Paralympian raises funds for wheelchairs
16 Feb 2013British Paralympic Christian wheelchair racer, Anne Wafula Strike, is helping the charity International Nepal Fellowship (INF) to raise funds for wheelchairs for children with cerebral palsy in Nepal. Cerebral palsy is the most common cause of disability for children in Nepal. Disabled children there do not have easy access to equipment and often have to be carried around by their parents. Anne presented the Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of INF to raise funds to purchase suitable wheelchairs. She said, ‘I had to wait 29 years to receive my first wheelchair’. A wheelchair can provide independence, equality and involvement in society giving people with disabilities the chance to improve their lives and the lives of others.’
Praise: God for raising funds for and awareness of the needs of people with physical and learning disabilities. May their work reap multiplying rewards. (Ps.45:4)
More: http://www.inspiremagazine.org.uk/Stories/International?storyaction=view&storyid=291
Paraguay: 'Altar of prayer' evidence of revival
11 Oct 2012The 24 hours of uninterrupted prayer starting every Sunday at 6am involves thousands of people from all Christian denominations, in 85 locations around the country. At that time a small group gather to pray on the top of the hill called Lambaré. This hill overlooking Asunción has become an altar of prayer for many families in Paraguay. ‘Christian groups, churches and denominations, whatever we all understand that the personal, spiritual revival movement reaching out to our neighbours and the country in general, is accomplished through prayer,’ Some individuals report miracles taking place since they have gathered to pray, including people healed without any medical explanation. But above all, these believers pray for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to reach the whole the country, including government authorities. ‘There is a biblical mandate to pray for our country's authorities and we are pleading to God that they be driven by divine wisdom to do the best for our people,’ Zully Yegros, a church-goer, said.
Praise: God for the ‘altar of prayer’ and the evidence of God’s answers to prayer. (Jer.29:7)
More: http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=40661&PN=1&TPN=1
Papua New Guinea: Criminals repent publicly
11 Aug 2011During 2010, the Ukarumpa centre of Wycliffe Bible Translators and the neighbouring village in Papua New Guinea were under significant criminal activity on a nightly basis. It was a very stressful time for the local people and missionaries alike, but God was at work nonetheless. Over Easter 2011, one of the village pastors conducted an evangelistic crusade, where the criminals surrendered to Christ. As a result, in July this year, they publicly apologized to everyone for their activities. They demonstrated how they had turned their lives over to Jesus and each young man publicly apologized for his crimes. A few made a point to apologize directly to the owners of the houses they had broken into. The worship service overflowed with testimonies of how God was at work in their hearts! Also some of the missionaries repented of their lack of faith and belief to imagine how God works through prayer, and of their own lack of grace and forgiveness.
Praise: God for this wonderful testimony of His love and grace in action. (Ro.12;9)
Palestine: Hope in the midst of conflict
25 May 2012Six hundred participants came to Bethlehem from nearly two dozen countries for the recent ‘Christ at the Checkpoint’ conference. Considered a breakthrough by conference organizer Bethlehem Bible College, they focused on ‘the ministry of the Palestinian Church in the context of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.’ The organizers say the conference exceeded all expectations, and for the first time a broad spectrum of evangelical believers met literally at the ‘checkpoint,’ and engaged biblically on issues that have historically divided them. Topics included, Christian Zionism, Islam, justice, non-violence, and reconciliation. The themes created an ongoing forum for Christian peacemaking within the context of the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Issues were discussed through Bible study, interactive workshops, panels and site visits. A unique aspect of the conference was the presence of and presentations by members of the Messianic community who provided an integral contribution to the dialogue.
Praise: for The Kingdom of God to come through peace, justice and reconciliation in Palestine and Israel. (Mat.5:23,24)
More: http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2012/s12050090.htm
A 14-year-old mentally-challenged Christian girl accused of blaspheming Islam was released from a notorious prison near the capital Islamabad Saturday, September 8, and flown to an unknown location, an advocacy official involved in her case told BosNewsLife. ‘She will not go back to the same Islamabad slum area where she came from because of security concerns,’ confirmed Farrukh H Saif, executive director of Pakistan-based Human Rights group World Vision In Progress (WVIP). Video footage seen by BosNewsLife showed heavily armed Pakistani security forces escorting the young girl, who had her face covered, to an awaiting helicopter. Saif said his group is investigating media reports that she has been taken to the women department of Islamabad police headquarters following her release on bail from Adiala Jail. Pakistan's Minister for National Harmony, Paul Bhatti, did not elaborate, saying only that she was flown ‘to a safe place’ and reunited with her family.
Praise: God that the authorities have seen fit to release Rimsha Masih and pray for her safety and her family. (Ps.4:8)
Many Pakistani Christians are delighted with the news that Minorities Minister, Shahbaz Bhatti, has survived a major Government reshuffle that took place last Thursday. In recent times, Bhatti has become a lightning rod for extremists in Pakistan, who have issued multiple death threats against him, including beheading, because he had proposed an amendment to the country’s controversial blasphemy law and also his recent request for a pardon for Asia Bibi, the mother of five, who was sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy. (See Prayer Alert 5010) For many Christians in Pakistan, this is an astounding development, as there were reports that the Ministry of Minority Affairs would not be included in the new Federal Cabinet, but we have discovered that the Central Executive Committee (CEC) took notice of the concerns of the minorities and invited Mr Bhatti to the oath-taking ceremony.
Praise: God for enabling Shahbaz Bhatti to continue supporting minorities including Christians in the Federal Cabinet. Pray for his protection. (Ps.5:11)
More: http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=35655&PN=1&TPN=1
Pakistan: An encouraging story
09 Jan 2014A brother who had participated in a prayer seminar last year wrote to the conference facilitators recently and shared the following, ‘You gave me a verse and said God was going to change me and use me as an evangelist. The power of God came on me like never before. I began to go out witnessing. I have just come back from X city (known as a hard satanic place) where I have made several trips. Five non-Christian families have come to Christ. You taught us to first teach them to pray. Now we have a small prayer group there. We are praying against satanic strongholds and seeing God answer.’ He went on to say he lives in a city on the edge of the desert where there are 40 born-again Christian families. They have organized themselves into 24/7 prayer throughout the week. During Saturdays and Sunday afternoons they send evangelistic teams into the area and are seeing lives changed all around them.
Pakistan: 40 day prayer campaign
26 Jan 2012A Christian in Pakistan writes, ‘2011 saw a turning point in the Pakistani churches freedom to pray as we conducted a 40 day prayer campaign from 1st Jan to 9th Feb 2011. God did a marvellous job when 1000 churches/ groups/ ministries and individuals in 30 cities across the country prayed for thousands of hours for the church and the nation. We received many testimonies of how the Holy Spirit led people to intercede in a new way and a new passion for the country and the people with the anointing of intercession, tears, compassion as never before experienced. It did not stop there for we also witnessed churches and ministers doing other prayer initiatives during the year after the 40 day campaign. In 2012 we have again called the Pakistani Church and saints across the country to join us in another nationwide 40 day prayer campaign from 20th February to 30th March 2012 (during lent season).’
Praise: God for the way He is opening up avenues of prayer throughout Pakistan, and ask Him for more Holy anointing on the 50 cities now signed up for 2012. Alleluia! (Ps.71:14)
More: http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Prayer-Network-Pakistan/251652868252