A Christian ministry operating in Mozambique has requested prayers due to increasing terrorist attacks in a number of villages in recent weeks.
Iris Global, a ministry founded in 1980 by Heidi and Rolland Baker, released a statement on June 10 saying a group of extremists have been carrying out attacks in the northern part of the country since October last year, but the attacks have "intensified in frequency and brutality" in the past few weeks.
"Each attack has involved killing and burning houses. People were beheaded in at least six villages, two of which are within two hours drive of our Pemba base. Villagers are fleeing for their lives, carrying nothing with them, and have become refugees in the bush or on offshore islands," said the statement, which was also posted on the ministry's Facebook page.
On Sunday, the International House of Prayer in Kansas City (IHOPKC) asked followers to pray for the ministry after Heidi Baker made an urgent prayer request to the organization.
"We got a call from Heidi Baker late last night from Pemba, Mozambique She asked IHOPKC to pray for them urgently," Mike Bickle of IHOPKC wrote.
"She has to move 250 students out of Pemba to Johannesburg in next few days. Roads have been closed off in Pemba. Military are trying to protect the areas but cannot get in," he continued.
Laura Taranto, executive assistant to Heidi Baker, said in a statement to CBN News that there had been no attacks in the city of Pemba, where the ministry operates. However, several attacks have been carried out in a nearby village.
Joy Ercoli, the vice president of operations of Iris Global, told CBN News that the Mozambique government has decided to cancel the visas of students belonging to the ministry's International Harvest School as a security measure.
The ministry said in its statement that it will continue its work in Mozambique despite the threat of attacks.
Taranto said that the international students will be transferred to a school in South Africa, but Mozambique pastors in training will remain in the school in Pemba.
Heidi and Rolland Baker moved to Mozambique in 1995 and started an orphanage that cared for 80 children. The ministry now provides care for more than 10,000 children with help from a network of more than 10,000 churches and Christian ministries, covering all 10 provinces in Mozambique.
In the past eight years, Iris Global has helped plant around 2,000 churches among the Makua people.
