Is the West ignoring persecution?

Has the West turned a blind eye to increased persecution against Christians internationally?

We asked Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA. He says the U.S. State Department has placed less emphasis on these issues in recent years. “I was very disappointed with how the CPC report was issued this year. It’s Friday afternoon. It’s a written statement. There’s no press conference; there’s no effort to draw attention to the report or to draw attention to the countries which are persecuting religious minorities.”

Algeria closes more churches

The Algerian government has stepped up restrictions on non-Muslim religious organizations and activities.

It’s already against the law to evangelize or even challenge the teachings of Sunni Islam. But Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA says, “What we have seen in the last couple of years is a lot of churches being closed down.”

Ukrainian pastor starts bus stop church

What’s the unlikeliest place for a church? A Ukrainian pastor started one at a lonely, open-air bus stop.

Eric Mock of the Slavic Gospel Association tells the story. “He took an old broken-down wooden table, some instant coffee, a few tea bags, and a hot kettle and went out with a few cookies to set up the table. He talked to those people at the bus stop who were maybe just wanting a cup of coffee or a few minutes of conversation. It was there that his church was begun.”

Peace deal declared to end Ethiopian civil war

Last Wednesday, the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front agreed to end the two-year-long civil war. Negotiations took place in South Africa.

The war has devasted the Tigray region, killing hundreds of thousands. Millions of people lost their homes, and a blockade has largely cut the region off from communication and aid.

Roughly 5.2 million people need aid in the region. The United Nations says the Ethiopian government has used starvation as a weapon of war.