Fwd: Weekly Prayer Updates Update 07/17/2009

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: system@vomgroups.com <system@vomgroups.com>
Date: Fri, Jul 17, 2009 at 4:01 AM
Subject: Weekly Prayer Updates Update 07/17/2009
To: pauldy@tds.net

vom groups weekly prayer updates Thank you for praying for persecuted Christians around the world. Let the fires go out in the boiler room of the church and the place will still look smart and clean, but it will be cold. The Prayer Room is the boiler room for its spiritual life. - Leonard Ravenhill And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. - Ephesians 6:18 VOM-USA Prayer Update for July 17, 2009 On Tue. Jul 14 2009 at 01:43 PM Moderator wrote: SOMALIA - Sons of Christian Beheaded – Compass Direct News Islamic extremists have beheaded two boys in Somalia because their Christian father, 55 year-old Musa Mohammed Yusuf, refused to give them information about an underground church leader, according to Compass Direct News. The extremists from the group al shabaab killed 11-year-old Abdi Rahaman Musa Yusuf and 12-year-old Hussein Musa Yusuf, after abducting them in front of their mother. The terrorists are currently looking for Yusuf in Kenyan refugee camps. Yusuf was a leader of an underground church in Yonday village, 19 miles from Kismayo, Somalia. On February 20, the extremists interrogated Yusuf about his relationship with Salat Mberwa, the Christian leader who discipled him in the faith and led an underground fellowship with 66 believers. When Yusuf told them he did not have any connection to him and knew nothing about him, they left and vowed to return the next day. Yusuf fled immediately and the next day the extremists killed his sons. Yusuf's wife and 7-year-old son have joined him in the refugee camp in Kenya where Mberwa and other believers are helping them. VOM encourages you to pray for Yusuf and his family as they have lost their sons. Pray God comforts them during this difficult time, and provides the family with other believers who can encourage them with scriptures and songs. 1 Thessalonians 2:2 TANZANIA - Church buildings burned down in Zanzibar – Compass Direct News On June 28, two church buildings on the outskirts of Unguja Township on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar were burned by suspected Muslim extremists, according to Compass Direct News. A flier stating, "We don't want churches on our street. Today we are going to burn the church, and if you continue we are going to burn your house also," was left at the home of the man who donated the plot of land for The Evangelical Assemblies of God church building. The church was burned. The Pentecostal Evangelical Fellowship in Africa church building, only a few miles away, was also torched. The week before, an assistant sheikh approached the church leader and told him that the building, which was in the final stages of construction, would be destroyed unless the construction was stopped. Pray that increased persecution will result in increased boldness among believers in Zanzibar. Pray that the passion of God's people in Zanzibar will be a light that draws others to Christ. Acts 4:29-31 CHINA - Chinese couple sentenced for "engaging in illegal religious activities" – China Aid Association Officials arrested Pastor Dou Shaowen on June 14 along with other believers during a house church raid. He was given a one year-sentence of "re-education" through labor, according to China Aid Association. Pastor Dou's wife, Feng Lu, received the same sentence. While Pastor Dou is imprisoned in a labor camp, authorities have permitted Feng Lu to serve her sentence at home so she can care for their 12-year-old daughter. However, officials informed her she will be sent to the camp if she is discovered engaging in further "illegal religious activities." The believers who were given 15-day administrative sentences following the June 14 house church attack have not been released at last report. Pray for this family, especially their child. Ask God to encourage and protect them. Psalm 23 Printer-Friendly Format Add the PrisonerAlert application on Facebook Suggested Links www.Persecution.com The Voice of the Martyrs Official Homepage www.VOMBooks.com The Voice of the Martyrs Online Store Become a fan of VOM on Facebook You can become a fan of VOM on Facebook, and connect with other VOM supporters. www.PrisonerAlert.com Write to a Christian Prisoner in their own Language Follow us on Twitter Follow VOM-USA on Twitter for updates and prayer requests. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the Weekly Prayer Updates topic at www.vomgroups.com. If you have received this email in error or if you wish to unsubscribe, click here.