The Voice of the Martyrs USA: www.persecution.com
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:10–11
Saudi Arabia—Eritrean Believer Faces Possible Death Sentence—Release Eritrea
Psalm 5:11
But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
Let those also who love Your name
Be joyful in You.
An Eritrean Christian faces a possible death sentence after being accused of preaching to Muslims outside a mosque in Saudi Arabia. Mussie Eyob, who converted to Christianity two years ago, was arrested at a mosque in the Haya Roda area on Feb. 12 and is being held at a high-security prison in Jeddah. Officials initially thought Mussie was mentally ill, but a medical examination found him to be in good mental health. Mussie’s family visited him on March 20 and found that although he had lost weight, he was being treated well and was in good spirits. Mussie began preaching at the Eritrean Embassy on Feb. 9 before moving on to the local mosque days later. Pray that God will soften the hearts of Saudi officials toward Mussie and that he will not be sentenced to death. Praise God for Mussie’s boldness.
Egypt—Christian Convert Escapes Egypt—VOM Canada
2 Corinthians 1:8–9
For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.
An Egyptian man who has been in hiding for two-and-a-half years fled the country recently with his daughter. Maher El-Gohary, 58, had been in hiding since August 2008, when he filed a suit requesting to change the religious status on his ID card from Muslim to Christian. He and his daughter, Dina Mo’otahssem, 17, flew from Cairo to Syria in February. Maher had hoped to obtain a visa to the United States, where his wife lives, but he tried for one week and was unsuccessful. He then sought assistance at a U.N. office in Syria and was granted an appointment for late April. Although Maher and Dina are safer in Syria than they were in Egypt, they still spend much of their time in their apartment because converts from Islam to Christianity are persecuted in Syria. Maher has no income, so he and his daughter have difficulty obtaining basic necessities. During this time of struggle, Maher continues to acknowledge God’s enduring care. “Without God’s love, we would have been dead by now,” he said. Thank the Lord for the ways in which he has provided for Maher and Dina. Pray that they will continue to rely on his strength and not on their own.
Belarus—Pastor Charged After Church Raid—Forum 18 News
1 Peter 5:10
But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
On Feb. 13, police raided a Baptist church in Gomel, Belarus, and charged the pastor with “holding an unauthorized religious service.” The pastor, Nikolai Varushin, faces a fine of up to $345 if found guilty. The police major in charge of the raid said police had received repeated complaints about the church from nearby residents. Police officers filmed the worship service and confiscated CDs, audio cassettes of sermons and religious literature. In January 2008, Pastor Varushin was fined for leading an unregistered religious organization. Pray that the congregation will remain steadfast in faith as they undergo this trial.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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