We have already sent hundreds of invites, commitment forms to churches and ministries across 50 cities in all the provinces. Thousands of posters, handbills, and printed prayer points have already reached people who took part in the last year’s campaign. About 70 coordinators/facilitators and volunteers will be motivating new churches and ministries to be a part of this campaign. We hope to register 2000 churches/ groups/ ministries and individuals across the country to pray targeted strategic prayers for the Pakistani Church and Country during these 40 days.
Therefore we urge you to kind pray for this campaign and its success and for the core team in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, 70 plus facilitators and coordinators (around the country) and for hundreds of churches, groups, ministries and families taking part in this campaign.
There is a major arms buildup going on as Gulf states respond to the rising threat of Iran in the region that could threaten their security. They are buying billions of dollars of weapons from U.S. defense firms. Iran continues to flex its muscles within Iraq and elsewhere, and some American intelligence officials have warned that it may try to strike the United States with a terror attack.
Potential Dangers with Iran
“Iran is striking back at countries that have imposed sanctions with military and economic threats and may soon be willing to launch attacks on its enemies in the West. European countries are likely to be the first targets of economic reprisals given the announcement by Tehran that it may immediately cut off oil exports to Europe ahead of the EU embargo taking effect. Several large multinational corporations, including British/Dutch oil company Royal Dutch Shell (London: RDSA) as well as Japanese and South Korean companies such as Mazda, Kia, and Samsung do significant business in Iran and could be expelled because of support of sanctions by their home countries.
This week, the seriousness of Iranian defiance of international pressure over its nuclear weapons program was brought into sharper focus. On Sunday, an Iranian parliament member said his country may respond to the EU oil embargo – scheduled to be gradually implemented over the next five months – by banning oil sales to Europe for five to 15 years. Iran reportedly will cut off of sales of oil to Europe next week. On Tuesday, the U.S. intelligence community warned in its annual worldwide threat report to Congress that Iranian leaders are now willing to launch attacks inside the United States, basing this assessment on the uncovered Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States in a restaurant in Georgetown, in Washington, D.C.”
February 2, LIGNET.com
Please pray for the economic sanctions to have their desired impact so that Iran is dissuaded from continuing its nuclear program that could destabilize and threaten many other nations in the region and elsewhere. Pray for His peace in the Middle East to be restored and maintained and for His protection over the USA and other Western countries from terrorist attacks.
Open Doors has offered some excellent resources to help us pray for persecuted believers and their nations. Please have a look at them, share them with your church or prayer group and remember them in your prayer. Here are the helpful links to find information and prayer items for each of the 50 nations:
http://www.opendoors.org/
http://www.opendoorsusa.org/persecution/country-profiles/
http://www.opendoorsuk.org/resources/country_profiles.php
Open Doors 2012 World Watch List reports that “North Korea tops the list for the 10th straight time as the country where Christians face the most severe persecution, while Islamic-majority countries represent nine of the top 10 and 38 of the 50 countries on the annual ranking.
Afghanistan (2), Saudi Arabia (3), Somalia (4), Iran (5) and the Maldives (6) form a bloc where indigenous Christians have almost no freedom to openly worship. For the first time Pakistan (10) entered the top 10, after a tumultuous year during which the nation’s highest-ranking Christian politician, Cabinet Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, was assassinated for his attempts to change the blasphemy law. The rest of the top 10 is composed of Uzbekistan (7), Yemen (8) and Iraq (9). Laos was the lone country to drop from the top 10 list, falling to No. 12 from No. 10.
While persecution has worsened due to persecution by Muslim extremists, without question North Korea once again deserves its No. 1 ranking. Defiantly Communist, North Korea built a bizarre quasi-religion around the founder of the country, Kim Il-Sung. Anyone with ‘another god’ is automatically persecuted. The estimated 200,000 to 400,000 Christians in this country must remain deeply underground. An estimated 50,000 to 70,000 Christians are held in ghastly prison camps. “How the death of Kim Jong-Il last month and the coming to power of his son Kim Jong-Un will affect the status of Christians in North Korea is hard to determine at this early stage,” Open Doors USA President/CEO Dr. Carl Moeller said. “Certainly the situation for believers remains perilous. Please pray with me that the Lord will open up North Korea and there will be religious freedom to worship the One, true God, not the gods of Kim Jong-Il and Kim Il-Sung.”
"Being a Muslim Background Believer is a huge challenge."
There are significant moves on the World Watch List, including Sudan moving up 19 spots to No. 16 – the biggest leap of any country from 2011. Nigeria jumped 10 spots to No. 13. Egypt, racked by violent protests and upheaval during the Arab Spring, rose four positions to No. 15. Increased Islamic extremism triggered the upward movement of Sudan, Nigeria and Egypt. “Being a Muslim Background Believer or ‘Secret Believer’ Christian in a Muslim-dominated country is a huge challenge. Christians often face persecution from extremists, the government, their community and even their own families,” said Moeller. “As the 2012 World Watch List reflects, the persecution of Christians in these Muslim countries continues to increase. While many thought the Arab Spring would bring increased freedom, including religious freedom for minorities, that certainly has not been the case so far.”
In July 2011 southern Sudan, which is mostly Christian, seceded to become an independent country, called South Sudan, leaving the Christians of North Sudan much more isolated under President Omar al-Bashir. In response to the loss of the south, al-Bashir vowed to make constitutional changes to make his country even more Islamic. On the ground the military has attacked Christian communities in battles over resources with many being killed.
Nigeria remains the country with the worst atrocities in terms of lives lost. More than 300 Christians were martyred last year in Nigeria, though the actual number is believed to be double or triple that number. The total is probably greater in North Korea, but impossible to confirm due to its isolation. Since 2009 the extreme Islamic group Boko Haram has destroyed more than 50 churches and killed 10 pastors in Nigeria.
Christians in Egypt experienced a disastrous start to 2011 when a bombing at the Coptic Orthodox Church of Saint Mark and Pope Peter in Alexandria killed 21 Christians on New Year’s Day. After the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak in February, hopes soared for new freedoms for all Egyptians. But on Oct. 9 the military turned on its own citizens in the Maspero massacre in Cairo, killing 27 Coptic Christian demonstrators. At the close of 2011, Islamist parties flourished in the November elections, prompting some to speak of an Arab Winter instead of an Arab Spring for Christians. "We wouldn't be growing if we didn't have a price to pay for our witness."
China still has the world’s largest persecuted church of 80 million, but it dropped out of the top 20 this year to No. 21. Last year China ranked No. 16. This is due in large part to the house church pastors learning how to play ‘cat and mouse’ with the government. The good news behind the bad news of rising persecution is an increase in church growth, which often results from the persecution itself. A pastor in Iran states: “We wouldn’t be growing if we didn’t have a price to pay for our witness.”
The WWL is based on a questionnaire devised by Open Doors to measure the degree of persecution in over 60 countries. The questionnaires are filled out by Open Doors field personnel working in the countries, and cross-checked with independent experts, to arrive at a quantitative score per country. Countries are then ranked according to points received. An estimated 100 million Christians worldwide suffer interrogation, arrest and even death for their faith in Christ, with millions more facing discrimination and alienation. Open Doors supports and strengthens believers in the world's most difficult areas through Bible and Christian literature distribution, leadership training and assistance, Christian community development, prayer and presence ministry and advocacy on behalf of suffering believers. “
Dear Praying Friends!
My heart is so broken for my nation! The nation is under huge attack from the evil one! Egyptians against Egyptians. Chaos. Almost no security existing!
Last night, February 1st, after a soccer game, 74 people were killed and about 300 injured. Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16848473
This is a cry on behalf of 88 million people in Egypt!
• Pray for mercy.
• Pray for the Christians to have the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
• Pray that the Lord would expose the evil one and his plans to steal, destroy, and kill.
• Let the Lord give you His heart for Egypt.
Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for standing at this urgent time of need!
Please pray for Mozambique. Visit www.prayformozambique.com/
From Norm Johnson:
“After the loss of thousands of lives in South Sudan, affecting the lives of more than 100,000 people recently in South Sudan, we received notice of a peace initiative represented by people from the various fighting tribes. Below is the press release of what is known as the Jonglei Peace Initiative. Please pray for an end to the hostilities and that God will use people to his glory and for the sake of his kingdom.
Jonglei Peace Initiative
For Immediate Release January 23, 2012
Found on the second half of this web page: http://dailycollegian.com/2012/01/23/photo-south-sudan-gothic/
Washington, D.C. – Twenty-five South Sudanese Diaspora community leaders from across North America, including both Canada and the USA, gathered in Washington, DC, January 21-22, 2012, and focused on helping bring peace to their native state of Jonglei in the new country of the Republic of South Sudan. We are known as the Jonglei Peace Initiative (JPI) and include men and women from the Anyuak, Nuer, Murle, and Dinka people. Officials from the Embassy of South Sudan and international resource people joined us. We have agreed to call ourselves JPI — USA.
Here is a list of quick links you can use to fine out more:
• http://www.thecryhollywood.com/PromoDownload.html (Download a 30-second promo video or a 2-minute vision-casting video to play at a service.)
• https://www.facebook.com/events/314771641871937/ (Invite people through the Facebook event page.)
• http://www.thecryhollywood.com/Promo.html (Go to the online promo page with posters, social media links, videos, and more!)
The organizers write: “We would be honored if you join with other leaders from LA, America, and beyond for this strategic day of prayer. Your presence is powerful. If you are planning to come, please let us know so we can be sure and get you on the VIP seating list. You can connect with us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..”
“Fox News Latino reported this week that Mexico is the world's No. 2 producer of child pornography and is classified as a source, transit and destination country for people traffickers involved in sexual exploitation, Mexico lawmakers said.
Child pornography is the number two illegal business, trailing only drug trafficking, and generates $42 billion annually, Special Committee to Fight People Trafficking chairwoman Rosi Orozco said. Approximately 50% of those trafficked are children and teenagers. Orozco reported that only two Mexican states have handed down convictions for child pornography and only 19 jurisdictions in the entire nation of Mexico have laws against child pornography. Orozco introduced a bill in August 2011 to ban and punish people trafficking; it is still awaiting action.
First Lady Margarita Calderon stated that Mexico must bolster its judicial and public safety institutions to fight people trafficking and child pornography.
Child sex trafficking also thrives in communities across Arizona and along the Southwest border where vulnerable young girls and children as young as 13 years old are exploited and often abducted from their schools and local shopping malls. To add to this tragic fact, these children are physically and emotionally scarred for life. Many of them are sold and smuggled to parts unknown to be discarded later as used merchandise never to be found again.
PRAY:
O LORD, You have heard the cry of the afflicted; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear to vindicate and free the orphan, the captive and the oppressed, so that man will no longer cause them terror (A prayer fashioned from Psalms 10:17).
Heavenly Father, awaken me to these horrible realities beyond my sight. Give me a deep and godly compassion for the fatherless, the enslaved and the oppressed.
Protect Congresswoman Rosi Orozco and give favor nationally for her bill to stop child sexual exploitation; that legislation will come quickly. Continue to pray for Ms. Orozco's success in her in fight against sex trafficking (Psalms 82:3-4).
To put an end to those producers of child pornography. For the sexual exploitation business to be shut down and be put out of business.
For those addicted to pornography to come to Christ Jesus and be forgiven, set freed and delivered.
Answered Prayer!
The Mexican security forces have arrested 11 alleged members of the country's most powerful drug gang, the Sinaloa cartel. They said those detained worked for Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman, the most wanted man in Mexico. They were arrested during a helicopter raid on a ranch in the north-western state of Durango on Friday. During the raid, elite troops killed the regional leader of the gang, Luis Alberto Cabrera Sarabia. The security forces said his death was a severe blow to the Sinaloa cartel's operations in Durango and Chihuahua. Mr. Cabrera Sarabia is accused of having controlled much of the drug trafficking in the two northern states.
We continue to pray for the capture of Joaqin El Chapo "Shorty" Guzman. We declare he WILL be captured this year!”