(Voice of the Persecuted) You are invited to join us on Thursday, May 11, 2023, in a prayer conference call for the persecuted church hosted by Persecution Watch.
Mozambique: Population 32.3 million, Christians: 17.4 (54%)
Attacks from Islamic extremists and the presence of drug cartels in some areas have all contributed to increasing persecution in Mozambique. Christians face extreme violence in the northern part of the country. Christians have been forced to flee their homes. Islamic extremists have looted and destroyed many Christian places of worship, Christian schools and businesses owned by Christians. Christian aid workers were also targeted. Because of this, it is difficult for Christians to gather—either inside or outside of churches—and it can be risky for believers to speak against persecution.
In the northern part of the country where Muslims are the majority, converts face extreme pressure to renounce their faith. If they refuse, they will usually be shunned. In April last year, a jihadist group with possible ties to Islamic State killed 52 people, burned down churches and institutions and attacked villages.
Churches in Africa have seen members beheaded, buildings reduced to ashes, and tens of thousands displaced. This terror is due to Islamic extremists, some reports say 15 people were beheaded in a single week by militants. 52 young people were killed during this year’s Holy Week after refusing to join the Islamic group.
Prayer Points
- Pray for the Government, President Filipe Byusi to take decisive action to uproot and remove radical Muslims.
- Pray for more protection and that the current strain of Islamic extremists will be squelched before they grow and expand, potentially causing greater violence and persecution across the nation.
- Pray for Christians who lost loved ones and survived the jihadist attacks in Mozambique’s northern region. Ask God to give them comfort, peace and the power to forgive their persecutors.
- Pray for NGO’s as they work to provide more than relief aid to their traumatized community members and fellow believers with trauma counseling and pastoral training.
- Pray that the Lord will confuse and discourage Muslim kidnappers. Pray that the Lord will keep adolescent girls and boys safe from the sex trade.
- Pray for wisdom and discernment for pastors and church leaders, as they shepherd their people and train them to be prepared for any potential persecution—so they will be ready to stand strong.
- Pray that the many Christian converts from Islam are protected will grow in knowledge and faith. That they find it easy to fellowship with other believers.
- Ask God to give believers many opportunities to share the gospel. Pray for open doors and divine appointments.
- Pray that the Internet has powerful messages that resonate and convict Muslims as well as communications that guide and edify Christians.
- Pray to the Lord for the rebuilding of churches that were destroyed by Muslim extremists.
- Pray that they get to know that we are praying for them and that they will experience God’s comfort.
- Pray for the Lord to strengthen the Church in Mozambique and to give the Church unity in the face of Islamic extremist threats. Ask God to give them the courage to keep meeting and keep growing in their faith.
- Mozambique is one of the poorest nations on Earth – decades of Marxism, then civil war, long-term drought, and crippling debt. Pray that believers find ways to support themselves.
- Legal freedom of religion is new. Pray for God’s protection on liberty!
- According to Operation World, 80% of pastors/church leaders have little training, and many are functionally illiterate. Pray for more leadership training in the Body of Christ.
Praise Points:
- Mozambican Civil War (1977–1992) between Marxists and all others finally ended.
- Christian churches grew tremendously after the war. The number of believers tripled from 1985 to 2010.
Again, we want to lift-up these persecuted witnesses to the Lord:
- Leah Sharibu, a 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
- For Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani from Iran, as he and his family are adjusting from his release from prison, that they may know what God’s will is for them now. Pray for the trauma they had to endure. UPDATE: According to Article 18, once sentenced to death for his “apostasy” has been “pardoned” and released after nearly five years in Tehran’s Evin Prison, but told Nadarkhani that he still faces flogging (30 lashes) and two years’ exile 2,000km from his home. Read the report here
- UPDATE (March 17, 2023): Ryan Koher, a pilot for the U.S.-based ministry Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), and two of the ministry’s South African volunteers were released from a Mozambican prison Tuesday afternoon, the organization announced. The trio had been held at a high-security prison inside the southeastern African country for four months. Their release is a provisional one and they are required to remain in the country, while their case is still ongoing, according to MAF. Koher is said to be “doing well” following his release and has spoken multiple times with his wife, Annabel, and his two sons since his release, the ministry said. Source
The Harvest
- 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38
Join us on the prayer conference call, as we ask the Holy Spirit to lead our prayers.
Michel Laird, Persecution Watch Prayer Call Moderator
Prayer Conference Call Details
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
From any location on your phone
USA Time Zone:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: (667) 770-1476
Access Code: 281207#
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If you are experiencing any difficulties joining the call, please let us know.
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 both 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 was 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 muted. 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.
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