Papua New Guinea
Every August since 2007, Papua New Guinea has observed a national holiday called the National Repentance Day. The purpose of the day is to encourage citizens to remember Papua New Guinea’s Christian heritage and focus on the repentance of sins for the more than 14 million people living on hundreds of islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Christian leaders from numerous denominations urge, especially within the government, honesty, stronger ethics, morals, and values, and more courage to confront corruption and violence in their nation. In March, Papua New Guinea passed a constitutional amendment declaring itself a Christian nation. As it seeks to live up to the way of Christ, it also has high rates of corruption, bribery, crime, and gender-based violence. Additionally, there are frequent cases of tribal and village-based violence, which affects locals, Christians, and missionaries, particularly in rural and highland areas.
In West Papua, now an Indonesian territory, there is an intensifying Islamification of traditionally Christian areas and ongoing persecution of believers.
Amid its current challenges, National Repentance Day provides Papua New Guinea with a unique opportunity for renewed spiritual focus. The hope is that the nation will move closer to Christ and, over time, better represent God’s kingdom. “Repentance is a way of life, acknowledging God as the source of our life, our country, and our very existence,” Dr. Jack Urame, head of the Lutheran Evangelical Church in Papua New Guinea, said during the recent National Repentance Day. “Yet, the way we live as a nation does not reflect that we have truly repented or changed our way of life.”
Edited by Al McNair
Source: https://www.persecution.org/2025/09/05/papua-new-guinea-observes-national-repentance-day/
Afghanistan
Afghan Christians are mostly first-generation converts from Islam, leaving them at risk of particularly severe punishment if discovered. Under the Taliban’s interpretation of Sharia law, converts to Christianity are considered apostates deserving of the death penalty. Roughly 2 million Afghans who fled the Taliban in 2021 have been forced to return from Iran and Pakistan in 2025 alone. According to the U.N., more than 410,000 Afghan refugees were expelled from Iran during a three-week period following June 24. These deportations place refugees back under Taliban rule, exposing them to the same persecution they once fled.
In July, the U.S. made headlines when Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem terminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan, exposing Afghan refugees in the U.S. to possible forced return despite ongoing dangers under Taliban rule. TPS indicates that the U.S. recognizes conditions on the ground as too dangerous for safe return.
We must pray for Afghani refugees being forced back to Afghanistan from Iran, Pakistan, and possibly even the U.S. They are literally walking into the jaws of death.
Edited by Al Mcnair
Niger: Baptismal Service Attacked by Gunmen
On September 15th, a baptismal ceremony in Takoubatt, a village located within the Tillabéri region of Niger, was violently disrupted when gunmen on motorcycles suddenly stormed the gathering. According to a local source, 15 people were killed during that initial attack. The assailants then moved to the outskirts of the village, where they claimed the lives of seven more villagers. One local media outlet described the incident as a “gruesome death toll of 22 innocent people [who were] cowardly killed without reason or justification.” The Tillabéri region, which borders Mali and Burkina Faso, has been plagued by persistent attacks from jihadist groups linked to the al-Qaeda and self-proclaimed Islamic State militant organizations. Despite ongoing efforts to curb the violence, the military has struggled to maintain control over the area. A recent report from Human Rights Watch highlighted the various difficulties encountered by authorities in their attempts to protect the region’s civilians.
The Voice of the Martyrs
DR Congo: Multitudes Killed While Attending Funeral Wake
On the night of September 8th, Christians who had gathered at a funeral home in Ntoyo, a village in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), were brutally attacked by militants armed with guns and machetes. The assault resulted in the fatalities of numerous believers, the kidnapping of many surviving victims, and the burning of 16 homes. A parish priest from the nearby city of Manguredjipa described seeing the bodies of “more than 70 people” in the funeral home and along the nearby road. Another local resident who had participated in search efforts following the attack claimed that further discoveries eventually led to a death toll that exceeded 100 fatalities. The massacre has been attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militant Islamic organization seeking to establish an Islamic State. Such attacks have become tragically common in the DRC, including a devastating church raid in late July that resulted in the deaths of more than 40 followers of Jesus
The Voice of the Martyrs
Justice Delayed in Jaranwala
Incensed by allegations of blasphemy against two falsely accused Christian brothers, thousands of angry people stormed a Christian colony in Jaranwala, Punjab, on August 16th, 2023. The mob destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses before the violence was eventually brought under control. (Video footage of the attack is available here.) The two accused brothers were eventually acquitted by the courts, affirming that the allegations against them were false. However, more than two years following the devastating riots, residents of the targeted community continue to await justice and the fulfillment of government promises. Additionally, although more than 300 arrests were made in connection with the incident, none of the perpetrators who participated in the destruction have ever been sentenced. In a show of solidarity, Christians from various organizations and denominations held a 17-day non-violent “sit in” protest, which ended on September 2nd. Lala Robin Daniel, one of the organizers of the demonstration, criticized governing officials who were “clad in suits and robes” for holding ceremonial meetings without making any endeavour to meaningfully engage with the victimized survivors of the August 2023 attacks. One resident of Jaranwala remarked: “This is not the story of just my family. This is [the] story of every Christian living in Pakistan.” The protest concluded after governing authorities offered assurances of justice, though organizers warned that the demonstration would resume if no proper action is taken.
The Voice of The Martyrs
Earlier this year, VOMC’s Minister-at-Large, Greg Musselman, travelled to Jaranwala to personally meet with local Christians whose homes were destroyed during the riots. These interviews can be viewed here
Press Release
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