Tag: Baptists

Myanmar: Kachin Baptists jailed for helping photograph bombed church

October 27, 2017 Myanmar Baptists, Chin, Dumdaw Nawng Lat, Kachin, Langjaw Gam Seng, Myanmar, Shan

Two Kachin Baptist pastors who helped a journalist to photograph a Catholic church, apparently bombed by Myanmar’s army in 2016, have been sentenced to two years in prison, for their alleged support of the Kachin Independence Army. According to advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide, which called the verdict a “serious . . . Read More

Church and indigenous Nasa people build Colombia’s future together

September 8, 2017 Colombia Baptists, Cauca, Colombia, Converts, ELN, FARC, Pope Francis, Trauma

Some of the women from displaced Christian Nasa families.

The six-day visit of Pope Francis to Colombia comes when the ink is barely dry on the peace deals between the government and armed rebel factions, the FARC-EP (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) and ELN (National Liberation Army). The country is still divided over what should happen to those responsible . . . Read More

First husband brutally killed a week after wedding; five years on, Kenyan re-marries

July 29, 2017 Kenya Baptists, Kenya, Mombasa

On Sat Jul 29 Damaris Kioko married Steve Kerage.

Five years after the brutal death of her first husband, Kenyan Damaris Kioko remarried in Mombasa today (29 July). Jackson Kioko was killed in May 2012 in the Jomvu area of Mombasa, only a week after their wedding in coastal Kenya. “We had a very colourful wedding. People said that . . . Read More

Myanmar Baptists face eight years in prison for helping journalist to photograph bombed church

July 27, 2017 Myanmar Baptists, Chin, Dumdaw Nawng Lat, Kachin, Langjaw Gam Seng, Myanmar, Shan

Two Kachin Baptist pastors who helped a journalist to photograph a Catholic church bombed by Myanmar’s army face up to eight years in prison, reports the US-based Baptist Standard. Langjaw Gam Seng, 35, and Dumdaw Nawng Lat, 67, went missing on 24 December 2016 during a period of intense armed . . . Read More

Trial ‘imminent’ for Tajikistan pastor, on unspecified charges

July 4, 2017 Tajikistan Bakhrom Kholmatov, Baptists, Central Asia, Dushanbe, Khujand, Tajikistan

The trial of Tajik protestant pastor Bakhrom Kholmatov, whose charges have not been revealed by the authorities, “is expected to begin imminently”, according to regional news agency Forum 18. Kholmatov was arrested during a raid on the Good News of Grace Protestant church in the northern city of Khujand on . . . Read More

Myanmar Christians arrested for praying, as fears that northern conflict will ‘intensify’

June 26, 2017 Myanmar Baptists, IDPs, Myanmar, Tatmadaw

Five Christians from Myanmar’s northernmost Kachin state have been arrested for holding prayers to mark six years since a return to conflict between the Tatmadaw (the combined forces of Myanmar’s army, navy and air force) and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), reports The Irrawaddy. The 17-year ceasefire collapsed in June . . . Read More

Kazakh Baptists raided, fined on Easter Sunday as ‘illegal’

May 4, 2017 Kazakhstan Almaty, Astana, Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Russia, Uyghurs

Police raided meetings of at least two Baptist Churches on Easter Sunday. The protestant communities draw attention because they they choose to hold their church services without seeking state registration "out of conviction".

Tammar leads a church of young Uyghurs in Kazakhstan. On Easter Sunday, as 20 of them gathered, there was a sudden police raid, including members of the anti-terrorist team. All 20 had to sign a form saying they were at this ‘illegal’ meeting, and Tammar was fined $900. At first, he wouldn’t . . . Read More

Argentinian priest transferred due to drug traffickers’ threats

March 17, 2017 Argentina Argentina, Baptists, Córdoba, Corruption, Latin America, Marcelo Nieva, Organised crime

Police in Buenos Aires, 2013. (Flickr / Beatrice Murch / CC)

An Argentinian priest has been transferred from his parish due to repeated threats from drug traffickers, reports Agenzia Fides. His bishop, Fernando Carlos Maletti, made the decision to transfer Father Eduardo Farrell due to the continued threat of violence in the Sagrado Corazon parish of Merlo-Morena diocese, 25 miles west . . . Read More

Myanmar pastors charged with ‘aiding rebels’

February 10, 2017 Myanmar Baptists, Kachin, Myanmar, Shan

Two Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) pastors have been charged with aiding rebels in Myanmar’s eastern Shan State, reports Crux. Dom Dawng Nawng Lat, 65, and La Jaw Gam Hseng, 35, are accused of being “informers and spreading false news on behalf of the armed insurgents”, according to Myanmar’s state news . . . Read More

Two missing pastors; Myanmar army link suspected

January 19, 2017 Myanmar Baptists, Chin, Kachin, Myanmar, Rape, Shan, Women

International human rights organisations have expressed concern for two pastors missing since 24 December in Myanmar. Ethnic Kachin live in Shan as well as Kachin State, and the two Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) men had taken reporters to a Catholic church damaged by airstrikes in clashes between the government army and . . . Read More

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