Monir and her Iranian Christian family were living in a neighboring country when she suddenly fell into a coma. An ER doctor said she had died from a massive stroke, so her family rushed her to a second hospital where a doctor said she was “as good as dead.” He gave her only a 3% chance of survival even with surgery. The family convinced him to try, but before he began, Monir’s family gathered around her to pray. A Muslim woman nearby asked what they were doing and then requested prayer for her mother who was about to undergo dangerous surgery. Afterward, the woman returned to say, “Your Jesus Christ healed my mother! Even the doctor said it was miraculous!” Monir’s family gathered outside the ICU daily to pray for Monir’s recovery. After three months, Monir woke up and began to write and speak. She has since fully recovered. Several Muslim nurses secretly requested Bibles to learn about “your God who brought miracles to our hospital.”
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During a worship service on Sept. 9, 2023, members of Hindu radical groups and Hindu media outlets aggressively disrupted the service and blamed elder Omkar Lohoni for promoting Christianity in the area. Police arrested Omkar and held him in custody for six hours. Brother Omkar leads three fellowships with about 250 believers, and he thinks Hindu radicals targeted him because he is a well-recognized person among the Christians in this area. Front-line workers report that Hindu radicals are strategically undermining Christianity in the province where Omkar works, closely observing pastors’ activities and their connections so they can bring additional charges against Christians. Their intimidation campaigns often include posting photos identifying Christians and making claims about them on social media to encourage the Hindu community to oppose Christianity.
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Front-line workers report that Pastor Moussa Bagwari was “falsely accused and imprisoned in what seems to be an effort to destroy his reputation and Christian influence.” Due to his imprisonment, his wife, Lariya, and their four children were left without any financial support and were forced to return to Pastor Moussa’s home village. His extended family should have cared for them, according to cultural norms. But Pastor Moussa’s family are all Muslims and would not allow Lariya or her children to live with them. VOM has since provided her with housing and vocational training so she can provide for her children. Despite the pressure, Lariya is strong in her faith and serves as a worship leader in her church. She asks that Christians pray for her husband to be released and for her to be strengthened as she cares for their family without him.
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