The situation of Vietnamese Christians deteriorated markedly in 2002.  Last December the security forces threatened to shoot any Christians caught celebrating Christmas.  Two years earlier three Christians had been crucified to flagpoles, where they hung for a day and a night, while they were tortured with an electric cattle prod and mocked with the words “Where is your Jesus now?”  Pray that Vietnamese Christians may have freedom to worship the Lord.

7:53:21 PM    pray []

Prayer Request for Today from Pray For China

Spring in Northern China means the return of daily severe dust storms, often reducing the sun to only a halo. This is a perennial environmental problem and the government has stepped up tree planting to reduce the airborne dust. Much of the dust originates from the desert in Inner Mongolia. Let us pray for the fledging churches in Inner Mongolia. We remember the missionaries who serve in this vast region among the nomadic people.

7:24:16 PM    pray []

VIETNAMESE CHRISTIANS SUFFER GREATLY

http://www.christianaid.org/

Vietnamese authorities continue their clampdown on house churches in their country. A Vietnam observer who wishes to remain anonymous names 12 ways authorities are persecuting Christians:

1. People are fined for converting to Christ, or for seeking to convert someone else (witnessing).

2. Christians are bypassed in the distribution of government rice. They are told they must renounce their faith if they want to get state rice.

3. If a family becomes Christian, its electricity is cut off.

4. Christians are watched. In some places, they are barred from visiting other Christians or from having home meetings. In many places police try to strike fear into Christians to keep them from meeting together.

5. Authorities seize and destroy Bibles and hymnals.

6. Hundreds of churches have been confiscated or torn down. In Dac Lac Province, there used to be 417 churches. All but two have been shut down.

7. Authorities are aggressively going after pastors and church leaders. About 70 are in prison, and many others are under house arrest. In some cases, both the pastor and wife are under house arrest so neither one can do anything for the ministry. Moreover, anyone who tries to visit them is also put under arrest.

8. Even if someone else steps forward to preach, local authorities will insist it's illegal to preach.

9. Authorities gassed Christian villages in the North in late December, killing several children, causing pregnant women to miscarry, sending several to the hospital, and rendering over 100 unconscious.

10. Authorities have burned down the homes of Christians in some villages to pressure them to renounce their faith.

11. Some Christian children are dismissed from school; other schools will not accept them.

12. Christians are labeled as criminals and treated worse than animals. They have been beaten, sometimes to death. In some cases they are prodded with electric cattle prods in their mouths and on other parts of their bodies until they can't control themselves. Then the authorities mock them and say, "Look at the crazy Christians."

The reason for the brutal activity, according to the observer, is that authorities saw how evangelicals boasted they were partly responsible for the overthrow of some governments in Eastern Europe, and Vietnam authorities fear evangelicals will do the same in Vietnam if given the chance. Also, Vietnamese authorities equate being a Christian with being an American, and America is their number one enemy. Therefore, to be a Christian by definition is to be pro-American, which is treason.
 
Pray that God will act sovereignly against the oppressors of His people in Vietnam, and that authorities in other nations will hold Vietnam accountable for its human rights violations. At the same time, we are to "pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). 

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 LAOS: EPILOGUE

Word has been received that the information sent out last week about Christians being arrested in specific places has troubled Lao authorities who want to look good to the international community. Christian Aid has learned that Lao national authorities are now questioning local officials to learn how this "unauthorized" persecution took place. The Christians in Laos are hopeful. Please keep praying.

from "Missions Insider Report"  by Christian Aid
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7:18:35 PM    pray []

Open Doors USA

Touching story of young educated woman who learned to triumph in Christ despite her circumstances and church life.

7:10:28 PM    pray []

China, N. Korea, US Talks Set for Beijing Next Week VOA News

7:03:09 PM    pray []

NORTH KOREAN FAMINE MUCH WORSE THAN FEARED -  http://www.christianaid.org/

Two aid workers report that famine in North Korea is much worse than feared. It is so severe families are committing mass suicide rather than die slowly of starvation.

The workers were Korean Christians living in China who have been in and out of Korea since 1996 and know the situation very well. Their report was forwarded to Christian Aid after visiting North Korea in the last few days.

They said that many families are killing themselves by taking rat poison rather than die slowly from starvation. "There had been incidents of this before, but mass suicide has become more frequent and widespread now," they reported.

In the past, North Koreans have looked forward to some kind of food distribution honoring Kim Il-Sung's birthday on April 15. This year there was nothing.

Even members of the army seem desperate. They break into any house they think might hold food or anything valuable and take what they want. The aid worker watched while members of the army robbed one house in broad daylight, taking the family's bicycle. "All were well armed," the worker said, "and the residents could not even protest. There is no law in North Korea now."

When the aid workers went to the railroad station, they saw people fighting over a pile of ashes to warm themselves. "Their faces looked black and bloodless from starvation," the worker said. "They could not walk straight. They all said that half the residents of their city would perish this year if they did not get help."

The situation is so destitute even farmers have no seed to plant. Nobody is working. The markets are empty. Nobody has money to buy anything.

Things are much worse than the 1996-1998 famine, which was thought to be very severe at the time. "Nobody can predict what will happen this spring in North Korea," the contact in China said. "The aid worker who saw and reported these things is a strong Christian, but could not complete the report by phone and hung up, crying."

Please pray for the people of North Korea and that ways will be found to aid them in their misery.

 from "Missions Insider Report"  by Christian Aid

6:55:51 PM    pray []