Vice-president Riek Machar and his supporters fled Juba in July after fighting broke out between government forces and his own. He is a Nuer, and President Salva Kiir is a member of the Dinka. Tribal rivalries are at the heart of the dysfunction of South Sudan's government. The unity the tribes shared in their fight for independence from Sudan has dissolved into bitter conflict, with terrible atrocities committed by both Nuer and Dinka. Both Kiir and Machar have abused their positions and misled their people, keeping many ignorant and uneducated.They have also mismanaged billions of dollars poured into South Sudan by foreign countries. Pray for the two sides to reach agreement in forming a unity government. Pray for both men to be exposed for their lust for power, greed, witchcraft, evil and wickedness.

It is expected that most Christians will wait for the Nineveh plain to be safe and 'IS-free' before returning. This now seems likely to be a matter of months, not weeks. Mission agencies are monitoring the situation and are planning how to support displaced people to return home once it is safe. The following is the prayer of Martin, from the Nineveh plains: ‘O Lord, we trust You, who calmed the storm. We pray and demand - liberate Mosul, liberate Nineveh plain. We want to go back.’ Prayer requests from Iraq are for the forces of darkness to be defeated and for justice to be done, for Christian soldiers joining the battle, for the protection of Christians known to be living secretly in IS-held territories, and for pastors and church leaders in Iraq to be living examples of Christ's presence among His people. Stop press: 50,000 Iraqi Christians will pray and commit their nation to God at a major gathering in Erbil tomorrow. See

Yesterday officials in Brussels were searching for ways to fund their programmes in Central African Republic (CAR). UNICEF reported on Wednesday that over 850,000 people, half of them children, are still on the move - either internally displaced or refugees in neighbouring countries. UNICEF's deputy director said, ‘When children return to their communities as security improves, they will need to have schools and clinics to come to. Access to quality health and education is the cornerstone of any recovery, and the foundation for a peaceful future. Currently CAR is one of the world's most dangerous countries for children, and renewed violence threatens to undermine signs of progress.’ At the moment, efforts to reach every child in the CAR are limited by significant funding restrictions. UNICEF is calling on Central African leaders and global donors to put children first in the recovery plan.

A mission co-ordinator writes, ‘Our team leader from the North is planning his next trip into the mountains soon. It has already begun to snow in this area, so pray for good weather conditions and for safety throughout the trip, for good connections to the target group, and that he gets everything done. Pray also for protection for his family, staying at home. The team in the west needs our prayer as lots of changes are taking place. One family has just arrived and is trying to adjust to the culture and demands, while another family will be leaving in December. We have surprisingly good contacts with the government. Because the security situation can change from day to day, we cannot travel as freely as we want. Pray that we will not be distracted through circumstances but will continue to reach out to our target groups.’ Some people groups are more open to receive - others are still not reached.