Christian ministry hit hard by kidnapping in Russia

Russia (MNN) — Christians are being asked to pray for a hostage situation along the Russian/Chechen board. More than a dozen militants wearing suicide-bomb belts seized a southern Russian school yesterday. The rebels took 400 people hostage — half of them children– threatening to blow up the building if police storm it.

Russian Ministries’ Sergey Rakhuba says two of their leaders were affected. “One of them is (the) coordinator for (the) region there and the other one is the pastor of the church there in Belsan. And it happens that they are brothers by blood and by faith and their eight children are there…all of their children are there.”

Rakhuba is pleading for prayer. “Pray for all Christians families that are involved that through a special way that they’ll be able to show God’s love and hope in Christ there.”

Russian Ministries has been actively involved at this school last year. “We were able to distribute in this school, the Russian Christmas shoe boxes. I was there. I had dinner with these leaders and their children.”

The militants want those arrested in connection with their attacks on police facilities in neighboring Ingushetia back in June.