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Jul. 12, 2018 | Uganda
Pray for a Family Separated After Turning to Christ
[263] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Yassin and Family.
Yassin, a former imam, and his wife became Christians two years ago after Yassin's wife was healed from a serious illness during a church service. When Yassin told his mother of their conversion to Christianity, they and their six children immediately began to face persecution. Read More.
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Jul. 12, 2018 | India
Hindu Extremists Burn Pastor's Home
[162] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Pastor Baiga.
Hindu activists burned Pastor Chaitu Baiga's home in the middle of the night, leaving his family homeless. Pastor Chaitu, who was born into a Hindu family, came to know Christ in 2010 and completed Bible training before becoming a pastor. When Hindu activists learned of his effective evangelistic work - he currently leads three congregations in three villages - they began harassing him and attacking him physically. Read More.
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Jul. 12, 2018 | Gaza Strip
Young Muslim Learns About Jesus Online
[167] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Mohammed.
After hearing a university professor mention the name of Jesus four years ago, Mohammed began to seek information about Christianity online, eventually connecting with a group of Christians. His new interest in Jesus soon led to conflict with family members. When his sister saw him watching a Christian TV program, she reported him to their father, who then restricted Mohammed's access to the Internet and social media for the next year. Read More.
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Jul. 05, 2018 | Bangladesh
Church Planter Shows Grace to Threatening Neighbor
[256] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Nazmul.
A church planter who was harassed and threatened by his Muslim neighbor used the conflict as a way to model God's grace and forgiveness. After Nazmul and his family rented a house next to a Muslim family, the Muslims began to criticize Christians and shout curses at their new neighbors. Nazmul eventually decided to move, but the harassment didn't stop. Read More.
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Jul. 05, 2018 | China
Two Pastors Arrested During Seminary Class
[166] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Two Arrested Pastors.
Chinese officials in eastern Jiangsu province interrupted a seminary class on May 28 and arrested two pastors without showing a warrant. Police and agents from the local religious affairs bureau also threatened to arrest the teacher and more than 20 students, who later went to the police station demanding to know why the pastors were arrested. Read More.
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Jul. 05, 2018 | Nigeria
More than 200 Killed in Attacks on Christian Villages
[201] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Attacked Christian Villages.
Muslim Fulani herdsmen attacked 10 Christian villages near Jos over the weekend of June 23–24, killing more than 200 people and displacing thousands. Several VOM-supported widows who had lost their husbands and homes in previous attacks have again lost their homes and been separated from their children. Read More.
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Jun. 28, 2018 | India
Four Christians Charged with Forced Conversions
[265] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Pastor Sudarshan, Sumanti, Rupash and Neelam.
On May 29, four Christians in Jharkhand were arrested and charged with forcibly converting people to Christianity. A group of villagers who follow a traditional animist religion told police that Pastor Sudarshan, Sumanti, Rupash and Neelam beat a man with a bamboo stick because he refused to convert to Christianity. Read More.
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Jun. 28, 2018 | Nigeria
Seventeen Members of Boko Haram Surrender and Seek Forgiveness
[237] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Former Boko Haram Members.
On May 28, 17 members of Boko Haram surrendered to the Nigerian military after President Muhammadu Buhari offered amnesty to any fighters willing to turn in their weapons and seek peace. Those who surrendered said they had been forced to join Boko Haram after their town was raided four years ago. Read More.
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Jun. 28, 2018 | China
Christian Couple Detained for Sharing Their Faith
[187] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Liang and Li.
Pastor Liang Ziliang and several other church members in Heshan, Guangdong, were distributing Christian brochures and carrying anti-abortion banners in a local park when police began to photograph them. That night, Liang and his wife, Li Yinxiu, were called to the police station and detained on arrival. Following their arrest, police searched their home without a warrant. Their family later received two criminal detention notices accusing Liang and Li of violating Article 80 of China's criminal law and organizing and supporting illegal gatherings. Read More.
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Jun. 21, 2018 | Bangladesh
Muslims Intimidate Church and Demand Pastor's Arrest
[277] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Church Facing Intimidation Tactics.
A group of Muslims are demanding that police arrest a pastor, after he and other believers spoke to authorities about the construction of an Islamist school next door to their church. Read More.
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Jun. 21, 2018 | Central African Republic
Continue to Pray for Pastor Sylvain
[193] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Pastor Sylvain.
When the leader of the Seleka Muslim rebel coalition resigned from power in January 2014 at the height of the civil war, riots broke out across the capital city of Bangui. During the riots, which included violent attacks on Christians, a Muslim mob destroyed Pastor Sylvain Boynguiza's home and church, located just 650 feet from the city's central mosque. Read More.
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Jun. 21, 2018 | India
Hindu Radicals Attack Four Christian Families
[188] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Attacked Families.
About 150 Hindu radicals attacked four Christian families who had gathered for worship in a believer's home, beating the Christians severely, destroying musical instruments and damaging the home. Following the attack, the Christians were summoned to a community meeting, where they were asked to abandon their Christian faith. Read More.
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Jun. 14, 2018 | India
Eight Christians Arrested During Church Service
[313] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Subash and Arrested Christians.
On Sunday, April 29, about 25 police officers and Hindu activists burst into a church service and arrested eight Christians, accusing them of forcing Hindus to convert to Christianity. Read More.
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Jun. 14, 2018 | Syria
Evangelist from Druze Background Faces Continued Persecution
[202] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Ziyad.
Five years ago, Ziyad, who grew up in the Druze religion, placed his faith in Jesus Christ. Since then, he has experienced persecution in a variety of forms. Following his conversion, his family immediately kicked him out of their home. Read More.
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Jun. 14, 2018 | Nigeria
Christian Girl Remains in Boko Haram Captivity
[319] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Leah Sharibu.
Leah Sharibu remains in captivity almost four months after Boko Haram kidnapped her and 109 other school girls on Feb. 19 from the Government Girls Science and Technical College in Yobe state. Most of the girls were returned about four weeks after the kidnapping, but five were reportedly killed and Leah is still being held. Read More.
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Jun. 07, 2018 | Saudi Arabia
Muslim Calls Christian TV Ministry Fearing for His Life
[334] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Endangered Christ-seeker.
A man called a Christian TV ministry recently, saying he wanted to become a follower of Christ but was sure he would be killed for leaving Islam. Read More.
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Jun. 07, 2018 | Laos
New Law Further Restricts Front-line Workers
[209] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Laotian Front-line Workers.
Under a new law, all religious activity in Laos must be approved by multiple government offices. Approval is rarely, if ever, given. This means the work of VOM-supported front-line workers and other evangelists would be considered illegal. Read More.
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Jun. 07, 2018 | Iran
Pray for a VOM Conference Speaker Who Has Lost His Vision
[245] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Hormoz Shariat.
Hormoz Shariat, president and founder of Iran Alive Ministries, recently lost 90 percent of his vision while speaking at a VOM conference in Virginia. He underwent emergency surgery to repair a detached retina, but his vision has not yet returned. His other retina is also at risk of detaching. Hormoz's condition could lead him to postpone the scheduled launch of the 412 School of Ministry, which is designed to help strengthen the underground church in Iran. Read More.
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May. 31, 2018 | Syria
Pray for the Family of a Christian Convert from Islam
[331] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Enaam.
Enaam, a Kurdish Syrian Christian, left Islam more than 10 years ago after having a dream about Jesus. "I now own the world and am feeling like the richest person out there," he said. Read More.
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May. 31, 2018 | China
Schools Working to Eliminate Christianity
[234] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Chinese Students.
Teachers in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, recently sent messages to the parents of elementary and middle-school students, demanding that the parents disclose their religious beliefs. Read More.
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May. 31, 2018 | Bangladesh
Pray for Evangelist Ministering to Rohingya Refugees
[205] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Evangelist to Refugees.
A former Muslim in Bangladesh is sharing Christ with some of the thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees from neighboring Myanmar. In October, he shared with 100 people, and 60 gave their lives to Christ. This evangelist baptized five of them and plans to baptize the rest soon. Read More.
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May. 24, 2018 | Indonesia
Coordinated Attack on Three Churches
[324] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Attacked Church Members.
Three churches in Surabaya, Indonesia, were attacked by suicide bombers from a single family on Sunday, May 13, resulting in at least 13 deaths. Read More.
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May. 24, 2018 | Mauritania
Increased Penalties for Apostasy
[209] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Christians in Mauritania.
Christians in Mauritania are worried about recent changes to the laws regarding religious conversion. On April 27, the Mauritanian National Assembly approved changes that increase the possible penalty for apostasy. Read More.
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May. 24, 2018 | India
Christian Convert from Buddhism Kicked Out by His Brother
[209] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Anaram and Family.
A Christian man and his family are living under a tarp in a field after being kicked out of the family home by the man's brother. Anaram Bokar was a Buddhist before coming to know Christ in 2004. He planted a church in 2007 and led a congregation of 47 believers who met in a family home he shared with his brother. As word spread that Anaram was sharing the gospel, he began to face opposition from villagers. Read More.
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May. 18, 2018 | Pakistan
Two Christians Arrested After Sharing Literature
[312] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for Samir and His Friend.
A Pakistani Bible school student was arrested and detained for a day after giving Christian literature to a Muslim man who had asked for it. Samir was in the market with a friend when a Muslim shop owner asked for a set of his Christian books. After Samir gave them to him, the shop owner called police. Read More.
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May. 18, 2018 | China
U.S. Pastor Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Missionary Work
[286] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for John Cao.
A court recently sentenced North Carolina pastor John Cao, 58, to seven years in prison and fined him $3,000 for "organizing illegal border crossings." The pastor, who has been detained since his arrest in March 2017, allegedly crossed the China-Myanmar border to minister to 2,000 impoverished minority children in Myanmar's norther Wa state. Read More.
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May. 18, 2018 | Central African Republic
Christians Attacked by Seleka Muslim Rebels
[199] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Severin Bassala and Family.
Severin Bassala, who served as an elder in his church, was sleeping in a field at his farm on Dec. 5, 2013, when Seleka Muslim rebels attacked his village. The rebels went house to house, breaking down doors and stealing whatever they could find. Read More.
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May. 10, 2018 | India
Pastor Beheaded by Maoists
[431] prayers in [22] nations have been posted for Pastor Topno's Family and Church.
A pastor serving one of India's minority tribal groups was murdered last week by suspected Maoists. On the evening of May 2, about 25 masked men abducted Pastor Abraham Topno from a taxi he was riding in, and the pastor's beheaded body was found hours later along with a note signed by a communist rebel group operating in nearby Odisha state. Read More.
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May. 10, 2018 | Tanzania
Pray for Pastor David, Under Threat in Zanzibar
[247] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Pastor David.
Less than 18 months ago, a group of local Muslims tried to burn down Pastor David's house in broad daylight, while only his wife and children were at home. The attackers doused the back of the house with gasoline before tossing a match through the window. Thankfully, David's family escaped unharmed, but the home and everything inside were destroyed. Read More.
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May. 10, 2018 | Central African Republic
Christian Towns Destroyed by Local Muslims
[239] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Christian Villagers.
About 60,000 Christians in southeastern Central African Republic (CAR) have been forced to flee their towns after a series of attacks by local Muslims. Several months after joint U.S. and Ugandan forces pulled out of the region last year, area Muslims launched a campaign to drive Christians out by razing Christian-majority towns and villages. On Nov. 20, villagers in Dembia were awakened by gunfire at 4 a.m. as local Muslims attacked without warning. Read More.
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May. 03, 2018 | Bangladesh
Local Muslims Angered by Literature Distribution to Children
[282] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Accused Church Members.
When a Christian group distributed literature to children in a Bangladeshi village, Muslims blamed a local church. After receiving complaints about Muslim children being evangelized, police said Christians are allowed to talk about their faith only with other adults and that no one under 20 is allowed to convert to another religion. Read More.
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May. 03, 2018 | Turkey
Pray for Haddad and Other New Believers
[233] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Haddad.
Haddad, a former Muslim, placed his faith in Christ recently after an elderly woman prayed for him at a bus station. His search for truth began with the woman's simple prayer that God would guide him to salvation. He first abandoned Islamic fanaticism and thoughts of terrorism after listening to apologetic programs on the Arabic Christian television station Al Hayat. Read More.
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May. 03, 2018 | China
Christians in Henan Monitored by Government Officials
[229] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Henan Province Believers.
A Christian in the Zhoukou area of Henan province said that under new government restrictions, area churches are required to sing the Chinese national anthem at the beginning of each service and a nationalistic song titled "No Communist Party, No New China" at the end of service. Local authorities also issued an order forbidding anyone under 18 from entering a church. Read More.
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Apr. 26, 2018 | Laos
Christian Family Remains in Village Despite Persecution
[339] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for Christian Family.
A young Christian couple and their toddler son have chosen to stay in their animist village even though persecution has caused many other villagers to abandon the Christian faith they once professed. After authorities destroyed the couple's home in an attempt to drive them out, they instead gathered the remains of their dismantled home and built a small hut. Read More.
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Apr. 26, 2018 | Turkey
Trial for American Pastor Andrew Brunson Further Delayed
[277] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for Andrew Brunson.
Following his long-awaited court hearing on April 16, Andrew Brunson was ordered to another prison, and the remainder of his trial was postponed until May 7. Andrew was arrested on Oct. 7, 2016, on terrorism and espionage charges, and he faces up to 35 years in prison if convicted. Read More.
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Apr. 26, 2018 | Pakistan
Two Christian Men Killed in Third Attack in Quetta
[223] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Shooting Victims.
On April 17, four Islamic militants on motorcycles rode into a predominantly Christian neighborhood and shot two young Christian men. Rahib Khalid, 16, died at the scene, and Azhar Iqbal, 26, died later at the hospital. Read More.
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Apr. 19, 2018 | India
Pray for Family of Grandmother Killed for Praying in her Home
[406] prayers in [24] nations have been posted for Subbaravamma's Family.
A family in India is mourning the death of their 65-year-old wife and mother. Subbaravamma used to climb the stairs of her home every evening and kneel to pray for her city. Stone workers in a nearby Hindu temple observed her prayers. One of the workers took offense and attacked the elderly woman to death with a stick on March 21. Read More.
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Apr. 19, 2018 | China
Pray for Believers as Government Passes Restrictions, Bans Online Bible Sales
[233] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Chinese Believers.
Pray for Christians in China as the government continues to further restrict Christian activity. In February, churches were ordered to report their religious activities to authorities. In March, the Communist Party disbanded its Religious Affairs Bureau and the Communist Party's Central Committee absorbed the duty of managing religious life in China. Read More.
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Apr. 19, 2018 | Egypt
Pray for Christian Widow who Resisted Parents' Wishes to Marry a Muslim
[249] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Muna and Daughter.
A young Christian widow's family tried to force her to get remarried to a Muslim, but instead she chose Jesus. During her first marriage, Muna and her husband secretly converted from Islam. Muna's husband died when their daughter was 8 years old. Muna's family quickly insisted she remarry. They gave her a choice between two Muslim men. Read More.
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Apr. 12, 2018 | Tajikistan
Pray for Church Raided and Monitored by KGB Officials
[327] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Raided Church.
KGB officials walked into an ongoing church service on Sunday, March 11 and began taking photos and recording video. When church leaders protested, the officials said it was an official examination, though they did not provide documentation. The officials also walked around the church premises and collected Christian literature from various rooms. Read More.
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Apr. 12, 2018 | Bangladesh
Pray for the family of Tayub Ali, Former Muslim and Evangelist
[236] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Family of Tayub Ali.
Tayub Ali passed into the arms of the God he served. Tayub became a believer in 2004 after growing up in a Muslim majority tribal group. Immediately following his conversion, he was driven from his community and could not return home for three weeks. Read More.
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Apr. 12, 2018 | Nigeria
Pray for Christians Recovering from Repeated Attacks on their Village
[275] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Miango Christian Villagers.
Christians in a central Nigerian village are feeling betrayed after Muslim herdsmen attacked and killed several people and then attacked again after the funerals. Fulani herdsmen attacked Miango, a village in Jos state on March 8 around 10 p.m. A family on the edge of town lost three boys when the Fulani came in wielding machetes and shooting. Read More.
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Apr. 05, 2018 | Myanmar
Pray for Christian Orphans Abducted After Sharing the Gospel
[394] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for Abducted Orphans.
Several orphans from the Pa'O ethnic group were abducted by angry Buddhists in February 2017 after they distributed gospel tracts during a large Buddhist festival. The orphans, who live under the care of a Christian worker, had distributed gospel tracts in 18 Pa'O villages before being confronted by Buddhist monks at the festival. When the monks called for their arrest and attempted to shave their heads, the youth fled to their home with the Christian worker. Read More.
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Apr. 05, 2018 | Iran
Two Believers Await Ruling on Eight-Year Prison Terms
[256] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Eskander and Suroush.
Two Iranian Christians continue to await a judge's decision on their appeal of prison sentences they received in December 2017. Eskander Rezaie and Suroush Saraie, both of whom have been previously imprisoned, face eight-year sentences if their appeal is denied. Read More.
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Apr. 05, 2018 | Uzbekistan
Police Interrogate 8-Year-Old Christian Boy in Ongoing Harassment
[267] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Nicolay Pivtev's Son.
Local officials in Navoi, Uzbekistan, took an 8-year-old boy out of school without his parents' knowledge in order to interrogate him about his family's church attendance. Two days after raiding Nikolay Pivtsev's home, confiscating the family's Bible and computer, police picked up his son from school on Jan. 26 and took him in for questioning. Read More.
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Mar. 29, 2018 | India
Pray for a Family Facing Persecution Following Their Daughter's Death
[372] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Grieving Indian Family.
A family that recently converted from Hinduism to Christianity has faced protests and threats from the community for burying their 7-year-old daughter, who died from an illness on Feb. 26, on their own land. Read More.
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Mar. 29, 2018 | Israel
Pray for a Bible Book Store in Tel Aviv
[244] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Bible Store Owners.
A book store in Tel Aviv owned and operated by the Bible Society of Israel is currently on trial, accused by the property owner of conducting missionary activities and violating its rental agreement. Read More.
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Mar. 29, 2018 | Laos
Pray for Christian Families Evicted from Their Village
[226] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for "Sanyahak" and Family.
Several Christian families, including the family of a man recently released from jail for his evangelistic work, have been forced to leave their village. Read More.
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Mar. 22, 2018 | Tanzania
Pray for Christians in Zanzibar
[410] prayers in [22] nations have been posted for Christians in Zanzibar.
The government of the semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar is actively working to expel Christians, according to VOM workers who recently visited the area. All schools, even private Christian schools, are now required to teach Arabic and Islam; the construction of new churches is prohibited; and government authorities allow and even encourage Muslim citizens to intentionally drive out Christians. Read More.
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Mar. 22, 2018 | India
Pray for Families Shunned Because of Their Christian Faith
[249] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Shunned Christian Families.
During a village meeting on Feb. 28, a group of Christians and their pastor were ordered to give up their Christian faith or be "socially excommunicated" by the community. Read More.
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Mar. 22, 2018 | Bangladesh
Pray for Christian Brothers Who Were Beaten and Threatened
[278] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Bhargav and Paynam.
In January 2017, a Hindu man named Bhargav heard the gospel and came to faith in Christ. A week later, he shared his faith with a Muslim friend, who didn't respond to the gospel but told his Hindu neighbor about Bhargav's conversion. The Hindu neighbor then spread the news that Bhargav had become a Christian and was sharing his faith with others in the village. Read More.
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Mar. 15, 2018 | Pakistan
Pray for a Church Attacked in the Sahiwal District
[403] prayers in [20] nations have been posted for Sahiwal Church Members.
On March 4, about 15 Muslim men attacked a church in the Sahiwal district. The attack was led by the landlord of the building next door, who doesn't want Christians beside him and is fighting to regain control of the land for his own use. The church members had gathered to build a boundary wall around their property when the Muslim men entered the church and started beating them. Read More.
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Mar. 15, 2018 | Israel
Pray for a Family of Messianic Jews Facing Threats for Evangelistic Work
[293] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Eitan and Family.
Eitan and his family, who are Messianic Jews, face threats from ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel because of Eitan's work on videos for the One for Israel YouTube ministry. Eitan, his wife and their young child were forced to move after they received death threats. Read More.
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Mar. 15, 2018 | China
Pray for Shenzhen Church, Closed for Unfounded Safety Concerns
[235] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Shenzhen Church Members.
Authorities in the southern Guangdong province recently closed Shenzhen International Church, claiming the building was in violation of the fire code. The church received a notice on Jan. 19, saying the building failed to meet regulations for fire safety. On Feb. 5, a government seal was placed over the church building's doors, preventing worshipers from entering. Read More.
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Mar. 08, 2018 | Laos
Pray for Four Believers Arrested for Leading Others to Jesus
[415] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Christians Arrested for Teaching.
Four Christians were arrested recently after 16 villagers came to know Christ as a result of their teaching. The Christians were from a community that VOM helped two years ago when they were evicted from their village for refusing to give up their faith. Read More.
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Mar. 08, 2018 | Algeria
Pray for Churches Closed by Authorities
[257] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Closed Churches.
On Tuesday, Feb. 27, police closed two churches in Oran after informing them that they did not have state approval to operate. Since December, government officials have visited 25 of 45 churches affiliated with Algeria's main protestant church. And on Nov. 9, 2017, a church that had trained and discipled more than 7,000 former Muslims since 1997 was forced to close its doors. Read More.
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Mar. 02, 2018 | Nepal
Pray for a Mother and Daughter Staying in a VOM Safe House
[427] prayers in [24] nations have been posted for Sarala and her mother.
Sarala and her mother became Christians in early 2017. When Sarala's father learned that they planned to be baptized, he beat them and forbade them from doing so. On the day of the baptism, he locked Sarala in the house, though her mother was baptized. Read More.
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Mar. 02, 2018 | Indonesia
Pray for an Evangelist Arrested on False Charges
[271] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Abraham Ben Moses.
Well-known Christian apologist and former Muslim Abraham Ben Moses was arrested on the evening of Dec. 5, 2017, after authorities learned of a video in which he questions Muhammad's teachings and shares the gospel with a Muslim taxi driver. The 53-year-old evangelist, from Tangerang, Java, was charged with blasphemy, hate speech and violating Indonesia's information and electronic transactions law. Read More.
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Mar. 02, 2018 | Pakistan
Pray for a Teenage Boy Accused of Blasphemy
[307] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for Patras Masih.
Patras Masih, a 17-year-old boy from Lahore, has been accused of blasphemy in connection with a post on his Facebook page. Patras said someone else posted the content to his Facebook page after he lost his phone. After the post became public knowledge, thousands of Muslims gathered outside the police station and Patras's home, demanding his execution. Read More.
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Feb. 22, 2018 | India
Pray for Persecuted Christians Who Received a New Water Well
[365] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Persecuted Christian Villagers.
After two years of planning, delays and construction, a new water well benefiting nine Christian families is now operational in a Christian village. The area was the site of large anti-Christian riots in which many Christians died and many others were injured. Read More.
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Feb. 22, 2018 | Indonesia
Pray for Church Members Attacked by a Man with a Sword
[267] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Pastor Prier and Church Members.
On the morning of Feb. 11, a man with a sword attacked members of a church in Sleman, Central Java. After entering the building, he used his sword to cut one church member on the back of his head and neck. Read More.
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Feb. 22, 2018 | China
Pray for Churches Facing Large Fines and New Restrictions
[256] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Fined Churches.
New Religious Affairs Regulations went into effect on Feb. 1, causing many believers to fear for the future of their house churches. In addition, house churches in Henan have received notices that their services will be suspended. Read More.
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Feb. 15, 2018 | Laos
Five Christians Detained for Celebrating "European" Religion
[372] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Detained Khmu Believers.
Five Khmu believers were arrested and fined for holding a Christmas celebration on Dec. 15. The Christians had received permission from village authorities, but district officials arrested them after learning they had invited a pastor from a neighboring village. The five believers were held in prison for a few nights and fined about $600 before being released. Read More.
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Feb. 15, 2018 | Bangladesh
Pray for New Believers in a Safe House
[258] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Safe House Inhabitants.
After focusing on an unreached area for the past 11 months, an evangelist has seen hundreds of Muslims come to faith in Christ. As a result, some have experienced persecution. A young married couple took shelter in a VOM-supported safe house for several months when they were kicked out of their family because of their Christian faith. Read More.
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Feb. 15, 2018 | Kenya
Pray for Naomi, Whose Husband Was Killed by Islamists
[297] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Naomi.
Christian widows whose husbands were killed in Islamist attacks are gradually returning to their coastal Kenyan homes. After an attack in June 2014 in which Islamists went door to door killing Christians, Naomi and her four children fled to her parents' home in another village. Read More.
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Feb. 08, 2018 | China
Pray for Christians Sentenced to Prison on False Charges
[417] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Ju Dianhong and Liang Qin.
On Jan. 16, a court in Lincang, located in China's southern Yunnan province, sentenced Ju Dianhong and Liang Qin to 13 years and 10 years in prison, respectively. The two believers, along with others who received shorter sentences, were convicted of participating in cult activity. Read More.
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Feb. 08, 2018 | Myanmar
Pray for the Family of a Murdered Burmese Christian
[306] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Aung and children.
"Than," a 37-year-old Christian father of five, was brutally murdered by unknown attackers recently. His wife, Aung, discovered his body on the side of the road, covered in blood, as she returned from collecting firewood for cooking. Than's killers had slit his wrists, stabbed him in the chest and beat him severely. Read More.
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Feb. 08, 2018 | Nigeria
Pray for Christians Suffering from Recent Attacks
[261] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Kitibu Christian villagers.
On Jan. 16, Fulani herdsmen attacked the village of Kitibu, Taraba state, in northern Nigeria, killing more than 100 people. They burned more than 1,000 homes, some with people still inside, and many people are still missing. Read More.
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Feb. 01, 2018 | Tajikistan
Pray for Gulnora, Wife of Imprisoned Pastor
[428] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Gulnora and Bakhrom.
While making the six-hour journey to visit her imprisoned husband, Gulnora suddenly became ill. She was taken to a local hospital, too sick to even visit her husband. After being diagnosed with high blood pressure, she was transferred to a hospital closer to her home. Gulnora's problems with hypertension began in April 2017, after the secret police arrested her husband, Pastor Bakhrom Kholmatov. Read More.
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Feb. 01, 2018 | India
Pastor Gideon Murdered by Hindu Activists
[274] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Pastor Gideon's church.
Hindu activists murdered a VOM-supported pastor in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu in January. Pastor Gideon Periyaswamy's body was discovered in his home on Jan. 20, 2018, by members of his congregation. The pastor's killers hanged his body with a noose around his neck to make it look like a suicide, but it was clear that he was killed before being hanged. Read More.
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Feb. 01, 2018 | Tanzania
Pray for Pastor John, Whose Church Was Burned
[265] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Pastor John.
Pastor John serves with his family in an area of Tanzania that is almost entirely Muslim. When his denomination sent him to the area, there were no members in the church. Over time, however, John built the church up by knocking on doors and sharing the gospel. Then, during an all-night prayer meeting, a group of men came and set the church on fire, burning the simple thatch church to the ground. Read More.
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Jan. 25, 2018 | China
Pray for Christians Whose Church Was Destroyed
[423] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for Golden Lampstand Church Members.
Authorities used explosive charges to demolish the Golden Lampstand Church in Linfen, Shanxi, on Jan. 9, destroying the place of worship for 50,000 believers. VOM has supported the church since the building's construction in 2009, and church members have faced ongoing persecution. Read More.
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Jan. 25, 2018 | Sri Lanka
Pray for Church Members Recovering from an Attack
[262] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Attacked Church Members.
On Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, three Buddhist monks and two other men interrupted worship at the Lighthouse Church in Pupuressa, threatening the congregation and asking the pastor if he had government approval to worship in the building. They then dragged the pastor outside to beat him and assaulted a church member who attempted to intervene. Read More.
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Jan. 25, 2018 | Nigeria
Pray for Rebecca, a Widow Who Fled Boko Haram with Her Children
[286] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Rebecca.
Rebecca, one of the many widows VOM serves in Nigeria, was forced to relocate to Jos after Boko Haram attacked her village in Adamawa state at the end of December. She and her children fled to another village, where a VOM worker met them and brought them to Jos. Read More.
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Jan. 19, 2018 | Tanzania
Pray for a Christian Boy Being Persecuted at School
[503] prayers in [23] nations have been posted for Persecuted Christian Student.
A young boy who is one of only two Christians at his school in Zanzibar has been punished by teachers and bullied by students because of his faith. One day a group of Muslim boys locked him in an outhouse for several hours, and another day they held him down and forced him to drink urine. The Muslim boys were never punished. Read More.
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Jan. 19, 2018 | China
Pray for Churches Whose Christmas Eve Services Were Shut Down
[228] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Pressured Chinese Churches.
Authorities throughout China worked to shut down Christmas Eve services and other holiday activities in late December, going so far as to arrest three believers two days before Christmas on "illegal publication" charges. Several churches were warned that if they gathered in unapproved locations their church buildings would be destroyed. Read More.
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Jan. 19, 2018 | Kyrgyzstan
Pray for a Church Recovering from an Islamist Attack
[264] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Recently Attacked Church.
Islamic militants threw Molotov cocktails through windows of the Evangelical Christian Baptist Church in Kaji Say early on Jan. 3. Although the inside of the church was badly damaged by the resulting fire, an open Bible on the altar survived the flames even though the altar cloth was destroyed. Read More.
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Jan. 11, 2018 | Pakistan
Pray for Aliza, Injured in a Deadly Church Bombing
[454] prayers in [22] nations have been posted for Aliza.
Aliza, a 1-year-old girl, lost her foot as a result of an injury suffered in the Dec. 17 Quetta church bombing that killed 11 people and seriously injured 50 others. Read More.
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Jan. 11, 2018 | Laos
Pray for Five Christians Arrested at a Christmas Celebration
[275] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Arrested Christians.
Four Hmong Christians and one Khmu Christian have been in prison since Dec. 30, when they were arrested for hosting a Christmas celebration without the permission of village authorities. Read More.
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Jan. 11, 2018 | Korea, North
Pray for Missionary L, Releasing Gospel Balloons
[403] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Missionary L.
"Missionary L" is using a simple, time-tested method of sending the gospel into North Korea, but it's not without risk. The missionary releases orange plastic gospel balloons printed with the first chapter of Genesis into the river, where the current carries them to North Korea. Read More.
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Jan. 04, 2018 | Vietnam
Pray for Three Families Evicted from Their Village
[473] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Evicted Families.
Three Christian families were recently forced from their homes by relatives, with the tacit approval of village authorities. The attackers demolished the Christians' houses and took their farmland, so the believers and their children have been forced to live under a tarp in the jungle. Read More.
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Jan. 04, 2018 | Sri Lanka
Pray for a Pastor Forced to Stop Holding Services
[302] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Sri Lankan Pastor.
Local authorities in a Sri Lankan village have ordered a pastor to stop holding Christian worship services. On Dec. 9, a police officer and a member of the local peace committee questioned the pastor about his church's worship activities. According to the officer, a number of villages in the area had complained about the Christian services. Read More.
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Jan. 04, 2018 | Indonesia
Pray for Pastor Abraham, Charged with Blasphemy
[327] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Pastor Abraham.
An Indonesian pastor was charged with blasphemy recently after he shared his Christian faith in a taxi. In a widely circulated video, Pastor Abraham Ben Moses, also known as Saifuddin Ibrahim, is heard speaking with a taxi driver about the Prophet Muhammad's teachings on marriage. He can also be heard asking the driver to convert to Christianity. Pastor Abraham's Internet evangelism has also been cited as a basis for the blasphemy charges, which were filed against him after Indonesia's second-largest Islamic organization complained to authorities. Read More.
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Dec. 28, 2017 | Myanmar
Pray for the Family of Tai Tai, Killed for His Faith
[518] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for Tai Tai's family.
"Tai Tai," a recent Christian convert in Shan state, was killed this past summer because of his Christian faith. After becoming a believer in January 2017, the 41-year-old had been active in his church and in sharing the gospel with the Palong people. Read More.
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Dec. 28, 2017 | Uzbekistan
Pray for Irina, Facing Charges for Possessing Christian Materials
[308] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Irina.
On Nov. 10, police in Andijan, in eastern Uzbekistan, raided the apartment of Irina Stepanova, a member of a local Baptist church. Read More.
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Dec. 28, 2017 | Uganda
Pray that Leticia Will Get Her Daughter Back
[356] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Leticia.
When Leticia told her Muslim family she had become a Christian, they waited until she had left the house and then cleared her room of all her belongings. Her father cursed her and told her she was no longer his child. Read More.
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Dec. 21, 2017 | Pakistan
Eleven Killed in Church Attack
[452] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Injured Pakistani Christians.
At least 11 people were killed and 50 seriously injured in an attack Sunday, Dec. 17, on a Methodist church in Quetta, Pakistan. Read More.
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Dec. 21, 2017 | China
University Bans Christmas as "Western Religious Culture"
[248] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Christians celebrating Christmas.
The Communist Youth League at Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, in northeastern China, published a notice recently prohibiting student associations from holding Christmas celebrations. Read More.
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Dec. 21, 2017 | Sri Lanka
Pray for Christians Ordered to Stop Worshiping
[280] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Sri Lankan Believers.
On Nov. 17, three officials from the Mahaweli Development Authority and three Buddhist monks entered the Church of Gospel Ministry, Palatiyawa, and threatened to take the Christians' land if they continued to hold worship services. Read More.
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Dec. 14, 2017 | Belarus
Pray for Christians Detained for Distributing Christian Literature
[351] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Harassed Church Members.
Police have detained and questioned members of an evangelical church in northern Belarus three times in the last two months for distributing Christian literature. On Oct. 14, police arrested Andrei Fokin as he and other believers distributed Christian books and magazines in the Lepel town market. He was released after a warning, but later fined for repeat offenses. Read More.
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Dec. 14, 2017 | Iran
Pray for Two Iranian Christians Recently Released on Bail
[251] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Mohammad Ali Torabi and Abdol-Ali Pourmand.
Mohammad Ali Torabi and Abdol-Ali Pourmand were each released from prison on $60,000 bail in late November, following their arrest in mid-October on unspecified charges related to their Christian activities. Read More.
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Dec. 14, 2017 | China
Pray for Pastor Li Wanhua, Harassed and Pressured by Chinese Police
[259] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Li Wanhua.
Chinese police have repeatedly harassed a house church pastor in recent months, pressuring him to join the state-run Three Self Church. On Nov. 9, security officials arrested Pastor Li Wanhua at his home and took him in for interrogation. Read More.
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Dec. 07, 2017 | India
Pray for Christian Leaders Charged with Forced Conversions
[341] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for Christian Leaders.
In September, six Christian lay leaders were invited to a man's house to pray for his sick wife. While praying, a group of people arrived at the house, forced the Christians outside and beat them. Read More.
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Dec. 07, 2017 | Algeria
Pray for Algerian Christians Facing Increasing Intimidation
[241] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Intimidated Algerian Christians.
Authorities in northwestern Algeria shut down a church and arrested several Christians recently. "Over the past few months, it seems that the Algerian government is doing this all over the country," a VOM worker said. On Nov. 9, authorities in Ain Turk closed a church, confiscated its equipment and arrested several worshipers after accusing the church of illegally printing materials for evangelism. Read More.
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Dec. 07, 2017 | China
Pray for Christians Forced to Reject Their Faith
[245] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Pressured Chinese Christians.
Government officials in Jiangxi province have pledged to help Christians living in poverty under the condition that they reject their faith, follow communism and replace their pictures of Jesus with pictures of President Xi Jinping. Read More.
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Nov. 30, 2017 | Myanmar
Pray for Htin and His Wife, Kicked Out of Their Village
[430] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for Htin and Wife.
After placing their faith in Christ in December 2016, "Htin" and his wife became the only Christians in their village. When family and friends learned of their conversion to Christianity, they told Htin that he and his wife were no longer welcome. Read More.
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Nov. 30, 2017 | Korea, North
Pray for Hoon, Learning About Jesus in China
[336] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Hoon.
"Hoon," a North Korean working in China, has been learning about Jesus from a Chinese missionary for several months, but they may no longer be able to meet. Missionary "Lee" gave Hoon an MP3 player to help him study Scripture, and Lee could tell that Hoon was open to the gospel. Recently, however, China has tightened its control over those working with North Koreans, and one of Lee's friends who is a pastor was recently interrogated by Chinese police. Read More.
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Nov. 30, 2017 | Bangladesh
Pray for Imam Fedu, a New Christian Convert
[273] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Imam Fedu.
Imam Fedu, a Muslim scholar and teacher in Bangladesh, recently placed his faith in Christ after receiving a Christian tract and hearing the gospel from a Christian worker. "Jesus is the Savior," Fedu said. He immediately resigned from his Muslim work and made plans to be baptized. Read More.
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Nov. 23, 2017 | Eritrea
Pray for Arrested Christian Students and Children of Arrested Parents
[399] prayers in [23] nations have been posted for Arrested Christian Students.
Sixteen Christian students were arrested earlier this month, the latest in a series of arrests since May 2017. The students, who were arrested after being discovered praying together, were held for more than two weeks before being released. Read More.
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Nov. 23, 2017 | Iran
Pray for Pastor Mohammed Ali Torabi, Being Held in an Unknown Location
[274] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Pastor Mohammed.
The leader of a house church in Khuzestan province, Pastor Mohammed Ali Torabi, was arrested on Oct. 18 at his workplace and taken to an unknown location. Two Christian converts from Islam were arrested the same day in the same city, but they were released after interrogation. Read More.
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Nov. 23, 2017 | China
Pray for Li Aijie, Beaten for Refusing to Divorce Her Husband
[269] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Li Aijie.
The wife of an imprisoned Christian human rights lawyer was severely beaten by family members recently for refusing to divorce her husband. Li Aijie has been an outspoken advocate for her husband, Zhang Haitao, since his arrest in June 2015. Authorities have pressured her family to persuade her to stop speaking out on his behalf, even threatening Li's 80-year-old mother. Read More.
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Nov. 16, 2017 | Laos
Praise God for the Release of Four Men and Faithfulness of Seven Families
[344] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Released Laotian men.
Four Christian men arrested over the past two months were released from jail recently. The first believer to be arrested, "Sanyahak," was detained in early October after 40 people came to know Christ through his witness. The three other men were later arrested, amid ongoing harassment of seven Christian families in the community. Read More.
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Nov. 16, 2017 | Central African Republic
Pray for Mary, Widowed by Islamists
[284] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Mary.
Mary's husband, Pastor Jean-Paul, was shot to death on Feb. 7 outside his church in Ramandji. Mary said he was killed by Islamists who want to eliminate all Christians from the community. Read More.
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Nov. 16, 2017 | Pakistan
Pray for VOM Workers and All Pakistanis Affected by Sickening Smog
[230] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Smog-affected believers in Pakistan.
Thick smog has blanketed parts of Pakistan for the past two weeks, affecting every aspect of life. The smog has dangerously reduced visibility and caused health issues for many in the affected areas. It has also hindered VOM's work in the country, delaying the distribution of Action Packs and other work that requires travel. Read More.
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Nov. 09, 2017 | Sri Lanka
Pray for Believers Receiving Christian Literature
[329] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Sri Lankan Believers.
About 50 people gathered at a 250-year-old church in Matara, on Sri Lanka's southern coast, in mid-October to receive books intended to help them grow in faith. Two students led a worship service to express gratitude to God for the books. Days later, a second distribution took place in north-central Sri Lanka. Read More.
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Nov. 09, 2017 | Eritrea
Pray for the Children of Believers Who Are in Detention Camps
[298] prayers in [20] nations have been posted for Children of Detained Believers.
Fikadu Debesay, a mother of three children, died a few weeks ago at Metkel Abiet, an Eritrean detention camp. Fikadu had been imprisoned for worshiping in a Lutheran church not recognized by the government. She and her husband were among 33 believers arrested on the same day in May. The harsh treatment she endured in the camp and the extreme desert temperatures reportedly contributed to her death. Read More.
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Nov. 09, 2017 | China
Pray for Pastor Zheng, Whose Church Was Forced to Close
[254] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Pastor Zheng.
After resisting government pressure to join the state-run Three Self Church, the Ci Ai Fellowship in China's southern Guangdong province was forced to close on Oct. 25. Government authorities took church members' ID cards, confiscated the church's Christian literature and summoned Pastor Zheng Shaoyun for questioning. Read More.
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Nov. 02, 2017 | Indonesia
Pray for a House Church Being Pressured to Close
[372] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for House Church Members.
A house church in East Java, Indonesia, is being pressured by local authorities and the Islamic group Wahidiyah to stop meeting in a pastor's home. Although neighbors did not initially object to the house church, some have begun to complain since authorities and the Islamic group publicly criticized the pastor for meeting without a religious permit. Read More.
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Nov. 02, 2017 | Pakistan
Pray for Zhafar Bhatti, Imprisoned Since 2012
[301] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Zhafar.
Zhafar Bhatti, who was arrested and charged with blasphemy in July 2012, remains in prison, where he has been beaten several times. Zhafar, a traveling salesman for various medications, often used his door-to-door presentations to also share the gospel. He established a small NGO called "Jesus World Mission" with the purpose of helping the poor. Read More.
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Nov. 02, 2017 | Laos
Pray for Christians Imprisoned and Harassed by Local Authorities
[248] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Imprisoned and Harassed Christians.
Local authorities in a Laotian village have imprisoned four Christian men and harassed numerous other Christian families in recent weeks. Police arrested the first believer, "Sanyahak," in early October after he had led nearly 40 people to Christ. Read More.
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Oct. 26, 2017 | India
Pray for Six Christian Leaders Recently Released from Prison
[369] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Christian Leaders.
Six house church leaders were released on Oct. 16–17 after being detained for a month on false charges that they forced Hindus to convert to Christianity. The five men and one woman rejoiced that during their time in jail they were able to share the gospel with fellow prisoners. Read More.
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Oct. 26, 2017 | Pakistan
Pray for Pastor Zalaal as He Prepares to Build a New Church
[240] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Zalaal.
Pastor "Zalaal" is ready to purchase land and begin construction on a new church building to replace one destroyed by angry Muslims while it was being built in late 2013. The Muslims were upset that Pastor Zalaal had led many Muslims to Christ, and as a result his congregation has faced repeated persecution. Read More.
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Oct. 26, 2017 | Laos
Pray for Christians Detained and Pressured to Renounce Their Faith
[236] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Detained Christians.
In September police arrested six Christian couples and interrogated them for eight hours, pressuring them to renounce their faith and stop conducting worship services. "Whoever is a Christian will not be able to get any help from the government," they told the couples. Read More.
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Oct. 19, 2017 | Kazakhstan
Pray for Yklas Kabduakasov, Recently Released from Prison
[269] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Yklas.
Yklas Kabduakasov, a Christian convert from Islam, was released from prison on Oct. 2 after spending more than two years in detention for "inciting religious hatred." He was arrested on Aug. 14, 2015, and spent time in pre-trial detention, under house arrest and finally in a labor camp. Read More.
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Oct. 19, 2017 | Indonesia
Pray for Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, Imprisoned for Blasphemy
[282] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Basuki.
Jakarta's Christian governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, was sentenced recently to two years in prison after being convicted of blasphemy against Islam. Read More.
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Oct. 12, 2017 | India
Pray for Pastor Arjun and His Family as They Recover from a Brutal Attack
[428] prayers in [23] nations have been posted for Pastor Arjun and Family.
A 60-year-old pastor and his family were beaten by Hindu radicals recently because they refused to stop their ministry work. Members of the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had warned Pastor Arjun several times to stop his evangelical work and prayer meetings, but he continued to share the gospel despite their warnings. Read More.
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Oct. 12, 2017 | Turkey
Pray for a Pastor Concerned About His Children's School Environment
[265] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Turkish Pastor.
A pastor in Turkey has asked that we pray for his two elementary-age children, who are surrounded by Muslims at school. Christian children in Muslim cultures often face great difficulties; their beliefs are actively mocked, both by teachers and students. Read More.
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Oct. 12, 2017 | Laos
Pray for Village Leaders as They Learn About Christianity
[253] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Village Leaders.
After observing a miraculous healing earlier this year, seven families in a Laotian village accepted Christ. When the families began visiting a nearby village every Sunday to worship with the man who shared the gospel with them, authorities in their own village scolded and questioned them. Read More.
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Oct. 05, 2017 | Egypt
Pray for Three Families Forced to Flee ISIS Attacks
[364] prayers in [20] nations have been posted for Displaced Families.
Earlier this year, an extremist group associated with the Islamic State in the Sinai Province carried out a series of attacks on Christians in the northern Sinai, killing believers, destroying churches and bombing buses. Read More.
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Oct. 05, 2017 | Uganda
Pray for Isaac, Whose Shop Was Destroyed by Muslims
[275] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for Isaac.
"Isaac" recently opened a shop to sell Christian videos and music, including some of his own recordings. But Muslims broke into the shop and took Isaac's speakers so that he can't play the music. Although he reported the burglary to authorities, they did not investigate. Read More.
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Oct. 05, 2017 | China
Pray for Families Affected by the Closing of a Christian School
[251] prayers in [20] nations have been posted for Christian school students.
In July, authorities closed a Christian school in Henan province, claiming it was brainwashing children. National security officers confiscated materials used at the school, which operated out of a woman's home, and also removed items belonging to a house church that met there. Read More.
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Sep. 28, 2017 | Iraq
Pray for "Mustafa," Who Found Christ While Fighting ISIS
[385] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Mustafa.
As Mustafa and his fellow soldiers engaged ISIS fighters in Mosul, he began to wonder why he was fighting people from his own religion. Wasn't ISIS practicing what the Quran taught? Disillusioned with Islam, he began to look for answers among the Christians. Read More.
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Sep. 28, 2017 | Pakistan
Pray for Imran Ghafur, Who Remains in Prison
[277] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Imran Ghafur.
Imran Ghafur, who was sentenced to life in prison after Muslims accused him of burning pages of a Quran in 2009, remains in prison as the courts delay his appeal. Read More.
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Sep. 28, 2017 | Vietnam
Pray for Christians Expelled from Their Town
[256] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Expelled Vietnamese Believers.
A group of Christians in central Vietnam have lost their homes and farmland because of their faith in Christ, but they remain faithful to the Lord. Several families in the Central Highlands, including some former Communist Party members, have become Christians over the past few years through the witness of a VOM-supported evangelist. Read More.
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Sep. 21, 2017 | Pakistan
Pray for the Family of Sharoon Masih, Murdered by Classmates
[437] prayers in [25] nations have been posted for Sharoon Masih's family.
A Christian teenager was beaten to death by classmates recently after being accused of drinking from the same glass as a Muslim. Sharoon Masih, 17, had begun classes at the exclusive MC Model Boys Government School Burewala in Punjab only three days before his murder. Read More.
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Sep. 21, 2017 | Gaza Strip
Pray for Musa, a New Christian in Hiding from His Family
[269] prayers in [24] nations have been posted for Musa.
Pray for a young man in Gaza who came to faith in Christ through Internet ministries. Since becoming a Christian, "Musa" has been threatened and attacked many times by his family. Read More.
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Sep. 21, 2017 | Tanzania
Pray for the Church of a Pastor Killed While Showing the JESUS Film
[309] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for Tanzanian church.
A pastor working in a remote area of Tanzania was attacked by angry villagers while showing the JESUS film. Pastor Paul Oloru was described as influential in his community, but he angered some tribal leaders by speaking out against customs like female circumcision and tribal religious practices. Read More.
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Sep. 14, 2017 | India
Pray for Jailed VBS Chaperones
[385] prayers in [23] nations have been posted for VBS Chaperones.
Police in India arrested nine adults traveling with a group of 60 children to a Vacation Bible School (VBS) program this summer. The children and their chaperones sang Christian songs and read the Bible as they traveled by train, attracting the attention of a group of Hindu extremists. Read More.
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Sep. 14, 2017 | Laos
Pray for Vu, Rejected by Her Family
[285] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Vu.
"Vu" placed her faith in Christ earlier this year while working in the Laotian capital of Vientiane. Several months later, she shared her faith with her parents and brother in hope that they, too, would become Christians. Instead, they cursed her. Read More.
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Sep. 14, 2017 | Pakistan
Pray for Esmail, Unemployed After an Attack by Colleagues
[273] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Esmail.
A Pakistani Christian man lost his taxi business recently after two Muslim colleagues destroyed his car. "Esmail" was never shy about sharing his Christian faith, and when he began driving a taxi several years ago he continued sharing it with other taxi drivers, even giving a Bible to one especially interested colleague. But two other drivers disapproved of Esmail's boldness, accusing him of trying to persuade Muslims to give up their faith. Read More.
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Sep. 07, 2017 | Tanzania
Pray for Christians Whose Possessions Were Taken
[378] prayers in [23] nations have been posted for Tanzanian Christians.
A pastor and several church members in a southeastern Tanzanian village had all of their belongings and cash confiscated after they refused to contribute to a ceremony involving witchcraft. Read More.
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Sep. 07, 2017 | India
Pray for Pastor Perry and His Church, Attacked by Hindu Extremists
[267] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Pastor Perry's Church.
Hindu extremists attacked a church in Karnataka state recently, beating the pastor and burning everything in the church. Shortly after Pastor "Perry" and about 40 church members gathered for a special midday prayer meeting, more than 100 Hindu extremists rushed in and began beating the Christians with rods. Read More.
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Sep. 07, 2017 | Turkey
Pray for Pastor Andrew Brunson, Charged with Spying
[283] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Andrew Brunson.
An American pastor who has been imprisoned for almost a year is now facing espionage charges. Andrew Brunson, who has lived in Turkey for 23 years, was arrested last October and accused of membership in an Islamic terrorist organization. Read More.
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Aug. 31, 2017 | Pakistan
Pray for Christians Still Recovering from Peshawar Bombing
[342] prayers in [24] nations have been posted for Injured Pakistani christians.
Although it's been nearly four years since suicide bombers struck the historic All Saints Church in Peshawar, killing more than 80 Christians, some of the more than 150 injured are still recovering. Read More.
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Aug. 31, 2017 | Laos
Pray for "Noum" and Her Sons, Who Are Now Homeless
[268] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for Noum and Sons.
After 54-year-old "Noum" and her two sons became Christians, her husband angrily refused to let them practice their faith. Then, when village authorities and witchdoctors accused Noum of angering the spirit presiding over the village, Noum's husband threatened to kick her out of the house if she didn't renounce her faith. Read More.
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Aug. 31, 2017 | China
Pray for Children Barred from Attending Church
[274] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for Christian Chinese youth.
Government officials in China's Zhejiang province are currently monitoring churches to ensure that children aren't attending. In addition, more than 100 area churches received verbal warnings against teenagers attending church services, Sunday school or other church-related activities. Read More.
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Aug. 24, 2017 | Myanmar
Pray for Tin and His Family, Searching for a New Home
[409] prayers in [27] nations have been posted for Tin and Family.
A few months after Tin and his family came to faith in Christ, a group of Buddhist monks in their village demanded that they return to Buddhism. The monks met with villagers about the family's conversion to Christianity, and the villagers suggested that the family be banned from the village or even killed. Read More.
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Aug. 24, 2017 | Pakistan
Pray for Pastor Mashar and His Church, Which Faces Constant Threats
[246] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Pastor Mashar.
Pastor "Mashar" has pastored a church in Pakistan since 2012. During his ministry, people have accepted Christ and experienced healing from the Lord. As a result, he and his church members have received numerous death threats. Read More.
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Aug. 24, 2017 | Sierra Leone
Pray for Christians Facing a Growing Islamic Presence
[260] prayers in [22] nations have been posted for Sierra Leonean Christians.
In the past several years, Islam's presence and influence have grown dramatically in Sierra Leone. By some estimates, more than 75 percent of the country is now Muslim, up from about 55 percent just seven years ago. Read More.
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Aug. 17, 2017 | India
Pray for Pastor Ariaan, Accused of Forcibly Converting Hindus
[394] prayers in [22] nations have been posted for Pastor Ariaan.
Pastor "Ariaan" has been charged with forcibly converting Hindus to Christianity and has been ordered by police not to pray, share the gospel or host prayer meetings in his home. In addition, his landlord has ordered him to leave his home, and his daughter has been denied admission to school. Read More.
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Aug. 17, 2017 | Korea, North
Pray for Pastor Kim, Who Helps Trafficked North Korean Women
[417] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Pastor Kim.
Every year, hundreds of North Korean women are sold in China either as prostitutes or as wives for Chinese men. These women are enslaved in brothels or homes, and if caught outside they are sent back to North Korea, where they are likely to face harsh punishment. Read More.
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Aug. 17, 2017 | Pakistan
Pray for 17-Year-Old Shahzad Masih, Charged with Blasphemy
[316] prayers in [22] nations have been posted for Shahzad Masih.
A Pakistani teenager is being held by police in an unknown location after a co-worker accused him of blasphemy. Shahzad Masih, 17, who worked as a cleaner in a hospital to help support his family, apparently got into an argument with a Muslim co-worker, who later reported his alleged blasphemous statements to an Islamic activist. Read More.
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Aug. 10, 2017 | Kenya
Pray for Sarah Ambetsa, Widow of a Murdered Pastor
[414] prayers in [22] nations have been posted for Sarah.
Sarah Ambetsa's husband was killed in 2014 as he shared the Sunday morning message at the Joy in Jesus Church in Mombasa. Attackers entered the church that morning and began shooting at worshipers, killing the pastor and six others. Read More.
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Aug. 10, 2017 | Middle East
Pray for Ceger and Naza, Who Fled Their Home After Death Threats
[270] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Ceger and Naza.
After years of threats, attacks and ostracism by their Muslim families, "Ceger" and his wife, "Naza," finally had to leave their home in Iraq. Read More.
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Aug. 10, 2017 | Tajikistan
Pray for Bakhrom Kholmatov, Imprisoned for "Extremist" Songs
[298] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Bakhrom.
Pastor Bakhrom Kholmatov, who has been detained by secret police since April 2017, was sentenced recently to three years in prison. Read More.
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Aug. 03, 2017 | Nigeria
Pray for Elizabeth as She Waits for Her Daughter's Return
[282] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Elizabeth and Mariam.
After waiting three years for Boko Haram to release her youngest daughter, Mariam, Elizabeth is now waiting to bring her home. The Islamic extremist group released Elizabeth's 20-year-old daughter and 81 other "Chibok girls" in May. Since then, the girls have been in the government's custody and their families have received no explanation as to why. Read More.
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Aug. 03, 2017 | Vietnam
Pray for Two Women Kicked Out of their Home for their Faith
[283] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Mai Bao and Sister-in-law.
"Mai Bao" and her husband spent years seeking healing for her illness before finally asking a Christian to pray for her. After she was healed, Mai Bao decided to give her life to Jesus. But the rest of her Hmong community saw her change of faith as a rejection of their values. Read More.
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Jul. 27, 2017 | India
Pray for Pastor Sultan's Family and Church Following His Martyrdom
[429] prayers in [22] nations have been posted for Pastor Sultan's Family.
Pastor Sultan Masih, 50, of Temple of God church was found shot dead July 15 in northern India's Punjab state. His martyrdom took place in front of his church, two months after Hindu extremists witnessed his church celebrating its 25th anniversary. Read More.
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Jul. 27, 2017 | Laos
Pray for Five Families Facing Pressure from their Village and Local Government
[255] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Five Laotian Families.
After local government officials tried to entice five Christian families with a better lifestyle if they rejected their faith, the families stood firm in their beliefs. The families were offered homes with electricity and water, and better schools if they denied Jesus. Read More.
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Jul. 27, 2017 | Egypt
Pray for Christians under the Threat of Attack
[259] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Targeted Egyptian Christians.
In the last eight months, more than 100 Coptic Christians have been killed in attacks on church groups and individuals. And recently, security services urged Christians not to be seen publicly around religious activities because they have intelligence that the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) jihadists were planning attacks. Read More.
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Jul. 20, 2017 | Nigeria
Pray for Sanga Barau Who is Undergoing Surgeries Following an Attack
[434] prayers in [23] nations have been posted for Sanga.
In April 2016, Sanga Barau was walking to her farm in northern Nigeria when Muslim Fulani herdsmen (a nomadic tribe which often collaborates with Boko Haram terrorists) shot in her direction. The bullet struck her upper neck, dislocating her jaw and damaging teeth. She fell unconscious. Read More.
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Jul. 20, 2017 | India
Pray for Aju Mathew, Released After 42 Days in Prison
[263] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Aju.
Authorities arrested Aju Mathew as he took 14 poor children living in a Christian children's home on a field trip in southern India. They then falsely charged him with human trafficking and the conversion of minors. Read More.
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Jul. 20, 2017 | Iran
Pray for Two Christian Men Who Received Lengthy Prison Sentences
[296] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Hadi and Amin.
In July, The Islamic Revolutionary Court sentenced Hadi Asgari and Amin Afshar Naderi to 10 years in prison. Amin received an additional five years for blasphemy. The court also ruled the two are not allowed to leave the country for two years following their prison terms. Read More.