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Last June the Burmese army broke a 17-year cease-fire with the Kachin Independence Organization. The military offensive was aimed at Kachin State which has approximately 90% Christians. Since that event soldiers have killed, raped, and tortured civilians, set houses and churches on fire and pillaged entire villages. Since the 16th of October when Churches were told that Christians must request permission at least 15 days in advance to conduct a range of simple activities, including reading the Bible, conducting a Bible study, holding Sunday school, prayer and fasting, Christians have been finding ways to meet in secret. Churches in Myanmar are already required to obtain permission for any events other than Sunday services, but the new regulations impinge on daily private actions of individual Christians. A pastor forced to flee said, ‘Soldiers took 18 motorbikes, one rice mill, and all the buffalo, pigs, chickens, everything. They are even living in our houses.’
Pray: for the Lord to do battle for our Christian brothers and sisters and for the salvation of members of the Myanmar military. (Ps.10:12;Jos.1:7)
More: http://win1040.com/reporter.php
Morocco expelled a teacher for allegedly attempting to convert Muslims to Christianity. According to the Spanish newspaper ‘El Pais’, authorities expelled Sara Domene of Spain for ‘threatening public order.’ It's a common phrase used to allege ‘proselytizing.’ Domene, also a member of an evangelical church, denies the charge, saying she was giving Spanish lessons. The 1992 constitution guarantees freedom of religion for all while designating Islam as the state religion. Any criticism of Islam is banned under the Penal Code and is punishable with up to five years in prison. The government is being especially vigilant this year in upholding the code. In March, King Mohammed VI expelled 20 foreign missionaries. Shortly afterward, about 7,000 Moroccan theologians publicly supported his decision. Several mission agencies note that this action set the stage for another wave of deportations and expulsions. The latest round reveals itself as a calculated effort to purge Morocco of all Christian elements. Pray: that many followers of Christ will be able to continue His work in Morocco. (Ps.5:11)
Advocates question the harsh measures of the Muslim state toward a man who dared speak openly about Jesus and was jailed for 15 years. Jamaa Ait Bakrim, 46, has been in Morocco’s largest prison for nearly 5 years because he was an outspoken Christian convert. It is believed the severity of his sentence in relation to his misdemeanour was because he persistently spoke about his faith. A fellow Moroccan Christian said, ‘He shared his faith with people around him. In Morocco if you become a Christian you keep it to yourself then no one will bother you.’ He added that people need to start speaking up on behalf of Bakrim, who has ‘zeal’ for his faith and speaks openly about it even in prison. ‘Our Moroccan brothers and sisters suffer, and we assume things will be OK and will somehow change later by themselves, They will never change if we don’t bring it to international attention.’ Pray: against the principalities and powers that would confine and contain the estimated 1,000 Moroccan Christian converts. (Is.61:1)
On April 25th Morocco’s highest Islamic institute issued a fatwa demanding the death penalty for Muslims who renounce their religion. The Supreme Ulema Council of Morocco (CSO) a body of Islamic scholars headed by King Mohammed VI said that Muslims who reject their faith ‘should be condemned to death.’ CSO is the only instit ution entitled to issue 'fatwas' (religious decrees) in Morocco. The ministry of Islamic affairs declined to comment on the issue and a senior human rights official in the Moroccan government denied reports that the government received a fatwa on ‘apostasy.’ The different statements could not be immediately reconciled but local Christians expressed concern about the situation saying it could lead to a new crackdown on the country's tiny Christian communi ty of 22,000 people in a nation of 32 million. ‘There's a lot of confusion and discussion in Morocco right no w about the fatwa,’ said a Marrakech pastor.
Pray: that the fatwa will not be approved and for Christians to be protected from harassm ent and arrest. (Ps.90:17)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/28041-morocco-fatwa-demands-death-sentence-for-christian-converts
Three believers were arrested in a café on March 1st. During detention police gained information about other secret Moroccan believers. The arrest involved two young men meeting an older believer from another city. The two young men were released but the older believer remains in custody. The families of the two young men did not know they were following Christ. One of them is no longer welcome in his home now his beliefs are known. Many foreign Christians and missionaries were expelled from Morocco two years ago, creating a significant impact on the Church as anti-Christian sentiment seems to be growing. Moroccan believers now meet in small groups for fear of persecution. Becoming a Christian in Morocco is not illegal, but it’s illegal to share the gospel with non-Christians. Please pray that Moroccan believers, that passion for Christ will be a light that draws many others to Christ.
Pray: for Moroccan Christians to be protected as they face the threats of reprisals, pray also for those jailed to be strengthened in their faith and remain strong in the Lord. (Mat. 5:14-16).
More: http://vomcblog.blogspot.co.uk/
The Millennium Development Goals have had a huge influence on international development but "little impact" on the lives of leprosy sufferers, according to The Leprosy Mission. The organisation said there was "no drive to address the inequalities and discrimination" faced by the world's leprosy sufferers, despite an estimated 10 per cent of the world's population - or 650 million people - being disabled, according to the United Nations. "People affected by leprosy face a triple blow of disease, disability and discrimination and for tens of thousands, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), launched at the UN General Assembly in 2001, have had little impact on their lives," the organisation said. The comments come ahead of the 18th International Leprosy Congress, taking place in Brussels next week. The congress will be joined by more than 800 people from around the world who work with or represent people affected by leprosy. They will be discussing what leprosy sufferers think should replace the MDGs when they expire in 2015 and how the perspectives of leprosy sufferers can shape the post-2015 goals.
Pray: for the Leprosy Congress and that they can define meaningful goals that will help leprosy suffers in a practical way. ( Matt.11:5)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/millennium.development.goals.have.had.little.impact.on.lives.of.leprosy.sufferers/33977.htm
Syria’s government resigned and appointed caretaker premier Naji al-Otari. The government has little power in Syria, where control is in the hand of President Assad, his family and the security apparatus. Otari has been prime minister since 2003. See: Saudi Arabian women are demanding equality in a country where women can’t drive or vote and need male approval to work and travel. They are attempting to force change with online organizing that helped topple Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak. See: l Bahrain detaines bloggers and supporters of Shiite-led pro-reform protests. Hundreds of opposition activists and leaders have been detained since martial-type laws were introduced two weeks ago. See: Egypt's Zahi Hawass the minister of state under ousted President Mubarak was re elected to a government post. His appointment will anger pro-democracy activists calling for all old regime elements to be eliminated. Pray: for a mighty recognition of God's purposes and plans by all to whom He gives His authority and for courage for them to do whatever He tells them. (Jn.2:3) More: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i2JVifEYiqojJkfmiwSLj22tg7uQ?docId=CNG.bfb8229dcf908f07a113483065bb30aa.281
In Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and across the Middle East Christian mission workers have many diverse approaches to fulfilling the Great Commission. This diversity in recent years has raised issues regarding ministry among Muslims and pushed Christian leaders into two different camps. God desires unity. Right now over 50 leaders are gathering in the USA sharing viewpoints in the spirit of Christ to listen, ask questions, hear one another's hearts and concerns, and move toward increased mutual understanding and appreciation for each other. We can cover this meeting in prayer asking the Lord to show them His way forward; that the consultation would bring stronger Christ-honouring interaction and deeper understanding of God’s work in the light of His word; that these meetings will result in greater understanding and unity among workers in the Muslim world and that the gathering will build bridges and help move public discourse into more positive directions
Pray: that the schemes of the devil would be defeated and the glory of Jesus would shine more brightly into the Muslim world. (Ps.2:9-11)
The political turmoil which has swept the Arab world has benefited terrorism and criminality, the Council of Arab Interior Ministers head, Mohamed Ben Ali Koumane, said on Wednesday. ‘The preachers of terrorism have profited from the security deficit in the region’, Koumane said. ‘The spread of weapons and explosives has allowed terrorists to get hold of the tools of death and destruction.’ He was speaking at the start of a meeting of Arab security officials on the fight against terrorism, held at the Tunis headquarters of the council, which was set up in 1982 with the agreement of the Arab League. ‘Since last year the Arab region has witnessed political changes that have resulted in acute security crises, directly linked to a rise in crime.’ Koumane said. The deteriorating security situation has provided fertile ground for organised crime, illegal migration plus human and drug trafficking.
Pray: against the wave of violence and lawlessness afflicting Arab countries and for God to bring about His purposes and provision for Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. (Is.59:19)
Ten years after the Iraqi invasion toppled Saddam Hussein, Iraq’s Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds have yet to find a stable power-sharing deal and there is escalating ethnic violence. Iraq’s Sunnis, who resent their treatment by Shiite Mr Maliki’s government, have staged mass protests since December. Sunni militants, some of them linked to al-Qaeda, have exploited the unrest urging Sunnis to take up arms. More than 700 people died violently in Iraq in April which according to the United Nations is the highest monthly figure in almost five years. The conflict in Syria where mostly Sunni rebels are fighting to topple president Bashar al-Assad is turning in part into a regional proxy war between Sunni and Shiite powers. Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Shiite Hezbollah group is now openly fighting alongside Mr al-Assad’s forces which are dominated by members of his minority Shiite-linked Alawite sect. The result of years of unrest in the region has produced millions of refugees, many of them Christian.
Pray: against religious and ethnic violence. Pray for better provision for orphans, widows and those suffering because of events outside their control. (Ja.1:26,27)
More: http://www.scotsman.com/the-scotsman/politics/iraq-violence-grows-with-fresh-wave-of-car-