VOM, Jordan:

The government in Jordan has admitted it expelled missionaries for "illegal" activities. According to Compass Direct News, "On February 20, Acting Foreign Minister, Nasser Judeh, told the Jordanian parliament that authorities had expelled missionaries operating 'under the cover of doing illegal charitable work.'"

The expulsions violated Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Jordan adopted in 2006. According to Compass, recent expulsions included two Egyptian pastors married to Jordanian women. "On February 10, authorities expelled an Egyptian pastor with the Assemblies of God church in Madaba, one of five evangelical denominations registered with the government. Married to a Jordanian citizen, and the father of two children, Sadeq Abdel Nour, was handcuffed and blindfolded and taken to the port city of Aqaba. There he was placed on a ferry to Egypt. The previous week an Egyptian pastor from a Baptist church in Zarqa was also arrested, held for three days and also returned to Egypt by ship from the port city of Aqba," the Compass report added.

Pray for believers in Jordan who are experiencing increased persecution. Ask God to encourage and minister to the pastors and their families. Pray God will use their testimonies to draw non- believers into fellowship with Him.