World in Brief

When Boko Haram militants attacked a village on 10 July, 200 Christian families escaped alive as they had decided to sleep in the bush because of many other recent attacks on nearby villages.

The families lost everything they owned. The jihadists set fire to their homes, killed their livestock and plundered their food stores of millet. With their clothes, bedding and other possessions destroyed, the believers are now living in a local school.

The CEO of Canadian cinema chain Cineplex defended his decision in July to screen the pro-life film Unplanned in the face of violent threats from abortion activists.

The film tells the true story of Abby Johnson, a Planned Parenthood clinic director who had a change of heart after seeing the reality of abortion. Protestors branded it ‘anti-abortion propaganda’. Ellis Jacob said he was ‘confident’ it was right to release the film in 14 cinemas for one week.

A new charge of ‘illegal business activity’ is being faced by pastor Wang Yi, his lawyer learned in July.

Pastor Wang was detained in December 2018 along with over 100 other members of Early Rain Covenant Church, including his wife Jiang Rong, in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Some, including Jiang Rong, were released, but have continued to report ongoing harassment from police, and from landlords under pressure from authorities. Wang’s lawyer has not been allowed to see him since his detention.

Egypt has not fairly acknowledged a Christian soldier’s sacrifice on behalf of his country because his faith was not Islam, it was reported in July.

Military service in Egypt is mandatory, and some Christian men find themselves stationed in the Sinai Peninsula, where ISIS began a military campaign three years ago. Christian soldier Abnoub was killed alongside seven Muslims in the same ISIS attack. The Muslims had large blue banners printed which displayed both their pictures and their names.

An investigation into suspected sex-selective abortions was launched in July in northern India after government data indicated that not one girl had been born in 132 villages in the last three months.

Authorities said the information was alarming in a culture where boys are seen as future breadwinners. In 2018, a government report found that millions of women were statistically missing from the country’s population due to a preference for male children. Legislative Assembly Member Gopal Rawat said the data is shocking.

A Protestant church in Jakarta has been unable to hold services because of Muslim hardliners’ protests and threats, it was reported in July.

Despite having the required government permit, local Muslims claimed the church is located too close to a mosque and an Islamic boarding school. The church administrators disputed the claims, saying there were no mosques or residential areas nearby. A local Muslim explained that the main objection is because a mosque will be built nearby.

A 65-year-old Christian woman was sentenced to a year in prison in late July for ‘propaganda against the system’, according to media reports.

Roksari Kanbariv was arrested in December 2018 at her home by three intelligence officers who seized mobile phones, Bibles and other Christian material. The wife and mother endured ten days of intensive interrogation, and was finally released when bail of 30million toman (£5,500) was paid. Roksari has been told she will be able to appeal her sentence.

Kazakhstan’s authorities are known to have brought at least 104 administrative prosecutions in the first half of 2019 to punish 102 individuals, one religious community and one company for their exercise of freedom of religion or belief.

Of these, 92 ended with convictions, with 86 individuals and one company being fined. This represents an increase in the rate of prosecutions. Punishments included fines, temporary activity bans, a permanent ban on a meeting place for worship, and seizures and destruction of religious literature.

A relief agency stepped in to minister to migrant families on both sides of the US/ Mexico border who are suffering from the heat, hunger, and exhaustion, it was reported in July.

Samaritan’s Purse is working with churches and partners in Del Rio, Laredo, McAllen, and other communities on the US side of the border. They have been giving those who cleared US Customs and Border Protection food, water, hygiene kits, nappies and other emergency supplies.

It was highlighted in July that an average of ten Christians are dying for their faith every day in Nigeria, as persecution continues to rise in the country.

91million Christians live in Africa’s most populous nation, but many of them face consistent harassment and violence from Muslim extremists. In mid-July a pregnant mother of two children was among three Christians killed by Muslim Fulani herdsmen in north-central Nigeria. The 27-year-old was killed on her farm in Plateau state.

At least eight Christians remain on death row in Pakistan after being convicted under the Islamic law of ‘blasphemy’, it was reported in mid-July.

No Christians have been executed for blasphemy, but many of them have been languishing in prison for years, according to statistics provided by Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement. Asia Bibi was released on 31 October 2018 after spending eight years on death row. It remains uncertain if that will improve the plight of Pakistan’s Christian minority.

Muslim extremists are ordering Christian Tamils to convert or move out of their traditional homeland in Sri Lanka, it was reported in July.

Violent clashes are reported to have taken place as Tamil families have resisted the extremists’ threats. Local sources say Tamils in the entire Eastern province are being targeted. The majority of Sri Lankans are Buddhist, with Hindus and Muslims numbering an estimated 14% and 9% respectively, and Christians around 8%.

A criminal case against the elected president and senior leaders of the Sudanese Church of Christ (SCOC) was reopened, it was learned in July.

Eight leaders of the SCOC were initially arrested in 2017 and charged with trespassing on the church headquarters. They were also accused of refusing to give administrative control to an unelected church committee. The reopening highlights discrimination faced by minorities in Sudan.

A 60-year-old Armenian Christian woman was tortured, raped and stoned to death in Syria in July.

When Suzan Der Kirkour went missing, her church became concerned and parishioners found her body the next day. It was reported that her attackers were members of a terrorist group, which maintains a strong presence in Idlib Governorate where Suzan lived. Most women had left Suzan’s village because of the terrorists’ violent aggression. Some estimate that only 18 women, including Suzan, were living there.

A psychiatrist fired for speaking out against radical gender ideology is challenging his employers in court, it was reported in July.

Dr Allan Josephson spent years developing a nationally-acclaimed child and adolescent psychiatry and psychology faculty at the University of Louisville. But when he shared his professional opinion on gender-confused children during a panel discussion, he was demoted, and his contract not renewed. Dr Josephson said he saw parents and children being hurt by the one-sided approach of medical professionals.

In July, a missionary shared the challenges and joys of living on the extremely remote Crocodile Island. Kelvin Chibuye said they’ve seen God working through their obedience to stay, when many pastors and missionaries have come and gone over the years. Kelvin and his family live on the mainland for three days a week because of the financial challenges. Encouragements include a neighbour who originally was sent to teach about Islam coming to know Jesus.