Persecution Blog

Happy New Year - 2011

From all of us here at The Voice of the Martyrs, we'd like to wish you a happy and peaceful new year.  May the Lord bless you all as you continue to serve Him.  Please keep praying for the persecuted church worldwide.

 

Somalia: Teenage Girl Shot

A 17-year-old girl who converted to Christianity from Islam was shot to death recently in an apparent “honor killing” in Somalia, according to Compass Direct News. Nurta Mohamed Farah, who had fled her village to live with relatives after her parents tortured her for leaving Islam, died on Nov. 25, according to the Compass Direct report.

“Area sources said they strongly suspected that the two unidentified men in Galgadud Region who shot her in the chest and head with a pistol were relatives or acting on their behest,” Compass reported. Pray that God will use Nurta’s testimony to draw non-believers into fellowship with him, and pray for the protection of all believers in Somalia.

VOM-USA Prayer Update for December 31, 2010

ALGERIA -- Christians Sentenced for "Illegal" Place of Worship -- Asia News

Four Christians were given suspended prison sentences recently for opening a place of worship without a license in the eastern region of Kabylia, Algeria, according to Asia News. The Christians, a Protestant clergyman and three of his parishioners, were convicted under a controversial 2006 law. The law requires that anyone who wants to set up a place of worship, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, must obtain a permit indicating the name of the place of worship and the name of the pastor. Some believe this law violates Algeria's constitution, and this is the first time the law has been enforced. Three of the men, Abdenour Raid, Nacer Mokrani and Idir Haoudj, received two-month prison sentences. The fourth, Pastor Mahmoud Yahou, was sentenced to three months in jail and fined almost $3,600 (U.S.) for illegally sheltering a foreigner. Pray that God will encourage these believers, that the ministry of churches in Algeria will flourish and that the gospel will be preached throughout the nation.

Psalm 23:1–5

SOMALIA -- Teenage Girl Shot to Death for Following Christ -- Compass Direct News

A 17-year-old girl who converted to Christianity from Islam was shot to death recently in an apparent "honor killing" in Somalia, according to Compass Direct News. Nurta Mohamed Farah, who had fled her village to live with relatives after her parents tortured her for leaving Islam, died on Nov. 25, according to the Compass Direct report. "Area sources said they strongly suspected that the two unidentified men in Galgadud Region who shot her in the chest and head with a pistol were relatives or acting on their behest," Compass reported. Pray that God will use Nurta's testimony to draw non-believers into fellowship with him, and pray for the protection of all believers in Somalia.

2 Corinthians 12:9–11

PTL!! Vietnam Grants Last-Minute Permit for Christmas Event

Our good friends at Compass Direct are reporting some good news given to our Christian brothers in Vietnam.  Click here for the full story.

Officials present several obstacles to large-scale worship service.

HO CHI MINH CITY, December 29 (CDN) — Granted permission only five hours before a scheduled Christmas event, house church leaders turned an empty field into a rudimentary stadium and welcomed some 20,000 people for a time of worship and evangelism on Sunday (Dec. 26) in Vietnam’s largest city. 


The last-minute permission for the event in Ho Chi Minh City reflected the byzantine manner in which authorities have applied Vietnam’s religions laws. The central government’s Bureau of Religious Affairs (BRA) in Hanoi, the body charged with managing religion in communist Vietnam, gave permission for the event to the newly registered Vietnam Assemblies of God (AOG) organization in early December. The Vietnam AOG represents a large grouping of mostly unregistered house churches in the Vietnam Evangelical Fellowship (VEF).

Free Copy of Tortured for Christ

One of the most popular books we have at The Voice of the Martyrs is Richard Wurmbrand's book Tortured for Christ.  I'd love to challenge you all in this coming new year, 2011, to get yourself a free copy of this book and to read it.  I believe it will challenge you in your Christian walk, and also give you a perspective that will help you in sharing your faith in Christ with others.

I would also invite you to order  a copy for a few friends, and you can read them together and discuss what it means to live for Christ, and to be Tortured for Christ.

Please click here to order your Free copy today!!

Mallard Fillmoore Remembers the Persecuted Church

 We'd like to thank publicly Bruce Tinsley, the creator of the great cartoon Mallard Fillmoore, for remembering the persecuted church this Christmas.

Islamic Sect Claims Credit for Nigerian Attacks

A few days ago we posted a video produced by CBN News about the attacks in Nigeria recently, and today we have news that an Islamic sect has claimed responsibility.

Here's a snip from CBN News...

 

A radical Muslim group in Nigeria, Boko Haram, has claimed responsibility for bombings and church attacks that killed at least 80 people on Christmas Eve.

"O Nations of the World, be assured that the attacks in Suldaniyya [Jos] and Borno on the eve of Christmas were carried out by us, Jama'atu Ahlus-Sunnah Lidda'Awatu Wal Jihad [Boko Haram], under the leadership of Abu Muhammad, Abubakar bin Muhammad Shekau," a statement posted on the group's website read.

Initially, authorities set the death toll at 38. But on Monday, Daniel Gambo of the Nigerian emergency management agency revised the estimate, saying approximately 80 bodies have been recovered so far in Jos.

 

Lao Officials Destroy Rice Paddies, Expel More Christians

Our friends at Compass Direct are reporting on the persecution of Lao's Christians over the weekend, as officials and some residents of a Katin village destroyed rice paddies farmed by 11 Christian families who used to live in the village.  This happened after seven other families were expelled from the community before Christmas.

Residents drained water from the rice paddies, burned fencing that protected the crop from animals and stamped on new seedlings to ensure the rice would not grow, advocacy group Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom (HRWLRF) reported.


“All 11 families were doing off-season farming on their old rice paddies on communally-owned village land,” a spokesman from HRWLRF told Compass. “If they don’t farm, they will most likely lose the right to work on their land. Also, they need the rice to sustain themselves.”


The fields were destroyed just a few days after the Katin village chief and other village authorities armed with guns entered the homes of another seven Christian families, totaling 15 people, and ordered them to give up their faith.


When they refused, officials marched them out of the village and warned them not to return.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Persecution Podcast Episode 50

We are very happy to let you know that we have posted our final Persecution Podcast for 2010.  Please listen and share with us what you are learning.

This week David discusses Algeria and Somalia. This week’s speaker shares details on the difficulties North Korean Christians face.

Nations discussed for prayer:

Algeria

Four Christians were given suspended prison sentences recently for opening a place of worship without a license in the eastern region of Kabylia, Algeria, according to Asia News. The Christians, a Protestant clergyman and three of his parishioners, were convicted under a controversial 2006 law. The law requires that anyone who wants to set up a place of worship, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, must obtain a permit indicating the name of the place of worship and the name of the pastor. Some believe this law violates Algeria’s constitution, and this is the first time the law has been enforced. Three of the men, Abdenour Raid, Nacer Mokrani and Idir Haoudj, received two-month prison sentences. The fourth, Pastor Mahmoud Yahou, was sentenced to three months in jail and fined almost $3,600 (U.S.) for illegally sheltering a foreigner. Pray that God will encourage these believers, that the ministry of churches in Algeria will flourish and that the gospel will be preached throughout the nation.

Somalia

A 17-year-old girl who converted to Christianity from Islam was shot to death recently in an apparent “honor killing” in Somalia, according to Compass Direct News. Nurta Mohamed Farah, who had fled her village to live with relatives after her parents tortured her for leaving Islam, died on Nov. 25, according to the Compass Direct report. “Area sources said they strongly suspected that the two unidentified men in Galgadud Region who shot her in the chest and head with a pistol were relatives or acting on their behest,” Compass reported. Pray that God will use Nurta’s testimony to draw non-believers into fellowship with him, and pray for the protection of all believers in Somalia.

This week’s speaker shares details on the difficulties North Korean Christians face living in and defecting from their home country.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN NOW!

 

Christmas in Orissa Involved Reaching Out to Enemies of the Cross

This year was an intense period of persecution for believers in Orissa, India.  Which is why this story from Asia News is very encouraging.  Here we see the Church that has been persecuted, reaching out to her persecutors and telling them about why Jesus came to earth.

Here's how the article begins:

Bhubaneswar, Orissa - The Christmas celebrations in Kandhamal district were held in a peaceful atmosphere, but the majority of Christians have lived in fear, father Puroshatam Nayak of the diocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar told AsiaNews. In remote villages there were no celebrations for fear of attacks. The district administrations provided protection to the larger churches. AsiaNews interviewed Raphael Cheenath, archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, Orissa state, which was the scene of bloody anti-Christian pogroms in 2007 and 2008.

...

We, in Kandhamal and in Orissa, wetry to reach the poor, the Dalits and tribals so that they can be freed from some of the traditions and customs of the upper classes of society. The love of Christ inspires the Christians in Orissa to be strong enough to withstand the pressures of society. So the message of Christmas is to break down the barriers and walls of caste, colour, creed and religion to create a community of brothers and sisters united in love, including our Hindu brethren.