The 'Hope for the Middle East' petition, signed by over 800,0000 people, was presented at the United Nations on 12 December, urging the protection of Christians and other persecuted minorities in Iraq and Syria post-IS. It calls on the UN to work with religious leaders to maintain peace and rebuild Iraq and Syria.

As 2017 closes, Syrian warring parties are moving towards reconciliation - but America is not among them. IS is all but defeated: the Syrian army and its allies are closing in on the few remaining pockets occupied by other extremists. Donald Trump may have hinted at changes, but he’s treading the same path as Obama on Syria. Determined to oust Syria’s President Assad as a means to weaken Iran and re-establish American regional control, Barack Obama gambled on two pathways to this goal: 1) military strategy to snatch control over Syria from the regime; 2) UN/American mediation in Geneva to remove Assad. Washington lost its military venture when the Russian air force entered the battle; next it resuscitated a limp Geneva peace process for political settlement without Assad. It failed. But a fresh process is being established in Sochi, not Geneva, with Iranians, Russians and Turks carving out ceasefire zones and negotiating peace.

In Bali huge plumes of smoke continue to stretch 1,500m above Mount Agung as eruptions and low frequency earthquakes continue. The eruption threat remains at its highest level but it is not known when a major eruption will occur; so 70,000+ evacuees remain banished from their homes. In California wildfires have destroyed 1,000 structures to date, and six major fires still roar. Tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes. Smoke continues to obscure the sun in both places. Hundreds of people were forced to leave their homes in the Solomon Islands after several rivers overflowed on 5 December. After torrential rainfall on 1 December in Albania, 5,000 households suffered flood damage and 600 families are still homeless. In all of these instances people comfort each other after losing livestock, livelihoods, homes and possessions. Many are still living in fear. See

Leaders of over fifty countries condemned US president Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and called on the world to respond by recognising East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine at an Istanbul summit. They added, ‘We invite the Trump administration to reconsider its unlawful decision that might trigger chaos in the region, and to rescind its mistaken step’. Turkish President Erdogan also said, ‘It is out of the question for a biased US to mediate between Israel and Palestine; that period is over. We need to discuss who will be a mediator from now on.’ There have been riots and protests by Palestinians ever since Trump’s decision. On 14 December undercover police officers arrested rioters outside Ramallah. See

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s court case, at which she was expected to have her jail sentence extended, was postponed following the Foreign Secretary’s visit to Iran. Boris Johnson has said he held ‘worthwhile’ meetings in Tehran over the case of the jailed British-Iranian woman, but warned that he did not wish ‘to raise false hopes’ for her release. He believed his messages had been understood by senior Iranian figures, but admitted it was too early to be confident of the outcome, casting doubt on her family’s hopes that she might be released in time for Christmas.

In October Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte declared Marawi city liberated from the terrorists led by Malaysian Mahmud bin Ahmad. Marawi is now battle-scarred and broken, after two months of fierce fighting destroyed half of the homes and killed more than 1,000 people. Countless Muslims like Alayssa Macabaya were forced to flee after their homes were destroyed. Now, he lives 2 hours away in the predominantly Christian city of Cagayan de Oro. He and other Muslim refugees receive food, shelter, and basic necessities from the Christians who live there. ‘We are not driving them from the city. They can stay as long as they want,’ said Mayor Oscar Moreno. ‘Who knows, maybe some will settle down here.’ However, not everyone is happy about the mayor's decision. The city's social welfare officer said that he has received numerous security concerns from residents.

A momentous prayer meeting, likely to have lasting significance, has taken place in South Africa’s parliament. The focus was reconciliation. White people asked forgiveness from blacks, who in turn confessed their sins against the white community. Many were brought to tears during an extended time of prayer and confession. MP Steve Swart confessed the government’s anti-Semitism during World War II, when Jews fleeing the Holocaust were not allowed to disembark in Cape Town. The meeting was held in the parliament’s former main chamber where many discriminatory laws were passed. As Ezra drew people back to God by reading the Law, so South Africa is experiencing restoration in spirit and in truth. People repented of apartheid, inferior education, corrupt laws, detentions, imprisonments, discrimination, tortures and violence. To comprehend the enormity of the meeting, click the ‘More’ link.

A mother wrote to Karen Swallow Prior, ‘I met you outside Women's Services. I was 15 years old. I was alone, about to start a two-day procedure. On day one of the would-be termination, I was to wait at home, come back the next day and complete it. That night I felt my son move. The next day, before entering the building, I met you. You read me some scriptures and made me aware of other options. So I decided to have the laminaria removed and continue with the pregnancy. You saved my son’s life. You took me home and never left my side, took me to your church, linked me to several agencies. You were truly a blessing to me. Today my son is almost 20 and in his second year at college. I miss him so much, he’s the best thing that ever happened to me.’

When the shepherds had seen the new-born Jesus, they spread the word and amazed everyone who heard their story. This month churches will be distributing the Christmas HOPE magazine door-to-door in villages, towns and cities, spreading the Jesus story and inviting people to church. How will you and your church be reaching out to people in your community this month?

(Catherine Butcher, Hope for Every Home)

The problems over the Irish border dispute seem to have been resolved, after intense negotiations between London, Brussels, Dublin and Belfast. We can pray for God to bless everyone powerfully with the wisdom and discernment needed to bring about His purposes in all future discussions. May each nation prosper and flourish in its different Christian heritage. Pray that the UK will prosper as a result of what is negotiated in the days to come. Pray for Ireland, Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK to be in unity and not divided; pray for Stormont, Scotland’s parliament, and the Welsh assembly to work in co-operation with Westminster; pray for God to be the author of all lawmaking, boundaries and borders.

(Linda Digby – Prayer Alert Team)