Author: MC

Maldives is one of seven popular destinations ranked high as countries where Christians are persecuted. See related story below (Open Doors).

1. THAILAND: Church Gathers to Praise God for Cave Rescue
2. WORLD: These Vacation Paradises Are No Holiday for Christians
3. ETHIOPIA: Man Unable to Speak or Walk Healed by God
4. RWANDA: More Than 8,000 Churches Closed by Government
5. MALI: A Christian on the Run

Source: Compassion International, July 20, 2018

Christians from all around the Chaing Rai District of northern Thailand gathered on Sunday, July 22, to praise God for the dramatic rescue of 12 boys and their soccer coach after they were trapped for two weeks in a flooded cave system. One of the boys who was rescued is Adun, who is sponsored through Compassion Thailand.

The majority of the soccer team participated in a Buddhist ceremony on July 24, but Adun chose to worship God at a special thanksgiving service held at the Compassion partner church he attends.

Local governors, officers and those who participated in rescue operations attended the service to thank God for the safe return of the Wild Boar soccer team. During the thanksgiving service, Adun shared a moving testimony with those gathered of what it was like to be in the cave.

“By the tenth night, we were losing patience, hope, physical energy, and courage. We could not do anything to help. The only thing that I could do was pray. I prayed ‘Lord, I’m only a boy; you are almighty God, you are holy, and you are powerful. Right now I can’t do anything; may you protect us. Come to help all 13 of us.’

“Thank you to everybody who prayed for me and the whole team,” Adun said. “Thank you to everybody that helped us, and the last thank you [goes] to the Lord: Thank you God. God bless you all.”

» Read full story.

» Blogger Jen Oshman suggests child sponsorship is one of the best things we can do to help those in need before the next tragedy strikes. Also, from neighboring Malaysia, read about the Christian recently appointed top judge, a first for that country (Barnabas Fund).

Source: Open Doors, July 27, 2018

This beautiful world God created is full of surprises to discover, hidden beauty to explore and unique people to meet. However, in some of the most beautiful places in the world—our brothers and sister in Christ struggle daily with persecution.

Did you know that popular “resort” destinations like Brunei consider the Bible an illegal book? And in the Maldives, where the water is so beautiful it was used as a location in a Star Wars movie, there isn’t even a Bible published in the native language.

Some of the most popular vacation destinations and beach paradises have extreme levels of Christian persecution. On the surface, these countries might boast beautiful scenery, well-oiled tourist industries and colorful culture, but underneath there’s a secret war going on for religious freedom you should know about.

» Full story includes pictures and links.

Source: God Reports, July 27, 2018

An Ethiopian man who suffered great torment for eight years found healing in Jesus, according to a church planter affiliated with New Covenant Missions.

“Tesfaye had been possessed by an evil spirit and been unable to speak or walk,” the church planter recounted. [His wife] requested prayer for her husband, even though they were not Christians.

“We started praying fervently to the Lord Jesus to heal him from whatever was oppressing him… Just then the evil spirit that possessed Tesfaye shouted very loudly and went out of him in the name and power of the Lord Jesus Christ!”

“Then we explained to the couple about the Lord Jesus and His love for them. We also explained to them about Satan who wants to destroy us, rob us of our joy and health, and that he is the enemy of our souls. We told them Jesus has crushed the power of Satan by living a sinless life and dying for our sins on the cross then rising from the grave.”

“Right then both husband and the wife stood up asked Jesus to be their Lord and Savior. Immediately Tesfaye began to speak and to walk!”

» Read full story which originally appeared here.

» Eritrean Christians and human rights advocates are cheering the release of 35 Christian prisoners as a new peace pact between Eritrea and Ethiopia takes hold this month (Religious News Service).

Source: World Watch Monitor, July 27, 2018

The Rwanda Governance Board continues to close churches it says fail to meet requirements laid down at the beginning of the year. New requirements set in place for those congregations that want to continue ministry are also complicating efforts to comply.

According to a report by Rwanda’s pro-government KT Press, more than 8,000 churches have now been closed, and the number keeps growing.

This law is being enforced even though it has not yet been approved officially. In most cases it is almost impossible for churches to make the required changes within the given timeframe of 15 days.

» Full story includes links to related news and reports a marked increase in government secularism as well as fear among church leaders. A story from Baptist Press says that 1,100 of the closed churches have reopened.

Source: Open Doors, July 25, 2018

Naomi [and her sisters] were born into a devout Egyptian Muslim family in Mali. Their father had moved from Egypt to Timbuktu to spread Islam. When Naomi was eight, her father died, and the girls were adopted by their uncle. He enrolled them in an international Christian school, a common practice for Muslims who desired good educations for their children.

As Naomi interacted with Christians at school, she found herself drawn to Christ, and at the age of 12, she professed him as Lord. Her life would never be the same.

Almost immediately, her family disowned her. When a local missionary family heard about Naomi’s situation, they took her into their home.

“They loved me like their own daughter,” says Naomi. “From them, I learned more about Christ and grew in my faith.”

Eventually, the missionaries had to return to their home country, leaving Naomi with no option but to ask her family to take her back. She remembers how each day, they cruelly harassed her for her faith.

When she was 16, Naomi met a Christian man from Belgium and agreed to marry him.

“I hoped very much that this would be the beginning of new things,” she says. But the persecution continued.

“Whenever I went around town, people would call me a kafir (which means infidel). But for me, the hardest thing to handle was the rejection from my family. When they saw me, they would spit in my direction and curse the blood we shared.”

“More than once, my family sent jihadists to my house to kill us (or at least intimidate us),” she says. “Their plans never worked. But one day, while my husband was on a business trip, he was gunned down. He was killed for his faith, and for marrying an ex-Muslim. His colleagues delivered the terrible news to me. I have no idea what happened to his body.”

After his death, Naomi, now a young widow, somehow managed to care for her two sons—alone. But in 2012, as Muslim jihadists used the political Tuareg Rebellion as an opportunity to wreak havoc, things took a turn for the worst.

» Full story includes prayer points and reports that Open Doors is trying to find a viable business venture for Naomi to help her provide for her family.

» In addition to a cultural shift towards intolerance, Mali recently closed 750 schools, affecting thousands of children (Partners International). Mali had presidential elections on July 29 (AP News).