Morning Star News, March 27^th, 2024

India’s Christians suffered an alarming escalation of violence, hatred, and systematic oppression last year, according to the Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI-RLC).

The 601 cases of persecution against Christians in India in 2023 marked a 45 percent increase over the 413 instances recorded the previous year, according to EFI-RLC’s annual report.

While no area of India was unaffected, several emerged as hotspots. Uttar Pradesh state remained the most hostile environment with 275 incidents, up from 147 the previous year. Chhattisgarh saw 132 cases, a decrease from the previous year’s 141, while Haryana had 44 incidents, up from 22 the prior year.

“The rapidly deteriorating situation for religious minorities is a matter of grave concern,” EFI General Secretary Rev. Vijayesh Lal told Morning Star News. “Christians, especially pastors in rural areas, faced assaults, disrupted prayers and damaged places of worship throughout the past year.”

The grim findings come atop data from the United Christian Forum (UCF) showing persecution has continued unabated into 2024. The UCF documented an additional 161 incidents of violence against Christians from Jan. 1 to March 15, including 70 cases in January, 62 in February and 29 in just the first half of March.

The UCF reported 122 Christians have been arrested or had cases filed against them based on allegations of “forced conversions” across various states since Jan. 1. The report stated that these “fabricated cases” were aimed at persecuting the Christian minority.

Barnabas Aid, 27^th March 2024 (excerpts)

A small house church in southern Laos attacked by residents and village leaders in February is now reopening under the protection of district authorities.

On Sunday 4 February a mob of residents and village authorities tore down the house where Christians were gathered and interrupted the worship service. The attackers also burned Bibles and other documents.

Ministry of Public Security officials have since stepped in to protect the Christians’ right to worship. “They announced that from now on, our fellow Christians can resume worship,” a Laotian Christian said. “So, starting this week, we’re rebuilding our place of worship.”

Another churchgoer added that while the building is being repaired, the church will still meet for worship.

“But the village authorities and other non-Christian villagers are still threatening us, threatening to tear down our place of worship again,” he said.

He said that the district level authorities warned the village authorities not to harass Christians again.

The tearing down of Christian homes and eviction of Christians from villages has happened repeatedly in country districts in Laos, despite a national “Law on the Evangelical Church”, in force since December 2019. But in rural areas this law has not had much impact yet.

Praise God for the support of the district authorities in providing protection for the house church to reopen.

Joshua Project, April 1^st, 2024

The Bagirmi Fulani are semi-nomadic, mixing farming with shepherding. Although some Fulani tribes travel seasonally with their flocks, the Bagirmi have a permanent home they live in for half of the year. They only travel during the dry season, when grazing lands and water are scarce. Many of the men have multiple wives. Since cattle are a symbol of wealth among the Fulani, brides are sometimes chosen because of the amount of cattle they own.   

The Fulani were one of the first people groups in Africa to be converted to Islam. The Bagirmi still hold onto many old Fulani traditions. They believe that family, cattle, strong morals, beauty, poetry, singing, and dancing are the most important things in life.

The Fulani continue to be strongly committed to their current religion and worldview. Change is quite difficult and usually occurs slowly.  Reaching the Fulani may take a combination of contact inside and outside their communities. Pray that outreach will take place within the context of the market as well.

Pray for the handful of Christian believers among the Bagirmi Fulani, that they will depend fully on the finished work of Christ, understanding the requirements for forgiveness of sin have been satisfied. Pray for sufficient rain to support the livestock of the Fulani, and for good yields for their crops.

Open Doors, March 13^th, 2024

At least 22 Christians in India, injured after a 200-strong mob attacked a church, are still in shock after their ordeal. Two children were among those injured in the mob violence in the southern state of Telangana over a land dispute, in which attackers shouted, “Jai Shri Ram”, meaning ‘Hail Lord Ram’, – a chant which has become a hallmark of Hindu nationalists.

Tensions had arisen after a group of villagers demanded the road to be widened eight feet into the compound of the Methodist Church in the Janwada village area of Rangareddy district. The Christians protested, and that’s when things turned violent.

“The argument became strong, and suddenly around 200 people barged into the church with hockey sticks, stones and wooden sticks,” shares an eyewitness. “When the believers tried to stop them, they beat them mercilessly and broke everything that was inside the church.”

When the police intervened, the ordeal wasn’t over for the believers. Despite being the victims of the violence, several members of the church were arrested alongside the attackers.

The imprisoned believers were terrified and forced to sign some documents in favour of the attackers. So, the attackers got bail and were released from prison immediately, whereas the believers were released on bail only two weeks later.

Barnabas Aid, 28^th February 2024

Ask the Lord of all comfort to draw close to Christians in north-eastern Burkina Faso after at least 15 worshippers were killed during an attack on a church on Sunday 26 February.

 Pray for the bereaved and ask for healing for two others injured when suspected Islamists militants opened fire during a service in Essakane village in Oudalan province, close to the border with Mali and Niger.   

 A statement from church leaders said 12 people were killed instantly while three others died in hospital.

 It is the latest slaughter attributed to Islamists waging a nine-year campaign of violence in Burkina Faso, much of it targeted against Christians and churches.

 More than two million people have been driven from their homes and thousands have been killed during the insurgency, which began when Muslim extremists in neighbouring Mali and Niger began moving into the north of Burkina Faso in 2015.

 Jihadists now control more than 40% of the nation.

International Christian Concern, 13^th March 2024

As elections in Mexico approach, Presidential candidates are scrambling to gain the favour of the religious population of Mexico. With three primary candidates left in the race, Claudia Sheinbaum, Xohitl Galvez, and Jorge Alvarez Maynez, the question of how candidates plan to address the issues plaguing Mexico has become vitally important.

Of the approximately 129 million people in Mexico, 78% identify as Roman Catholic, 10% as Protestant or Evangelical Protestant and 1.5% as other religious groups. The constitution of Mexico guarantees freedom of religion, including the right to participate in religious ceremonies or worship.

While the constitution and the broad culture do not indicate persecution, church leaders, particularly that of the Catholic Church, face extreme persecution due to their position as a “moral authority.”  During the rule of outgoing president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, two Jesuit Priests were brutally murdered in the north of Mexico, drastically affecting the relationship between the president and the religious community.

We pray that the commitment made by the three presidential candidates will come to fruition regardless of the election results.

We pray that the Lord would reveal Himself to the people of Mexico through the presidential election and be glorified through the results.

Joshua Project, March 17^th, 2024

How do you reach a people if they feel threatened by religious change? That is the situation for the Pipipa people of Brazil. They speak Portuguese, but their ethnic religion is deeply rooted in their identity. Leaving their traditional religion is viewed by their community as one more part of their culture robbed from them.   

There are well-meaning efforts by the Brazilian government to protect indigenous people from missionaries, loggers and other outsiders who can potentially introduce diseases for which native peoples have no immunity. However well-meaning the effort is, it keeps the Pipipa from hearing about and responding to Jesus Christ.

Some Pipipa live outside their homeland, and they can potentially be reached by Brazil’s spiritually healthy Church. New believers among them could return to their homeland and help build a movement to Christ among this unreached people group.

Pray for Christ to reveal Himself to Pipipa elders, leading them to open their community to the King of kings. Pray for physical and spiritual protection for the Pipipa and pray that this would be the decade when there is a movement to Christ among them and other indigenous peoples in Brazil.

Barnabas Aid, 21^st February 2024

Christians in Laos urgently need our prayers. Whilst citizens of Laos have the right and freedom “to believe or not to believe in religions” according to the country’s constitution, followers of Jesus are still subject to repeated harassment in rural areas.

Village leaders and residents tore down the private home where Christians were gathered and interrupted a worship service in Savannakhet province on Sunday 4 February.

“The village authorities came here and tore down our home at around 10.30 a.m. Sunday morning,” reported a worshipper at the church in Kaleum Vangke village in Xonboury district. The eyewitness added that the mob burned Bibles and other documents in the assault.

A “Law on the Evangelical Church”, in force since December 2019, gives Christians the right to conduct services, preach throughout Laos and maintain contacts with believers in other countries. The law is not well enforced in rural areas; the Kaleum Vangke church did not escape attack despite being affiliated with the Lao Evangelical Church, the only Christian denomination recognised by the government.

The tearing down of Christian homes and eviction of Christians from villages has happened repeatedly in country districts in Laos.

Pray that the law will be upheld throughout Laos and that Christians will be able to worship in peace. Ask the Lord to sustain and strengthen believers in Kaleum Vangke in this unsettling situation.

Open Doors, 21^st February 2024

Your urgent prayers are again needed for believers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following another attack on a church in the northeast of the country.

In yet another devastating attack in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), at least 15 Christians were killed, including a pastor, when a church service was stormed by militants earlier this month.   

Believers from a church called 8e CEPAC in the village of Manzia were gathered for a morning devotion on Monday 5 February when members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attacked, shooting at least eight people.

Others were shot as they fled. The total number of deaths has not been confirmed, but it could be higher than 15.

Alphonse Mumbere (37), the pastor, leaves behind three children and a wife who is four months pregnant. Two evangelists, Saasita Baraka (34) and Seli Schak (40), were also amongst those killed.

The increasing violence in the region has pushed many Christians to turn to traditional religious beliefs.  “We ask everyone who has a good will to continue to pray for us,” shares Pastor Kambale, from a nearby church. “Many Christians are currently turning back to traditional religion and they say it’s better to have the protection [of these traditional gods] because the situation is bad.”

 “The progress of God’s Word is suffering because people think God is not going to act,” he continues. “That’s why your prayer is of very paramount importance. Your beloved prayer is very important to strengthen Christians and comfort them. Thank you and we thank you we have faith that you will pray for us.”

Voice of the Martyrs, February 22^nd, 2024

Feliciana’s husband pastored a church in a town in Oaxaca, Mexico, until he was killed in 2014 for his bold witness for Christ.

After her husband’s murder, Feliciana struggled to provide for her family, and her two children became seriously ill. With help from foreign believrs, she has been able to continue the work of leading the church in her town, and her children are healthy and thriving. She hopes to start a small business this year to further support her family.

Specific areas within Mexico have a high concentration of indigenous minority groups. These minority communities, which maintain a separate identity and language, are systematically oppressed by local authorities. Christians among them are persecuted by Marxist and animist groups as well as village leaders.  Despite persecution, the number of Christians has continued to grow in these areas.

Many people in rural Mexico practice Christo-paganism, a syncretistic blend of ancient pagan practices and Roman Catholicism. There is a strong Marxist (atheistic communist) movement in some southern areas, especially in the state of Chiapas.

Christian converts are rejected by their community and are often forced from their homes and villages in some rural areas. Large groups of Christians have at times been driven from their homes in the south. Converts and faithful witnesses for Christ lose their jobs, inheritances and land. Those who remain in their communities are marginalized, partly because they will not participate in pagan celebrations that feature drunkenness and debauchery.