Alabama Baptists know the heartbreaking result of a gunman in Yemen all too well. Southern Baptist missionary and Alabama native Martha C. Myers, a physician serving in Yemen, died at the hand of a gunman in 2002.
Myers and two others were killed at Jibla Baptist Hospital, which is about 160 miles inland from the site of a recent attack that left 15 people dead.
The latest murders took place March 4 at a retirement home established by the late Mother Teresa. Among those killed were four Catholic nuns, four nurses, four security guards and three cleaning staff, media network Al Jazeera reported. A priest was kidnapped and remained missing at press time.
No group had claimed responsibility at press time, but news reports indicated there were four gunmen who entered the facility on the pretext of visiting their mothers. They moved from room to room, handcuffing the victims and shooting them in the head, according to news reports.
Yemen is No. 11 on the countries of concern list provided by Open Doors USA, a nonprofit organization focused on serving persecuted Christians around the world.
And just across the Red Sea from Yemen a different kind of persecution was happening in Sudan (No. 8 on the countries of concern list) around the same time in early March.
Members at six different churches found their church doors sealed off with new locks keeping everyone out, according to Open Doors.
“The Sudanese authorities have closed off meeting places of Christian congregations serving refugee communities in the capital of Khartoum,” an Open Doors representative said.
‘Concerns are mounting’
“Currently they are also holding two Christian pastors they arrested in December (2015) with no formal charges. Concerns are mounting for their well-being.”
The representative asked for prayer for the Church to find a way to continue ministering despite the efforts by the government to thwart their work.
Calls for prayer and worldwide response also came following the murders in Yemen.
Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd said, “There is a legitimate attempt at genocide against religious minorities in the Middle East and I call upon the United States government and other world leaders to respond more forcefully and immediately to protect these terribly endangered people.”
Pope Francis called the victims martyrs and victims of “indifference, of this globalization of indifference, that does not care,” CNN reported.
The Pope “prays that this pointless slaughter will awaken consciences, lead to a change of heart and inspire all parties to lay down their arms and take up the path of dialogue,” according to Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.
Since Yemen erupted into civil war in March 2015, more than 6,000 people have been killed, 28,000 injured and 2.5 million internally displaced, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Christian persecution continues to increase, Open Doors reported, noting 2015 was the worst year on record. “According to the United States Department of State, Christians in more than 60 countries face persecution from their governments or surrounding neighbors simply because of their belief in Jesus Christ.”
(BP, Jennifer Davis Rash)
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