This past week I had the great opportunity to meet a brother originally from Eritrea. He now lives in North America and works with Christians and brings awareness of persecution in Eritrea. What was amazing about him was his passion to tell the stories of Christians who have suffered persecution in Eritrea, and his excitement over the people who are coming to Christ in the midst of persecution. This dear brother reiterated one of my beliefs—that one of our greatest responsibilities as Christians is to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world as they face beatings, imprisonment and other forms of persecution.

Compass Direct has some breaking news today concerning two recent murders in Nigeria.

Thrissur (Kerala, India), SVM News, October 22, 2007: A social and prayer fellowship worker stabbed to death on October 21 at Mupli Estate road in Thrissur District of Kerala State, India.

(Compass Direct News) – Kidnappers have given Iraqi church leaders only 24 more hours to raise ransom money for the release of two priests, a church leader said today. Syrian Catholic Archbishop Basile Georges Casmoussa said that an independent source had confirmed the two priests, kidnapped last week, were alive. “Someone phoned somewhere and he affirmed to us that they are alive,” said the Mosul archbishop. Father Pius Affas, 68, and Father Mazen Ishoa, in his 30s, were abducted by unknown assailants on October 13 in Mosul. A source close to the archbishop said the kidnappers had demanded a $1 million ransom. “They gave us a 72-hour period to prepare the sum,” Casmoussa said today from Qaraqosh, a predominantly Syrian Catholic village 20 miles southeast of Mosul. “That period ends tomorrow.” The archbishop reiterated that the deadline did not mean the priests would be killed if the ransom were not immediately delivered.

The following news byte is from The Media Line and is an exclusive from The Media Line.

DHAKA, Bangladesh, October 16 (Compass Direct News) – The rumor that evangelists offer people money to convert to Christianity in Bangladesh is the rationale for violence against Christians not just from Muslims, but from Buddhists who make up less than 1 percent of the population. Subash Mondol, a supervisor of the Christian Life Bangladesh (CLB) “Jesus Film” team in Khagrachori district, told Compass that in early September tribal Buddhist villagers decided to kidnap a CLB worker after hearing a rumor that he had received money for converting. Finding no money on Cinku Marma, they instead assaulted him with a jungle knife on September 6, slashing his hand, forehead and ear. In Nilphamari district, where 10 of 42 converts from Islam were brutally beaten in June, Muslim missionaries are helping to spread the conversion-for-pay rumor. And a district official recently summoned pastor Sanjoy Roy, accusing him of offering financial incentives and ordering him stop evangelizing. He also forced Roy to sign a statement that he would not go outside the area without permission.

In recent weeks there have been many media reports on Iran, especially Iranian President Ahmadinejad’s recent visit to the United States. Interestingly, I have been thinking of how Christians are treated in Iran and the risks they take in order to share the gospel with others. Periodically, here at The Voice of the Martyrs, we get the awesome opportunity to hear the courageous testimonies of believers who risk their all to share the life-saving gospel of Jesus Christ. As I was prayerfully thinking of these faithful brothers and sisters, I came across a devotional in the book, Extreme Devotion; written by The Voice of the Martyrs, which I think accurately portrays the faithfulness, willingness and boldness of Christians in Iran. They risk their lives for the sake of the gospel.

The following news is from Mission Network News and VOM Canada.

(Compass Direct News) – Following a brutal government sweep of suspected insurgents in July, a village church in Laos that once had nearly 2,000 members has shrunk to only a few dozen daring to attend. Most of its leaders are still either in prison or under house arrest. Christian sources said only about 20 to 30 members of the previously 1,900-member Laos Evangelical Church in Ban Sai Jarern village, Bokeo province in northwestern Laos, are still meeting after authorities three months ago arrested 200 Hmong Christians falsely accused of being separatist rebels. Many of those arrested, including women and children, are still in prison, Christian sources said, although estimates of the number detained were unavailable. At the church, most of those still meeting are women and children. “The men are either still in hiding for fear of being arrested, or are still imprisoned or under house arrest, and many are still fearful to come out of their homes to worship in church,” a source said. Ban Sai Jarern church members reported that no one from their congregation has had any contact or communication whatsoever with separatist rebels.

by VOM Staff