East Africa: triple tragedy
14 May 2020
Torrential rains causing floods and landslides displaced 100,000 people and killed about 200 in Kenya. Floods destroyed 8,000 acres of crops, and the extreme rainfall will continue until the end of May. In Uganda, a river burst its banks, causing people to flee for safety. The waters of Lake Victoria have risen to unprecedented heights, forcing shoreline communities to abandon their homes. Rwanda, too, has seen houses, roads, and crops destroyed, and many killed by mudslides. At the same time, trillions of locusts have descended on the region. They can travel over 100 miles a day. There are 18 separate swarms in Kenya at present, and weather conditions are expected to favour breeding, so that a third generation could hatch in June and July. Added to these two tragedies, coronavirus is spreading among huge numbers of displaced people and closed borders are delaying delivery of pesticides to locust-affected areas.
China: worshippers dragged from church
14 May 2020
The Xingguang house church refused to join the government-sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement. On 3 May security officers burst into a house church gathering for worship. The men who were guarding the door were pinned down, and worshippers were forcefully dragged away. Calling the meeting illegal, the officers demanded that church members stop recording with their cell phones and then confiscated them. However, a short video clip has been made available Throughout the proceedings no warrant was presented. Some Christians were injured and one was hospitalised. Six of the worshippers were detained for several hours. The authorities issued an order officially banning their church gathering. Pray that the members of this church will find ways to continue encouraging one another and grow stronger in their faith.
Canada: day of prayer for the harvest
14 May 2020
Canadian intercessors have invited the nations to join them in an online seven-hour prayer meeting to pray for the mobilising of the Church into the Great Commission as we emerge from the coronavirus restrictions. Numerous Canadian ministries and churches are linking arms to sponsor this full-day initiative. Prayer will be led by a wide variety of teams of senior leaders from across Canada, but every voice joining in and participating adds powerfully to the whole. This day of prayer will be on 21 May, Ascension Day, remembering when Jesus gave His disciples the Great Commission, the mandate that has burned in the heart of the Church ever since.
Palestine: women and coronavirus
14 May 2020
A woman leads the fight against coronavirus in the Palestinian territories, while at the same time it has brought more violence and suffering to women. Umm Iyad travels to the northern West Bank to follow up on emergency procedures as part of the efforts to stem the outbreak of coronavirus. She has been heading the village council since 2017, and is now head of the emergency committee. She is also working on a community initiative to cultivate land and grow vegetables to achieve self-sufficiency for the villagers. However, during lockdown, statistics showed social workers across the Palestinian governorates have been dealing with increased victims of domestic violence. 40% of women have been subjected to emotional and mental abuse, and 31% to physical abuse. 60% of the victims have fled their houses, and 21% attempted suicide.
Unsafe in lockdown - child sex trafficking
14 May 2020
Any child sold for sex is a victim of sex trafficking. Since 2006, IJM South Asia has rescued 1000+ survivors from sex trafficking, seen over 500 criminals restrained and trained over 30,000 police, government officials, and NGOs. Sex trafficking survivors have described being beaten and forcibly injected with narcotics. This is continuing during lockdown. There is particular concern about the rise of online sexual exploitation of children during the pandemic. It is highly possible that seasoned human trafficking criminals will exploit the current situation. Please pray against this increased exploitation. Pray also for safety and security for the survivors of sex trafficking now thriving and living independently; many are now unable to work in lockdown and risk falling back into desperate poverty. Pray that IJM can maintain contact with these survivors in their network, and provide what is needed to keep them safe.
Maldives: pray for change
14 May 2020
The Maldives is Asia's smallest country by area and population, known for its lucrative tourism industry. Despite tourism, it is an extremely closed country which boasts of being 100 percent Islam and heavily represses Christian influence. Only a handful of secret believers live in the country, which is regarded as ‘fertile ground for recruitment’ to radical Islam. Dozens of Maldivians have joined IS. The 2019 elections had a surprising result when opposition leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih defeated the former president Abdulla Yameen, who now faces corruption charges. The new government has begun reforms. Give praise for the shake-up in the government. Pray that this may shake up the nation’s repressive laws and human rights abuses. Conversion to Christianity results in a loss of citizenship. Churches and Christian gatherings do not officially exist, and believers live in fear of being discovered. Pray for safety and religious freedom in the Maldives.
China: Wuhan reports new cases
14 May 2020
On 11 May Wuhan reported six new coronavirus cases since lockdown was ended, raising concerns about a second wave. The people live in the same residential complex and were previously classified as asymptomatic - people testing positive for the virus and capable of infecting others while not displaying symptoms. Wuhan quickly drew up plans to test its entire population of 11 million people. All districts were told to submit details as to how testing could be done within 10 days. On 13 May China’s media reported that any major increase in numbers as a result of the new testing will raise serious questions over the accuracy and transparency of previous figures. Officials are being accused of covering up the severity of the virus in the earliest stages, and confusion over China's national figures has been created by several shifts in diagnostic and reporting procedures.
Hope for the countryside - seasons
07 May 2020
Spring has burst forth in all of its beauty and splendour. Blossom still covers many hedges, and flowers have increased in size and structural complexity. Leaves have unfurled in their fresh, green shades as trees begin their yearly quest, hungry for the sun's rays. All this seems to be in total contrast to the lockdown restrictions that have been imposed on us all, and reflects the fact that God's Spirit is moving throughout the land equally unfettered. Give thanks that God loves to work for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. See the Lord enthroned in splendour, see Him high and lifted up, yet His touch is light and tender, His love an overflowing cup.