Pakistan: Plea for Protecting Christians against Blasphemy Law

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

(Romans 8:37–39 ESV)

 

Pakistan’s National Assembly (NA) has passed a resolution condemning the recent mob-lynchings of Christians in the country. The NA urged both federal and provincial governments to ensure the safety and security of all citizens, including Christians.

The Federal Minister for Defence, Khawaja Asif, stated that the rising incidents of violence against Christians in the country was an embarrassment: “We must ensure the safety of our minority brothers and sisters. They have as much right to live in this country as the majority.”

The statement comes after radical Islamists led a mob that ransacked shops owned by Christians in Punjab province on May 25, using allegations of desecration of the Quran. The mob singled out a Christian man, Nazir Gill Masih, brutally attacked him and his family and burned down his factory.

Masih was hospitalised in critical condition and later succumbed to his injuries. Many Christian families managed to escape the mob by locking themselves inside their houses. Police have registered a case against more than a hundred people.

In 2023, the NA voted to increase the punishment for blasphemy offences from three to at least ten years of imprisonment. That year, thousands of rioters had burned 400 homes and 26 churches using fabricated allegations of blasphemy, sending Christian villagers fleeing for safety. Experts say the country’s strict blasphemy law is often abused to intimidate Christians and other minority groups and to settle personal scores. Blasphemy is punishable by death in Pakistan.

 

Home Group Prayer

Dear Lord,

We thank you for the country of Pakistan and lift it up  to you, especially your people there who live in fear and insecurity. May the light of your glory fill this nation and turn hearts to you. Reveal yourself to people in dreams and visions, so they come to know your love.

We especially lift up the problem of Pakistan’s blasphemy Law. We ask that it be changed or abolished and that people would not misuse it for personal gain. May believers there know your presence and claim your promises to never leave them nor forsake them. Please be near to those who are suffering and in prison. Be their hope and their comfort.

We commit Pakistan into your hands, and pray for your hedge of protection around our brothers and sisters there.

In Jesus’ name.

Amen.

Laos: Christians continue to face threats

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”

(2 Chronicles 16:9a NKJV)

 

A prominent Christian leader from the Baw tribe in Khammouane province in Central Laos has escaped death from government agents and is now living in fear. According to local sources, Brother O was warned by a family friend that the authorities were planning to kidnap and probably kill him. Brother O and his wife, Sister J, reportedly turned around and left immediately when they saw a group of men waiting for them in front of their home.

Both Brother O and Sister J are currently safe and staying at his mother’s home in the middle of the village. Several Christians have met the couple to encourage them.

Brother O was Pastor See’s best friend. Pastor See was killed in the same province in October 2022. According to various reports, he was kidnapped by unidentified men, brutally tortured, and murdered. Local Christians located the pastor’s body three days after his disappearance, after a villager had found his severely disfigured body in a ditch off a jungle road and uploaded pictures to Facebook. He was survived by his wife and eight children.

Religious persecution of Christians in Laos, especially among ethnic minority groups, has increased dramatically in recent months. Believers say that local officials have been driving them out of their villages and tearing down and burning their homes and rice silos, which leaves families with no place to go. So far, the government has allowed this to continue and has not brought any charges against the offenders.

Sources close to the police believe Pastor See was killed because of his faith during a time of rapid growth in Laotian churches. The number of baptisms has been causing tension in communities distrustful of a religion they see as foreign. At the same time, Christianity is one of the recognized religions in the country, with Buddhism being the main religion. The communist Lao government allows Christians to conduct services, preach throughout the country, and maintain contact with believers in other nations.

 

Home Group Prayer

Dear Lord,

We know that you are all powerful and all seeing, and that nothing is hidden from your eyes. We lift the country of Laos up to you, especially those who live in great fear and still continue to follow you.

We pray especially for Brother O, Sister J, and their family. May your angels guard their going out and their coming in. May you protect their home and keep them from any harm. We also lift up Pastor See’s bereaved family and pray for provision and protection for them.

We also lift up those in authority in this country, the police, and others who oversee village activities. May your Holy Spirit touch them to open their hearts to you, and to do the right thing by law.

Let your kingdom come in Laos!
In the name of Jesus,

Amen.

New laws in Vietnam further pressure Christian churches

“He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor.”

(1 Samuel 2:8a ESV)

The government of Vietnam recently brought Decree 95 into effect, placing local Christian churches under more pressure.

Decree 95 was announced on 29 December and came into effect on 30 March. It effectively allows the government to shut down religious groups for a range of vaguely specified violations by extending some Articles and measures outlined in the 2016 Law on Religion and Folk Belief (LRB).

Vu Chien Thang, deputy minister of Home Affairs and head of the Government Committee of Religious Affairs, had insisted that this prior legislation needed strong enforcement measures.

Essentially, the new law requires all religious groups to register with the government, as well as adding measures relating to the dissolution of religious organizations and religious education institutions, and detailed procedures for receiving and reporting foreign aid. Anyone found in violation of the laws may be sent to compulsory education or rehabilitation centres or subject to temporary detention and even prison sentences.

While the Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of belief and religion, the government requires churches to exist for five years before they can apply for registration. Even when they do register, many house churches are denied, while others have to wait years without any progress.

As a result of these regulatory burdens, many local Protestant house churches simply choose not to register at all, placing them in an even more precarious situation. Lacking legal status, local churches are unable to open bank accounts and must use cash for all their transactions.

Furthermore, for the past 30 years, house churches in Vietnam have been highly dependent on financial aid from international organizations. The new decree will make it significantly more difficult to raise and receive foreign donations, creating more challenges for these churches to continue operating.

Currently Vietnam has 11 legally registered evangelical denominations and many unregistered house churches. While Christians living in larger cities and those with closer relationships with local government officials tend to be able to worship freely, life is more difficult for believers among ethnic minority groups and in rural areas who still face social exclusion, discrimination, and attacks.

Despite the challenges of the new decree, Hien Vu, program manager of the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) in Vietnam, says pastors and church leaders are determined to continue with their ministries.

“They are used to these restrictions,” Vu commented, describing their attitude as “We’ll deal with it when it comes, but we’ll do whatever God calls us to do.”

Previously, many of the laws relating to religious activities were not strictly enforced. However, with the introduction of Decree 95, the ability for Christians in Vietnam to practise their faith freely and worship together is likely to become much more challenging.

Christians in Vietnam make up 9.7 percent of the population and the communist state is currently ranked 35 in the Open Doors World Watch List of the most difficult countries to be a Christian.

 

Home Group Prayer

Dear Lord,

We pray for the faithful Christians in Vietnam, particularly those who are members of house churches. We pray that despite the restrictions and challenges they face, they may be able to continue to operate and grow, and spread your Word among the people there.

Give wisdom to the church leaders in their dealings with authorities and provide them with the resources they need to minister to their congregations. Protect all those who trust in you from persecution and discrimination.

In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.

Laos: A new wave of persecution

“He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor.”

(1 Samuel 2:8a ESV)

Laos
(Photo courtesy of a citizen journalist)

Christians in Laos are facing a new wave of persecution. According to eyewitness reports, local officials barged into a house church at Kaleum Vangke village during Sunday service on 5 February and demolished the building. They also burned Bibles and other literature and vandalized the place. Several Christian families from a neighbouring district were visiting the church to hold a joint service when the attack took place.

The church was apparently torn down to instil fear and to stop Christians from practising their faith. There were no injuries during the attack. Local believers have started repairing the church and plan to restart worship services.

A police complaint has been filed, but no action has been taken. This incident comes as anti-Christian attacks are on the increase. The attack took place in southern Laos despite a national law that guarantees the freedom to worship.

Officials from the Ministry of Public Security have warned the village authorities not to harass Christians, but local officials continue to threaten them and have vowed to demolish the church. “We’re not afraid to get together at that house anymore. The experience has made us stronger,” a local believer told Radio Free Asia (RFA).

In the past six months, local officials have been driving believers out of their villages, tearing down and burning their homes and rice silos, leaving families with no place to go. So far, the government has allowed this to continue without any charges being brought against the perpetrators.

Protestants and Catholics, as well as Buddhists, have reported asking for permission to build places of worship and being denied. Eventually, some resort to building without permission. But it is rare that a church built has been later demolished.

Kaleum Vangke village is not new to religious conflict. According to RFA, in March 2020, a pastor named Sithong Thipphavong was arrested at the village and ordered to renounce his faith. When he refused, he was charged and found guilty of causing a social disturbance and breaking village unity. He was jailed for a year and fined 4 million kip (about 200 USD). He was only freed in April 2021. In January of this year, prominent members of the village summoned six Christian families and warned them to stop following Jesus and holding Sunday services. The officials threatened to destroy the church if they failed to comply.

Since 2022, religious persecution, especially among ethnic minority groups, has increased dramatically. The government allows Christians to worship freely at the district and provincial levels, but local officials at the village level are against Christian worship and practices. Most Lao who believe in spirits say that the Christian faith is a western religion that is against their tradition and culture.

Home Group Prayer

Dear Lord,

We thank you for the country of Laos, and the people there who you have loved enough to give your Son for them. We lift up our brothers and sisters in Laos, especially those who have lost their churches and homes in Kaleum Vangke village and have suffered humiliation and great loss at the hands of the authorities.

We ask that you give them beauty for ashes, and a deep assurance of your presence at this time.  Please help them resettle and find a safe place to meet and worship you together with their brothers and sisters. Please give them victory over fear and keep their heads lifted in the presence of those that inhibit their freedom.

We also ask that you bless their persecutors, and those in authority who have the power to restore the church. Please release forgiveness in the hearts of those who have been victimised by them, and please reveal yourself to them too.

Amen.

Bangladeshi Pastor released from prison after 3 months

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer”

(Romans 12:11–12 NIV)

Pastor Tomal, a local pastor in Bangladesh working for Forgotten Missionaries International (FMI), is free on conditional parole after he was arrested in late November because of a family dispute.

The Supreme Court in the capital city of Dhaka granted Pastor Tomal bail so that he could be released after 3 months of confinement.

Earlier during the dispute, Pastor Tomal was beaten by his father and brother-in-law as they accused him of converting Muslims to Christianity. They pressed charges against him, and he was later arrested by the police and imprisoned.

Subsequently, Pastor Tomal reconciled with his family, and they dropped the charges. However, he was not released and was denied bail twice. He later became aware that local imams had taken the opportunity to file a separate case against him, accusing him of being involved with a local terrorist organization and of being an activist for a political opposition party.

Both Pastor Tomal and FMI deny these accusations and believe they have been fabricated in an effort to keep him incarcerated and prevent him from leading his two local church congregations.

“He is a Christian pastor with absolutely no political affiliations. His only aim is to support the Church and preach the gospel,” says FMI in an official statement.

Despite his situation, in prison Pastor Tomal shared the Gospel with those who might otherwise not hear it.

“Light shines best in the darkness. So if I’m in the prison, this is where I’ll still do ministry, and there’s still hope,” he says.

The pastor, his wife and three children remain in a vulnerable position in the community. While he was in prison, another local pastor has stepped in to help take care of his family and the two church congregations.

Bangladesh is a predominantly Muslim country, and converts to Christianity face a difficult time, with restrictions, discrimination and attacks. Last year, two other pastors in northwestern Bangladesh were charged with “hurting religious sentiments” and trying to encourage Muslims to convert by offering them money, charges they categorically deny. The pastors, who work for the Faith Bible Church of God were released on bail on 17 November, but could each face two years in prison if convicted.

Christians in Bangladesh account for only around 0.3 percent of the total population, or around 500,000 in a country of over 170 million. They mostly live in rural areas and regularly face persecution from Muslim communities and radical groups. In order to worship together, they are often forced to meet in underground house churches.

Home Group Prayer

Dear Lord,

We pray for your persecuted church in Bangladesh and ask that you will protect them from harm and strengthen them in their times of trial.

We particularly pray for Pastor Tomal and his family as he readjusts to home life after prison.  We pray that his regular church ministry will be resumed and he will be still able to disciple the six men who have given their lives to Jesus and are serving out their prison sentences. 

Give Pastor Tomal a sense of your presence, protect him and embolden him to remain full of faith and hope. And allow him to still share the good news of the Gospel and bring others into relationship with you.

In Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen.

Afghanistan: Believer forced to recant

“The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies…..
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

(Psalm 118:6-7, 29)

The Taliban are continuing their crackdown on Afghan Christians and especially those who do not adhere to the government’s harsh and strict interpretation of Sunni Islam. For most Afghan Christians, following Jesus is a death sentence. Fear dominates the country and believers cannot practise their faith openly. They face dire consequences, including disownment, torture, being forcibly sent to a psychiatric hospital, or even death if they are discovered.

Two weeks ago, the Taliban arrested a Christian and jailed him. According to local sources, the police beat him in prison and forced him to recant his Christian faith. He was forced to share the names and phone numbers of other Christians he was involved with in the country.

Sources also say the Taliban has been monitoring suspected Christian leaders and finding out their homes and work addresses. There have also been accounts of the Taliban going door to door seeking out Afghan Christians. Others have received letters from the militants, threatening them and their families. Christian converts have also been receiving threatening phone calls. Some Christians have turned their phones off for fear of being discovered and have moved to undisclosed locations.

According to Sharia law, conversion from Islam to another religion is considered shameful and punishable by death. Afghanistan has a small number of Christians, mostly Afghan believers. The country is ninth on the Open Doors World Watch List, making it a place of extreme persecution.

Meanwhile, the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has arrested dozens of women who failed to observe the strict dress code in the streets of the capital city, Kabul. They have been taken to unknown locations. A spokesperson for the Ministry referred to this violation of the rule as “bad hijab” and warned women they would continue tracking down offenders. Women are not allowed by the Taliban to visit public parks, gyms or bathhouses, and a close male relative must accompany them for long road trips.

As previously reported, in September 2023, the Taliban detained at least 20 people, including an American surgeon, in a fresh crackdown on international aid agencies. The International Assistance Mission (IAM) offices in Ghor, central Afghanistan, were raided and the non-profit organization accused of using aid to spread Christianity. IAM said the detention took place on two separate occasions in September. IAM has operated in Afghanistan since 1966.

Prayer points:

  • Pray for the protection of secret believers and that God’s close presence will bring peace, joy, and hope to their hearts.
  • Pray for opportunities for believers to gather secretly, and have all their physical, emotional and spiritual needs met.
  • Pray that the Holy Spirit will soften the hearts of the Taliban leaders towards women and religious minorities.
  • Pray that those who have fled to neighbouring countries will be led to places where all their needs are met.

 

Christian NGO workers targeted in Afghanistan

 

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged”
(Deuteronomy 31 : 8)

At least 18 staffers from the International Assistance Mission (IAM) office in Ghor province, central Afghanistan were detained by the Taliban in September. According to a government source, the Taliban’s intelligence agency conducted two separate raids on 3 and 13 September as part of an ongoing crackdown on international aid agencies. All of the staffers, including a female American surgeon, are still being detained in Kabul.

IAM stated that they were unaware of the circumstances that led to the raid and were petitioning the government and working with the United Nations and Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief and Development for the release of their workers.

“The well-being and security of our colleagues are paramount to us, and we are doing everything possible to ensure their safety and secure their swift release,” stated IAM.

The Taliban’s provincial government spokesman, Abdul Wahid Hamas, was quoted in local media as saying that the agency staff, including several women, had been taken into custody based on the charge of “propagating and promoting Christianity” in Afghanistan. Local reports said agents from the Taliban’s intelligence agency had a list of names when they raided the premises.

IAM has refuted the charges and assures that they operate the aid agency within the governing laws of the country and do not use it to further a particular political or religious standpoint.

“All our staff abide by the laws of Afghanistan. We are in a state of shock. We are accused of something I never imagined. We are just waiting to see what happens next,” said an IAM worker.

In the past two years, since the withdrawal of US forces and the fall of the US-backed Afghan government, the Taliban has reimposed Sharia (Islamic law), and severely restricted the rights and freedoms of women in the country. They have also cracked down on the operations of international aid agencies, despite an increasingly concerning humanitarian situation. The spread of Christianity is a violation of the Taliban’s strict regulations and can be punished under strict interpretations of Sharia in Afghanistan.

Last December, the Taliban outlawed women from working for domestic and foreign aid agencies, significantly complicating their efforts to assist locals with nutrition, health care, and education, as they had traditionally employed many local women.

Registered in Switzerland, IAM has been operating in Afghanistan since 1966 and helped more than 4 million Afghans. They claim to have spent over US$40 million in the last decade alone “on initiatives aimed at improving healthcare, education, and community development throughout Afghanistan”. In August 2010, 10 IAM team members were murdered by gunmen as they returned from Badakhshan province, northeastern Afghanistan, where they had been providing healthcare.

Home Group Prayer

Dear Lord,

We pray for your protection over all your faithful servants, especially these women who have been detained at this time.   We ask that you will watch over them, keep them from any harm, and bring them safely and swiftly back to their families.  Give them a strong sense of your comforting presence and keep them steadfast in their faith.

We thank you for the work of all Christians in Afghanistan.  We thank you that your great love inspires them to help others in need, despite the dangers and risks. Watch over and protect them all as they strive to glorify you through their work.

And we pray for the country of Afghanistan and all its people.  We ask that you would reveal yourself to them more and more, and guide them to know and love you as the one true God.  We pray for peaceful change and an end to the oppressive and dark rule of those currently in power.

Amen.

 

Pakistan: Christians traumatised by violence

“Whoever  calls  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved.”
(Romans 10:13; Acts 2:21; Joel 2:32)

Police in Pakistan have arrested a Christian couple in Punjab province after a complaint was filed against them after allegedly “torn pages” of the Quran were found on the roof of their house. Shaukat Masih and his wife, Kiran Masih, now face blasphemy charges under Section 295-B of the Pakistan Penal Code which states that defilement or desecration of the Quran is punishable with mandatory life imprisonment. Section 295-C of the Code makes insulting the Prophet punishable with mandatory life imprisonment or the maximum death penalty.

After mobs destroyed churches and homes in Jaranwala city in Punjab on 16 August, Christians had to cast aside their fears to attend Sunday church services under heavy security. The attacks occurred after two men were claimed to have torn out pages from a Quran and written insulting remarks on them. After this accusation was circulated in Jaranwala and on social media, mobs burned Bibles, tore down crosses, and looted, damaged, and set on fire 26 churches and many homes in one of the worst outbreaks of violence against Pakistan’s minority Christian community.

Hundreds who fled have now returned to their burned homes. Some say they may never feel safe again. “They are worried for their safety; they are worried for their children, who witnessed the tragedy and are traumatized,” said a local Catholic priest, Fr. Khalid Mukhtar. Kanwal, a young mother whose home was attacked and who had to flee barefoot with her newborn son, said, “We are very scared of our neighbours … we don’t want them to destroy whatever little we have left.” Another believer added, “My house is in ashes now. If the mob had so much anger, why did they burn houses and steal our belongings? Is burning the Bible not blasphemous?”

Many in Pakistan are pointing at the previously outlawed far-right Islamist political party, Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), for instigating the mob attacks. TLP denies the allegation. Police have a list of 170 suspects and are investigating them for the violence.

The interim Chief Minister of Punjab, Syed Mohsin Naqvi, announced that Christians who lost their homes would receive 2 million rupees (US$6,800) to rebuild their lives. He said authorities have begun to repair and restore the churches to their original condition. However, Fr. Mukhtar challenged the government’s claim and said officials only visited one damaged church and did not go to the homes of anyone who suffered losses. He said that the walls of two churches were only painted, and needed rebuilding.

According to the 2017 Census, Christians make up around 1.27 percent of Pakistan’s population, and most of them reside in Punjab. There have been several cases of attacks and terrorism against them in the recent past. Accusations of blasphemy are often concocted to defame and provide a basis for attacks, in order to settle scores or personal disputes arising from family vendettas. This often leads to mob violence against the entire Christian community.

The government seems to be indifferent to these abuses of the blasphemy law and fails to hold those responsible accountable. This encourages extremists and fosters fear and insecurity among all minorities.

Prayer Points:

Please join with us in lifting the country of Pakistan to the Lord.  Please pray that God would move in a mighty way in the country:

  • for the safety of believers
  • that people would not make false accusations of blasphemy
  • that the government would take positive action to verify accusations of blasphemy and guarantee the safety of Christians
  • that people would speak up on behalf of those falsely accused
  • that the blasphemy law would be changed
  • that those who have had to flee their homes would find safe lodgings, and that children would be free to attend school
  • the safety of women and children caught in the attacks

 

Indians hang their heads in shame

“‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from me,’ says the Lord.”
(Isaiah 54:17 NKJV)

Millions across India are feeling ashamed over a viral video that shows two women being paraded naked on a public road in the northeastern state of Manipur, while a mob molests and assaults them. According to a report filed by the survivors, who are both Christian, at least one of them, aged 21, was gang-raped.

Cardinal Oswald Gracias of the Roman Catholic Church has said that he “bows his head in shame” over the images, stating, “This is a blot on our country, a disgrace for India.”

Roman Catholic Archbishop Dominic Lumon of Imphal added that he was “appalled and grieved. … Fear is pervasive even now and peace remains a dream for us.”

The women were violated on 4 May but the 26-second-long footage has only emerged now because the government has been blocking Internet connections across Manipur, including mobile data and broadband services. The Internet remains shut down in large parts of Manipur.

It was on 3 May that systematic violence in Manipur erupted, after the Kuki tribe, most of whom are Christians, protested against a demand from ethnic Meitei, most of whom are Hindu, for the “Scheduled Tribe” status that would allow them to buy land in the hills populated by Kukis and to ensure a share of government jobs. The protest was turned into an excuse for violent mobs to destroy 1,700 houses and burn down more than 360 churches and buildings within 36 hours.

This was one of the worst targeted attacks on Christians in the state.  A Meitei Christian has observed that the large-scale attack on churches across communities reveals a religious angle behind the violence. So far, more than 160 people have been killed and 70,000 are displaced. All that remains of many churches are charred walls, collapsed tin roofs, and smashed windows.  Most churches are empty on Sundays and many worshippers fear there will be more violence.

The Manipur state government and police have been accused of refusing to assist the Kukis who have been attacked, including neglecting to investigate reports of rape and torture. The state government is dominated by the Meitei community and has even been accused of being complicit in the violence against the Kuki minority by allowing Meitei gangs to act with impunity.

Moreover, when violence escalated throughout May, the Central Government did not offer a response. Instead, it is the Supreme Court that has expressed concern over the situation in Manipur and has now asked the Central Government to inform the court about steps it has taken to apprehend those responsible. Chief Justice Dhananjaya Chandrachud said, “It’s time that the government really steps in and takes action because this is simply unacceptable.”

The 2023 Open Doors World Watch List ranks India as the 11th most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian, owing to the rise of Hindu extremism and the increase in the number of states implementing anti-conversion laws.

Home Group Prayer

Dear Lord, our Father and Protector,

We lift up the broken state of Manipur up to you, and our brothers and sisters there who have suffered unspeakable violence and loss. Please make your presence very real to them at this time. May they not feel that they are alone and deserted, but that your Holy Spirit is with them, and that you are fulfilling your promise to never leave them nor forsake them (Deut 31:6).

We especially lift up the women of Manipur who are tormented by fear and shame. We pray that through your spirit and power they will know that they are inviolate and whole. Please help them overcome the brokenness they have endured. Thank you for the brave people who are standing up to speak about the situation, and please keep them safe from attacks.

Lord, we lift up the Manipur state and central Indian governments to you, as well as the Manipur police. May they be prompted to take swift action and not stand idly by. May you raise up leaders with a heart for the people and may they inspire the miscreants to lay down arms and give up violence completely.  May your Spirit convict them of the wrongs they have perpetrated and permitted, and may they instead have a spirit of reconciliation. Please enable them to behave as humans should and not be biased due to political and religious affiliations.

At this time of crisis, we lift up the Christians in Manipur. May they claim victory in a manner befitting of your name and not be cowed down by the oppressors. Please raise up help from all and unexpected sources, and provide shelter and care for them.  May they be able to raise up the standard of your Spirit against those who stand against them. May they think and speak peace and blessing, and be nourished in their body and spirit by your nearness.

We lift up the whole country of India to you, especially with the coming elections in 2024. We pray that there might be peace instead of division, unity in place of segregation, and love instead of communal hatred. We know that you are at work and that thousands are coming to know you in spite of the strife.

Thank you that you are always there for your children and that we can look to you in these dark times. Thank you that we are victorious in your Son and his blood that was shed for us.

Amen!

India: Christians reel from persecution

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. …Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
(Matthew 5:6, 10)

Christians in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur are reeling from a new wave of persecution that swept the area last month. Violent mobs have destroyed 1,700 houses and burnt down 121 churches and buildings belonging to 15 denominations in one of the worst targeted attacks on Christians in the state.

The violence in Manipur, which began on 3 May, has led to thousands of people, mostly Christians, fleeing their homes and businesses. The violence has claimed more than 75 lives and wounded at least 200 people. Residents of Manipur said there was a breakdown of law and order as the mobs went on a rampage. They added that the attacks were systematic and well planned. The government has blocked all Internet connections across the state, including mobile data and broadband services, allegedly to stop the “spread of disinformation and false rumours.” Shops, schools, and offices are closed.

The head of the Catholic Church in Manipur, Archbishop Dominic Lumon, has appealed for aid for more than 45,000 people who are living in relief camps at Imphal Valley and the surrounding hills.

Christians in India have written an open letter to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India to express concern about the lukewarm response from the government to the attacks in Manipur: “At this crucial juncture, the Church cannot be silent or cannot appear to be supportive of the anti-people government; it has to play a prophetic role.” They ask church leaders to rise to the occasion and “prove themselves to be good shepherds who do not run away when the wolf comes to attack the sheep.”

According to the Census of India 2011, Christians form 41 percent of Manipur’s population of 3 million, while Hindus account for 41 percent, Muslims 8 percent, and other religions 9 percent. The violence began when a tribe that is 90 percent Christian was targeted by a politically dominant tribe that is mostly Hindu.

Home Group Prayer

Dear Lord and Father,

We lift up the believers in Manipur to you. Many have lost their homes and businesses, and are traumatized by the loss and violence they have lived through. Please give them a double portion of your Spirit, that they may be sustained in their faith, and in the tribulation that has been inflicted upon them for the sake of following you. We ask for provision of food and shelter for them, for comfort as their voices go unheard by the government, and for families to remain together. Lord, we ask that the government and other agencies be moved to take strong action on their behalf, and that we will continue to lift our brothers and sisters up in prayer. We pray that the displaced will find a sense of belonging, and not feel targeted and victimized, and that in their distress they will sense your nearness and your presence powerfully. You are close to the broken-hearted. May they sense your love especially at this time of terrible need, and know that they are not alone. May they know very clearly and practically that their help comes from you and that your promise never to leave or forsake them is their source of hope.

We lift our displaced brothers and sisters in Manipur to you in the name of Jesus. Amen.