persecuted church news and sermons

"A society that does not acknowledge the laws of God will bring judgement
on itself; it will decline and perish. To flourish, a nation needs authentic
spiritual identity and a sense of destiny. Without these there will be increasing
reliance on coercion, authoritarianism, the intolerance of the 'tolerant,'
and persecution of those who disagree with the godless consensus."
~ Michael Nazir-Ali
CHINA: Detainment of Christians in 'Black Jails'
Source: China Aid

The entrance to what is refered to as a "black jail."
Photo: ChinaAid

Authorities placed at least 20 Christians under residential surveillance in China's coastal Zhejiang province over the past two months. In China, "residential surveillance in a designated location," also referred to as a "black jail," is a more severe form of holding than "criminal detention." Individuals under residential surveillance are held in undisclosed locations, and they're not permitted to speak with family or legal representation.
Two Zhejiang cities in particular, Wenzhou and Jinhua, have had more than 20 people placed under surveillance between August 25th and October 24th, according to an anonymous Christian leader in Zhejiang. The source noted that the names of those detained in Jinhua have not been released and that the number was likely to be more than the 20 currently known. "This is entirely outside the law," another source in Wenzhou attests. "These are the actions of totalitarian regimes."
For many of those being held, the justification for the residential surveillance is on "suspicion of stealing, spying, buying and illegally providing state secrets and intelligence." Because this charge involves national security, authorities refuse to let lawyers speak with those under surveillance. For a previous report referencing the secretive detention of Christians in Wenzhou, click here.
Please join us in upholding the surprising number of Christians and church leaders presently under residential surveillance, praying that they will remain faithful to the Lord, regardless of the pressure or pain they experience. More specifically, ask that these believers will seize every opportunity that's available to witness to others during their custody. May they not in any way become discouraged or embittered but rather filled with renewed hope and optimism so that the government's increasing efforts to restrict them will serve to further strengthen their faith and devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ...and greatly promote the Gospel!
Do not miss the opportunity to pray on behalf of the persecuted church with fellow believers around the world on Sunday, November 8th. For more information on this year's International Day of Prayer and how you can participate, please click here. Be sure to share this information with others of your church and prayer group.
UGANDA: Woman Murdered in Revenge for Husband's Conversion
Sources: Morning Star News, Release International
A Christian man's wife was murdered in east Uganda because he left Islam -- and only a month after his brother had been killed for the same reason. On October 19th, strangers dragged Mamwikomba Mwanika from her home in Kalampete, located within the district of Kibuku, and assaulted her. The dedicated mother of eight died on her way to hospital.
Reportedly, Mamwikomba's attackers had demanded to see her husband George, who ignored their previous threats mandating that he return to Islam. Just weeks prior to this incident, George's brother, Samson Nfunyeku, was killed in Kalampete on September 23rd after taking part in a religious debate with Islamic scholars. Residents of Kalampete have asked for greater security in the area.
While Uganda is predominantly Christian, some eastern areas have large Muslim populations. In many cases of persecution within this country, extremists particularly target Christians with a Muslim background. Regardless, George, who has received death threats, is standing firm in his faith. "We are seeking God's protection and His peace," he states. "May God give me the courage to continue sharing the love of Christ to those who are lost."
Pray that God will provide needed comfort to George and his children in the midst of their grief. Thank Him for fulfilling His promise to be "close to the brokenhearted" (Psalm 34:18). As each of them heal from their tragic loss, may they sense the Lord's consoling and protective presence, and thus have a greater resolve to remain steadfast. We also acknowledge the overcoming faith and powerful witness of both dedicated brothers, George and Samson, who have willingly testified to others in their community despite the risks. As a result, may many more Ugandans come to faith in Christ and grow strong in their commitment to Him.
If you would like to post a prayer on behalf of our persecuted brothers and sisters, please go to VOMC's prayer wall.
EGYPT: Abducted Child Safely Returned
Sources: International Christian Concern, Christian Today

Pray for the safety of Egyptian families.
Photo: Flickr / flat.luxury (cc)

Police complacency toward the kidnapping of Coptic Christians in Egypt has fostered a climate of impunity, according to an undisclosed source. The phenomenon of kidnapping Coptic Christians for ransom has spread in Minya province, the latest of which occurred last month. (Copts are the indigenous people of Egypt, the true descendants of the Pharaohs. At the time of Arab invasion in the 7th century, an overwhelming number of Copts, literal Egyptians, were Christians.)
An extremist group kidnapped a five-year-old boy, Kastor Amir Bushra, from Dafash village in Upper Egypt on the morning of October 21st. The kidnappers scaled the rear wall of the home owned by his father, Amir Bushra, and broke into the apartment on the second floor. They then went to the child's bedroom where he shared a room with his 12-year-old sister and 9-year-old brother.
Taking the boy, they left a mobile phone on his bed and fled the house. The kidnappers later contacted the child's father via the mobile phone, demanding a ransom of 200,000 EGP (approximately $33,000 CAD) in exchange for his son. After the family pooled all of their resources, the kidnappers agreed to a negotiated fee of 45,000 EGP. We are sharing in this family's great joy over the good news that little Kastor has since been safely returned! Not all such cases are as successful, even when ransom is paid.
Let us join this family in praising our Almighty God for the protection and safe return of their young son, Kastor. May this child be healed of any trauma that has resulted from the kidnapping; and may his family remain firm in their Christian faith despite the ordeal they've experienced. Please pray that the Egyptian authorities will operate with wisdom and great dedication in their attempts to rescue others who've been abducted for their faith and are still being held in captivity. May stringent measures also be made to: 1) prevent further kidnappings from taking place, and 2) enforce stricter penalties for those who carry out such calculated crimes against Egypt's innocent and vulnerable citizens. (Another report relating to the kidnapping of Christians is available here.)

The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of:
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, P.O. Box 608, Streetsville, Ontario, L5M 2C1

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