Please Don't Forget the Persecuted Church

vom groups weekly prayer updates

"Prayer is the pulse of life; by it the doctor can tell what is the condition of the heart. The sin of prayerlessness is a proof for the ordinary Christian or minister that the life of God in the soul is in deadly sickness and weakness." - Andrew Murray "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" - Ephesians 6:18

VOM-USA Prayer Update for July 30, 2010 On Tue. Jul 27 2010 at 10:31 AM Moderator wrote: NIGERIA — Attacks on Christians Continue — Agence France Presse On July 17, Muslims killed eight people in the predominantly Christian village of Mazzah, near the city of Jos, according to Agence France Presse (AFP). In addition, seven houses and a church building were burned. “At approximately 1:30 a.m., Muslims entered the village and began shooting sporadically in the air to lure sleeping residents outside their homes,” AFP reported. “They then attacked people with machetes, including children.” Seven people died at the scene, another died on the way to the hospital and three others were seriously injured. During this attack, Reverend Nuhu Dawat of the Church of Christ in Nigeria escaped with one of his children, but his wife and two other children were killed. His grandson, Nanfa, was shot in the foot, thrown into a bathroom and left to die. Fortunately, he was found by the police and taken to a hospital, where he is recovering. Local villagers told AFP that although security forces arrived in time to stop the violence, they waited until the attack had ended before entering Mazzah. The area is currently reported to be “quiet but tense.” Some residents have fled the area in fear of further violence. Pray for peace between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria. Ask God to comfort those who have lost loved ones, and pray that believers’ testimonies will draw nonbelievers into fellowship with Christ. Revelation 2:9–11 RUSSIA — Pastor Murdered in Dagestan — VOM Canada /Barnabas Fund On July 15, Pastor Artur Suleimanov was shot to death by a gunman as he was leaving the Hosanna House of Prayer in Makhachkala, Dagestan, according to VOM Canada and Barnabas Fund. Dagestan is a federal republic of Russia in the North Caucasus region. Pastor Suleimanov was known as a dynamic leader of one of the largest Protestant churches in Russia. “Pastor Suleimanov was a wonderfulChristian brother, and his shocking death is a devastating loss for the Dagestan church,” a coordinator with Barnabas Fund said. “He and the Hosanna House of Prayer church were very active in ministry and outreach in particular. We see his murder as an attempt to put further pressure on Christian converts in Dagestan.” Pastor Suleimanov is survived by his wife and five children. Pray for Pastor Suleimanov’s family as they grieve his loss, and pray that God will touch the heart of Pastor Suleimanov’s murderer. Pray that Christians in Russia will be emboldened to spread the gospel despite opposition. 2 Corinthians 1:5 UZBEKISTAN — Authorities Crack Down on Christians — Forum 18 News Authorities in Karakalpakstan, an autonomous region ofUzbekistan, have renewed a crackdown on Protestant Christians in recent weeks, according to Forum 18 News. On July 8, two Christians were sentenced to 10 days in prison for religious activities. One of the imprisoned believers, Lepes Omarov, had previously faced opposition for his Christian activities. According to Forum 18, only state-registered Muslim communities and one Russian Orthodox parish are allowed to operate in Karakalpakstan. All other religious activity in the area is illegal. In May and early July, police raided the homes of many Protestants, confiscating Christian books, DVDs and computers. Pray for believers in Uzbekistan who face these ongoing hardships. Pray that God will grant them the boldness and faith to preach the gospel without hesitation. 2 Timothy 1:7–12