Displaying items by tag: Asia

An email from a Kurdish Christian says, ‘On 25 September, in a landmark referendum, Kurds in three northern provinces of Iraq voted for independence for the Kurdistan region. Kurds are the fourth-largest ethnic group in the Middle East, but they have never obtained a permanent nation state. Kurds faced decades of repression before acquiring autonomy in 1991. 5.2 million Kurds and non-Kurds who were registered as resident in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq voted, even though Iraq’s prime minister denounced the referendum as unconstitutional. Neighbouring Turkey and Iran also vehemently objected to it, fearing it will stoke separatist feeling among their own Kurdish minorities. Even the US government voiced serious concerns. Dear friends, we ask for your urgent and ongoing prayer, for wisdom for the Kurdish government leaders and peace in the region.’ For a media report on the situation, click the ‘More’ button.

In the 1940s, Christianity enjoyed tremendous growth in North Korea. By 1950 there were 2,850 churches, 700 pastors, and 300,000 Christians; Pyongyang was nicknamed ‘the new Jerusalem’. But the rise of Kim Il Sung to power changed everything, and religion was outlawed. There are stark similarities between Christianity and the Juche philosophy indoctrinated into every North Korean from birth. Replacing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a trinity of Kim Il Sung, his mother Kim Jong Suk, and his son Kim Jong Il. National laws are written in a style that resembles Mosaic law. Children are taught to give thanks to Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il for their food. Photos of the two adorn every house, as reminders of who supposedly cares for their needs. The World Centre for North Korea Missions connects people with North Korea, and facilitates mission training and projects.

Since 23 September, 122,500 people have been evacuated to locations outside a 7.5-mile exclusion area around Bali's Mount Agung volcano. The magma has been rising closer to its surface, as indicated by hundreds of daily tremors. The volcano, two miles above sea level, usually attracts hikers, tourists and pilgrims. Hundreds of volunteers have been deployed, according to the International Red Cross; they, and officials, are combing the area, urging villagers to evacuate, and raising warning banners around the exclusion zone. Additionally, on 27 September Mount Sinabung exploded, spewing ash 2.5km into the air over the island of Sumatra, and Vanuatu has ordered an island to be evacuated because of another volcano threat. See and

A brother in Pakistan writes, ‘Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif continues to resist being thrown out of government for corruption. He denies the accusations, and is still trying to run the party. His children are bringing court cases and running for office, as is his wife. Pray that the country will not be torn apart. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is now PM. He received two degrees from the USA and then worked there for several years before working in Saudi Arabia’s oil business. He was formerly minister of petroleum and natural resources. May his years in the US be the basis for good relationship between the two countries. Weeks after he came to office, President Trump delivered his Afghanistan policy, accusing Pakistan of supporting state terrorism. Pakistan has had more military and civilians killed by terrorists than any other country, and the nation took this as an affront.’

On 18 March 2016 Prayer Alert readers prayed for the safety of an Indian priest who had been abducted when a Catholic care home for the frail and disabled in Aden was attacked. See On 12 September India’s foreign minister released a tweet that read, ‘I am happy to say that Father Tom has been rescued’. Last December he appeared in a video, begging for his life. Pope Francis appealed for his release, but nothing seemed to happen. The video confirmed he was in very poor health. He will now go to Rome, where he will get medical treatment.

Courts on opposite sides of the USA convicted two men for sexually exploiting children thousands of miles away in the Philippines. Two young survivors flew to California to testify in one of the trials. Last weekend they were home, knowing that their voices had been heard and the men will terrify no more. The FBI shared intelligence with the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the International Justice Mission supported the follow-up operations in the Philippines. The girls are now 10 and 13 years old. Their families supported having their daughters participate in both the local trial and the trial in California, a significant amount of time and preparation. One of the girls’ mothers explained that she was ‘willing to leave our families at home and testify abroad to fight for justice for what the men from California did to our children.’

On 11 September the UN human rights chief called the military operation targeting Rohingya Muslims ‘a textbook example of ethnic cleansing’, and urged the government to end its current cruel ‘security’ operations. High-profile individuals have publicly criticised Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi for doing virtually nothing to stop the killings and destruction in her country, and 400,000+ people have signed an online petition calling for her to be stripped of her award. Myanmar has a history of violence against minorities, including Christians. Many people are held captive by widespread drug use, spiritism, occult beliefs, and astrology. 84% of the population, including the Rohingya, have still not heard the name of Jesus. Even so, in recent years, there has been a growing openness to Jesus, especially among Buddhist monks. Prayers can change their physical and eternal reality. See

Many Christians leaving Islam in Saudi Arabia are handed over to their relatives and vanish, never to be heard from again. To leave Islam is seen as a great source of shame to families and communities in Islamic nations. Christians in closed Islamic countries often feel they have no choice but to flee the oppressive regimes. And yet there are Muslims in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and other Islamic states who are risking their lives to follow Jesus. Pray for protection for these secret believers; may they grow in their faith. Globally, persecuted Christians face stark dilemmas every day. ‘Can we practise the Christian faith without telling anyone?’ ‘How can we worship and evangelise without incurring the wrath of the mob?’ ‘Can we live out our faith in society when the eyes of the government are everywhere?’ ‘Can we get to a place where our house or church will not be bombed tomorrow?’

On 3 September Pyongyang conducted an underground nuclear test of a hydrogen bomb, and claimed it can now mount a thermonuclear weapon on a missile capable of striking the USA. The US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said Kim was ‘begging for war’ and urged the Security Council to adopt the strongest sanctions measures possible to stop Pyongyang's nuclear programme. On 5 September President Vladimir Putin voiced the fears of many when he warned that the escalating crisis risks developing into a ‘global catastrophe’. While speaking to the leaders of Brazil, India, China and South Africa, Putin said that imposing further sanctions would be useless and ineffective, and that Kim would rather starve his people than see his regime overthrown. He also urged against ‘military hysteria’. At the time of writing South Korea’s PM said they expect the North to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile on 9 September.

US Navy SEALs who purportedly killed al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden will train South Korean commandos to take out North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the event of war, according to the Times of London. ‘We are in the process of conceptualising the plan; I believe we can create the unit by 1 December’, said the South Korean defence minister. The US has also decided to waive restrictions on the size and range of South Korean ballistic missiles, allowing it to develop and drop bunker-busting bombs on the underground headquarters of the North Korean leadership in Pyongyang. President Trump told Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe that the US is ready to use the ‘full range’ of capabilities, including the nuclear arsenal at its disposal, in dealing with North Korea.