Pakistan has been pummeled by its worst monsoon floods in 102 years. And the rains continue in Northwestern Pakistan, adding to the existing problems. More than 20 million Pakistanis have been affected by the flooding that began three weeks ago, and 7 million have lost their homes. Tens of thousands of villages are under water, roads and bridges have been washed away and diseases are spreading throughout the flood area. According to news reports, many of the flood victims have not yet received any sort of relief.

Ten members of a Christian aid team were murdered in northern Afghanistan on Aug. 5 after spending three weeks providing medical care to villagers, according to The New York Times (NYT).

Today we have another story from Mission Network News in which VOM's Todd Nettleton shares about how common it is for Christians to be accused of proselytism when they are doing humanitarian aid work. Click here for the full story.

On July 18, government security forces arrested 15 Christian converts traveling to the city of Bojnoord to meet with other believers, according to Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN).In what appeared to be a coordinated effort, security forces stopped the Christians’ bus in Mashhad, the capital of Razavi Khorasan, Iran. Authorities boarded the bus, arrested 15 believers and took them to the Ministry of Information’s central detention center. According to FCNN, the believers were subjected to harsh and inhumane interrogations. After being held for a week, 13 of the Christians were conditionally released after signing promissory notes and posting bail. At last report, the two remaining detainees, 48-year-old Reza and 23-year-old Ehsan Behrooz, remained in detention because they refused to sign any forms or post bail. The Voice of the Martyrs stands with persecuted believers in Iran. Pray that the Lord will strengthen these new believers as they face this trial. Pray that the two remaining detainees will be released without charge and that their strong testimony will lead others to consider the source of their peace and strength.

Evangelist Sammy Tippet recently spoke to Mission Network News about the persecution that is happening in the United Kingdom and coming here to the United States and all under the guise of hate crime laws.

Recently the Lord has really laid the nation of Pakistan on my heart to pray for and to support, which is why when I heard about the recent flood in Pakistan I was even more concerned about the nation.

Given all the recent controversy with the four missionaries to Muslims in Dearborn, Michigan, Mission Network News is reporting today that the Dearborn Four (as they are called) is now being represented by a Muslim lawyer. Here is the rest from Mission Network News.