Cuba--Hidden Persecution
Source: VOM Sources
Psalm 9:13
While few Cuban Christians have been
imprisoned for their faith in recent years,
the Cuban government still mistreats,
marginalizes and openly opposes Christians,
especially those who are active in ministry. "Don't be fooled by
appearances," a Cuban pastor told VOM recently. The pastor has been
humiliated,
threatened,
beaten and interrogated more than 20 times. Recently,
three officials appeared at his church's Sunday service and told him
they were going to take his property and use it for a store. "I got firm
with them," the pastor said. "I told them they couldn't do that because
we were under the protection of the Holy Spirit. And they backed off."
The pastor's doctors have told him to stop his pastoral work because the
stress is harming his health. But he continues to serve his
congregation. "I'm working for the Lord with all my heart," he said.
Pray that God will sustain this pastor and other Christians as they
minister in Cuba.
Jordan--Christian Girl Kidnapped
Source: VOM Sources
Psalm 129:4
A Christian girl from the town of
Fuheis was kidnapped by Muslim fundamentalists on Oct. 15 and forced to
convert to Islam,
according to VOM sources. "The whole of Fuheis is protesting to have
her back," wrote a VOM contact. Fuheis,
which is 12 miles north of Amman,
is the only settlement in Jordan that is still predominantly Christian.
About 60 percent of its 20,000 residents are Greek Orthodox. The rest
are Muslim or Catholic. The VOM contact said Jordan's prime minister
visited Fuheis to help defuse the situation,
asking residents to stop protesting and forget about the girl. But
instead,
the citizens asked him to leave their town. Kidnapping young Christian
women and forcing them to convert to Islam is common in Egypt,
but it hasn't been prevalent in Jordan. Pray that this girl will be
released and that the Jordanian government will defend the rights of all
its citizens rather than just the Muslim majority. Also pray that
Jordan will prevent extremism from growing along its borders.
Kazakhstan--Police Intensify Church Investigation
Sources: Forum 18 News Service
1 Peter 2:19-21
Police in Kazakhstan raided Grace
Church in Astana during an Oct. 3 service,
as part of an ongoing investigation. Church members were detained at the
church throughout the day while police conducted a search. They
confiscated items from the church's safe as well as computers,
DVDs and books. They also sealed a room where the church kept a printing
press. Later,
police asked 11 church members to voluntarily provide blood samples to
see if the church administers drugs. A local news agency later reported,
"The police established that the Grace Church's pastor during the
service serves his visitors a red-colored drink,
which according to the expertise of the center for research of medicinal
drugs contains phenol group substance as well as hallucinogens." Pray
that the members of Grace Church will remain faithful as they face this
intense scrutiny.
Indonesia--VOM Project
Pray for those caring for and educating
66 orphans in Indonesia. The parents of these orphans were killed by
fundamentalist Muslims during a series of attacks from 1999 to 2002.
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