A young woman is now financially destitute but spiritually rich after coming to know Christ. Chenbagam was married at age 14, a common practice among Hindus in Nepal. Her family was impoverished, however, and Chenbagam’s husband decided to work in Saudi Arabia. Chenbagam became ill and spent nearly everything her husband was earning on various treatments, including visits to a witch doctor. When a neighbor suggested visiting a local church, Chenbagam tried it as a last resort. After church members prayed, she experienced healing. When her husband found out, he told her he would stop sending money. The young mother is finding it difficult to feed her children and send them to school, but she says she cannot leave Jesus Christ. Pray for provision for her, and pray for what may happen when her husband returns from Saudi Arabia.

As Christians worshipped inside their Assemblies of God church in Gampaha District on June 6, 12 Buddhist monks organized a demonstration outside. When the pastor called police, they arrived, but they also brought the monks and the assembled crowd inside the church with them. The monks and government officials threatened the pastor and his wife. They also questioned them about their religious activities for about three hours. Before the crowd dispersed, the monks demanded that the pastor stop all religious activities. Pray for the pastor to have wisdom and discernment as he leads his congregation through this difficult time.

Officials closed a church in Central Indonesia after neighbors protested its existence. Pastor Tigor Yunus Sitorus built a home in the Bantul neighborhood in 2003 intending for it to double as a house church. When community members learned he was using the house for non-Muslim religious activity, they protested. “We are the Muslim majority; we are obliged to keep the faith of our children and grandchildren, whose faith can be tainted in the long run if influenced by the existence of the church,” they said. Authorities granted Pastor Tigor a church building permit on Jan. 15. However, after continued conflict, an official revoked the permit on July 26 and forced the congregation to worship elsewhere. Indonesia has religious freedom, but communities and Muslim extremist groups often influence local officials to act in favor of the Muslim majority. Pray that the church will continue to gather despite the loss of their building.