Nigeria: blast in Nigeria kills 32, wounds 80
20 Nov 2015
Not long after IS terrorists hit Paris, Boko Haram terrorists hit Nigeria. An explosion hit a fruit and vegetable stand in the city of Yola in northeastern Nigeria. Thirty-two people lost their lives and eighty were wounded, according to reports from the Red Cross and the National Emergency Management Agency. The attack bore all the hallmarks of Boko Haram, who have killed thousands in Nigeria and surrounding countries in its quest to enforce Sharia law. Just as President Obama had commented that IS had been ‘contained’ days before the Paris attacks, a few days before the Nigerian attacks President Muhammadu Buhari visited Yola and stated that Boko Haram was losing strength and would soon be defeated. Both attacks serve as a reminder that terrorism remains a real threat that must be addressed. According to Christian Today, Boko Haram began its military campaign in 2009 and has recently joined IS as its African arm.
Pakistan: a prayer request
20 Nov 2015
A Christian brother in Pakistan writes, ‘If you are asking for prayer requests from Christians in Pakistan, one of the first things mentioned is the repeal of the blasphemy law. The easiest way of persecuting Christians is to simply accuse them of saying something against the prophet Muhammad, which results in the death penalty with no possible pardon or waiver. Please pray for the safety of people in Pakistan. As tragic as the Paris incident was, is it only when terror happens in western nations that it makes headline news? Who heard of what happened in Lebanon at the same time? or in Pakistan where three busloads of people were blown up and there were several other attacks throughout the country? Most Pakistanis, particularly Christians, live with daily fear of going out of their homes on the street. Please pray for your Christian brethren in Pakistan. Thank you.’
Sana Bibi, aged 13, was abducted on her way to school by a Muslim man, Waheed Akhtar, known locally as Rambo. Her sister noticed her absence and, with her family, went to Akhtar's house with the police but received no response. Later Bibi's father, Shahid Jaan, received a call from Akhtar who told him, ‘I am married to your girl and she is Muslim now so you can do nothing. The law is on my side; you are just kaffir (non-Muslim).’ Bibi is below the legal age of consent for marriage in Pakistan, which currently is 14 years. Every year about 700 Christian girls are forcibly converted into Islam by rapists who use Sharia Law to act with impunity. Sadly these cases go to Sharia courts where Christian lawyers are not allowed to defend victims and Muslim lawyers notoriously provide shallow prosecution services, meaning Bibi is more than likely going to remain in an abusive relationship for the rest of her life.
The western hemisphere: IS wakeup call
20 Nov 2015
‘What we have to come to realise is IS has a stated purpose,’ said David Curry, the president and CEO of Open Doors USA. ‘They’ve told us what they’re all about. We’ve got to believe them; they are carrying out their plan to make extremist Islam the religion of this world. These are desperate times, but Christians can make a difference. It’s important for Christians to make their voices heard, especially for their persecuted brothers and sisters.’ Meanwhile Franklin Graham reiterated the same theme on his Facebook page, ‘Islam has declared war on the world, and it’s high time we acknowledge it and respond decisively. We must take IS at their word. They have told us what they plan to do. Their goal is world domination. They want to control and destroy us. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to live under Islam. I will bow my knee to no one except God. See https://www.facebook.com/FranklinGraham
Nigel Farage has said that some British Muslims are ‘conflicted in their loyalties’ between the UK way of life and what some elements within their faith are telling them. He said there must be a battle for hearts and minds within the Muslim population, and there was a problem with some Muslim communities in this country. He said, ‘Research suggests that British Muslims experience a tremendous conflict and a split of loyalties. The thing that makes me angry about what happened in Paris is frankly the fact that it was so utterly and entirely predictable. I think we’ve reached a point where we have to admit that in Britain, France and much of the rest of Europe, mass immigration and multicultural division have been a failure.’ He also claimed there was rising public concern about immigration, partly because people believed there were some Muslims who wanted to form ‘a fifth column and kill us’.
Non-urgent services will be cancelled on three days in December, after 98% of junior doctors backed strike action in a British Medical Association ballot. Dr Mark Porter, chair of the BMA council, said, ‘We regret the inevitable disruption that this will cause, but it is the Government’s adamant insistence on imposing a contract that is unsafe for patients in the future, and unfair for doctors now and in the future, that has brought us to this point. Patients are doctors’ first priority, which is why, even with such a resounding mandate, we are keen to avert the need for industrial action. That is why we have approached ACAS to offer conciliatory talks with the health secretary, and NHS employers to clarify the conflicting information coming from the Government over the past weeks.’
More people being helped by UK foodbanks
20 Nov 2015
The Government is proclaiming that our economy is doing well, but there are still many thousands of people in the UK who are forced to rely on charities for food and clothes. This type of report has been repeated in Prayer Alert over a number of years, and still the main issues are low wages and government cuts. With winter around the corner, we are going to see an even larger rise in numbers of people needing foodbanks, as they face choices between eating and heating; last year this number was much higher in December than in other months. The latest figures show that use of foodbanks in the UK is still increasing. Benefit delays and changes remain the biggest cause of foodbank use. Also, some agencies and charities who would normally refer people in crisis to foodbanks have been unable to do so because funding reductions have caused their services to be squeezed or closed.
As the world mourns with the people of France because of the devastation from these insidious attacks, let us engage in sincere, specific and faith-filled prayer for the healing of the victims. The road ahead for those who have been wounded is long. The road for those who have lost loved ones is even longer. As the personal stories of victims begin to emerge over the coming days and weeks, we can stop for just a moment and pray for the person by name. Ask that, if they have a faith in the Lord, it will be renewed; and pray that, if they are without a relationship with Jesus, the Holy Spirit will lead them into one. We Christians know that the only way to experience true healing from such trauma is through knowing Jesus. Let’s not pray generally for healing but - as much as we are able - pray for people by name.