Evening prayer raided by Eritrean authorities

Eritrea (MNN/ODM) ― Eritrean authorities arrested 30 members of the Church of the Living God gathered for evening prayer on August 24.

The Christians were located in the Kushet suburb of the capital Asmara. Their group includes 12 women.

Map of Eritrea. (Photo courtesy
of the CIA World Factbook)

Sources with Open Doors USA say the Christians are being held at Police Station 5 in Asmara and are under pressure to recant their faith.

Since the beginning of the year, the religious atmosphere in Eritrea has deteriorated with authorities arresting at least 261 Christians.

Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have reported that the government of Eritrea continues to incarcerate prisoners under inhumane conditions.

Officials continue to deny access to organizations like The Red Cross to investigate the state of prisons.

"The Church in Eritrea is deeply saddened by the continued scrutiny and distrust from the government and highly appreciates the prayers of our brothers and sisters around the globe," commented an Open Doors source who remains anonymous for security reasons.

Eritrea is ranked 10th out of 50 countries for extreme persecution of Christians on the Open Doors 2013 World Watch List. Evangelical churches in Eritrea were closed in 2002 after a government ban on religions other than Orthodox, Lutheran, Catholic and Islam.

Please pray for religious freedom in Eritrea and for the arrested Christians to be released.

Vietnamese Christian electrocuted in prison

(Photo courtesy of Aapo Haapanen/Flickr)

Vietnam (MNN/VOM) ― “Bao,” a new Christian, is being pressured by village authorities in Vietnam to recant his faith, a Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) worker reports.

After Bao and his family converted to Christianity four months ago, authorities told Bao he could not live in the village. They also barred him from purchasing products like food, clothing, or candles in the village as long as he continued in his beliefs.

They repeated their threat three times. After Bao was baptized on July 16, his brother beat him and had him arrested. Bao was jailed for two days, beaten, and shocked in his eye with electric wires.

Police fined Bao $250, which had to be paid before he could be released. His wife was unable to go and find someone to loan them the money because she is blind. Instead, Bao was released on the condition that he returns in two days with the full payment. VOM is providing Bao with money to pay the fine.

VOM exists to serve the worldwide persecuted church through spiritual and practical assistance. Their ministry is based on Hebrews 13:3 which reads, “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.”

You can also take action to show our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ that they are not forgotten. Click here to support VOM’s ministry or write a letter to a Christian prisoner.

Please pray for the provision and protection of Bao and his family. Pray that Bao’s faithfulness to Christ will cause others to ask, “Who is this God he serves?”