| SUMMARY: In December 2012, a group of policemen raided a gathering of Christian Believers. While hurling abuses at the Believers, the police took away songbooks and Bibles. They left after taking everyone’s fingerprints. Later, four Believers were charged. These Believers could face punishment.Late last year a group of Christian Believers on holiday gathered in a resort in Sailyk, a village in Uzbekistan. Within the relative safety and comfort of the resort compound they began singing Christian songs, reading Scripture, and sharing from the Word of God. They had not been singing for very long when a group of policemen stormed into the gathering. According to first person accounts, some of the policemen were in uniform while others were not.Yelling abuses at the Believers, they began to grab the songbooks from their hands. While thumbing through the books, one policeman asked what they were doing there but he was unwilling to listen to any of their explanations. He told them it was a crime to worship in public.
The Believers prepared for the worst. Pushing and shoving the Believers, the plain-clothes policemen began to collect their Bibles. They said that the Believers would not be getting their Bibles back. While fingerprinting them, the policemen threatened that they would all face charges.
Local Believers revealed to Forum 18, a Norwegian human rights organization, that four of the Believers were accused under of many charges and could face possible punishment. When asked why these Believers were charged, the only response from authorities was, “must do it only in registered places specifically set up for religious purposes” (Persecution.Org).
PRAY:
- Pray God will intervene mightily in the lives of these persecutors so they will come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior (The Bible, Psalm 119:126).
- Pray that the charges against the Believers would be dropped (The Bible, Psalm 119:121).
- Pray for the safety and protection of Christian Believers in Uzbekistan (The Bible, Psalm 119:124).
- Pray for courage for the Believers in Uzbekistan to share the Gospel even in hostile circumstances (The Bible, Deuteronomy 31:6).
- Pray Psalm 91 protection over them. Ask God to defend His people. Let God arise on behalf of Believers and let the enemies of the Lord be scattered (The Bible, Psalm 68:1).
- Pray that the peace of the Gold that transcends all understanding guards the hearts and minds of the persecuted Church in Uzbekistan (The Bible, Philippians 4:7).
From WIN Prayer Alert |
