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British Forces training teams are on target and have just finished training 1000 Afghan soldiers. The recent conference on Afghanistan has endorsed President Hamid Karzai's goal that Afghan forces should lead security operations across the country by 2014. Hopefully this will encourage a new determination for peace and unity. (See also World item below) The number of British military personnel killed on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 stands at 324 after two soldiers were shot dead while trying to rescue a wounded colleague in the Lashkar Gah district of Helmand province on 21 July. Of all those killed, 39 have died from accidents, illness, or non-combat injuries. Others have yet to be assigned a cause of death. Pray: for the families of all the soldiers who have lost their lives and for supernatural intervention to bring about real peace and unity in Afghanistan. (Job.22:21) More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10687527
British culture is ‘increasingly pornified’ and is damaging young people, Shadow Health Minister Diane Abbott is to warn in a speech later. She believes that the rise of sexual bullying and ‘sexting’ - where people send sexually explicit text messages - is a result of hyper-sexualisation. A ‘revolution in sex education' to help tackle the problem is needed, she says. She will urge a ‘national conversation’ between parents and children about sex, porn and technology. There have been increasing concerns over the commercialisation and sexualisation of children, the ease with which pornography can be accessed through the internet and the way in which young people use text messages and emails to exchange sexually explicit images. In 2011, the head of the Mothers' Union, Reg Bailey, carried out an independent review for the Government looking at the pressures on children to grow up too quickly. It found that nine out of every 10 UK parents said children were having to grow up too early.
Pray: against the changes in our culture that are increasingly distorting the minds of the young. (Jn.17:15)
Parliament must rectify the ‘bad laws’ restricting the freedom of Christians to live according to their beliefs, says a Christian barrister Paul Diamond. Mr Diamond said there was much to be commended in the Equality Act and the Sexual Orientation Regulations and that sexual orientation or faith should not be a reason to discriminate against others. However, he said the laws were ‘poorly drafted’ and ‘leaving too much discretion to the Courts’. He added that they were being used to eradicate Judeo Christian morality and usher in secular values. The ‘countless’ cases where accommodation of conscience was being denied to Christians amounted to a ‘liberal tyranny’. Campaign group Christian Concern warns that recent legislation and its interpretation in the courts has led to several Christians being barred from different areas of public life and is ‘creating a serious obstacle to the Christian community’s full and active involvement in the Big Society initiative’. Pray: for a review leading to clarification and protection of Christian morality. (Gal.5:1)
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has sent a message of condolence to the Anglican Archbishop of Japan, the Most Revd Nathaniel Makoto Uematsu, expressing support and prayers for the Japanese people following the recent 8.9 earthquake and tsunami. Dr Williams wrote: ‘The news of the horrific earthquake in Japan has shocked us all. We await further and more detailed news with apprehension, but I want to say immediately that our hearts and our prayers go out to all who have been affected and that we as a church will do what we can to offer practical as well as spiritual support at this time of great suffering and great anxiety for so many.’ The development agencies of the British churches are responding with practical support. The Methodists have issued a prayer for the situation, which can be read at the link below. Pray:for the people of Japan and especially for our brothers and sisters in the United Church of Christ in Japan. (Zec.10:8-9) More:http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/14310
Five children die unnecessarily every day of conditions such as asthma, meningitis and pneumonia because NHS care for young people is badly organised and dangerously inadequate, the leader of Britain's 11,000 specialists in children's health warns. About 2,000 children a year lose their lives because of an array of problems, which means the UK has some of the worst death rates among children up to the age of 14 in Europe, says the president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health . Branding the situation "a major crisis", Hilary Cass said that sick children were at greater risk of dying because some GPs lacked paediatric skills, expertise was absent in too many small paediatric units, and there was a serious shortage of consultants. The college believes a lack of senior paediatric doctors is so acute that the safety of treatment cannot be guaranteed at every unit. Cass urges the NHS to instigate radical changes in how it treats children to reduce preventable deaths.
Pray: for sick children and those who care for them and for an inmprovement in service provision in paediatrics. (Jer.8:22)
More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jul/13/preventable-child-deaths-nhs
A new report commissioned by the Association of Chief Police Officers revealed for the first time the true scale of immigration prostitution and trafficking. At least 2,600 women were confirmed as being trafficked into England and Wales and forced to work as prostitutes, it found. A further 9,200 sex workers at brothels and other premises were considered to be ‘vulnerable migrants’ working unwillingly in the sex trade, but whom researchers could not be certain had been trafficked. Half of the women are Chinese, police said, with the majority of others from Eastern European and other south east Asian nations. Mohib Rahman, a Home Office official, said: ‘We need to step up our efforts and to do more to get a handle on why so many people are trafficked from China.’ Pray: for the authorities as they seek way to combat this evil trade. (Lev.19:29)
The beleaguered British banking industry has faced angry politicians, regulators and consumers. This Autumn, a new player has joined the inquisition: a bespectacled bishop wearing a cross made of nails. The Right Reverend Justin Welby, Bishop of Durham, (See http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/faith/article3554265.ece ) is grilling top bankers as part of a new parliamentary inquiry into ‘banking standards’ that represents the U.K. government's latest attempt to shake up the industry. The inquiry was established in July on the heels of news that several banks allegedly sought to rig interest rates such as the London inter-bank lending rate, known as Libor. Bishop Welby, a former oil executive who sits in Britain's House of Lords, has joined nine other lawmakers in assembling a report that will consider new rules on everything from corporate governance to conflicts of interest. The inquiry also involves a series of public hearings already under way.
Pray: for God’s wisdom and justice to guide those researching this report. (Lev.19:35)
More: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444752504578024833471492280.html?KEYWORDS=welby
Servicemen and women are coming to the end of their deployment and are being replaced on a gradual changeover in Afghanistan. This is a vulnerable time for service personnel. Anticipating a safe return, service personnel need to stay vigilant right until they get on the aircraft to go home. We all should be aware of their damaging memories from incidents witnessed during their deployment and support them if they require to seek professional help because they find it difficult adjusting to normal life.
Pray: that they will adjust quickly back into their normal routines and family life. (Heb 13:17)
The Armed Forces are undergoing a dramatic reduction in size and reorganisation. Over 6,600 personnel across all three services were notified of their selection for redundancy in the first two tranches, which took place in 2011 and 2012. The third tranche, affecting only the Army, was announced in January 2013. A fourth tranche is expected in early 2014. The complete process should be over by the middle of 2015 with approximately 9,500 people expected to be released under tranche 3 and 4. Up to 5,300 Army personnel are in the pool for redundancy in tranche 3. Those selected for redundancy in tranche 3 will be told on 18 June 2013.
Pray: for those Service personnel as they wait to hear if they are losing their job. Please pray for the families as they have to face finding homes, new schools and a new life situation. (Jer. 29:11)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21134353
The penultimate British force has arrived in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan. These troops were once in more than 130 bases, but this is now down to five, and will reduce still further. They now rarely patrol and the formation of the brigade has changed too. They have enough armour and infantry to protect them from Taliban attacks, but a large part of the force is made up of engineers and logisticians engaged in packing what they can to take back to UK and disposing of what they cannot. Many of the troops now arriving in Helmand will stay for nine months, but some will leave earlier as the force rapidly scales back. Please pray for the families who are facing a long nine month separation from their loved ones, and especially for the children who are fearful of Daddy being away.
Pray: that the draw down will be peaceful and safe. Please pray against attacks from the Taliban which might hinder this process. (Ps.140:4)