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Prayers for August 5, 2003
From The Voice of the Martyrs
CAMBODIA
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(Missions Insider - Christian Aid)
A member of the Cambodian Parliament has challenged the practice of paying a bounty on fleeing Montagnard refugees. Thousands of Vietnamese Montagnards have crossed the border into Cambodia to escape persecution. During the last two years thousands of them have been arrested by Cambodian authorities and turned over to Vietnamese authorities who invariably imprison and torture them. It has been confirmed that the Vietnamese government is offering Cambodian authorities an amount equal to US$67 for turning over these refugees. The US State Department has confirmed these human rights violations against indigenous hill-tribe Montagnards, many of whom are Christians. Vietnamese soldiers patrol the Cambodian border while internal Vietnamese villages remain under martial law, where soldiers continue rampant human rights abuses against Christian Montagnards. Pray the Cambodian government will put a stop to the practice of accepting bounty for returning Montagnard refugees to Vietnam. Pray the Lord will strengthen the faith of the Montagnards under severe persecution.
EGYPT
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(VOM/Canada)
According to the Canadian Coptic Association, on June 30, 17-year-old Nermine was kidnapped. Shortly afterwards, her father received a phone call, saying that his daughter had been kidnapped and was being forced to change her religion to Islam. Her abductors then planned to have her married to a Muslim man. There has been no response to telegrams sent to the police and other authorities. Her father has not been allowed to advertise the issue in any Egyptian newspaper or on the local television channel. The abduction and forcible conversion and marriage of Christian girls is not uncommon in Egypt. Sadly, the press and authorities generally ignore it when it happens. Pray God will convict the Egyptian authorities of the horror of this practice. Pray Jesus will give Nermine a strong sense of His comforting presence with her. Pray the many other Christian girls in similar situations will not lose their faith.
IRAQ
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(ASSIST News)
Iraqi Christians who have become targets of attacks by Muslim extremists and bandits are risking their lives to attend church services. They race through the streets to reach their destinations every Sunday as an increasing number of believers have been killed or wounded in Muslim violence against Christian shops and Christian women refusing to wear scarves. Yet born again believers believe Iraq is heading towards its biggest spiritual revival, and both religious Christians and Muslims are accepting Christ as their personal Savior and Lord daily. More traditional churches are also reporting a high attendance rate. Churches are concerned that especially radicals within the Shiite Muslim majority will step up the pressure on Iraq's one million Christians, who make up less than 5 percent of the population. Give praise to God that Iraqi Christians are zealous for their faith and desiring to make converts. Pray many more Muslims will hear the Good News and come to faith in Jesus Christ.
Are you looking for a way to help Iraqi Christians? Please consider sending them a VOM Action Pack. Click here to learn more.
LEBANON
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(ASSIST News Service-ANS)
Bruce Balfour, a Canadian native, who heads up a Christian humanitarian ministry that was planning to help replenish the mighty Cedars of Lebanon in the mountains of Lebanon, was arrested at Beirut Airport on July 10 for the "crime" of visiting Israel. This news only became known when, after more than 100 attempts, Balfour finally managed to get a message to the Canadian Ambassador in Lebanon. The Canadian government is demanding an explanation from the Lebanese government as to why they were not informed earlier of his arrest. ANS received news that Balfour has now been formally charged with "his collaboration/connection to Israel." The Canadian government is pursuing the matter at this time. Pray Jesus will visit Bruce Balfour and make Himself known in His comfort and His glory. Pray the efforts of the Canadian government will effect his release.
PALESTINE
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(WorldNetDaily)
Islamic extremists have reportedly returned the body of a Christian convert to his family. According to Barnabas Fund, the man left for a mountainous region of the Palestinian Authority, taking Christian videos, cassette tapes and a Bible with him. After approximately 10 days, the body of the man was returned to his home, having been cut into four pieces.Click here to read more.
Pray God will bring supernatural comfort to this man's family, erasing forever the memory of that mutilated body. Pray the brutality of the Muslim extremists will inspire more zeal among Christian converts in Palestine. Pray the blood of this martyr will not have been shed in vain.
Prayers for August 5, 2003
From The Voice of the Martyrs
CAMBODIA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Missions Insider - Christian Aid)
A member of the Cambodian Parliament has challenged the practice of paying a bounty on fleeing Montagnard refugees. Thousands of Vietnamese Montagnards have crossed the border into Cambodia to escape persecution. During the last two years thousands of them have been arrested by Cambodian authorities and turned over to Vietnamese authorities who invariably imprison and torture them. It has been confirmed that the Vietnamese government is offering Cambodian authorities an amount equal to US$67 for turning over these refugees. The US State Department has confirmed these human rights violations against indigenous hill-tribe Montagnards, many of whom are Christians. Vietnamese soldiers patrol the Cambodian border while internal Vietnamese villages remain under martial law, where soldiers continue rampant human rights abuses against Christian Montagnards. Pray the Cambodian government will put a stop to the practice of accepting bounty for returning Montagnard refugees to Vietnam. Pray the Lord will strengthen the faith of the Montagnards under severe persecution.
EGYPT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(VOM/Canada)
According to the Canadian Coptic Association, on June 30, 17-year-old Nermine was kidnapped. Shortly afterwards, her father received a phone call, saying that his daughter had been kidnapped and was being forced to change her religion to Islam. Her abductors then planned to have her married to a Muslim man. There has been no response to telegrams sent to the police and other authorities. Her father has not been allowed to advertise the issue in any Egyptian newspaper or on the local television channel. The abduction and forcible conversion and marriage of Christian girls is not uncommon in Egypt. Sadly, the press and authorities generally ignore it when it happens. Pray God will convict the Egyptian authorities of the horror of this practice. Pray Jesus will give Nermine a strong sense of His comforting presence with her. Pray the many other Christian girls in similar situations will not lose their faith.
IRAQ
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(ASSIST News)
Iraqi Christians who have become targets of attacks by Muslim extremists and bandits are risking their lives to attend church services. They race through the streets to reach their destinations every Sunday as an increasing number of believers have been killed or wounded in Muslim violence against Christian shops and Christian women refusing to wear scarves. Yet born again believers believe Iraq is heading towards its biggest spiritual revival, and both religious Christians and Muslims are accepting Christ as their personal Savior and Lord daily. More traditional churches are also reporting a high attendance rate. Churches are concerned that especially radicals within the Shiite Muslim majority will step up the pressure on Iraq's one million Christians, who make up less than 5 percent of the population. Give praise to God that Iraqi Christians are zealous for their faith and desiring to make converts. Pray many more Muslims will hear the Good News and come to faith in Jesus Christ.
Are you looking for a way to help Iraqi Christians? Please consider sending them a VOM Action Pack. Click here to learn more.
LEBANON
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(ASSIST News Service-ANS)
Bruce Balfour, a Canadian native, who heads up a Christian humanitarian ministry that was planning to help replenish the mighty Cedars of Lebanon in the mountains of Lebanon, was arrested at Beirut Airport on July 10 for the "crime" of visiting Israel. This news only became known when, after more than 100 attempts, Balfour finally managed to get a message to the Canadian Ambassador in Lebanon. The Canadian government is demanding an explanation from the Lebanese government as to why they were not informed earlier of his arrest. ANS received news that Balfour has now been formally charged with "his collaboration/connection to Israel." The Canadian government is pursuing the matter at this time. Pray Jesus will visit Bruce Balfour and make Himself known in His comfort and His glory. Pray the efforts of the Canadian government will effect his release.
PALESTINE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(WorldNetDaily)
Islamic extremists have reportedly returned the body of a Christian convert to his family. According to Barnabas Fund, the man left for a mountainous region of the Palestinian Authority, taking Christian videos, cassette tapes and a Bible with him. After approximately 10 days, the body of the man was returned to his home, having been cut into four pieces.Click here to read more.
Pray God will bring supernatural comfort to this man's family, erasing forever the memory of that mutilated body. Pray the brutality of the Muslim extremists will inspire more zeal among Christian converts in Palestine. Pray the blood of this martyr will not have been shed in vain.
