It is with a heavy heart that we bring news from one of our key coworkers in India of the murder of Bashir Ahmed Tantray, a 50-year-old engineer who worked in Srinagar, the capital of the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. On November 21 Tantray traveled approximately 40 km to visit his ailing father, and while he was waiting at a bus stop on a busy road, two unidentified men rode up on a motorcycle and started asking questions about the timing of buses. All of a sudden one of the men pulled a pistol from his jacket and fired three rounds at Tantray. Shot at point-blank range, the Christian died as the murderers fled. Tantray received Christ in 1995, after being one of the first Kashmiri Muslims to attend a "seekers seminar" in which the truths of the Gospel were presented to those in attendance. Tantray was so convinced of the revelation of God in Jesus Christ that he immediately gave his heart to the Lord and has been an active witness for since. His good character and consistent witness made him one of the most prominent Christians in the troubled Kashmir valley. Although the murderers have not been apprehended, nobody in the area doubts that Tantray was killed because of his strong identity with Jesus Christ. Even the national daily newspaper The Hindustan Times reported that Tantray was "a great evangelist, working for the spread of Christianity across the valley.... He had reportedly influenced a large section of his village population with his new faith."

Bashir Ahmed Tantray is now safe in the arms of Jesus Christ, and has received a martyr's crown. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and two sons. Please pray for them, and also for Kashmir, where more than 3 million Muslims continue to live without a Gospel witness. Pray those responsible for the killing will themselves repent and find faith in Jesus Christ. Please continue to pray for those workers in Kashmir who are supported through our Asian Worker's fund.

---

Thanks to the generosity of Christians all around the world, Asia Harvest has been able to successfully print and deliver over 900,000 Chinese Bibles to house church Christians since 2001. The need for more remains great, especially in rural areas where revival has broken out and many people become followers of Christ at the same time. We are frequently sent requests asking for more. Recently, for example, the following requests have come in: "We have planted 20 churches in the Shanghai area, but the police came and took all our Bibles. We urgently need 5,200 Bibles" ...and...  "We held revival meetings in Gansu Province, and each believer shared the Gospel with ten people. Now we need 2,400 Bibles."

We have also received many letters from believers inside China who have received Bibles this year. The following was one that touched us the most: "I am an old sister in the countryside, very weak and unable to work. I can only look after my own house, and my survival is dependent upon my children. I received Jesus Christ over five years ago, and have been asking the Lord for my own Bible so that I could read it every day. I have heard from my pastor that if God's children want to learn more about God, they must have their own personal Bible. I was too poor to buy a Bible, since I have no income at all, so I began to save two eggs each week and prayed that when I had enough eggs I could sell them to the market and make enough money to buy one. One day we heard our pastor announce, "If there is anyone among us who doesn't have a Bible, please come and receive one now, because someone who loves you in the Lord has donated these Bibles to us."  When I heard these words I was so excited that I burst into tears and I believed that our Lord had listened to my prayer. On that day, many of us received Bibles. Everyone knelt down on the floor and gave thanks to the Lord. After I went home, I took out all the eggs I had saved and sold them; then I brought the money to the church as an offering and told our pastor to use the money to buy Bibles for others in need. I prayed that every Christian would have a Bible to read, and then I began to read my own. Now I have read my whole Bible through once. In my heart I have always remembered the brothers and sisters who donated the Bibles to us. I will always remember them in prayer; may God bless them and their churches."

If you would like to help give Bibles to the believers in China, click here, or alternatively, please write to the Asia Harvest address nearest you.
 

Recently you might have received our October newsletter, which announces our plans to re-launch an important and strategic project to help tribal Christians throughout the nations of Southeast Asia. For the last several years we have focused our efforts on printing Bibles inside China for the house church Christians. We are thankful to God for the tremendous response, and the total number of Bibles printed and delivered is now approaching 900,000. There are great needs for Bibles in other parts of Asia. The Communist nations of Laos and Vietnam contain more than 250 different tribes, dozens of which had full Bibles or New Testaments translated into their languages prior to the arrival of Communism in 1975. Since then, these believers have been deprived of Scriptures in their languages because their governments oppose the spread of Christianity and Bible printing is illegal. A slightly different situation exists in the country of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), which is ruled by a brutal military dictatorship. There the need for the Word of God in a variety of languages also remains critical. In some cases, missionaries labored for years translating the Word of God for a tribe, only to have their work cut short by the change of government.

Through coworkers in Southeast Asia, we are now re-launching this important and needy project, which we have called the Southeast Asia Bible Fund. Our aim is to print the Scriptures in a number of different languages as the need arises. In the past, Asia Harvest has been involved with printing and delivering 31,550 Bibles or New Testaments into 21 different Southeast Asian languages: namely Burmese, Lao, Hmong Daw, Bana, Khun, Mnong, Vietnamese, Khmu, Raglai, Co, Akha, Chinese, Koho, Wa, Tai Dam, Bru, and Sgaw Karen. The average cost is $2.70 per Bible. We plan to provide information about the various people groups and languages that will be assisted through the project in our future newsletters. This will enable you to join in prayer for the successful implementation of each of them. We already have urgent requests to print Bibles in half-a-dozen different languages. Please pray for the Southeast Asia Bible Fund, and for the many people groups who are perishing without God’s Word. If you would like to help print Bibles in Southeast Asia, click here, or alternatively, please write to the Asia Harvest address nearest you.

 

---

The following recent testimony comes from a Western evangelical Christian who has spent many years living and working in the Middle East:
"While visiting Jerusalem, I attended a small church on a Sunday morning. After the service I chatted with the pastor, who mentioned that I should talk to a new Israeli believer and get the story of how he had come to know Jesus Christ. I went over and introduced myself to this man, and he began by telling me a remarkable story....

This man was a shop owner. He was working one day when a Chinese Christian entered the shop and told the Israeli that he had a message from God for him. The two had never met each other before. The Chinese Christian then proceeded to tell the Israeli man, by word of knowledge, several things in his life that he was struggling with, things even his own wife didn't know. The shop owner was shocked and a little afraid. He realized there was no other way the Chinese visitor could have known these facts unless God had revealed them to him. The Chinese believer also told him that he had a disease, and that God wanted to heal it.  Even as the Chinese man spoke, this Israeli felt the healing power of God flow through him. Before leaving, the Chinese visitor told the shop owner to go to the small church and ask the pastor to explain the salvation and healing that Jesus Christ brings. In utter astonishment, the Israeli man did just that, and the pastor led him to Christ. When I heard this incredible story, I realized that if 100,000 Chinese missionaries able to hear the Lord like this were released in the Middle East, the impact would be beyond what we could imagine."   Source: Back to Jerusalem.

 

---

In the wake of the apparent nuclear weapon test in North Korea's Hamgyong Province four days ago, it is a good time to focus on this hermit nation of 25 million people, and ask for your fervent prayers on behalf of the secret believers there. North Korea has experienced more than half a century of bizarre, demonically-inspired rule, which has plunged the nation into economic and social disaster and isolated them from the rest of the world. A powerful cult based around worship and adoration of Kim-Il-sung, who died in 1994, has transferred to his son, Kim-Jong-Il. Sadly, it has been reported that the Kim-Il-sung's mother was a Christian, and taught the Bible to her son when he was a young boy. The 'Great Leader" traveled to the Soviet Union and became passionate for the ideals of Marxism. He returned to North Korea and started the Korean War in 1950.

Many believers around the world are not aware that North Korea up to that time was a strong place of Christian revival. The capital city, Pyongyang, was even known as the "Jerusalem of the East." There were hundreds of churches, but these were brutally suppressed by the Communists. Tens of thousands of Christians were slaughtered by the mad leader, and hundreds of thousands more fled south into what is now South Korea. North Korea has been labeled the world's worst persecutor of Christians by Open Doors in their annual World Watch list. There are an estimated 300,000 people suffering in North Korean prison camps. The most recent edition of Operation World says, "over 100,000 Christians are interned in labor camps." Large numbers of North Koreans have attempted to flee across the river into northeast China in the past decade. Many have succeeded in the risky venture, only for the Chinese authorities to round them up and send them back to North Korea, where they are executed.

Although the condition of North Korea seems depressing, there is a sign of hope. God is in charge of the nations of the world, and He loves the North Korean people. A certain number of Chinese missionaries have been praying for and focusing on ministry opportunities into North Korea in recent years as part of the Back to Jerusalem vision. Although we obviously can't give any details of their work, we do ask for you to pray that the Lord might greatly help them to bring His Life to this place of Death. In addition, thousands of South Korean Christians have a great burden for their compatriots in the north. Many have been in training to take the Gospel into North Korea as soon as the country opens up. They understand the risks, but are willing to die if necessary for the Name of Jesus to be rightly honored and lifted up in this needy nation.

Nuclear weapons in the hands of Kim-Jong-Il is not something the world can tolerate. The gracious and all-knowing Heavenly Father, will also not tolerate the suffering of His people forever. At this time, events in the material and spiritual realms seem to be coming to a head for North Korea. Realizing that our fight is not against flesh and blood, please pray for North Korea....

Pray that multitudes of North Korea would soon find life and freedom in Jesus Christ.
Ask God to move mightily to bring genuine and sustained revival to North Korea.
Pray all structures in North Korea that keep people from hearing and understanding the Gospel would collapse.
Fervently pray for those Christians from China and elsewhere who are risking their lives to reach out to North Korea.
Cry out to the Lord to protect and sustain the thousands of believers suffering terrible in prison throughout the country.    

Source: Back to Jerusalem

 

---

The 15-year old son and 14-year old daughter of an underground missionary couple in northern Pakistan were brutally murdered and their dead bodies were burnt by the terrorists a northern districts of Pakistan in September. The boy, Shalom, and his sister, Sharon, were high school students. Police and military forces are supportive to the militants, who also demolished a church and set some houses on fire. Shalom and Sharon were kidnapped along with their missionary parents and two other younger sisters 10 days before the murder. The militants ordered them to convert to Islam and join them in working against Christians. When they refused, the militants first killed Shalom. Then they raped the girl and cut one of her breasts. She bled to death. The murderers left the dead bodies in a ditch, poured petrol over them, and set them alight. The police issued a false statement saying that it was an accident and the petrol tank of the motorcycle opened while they were fallen into the ditch and a spark caused Shalom and Sharon to catch on fire and burn to death. Believers in this area are greatly distressed and fearful. The militants have forbidden them to pray or not even to speak a single word about Christ or Christianity. Source: At Anycost Jesus Mission.

Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Pakistan who are undergoing such severe persecution. Pray the militants and those who oppose and kill God's people would repent and serve the Living God, like the Apostle Paul did.

UPDATE: 29 October - The parents of the two children have also been found murdered. The bodies of Jan and Dr. Pauline Mehabooba were found floating in the Neelum River. The believers did not retrieve the bodies because it was feared the militants were using the corpses as bait to attack any Christians that came to recover them.

---

For about ten years Asia Harvest has supported the work of the Gospel in Kashmir, a predominantly-Muslim state in northern India, bordering both China (Tibet) and Pakistan. Encouraging progress has been made, and an increasing number of Muslims have heard about Jesus Christ and given their lives to him, especially in the last several years. It is also now a year since a terrible earthquake which struck Kashmir on October 8, 2005. Due to the generosity and prayers of many Christians around the world, we have been able to help thousands of people with basic necessities and rebuilding. The work continues today. Many Muslims and Hindus have heard and seen the truth of the Gospel because of this help. (Click here for information on how to support the work in Kashmir).

Kashmir is a place with much strife and violence. This has spilled over to persecution against the Christians in the last several weeks. On September 1, a court in Kashmir granted bail to two Christian pastors and five Bible students who had been falsely arrested on charges of "concealing their identity" and conducting "forced conversions." They were ordered to appear in court at a later date. Two days later - on Sunday September 3 - a group of about 40 militant Hindus known as Bajrang Dal launched an attack on a church in Kashmir where about 20 Christians, including the seven believers facing the false charges. The 40 extremists stormed the worship service at 11am, dragging out Pastor PR Anthony, slapping and beating him. The mob then started to beat worshippers and shoved women into an adjacent prayer hall. On Monday September 11, Muslim militants attacked the Good Shepherd Mission School at Pulwama, in Kashmir. They destroyed the wall around the school as well as the building and equipment. They shouted slogans denouncing Christians and pelted the school building, before dispersing.

Our coworkers in Kashmir have written the following: "Warm greetings in His name. The month of September has been full of turmoil for our work in Kashmir and in North India. As the work was progressing smoothly there was a huge uproar about the comments of Pope Benedict this directly affected our work and we all had to be on the defensive mode. Please pray that the peace of God may prevail in our country."

Please pray that the Gospel will continue to go forth in great power among all people in the troubled Kashmir region of India. Pray that the Name of Jesus Christ would be honored and lifted up above all others, and He alone would receive the praise and glory due to His majestic Name.

---

For years Asia Harvest has supported dozens of faith-filled evangelists from Nagaland, northeast India, through our Asian worker's fund. One of the neighboring states of Nagaland is Mizoram, which itself experienced a great revival in the 1970s. Now, reports out of Mizoram tell of a new challenge for the church there. Satan-worshipping groups in Mizoram are waging an anti-Christian campaign by burning Bibles, vandalizing churches and defiling cemeteries. One such group entered a church after midnight on July 24 and burned Bibles, urinated on the pulpit and tore up pictures of Jesus. “It appears they sacrificed an animal on the pulpit and splattered its blood on the altar and chair of the worship leader,” said the Rev. B. Sangthanga, the head pastor of the church in the Kolasib district of the northeastern Indian state. “Last year, some young men of our village confessed to worshipping Satan. Our investigation has found that the same group is behind this attack on the church.” Mr. Sangthanga said the acts of vandalism “carry signatures of the Mizo Satan followers. ... Now their attack on our church proves that the number of Satanists is growing across the state with village youths joining them.” The villagers did not report the attack to the police, choosing instead to pray for “God’s intervention to help the misguided youths return to the right path.” But other recent incidents have led to the arrests of young Satan worshippers on charges of vandalism at religious places.Most were briefly detained and released with a scolding. The youths—most in their late teens or early 20s—tend to be high-school dropouts and often are drug users, a police investigation found. One study found there were as many as 95 Satan-worshipping groups in Mizoram. More than 50 cases have been reported in which the groups vandalized churches, burned Bibles or defiled cemeteries. Some of them conduct midnight gatherings at isolated cemeteries, where they are reported to dance naked, slash their wrists in ritual blood offerings and chant invocations to Satan. They sometimes write graffiti in their blood, leaving messages of the most perverse kind. Mizoram church leaders blame high unemployment and “bad Western influences” for the growth of the groups. “When, three years ago, a girl-only [satanic group] was caught by village elders while performing some bizarre rituals, the girls, who were all high-school dropouts, admitted that [they had been] influenced by the Hollywood movie ‘The Craft,’” said a church leader in the Aizawl district. “Lots of graduates and postgraduates are jobless in this state, and so, many younger students are getting disenchanted with their studies. Many such young Christian people are turning away from the church, taking drugs and sometimes following this Satan’s path out of despair.” Source: Intercessors Network.

Recently, three native Asian missionaries serving in Myanmar (Burma) were arrested and thrown into prison. Despite mounting opposition, the three men had been serving the Lord in a tribal region of western Myanmar—preaching in open-air meetings, visiting door to door and praying for the sick. But one morning, as the three traveled together to attend an annual church meeting, they were arrested and locked behind bars. In prison, water and food rations were cut short for the three prisoners. Although hungry, thirsty and uncomfortable, the believers did not get discouraged. Rather, they took advantage of the time to pray and worship the Lord. “Their hearts were filled with gratitude toward God for counting them worthy to suffer for His name,” reported a correspondent. “They spent their time in prison singing and praising God.” “Though the officials stopped them from attending the meeting,” wrote the correspondent, “they could not stop our missionaries from worshipping the Lord.” The prison guards and administrators were surprised and shocked to see men rejoicing in the confines of their prison cells. The guards were also impressed by the good conduct and exemplary behavior of the three Christian prisoners. Six days following the arrests, after asking the believers for forgiveness for the unjust imprisonments, officials released the missionaries. And as the believers stepped out into freedom, they again praised God—for their stay in the prison and for His timely help in their release. Through this experience, these missionaries are really encouraged spiritually. Their zeal for the Lord’s work has increased. Source: Gospel for Asia/Assist News Service.

 

---

 

13 September 2006    -    MYANMAR  -  KACHIN CHRISTIANS RAPED, PERSECUTED

One Kachin pastor told CSW that Burma's ruling junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), "hates Kachins because we are Christians." In October 2005, the SPDC's Northern Commander, Brigadier-General Ohn Myint, reportedly said in a speech that he did not want to see any crosses or other Christian symbols on roadsides in Kachin State. Rape, forced labour, land confiscation and forced relocation continue to be "widespread and regular". According to one Kachin, "rape happens in every area where there is an SPDC army camp." In January this year, for example, a Kachin woman was raped at gun-point by a soldier of SPDC Light Infantry Battalion 37. The trafficking of Kachin women from Burma into China, often to be sold as "wives" or sex slaves, is also widespread and alarming, with more than 50 cases reported so far this year. Since March, 12 Kachin women have been rescued, four from the China-North Korea border. Source: Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

---

The leader of one of Asia Harvest's main projects in China, the China Children's Project, has written to ask for prayer support. The China Children's  Project is a strategic opportunity to help the spread of the Gospel throughout China. House church leaders desire to train and equip 10,000 children's Bible teachers in the next few years. Each teacher is then expected to train 100 children each on average. Numerous reports have been received of the tremendous impact this project is having, with hundreds of children believing in Jesus Christ for the first time, and thousands of Christian children being strengthened in the faith. Our coworker in China wrote, "One trainer told that during children’s camp, teachers encouraged children to win at least five others to Jesus. One little student answered that he would not win five others, but fifty! Almost all the non-Christian young people who attended the services receive Jesus as their Savior and Lord and dedicated their lives for the Lord service. Many of the young people prayed that the Lord would help them to learn different languages and to be missionaries in China and even preach the gospel back to Jerusalem. Our house church movement have been praying and fasting all the time for the teachers' training, and children’s summer camps, so everything went smoothly. Satan hates especially youth work.”

      Please pray for:

A Chinese house church pastor from Shandong reported that about 50-60 Public Security officers came to a church meeting where there were about 40 Christians. The PSB beat many of the believers and detained them in the police station, including a 78-year-old brother. The believers were questioned for 12 hours before being released. The authorities have also detained most of the Christians' possessions, including Bibles and Christian books, cameras, household devices, a laptop computer, and RMB 20,000 (about US$2,400) cash. Please join us in praying that God will protect and strengthen the faith of His children in persecution and especially help the house church leaders so that they can continue their ministry for the Lord. Source: Revival Chinese Ministries International.

 

---

Despite persecution, a new prayer fellowship has started in a village in southern Bhutan, a Buddhist kingdom nestled in the Himalayas. The fellowship began when Badal, a primary school teacher, invited John, a native missionary, to conduct a prayer meeting in his house. Badal had come to Christ after attending a youth outreach meeting John led recently. The meeting was attended by more than 150 young people and some of their family members. After the day-long outreach meeting—which included Bible studies, songs, testimonies and the sharing of the Gospel—many testified of receiving Jesus. “I will live for Jesus,” stated one new believer. “We will follow the Lord,” another man spoke for his whole family. Since the meeting, however, some who attended the conference have faced persecution. One family considering the claims of Christ came under opposition from relatives. A boy who received Jesus as his Lord during the meeting went home with much joy. But when his family learned of his conversion, they vehemently opposed him. Under Bhutanese law, Christians cannot practice their religion publicly or “proselytize.” It is also illegal to transport Gospel literature into the Buddhist nation. Those who become Christians are discriminated against by the government, local authorities and other citizens. Christians risk having their property or bank accounts confiscated, losing their citizenship and their children being denied public education. But despite opposition, many of the new believers are attending the new weekly prayer fellowship John is leading. The "Land of the Thunder Dragon", as the Kingdom of Bhutan is called, is located in the eastern Himalayas, wedged between India and China. It is bordered on the west, south, and east by India, and on the north by the Tibetan part of China. With dense forests and fresh mountain air, Bhutan's two million people are surrounded by natural beauty. Source: Gospel for Asia.

 

---

Finally, sources report that on August 20, one person was killed and five others injured when unidentified persons fired at a congregation in Churachandpur district of Manipu. Evening services were being held in the Evangelical Baptist Church in Vengnuom area when some armed persons in combat dress came in a vehicle and started firing in the direction of the church. One believer died at the spot, while another succumbed to his injuries at the district hospital. Four others were injured.

Since 1989 Vietnam, a nation of 82 million, has been experiencing a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Today there are tens of thousands of believers spread throughout the country. The Communist regime still tries to stop the Church of God from growing through intimidation and persecution, but it is unsuccessful. Today there are over 30 different house church movements. Approximately 26 of these belong to a coalition of house church movements called the Vietnamese Evangelical Fellowship. This coalition is led by an executive of faith-filled godly men. Though it may seem in the major cities the persecution has eased, authorities are still applying pressure trying to stop and destroy the church. Imprisonment and physical attacks have ceased at this time, but a new approach is being tried. Authorities are spreading false rumours about various men and are trying to bring division among church leaders while intimidating those who attend house churches. However, throughout regional and remote areas among the tribal people groups the physical attacks and persecution of the church continues. Nevertheless the church grows stronger and stronger and lives in victory.

In the Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam, there is a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit taking place. Many are coming to Christ and the church is rapidly growing. In 1999 there were only about 10 people in a small meeting. The senior pastor of a house church movement visited and ministered in the area, and today the work has grown to more than 8,000 believers in this region. The church started cell groups, which met secretly, and these quickly grew. The police tried spying on the gatherings, and even though meeting in small groups, it was still very difficult. Over time the church has grown stronger and now openly worships the Lord, willing to face the persecution. In faraway places new churches are being planted, but the police come and persecute the believers and try to stop the church from meeting. The believers stand strong and refuse to give in. In the northeast, among the tribal Hmong people, believers have been facing strong persecution. The police came and asked them to deny God and tried to force them to worship demons. Many threats were made. Believers were beaten and forced to pay money while pigs and chickens were taken from them and the houses of Christians were burnt. In January 2005 a number of people were taken unconscious to the hospital after a chemical (thought to be tear gas) was thrown into a gathering of believers. The believers are standing strong and not giving into the persecution. A source said, “All pastors/workers experience persecution, but we overcome and have the victory of our God.”  Source: WorldView Interactive Magazine.

---

On the afternoon of July 29, a large house church building was destroyed and many Christians were arrested and wounded during the confrontation. The house church is located at Che Lu Wan Village, Dangshan Town, Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province. According to eyewitness reports, the destruction of the church building started at 2:30 pm on July 29. Several thousand anti-riot police, military police and government workers along with 300 military vehicles arrived and surrounded the church building at 1:30 while 10,000 Christians were praying inside the church. The church building has been under construction and was almost complete when it was destroyed. Eyewitnesses reported that the police used electric shock batons and anti-riot shields to disperse the thousands of Christians. Several hundred were beaten and some were arrested and taken away by police while they attempted to protect their church building. Sources from both the government and the church told CAA that the local government has repeatedly denied the believers' formal request to build a church, though they have met all the requirements. On August 2, 50 Christians were still under arrest. On 21 August, six of the house church leaders were formally charged with "instigating violence." Source: China Aid Association.

 

---