-The Weekly Persecution & Prayer Alert

[Pastor Dale Morgan]

-The Weekly Persecution & Prayer Alert

The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada

Thursday, September 1, 2011

"You never know how much you really believe anything
until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you."
-- C.S. Lewis

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In this week's edition: reports from Iran, Turkey, Nigeria and Pakistan.
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1. Update: Vahik Abrahamian released from prison in Iran
(Source: Farsi Christian News Network)

Pastor Vahik Abrahamian, a 45-year-old Armenian Christian, was released from prison on the morning of August 29. Pastor Vahik and his wife, Sonia Keshish Avanesian, were arrested in Hamedan along with another Christian couple in September 2010. Sonia and the other couple were released from prison in April 2011. Officials told Sonia they would release her husband 10 days later, but Vahik continued to be detained at Iran's notorious Evin prison in Tehran. The couples had been accused of various offences, including propagating Christianity, opposing the Islamic Republic of Iran, and having contact with exiled opposition figures .

During his one year imprisonment, Pastor Vahik suffered from poor health and the prison's deplorable conditions. A member of Pastor Vahik's family has shared that the whole family is "rejoicing" and "expressed their gratitude first to God for His gracious protection and intervention and secondly to the Christian family worldwide who have not ceased praying and advocating on their behalf."

Thank the Lord for this wonderful answer to prayer! Ask the Lord to give Vahik and Sonia the grace and strength they need to overcome this trial. Pray also for their protection. Pray this news will serve as an encouragement to all Christian believers in Iran.

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2. Government overturns religious property seizures in Turkey
(Source: Compass Direct)

The Turkish government made an historic U-turn in state policy recently, issuing an official decree inviting Turkey's Christian and Jewish communities to reclaim their long-confiscated religious properties. The decree comes 75 years after the Turkish government seized hundreds of lands and buildings owned by its Greek, Armenian, Syriac and Jewish communities. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the surprise decision on August 28 in Istanbul, addressing a large gathering of Istanbul's non-Muslim religious leaders who represent 161 minority foundations.

The landmark decree is a significant step toward eliminating decades of unfair practices imposed by the Turkish state against its non-Muslim citizens. Their former holdings include schools, churches, cemeteries, stores, hospitals, orphanages, houses, apartment buildings and factories that were seized by the Turkish state and re-registered as public or foundation properties. A number were later sold to third parties. The new decree states that owners of properties sold by the state to third parties will be reimbursed at market value. The return of these extensive properties to their rightful owners has been a key demand of the European Union, to which Turkey is applying for full membership.

Thank the Lord for this development. Pray the transition will go smoothly and there will be no resistance or negative reaction in response. Pray this will provide great encouragement to Christians in Turkey. Pray that believers in Turkey will be a light for Christ in all their thoughts, words and deeds.
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3. Christians slaughtered in Nigeria; army accused of aiding militants
(Source: Compass Direct)

Muslim extremists, with the alleged help of Nigerian army personnel, killed 24 Christians last month in central Nigeria's Plateau state. The attacks started on August 11 in Ratsa Foron village and continued there on August 15, leaving six Christians dead. Also on August 15 in Heipang village, Muslim extremists killed nine members of one Christian family along with another believer. "I can swear to God Almighty that the attack was carried out with the support of the soldiers; I saw them," said a tearful Nnaji John, who lost her family in the attack. On August 14, in the community of Chwelnyap in Jos, Muslim extremists killed two Christians and injured one woman. A few days later, on August 21, assaults in Kwi, Loton and Jwol villages resulted in the deaths of six more Christians. Sources added that Nigerian army soldiers participated in the assaults or at least accompanied the assailants.

Plateau Governor Jonah Jang called for immediate withdrawal of the Nigerian army because he believed  Muslims in the army had taken sides with Islamist assailants. "I am convinced that the armed forces are being polluted with the religious crisis in the country," Jang said. "Before now, the military personnel used to stay in the barracks, but today the armed forces have started taking sides in this religious crisis, and if they are not called to order it will be dangerous for the country."

Please pray the Lord will have mercy on this nation, pour out His Spirit and loosen the hold the enemy has over many of its people; for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12). Pray the Lord will give wisdom and strength to those in authority. Ask Him to comfort those who have suffered as a result of ongoing violent attacks.

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4. Iranian Christian website targeted by government
(Sources: Beliefnet, Mohabat News)

The Iranian government has been targeting Farsi-language websites for being "anti-Islamic," including a news site dedicated to exposing the systematic persecution of Iranian Christians.

The number of Internet users in Iran has risen sharply in recent years, threatening the government's grip on information and causing officials to form a special committee to monitor web access. More than 5 million so-called "immoral" and "anti-Islamic" sites have reportedly been blocked. The government has also stated their plan to intensify the filtering of various sites.

Mohabat News, which serves Persian Christians in Iran and surrounding countries, has been shut down repeatedly in the past year. In February, cyber-attacks shut down the site for two days. On August 19, attackers overloaded the server and forced the site  down for three days. Managers of Mohabat News were eventually able to transfer the website onto a more secure server operating outside the country. Other such sites, however, are not able to operate from an outside server, raising fears that they will continue to be vulnerable to attacks.

Pray that the attacks on Mohabat News and other such sites will cease. Pray for courage and wisdom for those involved in raising a voice online for suffering Iranian Christians. Pray that a spirit of unity and faithfulness will govern the Church in Iran as believers face opposition. Pray that the Word of the Lord will continue to touch many hearts in Iran.

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5. Christian woman escapes kidnapper in Pakistan
(Source: Pakistan Christian Post)

In 2009, Arifa Alfred was kidnapped in Quetta, Pakistan after drinking tea that had been drugged. When she awoke, she found herself in the home of Mohammad Amjad, a Muslim man who told her that she was now his wife and that she had converted to Islam. Arifa's parents reported her kidnapping to the police, but the police did nothing to help.

During her captivity, Arifa was drugged and physically and mentally tortured. She attempted to flee the house many times, but without success until August 1, when she found the house unlocked for the first time in two years. Despite her many internal injuries due to the torture she had endured, Arifa escaped and fled to the hospital. She then found her brother Adnan, who reported the situation to police.

At last report, the police had done nothing to bring justice; one police inspector even stated he was happy that she had converted to Islam. However, Arifa has shared, "I am a Christian and have stood always steadfast in my Christian faith." Arifa and her family have since gone into hiding due to threats on their lives.

Pray that God will bring about justice for Arifa (Psalm 140). Pray the Lord will protect Arifa, her family and the Christian community. Pray He will minister to her and heal her completely. Pray that her kidnapper will repent and come to know the Lord. Pray for other Christian women in Pakistan who are facing similar struggles.

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