India: Dalits forced to leave church
Dalit, which means ‘trampled upon,’ refers to lower caste Indians treated as ‘untouchables’ in Indian society. They perform menial jobs while living in segregation from upper castes in rural areas. A Catholic bishop in south India has admitted that Dalit Christians are being forced to forsake their faith due to continued discrimination against them under Indian laws. Bishop Anthony Poola told a seminar at Hyderabad on 1 July that the Government is acting as missionary agent of Hinduism. An estimated five million Christians have left their faith due to this continuing discrimination. In 1950, the government gave Hindu Dalits Scheduled Caste status in an effort to improve their social standing, but it has been denied to Christian Dalits, who account for two-thirds of the 27 million Christians in India.
Pray: for true justice and acceptance for Christians in India and for Christian Dalits to know God's provision for them. (Ps.54:1-4)
More: http://www.eni.ch/featured/article.php?id=5007
Eritrea: Christians arrested for meeting to worship
Open Doors reported, ‘Eritrean military officials arrested 35 Christians suspected of gathering for worship in Assab, a port city in Eritrea, on 3 July. The group, which included 17 women, was taken to the Adi-Nefase military camp, where conditions are notoriously harsh. At least two Christians imprisoned for their religious activities are known to have died while under arrest at Adi-Nefase since 2007. Meanwhile, the government continues to exert pressure on the sanctioned Orthodox, Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran and Islamic groups to enrol religious workers under the age of 30 for compulsory military training. Until now, church workers from these faiths have been exempt from military service because of their religious duties. More than 3,000 Orthodox priests, 10 Evangelical Lutheran pastors and 41 Muslim religious teachers have been inducted into Mitire Military Training Camp, but the Catholic Church is resisting the sign-up calls.’ And ‘We can thank God for the many imprisoned Christians who faithfully share Christ with their fellow prisoners.’ Pray: that many will come to know Jesus in the prisons through Christian witness and for God to sustain the families and friends of imprisoned Christians. (Ps.79:11)
West Bank: Muslims oppose Christian youth centre
A Christian mission in Bethlehem faces opposition from neighbours and city leaders over a youth centre it established in a Muslim neighbourhood. Pastor Steven Khoury of Holy Land Missions said his father, Naim Khoury, was summoned to the courthouse recently and warned that carrying out Christian work in the town of Shepherd’s Field would lead to trouble. But the trouble had already begun. Muslim extremist neighbours of an HLM youth centre have verbally attacked two youth leaders and vandalized the building’s locks. They also threatened to attack Pastor Naim and said they would ‘break the legs’ of anyone who enters the youth centre. Outreach and prayer meetings are scheduled to begin at the youth centre next week. Also Israel’s UN ambassador, Ron Prosor, told the Security Council during a debate entitled ‘Children in armed conflict’ that Hamas is using Palestinian children to carry out acts of terror against Israeli children. See
Pray: for evangelical Christians working in the West Bank to know God's peace and protection. (Ps.5:11)
More: http://www.persecutionblog.com/2011/07/vom-usa-prayer-update-for-july-8-2011.html
Laos: Imprisoned Christians
Laos is a communist state and one of East Asia's poorest countries. On January 4th police arrested Wanna and Yohan, pastors of two unregistered churches, and nine other Christians. Police released the nine detainees after they paid fines but Wanna and Yohan are still in prison. They were the principal breadwinners for their families, and their wives and families have no means of financial support. Several of Wanna’s children have since left school to find work. Pastor Wanna’s family say 'he has lost weight, is extremely weak and contracted an infection under the harsh prison conditions.’ Prison authorities have repeatedly told them they will ‘walk free’ when they sign documents renouncing their faith. Although there is less persecution of Christians recently, provincial authorities continue to violate freedom of religion or belief - particularly ethnic minority Protestants. The rights abuses include ‘detentions, surveillance, harassment, property confiscation, forced relocations and forced renunciations of faith'. Pray: for immediate release of the two pastors. (Ps.45:4) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/laos/article_114762.html
