

| INDIA Two Christians Attacked, Kidnapped and Later Released VOM Sources On January 17, eight Bajrang extremists attacked a house church in Madhya Pradesh, kidnapping two believers. According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts in India, "a group of Bajrang extremists attacked a house church in Pathigawan village. Eight men, led by AP Sakhi (Bajrang Area Secretary) came on motorbikes with Bajrang Dal flags at around 8 a.m. and surrounded the house church where worship was taking place. They beat the two kidnapped believers mercilessly before taking them away on their bikes." VOM contacts added the believers were later released. "The extremists attacked with swords, sticks, knives and other instruments. Two believers were critically injured in the attack and are undergoing treatment in the hospital," VOM contacts said. Pray for Christians facing difficult situations in India. Pray God protects them and gives them courage to stand in spite of the attacks. Pray for a speedy recovery for the two believers injured during this attack. Ask that God uses their powerful testimonies to draw nonbelievers into fellowship with Him. Psalm 91, Romans 8:31 CHINA House Church Leader and Wife Detained China Aid Association On January 12, Li Mu Jiang, a house church leader in Kashi, Xingjiang province, was taken from his home and arrested for an alleged "national security issue". According to China Aid Association, on that same day his wife was also taken from their home and interrogated. Ask God to protect this family. Pray God will give them strength as they go through persecution. Psalm 23, Psalm 27:1 BANGLADESH Elderly Christian Woman's Home Set Ablaze Compass Direct News On January 7, unknown attackers tried to burn a 70-year-old woman to death, after they found she would be baptized in February. According to Compass Direct News, Rahima Beoa, who was planning to be baptized on February 13, suffered burns on more than 70 percent of her body. Rahima lives in Rangpur, a district with a Muslim majority. Compass reports, "Kahled Mintu, regional district supervisor of the Isha-E-Jamat Bangladesh church, said, ‘The unknown people wanted to burn alive the elderly woman because they came to know that she would be a Christian in the next month. It was a devilish conspiracy to stop her being a Christian.'" Pray for Rahima's healing. Ask God to protect her and for this attack to draw her closer to Him. Pray for her family and for her testimony to draw non believers into fellowship with Christ. Hebrews 13:5-6 |
