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After being threatened, intimidated, and forced to move six times in four years, a Sri Lankan pastor's family has endured yet another attack on their home...this time by a large mob demanding an end to church services in the village.

On March 18th, Pastor Pradeep Kumara's wife, Aruna, and their two children were trapped in their present home for three hours while a local mob reportedly ordered them to come out, and then demanded an end to the conducting of worship services in the church. Although police were called to the scene, they were unable to control the mob. According to reports, Aruna was injured as a result. When the attack occurred, Pastor Pradeep was in the capital city of Colombo for a Supreme Court hearing about a previous assault on his church.

Despite the overall decrease of traditional churches, evangelical Christianity has experienced significant growth in the past 30 years, resulting in increased opposition, especially from militant Buddhists. As Buddhism is the national religion of Sri Lanka, Christianity currently accounts for less than 10 percent of its population which presently consists of over 20 million people. (To learn more about this country, review the Sri Lanka Country Report.) Thankfully, during times of difficulty, the church has experienced further growth and spiritual fervour, enabling the Gospel to continue offering needed hope to the people of this land.

Pray for God's ongoing protection over Pastor Pradeep and his family and that, despite this present time of persecution, they will remain steadfast in their faith and unwavering in their mission to spread the Gospel. Ask the Lord to work through the law enforcement officials and local authorities in bringing about more religious liberties on behalf of church communities. In addition, pray that Sri Lanka's faithful believers will continue to place their trust in God. May their faithfulness be rewarded and serve as a catalyst of spiritual revival across the nation.

Current Ministry Projects

VOMC supports persecuted Christians who are serving as faithful witnesses for Christ among hostile environments through the provision of Biblical training, legal aid and advocacy, as well as rehabilitation and emergency assistance.

Project Funds: Relief and Development, Legal Defence

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
Ranil Wickremesinghe (July 2022)

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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Sri Lanka News

  • Church Under Investigation for Worship Services
    Monks walking along a tree covered road.
    Roughly 70 percent of Sri Lankans follow Buddhism.

    The Pentecostal Assembly congregation in Dodangoda, Sri Lanka, is made up of about seven families who regularly meet in the home of their pastor. On February 12th, while the Sunday worship service was in progress, approximately seven police officers

    ...
  • Municipal Authorities Order Demolition of Church
    Scenic view of Anuradhapura District; lake in the foreground, town in the distance
    Anuradhapura District

    The "Jesus Calls You" church in Abepradesa, Anuradhapura District, has been facing repeated harassment from local municipal council members, who claim that the church is unauthorized and therefore operating illegally. On September 23rd, the pastor received a letter ordering tha

    ...
  • Churches Facing Threats of Forcible Closure
    Interior of a small church.
    A church in Sri Lanka.
    Photo: VOM Canada

    In two separate instances, churches in Sri Lanka received demands to close on the pretence that their activities were offensive to their communities. In both cases, legal action has been threatened if they fail to comply.

  • Upheaval Causes Concerns for Churches
    Flowers surrounding a poster saying, ''Pray for Sri Lanka''
    Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Andreas Schwarzkopf (cc)

    As the nation of Sri Lanka faces its worst political and economic crisis in recent years, life for the common people has been severely impacted. Anti-government protests have led to a crackdown by authorities, introducing restrictive measures to

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