Prayer Focus 08/09

LAOS - CHRISTIANS ROBBED AND INTIMIDATED BY VILLAGE AUTHORITIES

PAKISTAN - CHRISTIAN MINORITY RIGHTS ACTIVIST FALSELY IMPRISONED

UZBEKISTAN - DISABLED MAN NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO CHURCH

IRAQ - BOMBS DETONATED OUTSIDE CHURCHES

CHINA - CHRISTIANS TOLD THEY ARE "TOO YOUNG TO BELIEVE CHRISTIANITY"

PAKISTAN - CHRISTIANS FORCED TO PAY "NON-MUSLIM" TAX

EGYPT - SENIOR EGYPTIAN PREACHER SPEAKS OUT FOR CHRISTIAN CHURCHES

PAKISTAN - ACID ATTACKS SCAR PUNJABI CHRISTIANS

LAOS - CHRISTIANS ROBBED AND INTIMIDATED BY VILLAGE AUTHORITIES

Dozens of Christian families in Katin village in the Saravan province of Laos have been warned that they will lose their homes and livestock if they refuse to abandon their faith and worship the "local spirits" of Lao tradition.

On 5 July a group of villagers, including some leaders and members of the volunteer security forces, broke into the pig pens of some recent converts to Christianity and confiscated a pig from each of nine families (comprising 53 people). One pig is worth about six weeks' wages for an average labourer in the area. Later the attackers slaughtered the animals and divided the meat among themselves. Officials stated that the families had been punished for ignoring an order forbidding them from believing in the Christian faith.

Then on 11 July all the villagers were required by the village chief to attend a special meeting. The officials issued an order that stated, "Those who follow the Christian faith are practising a foreign religion, not a religion of Laos. We have banned the Christian faith in our village. Thus, the residents of Katin village should follow only the belief in the spirits ... the Lao religion. If any villager ... is found following the Christian faith ... he or she will no longer be under the official provision and protection of the village." Without such protection, the Christians will be liable to the seizure of their remaining animals and their property.

The constitution of Laos guarantees freedom of religion, and the actions of the village authorities clearly violates its provisions. In practice, however, the government is concerned about the spread of Christianity, and pressure is growing on Christians in rural areas.

• Please pray for the villagers who have been threatened with ruin. Ask that the Lord will protect their homes and livelihoods.

• Pray for the village authorities, and for the Lao government, that they will honour their country's commitment to religious freedom for all.

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PAKISTAN - CHRISTIAN MINORITY RIGHTS ACTIVIST FALSELY IMPRISONED

Mr Joseph Francis, national director of the Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS), a Pakistani Christian organisation that provides legal help for persecuted Christians, was arrested and jailed in July with two other men. The arrests were in connection with a young woman called Roma who was brought to the CLAAS offices in 2006 by her Christian family after she converted to Islam and married a Muslim. The family hoped that CLAAS would be able to explain the implications of her conversion and persuade her to return to Christianity. For more than two decades CLAAS have been defending Christians, especially in relation to cases of the forced conversion of Christian girls to Islam.

In this case, however, it seems the girl had converted willingly. Having talked with her, Mr Francis could only advise the parents that they could not insist on their daughter remaining within the Christian community. But some months later, she filed a claim against Mr Francis and others, allegedly claiming that they had detained her against her will at the CLAAS centre, mistreated her, attempted to set her on fire and forced her to revert to Christianity.

In late July, the men were released, though they may have to face further hearings.

• Thank the Lord that Mr Francis and his colleagues have been released from their imprisonment.

• Please pray that our brothers will be fully acquitted, and for strength and peace as they recover from their ordeal.

• The ministry of CLAAS has faced repeated opposition because of its work to defend vulnerable Christians, and this incident is just the latest example. Pray that the Lord will protect the whole staff and enable them to continue with their vital work.

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UZBEKISTAN - DISABLED MAN NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO CHURCH

Gafur Yusupov, who lives in a home for people with disabilities in Fergana, eastern Uzbekistan, has been banned by the director of the home from attending the local church of which he is a member. Gafur has no legs, so over the last few years, church members have taken him to Sunday services in a wheel-chair. The director of the home has confiscated Gafur's Christian books and audio tapes and forbidden him from having any contact with his fellow believers. He has even been prevented from going to the gates of the home to talk to church members who try to visit him. When his fellow Christians complained about this to staff at the home, they were told to talk to the National Security Service. The director confirmed that Gafur is prohibited from attending church, apparently because "he was distributing religious literature here [in the home]".

The authorities in Uzbekistan continue to harass and raid Christian communities, confiscate and destroy religious literature, and imprison and fine individual believers (fines can be up to 100 times the monthly salary). Gafur is just one of many Christians in Uzbekistan who have been persecuted for being active Christians or sharing their faith.

• Pray for Gafur in his isolated situation, that the director of the home will relent and allow Gafur to meet with his fellow Christians again.

• Pray for all Christians in Uzbekistan to be encouraged, and stand firm in their Christian faith.

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IRAQ - BOMBS DETONATED OUTSIDE CHURCHES

In July, Christians came under attack as a number of bombs were detonated outside Christian sites across Baghdad and Mosul. Seven churches were badly damaged in the attacks, with one building being set ablaze. In Baghdad, a car bomb was timed to explode outside a prominent church just as worshippers were leaving the Sunday evening service; this resulted in the deaths of four Christians and left dozens injured.

Authorities in the northern city of Mosul responded to the explosions by introducing temporary curfews in Christian neighbourhoods. Allegedly, these are to provide protection to the community, but they are thought unlikely to prevent similar attacks from being staged.

• Pray that the Christians injured in the explosions and the families of those killed will stand firm in their faith.

• Pray that Iraqi Christians will forgive those responsible for the bombs and that the attackers will repent and come to know the Lord Jesus.

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CHINA - CHRISTIANS TOLD THEY ARE "TOO YOUNG TO BELIEVE CHRISTIANITY"

Twenty-eight Christian young people and four adult church workers were arrested during a raid by police and security officers at a Christian youth camp in Hubin town, Tengzhou city, Shandong province, on 13 July. A significant amount of property was confiscated, including projectors, televisions, computers, musical instruments, audio equipment and furniture. Mobile phones, Bibles and other personal items were also seized from the students. It has been reported that during the raid, police told the students, "It is forbidden for those under 18 to believe Christianity." The camp organisers were also told, "Even those above 18 years old are not allowed to organise or participate in religious activities without permission."

The church workers and youths were taken to the local police station, where they were interrogated and threatened, and some were beaten. Eventually all but five of the Christians were released. The remaining five, who were the four camp organisers and one 16-year old student, were deprived of food for two days; when church members heard this, they immediately delivered bread and water to the prison. Following the arrests, the detained prisoners were sentenced to between five and fifteen days of administrative detention for "engaging in illegal activities".

Church members sought the return of the confiscated property, but the request was refused, with officials saying, "We'll keep more than 90 per cent."

• Pray for those who suffered through this ordeal and are still in shock. Pray that they will find strength in the Lord and in their fellow Christians.

• Pray for those who are still being held under "administrative detention", that they will not be mistreated and that they will be allowed to return safely to their families soon.

• Thank God for the safe release of the majority of the youths.

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PAKISTAN - CHRISTIANS FORCED TO PAY "NON-MUSLIM" TAX

In June, there were at least three reports of Islamic militants in Pakistan demanding money from non-Muslims in payment of the jizya tax. According to sharia, this tax is to be imposed on Christians and Jews living in an Islamic state and must be paid as a sign of their submission and lowly status.

In various parts of the Khyber Agency, North West Frontier Province (NWFP), the militant Islamic group Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) has imposed the jizya tax on Christians, Sikhs and Hindus. Women, children and the disabled are exempt, but men must pay 1,000 rupees a year (£7.60; US$12.50; €8.80) or leave the area. In the Battagram District of NWFP, someone claiming to be from the Taliban telephoned a Hindu leader, demanding payment of six million rupees in jizya from the Hindu community in that area.

Meanwhile, in Lahore, a letter, addressed to a local Christian organisation, was handed to a Christian woman by two masked men. The letter said, "We know you are Christian. We warn you to leave this area, embrace Islam, pay 1,500,000 rupees (£10,235; US$18,500; €13,995) as jizya or be ready to die in a suicide attack."

• Pray that the militant groups will relent in trying to enforce the tax and that, in the meantime, the Lord Jesus will protect his people.

• Pray that the Pakistani authorities will find a way to deal with this alarming development, even in places where Islamic militants are in control.

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EGYPT - SENIOR EGYPTIAN PREACHER SPEAKS OUT FOR CHRISTIAN CHURCHES

Sheikh Khaled al-Gindi, a senior Islamic preacher in Egypt, has called on his government to allow Christians to build churches. Speaking in July he said, "As we demand that the West allows us to build mosques, we have to do the same here (in Egypt) with churches." He added that "all citizens have the right to practice their religious rights". Christians in Egypt struggle with an insufficient number of church buildings because it is very difficult to get permission to build new ones (or even repair the old ones).

• Pray that Sheikh al-Gindi will be listened to and that his words will influence others. Pray too for more voices like his in Egypt.

• Pray that President Mubarak, who must personally give permission for any new church, will take notice.

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PAKISTAN - ACID ATTACKS SCAR PUNJABI CHRISTIANS

On Tuesday 30 June, a 600-strong Muslim mob attacked Christians and their property in the village of Bahmani Walla, in the Kasur district of Punjab.

The violence started when a Christian man driving a tractor requested that a Muslim man riding a motorcycle allow him to pass. This request was refused and a disagreement ensued. News of this was spread, along with allegations of blasphemy against Islam. Around 600 Muslims assembled and firebombed Christian homes, damaging 117 houses; water pumps were vandalised and water pipes broken, making it extremely difficult to extinguish the fires. Christians who returned home the following day found Islamic slogans were smeared across walls within the looted homes. Tractors and motorbikes owned by Christians were burnt or stolen too. Most alarming was the throwing of acid at the Christians as they fled the violence; at least nine women and four children were injured.

Barnabas Aid is helping the victims of this horrific attack. To view the press release about this incident, visit our website http://www.barnabasfund.org/Crisis-appeals.

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