| |  2/24/2011 Egypt (AP) Coptic Christian Priest Killed in Egypt, Setting Off New Protests by Religious Minority- A Coptic Christian priest has been killed in southern Egypt, triggering street demonstrations by several thousand Christians. The priest was found dead in his home. A fellow clergyman, Danoub Thabet, says his body had several stab wounds. He says neighbors reported seeing several masked men leaving the apartment and shouting "Allahu akbar," or "God is great," suggesting the killing was motivated by the divide between Egypt's Muslims and its minority Coptic community. About 3,000 protesters scuffled with Muslim shop owners Tuesday night and smashed the windows of a police car in the city, Assiut. Egypt's religious tension spiked in January when a suicide bomber killed 21 people outside a Coptic church in the port city of Alexandria. Days of protests followed. Full Report. Pray that the Christian demonstrators will demonstrate in a manner that glorifies Christ. Pray that the perpetrators of the murders against the Egyptian Christians will be brought to justice. Pray that the Gospel will spread with saving grace and power and that there will be many Muslims that will come to faith in Christ. | |  2/24/2011 China (OneNewsNow) Smuggled Video Brings China's Wrath on Foreign Reporters- Chinese authorities that were trying to isolate a blind lawyer who was freed from prison late last year have now abused a number of journalists who recently attempted to reach the activist. As the police hold his family captive in their own home, dissident Chen Guangcheng and his wife have now been badly beaten for sneaking out a video to China Aid said spokesman Bob Fu to OneNewsNow. China Aid is a Christian organization based in the United States. TIME magazine features the human rights attorney as one of the world's top 100 impactful people. However, reporters from France and Germany were recently denied access to him. "Also, reporters from New York Times and two reporters from CNN...were all brutally treated and repelled with violence," Fu reports. "And some of the reporters were even beaten up when they approached the village of Mr. Chen Guangcheng." So the China Aid spokesman contends that it is time for fellow Christians to take action to defend the legal activist, "who is a self-taught lawyer, who is blind," as he "has taken a very courageous stand by speaking up -- knowing the risk." Fu adds that China Aid's website features the information on who to contact on Chen Guangcheng's behalf. Full Story Pray that the Christians and reporters that were viciously beaten by the Chinese authorities will quickly recover. Pray that Chen Guangcheng will continue to take a courageous stand against the authorities that have violated the human rights of its people. Pray that Christians, in China and across the world, will expose the Christian persecution to the international community so that pressure can be increased against the Chinese government's abuses. | | 2/23/2011 Egypt, Iran & Libya (ChristianNewsWire) Embattled Christians in Egypt, Iran, Libya, Other Hot Spots Need Special Help- The countries of Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Maldives, Yemen, Iraq, Uzbekistan and Pakistan are among the top 11 persecutors of Christians, according to the Open Doors 2011 World Watch List. And countries such as Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia and Libya have drawn worldwide attention the last few weeks as their citizens have taken to the streets to protest lack of basic human rights, along with other issues. On February 11th, the demand for reforms by protesters led to the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. In addition, there have been numerous attacks against Christians since Christmas. On New Year's Day a suicide bomber killed 22 Christians in Alexandria, Egypt. Also, according to Open Doors, over 120 Iranian Christians have been arrested since December. Open Doors supports and strengthens believers in the world's most difficult areas. To address some of the abuses of religious freedom, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) has introduced H.R. 440, a House bill which would create the post of "Special Envoy." According to the bill, its main focus is to have the special envoy promote religious freedom of minorities in countries of the Near East and South Central Asia. The Special Envoy would be appointed by the President and report to the President and Secretary of State. "Open Doors USA supports this bill for a special envoy because these are mostly the same countries in which some of the worst persecution against Christians exists," says Open Doors USA Advocacy Director Lindsay Vessey. "Hopefully, if this bill is passed, the special envoy would increase the profile of religious freedom within the foreign policy establishment. The bottom line is this bill has the potential to significantly benefit suffering Christians worldwide." Open Doors USA is urging people to let their U.S. Representative know that they support the bill and is asking them to co-sponsor it. Full Story Pray that the citizens of Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia and Libya will continue to protest against human rights abuses with discernment and unity. Pray that the bill titled H.R. 440 will be enacted in short order so that the post of "Special Envoy" will be created whereby it will promote religious freedom of minorities and expose human rights atrocities. Pray that the Lord will surround all of the traumatized Christians, especially those that have been personally victimized and those that have suffered the murder of a loved one, with His everlasting love and peace. Pray that the believers will grow closer to the Lord and that they will share the Good News of salvation that is only through Christ. | | 2/23/2011 Pakistan (ANS)
Blasphemy Law Once Again 'Misused' Against a Pakistan Christian Woman Following on the heels of the shocking case of Asia Bibi, the 45-year-old Pakistani Christian woman and mother of five who has been sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy, and in whose defense Punjab Governor Salman Taseer lost his life, comes the strange case of another Christian woman who has been charged with blasphemy under the country's law, under Section 295-A, that has been condemned around the world. The Christian woman -- Agnes Bibi (alias Naggu Bibi) -- who is in her forties, and is the spouse of Bashir Masih -- has been accused of allegedly making blasphemous remarks against the Prophet Muhammad. Talking about what Father Aftab James Paul, priest of Sacred Heart Parish, described as "this sad episode," the priest said that Bibi had been involved in a "property dispute" with Aslam Masih Bhatti, son of Farid Masih Bhatti (a retired judicial magistrate), who was part of another Christian family in the same colony. Provincial legislator, Joel Amir Sahotra, as well as local Christian elders and the Deputy Inspector General of Police, who were joined by more than 300 Christian and Muslim people, negotiated over the matter and they decided that it was "clearly evident" that Ms. Bibi had produced a "trumped up story." Both Father Aftab James Paul and Khalid Gill, while talking to ANS, said that, although steps taken by the Christian woman "were not appropriate," they both disagreed with the controversial law. They censured the law saying that if there would have been no such law she would not have been behind the bars. They appealed the government to allow the committee which was working over repeal of blasphemy laws to resume its work. Full Story
Pray that Asia Bibi, a mother of five children, will be released unharmed and that she will be comforted and strengthened by God.
Pray that the controversial legal clauses that prescribe the death penalty for anyone convicted for insulting Prophet Mohammed and life imprisonment for those found guilty of desecrating the Quran will be overturned. Pray that the Pakistani Muslims will repent of their sins and receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. | | 2/23/2011 Vietnam (OneNewsNow) Vietnamese Believers a 'Threat' to Government- News has surfaced about the increased persecution of a mostly-Christian tribal group in Vietnam. According to Logan Maurer of International Christian Concern (ICC), Vietnamese authorities took advantage of the Christmas holiday to dish out additional persecution against the Montagnard tribal group. He says police enforced a little-known law against the Christian gatherings because they are considered a threat to the government. "They started enforcing this by surrounding worship sites and then confiscating anything that had to do with Christmas, including a nativity scene that they destroyed," Maurer reports. "In one case, they hit a man in the back of the head with a baton when he was questioning them in how they had the right to break up the Christmas gathering." A woman in another village was pushed to the ground after she objected to the police taking Christmas ornaments. The ICC spokesman points out that even though the Montagnards worked with American military during the Vietnam War, the recent attacks were aimed at condemning Christianity. "We've seen this time and again over the past few years, where Christians have been taken to jail, beaten to death, and then they'll be released just before they die so the Vietnamese government doesn't have to deal with the paperwork," he laments. Maurer contends that if the Body of Christ does not speak out for the oppressed tribe, then no one else will. So he is encouraging believers to visit his organization's website to learn how to politely protest Vietnam's embassy in Washington. Full Story Pray that the Vietnamese Christians will ardently worship God and proclaim the Gospel through the leading of the Holy Spirit with courage and prudence even in the midst of the tormenting Vietnamese authorities. Pray that the lost Vietnamese will repent of their sins and receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. | |  2/22/2011 Laos (CSW) Christian Villagers Driven from Homes in Laos Face Starvation- A group of approximately 65 villagers, who were driven from their village at gunpoint for refusing to give up Christianity, are facing starvation as local authorities in Laos destroy crops and prevent food from reaching the group. The 18 families have been living in a temporary camp outside Katin village, Ta-Oyl district, Saravan province since they were marched from their village at gunpoint in two separate incidents in 2010 for refusing to give up their Christian faith. At first, 11 families were driven from the village at gunpoint during a worship service in January of 2010, before a further seven families of new converts to Christianity were driven out in December 2010. Despite international advocacy on the case, the dire situation has not improved. One man from the group has died during this time. In March of 2010, the district head of Ta-Oyl, Mr Bounma, met with the group and urged them to reconsider their decision to follow the Christian faith. The group refused to denounce Christianity. On hearing their refusal, Mr Bounma reportedly stated that while the Lao Constitution provided protection for freedom of religion and belief, he did not allow Christianity in his district. He threatened the group with expulsion from the district if they refused to renounce their faith. The Laos Constitution provides protection for its people to practise a religion of their choice without discrimination. However, legislative protection is weak and implementation at a local level can be arbitrary. Theravada Buddhism is the dominant religion in Laos. Religious minorities, including Christians, can face harassment. CSW's National Director Stuart Windsor said, "CSW calls upon the Lao government to adhere to the constitutional protection afforded to all its citizens by allowing the Katin villagers to return to their homes. CSW calls upon international actors to hold the Lao authorities accountable for the ongoing violations of the rights of the villagers to freedom of religion and belief and afford them their economic and social rights to live in their village, sustain themselves by farming and have access to medical treatment." Full Story Praise that the 65 Lao villagers did not renounce their Christianity. Pray that other Christians will assist them with housing and food. Pray that non-Christians in Laos will receive salvation through Christ. Pray that the international community will pressure the Lao authorities to uphold the Laos Constitution because it provides protection for its people to practise a religion of their choice without discrimination. | |  2/18/2011 Iraq (Angelican Journal) Exodus of Christians from Iraq Continues- Declarations of "mission accomplished" and U.S. troop withdrawals notwithstanding, Iraqi Christians continue to flee because their safety cannot be guaranteed and there is little hope that their lives will improve soon, said six Iraqi church leaders on February 18th during the meeting of the World Council of Churches Central Committee. The six Iraqi leaders were in Geneva, said Patriarch Addai II, to solicit help from the ecumenical community. "We work very hard with the Iraqi government about violence and struggles and how to end it so people can come back," Addai said. To create safety, stability, and good infrastructure Sliwa said, requires "international advocacy to stop terrorist activities so all citizens will feel safe and secure and to demand investigations why acts of violence happened and who was responsible. Our constitution guarantees equal rights for all Iraqis. Strengthening the government will make it possible to protect all our people," Sliwa said. The Rev. Yousif Al-Saka of the Presbyterian Church of Baghdad said he does not expect the political unrest sweeping through the Arab world to affect Iraq. "The regimes in all those countries are dictatorial while we are a constitutional system," he explained. "The main problem in Iraq for all the departures is social security. If we want people, especially Christians, to return, we have to establish security." Attendance at the Baghdad church pastored by Archbishop Avak Asadourian of the Armenian Church of Iraq has declined by 85 percent in the last five years..." However, regular worship services still take place, Asadourian said, "but they are quieter and we have some police protection." The church, said Sliwa, "is the spiritual refuge of the people." The Christian churches in Iraq are not about to give up, they said. "Despite all the difficulties, we are hopeful because we are Christians," said Asadourian, "and we love our country." Full Story Pray that the Iraqi government will create an environment that creates safety, stability, and good infrastructure and that will uphold the Iraqi Constitution which guarantees equal rights for all Iraqis. Pray that there be international advocacy to stop terrorist activities. Pray that the believers will be encouraged and empowered by the Lord to continue to be fervent in worship and evangelism. | | Giving Made Easier! 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