Setting aside a day of prayer for the persecuted church in the United States, Nov. 15, did not mean a hiatus on attacks against church officials and Christian believers. The same day, six clergymen were killed while on a peace mediation mission to a rebel group in the Republic of Congo. Members of a church committee set up to end armed conflict in the region, all members of the group were murdered "in cold blood" at Mindouli in the Pool region west of the capital, Brazzaville. The local clergymen went to speak to the rebels without guards because they wanted to avoid suspicion. At least 30 people have been killed in similar attacks in the same area in recent months. Polish Catholic missionary Yan Czuba was shot dead there earlier this month.

In Pakistan, a family of nine Christians, including two babies, was found hacked to death in an army house in Nowshera on Nov. 18, according to news reports by Reuters. Daubed on the walls of the house in blood were the words, "No more black magic in Nowshera." John Bhatti, head of the household, worked for the army and was living in military housing with his wife, daughter, and several grandchildren, including an eight-month-old child.

In India, Christian schools in the state of Karnataka have been asked by a Hindu fundamentalist party to display Saraswati, the goddess of learning, and Ganapathi, the elephant god, in every school. In addition to the idols, Hindus have also demanded that a Hindu invocation be said along with prayers to Jesus, and that Hindu festivals be declared school holidays, Christian schools educate many Hindus. School administrators appealed this month to the governor of Karnataka for protection against feared attacks from Hindu fundamentalists.