Gospel For Asia Prayer Newsletter March 8, 2013

Dear Saints,

This past week, believers struggled to meet together peacefully as they faced death threats, violence and orders to shut down their church construction sites. But amid these trials, one fellowship had a breakthrough: Their persecutors apologized!

Please join me in praying for our fellowships and asking the Lord to provide more breakthroughs. By His grace, we will see many changed hearts.


Drunken Villagers Disrupt Fellowship

March 8, 2013 – Gospel for Asia

Pastor Naag and two believing families regularly gather in a house for fellowship, but some in the village are opposing them. During services, drunkards will throw stones at the house where the believers meet, hoping they will stop.

Please pray for:

Pastor Naag and the believers to stand firm in their faith.

The villagers to have a change of heart and see the truth of God’s love.


Pastor Forced to Halt Church Construction, Sell Land

March 8, 2013 – Gospel for Asia

When Pastor Ekachandra began construction on a church building last month, political radicals insisted that he stop the work and write a statement that there would be no further construction in the place. Pastor Ekachandra temporarily halted the work while waiting for another meeting with the political groups and village leaders.

On February 24, after discussing the situation, the leaders continued their refusal to allow the church building and forced Pastor Ekachandra to sell his land, saying they will give him another piece of land. Pastor Ekachandra’s district leader is currently contacting higher government authorities to resolve the issue.

Please pray for:

Changed hearts in the village leaders and political radicals.

A peaceable relationship between Pastor Ekachandra and the locals.

Continued construction on the church building.


Radicals Apologize for Beating Believers

March 8, 2013 – Gospel for Asia

On February 23, Pastor Takshak’s prayer meeting was interrupted by nearly 150 local people storming the house where the meeting was held. Led by a religious extremist group, the people entered the house and began beating the believers and accusing the pastor of forcible conversions.

“You should not conduct any religious programs here,” the group leader said. “Otherwise, you better know the consequence. We will kill you.”

When two other pastors filed a complaint with the police, however, the authorities stood up for the church. Accepting the charges against them, the fanatics asked forgiveness in front of the other villagers, promising not to threaten the believers anymore.

Meanwhile, the police are giving special protection to the believers to assure their safety, and are encouraging the fellowship to continue meeting.

Please pray for:

Continued safety for the believers.

God to open the eyes of the fanatics to the truth of Christ.


Temporary Church Building Set on Fire

March 8, 2013 – Gospel for Asia

While waiting to construct a church building, the believers in Pastor Baahir’s fellowship pooled their resources to build a temporary meeting place. But on February 28, someone lit the building on fire. A villager immediately notified the believers, who put out the fire, but the church was already damaged.

Now the believers are working with village leaders to investigate the incident, but they are discouraged as they look for a way to rebuild.

Please pray for:

Safety and steadfastness for the believers.

Softened hearts in the opposition.

Wisdom and clarity for the village leaders as they deal with the situation.

Resources to rebuild.


Pastor Faces Death Threats at Construction Site

March 8, 2013 – Gospel for Asia

With nearly 150 people attending his fellowship, Pastor Haarith recently began construction on a church building. Since then, religious extremists have begun regularly coming to the construction site and threatening him.

“You stop the work,” they told him. “Otherwise, we will kill you.”

Please pray for:

Peace in Pastor Haarith’s heart as he faces these frightening threats.

Those who oppose the church to embrace the love of Christ.

Construction to be completed quickly and without further disruption.


Yours for the lost.

K.P. Yohannan

PS - Let us know how we can pray for you:

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Attack on Christians Follows Claim of Blasphemy in Pakistan
By DECLAN WALSH and WAQAR GILLANI
Published: March 9, 2013

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — An enraged Muslim crowd attacked a Christian neighborhood in Lahore on Saturday, setting fire to more than 150 houses and 2 churches, in a new display of religious intolerance as Pakistan reels from violent persecution against other minorities.

An angry mob gathered after burning Christian houses in Lahore, Pakistan, on Saturday.

In Peshawar on Saturday, a bomb exploded in a mosque, killing at least 4 people and wounding 28, the police said.

In Lahore, several thousand people attacked the Joseph Colony, a Christian neighborhood of about 200 homes, after a report that a Christian sanitation worker had blasphemed the Prophet Muhammad.

Blasphemy has acquired a hair-trigger sensitivity across Pakistan in recent years, with an alarming increase in mob violence.

The claims of blasphemy in Lahore, the police said, stemmed from an argument on Wednesday evening between two friends: Sawan Masih, the sanitation worker, and Shahid Imran, a Muslim barber.

On Thursday, Mr. Imran accused Mr. Masih, 28, of blasphemy, sending a shiver of apprehension through the Christian population. People began to leave their homes that evening, and on Friday, the police prepared charges against Mr. Masih.

On Saturday morning, several thousand people, including ethnic Pashtuns who worked in nearby factories, set upon the colony. Some were armed with batons and pistols, the police said.

“They vandalized Christians’ houses, desecrated churches and opened fire on the police,” according to a police spokesman, Multan Khan. Several policemen were hurt as they tried to intervene.

Others who rushed to the Joseph Colony, which is in an industrial area home to scrap yards and factories, tried to extinguish the fires.

By evening, about 178 houses, 18 shops and 2 churches had been damaged by fire, said Ahmad Raza, who was leading the rescue operation.

The one-room house that Jani Masih, another sanitation worker, shared with his three sons was among the homes destroyed. “Even a single household has not been spared,” said Mr. Masih, whose name is common among Christians.

The devastation was a testament to the intolerance sweeping across Pakistani society.

The Peshawar bombing occurred in Meena Bazaar, a shopping area, as worshipers were finishing afternoon prayers, said the deputy city commissioner, Javed Marwat.

Among the dead was the chief cleric of the mosque, which belongs to the Barelvi sect of Islam, practiced by most Pakistani Sunni Muslims.

Declan Walsh reported from Islamabad, and Waqar Gillani from Lahore, Pakistan. Ismail Khan contributed reporting from Peshawar, Pakistan.

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Keylla Amaral