The Uzbeks traditionally were semi-nomadic shepherds. Today they farm or live and work in towns and cities. Most Uzbeks are Sunni Muslims but not orthodox. Many traditional beliefs have been mingled with Islamic practices. The younger generation are either atheists or non-religious. Uzbeks with access to the Gospel live in cities. Most rural villages are without Gospel witness, and Islamic fundamentalists living in the former Soviet regions have begun calling for strict application of Islamic law, as practised in Afghanistan. Now is the time to reach communities with the message of the Cross. Much intercession is needed for this to happen. Pray that the Holy Spirit will soften the hearts of Uzbek Muslims towards Christians. Ask God to grant wisdom and favor to mission agencies focusing on the Uzbeks. Ask the Lord to send additional long-term labourers to live among them and share the love of Christ with them.

Tauktae, the strongest storm on record to hit India, killed over 40 people after it made landfall on 17 May. Branches of the air force and navy are scouring the sea to rescue personnel from oil rigs and vessels that were in the path of the cyclone. One barge sank with 261 people: 188 were rescued, 26 died, and 47 are missing. Other barges ran aground. Deaths were caused by lightning strikes, collapsed buildings, falling trees, floods and fallen live electricity poles in Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat and Goa. The cyclone caused winds of 125 mph when it made landfall. As Tauktae battered the west coast, another cyclone is likely to hit the east coast. A low-pressure area is very likely to form over the north Andaman Sea and the adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal around 22 May, with the potential to intensify into a cyclone.

Thousands of Venezuelans have fled to Colombia in the past month to avoid fighting. They are running away from intense armed clashes between Venezuela’s army and Colombia’s rebel groups. Refugees say they were pushed out of their homes by the military and describe human rights abuses, disappearances, and home break-ins. A prominent Colombian guerrilla fighter, Jesus Santrich, was killed in Venezuelan territory as part of the ongoing conflict. For a video of the extent of the troubles go to. Venezuela's ongoing economic and political turmoil could result in the biggest displacement of people in the world in recent years. It is an issue that has repercussions for the whole region. While many countries have acted to deter migrants, Colombia has taken a step in a radically different direction, granting nearly a million undocumented Venezuelans the right to stay for ten years.

Parents with Covid, unable to look after their children and living in Gaza, have problems bigger than childcare arrangements. One such couple sent their children to their grandparents' apartment, then two days later the worst violence in years erupted on their doorstep between Israel's military and Palestinian militant group Hamas. Rockets and mortars flew everywhere. The couple have no access to health services, despite their worrying symptoms, and they are struggling with the separation from their children as Israeli airstrikes pound nearby. Less than 2% of Gaza's population had received a dose of Covid-19 vaccine by the end of April, and thousands are evacuating to shelters, the above couple included. Medical staff and humanitarian agencies are worried the enclave could be hit by a third wave of Covid-19 as dozens of schools are transformed into shelters. The health ministry believes the wave has already started, with 30% of people being tested proving positive and over 100 in intensive care units.

500 riot police officers entered a prison after a riot broke out at the facility, in the municipality of Cantel. At least seven prisoners were killed in the fight between rival gangs: most of them were beheaded. The prison, 125 miles from the capital, was built to house 500 inmates but has more than 2,000. Police sources told local media one of the inmates had ordered the attack on rival gang members in retaliation for the murder of his wife, who had been shot dead by two men on motorbikes hours earlier. According to the source, this man is serving a sentence for murder. Almost half of the roughly 3,500 violent deaths a year in Guatemala are carried out by gangs.

Sadiq Khan has won another four years as London's mayor. He said in an interview that the church ‘does a lot of good for all Londoners’, and he finds the prayers for him when he visits churches ‘inspiring’. He thanks Christians for their prayers for himself and all our leaders, saying, ‘It is just so inspiring and I'm always struck.’ The former MP also praised churches for their role in social justice, saying, ‘Over the last five years, I've understood just how much our Christian communities contribute to London’s success. I've seen churches stepping up to provide support for lonely Londoners, give support for those sleeping rough, help the homeless and give young people constructive things to do.’ He added that churches are not just helping Christians, they are doing so much good for all Londoners, irrespective of faith, race or background.

James Merritt, pastor of Crosspoint Church in Duluth, met two men, Bartolo and Osmani. Neither of them spoke English - and he didn’t speak Spanish. But, thanks to the Google Translate app, what was supposed to be nothing more than an ad hoc purchase ended up as ‘one of the greatest witnessing experiences I’ve ever had in my life,’ the pastor said. Merritt said he and his wife always keep tracts in our home in both English and Spanish, but he really wanted to engage with the two men in a more meaningful way. That’s when he decided to try the translation app. As they spoke, Osmani learned Merritt was a pastor and decided to call his wife, who is already a Christian, to tell her. His wife then, using the app, asked Merritt to share the Gospel with her husband and Bartolo. That’s exactly what Merritt did, and the two men became Christians.

We are approaching Virtual Pentecost, at 2.00 pm on Sunday 23 May, for an online gathering. Momentum towards this is building as more leaders, churches and individuals sign up to join the event and add their voice to this call to prayer. If you are a leader and want to add your voice, please get in touch with This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. As of 13 May, the actual number of registrations stands at over 35,000. This is more than the gate registration for Wembley, and there are still ten days to go. Between now and Pentecost, Jonathan Oloyede is speaking on a range of Christian and secular media. Please pray for him as he shares the heart and the vision of Virtual Pentecost, and for God to prompt more people to register. See also

On 11 May the Queen set out the government's priorities at the state opening of Parliament. She said her government would ‘deliver a national recovery from the pandemic that makes the UK stronger, healthier and more prosperous than before’. Pray that Ministers can now start making progress beyond the twelve-month pandemic emergency, and give more time to push through laws to make manifesto promises real. May their plans provide all that is needed to succeed. The Queen also said the government would ‘strengthen the economic ties across the union, investing in and improving national infrastructure’ Pray for our government to stand strong in all that God intends it to do in the coming season. Other topics covered included education, women's rights, freeports, internet safety, the environment, modernising planning laws, and discouraging asylum seekers from crossing the English Channel. Pray that the PM’s ‘rocket boosters’ agenda would successfully repair all that is damaged.

Following the announcement in the Queen’s Speech that the Government will ban conversion therapy, the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, chair of the Living in Love and Faith Next Steps Group, said: ‘The Church of England believes that all people are made in the image of God and must be cherished for who they are. The General Synod has voted overwhelmingly to reject coercive conversion therapies, so we welcome the Government’s commitment to explore these matters further with a view to enshrining that position in law. We recognise the difficulties in defining conversion therapies, and look forward to working closely with the Government to develop a viable definition and subsequent legislation. We want to prevent abuses of power, and ensure that issues of consent are made absolutely central to any future legislation.’ Pray for people to recognise that gay conversion therapy is unethical, harmful, and not supported by evidence.