The Weekly Persecution & Prayer Alert

[Pastor Dale Morgan]

The Weekly Persecution & Prayer Alert

The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada

Thursday, August 12, 2010

A weekly news and prayer digest on the Persecuted Church.

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In this week's edition: reports from North Korea, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and the Maldives.
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1. Underground church leaders executed in North Korea

Three leaders of an underground house church in North Korea have been executed and 20 of their Christian associates jailed. North Korean police raided a house in Kuwal-dong in Pyungsung county, Pyongan province, and arrested all 23 believers who had gathered for a "religious function."

Three "ringleaders" were tried, sentenced to death, and executed soon afterwards. The other 20 were reportedly sent to prison camp No. 15 in Yodok. The arrests and executions happened in mid-May -- the news, however, only recently emerged from the so-called "hermit kingdom." The events have also been confirmed by North Korea Intellectual Solidarity, a group of North Korean defectors based in Seoul committed to raising awareness of injustice and promoting reform in their homeland. The 23 Christians had reportedly come to faith after some of them travelled to mainland China on business and came into contact with the church there. (Sources: Release International, AsiaNews)

Please pray for believers in North Korea who follow Jesus at great risk. May they have opportunities to meet together to provide encouragement to one another. Pray for all those in authority in this nation, ask the Lord to favour them with wisdom, compassion and the light of the Gospel. Please pray that those in prison may know of the love and presence of their Heavenly Father.

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2. Christians jailed and fined in Uzbekistan

Ten Protestants were recently jailed for between three and five days, and three were fined 80 times the minimum monthly wage following a brutal raid on July 28 in Tashkent's Mirzo-Ulugbek District. Twenty-three people, including small children, were detained and two personal Bibles, four songbooks and one textbook of violin lessons were confiscated. They then began pushing the believers forcefully into cars outside. Some of the believers were kicked and hit while they were dragged out of the house. Elsewhere a court has ordered that officially permitted Christian books and leaflets found in a raid should be confiscated and destroyed, violating Uzbek legal procedure. (Source: Forum 18)

Please pray that Christians in Uzbekistan will continue to be faithful in spite of the opposition. Pray especially for wisdom for church leaders when dealing with the authorities. Pray for those who have suffered for their faith in Uzbekistan. Pray the Lord will continue to spread the Gospel in this nation.

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3. Church members injured in Bekasi, Indonesia

Leaders of a church in West Java, Indonesia have demanded justice from police after an attack from Muslim protestors left at least a dozen people injured. As some 20 members of the Batak Christian Protestant Filadelfia Church in Bekasi gathered for Sunday worship on a church-owned plot of land in Ciketing on August 8, at least 300 members of the Islamic People's Forum (FUI) and the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) broke through a police barricade and ordered them to leave. When the church members refused, the protestors assaulted the group with sticks, stones and their bare hands. As many as 700 protestors reportedly took part in the attack on the congregation of 1,500 members. When church members decided to leave, the mob "hunted us down and hit us," a church leader said. Several church members required medical attention. The police chief, however, said he blamed the church members as he had warned them not to hold services in the area because they were disturbing residents. The church has filed charges against the FUI and FPI for assault and defiling a religion. (Source: Compass Direct)

Please pray the Lord's healing hand will be upon those who were caught in the attacks. Pray these Christians will not have a spirit of fear but rather a spirit of faithfulness. May their conduct be a witness for the gospel. Pray that Christians will be granted the freedom to meet together to worship.

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4. Prospects of religious freedom appear grim in the Maldives

Other than Saudi Arabia, the Maldives is the only nation that claims a 100-percent Muslim population. However, the Indian Ocean archipelago featuring 1,192 islets southwest of Sri Lanka has more than 70,000 expatriate workers representing several non-Islamic religions, including Christianity. Those who intermingle must exercise caution. "Even if you engage any Maldivian in a discussion on Christianity and the person reports it to authorities, you can be in trouble," said a source who requested anonymity. "A Maldivian youth studying in Sri Lanka became a Christian recently, but when his parents came to know about it, they took him away. We have not heard from him since then." The source added that such instances are not uncommon in the Maldives. Abdulla Yameen, brother of the former dictator of the Maldives and leader of an opposition party ally, said that on May 28 a 37-year-old Maldivian citizen, Mohamed Nazim, was attacked after he told a gathering that he was not a Muslim. Before a crowd of around 11,000 Maldivians, Mohamed told a visiting Indian Muslim televangelist, Zakir Naik, that although he was born to a practicing Muslim family, he was "struggling to believe in religions." When Mohamed asked Zakir about his "verdict on Islam," many called for Mohamed's death while others beat him. "See how the public went after his throat," said Abdulla, proud of their "passion" for Islam. Asked if such passion was good for a society, he replied, "Yes. We are an Islamic nation, and our religion is an important part of our collective identity."  (Source: Compass Direct)

Please pray the Lord will break down the restrictions in this nation to share the Gospel.  Pray He will raise up bold believers to make the most of every opportunity to share their faith. Pray for wisdom for of all believers as they serve Christ.

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