Wednesday, April 04, 2007

From Open Doors - Pakistan, Iraq

IRAQ

Fadhila Naoum, 85, and Margaret Naoum, 79, were in their home last week when thieves broke in and repeatedly stabbed them and eventually strangled them to death. According to Compass Direct News, it is unclear whether the motivation for the attack was religious violence or strictly theft. As reported by Open Doors in January 2007, most Iraqi Christians are in fact targeted by attacks because they are believed to have money. Regardless of the chief motivation for these murders, this particular incident is yet another grim portrait of the growing insecurity facing Christians in war-torn Iraq.*
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Please Pray:

For the friends and family of these two women and that God will draw near them as they grieve the death of their loved ones. Psalm 23:4

For all Iraqi Christians who face these immense hardships--that they will receive power, through the Holy Spirit, to be His witnesses in Iraq and to the watching world. Acts 1:8

PAKISTAN

Imprisoned Christians flocked to the jail’s laundry room to worship God together…And then the authorities closed it off to them and filled it with inmates. Being denied a place to worship, they went on a hunger strike. According to Compass Direct News, the jail official “wanted to send a message to the Christians that this was not their church or chapel.” Following the hunger strike, the laundry room was reopened to the Christians. The jail’s Deputy Superintendent denies that Christians had been refused access to their worship room or that a hunger strike had even taken place.*
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Please Pray:

For these 160 Pakistani Christians—that nothing will be able to hinder them from worshipping God together. 1 Corinthians 1:9

That the authorities will be impacted by the willingness of these Christians to go without food for the sake of being able to worship God together. Psalm 40:3

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