persecuted church

[totallylovedbygod]

"Our prayers can go where we cannot... there are no borders, no prison walls, no doors that are closed to us when we pray." ~ Brother Andrew​

MYANMAR: Church Leader Arrested at Airport​ Sources: VOMC's International Ministry Contacts, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Radio Free Asia​ Rev. Dr. Samson Photo: VOMC Source ​ ​ A prominent church leader in Myanmar, who formerly served as the president of the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC), was reportedly arrested at the Mandalay International Airport on December 5th. After being held overnight, Dr. Hkalam Samson was sent back to the city of Myitkyina in Kachin State where military officers rearrested him, and he has since been detained. The Christian leader was scheduled to fly to Bangkok for medical treatment when intercepted by the authorities. On December 6th, Kachin's Security and Border Affairs Minister, Col. Aung Kyi Lin, summoned a group of KBC officials and informed them that junta officers were preparing to prosecute Dr. Samson. The colonel stated that the authorities had viewed videos of the Christian man's speeches, along with outlines based on some of his sermons. They were convinced that the pastor had committed offences for which he would be prosecuted. However, the church leaders were never told what charges have been determined for Dr. Samson's case. At last report, the location where the accused is presently being held has also not been disclosed. In recent years, the military junta in control of Myanmar has targeted Kachin State with air strikes and additional military action, along with other areas where paramilitary rebel groups have been fighting for independence. The KBC and Dr. Samson have no connection whatsoever to any of the rebel groups. In early November, the Kachin Theological Seminary suffered damage when a shell struck a tree next to the dormitory. A few days before that, a Baptist church building was partially destroyed by a shelling attack. For more information on these incidents, and to learn about other challenges experienced by Christians in Myanmar, go to our country report. Prayerfully uphold Dr. Samson and his family members as they await details on the accusations against him, asking the Lord to sustain them with His peace, provision and comfort during this time of uncertainty. Please pray that all charges against this Christian leader will ultimately be dropped. Additionally, pray for the safety of Christians and other innocent civilians in Myanmar, particularly those residing in Kachin State, who are dealing with the increased military action. May God's Word continue to spread throughout this war-torn country so that many will be reached with the message of the Gospel of Peace – including the perpetrators of the attacks. INDIA: Christians Dealing with Aftermath of Mob Attack​ Source: International Christian Concern​ ​ ​ A small gathering of Christians suffered severe beatings during an attack on November 13th in which a mob, accompanied by a village leader, interrupted their Sunday worship service. The mob burst into the home where the believers had gathered and forcibly removed two families from the residence before brutally beating them. Since coming to faith in Christ four months prior to this attack, these families received harassment from other villagers. They have been accused of converting to a foreign religion and luring innocent tribal people to Christianity. The mob attacked everyone present, including women and children. One of the men fell unconscious from his injuries. Assuming that he had died, the antagonizing crowd left the scene. Thankfully, an hour later, the injured man regained consciousness. The Christians reported the attack to local authorities, but by then the mob had already gone to the police station, accusing the believers of conducting conversion activities. Unfortunately, the chances of charges being laid against the attackers are slim. Speaking of the incident, a local pastor explained, "Though we knock on the police station all the time, we receive little or no justice." For additional reports addressing the persecution encountered by our Christian brothers and sisters in India, go to our country report. While we praise God that there were no fatal injuries caused by this brutal attack, we ask that you please join us in praying for the healing of those who were physically harmed as a result of the incident. In the aftermath of the attack, may the Lord also minister peace, strength and inner healing for all the believers needing to recover from the emotional trauma. Continue to remember Christians throughout India who must daily live with hostility and discrimination. Pray that they will be filled with patient endurance as they faithfully await justice, seeking the Lord's intervention in the interim (Deuteronomy 32:35). REPORT UPDATE​ CHINA: Court Case Repeatedly Delayed​ Source: ChinaAid​ Zhao Weikai with his family. Photo: ChinaAid ​ ​ In July 2021, Zhao Weikai, a leader of the Xuncheng (Zion) Reformed Church, was arrested after a search of his home revealed materials the Public Security Bureau deemed to be "promoting terrorism and extremism." For more details on the incident, a previously posted report is available here. In the many months since his arrest, Zhao's court case has encountered numerous delays. In September 2021, the case was sent to judicial authorities of the Lvliang Intermediate People's Court, who claimed they could not process the legal matter due to a backlog. The trial has also faced delays as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. On September 9th of this year, the court finally held a pretrial conference, but no further developments have taken place since. Zhao's wife, Li Xin, is calling on people to pray that the trial would soon be held. Prayerfully ask God to grant peace, hope and patience to Zhao and Li – in addition to their friends and other family members – as they continue to wait for this long-delayed trial. Pray that Zhao's case will not be further delayed and that justice will prevail, freeing him of all charges. In the meantime, please continue to keep this imprisoned Christian leader in your prayers, as well as the many other believers throughout China who are currently being detained under false allegations because of their faith in Christ.