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According to a January 27 report from Gulf Information Center, 30 Christian youth belonging to the Pentecostal Church in the Red Sea port city of Massawa were arrested by the Eritrean government last week. The report also indicated that the campaign to arrest Christians had spread to several other cities, including the capital city of Asmara, where detainees were being forced under torture to reveal names of other believers.

Pray for God to sustain the imprisoned Christians by His peace and grace. Pray for Eritrean believers to continue to stand boldly in their faith in Christ despite severe persecution (2 Thes. 3:1-3).

For more information on the persecution of Christians in Eritrea, go to theEritrea Country Report.

President Isaias Afewerki

The reasons for the expulsion remain unclear but sources told MISNA that two years ago the government gave notice to some missionary institutes to prepare local personnel in anticipation of a planned exit of foreigners from the nation. The Voice of the Martyrs believes that this expulsion is part of a wider plan by the Maoist dictatorship of President Isaias Afewerki to destroy or control Christianity in the east Africa nation.

Please pray for Eritrean Christians as they continue to suffer harassment at the hands of the Eritrean government. Pray for the many who are in prison because of their religious work.

For more information on the persecution of Christians in Eritrea, go to theEritrea Country Report.

Gospel singer Helen Berhane (32), who was released from prison in November 2006 after being detained in Eritrea without charge for two years, has been granted asylum in Denmark. She and her daughter arrived in the country safely on October 19. For the past eleven months, Berhane had been maintaining a low profile in Khartoum, Sudan, where she and her sister fled in December 2006. Berhane's health remains extremely poor due to the physical suffering she endured during her detention. She is currently unable to walk without assistance. During her detention she was held for extensive periods in shipping containers and tortured several times by authorities in an effort to force her to recant her faith.

Praise God with us that this faithful servant of Christ has found refuge in a safe location! Pray that He will continue to protect and strengthen Helen, providing for her every need (Phil. 4:19). Ask God to give her wisdom and discernment so that she will continue His work (James 1:5). Pray for God's love and grace to abound in our Eritrean brothers and sisters who are suffering for Christ’s sake in prison.

For more information on the severe persecution of Christians in Eritrea, go to theEritrea Country Report.

Sawa Military Camp

Pray for the Lord's grace to sustain and strengthen Pastor Oqbamichael as he again endures prison time for the Name of the Lord (Ephesians 6:19, 20). Pray that his family and congregation will focus their eyes on Jesus to find strength and comfort in Him (Hebrews 12:1-3). Pray for Eritrean Christians as they continue to suffer severe persecution.

For more information on the persecution of Christians in Eritrea, go to theEritrea Country Report.

VOMC sources report that Mussie Ezaz, an evangelist in the Kale Hiwot Church of Eritrea, was arrested from his home in the capital city of Asmara and imprisoned last week. Evangelist Mussie has been serving the Lord full-time for more than a decade. He is married with three children.

Pray for the Lord's grace to abound in Evangelist Mussie while he suffers for the sake of Christ. Pray that God will meet the needs of his wife and children according to His glorious riches in Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:19). Pray that Eritrean Christians will continue to stand firm in their faith by the enabling grace of our God. Ask God to bring forth more Christian church leaders and servants of the Gospel to advance the cause of Christ (Luke 21:12-15).

For more information on the persecution of Christians in Eritrea, go to theEritrea Country Report.

An imprisoned Christian woman, Nigsti Haile (33), was tortured to death by Eritrean authorities in the Wi’a Military Training center in Massawa on September 5 for refusing to sign a letter recanting her faith, according to a September 7 report from Open Doors USA. Haile, an active member of the Rhema church, was one of ten Christian women arrested at a church gathering in Keren eighteen months ago and who have been under severe pressure to deny Christ.

Ask God to comfort those who mourn for Nigsti. Pray that God will embolden Eritrean Christians to follow in her example of faithfulness at all cost (1 Corinthians 4:9-14, 16). Pray for the safety of the 2000 Christian believers still being detained in Eritrea without legal counsel or trial.

For more information on the persecution of Christians in Eritrea, go to theEritrea Country Report.

Asmara, Eritrea

There were several recent incidents of persecution of Christians in Eritrea, according to an August 23 report from Compass Direct.

Reverend Leule Gebreab (35), who pastors the Apostolic Church in Asmara, has been missing since he failed to return home to his wife, eight-year-old son and infant daughter on August 12. His whereabouts are unknown despite inquiries to the local authorities.

On August 16, Eritrean authorities issued an ultimatum to Catholic church leaders ordering that all of the church's schools, clinics, orphanages and women's vocational training centres be turned over to the government's Ministry of Social Welfare and Labour. Four Catholic bishops reportedly sent a letter of protest to the government the following day. At last report, they had not received a response. The Faith of Christ Church received similar orders to relinquish control and possession of all its social aid institutions. The orders were allegedly based on a 1995 government decree requiring non-governmental welfare initiatives to obtain specific permission from authorities.

On August 19, ten members of the Full Gospel Church who had gathered in a home were arrested by the police in the suburb of Kahawata, Asmara. The four women and six men were accused of worshipping together and detained at the local police station.

Pray that Pastor Gebreab will return home safely. Pray that Christians will have boldness of faith in the face of government opposition. Pray that those detained will be released and that, during their detention, they will share the light of Christ with others.

For more information on the persecution of Christians in Eritrea, go to theEritrea Country Report. 

The Voice of the Martyrs has learned of the release from prison of Pastor Michael Abraha and most of those who were imprisoned with him at the end of May in the town of Dekemhare. Pastor Abraha is a well-known Bible teacher and one of the key leaders of the Kale-Hiwot Church in Eritrea. At least twenty Christians, including several young children, were arrested at the time. While VOMC welcomes the release of Pastor Abraha and many of those who were detained, we remain concerned over those who remain in prison as well as those who were reportedly detained when they came to visit these prisoners. According to Release Eritrea, they have been taken to the prisons at the Wea military training camp which is notorious for its harsh conditions.

Praise God for the release of Pastor Abraha and the other prisoners. Pray for those who are detained at Wea. Pray that they may experience God's grace abundantly to faithfully witness for Him in word and deed.

For more information on the persecution of Christians in Eritrea, go to theEritrea Country Report.

Pastor Michael Abraha

Pray for the Lord's grace to abound in Pastor Michael while he suffers for the Name of Christ. Pray also that he will receive appropriate medication for his diabetes. Pray that the members of Pastor Michael's congregation will not give in to fear and despair but be enabled by God to stand firm in their faith. Ask the Lord to continue to bring forth more Christian church leaders in Eritrea to take the place of those who are imprisoned (Luke 21:13-15).

For more information on the persecution of Christians in Eritrea,click here.

Pastor Zekarias Abraham, who was arrested during a raid on the Mehrete Yesus Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Asmara last month (click here for more details), has been released from prison, according to VOMC sources. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the eighty Christians arrested and imprisoned along with Pastor Abraham may also have been released.