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2017-01-19

• Kidnapped Mission Worker Pleas for Help

  

  Tom Uzhunnalil, a Christian missionary worker from India, was kidnapped last year during a violent attack on a Christian nursing home in Aden. On March 4th, gunmen burst into the residential facility and went from room to room, handcuffing full-time staff members and volunteers before executing 16 of them. Workers from India, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Yemen were killed.

  The facility cares for 80 poor, elderly and disabled Yemeni citizens, none of whom were physically harmed during the attack. Recently, on Christmas Day, militants released a video of Tom pleading for help and stating that he was kidnapped because he was working for "the Christian religion and the church." VOMC's previously posted report on the attack can be reviewed by going to this page.

  Pray that the Lord's presence and peace will continue to surround the abducted believer, sustaining him with a clear certainty of the Holy Spirit's presence throughout this ordeal. May Tom's dedicated life and testimony serve to reveal the power of the living God to those who are holding him captive. Thank you for joining us in praying that this mission worker's freedom will soon be granted. In addition, uphold all who are still grieving the loss of the residential workers due to the March 2016 attack. Pray that the facility will be able to continue caring for the nursing home residents -- Yemen's most vulnerable citizens -- without the threat of any further attack.

• Trauma Counselling Workers Acquitted!

  
  Some of the believers recently released.
  Photo: Christian Solidarity Worldwide

  Eight Nepali Christians were acquitted of "proselytizing" charges on December 6th, bringing a close to their ordeal. The believers had been arrested in June of 2015 as part of a crackdown on Christian activities in the fledgling democracy. The believers were reportedly mistreated in jail prior to their release on bail.

  Back on June 9th, police arrested a pastor, two school principals and five school staff members for distributing children's books about Jesus at a Christian school. The books were used as part of a counselling program for children who were traumatized due to the country's two earthquakes which had taken place on April 25th and May 12th of that same year.

  "Teach Nepal," a Kathmandu-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), organized the trauma counselling sessions. During the sessions, each of the traumatized children received a small gift pack which included the 23-page Christian children's book. Under Nepal's new constitution, evangelism is a crime.

  While evangelizing has long been illegal in Nepal, advocacy groups have recently detected increased enforcement and other anti-Christian efforts as officials seek to placate militant Hindus who are incensed that the new constitution did not re-establish a more prominent place for Hinduism.

  Yet the news of the recent acquittal has been received with much thanksgiving and praise among the Christians involved in this case, and the many intercessors who have been praying for them. "Praise the Lord!" a VOM contact gratefully expresses. "We are thankful to all who continuously prayed and helped in many different ways."