Please watch this short and agonising video from China, a woman's desperate cry for help in the midst of the coronavirus epidemic. It confirms reports of the government suppressing news and ignoring doctors' warnings. From last week’s international prayer call, including a Christian leader from Wuhan, we heard that Chinese Christians are taking communion daily as protection from death, as ancient Jews did in the first Passover, and standing against the spread of coronavirus in prayer. Let's continue to pray with our Chinese brethren for the end of what could become a pandemic and for people everywhere to be protected. We know that the Lord in His redemptive love and wisdom can utilise bad things to bring forth good outcomes. May He use the current health and related economic crisis to bring real reform to the communist government of China so that the people finally obtain the human rights and freedoms they have longed for, so poignantly expressed in this brave woman's cry.

The Scout movement is investigating an accusation that its Lebanon branch is training youths to become Islamic terrorists. The Imam Al-Mahdi Scouts has 45,000 boys and girls wearing traditional scouting uniforms and scarves. Investigators found that young recruits to the Al-Mahdi Scouts are groomed from the ages of four to become supporters and fighters for Hezbollah. Scouts have provided 'honour guards' at funerals of known Hezbollah terrorists, and have been pictured posing with armed fighters, wearing military uniforms and headbands with anti-Israel slogans such as 'Jerusalem - we are coming!' Hezbollah 'in its entirety' is on Britain’s list of proscribed terrorist organisations - previously the list only included its military wing. Al-Mahdi Scouts previously denied reports that older Scouts receive military training with weapons, but now they admit that many adolescent members become Hezbollah fighters. 200+ former members of the Scouts have died fighting against Israel and in the civil war in Syria.

Twenty-four people, including the pastor, were killed and eighteen injured by gunmen at a Protestant church in the village of Pansi. Individuals were also kidnapped during the Sunday attack by armed terrorists. The regional governor, Colonel Salfo Kabore, said they attacked the peaceful local Christian population, after having identified them and separated them from ‘non-residents’. Some villagers fled to the town of Sebba near the Niger border. There have been several attacks against churches by militant Islamist groups in recent years. Pray for those people of Burkina Faso who are at serious risk of being killed for not converting to extreme factions of Islam.

In South Korea, in 2016, generations from across the nations converged to fast and pray and believe God for the birthing of new, youth-led prayer and mission movements. After the UPRISING in Korea, young people have owned the vision and taken the zeal for united prayer to their respective regions and nations. The ‘waves’ have rolled out; there is now UPRISING in the Philippines, South Africa, Mongolia, Bolivia, Malaysia, Europe, Canada, Chile, Mexico, and California. On 14-18 July, in Sydney, Australia there is a calling for another United Prayer. The theme will be: ‘From the Womb to the World.’ and an estimated 1,500, young and old, will attend a four-day destiny-engaging event at the Rosehill racecourse, with even more expected to be present in the Solemn Assembly in Sydney. The organisers hope that many more will join them in catalysing waves of youth-led global prayer and mission movements at the UPRISING.