AP

YOUNG US MISSIONARY COUPLE AMONG 3 MURDERED IN HAITI’S CAPITAL
A U.S. missionary couple was abducted, shot, and killed by criminal gang members in Haiti’s capital after ministering at a youth group activity at a local church, according to a police official and their missions group. Missouri state Rep. Ben Baker (R) announced Friday that a Haitian gang killed his daughter Natalie and son-in-law Davy Lloyd serving as missionaries there. Mr Baker said: “Most of you know my daughter and son-in-law Davy and Natalie Lloyd are full-time missionaries in Haiti. They were attacked by gangs this evening and were both killed. They went to Heaven together. Please pray for my family. We desperately need strength. And please pray for the Lloyd family as well. I have no other words for now.”
Natalie and Davy Lloyd were married in June 2022 and moved to Haiti three months later, to with Missions in Haiti, Inc., a ministry organization founded in 2000 by Davy’s parents, David and Alicia Lloyd. [Source: CBN News]

THE BATTLE FOR NEPAL
In September, Hindu nationalists attacked a church in Nepal’s south-western region, vandalising the church and assaulting its pastors. This was the seventh attack on a church in two weeks. Hindu nationalists are ramping up their calls for the restoration of the Hindu State. Angered by the rapid growth of Christianity, they are also fuelling sectarian hatred – protesting against religious conversions and beef consumption. The number of Christians in Nepal has risen from virtually zero in 1950 to 1.34 million today, mostly Protestant. This represents about 4.4% of the population, giving Nepal one of the fastest growing churches in the world. The battle for Nepal is heating up! [Source: Religious Liberty]

REBUILDING CHURCHES IN IRAQ
In Qaraqosh, the ancient heartland of Iraqi Christianity, several of the ten church buildings destroyed by Islamic State have now been repaired and rebuilt. When the forces of IS took Qaraqosh ten years ago, the entire ‘Christian’ population fled, most of them still living 70 km away in Erbil, the central city of Iraqi Kurdistan. Pray that more will be able to return to their hometowns, and that those who have already returned will find employment. Earlier this year more than 900 Iraqi Christians gathered to celebrate their faith at a three-day conference in Erbil. [Source: Barnabas Aid]

IRANIANS RESPONDING TO THE GOSPEL
Iran’s government may be hostile to Christianity, but Iran’s people are responding to the Gospel. A lot of Iranians have heard Scripture in the Farsi language, and not been interested because it’s foreign to them. Transform Iran’s Lana Silk told Mission Network News that when they hear the message in their heart language it’s impacting their lives, and many are coming to faith in Christ. Transform Iran is translating the Bible into Iran’s ethnic ‘heart’ languages, with help from groups like Unfolding Word and the Strategic Resource Group. They use Muslims to help in accurate translation, and often, they become Christians in the process, Ms Silk says. Only five of Iran’s 39 languages have any Scripture, leaving millions of people without access to God’s Word. [Source: Mission Network News]

TWO NOT FOUND GUILTY – ANSWER TO PRAYER
PAKISTAN:Your prayers for Musarrat Bibi, a Christian widow in Pakistan, and her Muslim colleague Mohammad Sarmad have been answered. Both were acquitted on 8 December 2023 of the “blasphemy” charges made against them in April that year. They were clearing out a storeroom at the school where they worked, and burnt some discarded papers, which their accusers said were pages of the Quran. Being illiterate, neither of them knew what they were burning. Praise God that the judge at the court in Arifwala, Pakpattan, declared them innocent. A guilty verdict would have resulted in life sentences in prison. [Source: BarnabasAid]

NORTH KOREA RESPONDS TO CHRISTIAN BALLOONS WITH BALLOONS OF FILTH
North Korea (MNN) — North Korea is using dirty tactics to poke at South Korea — literally, filthy. This week, North Korea launched over 200 balloons into South Korea filled with trash, manure, and even human waste. North Korea says it dispatched the polluted balloons in response to leaflet campaigns. Because the hermit nation prevents its citizens from having practically any contact with the outside world, private South Korean citizens and groups sometimes send leaflets by balloon into North Korea with humanitarian aid, encouraging messages, and Bibles.
Eric Foley with The Voice of the Martyrs Korea (VOM) explains, “The South Korean government actually doesn’t send fliers to North Korea. Instead, individual private citizens and civic groups send fliers, Bibles, or other materials. “So North Korea, when they engaged in this act, said that they wanted to make sure the South Korean people could experience and feel what it’s like to receive these things.” Essentially, North Korea says receiving balloons filled with things like Scripture is the same as being rained on by dung. If only they knew the true beauty in God’s Word! That’s why VOM Korea won’t stop getting the Bible to North Koreans by any means necessary. “We always refrain from making comments about what we are or aren’t doing in regard to specific field activities,” says Foley. “But what we do say is this: We continue to look for every opportunity — by land, sea, air, or radio…. We look for every opportunity to bring the Bible into North Korea. Every year, by the grace of God, we’re bringing in an average of 40,000 Bibles through all those different means.”

DIPLOMA WITHHELD AFTER GRADUATION SPEECH INCLUDED CALL TO TOW JESUS
A recent Campbell County High School (USA) grad says the school withheld his diploma for five days after he went off-script during the closing speech of graduation ceremonies. Price said he submitted eight drafts of his speech to the school and was told to take out portions that focused heavily on religion. Price said he took parts out of the final draft, but when the opportunity presented, he went off script. One of his goals, since fifth grade, was to deliver a speech on his graduation day. But he also wanted to honour God. “My lord and savior is your answer,” Price said in his speech. “He will give you the truth, the way and the light. I must give the honor, the praise and the glory to Jesus Christ.”
“I knew it was going to be held,” Price said. “Before you do anything they tell us if you go up there and do a cartwheel or something stupid, that will get your diploma held.” Despite knowing the consequences, Price said he had to speak from the heart. “I simply cannot hold back what Christ has done in my life,” Price said. “He’s everything to me. I went against the rules. It’s my fault. I should be in trouble. I never wanted to bring hate to them or tear down the school,” Price said. He received his Diplomat after apologizing to the School Administration. Price said he’s joining the Air Force in July. He said the controversy over his speech and his diploma has him considering ministry work. [Source: Fox19 NOW]

 – compiled by Guido Kettniss