Persecution & Prayer Alert

The shooting took place in front of
elementary school students.

Suspected al-Shabaab militants walked into an elementary school compound in northeastern Kenya on May 31st, shooting a Christian teacher to death in front of the pupils. Elly Oloo Ojiema was shot at Fafi Primary School, about 100 kilometres from Garissa. After the shooting, the suspected members of the notorious Somali rebel group kidnapped another Christian teacher, Joseph Kamau, along with a Muslim teacher who tried to defend him.

Chinese Christian lawyer Jiang Tianyong has not been seen since he disappeared last November. Now the members of his family are told he's been charged with trying to overthrow the regime and, therefore, faces a potential life sentence. Jiang's father received an official statement from the local Public Security Bureau in southern Hunan province informing him that Jiang was charged with "subversion of state power" on May 31st.

Christina, finally reunited with her family! (Her elated mother, Ayda, is in the backseat.)
Photo: Twitter @thestevennabil

A tragic story that began three years ago now has a miraculously happy ending. You may recall hearing about Christina Abada, the three-year-old girl in Iraq who was kidnapped right out of her mother's arms by ISIS terrorists in August 2014. After three years of separation, and her family fearing the worst, Christina was reunited with her parents and siblings on June 9th. (In addition to the original report being published in a previous issue of VOM Canada's monthly publication, a subsequent prayer alert was posted as a reminder to continue praying for Christina's protection and safe return to her family.)