Dear Rev Joseph Diaz,

"For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day." (2 Timothy 1:12).

Thank you for joining us in prayer this week. If you have not already checked out our free book for a friend program, you can help us be a voice for the martyrs by inviting your friends to receive a free copy of Tortured for Christ. Click here to find out how. (US residents only please.)

God bless!

VOM Web Team

Prayers for July 5, 2005 From The Voice of the Martyrs
ERITREA (ASSIST News Service) Release Eritrea!, a human rights group working to restore freedom of religion to the people of Eritrea and release for those imprisoned for their faith, says that security forces in Asmara stormed and detained around 80 high school students in a public park where they were holding an end of term party. The government of Eritrea seems to have intensified its purge against Eritrean evangelicals and members of the closed churches by removing not only their rights to religious freedom, but also their rights to any form of social life. There is great concern for these youths, given the record of the government of Eritrea concerning prisoners and detainees. (Click here) Pray our God of power and might will protect them from serious harm and allow them to be released quickly. Pray evangelical Christians in Eritrea will have the heart of Christ toward those who oppose them. Pray God will soften the hearts of the authorities to know His mercy and compassion. NIGERIA (CharismaNOW) Andrew Akume, a Christian lecturer and dean of the faculty of law at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Kaduna State, has disappeared after receiving a death sentence from a militant Muslim group. Shortly before his disappearance, Akume submitted a petition to ABU denying accusations that he had blasphemed Mohammed. The Christian Association of Nigeria has submitted a memorandum to the nation's National Political Reform Conference, cataloging cases of persecution and discrimination against Christians. It states that while the Nigerian constitution professes a secular status for the nation, the 12 states in Northern Nigeria that have implemented Islamic law promote and propagate Islam using public funds. Pray God will comfort Akume's family and friends, working a miracle of His grace, to return him quickly.Pray Christians around the world will pray for their brothers and sisters in Northern Nigeria. Pray Nigerian Christians will be wise yet innocent as they deal with their Muslim neighbors. PAKISTAN (VOM sources) Sources have told The Voice of the Martyrs that at 10:00 p.m., on Tuesday, June 28th, the homes of Christians in three areas near Peshawar, Pakistan were attacked by a radical Muslim mob. The attacks came after a Christian man was accused earlier that day of burning pages that contained Koranic verses. The man, Yousaf Masih (about 60 years old), has worked as a sweeper for almost two decades for the Pakistani military. While cleaning the home of a military officer, he came across a bag of "rough papers," and the major told Yousaf to burn them. Yousaf is illiterate and had no way of knowing what was written on the papers he was told to burn. Other workers saw the papers and said Yousaf was burning pages from the Koran. The next day police arrested Yousaf. (Insulting Islam, the Prophet Mohammed or the Koran can be punishable by death under Pakistan's harsh anti-blasphemy laws.) Radical Muslims returned to the area that night and burned an estimated 200 houses. Many were looted by members of the mob, who stole televisions, refrigerators and other items. The mob beat Yousaf's three sons and his brother, Yaqoob. Police have reportedly arrested 16 people involved in the attacks. A Hindu temple was also attacked, as apparently the mob at first believed Yousaf was a Hindu. Click Here Pray the God who calmed the storm will calm the hearts and minds of Hindus and Muslims in this area. Pray Yousaf will be released when the authorities realize he didn't know what was written on the pages he was told to burn. Pray Yousaf will have opportunities to share the gospel with his persecutors and accusers. SAUDI ARABIA (Compass Direct) Five East Africans arrested on April 29th, and detained for a month for leading a private Christian worship service in Riyadh have been released and allowed to return to their jobs in the Saudi Arabian capital. Three weeks after their May 30th release, the three Ethiopians and two Eritreans have been given no indication that they will lose their jobs or be subjected to deportation as a result of their detention. The men were interrogated extensively, initially while blindfolded the first seven days, but were not physically mistreated. Within the past two months, at least three groups of expatriate Christians meeting privately for worship in Riyadh have been raided and their leaders put under arrest for several days or weeks. Under the rule of strict Islamic law, Saudi Arabia prohibits the public practice of any religion other than Islam within its borders. Give thanks and praise to God for the release of the five East Africans and the hope they can retain their jobs! Pray all Christians in Saudi Arabia will boldly continue meeting together for prayer and worship. Pray international publicity regarding Saudi restrictions on Christians from other countries will cause a change in policy and more freedom for Christians. TURKEY (Compass Direct) The Orhangazi Criminal Court in northwestern Turkey has set July 8th as the date to assess new medical reports on the condition of Turkish Christian Yakup Cindilli, still recovering from severe injuries inflicted in October 2003, by ultra-nationalists accusing him of "missionary propaganda." The trial against his attackers was postponed for 15 months so the court could determine the extent of Cindilli's injuries. "After more than 40 days in a coma," the pastor of the Bursa Protestant Church commented, "it's a miracle that Yakup is alive today." Cindilli's family reportedly wants his court case to conclude at the July 8th hearing, without trying to obtain compensation from his attackers for his long-term disabilities. But that decision now remains with Cindilli, who has recovered sufficiently to speak for himself. Despite pressures from his religiously conservative Muslim family to renounce his faith, "Yakup is very committed to stay faithful to Jesus, in spite of what happened," a member of the Bursa church noted. Give thanks to God for Cindilli's determined witness to his faith in his Savior! Pray his case will be closed. Pray Cindilli's family will recognize the love and mercy of Jesus Christ. UZBEKISTAN (ASSIST News Services) A member of a Pentecostal church in Tashkent has been tortured while in police custody following his June 14th arrest. According to Forum 18 News Service, other church members have been "summoned and threatened." Kural Bekjanov, 19, has been tortured both by police officers and cell mates in an attempt to pressure him to abandon his Christian faith. When his mother Gulya was finally allowed to see him at Tashkent city police station on June 26th, he had lost weight, had difficulty walking, and his fingers and legs were covered in blood. "Yesterday police threatened to put him on a chair wired up to the electricity-believe me, all this is happening," a church member told Forum 18. He was initially accused of being involved in the murder of a 65-year-old U.S. citizen of Korean origin, Kim Khen Pen Khin, who had worked with Pentecostal churches in Tashkent. Although the accusations against Kural were dropped two days after his arrest, church members told Forum 18 that when the police found out he was a Christian, they started to beat him. Protestants have complained of a widespread crackdown affecting churches across Uzbekistan. Pray God will answer the prayers of the faithful to release this innocent man. Pray Kural's body will heal quickly as he rejoices in the Savior who has sustained him. Pray the Holy Spirit will use the example of Kural's steadfast faith to bring many into His Kingdom.  1ERITREA     http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s05060126.htm  2PAKISTAN     http://www.persecution.com/news/index.cfm?action=fullstory&newsID=328 www.persecution.com
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