A nine-year-old Pakistani Christian girl was gang-raped and murdered on April 9, according to a May 2 report from The Christian Post. Nisha Javid was abducted while walking near her home in Essangri village, Punjab province. Her battered body was found two days later in a canal. Although the police were initially involved in the search for Javid, they have since taken little action in apprehending the perpetrators. Christians believe the attack, which occurred the day before Good Friday, was an attempt to frighten and intimidate the Christian community.
Pray for the Javid family as they grieve. Pray that, in their sufferings, they will know Christ's abounding comfort (2 Corinthians 1:5). Pray that those responsible for this attack will be brought to justice and turn to Christ in repentance.
Learn more on how Christians suffer in Pakistan.
Raheal Henen Mussa (22), an Egyptian convert to Christianity from Islam, was arrested on April 13 for violating Islamic law by marrying a non-Muslim, Sarwat George Ryia, according to an April 23 report from Compass Direct. Mussa was apprehended while on her way home from work and was detained in a station operated by the secret police until April 19, when her Muslim family came for her. Since Mussa was born into a Muslim home, she is considered a Muslim despite her conversion to Christianity three years ago. Consequently, she was unable to officially marry Ryia, a Coptic Christian. Mussa was able to escape from her family on April 21 and fled Cairo with her husband. At last report, the couple was in hiding.