Ten American volunteers opted to leave Belarus voluntarily on February 16 rather than be forcibly deported after they were fined and ordered to leave the country for teaching English without a license in an evangelical church in the eastern city of Mogilev. Oleg Slepchenko from the Belarusian Interior Ministry told the Associated Press that when police raided the class, Bibles were found on the tables and the group was singing religious songs. The Americans have been banned from the country for two years.
Belarus places strict controls on group training that is not specifically state-sanctioned. There are also laws against religious propagation by foreigners and severe limitations on unregistered church groups.
Pray that God will strengthen the church in Belarus in spite of the opposition they face. Pray that believers will be firm and steadfast in their faith (1 Peter 5:10).
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Belarus, go to the Belarus Country Report.
