Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Russia that Israel would not seek to topple its ally, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, but Moscow should encourage Iranian forces to quit Syria. This happened just hours after Israel shot down the third Syrian drone that had penetrated its airspace recently, underscoring the frontier’s volatility. Israel is on high alert as Assad’s forces advance on rebels in the Golan Heights (land which Israel captured from Syria in 1967 and annexed in a move not recognised internationally). Israel worries that Assad could let his Iranian and Hezbollah reinforcements entrench near Israeli lines or that Syrian forces may defy a 1974 Golan demilitarisation. Russia has an active interest in seeing a stable Assad regime, and Israel want the Iranians out. These aims can clash or align. Israel will not get involved in Syria’s civil war, but said they will ‘act against anyone who acts against us.’

South Asia IJM are searching for two teenage girls being exploited by a private sex-trafficking network. IJM worked with police for weeks to rescue them, but at the last minute they were moved from the target location. Please pray for a new strategy to find the girls quickly, without tip-offs making the traffickers suspicious. Also, remember the Dominican Republic mother of two sex-trafficking survivors struggling to provide for her five children. The European expat perpetrator in this case is offering her increasingly large sums of money to drop accusations against him, but she refuses every time. May God strengthen her and provide for the family’s needs. Finally, thank God for Kevin Hyland, who leaves the role of UK independent anti-slavery commissioner at IJM this month. The role was created under the Modern Slavery Act of 2015, and his work has been groundbreaking in uniting forces from NGOs, the private sector, and the Government to fight modern slavery. Pray for wisdom in the selection of his replacement. See

It has been almost three years since the ‘refugee crisis’ was brought to the world’s attention. Hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, came like a flood from the Middle East and North Africa to Europe, fleeing war, drought, terrorism and pain. Many Christians responded compassionately, with thousands volunteering across Europe to serve the refugees who had left everything behind. Many YWAM workers got involved through serving on the shores of Europe, along the migration route and in destination nations like Germany and Sweden. On the island of Lesvos alone, more than 1,000 YWAMers served in the camp, with a combined effort of approximately 20,000 days of work! While the number of volunteers has decreased, displaced people are still coming and helpers are still needed to meet practical needs and build relationships with the people in the camps. In 2018 refugees no longer live in camps. Host nations face the challenge of integrating thousands into their society.

Talks have begun to try to reach an amicable separation between members of four conservative evangelical churches and the Diocese of Christchurch. The congregations of the four churches voted by large majorities to disaffiliate following the decision in May by the General Synod of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia to permit churches in New Zealand to bless same-sex marriages. Archbishop Philip Richardson, one of the Primates of the ANZP, has now met with senior diocesan staff and archdeacons and the vicars and wardens of the four parishes to discuss how their members could disaffiliate ‘in a respectful manner’ while maintaining good communication and leaving doors open. ‘This is a broken and painful place to be,’ Archbishop Philip said, ‘but we need to find a way to walk through this uncharted land that is gracious, hospitable and realistic.’ They now enter a three month ‘resignation/exit process’ so that ‘logistics are managed sensitively’.