In what has been called Myanmar's ‘Tiananmen moment’, Sister Ann Roza knelt in front of armed security forces to stop them firing on civilians. She was giving treatment at a clinic when groups of protesters passed by; then they were fired on and beaten by the police and military. ‘I was shocked and thought today is the day I will die. I was asking and begging them not to do it and was crying like a mad person, like a mother hen protecting the chicks. I thought it would be better that I die instead of lots of people. I was crying out loud. My throat was in pain. My intention was to help people escape and be free to protest and to stop the security forces. I was begging them. At that time I was not afraid.’

While working at an Afghan eye hospital, Dan took a fortnight’s trip to Iran which turned into a nine-week nightmare. He was falsely charged with spying and being a missionary and imprisoned in a small dark room, being interrogated and beaten by prison guards. Then he recalls, ‘As I lay on the ground, all of a sudden, the room fills with this glorious light. And I turned around to see what was going on, and there was Jesus. It was at that lowest point that He met me.’ Jesus provided strength to continue and even befriend the guards who beat him, and the courage to boldly proclaim his faith in front of his accusers and an Iranian judge. ‘I preached and told everyone who Jesus is and how much he loved them.’ Not long after he was released. He now trains people to serve in missions.

Praise God for all 88 children rescued during Operation Smile in South Asia. This was a police campaign focused on finding missing children and rescuing child labourers. IJM is so grateful for the tireless work of the authorities. Please pray for the children’s aftercare and safety, and that the government can reunite them with their parents, if safe. Also praise God for a significant conviction in Kenya of a police officer who shot a fisherman and then accused two bystanders of a crime to keep them quiet about the murder. It took five years to complete the trial. Please pray that the news of this conviction would be heard far and wide, so that police would know there is accountability under the law and any abuse of defenseless citizens will result in prosecution.

Four days before an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Markle was claimed by unidentified sources to have bullied three personal assistants. The royal household launched an investigation, and will speak to current and former staff. See Since the interview, front pages and TV screens everywhere have commented on the ‘royals in crisis’ over mixed-race skin colour comments, family dysfunction and no emotional support for Markle’s mental health struggles. The senior royals released a statement asserting that while some recollections of incidents may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. They confirmed that ‘Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members’.