INDIA

The Global Council of Indian Christians reports that Pastor Siddarama Gokhavi and his congregation were attacked by Hindu radicals during their Sunday worship meeting in early November in Ananda Nagara, Bihar. Over 20 Bajrang Dal Hindu radicals, chanted a slogan while vehemently attacking the church and its members.  When the local Karnataka  police were alerted about the incident, they arrived and began to aid  the Hindu radicals instead of helping the Christian victims.  Some of the police dragged Gokhavi and six others in an apparent plan to physically injure them. The pastor and his wife were accused by the police of persuading Hindus to convert to Christianity.  As the police commenced their attack, the Hindu radicals proceeded to burn Bibles and other Christian literature, and destroy church property.  Fortunately, Pastor Gokhavi and his congregation are in stable condition.  Yet, they are dismayed and shocked to know that the police were directly involved in this act of Christian persecution.

PRAY for Pastor Gokhavi and his congregation as they physically and mentally recover from this attack.

PRAY that the Hindu radicals and the Karnataka police are charged and brought to justice for the crimes committed against the church.

PRAY that Pastor Gokhavi and his congregation will grow in faith by virtue of this incident.

        INDIA
Gospel for Asia reports that two Bible College students, Vijay and Soman, were attacked and beaten while ministering in Haryana, India.  The incident occurred when they decided to walk into a shop and share the gospel with the owner.  The shop owner pretended to be interested in what Vijay and Soman were saying, and told them to wait inside while he went and grabbed friends who would also be interested.  As Vijay and Soman waited, a mob of extremists surrounded the shop.  The angry mob accused Vijay and Soman of trying to convert people by bribing them with money.  They then commenced to burn their literature and threatened  the Bible students that they too would be burned.  The mob, which dragged Vijay and Soman out into the street and beat them. Finally, the police arrived and took Vijay and Soman into protective custody.  The two Bible students feel blessed to still be alive and consider it a privilege to have suffered for Christ.

PRAY  for the speedy and full recovery of Vijay and Soman from the injuries received.

PRAY that this act of persecution will not dissuade other Bible students from evangelizing in India. 

PRAY for the protection of the Bible College and its students in India while they spread the Good News.

     SRI LANKA
Pastor Victor Emmanuel Yogarajan, pastor of the Gospel Missionary Church in Vavuniya,  his two sons, and another young man have been reported missing since March 2nd according to a report from Compass Direct News.  The pastor's family reporte d that they were last seen leaving a house in which they stayed overnight in Negombo, getting ready to travel to Colombo by bus.  The family has reported the incident to the police but there was no report of the whereabouts of the four. The incident is one among many alarming disappearances in the area.  The family is very concerned about the well-being of the pastor and the three young men.

PRAY for the safety of the four and for their family in this difficult time, and that they will soon be found  unharmed.

PRAY for the Christians in Sri Lanka who experience persecution and hardship daily.

      PAKISTAN
Asia News has reported that the pastor of Good Shepherd  Community Church was recently attacked and beaten  with iron rods by militants in the western state of Rajasthan. Pastor Reginald Howell was praying with a group of sick people when armed militants showed up at the meeting and beat him on the back with iron rods. Following the attack, the pastor went to a hospital to seek treatment but the doctors refused to treat him for fear of reprisal attacks by Hindu militants. At the same time, the police refused to file a report about the incident and instead told the pastor to leave the state and return to his home city. Rajasthan is known for its intolerance towards non-Hindus. Christians represent only 0.11% of the population in Rajasthan, where the majority is Hindu.

PRAY that the Lord will strengthen Pastor Reginald and his congregation as a result of this attack.

PRAY that the Christian minority in Rajasthan will be protected from militant groups who are trying to restrict religious freedom.

PRAY for those who would commit violence against one of God's servants.

      INDIA
Two Christian youths were beaten up while distributing religious tracts to drug addicts in Mumbai. Bobby D'Souza and Sandip Mohite we re injured from the attack. The attackers were Hindu militants  who have been hostile to Christian activities in the past.    On a separate incident, in Nagpur, three Church of the Nazarene pastors were beaten up by radical elements while showing the Jesus film. They were severely injured and their teeth were broken. Their equipment was damaged, and their costly projector was stolen. The police did not register a complaint but accused the Christians of wrongdoing, although this finding was overturned by higher authority.

PRAY for Bobby and Sandip who were injured and are in need of encouragement.

PRAY that the three pastors will recover from their injuries quickly, that the attackers will be arrested, and brought to justice.

PRAY that despite hostility, the gospel will be preached all over India, and more Hindus will come to know salvation through Jesus Christ. 

PHILIPPINES 
Salem Voice Ministries reports that the pasto r of Jesus is Lord Ministries was stabbed to death on October 26 in Barangay Perez of Kidapawan City in North Cotabato province in southern Philippines. Pastor Martin Ambong (48) was brutally murdered near his church with 16 stab wounds on his body. Police are investigating, indicating he was probably murdered after midnight while his family was at home in Barangay Poblacion. Villagers commented to SVM News, "Pastor Ambong has no enemies. He was such a good and humble man."

Pray that the perpetrators of this heinous crime will be found and brought to justice.

Pray that Pastor Martin's family and congregation will be comforted supernaturally by God's Spirit.

Pray that Jesus is Lord Ministries would be a shining light in the community with their response to this tragedy.

NORTH KOREA
In September, the National Security Service of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) announced the arrest of several "foreign spies" and "native citizens working for a foreign intelligence service." VOM sources say those arrested are Christians and not spies. VOM sources have identified the following nine Christians who have disappeared and are believed to have been arrested by government authorities: Mr. Chul Huh (34), Mr. Chun-Il Jang (39), Mr. Myung-Chul Kim (36), Ms. Young-Su Jin (32), Mr. Nam-Suk Kang (48), Mr. San-Ho Kang (36), Mr. Suk-Chun Suh (29), Ms. Mi-Hae Park (30) and Ms. Young-Yae Lee (37). The whereabouts of these individuals is unknown. It is possible they have already been tried and executed. Pray the loved ones of those arrested will find peace in the fact that God works all things for the good of those who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose. Pray that North Korea's leaders will come to repentance and faith in Christ. 
 

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God,
 to those who are called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28

Read Psalm 91