(Voice of the Persecuted) You are invited to join us on Thursday, June 02, 2022 in a prayer conference call for the persecuted church hosted by Persecution Watch.
MYANMAR (Formerly Burma): Population: 55.2 million Christians 4.4 million
The Burmese military, known as the Tatmadaw under its chief Min Aung Hlaing, has closely associated itself with Buddhist nationalism to promote its legitimacy. This led to a rise in the persecution of Christian communities during 2021. They arrested religious leaders, including those from the Buddhist majority, for opposing the military junta. The Tatmadaw has been targeting Christian houses of worship since it took power from the democratically elected government in a coup staged in February of 2021.
Converts to Christianity in Myanmar find themselves persecuted by their Buddhist, Muslim or tribal families and communities because they have left their former faith and have thereby removed themselves from community life. Communities who aim to stay “Buddhist only” make life for Christian families impossible by not allowing them to use neighborhood water resources. Non-traditional church groups experience opposition, especially when they are located in the country’s rural areas and/or are known for proselytizing. While Buddhist monks are somewhat divided concerning the 2021 military coup, many of the more radical monks support it. Christians worry that the coup will return the country to a military rule that was brutal for many believers.
2021 was a momentous year for Myanmar and for the Christian community in the country. After the military coup in February 2021, fighting has continued in predominantly Christian states like Kachin State, Karen State or in northern Chin State. Churches have been destroyed and Christians killed in Chin State (another majority-Christian region) and churches and pastors have been targeted. More Christians than ever have been driven out to live in camps for displaced people, where they are often deprived of access to food and healthcare because of their faith. In the quickly evolving Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), Christians are involved as well. Parallel to this widely peaceful resistance, fighting has increased across the country and although not all ethnic minority armed groups are involved, some Christian ones are.
- Pray to the Lord that He will turn the hearts and minds of the Generals to embrace the Christina faith.
- Pray that the Lord will intervene and bring a peaceful resolution to the ongoing civil war.
- Pray the Lord that the military will turn power back to the democratic elected leaders.
- Pray to the Lord to prevent further ethnic cleansing and genocide among the Karen and Rohingya.
- Pray to blind, confuse, distract and frustrate the military in persecuting minorities.
- Pray for those who have left Buddhism to follow Jesus—that God will strengthen, encourage, and protect them.
- Pray that all believers in Myanmar will receive and enjoy fruitful fellowship with other Christians.
- Pray for special protection of churches and Christina hospitals and orphanages.
- Pray for protection of pastors and elders as they minister to believers under difficult and dangerous conditions.
- Pray for the Christians and other displaced people that they find safety and provisions in the refugee camps.
- Pray to the Lord to have His hand of protection on believers, who in this hostile environment who bring the Gospel to Buddhists.
- Pray to the Lord that they will have unrestricted access to the internet. That the internet will have messages to encourage the saints and touch Buddhists.
- Pray that the Lord will give His believers the ability to love their enemies and to forgive them.
- Pray to the Lord Jesus Christ will protect and increase the number of believers and that His church prevails. That the powers of darkness will not prevail.
- Pray to the Lord Jesus Christ will protect and increase the number of believers and that His church prevails. That the powers of darkness will not prevail.
Again, we want to lift up these persecuted witnesses to the Lord:
- Leah Sharibu, prisoner of Boko Haram since 2018. Pray for her release.
- Alice Loksha Ngaddah, kidnapped February 2019. She is a mother of two, working as a nurse for UNICEF. Pray for her release.
- Pray for Pastor Wang Yi to be released from prison.
- Pray for Anita, a Christian convert facing a long prison term who escaped from Iran and praying to go to a country where she can express her faith openly.
- For the release of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani from Iran, and his family as their Persecution continues. Pastor Nadarkhani is serving the second year of his six-year sentence.
Andy, Persecution Watch Prayer Call Moderator
Prayer Conference Call Details
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
From any location on your phone
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7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
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What is Persecution Watch?
Persecution Watch is a U.S. national prayer conference call ministry that prays specifically for the global Persecuted Church. For over a decade, Blaine Scogin led this national network of believers who faithfully pray for the persecuted and the global harvest for the Kingdom of God. The group meets via a free call-in service every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday night at 9pm Eastern time in the United States (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted, and the missions became one. Brother Blaine passed into glory on December 26, 2019. It was truly a blessing for all of us to serve alongside this dear man of God and he will be greatly missed. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch remains an important part of our mission. Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with the dedicated Persecution Watch prayer warrior team.
Prior to the passing of Brother Blaine, he confirmed the passing of the torch as prayer conference call leader to Nadia Dybvik. Nadia has a burdened heart for the persecuted and is a prayer warrior standing in the gap for them. She joined the Persecution Watch prayer team in 2013 and has been part of the core ever since. Before becoming the prayer call leader, she served in the role of prayer moderator since 2015. Blaine chose Nadia for her faithfulness to pray for the persecuted and her strong commitment to the Persecution Watch mission. We are blessed not only with her gift of prayer, but her genuine love for every brother and sister in Christ that comes on the call to pray. May the Lord continue to bless Nadia and the prayer team in the mission and their personal lives.
“Pray for us” is the number one request that we hear from the persecuted. As the members of the first century Church were moved by the Holy Spirit to pray, we too must continue to serve those suffering persecution by lifting them up to the Lord through prayer.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the conference call to share the trials they are facing. The team serves to encourage them by washing their feet in Spirit led prayer. Time is often reserved for those on the call to ask questions. We believe this helps to gain a better understanding of the situation that persecuted Christians endure in their specific nations. Q&A also helps us to focus our prayers based on their current needs.
Persecution Watch also hosts callers who want to pray united from other nations. If your heart is perplexed by the sufferings of our persecuted brothers and sisters, you no longer need to pray alone.
We welcome all who desire to pray for the persecuted church and consider it a joy to pray together with you. If you are new to the call and cannot find your voice, listen in and pray silently or on mute. We are grateful and thank the Lord for bringing us all together to pray in agreement for our persecuted family in Christ. We can all be prayer warriors on this call!
God bless and protect you in your faithfulness to serve.
Lois Kanalos, Founder, Voice of the Persecuted, Nadia Dybvik, Persecution Watch Prayer Call Leader and the Persecution Watch Prayer Team
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Note to Voice of the Persecuted (VOP) readers: The Persecution Watch prayer team is also the prayer team of Voice of the Persecuted. SIGN UP today.
Myanmar (Burma) Photo by David Mark
VOICE OF THE PERSECUTED 