Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Open Doors: India, Iran (new stories - prayer needed!)

"India: * With the encouragement of a local chief and the apparent backing of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, villagers in the north-central state of Madhya Pradesh gang-raped two Christian women after the husband of one of the women refused to deny Christ. When Gokharya Barela refused, the village head told villagers that they were free to rape any Christian woman they found. That evening, Barela's wife and another Christian woman were raped; both women attend prayer meetings of the Indian Evangelical Team (IET). Read More>>

Please pray:

-For these women and their families - that God will comfort them and heal their wounded hearts in the wake of this injustice and that the Holy Spirit would move them to forgive their persecutors in a way that would reveal God's unending love.

-That God will strengthen, empower and bless the Church in Madhya Pradesh in the midst of this heavy persecution, and that every one of their sufferings would be used to draw His people to Himself.

-For the grace of God to fall upon the nation of India.

Iran: * A Christian convert jailed six weeks ago in northern Iran was released last night and reunited with his family. A former Muslim who converted to Christianity as a teenager, Ali Kaboli, 51, hosted house church meetings in his home and traveled in the Caspian Sea region as an itinerant evangelist. Kaboli was arrested without explanation on May 2 at his carpenter's workshop in Gorgan. Under Iran's strict apostasy laws, Kaboli's conversion 35 years ago still qualifies him to receive the death penalty. Sources told Compass that a hefty bail had been subsequently posted for Kaboli's release.
Read More>>

Praise God for Ali’s testimony and that he is now home with his family!

Please pray:

-That Iranian authorities will no longer pursue the apostasy charges against Ali Kaboli.

-For the ministry of Ali Kaboli—that God will continue to use this man in mighty ways to show Himself to the people of Iran and the rest of the world.

-For the families of men and women like Ali—that God will comfort and provide for the loved ones of His faithful servants.

-That this case and others like it will deeply affect the Iranian officials to the point of recognition that Christ is Lord.

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