Pastors Threatened by Mobs

The pastor of the Prayer Tower Church in Mahawewa, Sri Lanka has been involved in building a new residence. However, rumours began spreading that he was building a Bible School, raising the opposition of local Buddhists. According to a May 18 report from the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka, a mob of around 400 people, including some from surrounding villages, surrounded his house on May 18, threatening him and destroying his water well. The pastor was warned to not report this incident to the police.

Two days earlier, the home of an Assembly of God pastor in Yakkala was invaded by around fifty people, led by a Buddhist monk. After threatening him and demanding that he stop conducting worship services, they seized Christian literature and left.

Pray for that these pastors and other Christians actively involved in ministry to Sri Lankans will find the strength of God's Spirit to continue, despite the opposition they face. Pray that the violence against Christians common in late 2003 will not resume.

The Voice of the Martyrs is actively assisting Christians in Sri Lanka, who have suffered such attacks, to rebuild their lives through our "Families of Martyrs Fund." You can join us in helping these brothers and sisters know that they have not been forgotten through our secure online donation page (click here).

For more information on Sri Lanka and the challenges facing Christians there, click here.

  • Current Ministry Projects

    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: Equipping the Saints, Legal Defence, Relief & Development, Families of Martyrs

  • Country Information

    Population
    23,326,272 (2023 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 Anura Kumara Dissanayake (Sept 2024)

    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.

Sri Lanka News

  • Acts of Vandalism Disrupt Pastors' Convention
    The inside of a church building shows crosses at the back of the stage, two flower arrangements and chairs arranged, ready for a gathering.
    A church building in Sri Lanka.
    Photo: VOMC

    Pastors from the Foursquare Church recently gathered at their denominational campground in the Puttalam District of Sri Lanka for an annual convention. At around 1 a.m. on January 25th, a group of unidentified individuals entered the camp and began vandalizing the property.