On July 4, a source for The Voice of the Martyrs in Ethiopia returned from a trip to the town of Alaba, located 325 km southeast of the capital of Addis Ababa. During his visit to this predominantly Muslim area, he had the opportunity to meet with various Christians who are in hiding or are in prison for their testimony of Jesus Christ.
Two months ago, five church leaders were imprisoned by local authorities for allegedly speaking against Islam, the Koran and the religious leader of Alaba. A convert to Christianity, Mohamed, has also been in prison for a year without any formal charges, falsely accused of theft. Another man named Ajee Sheka Osman is presently in hiding. He is being chased by his sons, who have been promised money and a trip to Mecca by Muslim leaders if they kill their father. Church leaders are helping hide Osman to protect his life.
Muslim leaders in Alaba are working to eradicate Christianity in the community, which they apparently consider to be a holy place. Christian youths are regularly harangued, as Muslim scholars engage them in conversations, deliberately intended to confuse and turn them from their faith.
Pray for Christians in Alaba, as they share the message of Jesus Christ. Pray that leaders will be able to effectively teach the truth about Christianity to youths who are becoming increasingly confused in the face of pressure. Pray for the Mohamed, Osman and others in prison or in hiding because of their faith. Pray also for their families.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Ethiopia, click here. The Voice of the Martyrs has been working in Ethiopia since 1999. To view an eight-minute video of how the mission's work started in this east African country, go to the video section of VOM new multimedia website, PersecutionTV.
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