Churches across Estonia - Evangelical, Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic - are working together towards a national prayer celebration called Christ Day. On July 28, 2012 they will gather in the capital Tallinn to unite, lift up Jesus Christ and commit their country to the Lord. They started off with a 40 Days Prayer and Fasting initiative before Easter. The vision is not just a one-day event, but a long-term process of missional collaboration. Christians will be challenged to be a blessing to their municipality and pray regularly for their country..

Praise: God for this initiative in Estonia and pray for all other events celebrating Christ Day. (Ps.147:1)((

More: http://www.hfe.org/Hope-II-congress/Speakers/HansPeter-Nuesch.aspx

In a country rocked by change and division, some 1,400 eight to fourteen-year-old Egyptian children gathered to worship and ask God to change them to be the salt and light for Jesus in their communities. The first ever One Thing Kids festival was held at the desert oasis of Wadi El Natroun and televised live by Christian broadcaster SAT-7. ‘Our vision is to have this generation praying and worshipping God, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit to be able to change the world,’ say festival organisers Kasr El Doubara Evangelical Church (KDEC) and the children's prayer ministry of the Synod of the Nile of the Presbyterian Church. The Wadi el Natroun area was long an historic centre for Christian prayer by monks and pilgrims. Many of the children took a prominent role – some as part of the worship choir, others helping to lead prayers for themselves and their nation.

Praise: God for the faith of the Christian children, for their prayers, that will lead to change. (Ps.127:3)

More: http://www.inspiremagazine.org.uk/Stories/International?storyaction=view&storyid=413

Coptic Christian woman and ministry leader, affectionately known as ‘Mama Maggie Gobran’ was nominated recently for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Mama Maggie, according to the Christian Post report, Gorban was nominated by several US Congressmen for her benevolent work with Cairo’s poorest-of-the-poor who live in garbage slums. If that sounds a bit reminiscent of Mother Teresa in the slums of Calcutta, Gorban has actually been called the ‘Mother Teresa of Cairo’ but the locals who love her know her as ‘Mama Maggie.’ Gobran founded Stephen’s Children, a ministry that helps those families, regardless of whether they are Christian or Muslim. A letter to the Norwegian Peace Committee read in part, ‘It is through her deep religious and moral commitment that Mama Maggie has succeeded in creating an organization that serves the most poor, desperate, and vulnerable population of Egypt’.

Praise: God for Mama Maggie and the powerful testimony of her service to the vulnerable. (1Jn.5:11)

More: http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=9817

Prayer meetings for doctors and medical staff are taking place in St. Jehoshaphat Church in Lviv, Western Ukraine, reports The Christian Telegraph in reference to The Ukrainian Greek- Catholic Church website and credo-ua.org. Such cooperation of clergy and medics is called to help patients that are in need of healing. The meetings were founded by Father Vladimir Gruz who, while studying in Austria, took a great interest in the idea of one doctor, who started a prayer group with her staff. ’Although medicine in the West has an abundance of resources, doctors understood that they are merely instruments in God’s hands and, without Him, these doctors could not treat patients,’ notes Father Vladimir. He adopted this Western practice for Ukraine in light of the mass violations of patient rights and late medical aid, leading to cases of death and disability in the country.

Praise: God for the prayers of the doctors and that He would heal those who are in need. (Lk.9:2)

More: http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue13865.html

Torgen Sondergaard is a young evangelist from Denmark. He believes that when people start following Jesus, it's important to teach them right away to live the commands of Jesus. Take Helle, a young Danish woman who came to Christ three weeks ago and was baptized immediately. Torben invited her to come to the city and pray for people who are sick. ‘Jesus told us to make disciples of all people,’ Torben explains. ‘Baptizing them, and teaching them to obey all that Jesus has commanded us to do. And one of these commands is to preach that the Kingdom of God is near and heal the sick.’ What happens next is quite surprising. Helle, who has almost no Bible knowledge, prays a simple prayer: ‘Father, I thank you for healing and for removing all pain right now, in Jesus' name. Amen.’ To her own amazement and to the surprise of the people she prayed for, they get healed.

Praise: God for the way he used Helle and pray that her testimony would encourage others to step out in faith. (Heb.11:1)

More: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIzM91AanIE

In Denmark, at least 4 percent of the country's population claims to be of the Muslim faith. Now, one former Muslim is sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. Massoud Fouroozandeh was born a Muslim in Iran. Fouroozandeh was called up for military duty, but instead of serving, he fled Iran and eventually settled in Denmark. Today, he is the pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in Denmark with a special outreach to Denmark's Muslim immigrants. He is the author of the book titled ‘The Forbidden Salvation.’ His journey to Christianity began when his mother, who also became a Christian, gave him a Bible. This angered him and he decided to disprove it, but something different happened. Fouroozandeh was running his own business in Denmark when he says Jesus appeared to him in a dream and called him to serve Him. He later began the Church of Love.

Praise: God for this wonderful testimony and may Fouroozandeh’s Church continue to grow. (Gen.1:28a)

More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2011/May/Frmr-Muslim-Danish-Church-Waking-to-Gospel-Call-/

After killing a man Edward Salazar Mauricio faced the electric chair. By God’s grace he received a life sentence. Mauricio had a Roman Catholic upbringing but it made no difference in his life. ‘I confessed my sins before a priest, said a few Hail Marys and Our Fathers and continued my life without any change whatsoever.’ During his frequent trips to solitary confinement guards left a Bible in his cell. ‘I started reading the Bible to pass the time,’ God slowly planted His Word in Mauricio’s heart. He attended a prison evangelistic meeting where Saul of Tarsus's conversion was preached and, ‘That word went straight into my heart. After leaving the meeting I went to my prison cell, got on my knees, and said ‘God, I know I am a sinner and that I have destroyed my life through sin, but if you can use my life in anyway I surrender my life to You right now.’ You can read all of his story by clicking the More button.

Praise: God for the power of His word that penetrated Edward’s heart to bring changes he could never have imagined. (Ps.119:11)

More: http://blog.godreports.com/2013/02/the-death-row-murderer-who-became-a-missionary/

David Cameron's Big Society Awards recognise outstanding people and organisations whose work improves lives and strengthens communities. On Monday The Cinnamon Network was given a Big Society Award as the Prime Minister recognized the widespread work of various churches in their communities. The Cinnamon Network was launched in 2010 and is a community of 100 CEOs of charities, social enterprises and church denominations who passionately strengthen the muscles of local churches for community transformation. It is a partnership between Make It Happen, Piercing Blue and Tearfund and their vision is to see the UK Church meet the growing social needs within our communities. David Cameron said he was pleased to be able to give The Cinnamon Network this award in recognition of the work with jobs clubs, street pastors and supporting churches to address issues in their neighbourhoods.

Praise: God for the unity of the Church in the United Kingdom that is displayed through these initiatives and ask Him to continue to pour out his blessings on these enterprises. (Ps.133)

More: http://godandpoliticsuk.org/tag/big-society-awards/