China: Police raid Christmas Eve service
Police raided a house church Christmas Eve service in the south-western city of Chengdu on Friday night, taking into custody 17 believers, including one pregnant woman, sources told ChinaAid. Wang Yi, an elder of the Autumn Rain Church in Chengdu, Sichuan province, was taken to the local Caoshi Road police station, while the other brothers and sisters, as well as one non-Christian ‘seeker,’ were interrogated inside a police vehicle belonging to the Jinjiang sub-bureau. ChinaAid Association condemns the Chengdu authorities for their illegal raid on the Autumn Rain Church and for the totally superfluous act of taking church members into custody. It expresses its great respect to Wang, the other believers and the non-Christian ‘seeker’. By suffering persecution for the sake of your faith on Christmas Eve, you have truly lived out the real meaning of Christmas. Pray: for the Church as it faces ongoing challenges against meeting together. (Heb.10:25) More: http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=35091&PN=1&TPN=1
Pakistan: Cleric offers thousands for killing Christian
Muslims began protests on Friday, December 24, against plans to change Pakistan's blasphemy laws, after an Islamic leader offered nearly $6,000 for the killing of a Christian woman he accused of offending Islam. Tensions have risen over a government ministry's recommendation to release Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy. The case has sped up a government investigation whether to change the blasphemy laws, which has led to the sentencing of Christians throughout the country. Friday's protests were encouraged by Pakistani cleric Moulana Yousaf Qureshi who announced a financial award for anyone killing Bibi. ‘I will pay 500,000 rupees ($6,000) for the loyal follower of Muhammad who beheads Asia Bibi,’ he told a crowd of several hundred people earlier this month. The amount is more than six times the country's average annual wage. (See Prayer Alert 4910) Pray: that Asia Bibi would gain her full freedom in safety - and the proposed changes to the blasphemy laws would be successful. (1Pet.2:16) More: http://www.worthynews.com/9851-muslim-protests-as-cleric-offers-thousands-for-killing-christian
Algeria: Christians appeal against prison sentence
Four Christian men of a small Protestant church in Algeria are appealing against a court decision to hand them suspended prison sentences for worshiping without a state permission. News of the appeal comes after a court on December 12 reduced the sentences of Abdenour Raid, Nacer Mokrani and Idir Haoudj - to two months. The fourth man, Reverend Mahmoud Yahou, was sentenced to three months in jail and a 1,000-dinar fine (US$ 132). The prosecutor had asked for one-year prison sentences for each defendant. Defence lawyer Mohamed Benbelkacem said the men were found guilty of ‘clandestinely housing a pastor’ who was to hold a conference in their village of Ait Atteli. The Christians said they want to appeal against the sentence to avoid a government crackdown on other churches. The verdict was the latest in a series of cases targeting converted Christians in the country. Pray: that the authorities would reconsider and scrap these unjust sentences. (Is.10:1) More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/14856-algerian-christians-appeal-against-prison-sentence
Gaza: War 'only a question of time'
A senior Israeli army officer has told the BBC that as long as Hamas remains in control of the Gaza Strip, another war is ‘only a question of time’. He said the Palestinian Islamist group had re-armed so much since the Israeli offensive two years ago that it was now in a stronger position militarily. There has been an increase in rocket fire coming from Gaza in the past week. Earlier, Israeli defence officials said tanks fitted with a new missile defence system would be deployed near Gaza. The UN has condemned the firing of ‘indiscriminate’ rocket and mortar attacks by militants in Gaza in recent weeks. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat also warned that tensions were escalating in the region, and that any Israeli attack on Gaza would only lead to further bloodshed. ‘Military solutions such as these won't achieve anything and will only complicate the situation,’ Mr Erekat said. Pray: for a speedy resolution to the Gaza situation and against any new conflict. (Pr.6:4)
Philippines: Bombing wounds 11 at Christmas Mass
A bomb exploded during Christmas Day Mass at a chapel inside a police camp in the volatile southern Philippines, wounding a priest and 10 churchgoers. The device was hidden in a ventilation window near the ceiling of the chapel, which is on the compound where the provincial police office is located in Jolo town on Jolo Island, Sulu provincial police said. The island is a stronghold of al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants, but it wasn't clear who was responsible for the bombing. Investigators recovered parts of a cell phone they believe detonated the device. All of the wounded were civilians. One woman remained at a hospital for observation on Saturday, but police said one did not need hospital treatment and the others had been treated and sent home. The Philippines is predominantly Catholic, but Christians are a minority on Jolo and nearby island provinces that are majority Muslim. Pray: that God would intervene and bring His peace and unity to the people of Jolo and Mindanao. (1Sa.10:6) More: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/dec/25/bombing-wounds-11-christmas-mass-philippines/
Nigeria: Christmas violence death toll rises to 80
The death toll for the Christmas Eve bombings in central Nigeria and the Christian-Muslim clash that ensued has risen to at least 80 people. Police initially said 32 people were killed in the coordinated bomb explosions in Jos on Christmas Eve. The latest death toll includes those killed in the connected conflict between Muslim and Christian youths on Sunday in central Nigeria. Another 100 people were wounded and are in the hospital. On Christmas Eve, two bombs exploded near a busy market where people were Christmas shopping in Jos, the capital of Plateau state. Another blast occurred in a predominantly Christian neighbourhood and a fourth bomb exploded near a road leading to the main mosque in Jos. Sectarian violence is nothing new to residents of Jos, who earlier this year endured a massacre that left more than 500 people dead. Jos lies in the middle of Nigeria, where the Muslim north meets the mainly Christian south. Pray: for the people of Nigeria that God would break through and bring peace to this divided nation.And for grace and wisdom for Archbishop Ben Kwashi as a peacemaker. (Mt.12:25) More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/nigeria.christmas.violence.death.toll.rises.to.80/27298.htm
USA: Government inaction on asylum seekers
They came to the USA seeking protection from persecution in their home country but have been caught up in what some are calling an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ situation. In one case a young man from South Sudan trying for years to get permanent residence in the USA was denied sanctuary because of his possible ties to a terrorist organization. The tie is the time he was held at a Sudanese rebel army's training camp for a month after being abducted as a child. He escaped and resettled in the U.S. but his case remains on hold. Human rights groups argue provisions in immigration are overly broad. Others who have been placed in the terrorist category include doctors who assisted the wounded and were unaware that the patients were terrorists and women who were forced to feed terrorists at the threat of their lives. Pray: that the United States continues to be a beacon of freedom and hope for those seeking asylum. (Lev.19:15)
Israel: Children forgoing meals due to economic status
More than half of the country’s children living below the poverty line went without at least one meal a day over the past year due to their families’ economic difficulties. Based on data collected from more than 100 food aid charities countrywide and on in-depth interviews with individuals and families living below the poverty line, the organization’s Alternative Poverty Report for 2010 shows 55% of the estimated 850,300 children in this category had to forgo a nutritious meal every day because of their families’ economic status. This is an increase of 38% over the previous year. During the past 10 years poverty has significantly increased; more than 15,000 families joined the ranks of the poor in 2009, and overall 435,100 families – 1,774,800 Israelis – lived below the poverty line in 2009. For those living below the poverty line recession or economic growth makes little difference in their troubled lives, the poor are abandoned and neglected. Pray: for the gap between rich and poor to decrease and for the poor in Israel to have a voice. (Ex.23:6) More: http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=200513
Vietnam: Authorities stop Protestant Christmas events
In a central government crackdown on Protestant Christianity in Vietnam, hundreds of Christians from 10 northern provinces were locked out of a Christmas celebration due to take place on December 19th when police locked the doors and sent them away. Some of the deeply disappointed Christians began singing and praying in front of the building. Police moved in, striking some with fists and night sticks in the melee that followed. Video clips of the action were posted online by Monday Dec. 20th. Christian leaders calmed the crowd, which eventually left, but not before at least six people – including the Rev. Nguyen Huu Bao, the scheduled speaker - were arrested. Similar incidents occurred on Dec.19 in at least four other places throughout the country. As Christmas Day approaches, it appears the 400,000 Protestants in unregistered churches will be denied celebrating together. Pray: for those beaten and wounded to know God's comfort and healing and for officials to see Christians in a positive light and no threat to their authority. (Is.9:6) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/vietnam/30101
Iran: Pastor facing death sentence
Youcef Nadarkhani, a father of two and an Iranian pastor was arrested in October 2009 after he objected to the teaching of Islam to Christian children in schools and he has been held in prison ever since and sentenced to death for apostasy - even though this is not a crime under the country's penal code. His wife Fatemeh Passandideh was arrested in June 2010, and sentenced to life in prison. But praise God she was released on appeal in October. Youcef was born to Muslim parents and accepted no religion before becoming a Christian aged 19. His case is seen as part of a growing campaign against Christians involved in the house church movement in Iran. The pastor will become the first person in 20 years to be executed for apostasy in Iran unless the sentence is overturned. Pray: for the international community to pressurise the Iranian judiciary to uphold its own law and set Youcef free. (Ps.36:6) More: https://barnabasfund.org/UK/News/News-analysis/Pastor-facing-death-sentence-in-Iran.html