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Colombia

• Pastor murdered by gunmen Rafael Velasquez (41), the pastor of the Foursquare Gospel Church in the town of Maranonal, Colombia was shot dead by three masked gunmen in his home on the evening of September 6, according to a September 14 report from Christian Solidarity Worldwide. The assailants broke into the pastor's home and murdered him in front of his wife and six young members of his church. Sources believe that paramilitary groups struggling for power are responsible for the attack. At least a dozen other pastors in the region have reportedly faced threats in recent months. In the past three years, more than 35 pastors in Colombia have been murdered and over 200 churches forcibly closed.

  Pray for Pastor Velasquez's family at this difficult time. Pray that the passion of God's people in Colombia will be a light that draws others to Christ.

  Find out more about the persecution facing believers in Colombia at theColombia Country Report.

• Priests Receive Death Threats

  Parish priests in the province of Bolivar, Colombia have received death threats in recent weeks, according to an April 17 report from Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Priests in the communities of Tiquisio and Regidor, along with a number of local human rights groups, reportedly received e-mail messages declaring them "military objectives" to be eliminated. The messages were signed by an emerging paramilitary group made up of former members of the now demobilized United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia. Local people believe that the diocese was targeted in connection with its well-known documentation and denunciation of human rights abuses.

  Pray for safety and wisdom for these priests as they carry out their work. Pray that Christians in Colombia will not be overcome by fear but remain triumphant in faithfulness
  (Rev. 2:10).

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Colombia, go to theColombia Country Report.

• Correction to Report on Martyred Colombian Pastors

  Shortly after last week's Persecution & Prayer Alert went to press, Christian Solidarity Worldwide issued a correction to their July 11 release. New reports indicated that Pastor Humberto Mendez and Pastor Joel Cruz Garcia were not abducted during an open-air service but rather taken from their homes and killed.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Colombia, go to the Colombia Country Report.

• Two Pastors Martyred

  Two Pentecostal pastors were shot and killed by assailants suspected to be members of the leftist guerrilla group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in the village of El Dorado on July 5. According to reports from Christian Solidarity Worldwide, at approximately 8:00 p.m., a group of armed men wearing camouflage clothing took Pastor Humberto Mendez (63) and Pastor Joel Cruz Garcia (27) from their homes. The next day, both of their bodies were found with gunshot wounds to the head.

  Both Humberto and Joel are survived by a wife and children. Pray that the Holy Spirit will fill their family members' hearts with the comfort that comes from knowing that those who die in Christ will be raised with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). Ask God to bring about true justice in these murders.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Colombia, go to theColombia Country Report.

• Catholic Priest Murdered by Marxist Rebels

  FARC Rebels

  On December 8, Father Javier Francisco Montoya was traveling to a religious celebration in a jungle area in northwest Colombia when he disappeared. A humanitarian commission sent by church authorities managed to meet with leaders of the Marxist rebel group FARC and reported on December 24 that Father Montoya was shot by the rebels and his body was buried. No reason for the murder has been given. "This murder is yet another sad and senseless incident in the unfolding tragedy of modern day Colombia," said VOM spokesman Glenn Penner. "I know from my visits to the country that the people of Colombia yearn for peace but rebels and paramilitaries persist in targeting community and church leaders to keep the population pliable and living in fear. We express our condolences to those who were blessed by the ministry of Father Montoya and pray that God will intervene in a mighty way in Colombia in 2005 and bring peace to this beautiful nation."

  Pray for church leaders throughout Colombia facing the constant threat of kidnapping and murder. Pray for a peaceful resolution of the violence in Colombia.

  Church leaders in particular have often been targeted by Colombian rebels. In response, The Voice of the Martyrs has, for several years, been supplying local Christians with thousands of copies of the book, "Jesus - Un Amigo para los Alzados en Armas," a Spanish translation of Richard Wurmbrand's book, "Jesus, Friend to Terrorists." As these books have been distributed in rebel-controlled areas or in prisons where they are detained, the response has been excellent with many reportedly having come to Christ. The English version of this book is available through our online catalog. Ministries like this are funded through VOM's "Equipping the Saints Fund," which you can donate to online (click here). Pray that God will continue to use this small book to bring many persecutors to faith in Christ and that His peace will reign in Colombian hearts.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Colombia,click here.

• Evangelical Church Raided During Prayer Service

  FARC rebels

  While holding a prayer service on September 4, the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church in Obrero, Puerto Asis in southern Colombia was suddenly raided by three masked men who fired into the congregation indiscriminately with automatic rifles. When the attack was over, three believers lay dead and fourteen were seriously injured. The gunmen were able to escape into the darkness. There have been no arrests. Those killed were identified as Adalberto Benavidez, Heraldo Bernal and Maria Lidia Martinez de Zambrano.

  The apparent target, a retired police officer and public official who had recently started to attend the church, was seriously wounded in the attack. It appears that the assailants were members of Colombia's main Marxist rebel group, as pamphlets containing FARC propaganda were found at the church.

  The community of Puerto Asis has rallied together with the church, condemning this attack against a place of worship, regardless of the motives.

  Pray for the families of those killed, as well as for the full recovery of the injured. Pray that the grace of God will be demonstrated throughout the community as a result of this incident and that those responsible for the attack will see the love of God and come to faith in Christ.

  For more information difficulties facing Christians in Colombia,click here.

• Kidnapped Bishop Released

  Bishop Misael Vacca

  For years, Christians in Colombia have caught in the midst of the ongoing dispute between Marxist guerillas and the government of Colombia. Christian leaders have been frequently targeted by rebels. On July 25, Roman Catholic Bishop Misael Vacca was kidnapped by guerillas from the National Liberation Army (ELN). The rebels told other priests that Vacca would be used to deliver a message and then released.

  The Vatican and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe both appealed for his safety and release. Two days later, Vacca was released unharmed near the town of Morcote where he had been taken hostage.

  According to the Colombian Bishop's Conference, fifty Catholic bishops, priests and missionaries have been killed and another 25 have been kidnapped since 1984. Dozens of Protestant pastors and missionaries have also been abducted and killed.

  Praise God for the safe release of Bishop Vacca. Pray that the violence in Colombia will cease and that Christians will not continue to be used as pawns in this ongoing battle.

  Read more about the courage and faith of Christians in Colombia in the August edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter. Click here to subscribe today. You can also view at PersecutionTV a recent video taken by a VOM team of a church that was bombed by FARC guerillas in the northeastern state of Arauca, where at least nine other churches have been closed.

  For more information on the difficulties facing Christians in Colombia,click here.

• Two Priests Killed

  Colombian FARC Guerrillas

  In less than twenty-four hours, two Roman Catholic priests were killed last week, according to Zenit reports. In both cases, authorities are looking for motives behind the killings, but the assassination of religious leaders by Marxist guerrillas is common in Colombia.

  On November 4, Father Saulo Carreño, 41, and hospital employee Maritza Linares were driving near Sarare Hospital in Saravena when two men approached on a motorcycle and began shooting. Both occupants of the car were killed.

  In a separate incident that night, Father Enrique Lopez, age 44, was bound, gagged, and stabbed to death in his home in Villavicencio. His body was found the next morning by his housekeeper. According to the bishop, there were no known threats against him.

  Pray for safety for Christian leaders serving in troubled areas of Colombia. Pray for a resolution to the long-standing conflict and pray that the rebels will stop targeting civilians and religious leaders.
  

• Grenade Attack Against Archbishop

  At 8:00 p.m. on August 22, a fragmentation grenade was thrown at the residence of Archbishop Antonio Giraldo Jaramillo of Medillin, Colombia. Thankfully, the archbishop was not in his residence when two men on a motorcycle threw the grenade, which damaged the parking area and wounded two policemen.

  According to Zenit, Jaramillo has called for reconciliation and dialogue, saying, "If someone has something against the Church, the best thing would be for us to meet and talk."

  The church, both Catholic and Protestant, has frequently been the target of drug cartels and rebels fighting the government in Colombia. Ecumenical News International reported on August 22 that at least thirty-eight Protestant leaders or members were killed in the first half of 2003.

  Pray for civil and religious peace in Colombia. Pray that the church will be able to show the peace and love of Christ, who wishes to reconcile men to God. Pray for the continued ministry of the Colombian church in the midst of violence.

• Four Christians Brutally Murdered

  As violence in Colombia continues to escalate this week, four Christians were murdered in the northern town of Tierralta on Tuesday night, May 6. According to reports received by Compass Direct, twenty-five armed men entered a rural church and murdered its 80-year-old evangelical pastor and three other believers. Among the dead is Miguel Mariano Posada, pastor of Sardis, a church in the Association of Caribbean Evangelical Churches denomination; teacher and church treasurer Ana Berenice Girardo Velásquez; 80-year-old Natividad Blandón, the wife of another pastor; and 17-year-old Julio Torres, who was visiting the church. Police reports indicate that those killed were apparently known to the attackers and they were attacked near the door of the church building in front of the rest of the church. They slit the throats of Pastor Posado and the church treasurer and shot the other two victims before fleeing into the night.

  Since neither of the country's main guerrilla organizations (FARC and ELN) are known to have a presence in the area, it is believed that paramilitaries loyal to the government are responsible. The Council of Evangelical Churches of Colombia (CEDECOL) has issued a statement calling for armed groups to respect life, expressing its concern for the recent turn of events, and reaffirming evangelicals' rejection of armed force against any human being as an expression of the search for justice and equality.

  Pray for the Sardis church in Tierralta during this time of grief. Pray that those responsible will be brought to justice. Especially pray for the families of those killed in this senseless attack.