33 Christians to Be Killed in North Korea, Fleeing North Korea and Returning with the Gospel, Ukrainian Christians Praying for Deliverance, Persecuted Chinese Man Witnessing in Prison, Kenyan Pastor Murdered

NORTH KOREA

North Korea plans executions for contact with missionary
Open Doors USA President/CEO David Curry says, “We received reports through a South Korean newspaper that North Korea is publicly saying that they’re going to order the deaths of 33 people that they believe are connected to Christianity, connected to a particular missionary there.” In answer to the question of heavy-handed tactics, Curry states, “North Korea has a theocracy. Their power is derived from their trying to convince their population that their leaders are God. Anything that would suggest otherwise, they would consider to be a threat against their government.”

Fleeing hell
NORTH KOREA | North Korean defectors are shedding light on dark human rights abuses in their native land—and some are telling of the light they found

By DANIEL JAMES DEVINE & SOPHIA LEEIssue: "Inside the wire," March 22, 2014

Posted March 7, 2014, 01:00 a.m.

Timothy Kang remembers those boots because they met his face as the guards kicked and stomped on him over and over. The guards used wooden square paddles to beat him, too, after their own knuckles and palms started to bruise. He was dragged to 15 different jails and tortured in each one.His crime? Crossing the border into North Korea during a trip to evangelize his native land. He was lucky: Since he was underage, he narrowly avoided the more severe political prison camp.

CHINA

Wenxi Li uses prison time to advance the Gospel


Imprisoned for his faith, Wenxi Li has brought more prisoners to Christ.
(Image, caption courtesy icommittopray.com)

China (MNN) — A man imprisoned for his faith in China is bringing fellow inmates to Christ. According to Voice of the Martyrs USA, Chinese courts gave Wenxi Li a two-year prison term last summer for trying to set up a Christian bookstore.

His family recently shared an update with VOM, saying Li has been sharing the Gospel with fellow prisoners. As a result, several have put their faith in Christ.

On its Web site, VOM says “China continues to arrest, torture and jail Christians associated with illegal house churches as they attempt to control or eliminate all religions.” Though all religions are being persecuted, those who follow Christ appear to be the hardest hit.
Despite the government’s crackdown, Joshua Project and Operation World say China holds between 70 and 75 million evangelical Christians. VOM says an estimated 3,000 Chinese people are coming to Christ each day. Despite the threat of persecution, torture, and prison, millions of believers are continuing to meet in illegal house churches.


UKRAINE

“The Churches are Full”

March 06, 2014

As the standoff continues between Crimean and Russian military forces, believers in Ukraine are mounting their own army—a legion of prayer warriors seeking peace and healing in their country.

“Christians throughout Ukraine are praying and fasting. All churches are overcrowded with people who are coming to seek God’s face and ask for deliverance,” said Rostislav Borishkevich, the director of Good Samaritan Mission in Kiev. “People are crying out to God because they know that only He can help our nation.”

KENYA

PASTOR MURDERED

Assistant Pastor Lawrence Kazungu Kadenge was murdered in the early morning hours of Feb. 2 while guarding the Glory of God Ministries Church in Mombasa. Although police are still investigating the murder, it is believed that radical Muslims may have killed the 59-year-old assistant pastor for alerting police about security threats and for preaching the gospel close to a mosque.

Kadenge’s death has increased fears among pastors in the area. Several pastors have been murdered recently in the Mombasa region, and churches along the coastal area have been attacked by radical Muslims who are trying to create an independent state there.