“Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge”
Proverbs 14:26
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Nigeria –Three more “Chibok girls” found; Christian mother forgives sons’ killers
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Iran – Four converts detained after “house church” raid; Christian couple summoned to prison
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Sudan – Four Christian converts charged with apostasy under previously abolished law
Mozambique – Islamists behead two Christians
Islamist militants beheaded two Christian men during an attack on a minibus in northern Mozambique.
The attack took place on 30 July in Macomia district, Cabo Delgado. Islamic State (IS) of Mozambique, known locally as al-Shabaab, claimed responsibility for the killings.
A statement by IS-Mozambique declared, “By the grace of God Almighty, the soldiers of the Caliphate … killed two Christians, beheading them, and shooting them with weapons.”
In June 2022, IS-Mozambique claimed responsibility for the “beheading of several Christians” in Cabo Delgado. Another was beheaded during a raid on a Christian village in the neighbouring province of Nampula (see Barnabas Prayer Focus, August 2022).
Cabo Delgado has been termed “the Land of Fear” owing to persistent brutal violence meted out against both Christians and moderate Muslims over several years.
Pray that the Lord will comfort the family and friends of the two Christians so brutally murdered. Ask that the violence perpetrated against Christians and moderate Muslims by IS militants will come to an end, that the Lord will rescue His people from their powerful enemy, from their foes who confront them (Psalm 18:17-18), and that all in northern Mozambique will be able to enjoy peace and security.
Egypt – At least 41 Christians killed in church fire
Egyptian Christians are in shock and mourning after 41 people, including as many as 18 children, were killed when fire broke out at a church in the city of Giza, near Cairo, Egypt’s capital.
Five families are known to have lost all their children in the disaster. In one case three five-year-old triplets, Mohrael, Youssef and Philopator Bassem Amir, all died.
The fire, which was caused by an electrical fault, started during a service on Sunday 14 August. The blaze began on the second floor as worshippers gathered on the floors above.
At least 45 people were injured, including worshippers trying to escape and four policemen involved in the rescue effort.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi offered his “sincere condolences to the families of the innocent victims that have passed on to be with their Lord in one of his houses of worship”. He pledged also to provide financial support for the bereaved and reconstruct the church building.
In a social media post, Miretya Emad, an Egyptian singer, shared pictures of six of her relatives who died – including her 34-year-old cousin Irina Atef Ramzi and Irina’s three children, five-year-old twin girls Mariam and Barsina and their three-year-old brother Ibrahim – saying, “With Christ, which is far better.”
Pray for those who are mourning the loss of family and friends, asking that they will be comforted by the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:4). Give thanks that our Saviour has abolished death (2 Timothy 1:10, ESV), and that in Him there is eternal life (John 3:15).
Nigeria – Three more “Chibok girls” found; Christian mother forgives sons’ killers
Three Nigerian Christian women who were abducted as teenagers from their school in Chibok, Borno State, by Islamist terrorists Boko Haram have been found.
They were recovered – along with children they have given birth to while in captivity – by the Nigerian Army during operations against Boko Haram in Borno between 27 June and 25 July.
Ruth Bitrus, 24, and her child were rescued from the terrorists’ Ukuba camp in Sambisa Forest. Hanatu Musa, 26, and her two children, and Kauna Luka, 25, with one child, were recovered in Bama Local Government Area.
The three women, all of whom appeared traumatised, thanked the military for their rescue. Each woman and all four children were given medical check-ups and treatment before being reunited with their families.
Boko Haram abducted 276 girls, mostly Christian, from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in April 2014. Girls reported being whipped by their captors to force them into marriage, while a group of Christian girls experienced a mock execution for refusing to convert to Islam.
Around 165 of the “Chibok girls” have subsequently escaped, been rescued or released. Most recently, in June 2022, two women were rescued by the military from separate locations in Borno State (see Barnabas Prayer Focus, August 2022).
As violence against Nigerian believers intensifies, a pastor’s wife publicly forgave gunmen who killed her two sons, injured her husband and abducted her daughter.
Armed men attacked the family home of Pastor Daniel Umaru in Adamawa State on 6 July. The pastor and his two sons – Fabye, 23, and Kefrey, 19 – tried to prevent the men from entering the family home. The attackers shot and killed Fabye and Kefrey, severely injuring Pastor Umaru, before breaking into the home and kidnapping 13-year-old Ijagla.
Both the pastor and his wife, who fainted during the attack, were hospitalised. Thankfully Ijagla was freed three days later.
At her sons’ funeral, and prior to her daughter’s release, Mrs Umaru declared, “I have forgiven those behind these killings and abduction. Also, I have accepted the will of God.”
Give thanks for the rescue of “Chibok girls” Ruth, Hanatu and Kauna. Pray that as they struggle with the trauma of their experience the God of peace will grant them peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Lift up the children of these three women, asking the Lord to bless them, keep them, and make His face to shine upon them (Numbers 6:24-5). Pray for Pastor Umaru, his wife and daughter as they come to terms with their loss. Give thanks for Ijagla’s release and ask that Mrs Umaru’s Christ-like words of forgiveness and faith will be an example to us all.
Iran – Four converts detained after “house church” raid; Christian couple summoned to prison
Security forces in Iran have detained four Christian converts from Islam following a raid on a “house church” meeting in Neyshabur, north-eastern Iran.
They have each been charged with “acting against national security through propaganda against the regime” and “insulting the sacred” (blasphemy). Iranian Christians are often arrested and prosecuted just for worshipping the Lord and sharing the Gospel.
One of the converts, Gholamreza Keyvanmanesh, 65, suffers from cancer. His lack of access to medication and the effect on his health of exposure to prison conditions are serious concerns.
At least eight other Christians questioned following the meeting have been informed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to expect a summons for further interrogation. They were required to sign commitments to refrain from meeting other Christians.
In a separate case, a Christian couple in Tehran, Iran’s capital city, have been summoned to Evin Prison. The prison is notorious for prolonged interrogations and the abusive treatment of inmates.
Homayoun Zhaveh, 63, and his wife Sara Ahmadi, 44, were first arrested in June 2019. Homayoun, who has advanced Parkinson’s disease, spent a month in Evin Prison, while Sara was held for more than two months, half of which was spent in solitary confinement.
In November 2020 both were convicted of membership of an “illegal organisation”. Homayoun was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, and Sara to 11 years (later reduced to eight) for her role in organising the church.
The couple were summoned to begin their sentences in March 2021, but when they arrived at the prison were told they could return home. At the time of writing their situation is unknown, but it is feared they will now have to begin their prison sentences.
Lift up Gholamreza, asking that his health needs will be met (Psalm 41:3). Pray that he and the other three converts will not have to face any punishment for their actions. Pray also for Homayoun and Sara, that they will not be forced to stay in Evin Prison. Ask that God will sustain the faith of Iranian Christians (1 Samuel 2:9), and that the Lord, who loves justice, will bring to an end the arrest and imprisonment of Christians in Iran for simply attending worship meetings (Psalm 11:7).
Sudan – Four Christian converts charged with apostasy under previously abolished law
Four Sudanese Muslim-background believers have been charged with apostasy under a law previously abolished.
The charges were made in accordance with Article 126 of Sudan’s Penal Code, which forbade apostasy from Islam. The penalty for apostasy under this article was death.
Article 126, however, was abolished in 2020 as part of a package of reforms designed to uphold the principle of religious freedom.
The four young men were arrested following a raid on their church in Zallingei, Darfur, on 22 June 2022. They were each questioned and beaten before being released. The authorities also confiscated Bibles and technical equipment belonging to the church. Six days later each of the converts was charged with apostasy.
The men are currently in hiding while they wait for a court date. Some of their relatives’ homes and the church building have been attacked by extremists.
Article 126 was abolished in July 2020 as part of a set of reforms. A change of government since then, however, has led to concern that that these reforms will be pushed back and that persecution of Christians will once again increase.
Intercede for our Sudanese brothers, asking that God will deliver them from the hand of their enemies, but that even if He does not that they will retain to the end their faith in Him (Daniel 3:18). Pray that “The Lord, Our Righteous Saviour” will permit His people in Sudan to live in safety (Jeremiah 23:6).
Myanmar – Father and daughter killed in shelling attack
A shell fired by the Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) killed a 13-year-old girl and her father at a camp for internally displaced persons in Kayah State on Sunday 31 July.
The girl, Margaret, died instantly when struck on the head by shrapnel from the 120mm shell. Her father succumbed to similar injuries the following day.
Margaret’s brother, 17, and uncle were also injured in the incident but their condition is not critical. A third person staying in another part of the camp, a nine-year-old boy, also sustained minor injuries from shrapnel.
The Tatmadaw, which seized power in Buddhist-majority Myanmar in a coup on 1 February 2021, has persecuted Christians for many years.
Pray for Margaret’s family as they come to terms with their loss. Ask for an end to the targeted attacks on Christians and other displaced persons in Myanmar, praying that God will see the trouble of the afflicted, consider their grief, and break the power of their enemies (Psalm 10:14-15).
