Displaying items by tag: Asia

Following two nights of violence between police and ‘agitators’ at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque, 34 rockets were launched into Israel’s civilian population from southern Lebanon terrorists. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said 25 of the projectiles were intercepted by the Iron Dome defence system. See Israel’s military then carried out air strikes on Hamas targets in southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. Gaza retaliated with dozens more rockets. IDF warplanes struck Hamas’ infrastructures in Lebanon and Gaza, including an underground shaft to construct weapons, three weapons workshops and an underground terrorist tunnel. Another 44 rockets from Gaza towards southern Israel were intercepted. See On Good Friday, two British-Israeli sisters were killed and their mother later died after being shot in the West Bank. The next day, an Italian tourist was killed and seven others injured in a Tel Aviv car-ramming. Benjamin Netanyahu has called up army and police reservists.

8% of China’s population is Christian and Christianity is established in every province, but many do not have enough Bible knowledge. Rural areas still have a shortage of Bibles and Christian teaching. Pray for wise, godly leadership to be multiplied at every level in the Church and for Christians to be part of shaping China as the nation amasses wealth and political influence. The Church has many mature leaders, but needs more as the church grows. Pray for Christians to have integrity in a culture where corruption is a temptation. 200 years ago, Napoleon Bonaparte said, ’Let China Sleep, for when she wakes, she will shake the world.’ This is being realised as China’s church is awakened by God’s Spirit. Pray for this to be a significant Christian movement with continuing growth. China is a significant global power, economically and militarily, pray for wise leaders to walk a path of peace.

The military junta in Myanmar has carried out its deadliest attack yet on civilians in rebel-held areas. It bombed a meeting of community leaders, killing about 100, including 30 children. The junta has increasingly used airstrikes to crush resistance since it seized power in 2021, often targeting schools and clinics run by the opposition. Myanmar’s military is losing against armed ground battles that have sprung up since the coup, so they are increasingly relying on airstrikes, targeting the most vulnerable. The whole country is up in arms, and every single community is involved in some kind of armed resistance against this military dictatorship. So they are trying to terrorise the civilian populations into submission with mass arrests, torturing prisoners, beheading civilians, and media repression. Graphic images posted online and verified by Al Jazeera and other media show burning limbs at the recent bomb scene. The UN warns of worsening human rights violations across Myanmar.

The annual G7 summit, in Japan, is from 19 to 21 May. The World Prayer Centre is calling people globally to join them on Zoom on 20 May at 10 am GMT +1, to pray for the summit and all the G7 leaders, together with the president of the European Council and the president of the European Commission. If you would like to join the event online via Zoom video conferencing. You will need to set up an account and download the app to your device Log in when the meeting is due to start, using these details. Topic: WPC PRAYER WATCH Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 819 5187 5317 Passcode: jesuslives You will then be admitted to a waiting room until WPC permits access. Once admitted, please put your mic on mute. WPC look forward to seeing you!

‘I recently returned from an incredibly fruitful trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where God opened the door for me to preach the Gospel during the Spring Love Festival. It is very unusual for an evangelistic event to be held in Vietnam. What a blessing it was to watch thousands come forward at the invitation to repent of their sins and receive Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives. There is so much ministry under way right now, and none of it would be possible without prayerful support.’

Two and a half years after being arrested, eight Christians accused of kidnapping and the forced conversion of 60 children were acquitted in Madhya Pradesh. The two men and six women were arrested while travelling with the children to a Bible camp in Nagpur. Even though the parents, from a tribal background, had given consent for their children to go, the group’s leaders were detained and charged with illegal religious conversion of the children. The ‘anti-conversion law’ in Madhya Pradesh requires a person to obtain government permission before changing religion.

Sharren Haske, a prominent Israeli opposition politician, has urged Christians in Britain to pray for peace for her country, following massive protests against plans to reform Israel's judiciary. This week, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a delay to the plans, saying he is ‘not ready to divide the nation in pieces’. Sharren is a member of the opposition National Unity party and chairs the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus. ‘It's a very challenging time right now in Israel. Many of our citizens are really heartbroken’, she said. ‘The division among the nation is one of the biggest challenges that such a diverse community as the people of Israel is facing every single day. We're not against it. We understand that there is the need for reform and for changes. The question is how the judicial system is going to look, the next day. They take a more extreme approach, we are for a more moderate one.’

Located on the Mediterranean Sea, Latakia is a port city of Syria. Its population of 340,000 includes a large community of Alewite people. Alewite Islam is a sect of Islam that is related to Shia. They place an emphasis on their trinity: Muhammad; his nephew and successor, Ali; and Salman al-Farisi. They believe in reincarnation and take part in a ‘mass’ involving bread and wine. They have their own religious book. Among Muslims they are regarded as heretical because of their beliefs and practices. We can pray, ‘Lord, would you use the Alawites and their idea of the trinity to show them that the Father, Son, and Spirit are the true Trinity, the Bible is the only true Word of God, and Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation. In this important port city, use this sect of people who have been rejected to bring Your truth to that city and country.’

The World Council of Churches’ General Secretary has condemned an attack that took place in the Church of Gethsemane in Jerusalem on 19 March and has expressed solidarity with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem in calling for international protection of holy sites. ‘This terrible attack – which appears to have purposely targeted religious leaders – is an egregious violation of international law’, he said. ‘We stand in solidarity with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and all those calling for the protection of holy sites, and we reiterate our calls for such protection during Christian holidays and during all days of importance for all faith communities. We are extremely concerned about the increasing attacks on holy sites in Jerusalem and deem it necessary to facilitate a meeting of key religious leaders in the near future to discuss what can be done to stop these uncalled-for attacks on religious leaders, sacred places and institutions.’

Imagine you’re looking for a new job. You come across an advert online for a well-paid, dream role. You get the job and move to a different country, full of excitement for this amazing opportunity. But when you arrive, you realise you’ve been sold a lie. It's too late. You’re trapped inside a compound, forced to scam people with fake romance or investment opportunities. You’re electrocuted if you don’t hit your targets. This nightmare of cyber-scam slavery is a reality for thousands of people in Southeast Asia. Pray for God to give success to the people who are tirelessly working to free the captives from these walled compounds. Pray for the traffickers to be caught and convicted so that those who were deceived and entrapped receive justice.