Voice of the Martyrs, 14 October 2021

At age 17, Soni was sold into slavery by her own aunt. She spent three decades as a prostitute in India before a Nepali Christian helped her escape.

This woman shared the gospel with Soni, and Soni joyfully accepted the invitation of salvation through Christ who loves her.

But once she returned home, her family did not accept her because she had been a prostitute who then became an “untouchable” by becoming a Christian.

“Everybody rejected me; Jesus was the only one who loved me,” Soni said.

Her family physically pushed her out of the home, causing Soni to fracture her leg.

She is now being cared for by a church. “Please pray that God will provide all my needs and that all my family will come to know Jesus, so that one day they may also come to the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Soni said. “Because Jesus died not only for me, but also for them as well.”

Praise God for Soni’s faith and pray that her request is fulfilled.

Middle East Concern, Oct 4, 2021

Iranian Christians are thankful that Ayoub Poor-Rezazade has been released on bail.

Ayoub was arrested with two other Christian converts on 5 September. There had been no news from him or about him since 8 September, causing consternation, especially since his friends were released on 21 September and had no news of Ayoub’s whereabouts.

On 3 October, after submitting bail of 400 million tomans (about $15,000), Ayoub was released from Lakan Prison in Rasht. His friends had also submitted the same bail.

Ayoub had spent 10 days in custody of the Revolutionary Guard before being transferred to solitary confinement in Lakan Prison.

He had been separated from his friends to be interrogated about church finances.

Church in Chains, 23 September 2021 (excerpts)

“Adam”, a Saudi Arabian Christian in his late forties, converted from Islam 3 years ago, so dangerous for a Saudi that his real name cannot be used. Since then, he has endured constant persecution, to where he has reluctantly decided to leave Saudi to join his family abroad.

Accused of helping his wife’s sister “Eve” (also a Christian convert) to leave Saudi Arabia against her husband’s wishes, he has faced pressure from his family, especially Eve’s husband, who then brought a false charge against him of theft and had him beaten up.

He has faced four court cases and has been in prison several times, for a total of around four months.

From a Yemeni background, he spent most of his life in Saudi Arabia as a Muslim. When Eve became a Christian 3 years ago, her family asked Adam to convince her to return to Islam, unaware that he too was exploring Christianity. In great danger from her family as a convert, Adam helped Eve and her 2 children to flee the country.

On 5 May 2021, Adam’s wife “Hope” was contacted by her family who believed Adam would be sent to prison and it would be better for her to stay with them. They put her under pressure to divorce him, but eventually let her to go free. In July, Adam sent Hope and their younger son “Andrew” abroad for safety.

In August, a group of men beat Adam up on the order of his brother-in-law. He fell on iron and cut his leg very badly, with heavy loss of blood.  Treated in hospital, on his release he was put in prison for a night. Consequently, Adam decided to leave the country and join Hope and Andrew. An older son, “Matthew”, fled Saudi Arabia after helping Adam get Eve out of the country.

Church in Chains, 8 September 2021 (excerpts)

A new report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom describes the North Korean government’s religious freedom violations as an “absolute denial of religious freedom”.

The report was launched on 18 August and is based on interviews conducted in 2020 and 2021 with survivors, witnesses, and perpetrators of religious freedom violations, the perpetrators being former North Korean government officials. The majority of interviewees had escaped from North Korea in 2019.

The investigators identified 68 cases of the state prosecuting individuals for their religion or belief or for their association with religious persons. Victims suffered human rights violations including arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and the denial of life.

Its authors state: “The North Korean government poses an acute challenge to its citizens’ enjoyment of their right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief.”

They go on to say, “We find that the denial of religious freedom is absolute. Our findings establish that the persecution of individuals exercising their right to religious freedom in North Korea goes well beyond a government neglecting its duty to respect, protect, and fulfil the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief.

“It also extends beyond a government persecuting one or more social groups for their religion or belief. Rather, the situation that exists is one where the state enforces the absolute denial of religious belief through the active mobilisation of organs of the government.”

Barnabas Fund, 13 September 2021 (excerpts)

Several Christians were injured in a shooting incident on 6 September in the Shera Kot district of Lahore, Pakistan.

A group of six or seven Muslims opened fire on the houses of Christian residents in the district at about 2.30 p.m.

Five Christian women, one of them pregnant, and one man were injured in the shooting. Three of the six are in a critical condition. The man, Asif Nawab, was returning home from work when an attacker opened fire, injuring him in both legs.

The attack stems from a dispute between a Christian named Asghar and a Muslim, Dilshad Doggar, according to local church minister, Pastor Adnan.

Dilshad Doggar, along with several armed young Muslims, moved towards Asghar’s house that afternoon. Asghar was not at home at the time and has not returned home since the incident. The attackers also fired at several Christians’ houses and at the church building.

The Shera Kot police registered a First Information Report in response to Asif Nawab’s complaint. 10 suspects were arrested and the 2 alleged main culprits are in the custody of the police as the matter is being investigated further.  The case has been filed under charges of attempted murder and rioting with use of deadly weapons.

Shera Kot is home to around 60 Christian families who are living among a larger community of Muslims. Since the incident Christians have stayed in their homes and police security has been provided for them.