Doctors would determine when police would be allowed to question Elisabeth Fritzl and the children, but that was unlikely to be for several days.
Local authorities said they had made all the necessary background checks for the adoptions of the three children.
"As of May 16, 1994 (the date of the first adoption), there is no criminal record for either Josef nor his wife Rosemarie," said the head of the social services in Amstetten, Hans-Heinz Lenze.
According to media reports, Fritzl was previously convicted of attempted rape in the 1960s and of arson.
Social services had made 21 documented calls to the house, as well as undocumented visits, during which Fritzl was usually absent, Lenze said.
Nevertheless, social workers never noticed anything amiss concerning either the children's education or health.
Letters found with the babies explaining that their mother could not take care of them gave the police no reason to search the Fritzl house, Lenze added.
The district court in Amstetten, which must greenlight all adoptions, also insisted it had acted correctly.
"There weren't any doubts about his (Fritzl's) integrity. Why should I put the child in a foster home, when it could grow up in a family," court president Josef Schoegl told the Austria Press Agency.
Chief police investigator Polzer said there was no sign that Fritzl's wife, who also had seven children with him, knew of the goings on in his locked dungeon.
"It would go against all logic that a mother of seven children would help the father of those children to look after seven more children whom he had fathered with his own daughter," Polzer said.
Nevertheless, police were trying to establish whether the man had other accomplices who may have helped him build the cellar.
They said they had ordered experts to look at the locking mechanism on the reinforced steel door to see if Fritzl could have set the whole thing up himself.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Freedom: Means Allowing Difference
Atheist soldier claims harassment
JUNCTION CITY, Kansas (AP) -- Like hundreds of young men joining the Army in recent years, Jeremy Hall professes a desire to serve his country while it fights terrorism.
Soldier Jeremy Hall says the pressure to believe in God is so strong "I was ashamed to say that I was an atheist."
But the short and soft-spoken specialist is at the center of a legal controversy. He has filed a lawsuit alleging he's been harassed and his constitutional rights have been violated because he doesn't believe in God. The suit names Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
"I'm not in it for cash," Hall said. "I want no one else to go what I went through."
Known as "the atheist guy," Hall has been called immoral, a devil worshipper and -- just as severe to some soldiers -- gay, none of which, he says, is true. Hall even drove fellow soldiers to church in Iraq and paused while they prayed before meals.
"I see a name and rank and United States flag on their shoulder. That's what I believe everyone else should see," he said.
Hall, 23, was raised in a Protestant family in North Carolina and dropped out of school. It wasn't until he joined the Army that he began questioning religion, eventually deciding he couldn't follow any faith.
But he feared how that would look to other soldiers.
"I was ashamed to say that I was an atheist," Hall said.
It eventually came out in Iraq in 2007, when he was in a firefight. Hall was a gunner on a Humvee, which took several bullets in its protective shield. Afterward, his commander asked whether he believed in God, Hall said.
"I said, 'No, but I believe in Plexiglas,"' Hall said. "I've never believed I was going to a happy place. You get one life. When I die, I'm worm food."
The issue came to a head when, according to Hall, a superior officer, Maj. Freddy J. Welborn, threatened to bring charges against him for trying to hold a meeting of atheists in Iraq. Welborn has denied Hall's allegations.
Hall said he had had enough but feared he wouldn't get support from Welborn's superiors. He turned to Mikey Weinstein and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
Weinstein is the foundation's president and a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate. He had previously sued the Air Force for acts he said illegally imposed Christianity on students at the academy, though that case was dismissed. He calls Hall a hero.
"The average American doesn't have enough intestinal fortitude to tell someone to shut up if they are talking in a movie theater," Weinstein said. "You know how hard it is to take on your chain of command? This isn't the shift manager at KFC."
Hall was in Qatar when the lawsuit was filed on September 18 in federal court in Kansas City, Kansas. Other soldiers learned of it and he feared for his own safety. Once, Hall said, a group of soldiers followed him, harassing him, but no one did anything to make it stop.
The Army told him it couldn't protect him and sent him back to Fort Riley. He resumed duties with a military police battalion. He believes his promotion to sergeant has been blocked because of his lawsuit, but he is a team leader responsible for two junior enlisted soldiers.
No one with Fort Riley, the Army or Defense Department would comment about Hall or the lawsuit. Each issued statements saying that discrimination will not be tolerated regardless of race, religion or gender.
"The department respects [and supports by its policy] the rights of others to their own religious beliefs, including the right to hold no beliefs," said Eileen Lainez, a spokeswoman for the Department of Defense.
All three organizations said existing systems help soldiers "address and resolve any perceived unfair treatment."
Lt. Col. David Shurtleff, a Fort Riley chaplain, declined to discuss Hall's case but said chaplains accommodate all faiths as best they can. In most cases, religious issues can be worked out without jeopardizing military operations.
"When you're in Afghanistan and an IED blows up a Humvee, they aren't asking about a wounded soldier's faith," Shurtleff said.
Hall said he enjoys being a team leader but has been told that having faith would make him a better leader.
"I will take care of my soldiers. Nowhere does it say I have to pray with my soldiers, but I do have to make sure my soldiers' religious needs are met," he said.
"Religion brings comfort to a lot of people," he said. "Personally, I don't want it or need it. But I'm not going to get down on anybody else for it."
Hall leaves the Army in April 2009. He would like to find work with the National Park Service or Environmental Protection Agency, anything outdoors.
"I hope this doesn't define me," Hall said of his lawsuit. "It's just about time somebody said something." E-mail to a friend
Friday, April 25, 2008
The Least of These......Just as Important
'Untouchable' woman dies after Indian medics refuse treatment
Thu Apr 24, 1:09 PM
LUCKNOW, India (AFP) - An "untouchable" woman who gave birth outside an Indian hospital because doctors would not treat her died Thursday, a day after her baby, officials admitted.
The newborn boy of Maya Devi, 28, died Wednesday due to lack of medical help minutes after being born outside the maternity wing of Kanpur Medical College in northern Uttar Pradesh state.
Devi was only put in intensive care after giving birth but she died of a heart attack early Thursday morning.
Several doctors, including the hospital's chief medical superintendent, had refused to touch her or provide medical care as she delivered her baby, the Press Trust of India reported.
Devi was a Dalit, or "untouchable", a group at the bottom of the caste social ladder who have long been ostracised and forced into menial professions despite laws banning discrimination. Many high-class Hindus fear coming into contact with them.
Dr Kiran Pandey, head of gynaecology at the hospital, told AFP she was an hour's drive away in state capital Lucknow at the time and rushed back.
"We provided her the best medicines and treatment but she succumbed to two cardiac arrests," Pandey said.
College principle Anand Swaroop has ordered an inquiry, as has a district magistrate.
The state's chief minister, Mayawati, who won elections last year, has ordered the doctors to be suspended and demanded an investigation.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Horrible Crimes
Women convicted in murder-for-profit case
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- An elderly woman was convicted Wednesday of murdering two homeless men to collect insurance payouts, and she and a co-defendant were found guilty of counts involving conspiracy to murder for financial gain.
Helen Golay, 75, and another woman allegedly took out 19 insurance policies on two homeless men.
1 of 3
Partial verdicts were being read in the case against Helen Golay, 77, and Olga Rutterschmidt, 75.
The judge decided to take five initial verdicts as the jury struggled with Rutterschmidt's murder counts.
Golay was convicted of the first-degree murders of Kenneth McDavid, 50, in 2005 and Paul Vados, 73, in 1999.
Golay was also convicted of the conspiracy counts in both killings.
Rutterschmidt was convicted of conspiracy to murder McDavid for financial gain.
During the verdict readings, the jury was sent back into deliberations to clear up a finding. The panel had asked earlier in the day for readings of testimony by three witnesses, and jurors also asked for a laptop so they could review DVDs entered into evidence.
Prosecutors said the women collected $2.8 million from insurance policies on the lives of two homeless men who were killed in staged hit-and-runs.
Prosecutors said the women recruited their prey from among the homeless of Hollywood, invested thousands of dollars in insurance policies on them and put them up in apartments, then drugged them and ran them over in secluded alleys. 
Watch a wrapup of the case »
Both men initially appeared to have been victims of hit-and-run accidents, and police linked the cases only in late 2005 when a detective investigating one overheard a colleague describe a similar case.
In his closing argument, Deputy District Attorney Bobby Grace called the women "the worst of the worst."
"They didn't need this money. They weren't poor and destitute. They went out of their way to target men who had nothing," the prosecutor said.
The jury saw a secretly recorded video of the two in a lockup after their arrests. Rutterschmidt was seen berating Golay, saying it was her actions in taking out 23 insurance policies that raised a red flag when the men died.
"It's your fault," Rutterschmidt told Golay. "You can't have that many insurances. ... You were greedy. That's the problem."
On insurance policies, the women represented themselves as a cousin and a fiancee of McDavid. Golay said she thought McDavid loved them.
On the tape, Rutterschmidt snapped: "I was the cousin. You were the fiancee. Baloney."
Defense lawyers admitted the women were involved in insurance fraud but denied a murder conspiracy.
"We'll concede it's pretty sleazy what's going on here with the insurance," Golay's attorney, Roger Jon Diamond, said. He said the idea was to insure old, sick homeless people who would die more quickly.
But prosecutors pointed out that most of the policies were for accidental death, not death due to natural causes.
By the end of the five-week trial, the women had turned on each other.
Diamond said in his closing argument that when Rutterschmidt began recruiting younger homeless men, she may have had her own scheme to have them killed.
Rutterschmidt's lawyer claimed his client was "simple minded" and obsessed with Golay, a relatively wealthy woman she met in 1999. Deputy Public Defender Michael Sklar accused Golay of manipulating Rutterschmidt to buy a car used as a weapon but said it was Golay alone who committed murder.
Golay funded the scheme and wrote the checks, Sklar told the jury.
Golay's lawyer, failing in a last-minute attempt to sever the women's cases, claimed Golay's own daughter, Kecia, 44, drove the car that ran over McDavid. Kecia Golay was not charged and did not testify in the trial.
There were no witnesses to the killings. But prosecution evidence included identification of Rutterschmidt by the man who sold her a car that was found to have McDavid's DNA on its undercarriage. There was also evidence that the car required a tow from an intersection near where McDavid's body was found an hour later, and that Golay's auto club membership number was used to summon the tow truck.
A key prosecution witness was a homeless man who said he was targeted to be another victim but left when he was pressured by Rutterschmidt for personal information and to sign documents.
Jimmy Covington, 48, said he was approached by Rutterschmidt on a Hollywood street in 2005 and was promised benefits, a place to stay and money. E-mail to a friend
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Prayer Requests
The Persecution & Prayer Alert
The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada
www.persecution.net
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
A weekly news digest on the Persecuted Church and how you can respond.
"Remember Them" -- find out how. Go to www.rememberthem.ca.
Subscribe to the RSS feed at www.persecution.net/pnp.xml.
***********************************
In this week's edition: Reports from Iraq, India, China and VOMC
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1. Priest Killed in Iraq
Father Youssef Adel (40), an Assyrian Orthodox priest, was shot dead by unknown assailants in the district of Karradah, Baghdad on April 5. At approximately 11:30 a.m., Adel was driving to a church when gunmen in another car sped past him and opened fire. Adel was the director of a high school that was attended by both Christians and Muslims. He had been the target of threats and intimidation intended to drive him away from his post.
Pray that those who mourn for Father Adel will find strength, courage and peace in Christ. Pray that believers in Iraq will set Christ apart as Lord and not be controlled by fear despite severe persecution (1 Peter 3:14-17).
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Iraq, go to www.persecution.net/country/iraq.htm.
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2. Christians Attacked in Andhra Pradesh, India
Church pastors and members of the Manna Ministry in Krishnapuram, Andhra Pradesh were beaten by a group of 20 Hindu militants on April 2, according to a report from Global Council of Indian Christians on April 8. The Christians were returning from an evangelistic outreach when their car was stopped by the attackers. One of the ministry's leaders, Pastor Gopal, sustained serious injuries. The militants also tore up the Christians' evangelistic tracts.
Ask God to heal Pastor Gopal. Pray that Indian Christians will continue to share the gospel with boldness despite their suffering (Acts 4:29-31).
For more information on the persecution facing India's Christians, go to www.persecution.net/country/india.htm.
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3. House Church Leaders Detained in China
At approximately 3:00 p.m. on March 29, authorities disrupted a house church worship service in Qu county, Sichuan province and detained seven house church leaders, according to an April 7 report from China Aid Association. Two of the leaders have since been released.
The following day, authorities detained 10 female leaders and four children who were attending a Sunday school class in Qu. All of the children and five of the leaders have since been released. Two believers are currently serving a sentence of 15 days administrative detention. Six female leaders remain detained on accusations of belonging to an "evil cult." If convicted, the leaders could face sentences of up to three years "re-education through labour."
Pray that the detained leaders will be released. Pray that God will open doors of opportunity for them to clearly share the gospel for which they suffer (Colossians 4:2-3).
For more information on the persecution of Christians in China, go to www.persecution.net/country/china.htm.
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4. Christian Bookstore Owner in China Released
On August 3, Zhou Heng, a well-known house church leader and manager of the Yayi Christian Book Room, was arrested and detained when he went to pick up three tons of Bibles at a bus station in Xinjiang. On August 31, Heng was formally charged, arraigned on charges of "illegal business operation" and imprisoned to await trial. According to an April 8 report from China Aid Association, however, Heng was recently released after a court determined there was no sufficient evidence to prosecute him.
During his imprisonment, Heng was reportedly beaten severely by inmates and prison guards. He is now recuperating at home with his family.
Thank the Lord for Heng's release. Pray for strength and healing for him. Pray that he will be emboldened by the fact that God commends those who suffer for doing good (1 Peter 2:20-21).
For more information on the persecution facing Christians in China, go to www.persecution.net/country/china.htm.
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5. In This Week's VOMC Weblog (www.persecution.net/weblog.htm)
Have you checked out the latest VOMC weblogs? In "Video Games," VOMC CEO Glenn Penner highlights two very different Islam-related videos, a romance film and a television program for children. He also comments on the International Institute for Religious Freedom's response to a document by Muslim scholars calling for peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding in "A Response to 'A Common Word Between Us and You.'" And Adele Konyndyk responds to a Canadian bookstore's choice not to sell a magazine containing a cartoonist's reaction to the Danish Muhammad cartoons controversy in "Comics and Controversy."
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6. Take the Next Step: Join the VOMC Team
Do you think that God might be asking you to get personally involved in ministry for the Persecuted Church? Why not join the VOMC team as a volunteer. We have opportunities available as an office volunteer, a church representative, or in raising awareness of the worldwide persecution of Christians in your local area. You will be fully supported with prayer, advice, resources, and training. If you don't speak up for the persecuted, who will? Contact our Volunteer Ministries Coordinator at www.persecution.net/contact.htm or call 1.888.298.6423. (Note: this offer is available only to residents of Canada).
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The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada. (Mailing address: P.O. Box 117, Port Credit, Mississauga, Ontario L5G 4L5)
Tel. (905) 670.9721. Website: www.persecution.net
Editor: Glenn Penner
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Please do not reply to this email, as it comes from an address that is not monitored. To contact us, use our online form at www.persecution.net/contact.htm.
If you would like to encourage someone to read or receive this weekly publication, please use our online form at www.persecution.net/pnpforward.htm and help spread the message of the Persecuted Church around the world.
The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada
www.persecution.net
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
A weekly news digest on the Persecuted Church and how you can respond.
"Remember Them" -- find out how. Go to www.rememberthem.ca.
Subscribe to the RSS feed at www.persecution.net/pnp.xml.
***********************************
In this week's edition: Reports from Iraq, India, China and VOMC
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1. Priest Killed in Iraq
Father Youssef Adel (40), an Assyrian Orthodox priest, was shot dead by unknown assailants in the district of Karradah, Baghdad on April 5. At approximately 11:30 a.m., Adel was driving to a church when gunmen in another car sped past him and opened fire. Adel was the director of a high school that was attended by both Christians and Muslims. He had been the target of threats and intimidation intended to drive him away from his post.
Pray that those who mourn for Father Adel will find strength, courage and peace in Christ. Pray that believers in Iraq will set Christ apart as Lord and not be controlled by fear despite severe persecution (1 Peter 3:14-17).
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Iraq, go to www.persecution.net/country/iraq.htm.
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2. Christians Attacked in Andhra Pradesh, India
Church pastors and members of the Manna Ministry in Krishnapuram, Andhra Pradesh were beaten by a group of 20 Hindu militants on April 2, according to a report from Global Council of Indian Christians on April 8. The Christians were returning from an evangelistic outreach when their car was stopped by the attackers. One of the ministry's leaders, Pastor Gopal, sustained serious injuries. The militants also tore up the Christians' evangelistic tracts.
Ask God to heal Pastor Gopal. Pray that Indian Christians will continue to share the gospel with boldness despite their suffering (Acts 4:29-31).
For more information on the persecution facing India's Christians, go to www.persecution.net/country/india.htm.
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3. House Church Leaders Detained in China
At approximately 3:00 p.m. on March 29, authorities disrupted a house church worship service in Qu county, Sichuan province and detained seven house church leaders, according to an April 7 report from China Aid Association. Two of the leaders have since been released.
The following day, authorities detained 10 female leaders and four children who were attending a Sunday school class in Qu. All of the children and five of the leaders have since been released. Two believers are currently serving a sentence of 15 days administrative detention. Six female leaders remain detained on accusations of belonging to an "evil cult." If convicted, the leaders could face sentences of up to three years "re-education through labour."
Pray that the detained leaders will be released. Pray that God will open doors of opportunity for them to clearly share the gospel for which they suffer (Colossians 4:2-3).
For more information on the persecution of Christians in China, go to www.persecution.net/country/china.htm.
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4. Christian Bookstore Owner in China Released
On August 3, Zhou Heng, a well-known house church leader and manager of the Yayi Christian Book Room, was arrested and detained when he went to pick up three tons of Bibles at a bus station in Xinjiang. On August 31, Heng was formally charged, arraigned on charges of "illegal business operation" and imprisoned to await trial. According to an April 8 report from China Aid Association, however, Heng was recently released after a court determined there was no sufficient evidence to prosecute him.
During his imprisonment, Heng was reportedly beaten severely by inmates and prison guards. He is now recuperating at home with his family.
Thank the Lord for Heng's release. Pray for strength and healing for him. Pray that he will be emboldened by the fact that God commends those who suffer for doing good (1 Peter 2:20-21).
For more information on the persecution facing Christians in China, go to www.persecution.net/country/china.htm.
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5. In This Week's VOMC Weblog (www.persecution.net/weblog.htm)
Have you checked out the latest VOMC weblogs? In "Video Games," VOMC CEO Glenn Penner highlights two very different Islam-related videos, a romance film and a television program for children. He also comments on the International Institute for Religious Freedom's response to a document by Muslim scholars calling for peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding in "A Response to 'A Common Word Between Us and You.'" And Adele Konyndyk responds to a Canadian bookstore's choice not to sell a magazine containing a cartoonist's reaction to the Danish Muhammad cartoons controversy in "Comics and Controversy."
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6. Take the Next Step: Join the VOMC Team
Do you think that God might be asking you to get personally involved in ministry for the Persecuted Church? Why not join the VOMC team as a volunteer. We have opportunities available as an office volunteer, a church representative, or in raising awareness of the worldwide persecution of Christians in your local area. You will be fully supported with prayer, advice, resources, and training. If you don't speak up for the persecuted, who will? Contact our Volunteer Ministries Coordinator at www.persecution.net/contact.htm or call 1.888.298.6423. (Note: this offer is available only to residents of Canada).
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The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada. (Mailing address: P.O. Box 117, Port Credit, Mississauga, Ontario L5G 4L5)
Tel. (905) 670.9721. Website: www.persecution.net
Editor: Glenn Penner
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Please do not reply to this email, as it comes from an address that is not monitored. To contact us, use our online form at www.persecution.net/contact.htm.
If you would like to encourage someone to read or receive this weekly publication, please use our online form at www.persecution.net/pnpforward.htm and help spread the message of the Persecuted Church around the world.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
The Road of Job
I am at this place right now. I am on the road of Job. That could be the case or it could just be that I am being challenged to grow and mature. I think either way I am the spoiled child screaming and yelling for someone to give me attention. I know I am not the only one in this whole world suffering but it sure feels like it. I am born self centered. I just can't understand why God can't get me out of this jam right now.
I think whether I want to admit or not, I know deep down that I expect God to rescue me no matter what. I am not saying He won't but I am saying that it doesn't always come instantly. I don't want to go through pain and I think I "deserve" better than being given pain to learn from. I am not saying that I haven't faced pain but I am saying that I have felt an awful lot of self pity through it all. God is such a good God that He doesn't want to see His children suffer. Yet alot of His children do suffer. It isn't His fault. It is just that this world is full of pain and consequence. The whole key is sowing and reaping. There is so much of that going on that it is hard to determine where all the pain began.
I have a choice of whether to let the pain teach me something or keep complaining about it. I can feel sorry for myself which will not make the pain instantly go away. Now, do I become a masachist and live for pain? I don't think that is the answer either. I think the answer is not to beg God to take the pain away but to ask Him to show me what this can teach me. I want to ask Him to show me how I can grow through this. There are many other brother and sisters in Christ who endure greater suffering than I may never have to endure. Do they plead for God to prove that He keeps His promises and to prove He loves them? No, they simply accept what has come upon them and endure it to learn patience and perseverance. That is what sets me apart from the world. I am to become a child who doesn't complain incessantly. I actually think God may even have mercy on those who complain about going through pain. Complaining is all a part of maturing as a child. It is like a child who keeps crying because they are hurting, He simply picks them up and comforts them. That is what makes God such a good mother and father. He loves us no matter what condition we come to Him in. All He wants is for us to ask Him for help. I think I just realized that today!
I think my problem is that I my eyes get off of Jesus and onto people who are not going through trials or pain. Why are they immune to all these things? How come they have no struggles? David asked these very same questions. Job asked God these questions in his suffering too. He had the choice to curse God and die. God challenged Job to show that He understood better Himself and the world. Job was taken aback by it all. He learned patience, endurance and trust in God. These are invaluable lessons. David realized that those who don't go through struggles aren't better off but just lost. Jesus said that He never came to condemn the world but to save the world. How can I be better than Jesus? I can't condemn people that don't go through these struggles just like I can't condemn Him or myself. People don't have a right to sit in judgement on me either and this puts the sowing and reaping law into place. I think the key is to be patient and endure to learn the qualities that God wants me to learn. He wants to teach me things that will bear fruit in my life and to gain maturity. All of these things are easier said then done. I feel like I am on a mountain bike travelling up an awfully large hill and my brakes just gave out on me and I have to keep pedalling or I go right back down to the bottom.
I don't know why I am going through this struggle with employment. I know that most of it is a consequence of a decision I made. I believe God is teaching me patience right now. Just when I think I have patience, that is the same time I am begging God to hurry up. I am learning to keep reading His Word. In the good times, I forget to concentrate on Him and His Word. I also think God is teaching me not to concentrate on all my good works but to become a better servant for Him. I just heard a story about a butcher who won 14 million dollars. He worked 23 years for 12 hours a day. He did those things without thinking and concentrating on how wonderful He is. I think that is the truth of true humility. He gave away chickens to all his customers. How kind and good is that!
Just when I think I am becoming humble and have a good heart, I see an example of someone who has learned this more through the pain of life and the truth of perseverance. I wish we could all learn the lesson of being a butcher who cared more about others than himself! I am concentrating on not complaining right now!
I think whether I want to admit or not, I know deep down that I expect God to rescue me no matter what. I am not saying He won't but I am saying that it doesn't always come instantly. I don't want to go through pain and I think I "deserve" better than being given pain to learn from. I am not saying that I haven't faced pain but I am saying that I have felt an awful lot of self pity through it all. God is such a good God that He doesn't want to see His children suffer. Yet alot of His children do suffer. It isn't His fault. It is just that this world is full of pain and consequence. The whole key is sowing and reaping. There is so much of that going on that it is hard to determine where all the pain began.
I have a choice of whether to let the pain teach me something or keep complaining about it. I can feel sorry for myself which will not make the pain instantly go away. Now, do I become a masachist and live for pain? I don't think that is the answer either. I think the answer is not to beg God to take the pain away but to ask Him to show me what this can teach me. I want to ask Him to show me how I can grow through this. There are many other brother and sisters in Christ who endure greater suffering than I may never have to endure. Do they plead for God to prove that He keeps His promises and to prove He loves them? No, they simply accept what has come upon them and endure it to learn patience and perseverance. That is what sets me apart from the world. I am to become a child who doesn't complain incessantly. I actually think God may even have mercy on those who complain about going through pain. Complaining is all a part of maturing as a child. It is like a child who keeps crying because they are hurting, He simply picks them up and comforts them. That is what makes God such a good mother and father. He loves us no matter what condition we come to Him in. All He wants is for us to ask Him for help. I think I just realized that today!
I think my problem is that I my eyes get off of Jesus and onto people who are not going through trials or pain. Why are they immune to all these things? How come they have no struggles? David asked these very same questions. Job asked God these questions in his suffering too. He had the choice to curse God and die. God challenged Job to show that He understood better Himself and the world. Job was taken aback by it all. He learned patience, endurance and trust in God. These are invaluable lessons. David realized that those who don't go through struggles aren't better off but just lost. Jesus said that He never came to condemn the world but to save the world. How can I be better than Jesus? I can't condemn people that don't go through these struggles just like I can't condemn Him or myself. People don't have a right to sit in judgement on me either and this puts the sowing and reaping law into place. I think the key is to be patient and endure to learn the qualities that God wants me to learn. He wants to teach me things that will bear fruit in my life and to gain maturity. All of these things are easier said then done. I feel like I am on a mountain bike travelling up an awfully large hill and my brakes just gave out on me and I have to keep pedalling or I go right back down to the bottom.
I don't know why I am going through this struggle with employment. I know that most of it is a consequence of a decision I made. I believe God is teaching me patience right now. Just when I think I have patience, that is the same time I am begging God to hurry up. I am learning to keep reading His Word. In the good times, I forget to concentrate on Him and His Word. I also think God is teaching me not to concentrate on all my good works but to become a better servant for Him. I just heard a story about a butcher who won 14 million dollars. He worked 23 years for 12 hours a day. He did those things without thinking and concentrating on how wonderful He is. I think that is the truth of true humility. He gave away chickens to all his customers. How kind and good is that!
Just when I think I am becoming humble and have a good heart, I see an example of someone who has learned this more through the pain of life and the truth of perseverance. I wish we could all learn the lesson of being a butcher who cared more about others than himself! I am concentrating on not complaining right now!
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