And other brief news from believers around the world.
Two Christian brothers have been acquitted of charges of blasphemy. Umar and Umair Saleem, known as “Rocky” and “Raja,” respectively, were accused by other Christians of defiling the Quran and making derogatory remarks about Muhammad, “deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.” The accusations were announced over mosque loudspeakers and sparked anger in the northeastern town of Jaranwala. Mobs attacked dozens of Christian homes and about 20 churches. A police investigation, however, found nothing to substantiate the charges, and the two were released in March 2024. The brothers’ lawyer said they were framed by fellow believers because of “personal enmity.” The Saleems do not believe it is safe to go home.
India: Jonah translated into sign language
The Book of Jonah has been translated into sign language in Nagaland, a state in India with a distinct sign language and more than 100,000 hearing-impaired people. “We are sowing a seed for the Deaf community,” Bible Society of India director W. Along Jamir said, “and this reminds us of God’s faithfulness.”
Korea: Pastor abused teenage defectors
An evangelical pastor once hailed as a hero for helping people escape North Korea has been sentenced to five years in prison for sexually abusing teenagers. Chun Ki-won, 67, claims to have helped more than 1,000 defectors get out of the authoritarian state, with the goal of sharing the gospel, sending converts back, and seeing God’s grace “sweep over the starving, exhausted land of North Korea.” Chun’s work was praised by the BBC, CNN, The New York Times, and National Geographic. According to a South Korean …