Here is a report from contacts inside Afghanistan: “Two Afghan Christian brothers have been arrested and are in prison. Said Musa is in Kabul, and Assadullah is in Mazar-e-Sharif.
Assadullah was on trial on January 4th. He was told that either he return to Islam or be sentenced to death. He is alone and has no lawyer. Pray for Assadullah! If you have any connections with Parliamentarians or Human Rights organizations in your country, please contact them on behalf of our helpless brother.
As for Said Musa, high officials have given the assurance that Said’s life is not in danger anymore as he has been moved. At least we know that Said´s case is being considered by top officials in the Afghan Government, including Karzai, He seems to be trying to find a way to judge him for "causing problems" and not for apostasy. Because of hardliners in his government, Karzai is trying to find a "diplomatic" way to release Said. There are letters coming from Said written in prison which show that he is doing well, is strong in his faith, and is witnessing.
Pray for Asadullah and Said Musa!
PRAY for PEACE and an END to the WAR
from New York Times, December 17, 2010
As the Obama administration reviews its strategy in Afghanistan, residents and even a Taliban commander say the surge of American troops this year has begun to set back the Taliban in parts of their southern heartland and to turn people against the insurgency - at least for now.
The stepped-up operations in Kandahar Province have left many in the Taliban demoralized, reluctant to fight, and struggling to recruit, a Taliban commander said in an interview this week. Afghans with contacts in the Taliban confirmed his description. They pointed out that this was the first time in four years that the Taliban had given up their hold of all the districts around the city of Kandahar, an important staging ground for the insurgency and the focus of the 30,000 American troops whom President Obama ordered to be sent to Afghanistan last December.
A member of the NATO-led force in Afghanistan was killed on Dec 19, taking the total number of foreign troops killed in 2010 to 700, by far the deadliest year of the war since the Taliban were toppled in 2001. A total of 521 foreign troops were killed in 2009, previously the worst year of the war, but operations against the Taliban-led insurgency have increased dramatically over the past 18 months. About 2,270 foreign troops have been killed since the war began, roughly two-thirds of them Americans.
Thanks for your prayer and intercession for this country!
From one of our colleagues in West Africa:
“The November 28 presidential election was supposed to mark a turning point in Ivory Coast's decade-long crisis and restore elected constitutional rule to a country divided into rival northern- and southern-armed camps. But the electoral body did not get to announce any winner before the two presidential candidates declared themselves winners in the election. It is being alleged that the opposition candidate Quattara defeated the incumbent Laurent Gbagbo in the elections. Since the inconclusive election, there have been a series of demonstrations and strikes. But for the presence of the United Nations troops, the situation would have degenerated into a full-scale conflict. Côte d'Ivoire represents the economic hub and nerve centre in French West Africa.
Please pray:
1. For a restoration of peace in this French West African country.
2. That a civil war should not break out as West Africa cannot afford to experience another civil war.
3. That the two political parties at the center of this political disagreement will be able to resolve their differences to avoid a further deterioration of the situation.
4. For the Church, missionaries, and Christians in Côte d’Ivoire to be strengthened and sustained by the Lord. Côte d’Ivoire is a base for many missionary organizations in West Africa.
5. For God’s provision and support to the women, children and the less privileged who are easily the first victims in a tensed political situation as this.”
North Korea had been threatening “catastrophe” if the South Koreans went ahead with a live-fire military exercise in the same area of the island that was shelled by the North a few weeks back. The latest is that the North Korean regime says that it will not retaliate and that they are ready to enter into dialogue with the South Korea and the US as well as making other concessions. "We are ready to meet anyone, anytime and anywhere, letting bygones be bygones, if he or she is willing to hand-in-hand with us," the statement said." Dialogue and negotiations cannot be properly conducted nor can they make smooth progress ... when mud-slinging and provocative acts against each other are allowed."
Please pray for the Korean Peninsula:
1. That His peace will be upon the Korean peninsula and for honest and open negotiations to take place between the North and South.
2. That current state of tension would bring about His best purposes for the liberation of North Korea and the reconciliation and reunification of these two sister nations.
3. Pray for the effective organization of the September 19-21 “Prayer Initiative for North Korea” (PINK) to be held in South Korea for the purpose of gathering South Korean church and prayer leaders to pray for the liberation of North Korea and for the reintegration of the Korean peninsula.
Approximately 500 "leaders of leaders" (presidents of pastors and church associations) from all 31 Mexico states, plus the Distrito Federal and 19 members of the North American Prayer Initiative from the USA and Canada, gathered in Mexico City, November 14-17, 2010, for four days of intensive prayer for the nation. Additionally, thousands world wide, including thousands of children in India, Indonesia, and South Africa joined the initiative “in the Spirit”, to stand in agreement that the Lord would release Mexico from gang violence, death, corruption, and other crimes.
Canadian team members facilitated a time of reconciliation. The twelve leaders of the national prayer network made a "covenant of unity" renouncing critical statements and divisive activities, and the Lord began to move in a mighty way.
Among the many high points was the reading of a letter by Ruth Ruibal, widow of Pastor Julio Ruibal of Cali, Columbia, who was martyred while leading Cali churches in praying down the drug cartels in their city and nation. His death brought the Christian leaders together to pray and act with one heart. Her letter was read out aloud in Spanish after the showing of a video on the transformation that has occurred in Cali through united prayer. This message touched everybody’s heart and set the stage for God to move in Mexico’s future.
A second and equally significant blessing was the participation and opportunity to pray with Margarita Zavala, First Lady and wife of Mexican president Felipe Calderon. The children and youth prayed for her and her husband, President Felipe Calderon, in their struggle to rid Mexico of the drug cartels and the extreme violence. The First Lady appeared moved by this act of blessing and protection and expressed her appreciation for the Mexico Prayer Initiative.
On the last day, opposite the presidential palace, local leaders both stood and knelt over a large map of the nation. Together, they affirmed their unity with a time of heartfelt intercession for the nation that was powerful. ENLACE, the Christian TV channel took video of the initiative and also interviewed many of us for a program that will be shared not only across Mexico but also in other parts of Latin America.
The effects of the prayer initiative are already bearing fruit. Within days of the initiative’s closing, Mexico has experienced significant gains against the drug cartels. On November 29, 2010, the BBC reported that Mexican police arrested an alleged leader of the Aztecas street gang that is blamed for much of the violence in Ciudad Juarez on the US-Mexico border. Arturo Gallegos Castrellon was captured at the weekend in Juarez, which has seen some 2,700 murders this year. He confessed to ordering most of the killings in Juarez since August 2009, including that of a US consular employee, police said.
It is time to redouble our prayer efforts and hold Mexico and its leaders before the Lord.
Please pray for Mexico:
1. That the Lord would protect, encourage, and guide Mexico’s political and spiritual leaders in the months and years ahead.
2. That the Lord would likewise protect their families and the support services (e.g. military and police) in the enforcement of law without corruption or failure.
3. That the Christian leaders of Mexico stay united and mutually supportive in their common task of leading the nation towards Jesus Christ.
4. That the drug cartels and related organizations “lose heart”, shut down, and give up their criminal operations.
5. That these organizations experience complete confusion in their ability to communicate and coordinate criminal business activities.
6. That the commercial void created by the cartel/gang abandoning this activity will not be filled by other criminal groups.
7. That the people of Mexico renounce the culture of death that embraces a syncretism with Santa Muerte and other ancient spirits of darkness and destruction.
8. That Jesus Christ be the center of hope and life for all Mexico. (Ezekiel 37 and John 10:10).
(Highlight notes as reported by George & Evi Markakis, Shalom Center, Athens, who were guests at this meeting. An official report can come only from the leadership of the European Union of Prayer (EUOP). The meeting took place on November 30, 2010, in Brussels, and was organized by Ortwin Schweitzer and the European Union of Prayer. )
The meeting began with worship, and the Spirit gathered 8 or 9 ministries/networks as one. Self-introductions of each ministry acquainted everyone in a humble way and set a good tone for the meetings. Each ministry/network commented on essentials pertaining to Europe. Several prayer leaders encouraged and inspired to work to change and save Europe. “Israel” factored into topics. Tomas Sandell emphasized the relevance of Israel for the European affairs of our days through historical references and sharing of certain values and projects of the European Coalition for Israel which aim at affecting the politics of Europe in the “right” direction and dealing with the problem of anti-Semitism.
Please pray for Europe:
1. For the HOPE for EUROPE II conference, May 9-13, 2011, in Budapest, Hungary. Specific prayer requests found at www.hfe.org
2. For Operation Capitals of Europe’s planning meetings on January 14-27, 2011, in Strasbourg, Luxembourg, and Brussels—especially for planning clarification.
3. For a possible Gatekeepers of Europe prayer retreat in Athens and Corinth. Pray for quieting the soul to listen for God’s direction on this.
4. For a possible combined European Networks project concerning the Olympic Games in 2012 and calling for all the Prayer Networks of Europe to respond to the cry of the Continent against the pagan/demonic influence emanating from the Olympic Games’ rituals.
Portions of a letter are as follows:
We appreciate for your prayers that made our children happy and experience the love of God. There were about 1250 children as few of the children's homes did not come as
they had school examinations. Few disabled and mentally retarded children performed their performance which made many of the children and adults emotional. The street children's drama about the problems of the street by the children from Karuna Nepal, an organization working with the street kids also made people stop to pray and think for the children of the street. Balloon flying and puppet show were quite exiting moments for the children as they liked it very much.
Mr. Gagan Thapa, member of Parliament and the chair of Children's fundamental rights in the parliament promised to help to get the citizenship of the children of the children's homes as well as the children of the street. (In Nepal, children are having a great problem regarding receiving citizenship whose parents are not identified.)
Finally they received Christmas presents (a warm winter jacket) which made them very happy, especially about 100 children from slum area and about 60 from street. They also enjoyed breakfast and lunch packed which contained chicken, fried noodles and rice, naan bread, an orange, desert some chocolate items.
We praise God that in His mercy that the program was successful…The program was organized on Dec. 12 at Somang Academy's ground, Thecho where about 100 volunteers actively cared the children.
Please pray for the Nepal children:
1. That God would meet their physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs.
2. That they could gain citizenship in their country.
3. For adequate funding for all the programs to educate, feed, and clothe.
4. That the mentally challenged would find the love and help they need.
The Intercessors Network of Pakistan encourages 40 days of prayer and fasting, hoping to enlist churches throughout the country to commit. This follows a precedent set in an earlier 40-day campaign in August-September, 2010. The campaign is based on 2nd Chronicles 7:14 and aimed to motivate the church to pray for the country and for God’s people to seek His face and intercede for the healing of the Land.
Prayers will be for a national spiritual revival against social injustices, social evils, against corruption, violence, terrorism, extremism, praying for strength for the Pakistani Church and Christians in the face of ongoing persecution, and for humanitarian emergencies along with many other national concerns. The campaign will also be a coordinated effort for future prayer mobilization, so that towns, cities and rural areas throughout the country will become filled with ongoing prayer and intercession for the manifestation of His Kingdom values in the churches and the Nation.
We are also aiming to use the campaign as a springboard to ignite new prayer initiatives. This campaign will mobilize up to 500 plus churches/groups/ministries and individuals in 30 cities across the country. We have faith that this prayer campaign will mobilize 25,000-plus Christians to pray during these 40 days and raise a much needed prayer cover of 24/7 during these 40 days for Pakistan.
Please pray for Pakistan:
1. For unity among Christians/church leaders and denominational barriers coming down.
2. For abolition or repeal of the blasphemy laws and for the Christian brothers and a sister who are in prison facing trials, falsely accused under this law.
3. For safety and security of brothers and sisters who live under constant threat of being persecuted under the blasphemy laws, especially in Punjab.
4. For sustainability of 24/7 and other prayer watches that are going on, that the Pakistani church will understand the power of corporate prayers, and that churches will move into a culture of prayer.
5. For a spiritual awakening of the church on a national level so that the gospel can spread across the country.
6. Pray for the end of different types of shortages that are occurring in Pakistan: water, electricity, natural gas, food commodities like, cooking oil, sugar etc. That the government will take sincere measures to resolve these issues which are making the everyday life miserable.
7. That the rising extremism and radicalization will be curbed and that the strong- holds of terrorism in the country will be destroyed.
8. That the Pakistani church will be especially focusing prayer against corruption in all spheres of life and praying for the strongholds to be taken down.
9. For the government and judiciary to put their own house in order and take extreme measures against this evil.
In Jesus Name Productions (IJNP) is scheduling a world-wide release on Easter 2012 and asks the IPC prayer community to become part of this endeavor by way of sustained prayer.
Besides the prayer requests for the movie that John Robb mentioned in the opening greeting, please pray for IJNP:
1. That the Lord will continue to grow the relationships He established while the team was at the 2010 Lausanne Congress.
2. That many will come alongside to join the effort and to pray for the project and for the hearts of those that will be impacted by this film and by Christians around the world.
3. For God to bring divine appointments and introductions of key leaders, investors, and influencers from around the world.
4. That the Lord will prepare the ground for The Messiah to reach the ends of the earth and for the hearts of people to be ready to hear the message of the Gospel.
For more information, please go to http://www.injesusnameproductions.org