Christian Solidarity Worldwide, 22 April 2023 (excerpts)

“Although we would like to see total victory, we know that you have been praying for this.  He looks a little different to us, better.  Step by step.”  So says the wife of Pastor Lorenzo, Maridilegnis Carballo.

Be encouraged that your prayers are being answered step by step, for Pastor Lorenzo and his family.  The Cuban pastor is now in a minimum-security prison which is closer to home, so his wife and children can visit him more often.  Yet Pastor Lorenzo shouldn’t be imprisoned at all.  The independent church leader is serving a seven-year sentence for peacefully protesting on 11 July 2021.

Since these protests, the government crackdown has only intensified, and Cuba is experiencing the biggest wave of emigration in decades.

Last year, we recorded 657 violations of freedom of religion or belief – more than double the 272 we documented in 2021.  Pray that Cuban authorities would end their repressive rollback on human rights, which has affected both registered and unregistered religious groups.

Pray for more documenters to take up the work of those who have been forced into exile for investigating and exposing injustice, and for their safety.

Joshua Project, 02 May 2023

The Hadi people have low status, even for a low status caste community.  They are mainly street sweepers, a job that carries contempt among many Hindu communities.  The Hadi fear leaving the Hindu religion of their ancestors.  There is a lot of pressure to remain within Hinduism, especially from powerful castes.   

Followers of Christ can tell them about equal acceptance and forgiveness from the God of the universe.  There are many Christ followers among other people groups that can show them the way to salvation.

Pray for Christian believers to do whatever they can to establish Christ’s kingdom among the Hadi people.  Pray for the Hadi people to have their educational and physical needs met, and that they would give glory to God.

Pray the Holy Spirit would give spiritual courage to thousands of Hadi who need a new spiritual beginning.

Pray that Indian believers would demonstrate that following Christ can be done within their cultural context.  Pray the Hadi people would understand that following Christ will mean living an abundant spiritual life.

Voice of the Martyrs, 27 April 2023

Christians have been a primary target of Islamists in Burkina Faso since April 2019 when approximately 70 Christians were killed and five churches attacked.  In 2022, Islamist activity increased in the southwestern part of the country, resulting in numerous destroyed churches and the murder of several pastors.  As many as 10,000 Christians have fled their homes due to violence and threats; more than 1.7 million people have been displaced by the conflict.

Two years ago, when Muslim militants attacked their village, one young couple fled with their lives and almost nothing else.  They fled so quickly that they couldn’t even grab their Bible.  Front-line workers recently had the opportunity to provide Bibles for the displaced couple as well as many other displaced Christians.  “They were so happy they were crying,” said a front-line worker.  “They said it was an answer to their prayers.”

Burkina Faso has seen a sharp rise in Islamist activity since 2016.  Militants linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) and al-Qaida, who had been largely contained in neighbouring Mali and Niger, have crossed porous borders in the north to broaden their influence in the Sahel region.

More than 200 churches have reportedly closed in northern and eastern Burkina Faso because of security issues and threat of attack.

Morning Star News, 17 April 2023 (excerpts)

Muslim extremists exploded a fuel bomb during a church’s Good Friday night service in western Uganda on April 7.

The explosion at NABI Pentecostal church damaged part of the building, a parked car and several motorcycles.  Church security apprehended one of six suspects, Bwambale Sadadi, and turned him over to police.

“The police interrogated Bwambale, 28, who  confessed that he carried out a jihad activity for jannah [paradise] in this holy month of Ramadan as a way of serving Allah and that he will reward him in paradise.”

Area Christians were shocked.

“While members were praying, there was a loud explosion of fire that caught part of the front church with the petrol explosion while the faithful were conducting a night prayer meeting.”

Church security and members intercepted the suspects’ vehicle, a red Bajaj Boxer motorcycle.

“They were seriously pursued by the church security guard and other church members, but five other attackers managed to escape.  Bwambale was caught by security personnel who contacted the police, who responded immediately and arrested him.” 

Police were continuing to investigate as they sought the five other suspects.

Joshua Project, 18 April 2023

Today, Crimean Tatars are a minority group in Ukraine and continue to face discrimination.  The deportation of 1944 immobilized their culture; nearly half of their population died en route, and those who survived were forced to grow up among foreigners, far from home and often uneducated.  Their dress and language make it difficult to distinguish Crimean Tatars from Russians or Ukrainians.  Many of their traditions are falling away, especially among the younger generation.   

Someone with a good music background and the love of Christ can go to the Crimean Tatars as Christ’s ambassadors, using music as a culturally relevant way to teach biblical truths.   

Pray for Crimean Tatar believers to be ready and willing to win, equip and disciple those from a Muslim background.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to move through Ukraine and the Crimean Peninsula during times of trouble and war.  May Christ’s light dispel the darkness in Ukraine and bring beauty from ashes.

Voice of the Martyrs, 13 April 2023

Three brothers in Christ and their families in southeast Asia have faced severe persecution from government authorities.  The men are now serving prison terms for their faithfulness to Christ.  Pray for their faith to remain strong, for them to have great courage in the face of their sufferings, and for their families to be protected and cared for by the body of Christ while the men are imprisoned.

Vietnam has a repressive Communist government that actively restricts Christian worship in many ways.  While Christian worship is legal, the government views Christians and churches as a threat to its power and control.  Minority tribal groups, such as the Hmong, generally face the most violent and harsh forms of persecution, while Christians in urban centres experience pressure and harassment instead of violent opposition.  Churches continue to grow as believers faithfully reach out despite these challenges.

Most Vietnamese people practice a blend of ancestor worship and Buddhism.  Only 2.5 percent of the population are evangelical Christians.

The government imposes some restrictions, while local authorities and community members violently persecute Christians in rural areas.  Christian converts are persecuted by family members.