Although Sweden is woven brightly with a rich Christian history, advancing secularism and moral decline have added dark threads to the tapestry. Shifting cultural norms throughout Europe have caused people to reject the ways of the past, which includes Biblical Christianity. Sweden's third-largest city, Malmo, has also seen massive immigration, making it one quarter Muslim today, on track to transforming into a Muslim-majority city within just a few decades. The work for missionaries from The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM) is challenging, but clear cut. Working hand-in-hand with InterAct, a Swedish church and mission movement, TEAM missionaries are seeing churches grow that bring the whole Gospel to the whole person in Sweden. Their strategy is to transform lives and multiply churches through relational, holistic evangelism by mentoring young leaders to reach their peers. They do this using music, art, and social caring to reach children, youth and those who have been marginalized by their society. Pray: for the work of the churches and mission groups as they seek to spread the Good News particularly in Malmo. (Ac.5.42)
The United Nations is increasingly concerned at the spread in Europe of ‘baby boxes’ where infants can be secretly abandoned by parents, warning that the practice ‘contravenes the right of the child to be known and cared for by his or her parents’, the Guardian has learned. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which reports on how well governments respect and protect children's human rights, is alarmed at the prevalence of the hatches – usually outside a hospital – which allow unwanted newborns to be left in boxes with an alarm or bell to summon a carer. Almost 200 hatches have been installed across the continent in the past decade in nations as diverse as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Czech Republic and Latvia. Since 2000, more than 400 children have been abandoned in the hatches, with faith groups and right-wing politicians spearheading the revival in the controversial practice.
Pray: that this controversial practice of ‘baby boxes’ would be curtailed and ultimately stopped. (Pr.21:21)
More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/10/unitednations-europe-news?INTCMP=SRCH
Around a million young Catholics from all around the world are streaming into Madrid for five days of prayers, processions and learning. World Youth Day opened Tuesday night with a multilingual Mass in Madrid’s Plaza de Cibeles. The youths were welcomed by the Archbishop of Madrid who told them they were part of the generation of Pope Benedict XVI. He said, ‘Your place in life has its own characteristics. Your problems and circumstances have changed. Don’t be afraid of being a saint, let Christ live in your heart. Respond to Him with a ‘yes’ that’s full of excitement and generosity of life.’ President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity said, ‘You have come to say aloud to the whole world, and in particular to Europe which is showing signs of being very lost, your unwavering ‘yes’. Yes, faith is possible,’
Pray: for the 4,000 pilgrims to rediscover and strengthen their faith and then be encouragers to their brothers and sisters across Europe. (Ps.24:7)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/world.youth.day.gets.underway.in.madrid/28451.htm
Use of the abortifacient morning-after pill in Spain has risen by 83% in 2010, the first full year of over-the-counter availability of the dangerous drug, according to a report by ANSAmed news service. The Spanish Ministry for Health approved the sale of the morning-after pill without a doctor’s prescription, and with no age restriction, in September 2009, citing a need for emergency contraception and to reduce unwanted pregnancies. ‘It is an emergency method of contraception, not to be used except in emergencies,’ said Health Minister Trinidad Jimenez in a press release at the time. ‘We don’t want it to become another means of contraception.’ However, mounting evidence has shown that the drug is both ineffective for its stated purpose of reducing unintended pregnancies, and is being abused the world over as a common method of contraception. A contraception and abortion pushing organization, RH Reality Check, admitted that the morning-after pill, ‘is not as effective in reducing unwanted pregnancy rates as we once hoped.’
Pray: for availability of the morning-after pill to be re-considered in light of these statistics.
The organization Professionals for Ethics has warned that pro-euthanasia associations, working together with the radical wing of the Socialist Party, are hoping to ‘achieve their ideological goal of making death legal,’ reports Catholic News Agency. The organization said that pro-euthanasia forces are attempting to influence local governments until euthanasia is approved at the national level. Ramona Estevez, a 90-year-old comatose woman in the city of Huelva, has become the
poster child for supporters of euthanasia. Her son recently won approval from officials in the province of Andalusia to have her feeding tube withdrawn. Dr. Maria Alonso of Professionals for Ethics pointed out that the regional law establishes that every person has the right to reject any procedure in writing that is suggested by health care workers. This can be done even if such rejection would endanger that person’s life, she added.
Pray: against this increased pressure to allow euthanasia to become law. (Job.13:14)
Gibraltar's chief minister Fabian Picardo accused Spain’s prime minister of behaving like Argentine dictator General Galtieri as Spanish officials again blocked the border. Fabian Picardo said Mariano Rajoy was fuelling the crisis to distract from his domestic troubles - just as the military junta in Buenos Aires did by ordering the invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982. The minister said, ‘What is happening in the background is that the Spanish government has been engulfed in allegations of corruption which affect Mr Rajoy himself.’ Mr Rajoy had to deny accepting illegal payments from a political slush fund while the country’s economy is a disaster area. Mr Picardo said a British prime minister facing the same allegations as Mr Rajoy ‘wouldn’t last five minutes and yet in Spain Mr Rajoy remains comfortable in his post trying to create diversions like this one’. The director general for foreign affairs at Spain’s foreign ministry, upped the rhetoric further by telling Channel 4 News, ‘We are confident that in the end that we will have Gibraltar as part of Spain.’
Pray: against cross border reckless reactions and for positive negotiation asking God to reveal and remove any hidden ungodly agendas. (Ps.37:1)
Spain's Economy Minister has dampened speculation that the country is about to seek a bailout of its bank sector. There have been reports in the last few days that Spain was seeking an immediate bailout from eurozone funds. Mr de Guindos was speaking in Brussels, where proposals aiming to avoid taxpayers having to fund future bailouts of banks have been published. An International Monetary Fund audit of Spain's banks is due next week. On Wednesday, the European Commission unveiled proposals designed to stop taxpayers' money being used to bail out failed banks. The aim is to ensure losses are borne by bank shareholders and creditors and minimise costs for taxpayers. However, new legislation is unlikely to come into force before 2014 at the earliest, too late to protect taxpayers from any further immediate bank failures.
Pray: for God’s help and to give us wisdom as the governments seek solutions to these monetory problems.
The city of Barcelona, widely known as a European Mecca of anti-clerical postmodernism, has agreed to build an official mega-mosque with a capacity for thousands of Muslim worshippers. The new structure would rival the massive Islamic Cultural Centre in Madrid, currently the biggest mosque in Spain. An official in the office of the Mayor of Barcelona says the objective is to increase the visibility of Muslims in Spain, as well as to promote the ‘common values between Islam and Europe.’ The construction of new mosques comes at a time when municipalities linked to the Socialist Party have closed dozens of Christian churches across Spain by way of new zoning laws that several courts have now ruled discriminatory and unconstitutional. The Muslim building spree reflects the rising influence of Islam in Spain, where the Muslim population has jumped to an estimated 1.5 million in 2010, up from just 100,000 in 1990, thanks to massive immigration.
Pray: for the Church in Spain to take up the challenge this new year to rebuild the walls. (Is.58:12)
More: http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=35170&PN=1&TPN=1