Prayer Hub News

HORROR OF NORTH KOREAN PRISON CAMPS

Trapped in cages built for animals. Beaten, chained and forced to stand in torturous poses. Left to subsist on snakes and rats. The damning UN report on North Korea's crimes against humanity contains shocking allegations, but its message of misery is driven home even more powerfully by eight sketches drawn by a man who survived more than two years in Pyongyang's hell on Earth. The drawings, released as part of the 400-page report, lay bare the brutality of a regime that has practiced torture on its people, undeterred, for years.

"This was the first thing that I saw: there it said that 'if you run, you die,'" Kim Kwang-Il, the 48-year-old artist and one of some 300 witnesses the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights spoke to in compiling the report. Kwang-Il's sketches offer a rare glimpse inside a prison camp, where photographs are forbidden. Some depict the torturous poses inmates are compelled to assume for hours at a time, under threat of beatings by chains and ropes. "We are supposed to think there's an imaginary motorcycle and we are supposed to be in this position as if we are riding the motorcycle," he said, describing one such torture. "And for this, we pose as if we are airplanes ourselves. We are flying. And if we stand like this there's no way that you can hold that position for a long time. You are bound to fall forward. Everybody in the detention center goes through this kind of torture," said Kwang-Il, who now lives in South Korea.

Another heart-wrenching sketch shows a starving inmate trying to catch a rat.

"Because we starved so much and did not have enough to eat, we would find snakes in street," said Kwang-Il, who now lives in South Korea. "How do you eat a snake in the street? But for us the first one to find it was the person who got to eat it. Everybody raced to catch those snakes and that's because we were so starved."

The UN report castigated the Hermit Kingdom for its ruthless treatment of people, depicting a brutal nation "that does not have any parallel in the contemporary world."

"Crimes against humanity have been committed in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea pursuant to policies established at the highest level of the state," the U.N.'s high commissioner on human rights stated in a report released Monday. "These crimes against humanity are ongoing because the policies, institutions and patterns of impunity that lie at their root remain in place."

Kwang-Il served 29 months in a North Korean labor camp after he was caught smuggling pine nuts across the border. Other survivors told the UN panel during its yearlong investigation of conditions in the secretive communist dictatorship. One witness described how a female inmate gave birth inside a camp. When a guard heard the baby's cries, he beat the mother as a punishment. And when she begged him to let her keep the baby, he forced her to drown the newborn.

Experts say it is common for prisoners in North Korean camps to lose up to half their body weight, or starve to death altogether. Many who survive are permanently disfigured from being chained to walls for days or even weeks at a time. The cruel regime not only punishes those it brands as criminals or disloyal, it also imprisons and tortures members of that person's family and succeeding generations, according to those who made it out of Pyongyang's gulags alive..

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, estimate that more than 200,000 North Koreans are being held in camps similar to the one depicted in Kwang-Il's sketches. Other activist groups, like Open Doors USA, estimate that number to be even higher, reporting that the secretive nation has detained about 400,000 of its citizens -- many of them Christians. In North Korea, the practice of Christianity is illegal. Owning a Bible is a crime, and any person caught with one is sent - along with three generations of his or her family - to prison.

Pyongyang refused to cooperate with the investigation and denied the commission of inquiry access to North Korea. Last May, North Korea sent a letter saying it "totally and categorically rejects the Commission of Inquiry," said Michael Kirby, the chair of the UN Commission of Inquiry.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay pressed Tuesday for North Korea to be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) following the report.

"We now need strong international leadership to follow up on the grave findings of the Commission of Inquiry. I therefore call on the international community, in line with the report's recommendations, to use all the mechanisms at its disposal to ensure accountability, including referral to the International Criminal Court,'' Pillay said in a statement.

Please continue to cry out to the Lord for the plight of suffering people in North Korea. This has got to stop and this wicked regime must be reformed or removed so that the two Koreas can be reunified and these horrors are ended.

Afghanistan

There will be an on-site prayer initiative in Afghanistan, March 25-30. An international team of six or seven ministry leaders will join with local and expatriate believers, focusing on the national elections happening the first week of April. This is a very crucial time for the nation. Please pray for His anointing and protection on the team and those they meet with and for the right person of God's choosing to become the new president.

Additional prayer concerns from believers in the country:

The situation with President Karzai has not been solved yet. In each of our prayer meetings we bring this up to the Lord, but we feel that more prayer is needed that Karzai signs the agreement between his and the US Government.

As a matter of fact the relationship between the two is getting worse. Now president Obama tells Karzai that the US is planning for a full pull-out of the country http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-26346115.

Please pray for patience for the American government. If they go ahead with the "zero plan" it would be disastrous for our country. But our prayer can and will make the difference.

Every day that the treaty is held back is a lost day for Afghanistan. The weekly incident list reports a total of 568 separate incidents in the country, that is 113 incidents more than the week before! We need your prayers that the security situation will not raise in face of the upcoming election and that president Karzai signs the paper. That would definitely bring more stability to the country which the people are longing for.

At the same time we need your prayers for the neighbouring country where the peace negotiations with the Tal... terrorists took place during the last weeks. We praise Him that instead of reaching an agreement they began fighting each other. This is a good opportunity to pray that the Government comes to realise that covenants with people on jihad (holy war) mean nothing to them. They only succumb as long as they get their way. If this "peace" talk would be taken up again it would mean a total set-back for both of our countries. Please pray fervently that the opposite will happen and the present situation of confusion between both sides will last.

Thank you so much for standing with us in your prayers,

Anonymous Christians in Afghanistan

Please pray for Hungary's elections

Our parliament and governmental elections will take part on Sunday, April 6th, followed by the local elections in the Autumn. There is a governing mid-right coalition, with a more and more autocratic and over-controlling policy. There is a quite weak wide-left coalition, heavily attacked and mocked by the government-controlled media. We have a strengthening far-right party with great slogans and self-confidence. None of them seem to meet the people's need and care for God's will.

Lately some evangelical Christians formed a political movement, that last summer founded a new party, called "ANSWER", that put on its banner the reformation of Hungarian politics on Biblical basis, willing to serve the nation in a godly way. So far they could stand up candidates in 15 electoral districts out of the 200.

1. Please pray for these new Christian electoral candidates and their movement, as they face strong political pressure in this totally new situation.

2. Pray also for more experienced and skilled candidates to join to this movement and change their political views according to God's will.

3. Please pray for Hungarians during the electoral campaign to be sober and wise to protect and favors those candidates, who are the most suitable and willing to use political power according the will and ways of Jesus Christ, who has the supreme power over Hungary too and is willing to come back soon to rule over the whole created world.

Szabolcs Szatmari

Budapest, Hungary

EUROPEAN TRUMPET CALL - IPC

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ

We are writing to you on behalf of the International Prayer Council to invite you to Skopje Macedonia in June this year to take part in the European Trumpet Call to be held there on June 18-21. Our brothers and sisters in the Balkans have put out a call to the rest of Europe to come together to pray for the Balkans and our Continent.

To help with administration we are asking everyone to make their own arrangements. A website has been established http://europeantrumpetcall.org more information will be on the website in the coming weeks.

We look forward to seeing you in Skopje. This is an important time for the church across Europe to stand in the gap on behalf of our nations and the Continent. Please pass this information on to other National prayer leaders that you know.

Praying God's blessing on your life and ministry,

Ian Cole, Birmingham England

Ioan Peia, Bucharest Romania

Trumpet Call Initiative for the Transform World Movement

Sounding the trumpet for a "set time!" "Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain!" Joel 2:1

We are writing to invite your prayerful participation in a key prayer and worship initiative during Passover and Easter this year, April 11-21st. Significant timing issues are converging during Easter this year requiring our attention as follows:

The Christian church's Palm Sunday-Easter week (April 13-20th) and Jewish Passover Feast (April 15-21st) coincide this year.

On the Sabbath just prior to Palm Sunday, Friday-Saturday 04/11-12/2014 the scripture reading for Jewish synagogues around the world is Amos 9:7-15 which includes Amos 9:11 and the call to restore the "Tabernacle of David," i.e. houses of prayer that God is raising up and connecting.

04/13-14 is a 24 hour global day to pray for the 04/14 window (age group 4-14) the largest unreached people group in the world).

04/15 Passover starts and is the date of one of 4 red moons scheduled to appear on Jewish feast days (passover and feast of tabernacles) over the next two years.

What is God saying in the midst of these converging signs? We believe that He is calling His people to converge for spiritual breakthrough, both individually and corporately. The power of agreement in intensifying times is vital for breakthrough and Kingdom advance. When we agree with God and with each other, heaven will come to earth. We are writing to engage you in agreement to help build bridges between houses of prayer, regions, and nations with a common focus. The strategy is very simple and can be engaged by families, small prayer groups, churches, to larger regional efforts. With such convergence, we are encouraging mobilization for the following:

Vision: Mobilize corporate gatherings in your houses of prayer, groups, churches, cities, regions and nations that inspire worship, prayer with Passover dinner/fellowship.

Purpose:

Honor God on His timeline

Inspire unified focus

Encourage building of relationships, bridging of cities, regions and nations in common purpose.

Plan:

Encourage corporate prayer/worship with celebration of the feast of Passover/Lord's supper, preferably weekend of April 11-12th or during the April 11-21st time-frame.

Encourage building of altars in regions with corporate prayer/worship and celebration of Passover. It is a simple means to re-consecrate the land to the Lord

Continue gatherings on Passover and Feast of Tabernacles 2014 and 2015 with key focuses to be established to encourage agreement and building of relational strength

Please RSVP (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) if you intend to participate or have any questions. More information is available, guidelines and Christian Seder, for those who would like them just contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . We are available to assist and encourage and will have conference calls to mobilize this effort. Gatherings do not need to be large and complex, but with focused intent on honoring the Lord on His timeline and building into relationships in your regions (following the great commandments of Jesus Matthew 22:37-40). We look forward to hearing from you! It is time for the healing of the nations and honoring God on His timeline.

On the wall and building,

Fred and Sue Rowe

Transform World Celebration Challenge facilitators

GUYANA KINGS ENVOYS RETREAT

I attended the IPC conference in November in New York and returned home all excited to share how God can use children in Prayer and Spiritual Warfare. I reported to my National body and was encouraged to share what I received with the entire Assemblies Of God, which is the denomination I am a part of. January 31st I had my first meeting with one of the sections. A number of children were filled with the Holy Spirit.

I am the National Sunday School Director Of this denomination and we have a group of children drawn from most of our sections, whom we encourage to live for Christ daily and share the Gospel. This group is known as the KING'S ENVOYS so on FEBRUARY 15TH ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE (125) of them met and we shared with them about prayer and how God can use them to pray for others.

The tables were turned as three children came forward and prayed for the Superintendent and the Executive Presbyter. Just as we were about to close the C.E.D. Director Rev. Lynette Smith who was at the Conference in November arrived and closed in prayer. She later told me that there was such a great Presence of God in the building that could have caused an explosion of The Holy Ghost!

Tessa Smith This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Appeal for Prayer from the Pastor of the largest Messianic Jewish synagogue in the world in Kiev, Ukraine

For the last three months we have seen a series of events in Kiev and Ukraine in general which can't be called other than God's miracles. Now we feel God's hand over Ukraine despite of the fact that situation here is still tense. Our economic and public administration systems are in a weakened state but we can see how God is lifting Ukraine up. Menaces from outside, situation in Crimea etc., strange as it may seem, solidified the majority of people in Ukraine (Ukrainians, Russians, representatives of other nationalities and of course Jews).

We ask you kindly to pray for our new authorities, new governmental system, protection of wholeness of Ukraine, unity of believers in Yeshua as well as for there would be no divisions in the Body of our Messiah. Please pray for God's protection for Ukraine and of course for a real revival that would cover millions of people, Jew

You can also pray against the Assyrian spirit, against intimidation and corruption of any kind as well as for smashing of the darkness and its complete march-back from Ukraine and inside Ukraine.s first (Romans 1:16).

Anti-Semitism.

In this situation besides provocateurs from inside (who try to rouse and provoke inner confrontation in Ukraine) there are no strong political forces that would propagate anti-Semitism or would put pressure on Jews. But inside, of course, this spirit has deep roots in Ukraine. At the moment we have some fringe groups who used to be distinct in their anti-Semitic rhetoric and now they hide their negative attitude towards Jews.

We thank you very much for your participation, support, prayers and active faith in general.

(Assyria as you, probably, know was ancient state on the northeast Israel which was the enemy of Judea and tried to capture him at all the time. For Ukraine - Assyria is a spiritual image which tries to bring fear and division and as it is possible to see it influence of this spirit goes to Ukraine from the northeast). (Isa.7:1-9, 2Chr.32:7-8)

Other Prayer Concerns:

Dr. Peter Kuzmic: "This threatens the stability and peace in Europe and marks the beginning of a new Cold War era with the potential to turn into a more disastrous global conflagration."

Please pray:

1.) For the right mix of wisdom, vision, and boldness for all of those engaged in preventative diplomacy and peacemaking between Ukraine and Russia.

2.) Pray especially for the leadership of the European Union, USA, and United Nations that they will find an agreement for an unified and effective approach to curtail Russian ambitions to enlarge their territory and bring Ukraine under its control.

3.) Pray for the leadership of Christian churches in both Ukraine and Russia not to give in to nationalist euphorias, but to exercise spiritual discernment and prophetic boldness in speaking the word of truth to power and to be constructively engaged in building bridges of reconciliation across the dangerous divides of antagonistic camps.

4.) Pray that the churches on all sides will credibly witness to the unity of the body of Christ and joyfully announce the Gospel as a message of hope, forgiveness, and reconciliation in their vulnerable and despairing contexts.

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On Sunday, March 16, there will be a Crimean "referendum" that ultra-nationalists want to use to have Crimea annexed by Russia. Pray for the binding and overthrow of the spirit of division (the devil) who also wants to bring violence and war through this to this region and to our world. May His peace and deliverance prevail and may there be transforming revival and the development of a strong united prayer movement among His people in the midst of this crisis!

APPEAL OF THE UKRAINIAN CHURCHES ON THE OCCASION OF THE FOREIGN AGGRESSION

Sunday, 02 March 2014

Dear Brothers and Sisters! In this difficult time when military units of the Russian Federation, violating international and bilateral agreements, entered the sovereign territory of Ukraine and the Soviet of Federation by presentation of the President of Russia has given its permission to use employment of the Russian troops in Ukraine - we, first of all call all of you and all the people of the good will to solidarity with us, to prayer for Ukraine and Ukrainian nation.

We call the Russian authorities to come to senses and stop its aggression against Ukraine, and immediately pull out Russian troops from the Ukrainian land. All the responsibility before God and mankind for irreparable consequences fully falls on the leadership of Russia. There is no oppression by the language, nation and denomination in our country. Therefore we witness that all the efforts of the Russian propaganda to represent all the events in Ukraine as "fascist coup d'etat" and "extremists' victory" do not correspond to reality absolutely...

Churches of Ukraine are with the Ukrainian people. We know for sure: God is not in might, but He is in the truth. The truth in on the side of the Ukrainian people. Therefore we shall win. May the Lord protect all of us!

Prayer Initiatives: Transformation through Strategic Intercession

Believing that "with God all things are possible", a prayer initiative is an internationally coordinated, united prayer effort for the holistic transformation of a nation or city. It is holistic in that informed prayer is focused on the unique needs of a society whether they are in the social, political, economic, ecological or spiritual realms. Such needs may be ethnic conflict, war, political oppression, economic corruption, exploitation of the poor, religious persecution, or the need for spiritual renewal due to laxness or division in the church. As people come together to seek the Lord for their nation, He promises to bring healing, forgiveness and restoration (2 Chronicles 7:14, Is. 41:17-20, Ez. 36-37, Rev.22:1-3). Prayer initiatives normally combine an on-site visit by an international team of prayer leaders in a conference or seminar with local leaders from the churches, para-church organizations, and prayer networks. If appropriate and possible, it is valuable to include representatives from other spheres such as the business community and government. During the conference, local leaders present the current situation in the nation with key concerns for intercession. Members of the international team give teachings on strategic intercession, as well as case studies and stories of how God brings healing, reconciliation and restoration through prayer. All of this happens in a dynamic, free flowing sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and what He wants to do to bring transformation to those who participate and to the wider society.

In addition, prayer networks around the world are alerted in advance and given specific information on the initiative for that nation, so they can provide the informed support of many thousands of gifted prayer warriors. With this mixture of both a locally and internationally coordinated prayer focus, we have seen the hand of God breaking through in numerous previous initiatives, often with supernatural demonstrations of His power and direction as well as bringing tangible changes reflected in the newspaper headlines. The way He does this is always fresh and unique to that particular nation. Prayer Initiative/Seminar Program                              "Uniting in Prayer, Transforming Our Nation" 2 Chronicles 7:14 I. Prayer and Social Transformation (International Team)
   Discussion- "What are the key issues for prayer for the nation?"
   Political/economic situation (local speaker shares key prayer concerns)
   United prayer in small groups or twos and threes II. Reconciliation and Identificational Repentance (International Team)
    Church and its mission situation (local speaker share key prayer concerns)
    Time of prayer III. Building a United Prayer Movement (International Team and/or local facilitator)
     Discussion and time of prayer IV. Process of National Deliverance and Restoration (International Team)
    Discussion: "How can restoration come? How can we pray and work together?
    Prayer V. Local conflict with spiritual powers of evil (local speaker shares key prayer concerns)
   Conflict with Spiritual Powers of Evil (International Team)
   Discussion
   United Prayer VI. Establishing a United Prayer Network (International Team and/or local facilitator)
    Discussion: Planning for the Future VII. Commissioning as Intercessors Note: all presentations will be interwoven with times of intercessory prayer, discussion and response to the work of the Spirit among us. Our team and the local leaders will together submit ourselves to one another and to the Lord for direction throughout the initiative. This is only a rough draft for general direction and communication. It can be modified if necessary as the local leaders and international team confer together. If you are interested to arrange a prayer initiative for you nation, the IPC may be able to assist you. You may contact our office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Syria's children call for Peace

As world leaders meet to discuss Syria's future, children are sending a message to the leaders explaining what peace means to them. When all you hear about in Syria is war it's important to listen to the voices of children calling for peace. Please share this heartbreaking video below with your friends and give, pray and advocate in any way you can. Amplify the voice of Syria's children as global leaders and Syrian delegates meet for the first time in three years. Watch this video http://www.wvi.org/syria-crisis/video/starvation-war-crime please pass it on to all your network. World Vision are inviting churches and prayer networks around the world to hold a prayer vigil with a candle or mobile phone on March 14th (the 3rd Year Anniversary) for the children of Syria. We ask the Lord to soften the hearts of leaders and to listen to the pleas of peace. http://www.wvi.org/syria-crisis/video/starvation-war-crime Please post this and share this for your local church Calendar. Lilian Schmid
National Prayer Strategy for the Ten Domains

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