Missions Catalyst

Source: Christian Freedom International, September 16, 2020

The Burmese Military, called the Tatmadaw, has taken advantage of the pandemic lockdown to increase its military activities within the mostly Christian Karen communities.

Between January and June, Karen communities were warned that if they gather, they may face arrest and could increase the spread of COVID-19. Yet during that time the Tatmadaw performed large military operations to strengthen their army camps, conduct attacks, and set up more military posts. It also sent more soldiers and rations to camps and resumed constructing military road despite the opposition by the Karen National Union (KNU) and the local Karen populace.

The Tatmadaw presented the road construction activities as a development project that will benefit the local communities. However, the Karen National Union sees this project as part of a Tatmadaw strategy to extend its control over Karen areas, and therefore opposes it.

Locals complain that several parts of this construction go straight through farms, communities, and local hunting areas completely disrupting the Karen way of life.

According to a Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) researcher, at least 207 skirmishes broke out between the Tatmadaw and the KNLA over the last six months as a result of Tatmadaw soldiers trespassing into Karen controlled territory in order to secure land for military road construction activities.

The Karen villagers are at high risk of collateral damage. There have been several civilian casualties, farmland burned, and village buildings destroyed including monuments and churches. One community reported that the fighting resulted in the displacement of 2,137 villagers, including 417 children under five years of age.

» Read full story.

» In other news from East Asia, a North Korean man who recently came to faith was arrested. A ministry leader working there believes he is in grave danger and asks us to pray for his release (Open Doors).

Source: Morning Star News, September 28, 2020

A Christian boy has been killed after a woman said to be a radical Muslim opposed to his father’s conversion from Islam sold him and his sister to a witchdoctor for ritual sacrifice, sources said.

Sulaiman Pulisi, a former imam (mosque leader) who became a Christian three years ago, said that in July 2018 his daughter, then 13, and his then-11-year-old son, Abdulmajidu, disappeared from their home in eastern Uganda’s Kachiribong village, Kasasira Town in Kibuku District. Police rescued his daughter September 16.

“We are mourning for our son who is alleged to have been sacrificed,” the crestfallen Pulisi told Morning Star News. “We are mourning with my daughter, who has been used as a sex object by the Muslim shaman.”

The identity of the suspected kidnappers remained unclear. Pulisi’s daughter was rescued from the witchdoctor’s home in a village in western Uganda after a Christian shopkeeper there asked her where she had come from.

“A radical Muslim woman called Sania Muhammad [of Kasasira, in eastern Uganda] who had connections with Muslim men used to look for children of converts from Islam and sell them to this particular Muslim witchdoctor,” the shopkeeper, Joseph Sodo, told Morning Star News based on what police have told him about their investigations.

» See full story with picture.

» Also from Africa, see an analysis of how Christians are responding to terrorist violence in Burkina Faso (Christianity Today).

Source: Article18, September 24, 2020

Lydia was just three months old when she was adopted by Iranian Christian converts Sam Khosravi and wife Maryam Falahi.

Now, just one month before her second birthday, a court ruled she must be taken away from them, as Sam and Maryam—who are currently appealing against convictions related to their membership of a house-church—are “not fit” to be her parents.

The ruling, handed down by a court in their home city of Bushehr, southwestern Iran, on July 19 but not reported until now, was upheld by a court of appeal on September 22, despite the judge in his initial verdict acknowledging that Lydia felt an “intense emotional attachment” to her adoptive parents and saying there was “zero chance” another adoptive family would be found for her, given Lydia’s health problems.

But that didn’t prevent [judge Muhammad Hassan Dashti] from ruling against Lydia’s adoptive parents—and for one reason: they are Christian converts, and Lydia, though her parentage is not known, is considered a Muslim, and as such by law ought only to be cared for by Muslim parents.

Sam and Maryam maintain that they were always clear about their conversion to Christianity; however, the judge ruled that Lydia—a nominally “Muslim” child—should never have been placed in their care.

» Full story includes photos and more context. A related article from Middle East Concern adds, “Sam, Maryam, and their friends request prayer that in this deeply distressing time for the family, the Lord will grant them his deep peace and work a miracle to allow Sam and Maryam to keep and care for Lydia as their adoptive child.”

Source: SAT-7, September 21, 2020

When the port explosion ripped through Beirut on August 4, the nearby building of the Church of God should have been full. Instead, it was empty, because hours before, Pastor Saeed Deeb felt convicted to send everybody home. On SAT-7 ARABIC, he shares his story of the divine prompt that protected his congregation.

» See full story with video.

» Pioneers (the ministry that makes Missions Catalyst possible) is coordinating a weekend of prayer for the Middle East October 9-11. Lebanon is the focus for Friday. Download a prayer profile or visit the ASK 2020 webpage.

Our September 30 edition included data on the status of world evangelization which we have since learned is incorrect. The percentage of Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists who have no personal contact (or relatively little) with Christians is now estimated at 87%, rather than 81%. See details.