Azerbaijan: Act now to save Greater Grace Church
10 May 2012As Baku basks in the excitement of hosting the Eurovision Song Contest on May 26, members of at least one church in the Azerbaijan capital will find it hard to join in the celebrations. On April 25, a court in Baku ordered Greater Grace Church to be liquidated – the first known closure of a religious community under the controversial Law on Freedom of Religion passed in 2009. This law requires the compulsory re-registration of all religious communities in Azerbaijan. Greater Grace contends that it had no formal notice of the need to re-register – and no warning of impending legal action against it. Christians in this mainly Muslim, South Caucasian nation fear that the judge’s decision could set a worrying precedent for other churches. To date, officials have acted in secret to close down churches, raiding premises, banning worship, confiscating literature and imposing fines. Now, it’s feared they could act openly, with the backing of the law.
Pray: for the Church within Azerbaijan that this so called new Law of Freedom would be reversed. (Jas.2:12)
More: http://www.releaseinternational.org/pages/take-action/saving-grace.php
Next week Australian schools, parishes and youth groups will engage young people in the contentious debate currently taking place in Australia around refugee and asylum seekers. A coalition of Australian Christian development agencies is inviting schools to tackle the issue as part of Simply Sharing Week 2010 which encourages Australians to learn about and become involved in issues of social justice. The educational resource, 'See the Real Me, not Just the Refugee', includes real-life stories of refugees and provides age-relevant classroom activities and Bible studies.
Pray: that the youth of Australia will pass on perceptive Christian values to the wider community on the refugee issues that Australia faces. (Ex.22:21)
More: http://au.christiantoday.com/article/australian-students-challenge-refugee-stereotypes/8345.htm
Australia: Monstrous bush fires
11 Jan 2013Due to record-breaking temperatures, high winds and drought, the Australian island state of Tasmania is battling sweeping bushfires that have left thousands stranded and hundreds of others homeless. Now the record-breaking heat wave is moving through other parts of Australia and officials are fearing the worst. Four hundred and thirty seven fire trucks and over 1000 fire-fighters are battling over 137 separate fires in New South Wales. These are some of the worst fire conditions in the states history with blazes un-contained. Fires are also near the South Australian border and a blaze near south-west Victoria could double in size due to strong winds. If so, the fire would be uncontrollable. As locals brace for what is yet to come, humanitarian organisations are working round the clock to relieve those affected by the catastrophe.
Pray: for the hundreds who have lost their homes and fled the fires, for those who are so far unable to contact 'lost' relatives in the disaster areas. And pray for the hard-pressed fire-fighters.
More: http://presstv.com/detail/2013/01/08/282518/fire-risk-threatens-australian-state/
A report from Anglicare Victoria shows 25% of emergency relief clients cannot afford prescription medication, ½ cannot afford dental treatment and one in five are too poor to eat a good meal once a day. The 2011 Hardship Survey gives a graphic insight into the daily challenges facing low income families. 55% had an ongoing disability or medical condition but ¼ could not afford to buy medicine prescribed by physicians. Other unaffordable items included no home contents insurance or comprehensive car insurance leaving them vulnerable in cases of robberies or accidents. Families and individuals are pushed to the edge week in and week out and are just a sickness or car accident away from crippling financial debt they may never recover from. In the wake of recent fires and floods in Australia many emergency relief clients are in a debt spiral and unable to make ends meet.
Pray: for all receiving emergency relief to be able to cope and to come to know God and His provision for their future. (Tit.3:4-5)
The Australian Christian Lobby is calling for the Australian Government to make representations to the Iranian Government about Christian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani who has been sentenced to death in Iran. ACL’s Lyle Shelton said the case is in conflict with the religious provisions of Iran’s constitutional law and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which allows freedom of religion and freedom to change one’s religion. ‘We join with many churches and groups nationally and internationally to condemn the death sentence of Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani', Mr Shelton said. Meanwhile some are saying ‘placing Pastor Yousef’s case into the hands of high Supreme Leader Ali Khameini could make or break his chances of an acquittal.’ (See last week's Prayer Alert) Voice of the Martyrs director said, ‘Whatever decision is made there will be a hefty amount of people who are not happy with it.’ see:
Pray: for international condemnation to succeed in bringing Iran to recognising religious freedom. (Ps.45:4)
A hardline Islamic group Hzb at-Tahrir, said the Australian government was trying to ‘brainwash’ their children and that they should resist any attempts to water down their strict view of Islam. ‘The government is playing a dirty game,’ Wassim Doureihi told a 600-strong audience in Sydney. The group launched a 124-page report on what it sees as Australian government attempts to divide the Muslim community into extremists and moderates. ‘The fundamental objective of these policies is to change Islam, to secularise Islam, to produce a so-called 'moderate Islam' - a state-sanctioned version of Islam that is secular, politically impotent and localised.’ Mr Doureihi warned the audience of ‘a war that is being waged on Islam in Australia as it is in the rest of the world.’ A Fellow speaker said the Australian government had arrogantly assumed that because Muslim youth went to their schools and watch their TV shows they would adopt Australian values. See also:
Pray: against Hizb ut-Tahrir and their attempts with other groups to instil global sharia law. (Is.17:13)
Australia: Bushfires in the most populous state
26 Oct 2013The warmest winter and hottest September on record plus half the normal amount of spring rainfall left the land tinder-dry. Compounding matters is widespread lightning accompanying storms with little to no rain. One in three Australians lives in New South Wales. Local officials fear that three large fires spreading through the Blue Mountains could merge to form one huge inferno. 1,000+ firefighters (mostly volunteers) are battling blazes across an area the size of Los Angeles. A state of emergency gives firefighters and police the authority to cut off water, power and gas and order mandatory evacuations of areas at risk. A total fire ban is in place for the Greater Sydney region - meaning no fire may be lit in the open, and all fire permits are suspended. The Rural Fire Service said an investigation had found a department of defence training exercise was responsible for causing the blaze, which has burnt out more than 46,000 hectares in one of the fire areas.
Pray: for the hundreds of families who are now homeless, those living in shelters having lost everything and pray also for God’s protection over the firefighters.
More: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/21/world/asia/australia-fires/
Asian countries financial crimes
30 Dec 2012The developing world lost nearly US$1 trillion in 2010 as a result of corruption, tax evasion, and other financial crimes not involving cash transactions, according to a report by Global Financial Integrity. Corruption has grown steadily over the past decade despite unprecedented efforts by governments and non-governmental organizations to curb it. Much of the proceeds of drug trafficking, human smuggling, and other criminal activities, which are often settled in cash, are not included in these estimates. The 80-page report found that China suffered the greatest losses followed by Mexico, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Russia. Other countries that were ranked in the top 10 for 2010 losses included Iraq, Nigeria, Costa Rica, the Philippines and Thailand. Developing economies are haemorrhaging more and more money at a time when rich and poor countries alike are struggling to spur economic growth. This report should be a wake-up call to world leaders that more must be done to address these harmful outflows.
Pray: for an end to the astronomical sums flowing out of the developing world into off-shore tax havens and developed-country banks. (Pr.18:5)
More: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/NL19Dj03.html