Seychelles: Island paradise captive to heroin
10% of Seychelles is dependent on heroin. Addiction threatens to overwhelm them. Foreign workers are brought in to do the work that drug-dependent locals cannot do. Seychelles is number one in the world for heroin consumption. Tanzanian guards are in the jail to stem heroin flowing into the cells, but it’s not working. The jail no longer has a methadone programme or counselling sessions to treat heroin dependency. Addicts outside prison can get free Methadone if they register. Surprisingly, in a nation captive to heroin, methadone is the only support available. Taking methadone without detox and counselling is not a good solution. Yet, all residential rehabilitation centres are closed. However a grant from the UAE has been released to build a rehabilitation centre. Pray for this to begin to turn around Seychelles misery. Heroin enters Seychelles by boat and is sold in improvised shops in people’s homes. A cottage industry with whole communities involved.
Global: Bribery and corruption
This week, a US judge ordered Swiss mining and commodity giant Glencore to pay US$700 million in a long-running corruption probe. Last year, Glencore pleaded guilty to channelling at least US$100 million in bribes to public officials globally - from Brazil to the DRC, and Nigeria to Venezuela. Glencore negotiated with Brazil, the UK and America to pay up to US$1.1 billion. This week’s sentence confirms the US portion of the coordinated settlement. But it doesn’t address the full scope. There are more populations and individuals who suffered harm from Glencore’s scheme. Pray for a more comprehensive effort to identify and adequately compensate all those affected, particularly the most vulnerable. Meanwhile Indonesia wants guarantees from the UK that they will receive a portion of any future financial settlement resulting from a corruption inquiry into an aircraft manufacturer after Jakarta was excluded from an agreement made with Airbus, even though Indonesia assisted with the investigation.
Global: Ramadan starts 22nd March
Beginning at sundown on 22nd March over a billion Muslims around the world will abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and sex from dawn to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan. Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and one of the highest forms of Islamic worship. Abstinence from earthly pleasures and curbing evil intentions and desires is their act of obedience and submission to God and an atonement for sins, errors, and mistakes. Fasting is an act of faith and worship to increase their spiritual piety. Fasting together as a worldwide community (Ummah) affirms the brotherhood and equality of man before God. Throughout the day many go out of their way to help the needy, both financially and emotionally. Believing that a reward earned during this month is multiplied 70 times and more. For this reason, Ramadan is also known as the month of charity and generosity.
Exalting Jesus! - is a 21-day journey into Easter... and a 21-day journey into more of Christ!
It takes place online between March 19th and April 9th 2023 (Easter Sunday)
Join us! - as we seek to enliven and enrich our relationship with Jesus Christ for all that He is!
Exalting Jesus is a series of 21 short daily video devotionals with responsive prayers for personal, group or church use. It has been produced by David Bryant of Christ Now in association with IPC.
More info at www.exaltjesus.life
#exaltjesus #exaltingjesus #christnow #ipcprayer
WORLD PRAYER ASSEMBLY - AUSTRALIA SUMMIT
TUESDAY 3RD - FRIDAY 6TH OCTOBER 2023
PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
THEME - 'Wave of Glory'
We invite people of every tribe, family and generation to join us as we unite in worship and prayers for Australia, New Zealand, Oceania and the nations of the world!
"My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations" - says the Lord Almighty
Full details of the program will follow shortly - in the meantime, do save the date, sign up for email updates, follow us on social media and share this post far and wide!
A warm Aussie welcome awaits you in sunny Perth!
More info: www.wpa2023au.org
#wpa2023au #worldprayerassembly #waveofglory #malachaich1v11
30 DAYS OF PRAYER for the MUSLIM WORLD
MARCH 18 - APRIL 17, 2023
Join millions of Christians worldwide as we learn about the Muslim world and pray for our Muslim friends and neighbors during their annual month of Ramadan.
The free Prayer Guide is available in 20 languages online and 10 languages as a printable pdf.
More info at www.110cities.com
#110cities #prayfortheunreached #thykingdomcome
Turkey testimonies
Aftershocks are still shaking the eastern Mediterranean as far as Iraq, following on from the severe earthquakes in southern Turkey and northern Syria which left over 50,000 dead and millions homeless. Amidst all the misery, death and destruction, we are hearing testimonies from people who were buried alive and rescued from the rubble after more than a week. They all experienced a bright figure in white who came towards them and gave them something to drink.
Noah is hit by revival
Noah was a Christian student at Morehead University who heard about the Asbury revival. On 11 February, when his roommate suggested they go to Asbury, he declined. ‘No, I’m going to use today to rest, fast, and pray.’ But later, God reminded him that Jesus' disciples didn’t fast and pray while he was alive, but told them that when he was no longer there, then they would fast and pray (Luke 5:33-35). He sensed that God said, ‘You can always fast for me, but you will not always have this experience of what I’m doing at this campus’. Noah called out to his roommate, ‘I changed my mind. I’m going.’ When they entered the packed auditorium the worship leader was saying, ‘We’re not playing worship music to fit people’s needs, we’re playing worship music that honours God - that is for Jesus.’ The experience changed Noah. ‘God is more real, there is a deeper revelation, and the fear of the Lord increased over my life.’
We need more of God in the UK
We have all been praising God in recent weeks as we have heard of an increasing number of American Christian universities experiencing God’s Holy Spirit moving powerfully in and through their campuses. Many of us are praying for more of the same to happen here in the UK. For a spiritual awakening in the UK, God wants to first see a people who will humbly walk in obedience to His Spirit. Every outpouring of God’s Spirit in Acts happened first among believers. None were truly outside of Judaism. In Acts 2 and 4, they were Jews from Jerusalem and the Diaspora. Acts 8 saw Samaritans who worshipped YAHWEH in their own ways and places. Historically, revival has happened first among believers and then its effect spills out on communities and societies, resulting in social transformation. May God see His Church here become more passionately devoted to Him, spurred on towards further repentance and obedience to His Word.
British membership of Dignitas soars
Dignity in Dying say that the fact that the number of British members of Dignitas has soared 80% in ten years is ‘evidence’ that the ban on assisted dying is failing families. A total of 33 people had Dignitas-assisted deaths in 2022, ten more than 2021. Dignitas said, ‘It is immoral that we are outsourcing compassion to Switzerland for the few who can afford it. The increase in Dignitas’ latest figures is concrete evidence that Britons are desperate for choice and control over their deaths.’ The 1961 Suicide Act states assisting someone to take their life is an offence punishable with up to 14 years in prison. In December the Health and Social Care Committee said they would hold an inquiry into the assisted dying law, examining all healthcare perspectives in the controversial, passionate debate. Change in the law is opposed by religious groups, saying it undermines the value society places on human life.