Sudan--Muslims Destroy Evangelical Church
Sources: VOM Contacts, Reuters

1 Peter 3:14

Muslims ransacked a church in Khartoum on Saturday, April 21, in another signal that the northern government intends to eliminate both Christians and ethnic Africans from the country. About 500 Muslims from a nearby mosque attacked and destroyed the Presbyterian Evangelical Church after a Muslim cleric preached an inflammatory sermon calling for jihad against Christians. The attackers ransacked buildings, knocked down walls and burned Bibles while security police looked on. Christians from Ethiopia, Eritrea, India, South Sudan and Sudan worshiped at the church, which has filed suit against the attackers. The church compound also included a Bible school and student housing. “It seems no one cares about us here in Sudan after the independence of South Sudan,” a VOM contact wrote. “What I know is that the church will remain and continue to operate, though there will continue to be challenges.”

Algeria--Kabyle Bible Reaches New Readers
Sources: VOM Contacts

Psalm 119:169

A new Bible translation in the Kabyle language is enabling many more people to read God’s Word in Algeria, according to a VOM contact there. Our Algerian contact had been using French translations for a Bible study he led, but many of the older believers didn’t speak French. Since Kabyle is the area’s native language, the VOM contact began using the new Kabyle translation when it was published last year with VOM support. “We prayed for a long time that one day God would provide the Bible in Kabyle,” he said. More people are now attending the Bible study, and more understand God’s message of hope. Algerians who read Kabyle can now read the Bible for themselves and share its content with others. “We want to thank you, because God heard our prayers,” the VOM contact said. Thank God that his Word is now accessible to more people in Algeria.

Azerbaijan--Update: Judge Rules to Liquidate Protestant Church
Sources: VOM Contacts, Forum 18 News

1 Corinthians 15:23–24

In the first known case of a church closure under Azerbaijan’s new religion law, a judge in Baku ruled on Wednesday, April 25, to liquidate Greater Grace Protestant church. Under terms of the ruling, religious activity by the church or its members is illegal and is subject to punishment. The church intends to appeal the ruling. Although Greater Grace registered with the state in 1993, it did not re-register in 2009 when the new religion law passed because leaders believed the church was already registered. Hundreds of churches that re-registered in 2009 are still waiting for the State Committee to respond to their applications. In some cases, churches were denied registration because of unspecified errors in their applications. Christians fear that the ruling against Greater Grace sets a dangerous precedent for other churches in the country.

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