USA: Prayer and fasting for the nation
06 Feb 2015
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal hosted a major event for Christian pastors called The Response - Louisiana: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis’. He invited 49 of his fellow U.S. governors to attend the event and he decried societal issues. Jindal, a Republican and a former Hindu who converted to Catholicism, listed societal plights needing prayer and input from his fellow governors. They were the fatherless, the need for building new homes, an epidemic of drugs and crime, a saturation of pornography and an increase in the polarisation, division, and hopelessness amongst many. He said that America needs trust, respect and civility restored. Jindal cited biblical texts to call his fellow political leaders to pray on behalf of the nation in an effort to ‘appeal to heaven for heaven’s intervention.’
A report released on religious freedom violations in Mexico by Christian Solidarity Worldwide reveals that more Roman Catholic priests and lay leaders were killed in Mexico in 2014 than in any other country in the world. (Christian leaders from other denominations face similar threats from criminal groups.) Religious freedom violations taking place on a regular basis across Mexico are exacerbated by inaction by the state and federal governments to proactively uphold religious freedom, or hold those responsible for criminal acts in the name of religion to account. Also the rise of powerful criminal groups who consider churches an attractive target for extortion and fronts for money laundering in the country has had a chilling effect on religious freedom. Religious intolerance is particularly high in the states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Hidalgo, Puebla and Guerrero
Global: Medical missions
06 Feb 2015
Ebola in Africa, refugee crises growing around the world, violence from Muslim extremists that’s hitting every continent on a regular basis. There continue to be victims from every single scenario and the needs of these victims are reshaping the skills called upon in medical missions. Anne Lucas from e3 Partners, says, ‘Our mission is to model the healing, teaching and preaching ministry of Jesus. Not just doing medical clinics in the countries we serve, but to share the Gospel and to start churches.’ Through medical missions, e3 and other similar agencies are able to reach out into communities that are difficult to connect with globally and the need for medical mission is growing.
Global: Medical missions
06 Feb 2015
Ebola in Africa, refugee crises growing around the world, violence from Muslim extremists that’s hitting every continent on a regular basis. There continue to be victims from every single scenario and the needs of these victims are reshaping the skills called upon in medical missions. Anne Lucas from e3 Partners, says, ‘Our mission is to model the healing, teaching and preaching ministry of Jesus. Not just doing medical clinics in the countries we serve, but to share the Gospel and to start churches.’ Through medical missions, e3 and other similar agencies are able to reach out into communities that are difficult to connect with globally and the need for medical mission is growing.
In mid-January a judge upheld one of two administrative fines totalling three months' average wages imposed on a Protestant-run drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre in Sychevka in north-eastern Kazakhstan. She refused to explain why the authorities and the Court are punishing the charity work of the Protestants who only seek to help individuals with addiction problems. ‘We've given our decision, and you can read what's in there,’ she told Forum 18 News Service. ‘I'm not going to discuss it with you over the phone.’ The authorities have tried to punish the Centre since 2010. After four years' investigation the police had to abandon a criminal case of inciting ‘religious hatred’ for lack of evidence. Two administrative cases were then launched, which resulted in the fines and suspension of activity for three months. Kazakhstan's harsh Religion Law bans almost any religious activity away from state-registered religious premises see Kazakhstan religious freedom survey
Clashes broke out again between the Kachin Independece Army and the Burmese Army on 15 Jan. On the 19 Jan two Christian volunteer teachers were raped and killed and 2,000+ Christian-majority Kachin had to flee their homes to safety. Seizing the village of Hpakant, the Burmese Army has trapped its 1,000 remaining residents, allowing no one to leave and no aid to get in. Even Church leaders have been prevented from entering the village to help the situation. The Kachin are a mainly Christian Burmese people group. Over 200,000 Kachin have been displaced since June 2011 many are living in camps. Barnabas Fund has assisted them with emergency food aid, school materials, basic living supplies, shoes and raincoats for children, and Bibles in the Kachin language. (Burma Day of Prayer in 2015 is Saturday 14 March)
INSIGHT Nigeria: Pre election prayer needed
06 Feb 2015
Boko Haram and other militants have stepped up attacks in the run-up to Nigeria’s election on 14 Feb. On Monday a suicide bomber killed one bystander and injured 18, just minutes after the President left a campaign rally in the north. He addressed the rally after two blasts killed five people the previous day at the same location. Last week the African Union backed plans for a 7,500-strong regional fighting force to be deployed against Boko Haram. However Boko Haram is not the only challenge to Nigeria’s future. Explosions also ripped through court buildings in three towns in oil-rich southern Nigeria in coordinated attacks. Boko Haram is not known to be active in the oil-producing region, but there are militants there who are living in poverty and demanding a greater share of Nigeria's oil wealth who have carried out attacks in the past For INSIGHTS into key influences on Nigeria’s most momentous election since 1999 click the 'More' button
Iran: Khamenei’s message to the West
05 Feb 2015
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has posted an open letter to Western youth on his website, asking them to ‘gain direct and first-hand knowledge’ about Islam instead of information based on ‘resentments and prejudices.’ It might be the first time a senior Islamic cleric has directly addressed the youth of the West about his religion. The letter was posted just two weeks after the 7 January attacks by Islamist extremists in Paris. Part of the letter says, ‘I don’t insist that you accept my reading or any other reading of Islam. What I want to say is: Don’t allow the extremists this dynamic and effective reality in today’s world to be introduced to you through resentments and prejudices. Don’t allow them to hypocritically introduce their own recruited terrorists as representatives of Islam. Gain information about Islam through the Qur’an.’