Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Persecution in Paradise

The rise of Buddhist nationalism is making life extremely difficult for evangelical Christians living in the rural areas of this beautiful island nation. About 70 percent of the Sri Lankan population is Buddhist, compared to the approximately 8 percent representing Christians of all denominations.

As VOM Canada's Greg Musselman reports, the followers of Christ actively evangelizing are the ones facing the most opposition. This 22-minute video, reveals why these Christians are being persecuted, while featuring their amazing stories of faith in the midst of opposition.

August 01, 2014
Length: 22:46
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada

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VOMC supports persecuted Christians in Sri Lanka as they witness for Christ in hostile environments through Biblical training, legal aid, and advocacy, as well as rehabilitation and emergency assistance.

Project Funds: Relief and Development, Legal Defense

Country Information

Population
23,044,123 (July 2021 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Sinhalese (74.9), Sri Lankan Tamil (11.2), Sri Lankan Moors (9.2), Indian Tamil (4.2), other (0.5)

Religion (%)
Buddhism (70.2), Hinduism (12.6), Islam (9.7), Roman Catholic (6.1), Evangelical Christianity (2.0)

Leader
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa (2019)

Government type
Presidential republic

Legal system
Mixed legal system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, and Jaffna Tamil customary law

Source: CIA World Factbook

Pray for Sri Lanka

Let's unite our hearts in prayer for those in Sri Lanka who are being persecuted for their faith, thanking God for what He is accomplishing despite the opposition. Ask that His people will be encouraged, strengthened and equipped by the promises of the Bible – the Sword of the Spirit – knowing that He is watching over His Word to perform it (Ephesians 6:17; Jeremiah 1:12). May they not only overcome the strategies of the enemy, but also serve as effective witnesses to those in need of eternal salvation and deliverance from spiritual captivity.

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