Five years ago, 230 girls were abducted in Chibok by Boko Haram. Parents whose daughters have not yet returned say it still feels like a ‘fresh wound’ but refuse to give up hope. Boko Haram set classrooms ablaze and told the girls they were under attack while they pretended to protect them. They herded them into trucks, drove into the forest and subjected them to rape, pregnancy, violence, and death. Those who did not obey militants or refused to renounce their Christian faith were punished severely; there are suggestions that some of them were forced to become Boko Haram fighters and commit murders for the group. 165 of the girls belonged to the Nigerian Church of the Brethren. Pray for parents like Yana, whose daughter has not returned. ‘Any time I speak about Rifkatu, I feel so much pain in my heart’, she said. ‘When she was kidnapped, laughter ceased in my house.’

Missionary Wayne Goddard was killed in Paraguay last week. He was a faithful man of God and died after being assaulted by armed men in the village where he was serving the Ava Guaraní and Paī Tavyterã peoples. Since 1994 he had served with Misión a Nuevas Tribus en el Paraguay, telling people about Jesus. As news of his death reached the world, it is his family's desire to recognise the sacrifice he made as he followed our Lord in willing service. Meanwhile in Peru police are investigating another murder after the body of a British missionary, Paul McAuley, was found at the hostel he ran for indigenous students in Iquitos. Born in Portsmouth, the 71-year-old was an environmental activist and a lay brother of the Catholic De La Salle Brothers teaching order. He was awarded the MBE for his work.

After being invited to an unprecedented 24 hours of prayer and preaching in the Vatican, South Sudanese leaders appeared stunned as the 82-year-old pontiff, who suffers from chronic leg pain, was helped by aides to kneel and kiss the shoes of the two main opposing leaders. He appealed to President Salva Kiir, his former deputy turned rebel leader Riek Machar, and three other vice-presidents to respect an armistice they signed and commit to forming a unity government next month. ‘I am asking you as a brother to stay in peace. I am asking you with my heart, let us go forward. There will be many problems, but they will not overcome us’, the Pope said. His appeal was made more pressing as anxiety grew over the coup in neighbouring Sudan, which could risk the fragile peace deal that ended South Sudan’s brutal five-year civil war.

The fall of President Bashir has intensified a competition for influence in Sudan, one of Africa’s biggest countries. Talks between the new military rulers, who have now arrested two of his brothers, and protesters demanding a civilian government continue, as thousands remain camped outside Khartoum army headquarters. Omar al-Bashir is under tight guard in a maximum-security prison. Uganda said it would consider offering asylum if he applied, despite an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The generals now running Sudan said Bashir will not be transferred to the ICC but will be tried in Sudan. Meanwhile demonstrators have vowed to stay on the streets, pressing for women's rights and the handover of power to the people. Hundreds of doctors marched in Khartoum on 18 April to get rid of the regime.

A new report from the IMF at its spring meeting shows that curbing corruption would deliver an additional US$1 trillion in tax revenues annually across the world; money that could support much-needed investments in health, education and infrastructure. In this season of trade-war fears, threats of economic shocks and warnings of a global economic slowdown, the IMF signalled a clear ambition to take a lead on tackling corruption. Reports for over sixty member countries mention that money-laundering and bribery have more than doubled. Mentions of the term ‘corruption’ increased by over 220%. Transparency International’s report on the IMF stated, ‘It is not enough just to mention corruption. What we would like to see is the IMF also making specific, actionable, and time-bound recommendations to tackle corruption.’

On 7 June 2018 we prayed for an awareness-raising phone app, commissioned by the CofE, to become a valuable part of intelligence gathering that combats an estimated 11,700+ people trapped in UK modern-day slavery - starting with car washes. To date, police have been alerted to 930 reports of potential modern-day slavery at car washes, thanks to the app. Users spotted potential signs of modern slavery or labour exploitation, which they marked off against the app checklist. Then they called the Modern Slavery Helpline anonymously to inform the authorities. Nottingham University said the application was downloaded 8,225 times during its first six months. Bishop Alastair Redfern said, ‘This research shows that the Safe Car Wash app has made an excellent start towards mapping the extent of modern slavery and labour exploitation in hand car washes, and, crucially, raising public awareness of this issue’. See

Franciscan friar Peter Tabichi, a science teacher in Kenya, won this year's $1million Global Teacher Prize. Not only is Peter an excellent teacher, he also gives 80% of his earnings to deprived students living in a region of severe drought and famine. He teaches high-schoolers in a school with no library or laboratory, and only one computer with limited internet access. Many students are orphans or come from a single-parent home. Tabichi views his award as a big win for Africa and all teachers and students who struggle every day with so many challenges. He will not keep the money for himself, but will use it to improve his school and feed the poor. ‘I intend to give it back to society; I intend to come up with projects that will seek to solve the problems facing the school and the community.'

Waves of prayer continue to rise for the governance of God’s Kingdom to be in Brexit debates and decisions. On 10 April the EU summit in Brussels pressed a restart button for a possible further six months of discussions. Pray for an effective Christian presence and influence in all UK deliberations; may gracious politicians be quick to listen and slow to anger. Pray for our leaders who know Christ to give wise explanations for their reasoning, so that God’s values are listened to, understood and adhered to by others. May the Christian groups in each of the political parties grow in influence, making many positive contributions in all future negotiations and decision-making. Pray for your constituency MP to cope with public office stress. May Christian MPs, peers, and staff be salt and light in the corridors of power, so that integrity, truth and compassion are interlaced through British politics.

A thousand years ago, the Church realised how powerful drama could be in communicating gospel truths, and started a tradition of mystery plays, portraying the whole Bible story. Passion plays - focussing on Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection - evolved from these, often using many local community members and seeking to entertain and instruct audiences. This year there will be at least twelve such plays up and down the UK. There is a one-man version, in and around Southampton; at the other end of the scale are the Birmingham Passion Play, with a community cast of nearly 100, starting at the Bullring shopping centre, and the Good Friday performances in Trafalgar Square which might draw 20,000 spectators. Pray for all those taking part in these plays, and for those who are out and about - shopping, on a lunch break, tourists, business people - who might unexpectedly find themselves watching ‘the greatest story ever told’. For more information, see

Responding to recent publicity about knife crime and its devastating consequences, British churches, Christian charities, and voluntary organisations worked jointly to host Standing Together, a public rally against knife crime and youth violence, in Trafalgar Square on 6 April. It was initiated by the Ascension Trust (creators of Street Pastors in 2003). The general secretary of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland said that we, the Church, must recognise that knife crimes and violence have been ruining lives for decades. ‘Standing Together’ is encouraging churches from all Christian traditions and denominations in Britain and Ireland to ‘begin their engagement, or redouble their efforts, to combat serious youth violence’. Churches have much to offer in terms of prayer, expertise, volunteers, and resources such as buildings and equipment. May this event launch even more faith in action on our streets.