BARNABAS FUND - AID AGENCY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
www.barnabasfund.org
prayer
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
to help you pray for the persecuted church
SEPTEMBER 1 - 4 Thank you for your prayers for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ, which make such a difference to them. We sometimes have to change or omit their names for security reasons, and we have only limited space to share their stories. But the Lord knows the people and places we are praying about. Thank you for your understanding.
the grabbing of church-owned property by the government of Punjab. Over ten large properties, including a church, schools, hospitals and graveyards, have been taken. Christian leaders met with the Lahore District Coordination Officer on 15 June to demand the return of the latest school to be seized, but when they failed to get a positive response, Christian protestors took to the streets. Pray that the provincial government will respect the property rights of the churches.
Please do not feel limited by the specific prayer requests, but pray as you feel led. On each Sunday we have provided a set prayer; please feel free to use these in their current form, to adapt them as you prefer, or to use the information they contain to frame your own prayers.
Wednesday 3 Give thanks that members of a Pakistani Christian family who have been trapped in bonded labour for years have been rescued by Barnabas partners. The owner of the brick kiln where they worked had kept them enslaved by withholding their wages and forcing them to take out a loan from him. When they tried to leave, he made them return, and he beat, tortured and threatened to kill them. The father of the family died in 2013 as a result of illness and weakness. But earlier this year, his widow sought help from our partners, and they obtained a court order for the recovery of the family. Pray for the three members who have already been rescued as they recuperate at a safe house. Pray too for the efforts to secure the freedom of six others still held by the owner.
September Monday 1 Praise God that Pakistan’s Supreme Court has instructed the government to take specific steps to protect religious minorities from violence and intolerance. The ruling was issued partly in response to the deadly attack on All Saints Church in Peshawar in September 2013, which claimed over 100 lives. The court ordered the formation of a National Council for Minority Rights, a special police force to protect places of worship, and a taskforce to develop strategies to counter intolerance, along with further corrective measures. Campaigners for the rights of Christians in Pakistan welcomed the moves but expressed reservations about whether they would be implemented. Pray that the measures will achieve a tangible improvement in the condition of the country’s Christians. Tuesday 2 About 1,500 Christians staged a protest in Lahore, Pakistan in June 2014 over 2
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Thursday 4 As the Syrian civil war rages on, the militant Islamist group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) now controls extensive territory in eastern Syria. The group is acutely hostile to Christians, who are suffering grievous oppression under its rule. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has named Syria as one of the world’s worst violators for the first time, saying that the crisis “has devolved largely into a sectarian conflict” and “represents one of the worst situations in the world for religious freedom”, with abuses being committed by all sides. Before the war, it
SEPTEMBER 5 - 8 was easier to be a Christian in Syria than almost anywhere else in the Arab world. Pray that the US and other Western governments will continue to work for a resolution of the conflict and for religious freedom for all Syria’s citizens. Friday 5 Give thanks that Barnabas Fund is helping many Christian families from Aleppo, Syria, to survive. One group of over 240 families originally lived in one of the city’s poorest neighbourhoods, but on Good Friday 2013, rebels invaded their area, forcing them to flee. They lost all their possessions on that day and have been living as displaced persons. The families have been receiving monthly food packages and milk powder for the children for almost two years now, as well as regular additional packages containing essentials such as blankets, shoes and seasonal clothes. Pray that our partner will be able to continue getting the aid to those who need it most. Pray too that the displaced families may experience God’s nearness through their ordeal.
These displaced Christians from Aleppo receive support from Barnabas
Saturday 6 The militant jihadist group ISIS launched a terrifying attack on Mosul, the second city of Iraq, on 6 June. They seized weapons, freed prisoners and looted and torched church buildings. Three days later, police came to senior
church leaders there and advised the Christian community to leave. They fled immediately, leaving everything behind as they sought refuge in the Nineveh valley. The following day Mosul fell to the rebels. Barnabas sent emergency aid to support the Christians in their desperate need. The militants then advanced south, prompting Christians also to leave the city of Kirkuk. Pray for provision and protection for our displaced brothers and sisters and that they will find safety in the Kurdish areas of northern Iraq. Sunday 7 Heavenly Father, we cry out to You for the Christians left in Mosul, mostly elderly and sick, as they now face the threat of sharia penalties introduced by ISIS: the amputation of limbs for thieves, crucifixion for criminals and the death penalty for apostasy. We pray that You will protect them from the brutality of the militants. We pray for peace and healing for those who have already been threatened or attacked, and for the safe return of those who have been kidnapped. We pray too for those struggling to pay the humiliating jizya tax that the militants have imposed. We ask that the attempt to restore a united Islamic state under one ruler in the cross-border territory controlled by ISIS will come to nothing. Monday 8 Iraqi Christians are losing even previously safe havens under the relentless assault of ISIS. On 25 June, the militant group attacked the historic Christian town of Qaraqosh, near Mosul, driving its mainly Christian population of around 40,000 to flee. Many Christians from Mosul had gone there after the fall of their own city earlier in the month. Kurdish forces were able BARNABAS PRAYER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
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SEPTEMBER 9 - 13 to repel ISIS from the town, allowing some people to return to their homes for the time being, but their security remains extremely precarious. Pray that the ISIS advance will be stopped and that the Iraqi security forces will be able to regain the captured territory. Tuesday 9 A Christian from Loynam village in the Savannakhet province of Laos was arrested on the morning of 29 May and tied to a post before being imprisoned. Two weeks earlier, police and village security officers had gone to Mr Sort’s home and threatened him with eviction from the village and confiscation of all his property if he did not give up his faith. He refused, despite repeated attempts to coerce him. The village chief then seized around £300 of Mr Sort’s money. Give thanks that our brother, who has been a Christian for less than two years, has stood firm in his faith, and ask the Lord to renew his courage and strength (1 Corinthians 16:13). Wednesday 10 Five Christians have been charged with murder in Laos after a sick woman sought prayer at her local church, converted to Christianity and later died. Mrs Chan, from Saisomboon village in Savannakhet province, had been ill for two years when she approached the church. Her health improved for a short time, and she and her eight grown-up children came to faith in Christ. The sons and daughters wanted a Christian burial ceremony, but the authorities forbade this unless they renounced their faith, which they refused to do. When Christians in the area protested, five were arrested and subsequently charged with Mrs Chan’s murder. Pray that the God of justice will have compassion on His people (Isaiah 30:18) and ensure their acquittal from this false accusation. Thursday 11 In an earlier incident in Saisomboon village, three teenage Christian girls 4
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were disqualified from taking their final school examinations because of their faith. The village chief said that in following Christianity, Noi (15), Net (15) and Nut (14) had forfeited their right to education. Five families from the village have now converted to Christianity. A spokesman for Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom expressed the view that the authorities were trying to find every possible way “to stop the spread of Christian religious freedom in the area”. Pray that the girls will be allowed to complete their education and that opposition to the Christians in the village will cease. Friday 12 Pray for Bible school students in Vietnam who were subjected to a terrifying nighttime raid by police and hired thugs. On 9 June, officers swooped from adjacent rooftops into the church compound that houses the school, while vehicle-loads of people were brought to the site to vandalise the building with bricks, stones and sticks. The students were beaten, punched and kicked before being taken away for interrogation; 20 were left in need of medical attention but were prevented from leaving to find it. Thugs continued to attack the compound over the next ten nights. Pray for the students as they recover from this brutal assault and that they will stand firm in their faith in the face of intimidation. Saturday 13 “This is a war against Christians and democracy and their constitution. Allah says we should finish them when we get them.” The leader of the Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram was speaking in a video that reasserted their agenda and addressed “the people of the world”, saying, “Either you are with us Mujahedeen or you are with the Christians.” The translation of the video was released as scores of people were killed in suicide bombings in May, including at least 118 in a double attack in Jos, Plateau state on 20 May. Pray that Boko Haram’s
SEPTEMBER 14 - 17 murderous campaign to establish an Islamic state in Northern Nigeria will not succeed. Sunday 14 Almighty God, we call to You for relief for Christians in the Gwoza area of Borno state in Northern Nigeria, as they face repeated violent attacks by Boko Haram militants. We pray for comfort for the relatives and friends of the hundreds who have been killed, and for the thousands who have been forced from their homes and seen them torched. We ask for Your special protection on Christians as they gather to worship You. We pray for the Nigerian authorities to re-establish control of the area, so that the displaced Christians may be safe from further attacks and free to rebuild their shattered communities. We pray too for their persecutors to come to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus. Monday 15 Give thanks that two small Christian communities in Niger have received livestock from Barnabas Fund to help them become self-sufficient. The Christians also
A Christian from Niger with goats received from Barnabas
received three days of training to learn how to take care of the animals. The predominantly Muslim region where these communities are located has endured more than a decade of food insecurity. Pray that the livestock will prosper, so that the Christians will be able to sell them at a good price and will become financially independent. Pray also that growing tensions between Muslims and Christians in Niger will not adversely affect them. Tuesday 16 Violence in the Central African Republic (CAR) has been raging on despite the presence of peacekeeping troops from France and the African Union. On 28 May, Christians were left reeling from one of the worst attacks on their community since Seleka Islamists − who seized control of CAR in March 2013 − were forced from power in January. Around 20 people were killed, including a 78-year-old minister, and a higher number kidnapped in an attack by Muslim gunmen on a church in the capital, Bangui. The incident sparked further violence and protests over the failure of the transitional government and peacekeeping troops to protect civilians. Pray for the restoration of peace and for fractured communities in CAR to be reconciled. Wednesday 17 Lift up to the Lord Tandin Wangyal, a pastor in Bhutan; the authorities seem determined to pin a charge on him. He was arrested on 5 March along with another pastor, M.B. Thapa, and they were held for 49 days before being released on bail. The Minister of Home and Cultural Affairs sought to have them charged with proselytising (Christians are not able to share their faith freely in Buddhist-majority Bhutan), but after no evidence could be found for this, the pair were accused of other offences. While Pastor Thapa was subsequently cleared, Pastor Tandin was charged with illegally collecting funds; another charge of attempting to screen a BARNABAS PRAYER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
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SEPTEMBER 18 - 21 film without permission was dropped. Pray that Tandin will be cleared and that both pastors will be allowed to conduct their ministry without further interference and harassment. Thursday 18 Cry out to the Lord for the two orphaned daughters of a Christian couple who were hacked to death in a savage attack in India. The Bhutia family, Tibetan converts from Buddhism, were targeted in their home in the Geetdubling slum in a remote part of Darjeeling district, West Bengal, on the night of 18 June. Their 12-year-old daughter Rinjee’s eye was gouged out in the attack, while her younger sister escaped unharmed. The bodies of their parents, Dominic (45) and Christina (35), were found by neighbours. Pray that the offender(s) will be brought to justice and that the “father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5) will surround the Bhutia girls with His love and care. Friday 19 Lift up to the Lord a group of 52 Indian Christian families in Sirisguda, Chhattisgarh, who have been suffering in various ways. After they had been denied food rations from the public distribution system for two months, a group of them complained to the food inspector on 16 June. A local pastor said it had been very difficult for the low-income families to survive without the rations. The complaint sparked a violent attack on the community by a Hindu extremist mob that left ten Christians in need of hospital treatment. The following day, the village chief called a public meeting and said that all villagers should convert to Hinduism or else their lands would be seized. Give thanks that the Christians refused to renounce their faith; pray that they will continue to stand firm and let nothing move them (1 Corinthians 15:58). Saturday 20 “We killed your father because he refused to deny Jesus Christ.” This is what 6
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the killers of Indian Christian Nimmaka Laxmaya (50), a convert from Hinduism, told his son after he found his father’s body dumped on a roadside on 25 May. The Hindu extremists had actually been hunting the son because he had just been baptised; they mistook Nimmaka for him because the older man was walking home alone from the ceremony in the village of Dherubada, Orissa state, carrying the baptismal clothes. In the subsequent confrontation with the son, the assailants threatened to kill him also, but he managed to escape. Pray that he will be able to forgive the murderers and will be comforted in his grief by his father’s steadfast testimony. Sunday 21 Father God, we pray for the 30 Indian Christian families who were left homeless after the authorities demolished their homes in a slum on 11 June to make way for a new road in Bhubaneswar, Orissa state. We pray that You will provide for their every need, Lord, as they have lost most of their possessions and been left living in a makeshift shelter without access to drinking water. We pray especially for the children, who were not able
The demolition of homes in Orissa has left 250 Christian families homeless
SEPTEMBER 22 - 26 to start the new school year as a result of this incident, and ask that You will make it possible for them to resume their education. Most of all Lord, we pray that You will give these Christian families the grace to respond to this injustice with dignity and forgiveness. Monday 22 Pray for imprisoned pastor Saeed Abedini, who has been severely beaten and forcibly returned to jail from hospital in Iran. He had been recovering there for two months from injuries received in past beatings, and his transfer back to the deadly Rajai Shahr prison came without warning. When he arrived at the hospital in March, he was shackled, and guards lashed out at him violently. But his treatment later improved; his family were allowed to visit him, and he was given nutritious meals. Ask the Lord to strengthen and protect Saeed in this latest stage of his long and painful ordeal, and pray that he will soon be released. Pray too for comfort for his family in the US; his wife has said that this latest development breaks her heart. Tuesday 23 On 23 June, Vahid Hakkani, a Christian convert in prison in Iran, resumed a hunger strike in protest against the refusal of a court to grant him and two other Christians conditional release. Vahid had broken his previous strike in May after another of his fellow-detainees was set free. The prison authorities have reportedly confiscated his personal belongings from his cell and are denying him the right to make phone calls; they have also separated the Christian prisoners from one another. Even before his first hunger strike, Vahid had been suffering from a digestive problem and internal bleeding. Pray that his health may not fail altogether and that his action will secure justice and freedom for him and his friends (Psalm 69:33).
Wednesday 24 “Saudi Arabia remains unique in the extent to which it restricts the public expression of any religion other than Islam.” In its annual report for 2014, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom highlighted the extraordinary restrictions faced by Christians and other non-Muslims in one of the most rigid and hardline Islamic states in the world. No churches exist in Saudi Arabia because of an Islamic tradition that Muhammad said there should be only one religion in the Arabian peninsula. Pray for peace and perseverance for the small number of Saudi converts and the many expatriate Christians practising their faith in this repressive context, and ask that the authorities will yield to international pressure to introduce greater religious freedom. Thursday 25 On 18 June, Bishoy Armia Boulous (31) was sentenced to five years in prison and given a fine of 500 Egyptian Pounds (US£70; £40) for “disturbing the peace by broadcasting false information” in connection with reports he produced relating to anti-Christian violence in Minya for a Christian TV channel. His lawyer believes that Bishoy has been targeted because of his conversion from Islam. The Christian gained notoriety in Egypt in 2007 as the first person to try to change his religion on his ID card, a case that is still unresolved owing to the political tumult in the country over the last three years. Pray that the Lord will be Bishoy’s strength and shield (Psalm 28:7), and that he will soon be released. Friday 26 Kidnapping for ransom has been a persistent problem for the Christian community in Egypt amid the political upheaval and instability following the “Arab Spring” revolution of 2011. On 14 June, Wadie Ramses, a well-known surgeon, was seized in El-Arish. The assailants opened fire on his vehicle and took him away wounded. BARNABAS PRAYER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
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SEPTEMBER 27 - 30 They later demanded a ransom of ten million Egyptian Pounds (£800,000; US$1.4 million) for his release. Two days later, Christian merchant Gemal Shenouda was captured near his home in the same city. It is thought that Islamic militants with links to al-Qaeda, who have been behind escalating violence in the Sinai region, are responsible for the kidnappings. Pray for the safe return of our two Christian brothers and that they and their families will know the Lord’s peace. Saturday 27 The case of an Egyptian Christian man arrested following complaints by Muslim neighbours that he had been using his home as a church without a permit highlights the need of the Christian community for more places of worship. The 55-year-old man from Minya in Upper Egypt, where Christians are particularly vulnerable to persecution, was arrested once before, in 2011, for the same offence. Every church building in Egypt requires a permit, but these are notoriously difficult to obtain. Pray that the authorities will show leniency to the Christian man and that a provision in the new constitution addressing the issue of church buildings will be enacted. Sunday 28 Father God, we pray for Meriam Ibrahim and her family in Sudan as they face a very uncertain future. We thank You that Meriam was cleared on appeal of the charges of adultery and apostasy that were laid against her and that she was spared from flogging and execution. But we pray that the new charges of forgery and false information relating to her travel documents will also be dismissed and that the family will be free to leave Sudan and begin a new life elsewhere. We pray that You will 8
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keep her safe in the meantime from those who have threatened her with death.
Meriam Ibrahim in prison with her two children
Monday 29 Cry out to the Lord for Alexis Prem Kumar, a 47-year-old Christian minister from India who was abducted in Afghanistan on 2 June. No group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, but three Taliban militants have been arrested in connection with it. Alexis had worked for an NGO in Afghanistan since 2011, helping returning refugees. He was leaving a school near Herat for Afghan children who have recently returned from Iran or Pakistan when he was seized. Give thanks for Alexis’ willingness to serve the Lord in what remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world for Christians, and pray for his safe return. Tuesday 30 Pray for Christians in Sri Lanka facing attacks from Buddhist extremists, who have forced the closure of numerous churches. In an apparently positive move, the government has created a Religious Disputes Unit to address conflicts between different groups and combat attempts to create religious discord. But many Christians and Muslims believe that Buddhist extremists are allowed to operate with impunity and that the new unit will not solve the problems faced by non-Buddhists. A cap on the building
OCTOBER 1 - 5 of places of worship has also been announced, and this seems to serve the Buddhist lobby, which is opposed to expanding Christian activity. Pray for protection for Christian congregations and that their ministry and mission will not be further impeded.
October Wednesday 1 The landslide victory of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India’s general election in May sparked alarm for Christians and other minorities in the country. The BJP is the political wing of a Hindu nationalist movement, Hindutva, which is striving to make India a religiously pure nation. It has given support to Hindu extremist groups that attack Christians, and states under the party’s rule have generally experienced a rise in anti-Christian violence. The BJP has introduced “anti-conversion” laws in a number of states, which are used to prevent legitimate Christian evangelism. Prior to the general election, the BJP pledged to introduce national legislation to curb “missionary” activity and end proselytising if elected. Pray that the BJP will rule justly and that the rights and freedoms of all Indian citizens will be upheld. Thursday 2 Pray for a Christian family in Kandhamal in Orissa state, India, who have been left devastated after their home was destroyed for the third time by Hindu extremists. The Digals of Budruka village were among hundreds of Christian families to lose their home in the horrendous anti-Christian violence of December 2007. They returned two months later and rebuilt their house, but in August 2008 the attacks resumed, and their second home was also destroyed. After receiving financial aid from the government they were able to rebuild it again this year, but in April it was wrecked once more, shattering their hopes of returning to their village
to cultivate their land. Pray that the Lord will comfort them in their distress and provide them with a peaceful dwelling-place and secure home (Isaiah 32:18). Friday 3 “The training helped me to establish the foundation of my faith in the Word of God and build my life on it. I deliberately teach the course to my friends.” Mr Lepcha, a Nepali living in India, had participated in a tutor training course sponsored by Barnabas that equipped him to lead Bible training courses. He then also started serving as an elder in his church. Give thanks that these courses are building up the faith of 419 Christian students and 54 teachers, most of whom are converts from other religions. It is also helping them stand strong when they meet resistance from their relatives and communities. Pray that they will experience God’s comfort when experiencing persecution and God’s strength to reach out in love to those who are hurting them. Saturday 4 Around 40 church leaders and members in Nepal were arrested on 13 June, accused of forcibly converting Hindus. They were detained in Boudha by the police, who were pressured by Hindus to take action against them. A crowd of Hindus then gathered outside the jail and threatened a riot if the Christians were freed. They were all released eventually, but a Barnabas contact said that Hindus were looking for arguments with Christians and trying to attack them, having been encouraged by Hindu nationalists in India. The vice-president of India’s ruling BJP party had visited Nepal from 30 May to 1 June and called for religious conversion to be outlawed. Pray that the freedom of Nepalese Christians to share their faith will be upheld in the country’s new constitution. Sunday 5 Loving Father, we pray for Christians in one district of West BARNABAS PRAYER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
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OCTOBER 6 - 9 Java, Indonesia, who have seen seven of their churches closed by the authorities because of alleged building permit irregularities. We pray especially for those who have had to move to other locations for security reasons, that You will keep them safe. We thank You for the support our brothers and sisters have received from the national human rights commission. We pray that the crippling restrictions on church buildings in Indonesia will be relaxed and that local authorities will not yield to pressure from Islamist groups. We pray too that the newly elected president of Indonesia will take effective action to combat religious intolerance. Monday 6 A group of Christians came under attack by Islamic extremists while praying together in a private home in Yogyakarta in Indonesia on 29 May. The assailants threw rocks and stones in the raid on the property. The owner, Julius Felicianus, was not at home at the time, but returned after his son informed him of the incident. The extremists then launched a second assault; they beat Julius and hit him with a flower pot, breaking his shoulder. Pray for comfort and healing for Julius and the other Christians, and that they will be left alone to worship God in peace. Tuesday 7 Pray for the members of two churches in Yogyakarta that were attacked in separate incidents in June. On Sunday 1 June, members of Islamist groups and local residents threw stones at one church building, shattering the windows. Then on 29 June, three groups of masked intruders burst into another building in Pugaram, dressed in black and shouting “Allah is 10
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great”. They vandalised property and posters on display. This incident coincided with the start of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. Pray for protection for Christians in the area and that the intimidation and violence against them will cease. Wednesday 8 Christians and other minorities in Burma (Myanmar) are extremely concerned about a proposed religious conversion bill that will require people to seek permission from the authorities before changing religion. It is part of a package of four bills designed to “protect race and religion” in the Buddhist-majority country. The government says it is intended to prevent forced conversions. The draft says that forcing someone to convert would be punishable by a year in prison, while insulting another religion would be punishable by between one and two years in prison. Similar laws in force in several Indian states are used to threaten legitimate evangelism by Christians and as a pretext by Hindu militants to attack Christians, whom they falsely accuse of forcibly converting people. Pray this bill will not become law in Burma. Thursday 9 Give thanks that 55 Christians, almost all church leaders and converts from Islam, received Bible training at a three-day seminar in Kyrgyzstan that was supported by Barnabas Fund. The participants have virtually no access to Biblical training, and so the studies were a great boost to their faith and ministry. Meeting fellow church leaders, who are all dealing with similar issues, such as isolation and persecution from Muslim relatives and local Muslim communities, was also very encouraging to them and gave them the opportunity to build up a Christian support network. Pray that the Lord will continue to speak to them through the Bible passages they studied at the seminar, and that He will bless their ministries.
OCTOBER 10 - 12 Friday 10 Leaders imprisoned for up to 60 days and members for up to 45 days; fines, corrective labour or community service: these are the penalties for taking part in religious gatherings in Kazakhstan held without state permission, according to a new criminal code. Those who finance unregistered religious activity will be liable to the same punishments as leaders. In addition, a new Code of Administrative Offences lays down a wide range of penalties for exercising the right to religious freedom. Both codes have been condemned by 119 Kazakh and international human rights groups and individuals. They further tighten controls on religious practice in a context where it is already much restricted. Pray for wisdom and courage for Christians in Kazakhstan as they seek to maintain their worship and witness. Saturday 11 Two Christian families in Uzbekistan who meet in a private home to read the Bible and pray together have been repeatedly fined and had property confiscated. Alisher Abdullayev and Veniamin Nemirov were originally fined in 2012 for unregistered religious activity and teaching religion “illegally”. They refused on principle to pay, claiming that they had not violated any laws. But earlier this year bailiffs went to their
homes and confiscated a car, a mobile phone and household items. The men and their wives were then fined again, ten times the minimum monthly wage. Officers have also raided one of their meetings, filming and harassing those present and seizing religious literature. Pray that the authorities will stop targeting the families and that they will be left alone to study and pray in peace. Sunday 12 Heavenly Father, we pray for Kim Jung-Wook, a South Korean Christian who has been sentenced to hard labour for life in North Korea for “spying” and attempting to establish house churches in the country. We thank You that although prosecutors demanded the death penalty, this was commuted, but we pray that JungWook will be sustained by You in his imprisonment and cruel treatment and will soon be released. We pray too for the dozens of North Koreans who were detained after Jung-Wook’s arrest in October on suspicion of helping him, and for the families of any who have already been executed. We pray for political change and religious freedom in North Korea, that
Students at a Bible training seminar in Kyrgyzstan
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OCTOBER 13 - 17 it may be made legal to be a Christian and to take part in Christian activity. Monday 13 Pray for the residents of Gorsi Tourou, a village in northern Cameroon that was ravaged in an attack by suspected Boko Haram militants on 6 June. They ran for their lives as more than 300 heavily armed men torched churches and houses and looted property. Cameroonian soldiers arrived around two hours later and were able to drive back the militants. Boko Haram has been wreaking havoc in neighbouring Nigeria, targeting Christian communities in particular in its bloody battle to establish an Islamic state in the North. Pray that the group’s evil activities will be restrained and that they will not be able to gain a foothold in Cameroon. Tuesday 14 Pray for Christian communities in Kenya’s coastal region, who have been targeted in attacks by militants from the Islamist group alShabaab that left around 30 dead. Heavily armed fighters descended on Hindi in Lamu county and Gamba in neighbouring Tana River county on the night of 5 July. Some men were tied up and had their throats slit, while others were killed when their homes were set on fire. One man was found dead with a Bible on his back, while the victims included a twelve-year-old boy. The assailants told non-Muslims they should leave the area or convert to Islam. Pray for protection for these vulnerable communities from further violence. Wednesday 15 “The attackers entered my house, took my boy out of the house, then killed him by shooting him, leaving my wife and daughters inside.” The son of a pastor was one of around 50 people killed in an attack by al-Shabaab on Mpeketoni, a mainly Christian town in coastal Kenya on 15 June. The militants looted the armoury of the local police station 12
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and went on a shooting spree through the town. They entered one house after another, asking if the men there were Muslim and if they spoke Somali and shooting those who responded in the negative. Another 15 people died in raids on surrounding villages on the night of 16 June. Pray for consolation for the bereaved families, and that the Kenyan authorities will succeed in restraining the violence of al-Shabaab. Thursday 16 Pray for a Christian convert from Islam in Kenya who was beaten senseless in a mosque and later arrested. Hassan Hussein Mohammed (26) was converted on 10 April in Mogotio through the witness of a local church. He returned to the mosque to collect his papers, but when he explained that he had accepted Jesus, the Muslims beat, struck and kicked him until he was unconscious. Hassan was taken in by a local church leader, but on 30 April they were both detained, along with the pastor who led Hassan to Christ. They were repeatedly questioned about Hassan’s conversion, and although the pastors were later freed, Hassan himself was kept in custody; his present whereabouts are unknown. Pray that he may be kept safe from harm and be left in peace to practise his new faith. Friday 17 Lift up to the Lord two Egyptian Christians who have been sentenced to jail in spurious cases under the country’s “blasphemy law”. Kerolos Shouky Attallah (29) was said to have defamed Islam by “liking” a Facebook page deemed offensive by Muslims, and Demiana Ebeid Abdelnour (25), a school teacher, was accused of insulting Islam during a lesson. Kerolos, who was also convicted of inciting sectarian violence − because the incident prompted attacks by Islamists on Christian property − was sentenced to six years in prison on 24 June. Demiana was appealing against her original sentence; the judge on 15 June replaced
OCTOBER 18 - 20 her fine of 100,000 Egyptian Pounds (US$14,000; £8,000) issued last year with a jail term of six months. She is currently in self-imposed exile abroad, separated from her family. Pray that the Lord will undertake for Kerolos and Demiana.
Demiana Ebeid Abdelnour was sentenced to six months in prison
Saturday 18 Thank the Lord that, with the help of Barnabas Fund, three Christian nurseries in Upper Egypt were able to buy educational resources, classroom furniture and kitchen equipment last year, and that these are making the 205 youngsters’ learning experience much more hands-on and enjoyable. The teachers are also using them to tell Bible stories in a more accessible and lively fashion. Child-sized tables and chairs, and cupboards, have made the classrooms more orderly. And with the new kitchen equipment, the staff of two of the nurseries can prepare daily, nutritious meals for the children. Give thanks that these changes are making such a difference in the lives of these Christian children, who mainly come from very poor backgrounds. Pray that the Lord will work through the teachers to teach and inspire the children to live their lives for Christ.
Sunday 19 Heavenly Father, we lift up to You the nation of Egypt as it faces many challenges and ongoing instability in the wake of the “Arab Spring”. We pray that the new president, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, will be a bulwark against Islamic extremism, as the country’s Christians hope. We give You thanks that he has promised to rebuild or repair churches that were attacked by the Muslim Brotherhood following the removal of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi in July 2013 and has taken tough action against those involved in the group’s violent protests. We pray that the Christian community, which has been scapegoated for Morsi’s fall, will be protected from further attacks and that the rights granted to them in the country’s new constitution will be upheld. Monday 20 Pray for the protection of four senior Eritrean church leaders who took the extremely courageous step of publishing on 25 May an open letter criticising conditions in the country, which is one of the world’s worst persecutors of Christians and where no dissent is tolerated. Mengsteab Tesfamariam, Tomas Osman, Kidane Yeabio and Feqremariam Hagos described Eritrea as “desolate” because so many people have fled, are imprisoned or are conscripted into the army, lamenting the resulting fragmentation of the family unit. The church leaders said Eritreans were leaving for “peaceful countries, to countries of justice, of work, where one expresses himself loudly, a country where one works and earns”. Pray that their words will be heeded by the Eritrean government and that there will be a radical turnaround in policy. BARNABAS PRAYER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
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OCTOBER 21 - 26 Tuesday 21 Pray for the widow and three children of a church leader in Somalia who was murdered outside his home earlier this year. Abdishakur Yusuf was found lying in a pool of blood, having been shot multiple times in the head. The militant Islamist group al-Shabaab is suspected of carrying out the attack; it has pledged to rid the strictly Islamic country of its tiny Christian presence. Abdishakur’s children are aged eleven, eight and five; the family has been relocated. Pray for their safety in their new home and that the Lord will comfort them in their grief (Matthew 5:4).
Friday 24 Militants from ISIS have confiscated houses and land belonging to Christians in the Syrian city of Raqqa. The seizures took place on 1 June in Ein al-Issa; the owners of the property were forced to leave the area. Raqqa has been under ISIS control for over a year, and the militants are imposing strict sharia rules in the territory. They have also turned one of the churches in Raqqa into an office for the management of Islamic affairs and the promotion of sharia. Pray for the beleaguered Christians there, that they may stand firm under pressure and that the grip of ISIS in the region will soon be broken.
Wednesday 22 Pray that the Lord’s healing hand will touch the nine or so Christians who were injured, one of them stabbed, in an attack on a church near Bethlehem in May. Muslims interrupted a service in the village of El-Khader in the West Bank, turning violent when they were asked to leave. They started throwing stones at the building, causing damage, including broken windows. The incident comes amid increased attacks on churches in Israel; 14 have been reported in a year. Threats have also been made against senior church leaders. Pray that the Lord will watch over the coming and going of His people in the Holy Land and keep them from all harm (Psalm 121:7-8).
Saturday 25 Continue to lift up to the Lord Aasia Bibi, a Christian wife and mother sentenced to death for blasphemy in Pakistan. The appeal hearing that was scheduled for 27 May was cancelled; this is the fifth time that it has been postponed. No new date was set. Aasia has been in jail since June 2009, but Islamic extremists in Pakistan are strongly opposed to her release. They have been making threats against the judges to pressurise them into upholding the sentence. Pray that Aasia will be kept safe while in prison and that she will soon be set free and restored to her family.
Thursday 23 Praise God that Islamist rebels who took over the Christian town of Kessab, Syria, in March have withdrawn. The siege by militants from the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front and other Islamist groups drove hundreds of Christian families from their homes. But when the rebels withdrew from the town on 14 June, they left only a small number of men behind. They retreated when pro-regime fighters advanced on a nearby village. Pray for the restoration of order and that the former residents will be able to return home soon and rebuild their lives. 14
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Sunday 26 God of justice, we lift up to You the family of Sanwal Masih, a Christian teenager in Pakistan who was raped and killed by a young Muslim man. We give You thanks that his grieving family resisted intimidation from the owner of the estate where he worked to make them bury the body at once and that they reported the murder to the police; thank you too that the accused man has been arrested. We pray for CLAAS, a Christian legal organisation that is helping the family, that their
OCTOBER 27 - 30 enquiries will publicly establish the truth and ensure justice for Sanwal. We pray that You will give the family Your comfort and peace in their devastating loss.
Sanwal Masih was raped and murdered in Pakistan
Monday 27 Praise the Lord that for over five years Barnabas Fund has been supporting the ministries of 103 Christian workers in Pakistan by paying for 50% of their monthly needs. Patras, one of the workers, who is pastor of a congregation of over 200 members in the city of Multan, is seeing the fruits of his work. In just one month, three families joined the church and 23 people accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour. He also baptised six people and prepared nine more for baptism. Pray that God will continue to bless Patras’ ministry as well as those of the other workers, and that they all will be able to continue to do their work without harassment or interference. Tuesday 28 Deadly attacks by Boko Haram continue relentlessly in Northern Nigeria. On 15 June, gunmen descended on the remote Christian village of Daku in Borno state; they killed 15 people, chasing and shooting those trying to escape, and torched a church, several homes
and a market. Two weeks later, scores of people were killed in attacks on four villages near the mainly Christian town of Chibok; in Kwada the assailants burst into four churches and opened fire on worshippers before setting the buildings on fire. Pray that our distressed and persecuted brothers and sisters may find strength in the Lord their God (1 Samuel 30:6) as they pass through this bitter ordeal. Wednesday 29 Cry out to the Lord for the many Christian victims of kidnapping by Boko Haram in Nigeria. Remember especially the more than two hundred teenage girls who were taken from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno state, on the night of 14 April. A video released in May showed eight of the girls speaking about their ordeal; they plead for their release, and one says, “I never expected to suffer like this in my life.” It is believed that they have been divided into at least four groups and that most of them are being held in camps outside Nigeria. They are hungry, while some are unwell and need medical attention. Pray for their safe release and for that of other kidnapped Christians. Thursday 30 A church on Mafia Island, part of the Zanzibar archipelago, was attacked on 9 May by around 80 young Muslim men armed with arrows and knives. The church members, who are mainly converts from Islam, had gathered for their weekly overnight prayer session when the attackers appeared, shouting “death to ritad’i” (those who leave Islam). They set fire to the church, leaving the interior in ruins, and then went in search of the pastor, but he was not at home. The incident followed a bomb blast at another church in Mwanza in mainland Tanzania on 5 May, in which a worker at the church rest house was critically injured. Pray that the authorities will effectively address the increasing incidence of attacks against churches. BARNABAS PRAYER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
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OCTOBER 31 Friday 31 Pray for a pastor in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania whose home was attacked on 17 May; two of his children were injured. When he went to report the incident to the police, he was falsely accused of raping a young woman who had left Islam to follow Christ. The pastor had taken her into his home, along with four other converts, after she was thrown out by her
family; it was they who made the accusation against him. He has faced much opposition because of his fruitful outreach to Muslims, and several failed attempts have been made to frame him with false accusations. Pray that the sovereign Lord will help him and that he will not be disgraced (Isaiah 50:7-9).
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