Sauidi Arabia: 'Destroy all churches,' says Saudi Arabian Islamic leader
The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, the highest official of religious law in the Sunni country declared that it is ‘necessary to destroy all the churches’ in the region, implying that no other religion besides Islam will be tolerated on the Arabian Peninsula. He made the statement during a meeting with a delegation from Kuwait-based NGO, ‘Society of the Revival of Islamic Heritage’, in response to a question on what Shariah law says about building churches. The question referred to recent controversial statements by a Kuwaiti Member of Parliament calling for the ‘removal’ of churches, and that no churches should be built in Kuwait. In February, legislation was introduced in the parliament to remove Christian churches from Kuwait and impose Islamic law.Party officials said later the legislation would not remove the churches but prohibit the further construction of Christian churches and non-Muslim places of worship in the country.
Pray: for Saudi Christians and foreign Christian immigrants and workers to know Gods provision to worship and discretely witness to where God has placed them. (Ps.32:7)
Syria: Forty tons of aid from Iran
On the first anniversary of anti-government uprisings in Syria (March 15th) forty tons of Iranian aid supplies arrived in Damascus. The shipment is the first of four planeloads that Iran plans to send to its most important regional ally. Iran’s ambassador to Syria, Raouf Sheibani said the supplies included medicine, medical equipment, tents, blankets, food and ambulances. He said the aid shows Iran’s support for Syria’s current government. ‘Iran is standing fully behind the Syrian regime of President Bashar Assad as it battles armed rebel groups it describes as terrorists,’ Sheibani said. Iran maintains last Thursday’s aid package was free of any weaponry. However, the Washington Post quoted an unnamed U.S. intelligence authority saying the aid from Iran is ‘increasingly focused on lethal assistance.’ The last thing Iran wants is to see a regime change in one of its staunchest regional allies.
Pray: God’s hand to direct the course of the conflicting camps emerging in the Middle East, and for His purposes to be quickly realized. (Is.25:3)
More: http://www.thetrumpet.com/9218.8059.0.0/middle-east/iran-pumping-aid-into-syria
North Sudan: Over half a million Christians forced to Leave
A massive persecution of Christians by an Islamic government is under way in Sudan, and an estimated 700,000 Sudanese, most of them Christian, must leave the country for South Sudan by April under a law passed by the north after South Sudan voted to secede. Ethnically South Sundanese must leave the north or apply for ‘alien residency’ despite many—some studies say most—of these people have lived their whole lives in north Sudan. Human Rights Watch warns, ‘Statements and actions of Sudanese government officials indicate that they are reading these laws to mean that anyone living in Sudan with even one great-grandparent born in South Sudan will lose their Sudanese citizenship, irrespective of whether they have acquired—or want to acquire—South Sudanese citizenship.’ The proposal flies in the face of international law, as the individuals have a legitimate claim to Sudanese citizenship, having lived in Sudan their entire lives and there is currently no way for them to apply for South Sudanese citizenship.
Pray God will strengthen his people as they struggle under this illegal and morally disastrous plan. (Phil.1:28,29)
Please undergird these important efforts being carried out by brothers and sisters in Christ who prefer to be unnamed for obvious reasons. Pray for His wisdom, protection and great favor as they engage in these sensitive and delicate missions.
Sudan
It is about nine months since Sudan divided into two countries. While there was an initial celebration in South Sudan, the situation once again has become very dire. About half a million Christians have fled from the North. A Christian organization has been asked to play a mediating role in some of the current challenges. Senior Government leaders in both the North and South have indicated that, in partnership with Sudanese faith leaders, this organization can act as a broker in building a peaceful solution to the conflict. In addition, to the North-South conflict, they have also been asked to intervene in a violent conflict between two tribes in South Sudan. Pray for them as they take a small team to Sudan the latter part of March.
Congo (DRC)
The situation in eastern Congo is also dire. Government and rebel militias fight to control Congo’s mines, which are rich with natural resources. Profits from conflict minerals fund horrific violence. Congo’s disorganized military and police do little to stop it. Armed groups, operating without accountability, use rape and murder to intimidate civilians. Since 1996, over 5.5 million have died from war-related causes. Countless women and children have been raped. Congo’s wars ended in 2003, yet more than 2.5 million people live as refugees. Modern day slavery is a reality in this failed state. This same Christian organization has been asked to develop a more comprehensive coordinated intervention, and they are planning a visit to DRC.
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Religious Conflict Zones
Pray for several situations where religion is being used as instrument to promote violence and serious discrimination. In Nigeria, hundreds of Christians have been killed, and thousands are under threat. This organization is seeking to work with moderate Muslim leaders to deescalate this conflict.
In Pakistan, the same organization has been asked to help take up the cause of religious minorities, including those under threat from the blasphemy laws through which Christians have been falsely accused, imprisoned and killed.
They are following up with the Egyptian Christians leaders to facilitate some encounters between Christian and Muslims leaders to promote and encourage a pathway to a more secular, pluralistic society rather than a radical Islamic State.
At the request of evangelical leaders in Kazakhstan who are facing serious discrimination and pressure, they are working on communication with their president to ask for a change in the law.
The president of Myanmar (Burma) has agreed to meet with a small delegation of three people in March. The team needs real wisdom on how best to approach the issues of religious freedom and human rights.
North Korea
They are working on a visit North Korea in May, with the hope this will lead to a much more substantive engagement in the coming years. They are envisioning a major humanitarian aid project.
China
Very high-level government leaders in China have reached out and requested a meeting, and they have agreed to meet in May. This is a critical year in China, as they will have a new president and will be replacing seven of the top nine leaders in their country.
There is a great influence coming from outside in the name of human rights which aims at violating Christian ethics. Such a wind is very strong to an extent of silencing the Christians. We have experienced heavy spiritual warfare. Homosexuality is opening its doors in the name of aid. Pray that our nation will remain a Christian nation and be under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. May God intervene in the affairs of governance.
Please keep praying for the WPA! Your prayer support will be all-important to the planning of this event which is intended to be a “new paradigm” for an international congress—carried out Acts 13-style—incorporating listening to God, united prayer, and strategic implementation of world-impacting action that proceeds out of that encounter with the Lord and one another.
Please pray that those from every nation God is calling to take part in Jakarta will be able to be with us and for that the resources for them and the Assembly itself will flow in abundance.
Syria accused of planting landmines near border
In November Prayer Alert reported ‘The use of landmines in 2011 has been the highest for seven years in the Middle East’, so it is not surprising that Human Rights Watch has documented multiple accounts from witnesses in Turkey, Lebanon and inside Syria who have either seen Syrian troops laying or being hurt by mines near the borders as thousands of refugees try to escape the conflict. It is unclear how many people have been injured by the munitions because most casualties avoid state hospitals when they are wounded. In some of the latest unverifiable footage to emerge, a sniper appears to hit a man trying to drag another to safety.
Pray: for the United Nations' monitors to gather truthful testimony and for it be used constructively to end Syrian bloodshed. (Is.25:5)
More: http://www.euronews.com/2012/03/13/syria-accused-of-planting-landmines-near-borders/
Nigeria: Eleven dead after suicide attack on church
A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a St Finbar’s Catholic Church in Jos as worshippers were filing out after Sunday mass. Seven worshipers were killed and panic followed causing security guards to shoot and kill a further three. It was the second suicide attack on a church in Jos in two weeks, after a February 26 attack claimed by Islamist sect Boko Haram killed three and injured dozens. Jos, a faultline in Nigeria's Muslim-Christian divide between north and south, was tense in the aftermath of the bombing. There are rumours of reprisals from Christian youths, but it is hoped the security agents are on top of the situation. Eye-witness accounts said, ‘Boy scouts tried to stop the suicide bombers car' and ‘the security guards, who were mainly members of the Boys Brigade, tried to prevent the car from entering the compound and in the process the car exploded.’
Pray: against confusion in the aftermath of death, persecution and prejudice. (Am.5:14)
More: http://news.yahoo.com/nigeria-suicide-bomber-kills-three-church-attack-145431554.html
Israel: Despite cease-fire Israeli's hit Gaza after rocket in Netivot
The Israel Air Force (IAF) struck two targets in the Gaza Strip overnight Wednesday, in response to Palestinian terrorists' violation of an informal cease-fire agreement. A fragile hours-long calm came after four days of violence with 200+ rockets fired from Gaza and 26 Palestinians killed in IAF strikes - 22 believed to be terrorists. Hostilities began Friday after the IDF killed two Islamic Jihad terrorists charged with plotting a cross-border terror attack from Sinai. Wednesday’s direct hits came in response to a Grad rocket fired into the southern town of Netivot. IDF Chief of Staff said that rocket attacks such as the one in Netivot would be met with Israeli air strikes. Schools were cancelled in towns and cities located between 7 km to 40 km from the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that ‘quiet will bring quiet’ but warned Israel would strike anybody trying to attack it.
Pray: God's protection for innocent lives caught up in this latest fracas and His wisdom in all decisions to be made. (Ps.16:1)
More: http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=261773
Pakistan: Woman charged with ‘blasphemy’ for refusing Islam
A young mother has been falsely accused of blaspheming Muhammad because she rebuffed attempts by relatives, who had converted to Islam, to force her to renounce her Christian faith. Speaking ill of Muhammad is punishable by life imprisonment or death under Pakistan’s internationally condemned blasphemy laws. Police in Punjab Province, arrested and charged 26-year-old Shamim Bibi after neighbours accused her of uttering remarks against Muhammad. Her relatives accepted Islam on Feb 24th and called on her to do the same, but she did not want to convert. On Feb 27th neighbours accused her of making derogatory remarks – as yet unknown – about Muhammad while in her courtyard, the following day the mother of a 5-month-old girl was arrested. Her brother and brother-in-law said she had been wrongly accused because she had resisted pressure to convert to Islam four days before her arrest, saying she had complete faith in a living God, and that there was no reason for her to start ‘worshipping graves.
Pray: for God to give Shamim inner peace and thoughts full of hope at this time and for truthful evidence to hasten her release. (Ps.9:3-4)
More: http://www.persecution.org/2012/03/13/pakistani-woman-charged-with-blasphemy-for-refusing-islam/