Muslim Rioters Attack Christians in Kano, Nigeria

Compass Direct News reports that:

Hundreds of Muslims took to the streets of this northern Nigerian city on Sunday (April 20), attacking Christians and their shops and setting vehicles on fire on claims that a Christian had blasphemed Muhammad, the prophet of Islam.

Thousands of Christians were trapped in churches until police dispersed rioters. Fearing that Muslims may attack again, many Christians have relocated to army and police barracks in the city.

Read more at Compass Direct News.

Locked in a Room for Four Hours

On April 14, for nearly four hours, seven women from a Gospel for Asia Bible college in Orissa were forcibly confined to a room.

The women had been sharing the love of Christ in a village near the Bible college. When they offered a Gospel tract to a local government official, he turned it down and started arguing with the students instead.

He then locked them in a room and brought in local journalists to take pictures of them. Finally, the official forced the Bible college students to write a letter indicating they were spreading the Christian religion in that area. In the state where missionary Graham Staines and his sons were martyred and where anti—conversion legislation is being enforced, this was no small matter. It was a situation that could have potentially led to great danger for these women.

The students were contained in the room throughout the morning and released early that same afternoon.

These women missionaries in training request prayer that God will help them stand firm in their faith and bring His name glory in these difficulties. They also ask for prayer that the government official who opposed them will experience a change of heart and choose to follow Christ.

Four Christian teachers murdered in Somalia

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

BELEDWEYNE, SOMALIA (ANS) — Four Christian teachers, two of them converts from Islam, were murdered by Islamic militants last Sunday (April 13), in Beledweyne in south-central Somalia.

According to the UK-based Barnabas Fund, Mr. Daud Assan Ali (aged 64), Ms. Rehana Ahmed (aged 32), both of Somali origin, and two Kenyans were shot and killed when militants stormed the school where the Christians were sleeping.

“Both Mr. Ali and Ms. Ahmed lived in the UK and were converts from Islam to Christianity,” said a spokesperson for Barnabas Fund. “Mr. Ali returned to his home town in 2004 to realize his life-long dream of establishing a school. The Hiran community education project Private English School was only completed one month ago. In his blog for supporters of the school, Mr. Ali expressed concern about night-time raids by militant fighters in his last posting on March 30.”

A spokesman for the Islamist group responsible for the attack on the town claimed that the killings were not premeditated, but that the four teachers had been caught in cross fire. However, several residents of Beledweyne are convinced that Mr. Ali and his colleagues were singled out because they were Christians and the Islamists feared that they were teaching their pupils about Christianity. Mr. Ali’s wife also said in an interview that her husband had been targeted because he was a convert from Islam to Christianity.

“There are a tiny number of Somali converts to Christianity living in Somalia, many of whom have been murdered in recent years by Islamic radicals, who have vowed to wipe out all Somali Christians,” said the Barnabas Fund spokesperson. “Recent fighting between Somali Islamic militias and Ethiopia has heightened anti-Christian feelings, as there is a long history of conflict between Somalis, who historically have all been Muslims, and Ethiopians, who historically have been majority Christian.”

Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Fund, said, “Somali converts from Islam to Christianity are especially at risk at this moment in time. They need our prayers urgently.”

Barnabas Fund has asked Christians around the world to join with them in prayer for the following points:

1. Please pray for the families and loved ones of those killed. Pray that the Lord will comfort them and keep them strong.

2. Pray for the small number of Somali Christians, all converts from Islam, both in Somalia and in other countries, that God will protect them from violence and further attacks.

For more information on the work of Barnabas Fund go to www.barnabasfund.org

Christian Bookstore Owner Arrested For Second Time

Compass Direct Newsreports that:

A bookstore owner in Beijing has been re-arrested for publishing Bibles and Christian literature after he had been released in January due to “insufficient evidence.”

Shi Weihan, a 37-year-old father of two, was re-arrested on March 19 and has been held without any family visits allowed, according to his wife Zhang Jing. Shi was first arrested on November 28, 2007, and held until January 4.

His wife said she had received no word on her husband’s condition, and she has been prohibited from bringing him any food or change of clothing since his re-arrest. Zhang said she is “very concerned” about her husband’s health, as he has diabetes.

Operating a bookstore located near the Olympic Village, Shi had never had any problems with authorities before his arrest last November, according to a long-time friend. His bookstore operated legally, and it sold only books for which he had obtained government permission.

Under his Holy Spirit Trading Co., Shi printed Bibles and Christian literature without authorization for distribution to local homes churches, according to Asia Times Online. Last January, Zhang told the news service that Shi was concerned about publishing the unauthorized books, but that because the churches needed them he felt the risk was worth taking.

The full story is at Compass Direct News.

46 Christians Arrested in Kashi, Xinjiang, China

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

XINGIANG PROVINCE, CHINA – Chinese Government officials have launched a strategic campaign against House Church Members in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, entitled “Anti-illegal Christian Activities Campaign.”

China Aid Association says that in a specific incident, on Sunday April 13, 2008, 46 Christians were arrested in Shache County, Kashi City, Xinjiang.

46 House Church Christians were holding Bible class and worship in the home of Mr. Ding Zhichun, when Public Security Officials intruded into Ding’s home and arrested all of them. 44 Christians were released after the trial day, following a 50 Yuan deposit to the PSB by family members.

The Christians were mandated to confess their illegal Sunday worship activities and study the Government’s handbook on Religious Policy. They were also required to return and recite the policy to officials within one week. The other two were sentenced to detention. The two Christians sentenced to 15 days of administrative detention are: Mr. Ding Zhichun (40 years old) and Ms. Ma Wenxiu (42 years old). Both are being held in Shache County detention center, Kashi City.

CAA says the recent campaign in Xianjiang is similar to the ongoing campaign the Government has established in Tibet, where Buddhist Monks are being forced to swear their allegiance to the Government’s established Religious Policy and denounce the Dalai Lama.