Exloring Life Eternal

Tibet – Pray for Christian Believers to find ways to express the Good News of Jesus Christ in ways that are meaningful to Buddhists.

Mongolia – Pray that the young Christian Church will be taught the Word of God and that discipleship training will transform their lives.

India - Pray for God's protection upon the Christian community of India and that they will be strong and faithful [to the Lord's testimony] in the face of this persecution.

Afghanistan – We pray for Christians in Afghanistan. We ask that you would bring them greater freedom to worship you.

Bangladesh - We continue to pray for peace, comfort, and an unwavering boldness for the family and friends of the late Tapan Kumar Roy and Liplal Mardi, Christian workers, who were murdered in July 2005.

Bhutan - In December, King Wangchuck announced that the first democratic elections would be held in 2008. Pray that it might lead to greater religious freedom.

My main interest in Cambodia arose when I first met a baptist lady going to reach Cambodia in the early 1990's & then when I discussed the Bible with S.H., the son of a Cambodian Cabinet official, about 3-4 years later. This entry has been slightly editted.

- Mert Hershberger
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Cambodia, Southeast Asi

Leader: Prime Minister Hun Sen
Dominant Religion: Buddhism
Christians: <1%
Persecution Ranking: Not Ranked

In 1990, Christianity was again permitted in Cambodia after 15 years of prohibition. ... [The] government's main concern was rebuilding the country. Their attention to Christianity was diminished, and this gave Cambodian Christians an opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and plant new churches without harassment. During the 1990s, churches were planted in every Cambodian province. However, the government is not totally relaxed in how they view Christians. Therefore, religious freedom is still very fragile.

Buddhist nationalism has increased in Cambodia in recent years. In November 2002, the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association (CITA) recommended that all references to "God" be removed from school textbooks. CITA maintains such references are unconstitutional as Cambodia's constitution states that Buddhism is the state religion. They even said that God "is a medicine that is poisoning students and will lead to social unrest." In February 2003, Cambodia's ministry of cults and religious affairs issued a directive to ban all Christian proselytising.

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Prayer points:

= Pray for complete and well-entrenched religious liberty for Christians in Cambodia.

= Pray that Buddhist nationalism will decrease in Cambodia and that the Cambodian government and authorities will treat Christians fairly and respect their religious freedom.

= Pray for the growth and spiritual maturity of the Cambodian Church and that the Gospel of Jesus Christ will spread throughout that country.

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Almighty God, we thank You for the growth of the Cambodian Church despite the loss of so many Christians to Khmer Rouge atrocities. We pray that Christians will be able to make a major contribution to the rebuilding of Cambodia and assist Cambodians in tackling their many social problems. We pray for complete religious freedom for Cambodia's Christians and that Buddhist nationalism will significantly decrease in Cambodia. O LORD, protect Cambodia's Christians, including the Vietnamese Montagnard refugee community. May these refugees not be deported, but rather find permanent asylum in Cambodia or another country.

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Sources: LifeAgape International, Barnabus Fund, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Forum 18 News Service, Jubilee Campaign, Middle East Concern, Open Doors International, and 3P Ministries

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"Copyright © 2005, Window International Network. All rights reserved."

Vietnam, Southeast Asia

Leader: Prime Minister Phan Van Khai
Dominant Religion: Sunni Islam
Christians: 9-12%
Persecution Ranking: 3th

Christians in Vietnam continue to experience harsh repression at the hands of the authorities throughout the country. Despite the introduction of three official documents supposedly making it easier for churches to function, the reality has been very different. Christians have been subjected to violent attacks and their churches raided. Numerous church leaders and individuals have been imprisoned. The ethnic minorities, such as the Hmong and Montagnard, are heavily repressed by the authorities, and Christians within these groups have experienced particularly severe persecution.

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Prayer points:

= Pray for all Christians imprisoned in Vietnam.
= Pray that the Good News of Jesus Christ will spread in spite of persecution.
= Pray that leaders will be moved to bring their actions in line with official documents that increase freedom for Christians.
= Pray for Hmong and Montagnard Christian Believers who are experiencing severe persecution.

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LORD God Almighty, we thank You that You keep your own in Vietnam under the shadow of your wings. We ask that those who suffer in prison and under various kinds of hardship will know the warmth and hope of Your Presence. May You strengthen them with Your Word. We ask, in the name of Jesus Christ, that You move among the nation's leaders, that Your will for the people of Vietnam may be done in and through them. Amen.

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Sources: LifeAgape International, Barnabus Fund, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Forum 18 News Service, Jubilee Campaign, Middle East Concern, Open Doors International, Voice of the Martyrs USA, and 3P Ministries.
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"Copyright © 2005, Window International Network. All rights reserved."

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My sister-in-law was born in Vietnam.