BARNABAS FUND – AID AGENCY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
barnabasprayer To help you pray for the persecuted Church
January/ February 2017 barnabasfund.org
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.
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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.
January Sunday 1 Lord God Almighty, the Alpha and the Omega, at the start of this new year we pray for our troubled world. We hear of wars and rumours of wars. We hear of drought, famine and hunger. We hear of persecution and injustice. We remember especially our own Christian family who suffer for the sake of your Son, our Saviour and their Saviour, Jesus Christ. We pray for those in authority who have power to make things change, whether elected politicians or militant leaders, that they will be guided by You into the paths of peace. We pray for those who have influence, especially journalists and religious leaders, that they will use it for good. We pray for ourselves, the Body of Christ around the world, asking that You will use us for Your purposes and His glory in the coming year. Monday 2 Twelve-year-old Monica, from Lahore, Pakistan, was kidnapped
on 11 August 2016. Four days later, police informed her father, Alfred, that she had converted to Islam and married a Muslim. They showed him a marriage certificate which stated her age as 18, and said that his efforts to find his daughter amounted to harassment. Monica is just one of hundreds of Christian girls and young women who suffer in this way every year in Pakistan. The reaction of the police in Monica’s case is typical: they argue that the girl now belongs legally to her Muslim husband so her Christian parents have no claim over her. Pray for Monica and many others in the same terrible situation. Ask that their faith in Christ will be strong in their hearts, despite being tricked or forced into a nominal conversion to Islam. Alfred died from stress a few weeks after Monica’s abduction. Pray for his widow and her two other children. Tuesday 3 On 4 October Pakistan’s National Assembly tabled a resolution calling on the government to take action to prevent the kidnap and forced conversion of children from minority families. Zahid Hamid, the minister for law and justice, stated that the government had no objection to the resolution being adopted, but previous bills aimed at supporting minority rights in Pakistan have faced significant delays at committee stage. Pray that this one will be speedily passed and properly enforced. Hindu as well as Christian girls suffer in this way. Wednesday 4 Aasia Bibi’s appeal against the death sentence for “blasphemy” was to be heard by Pakistan’s Supreme Court on 13 October. But as soon as the court
hearing began, one of the three judges recused himself on the grounds that he had judged a related case. The court room was packed with a threatening crowd of Muslim extremists. Aasia Bibi has now been more than six years on death row and more than seven years in prison, because of a false accusation made against her as she tried to defend her faith in conversation with Muslim women. Pray that she may get justice, and quickly (Luke 18:8). Barnabas Fund is assisting her family, most recently with a grant to pay for a gas connection to their home.
Indian Christians
Saturday 7 A Christian municipal councillor was hacked to death in Tamil Nadu state, India, on Sunday 2 October. Mr G. Dhanasekharan was attending the Sunday morning service at Devasabha Pentecostal Church in Padappai when he got a call on his mobile phone. He left the building to answer the call and found himself surrounded by five people. The gang chased him for about 150 metres, but when Mr Dhanasekharan ran into another nearby church they caught him there and killed him with sickles and other sharp instruments. Pray for his widow, Daisy, sons Isaac (5) and Jacob (3) and the horrified congregation who witnessed the attack inside their church. Sunday 8 Lord Jesus, we pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in India, facing harassment and opposition from radical Hindus. Give them courage and perseverance to continue meeting together to worship You, despite the knowledge that any meeting could be disrupted by violent extremists. We
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Thursday 5 On 16 September Prashant Bhatnagar (45) was distributing Christian literature in Maharashtra state, India, when a group of men, believed to be from a local Hindu educational institution, abducted him and took him by car to a secluded spot. There they beat him, urinated on him, pointed a gun at him, and threatened to set him on fire if he continued distributing the literature. Pray that Prashant will not be discouraged from sharing the Gospel. The rate of antiChristian violence in Maharashtra more than doubled in 2016 compared with 2015. Pray that 2017 will see this trend reverse.
Friday 6 Gideons International had rented a stall at the annual four-day Krishi Mela (agricultural festival) in Dharwad, Karnataka state, India, which began on 24 September 2016. Volunteers manning the stall offered free copies of the Bible in various Indian languages. Without provocation, around 200 Hindu extremists attacked the stall, destroying Bibles and assaulting the Christian volunteers. Pray that those who saw and heard about this attack will be curious to discover what was in those books the Hindu extremists wanted to destroy (Isaiah 55:11).
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pray today especially for Pastor Sunny Tyagi who was leading a prayer meeting in his home in Uttar Pradesh state when ten Hindu extremists forced their way in and beat him up, threatening also all the other believers present. We ask for full healing of his injuries. Bless too the many others in the same position, whose names are known to You.
harassment and that their policy will bear fruit. (Source: Forum 18)
Monday 9 Seven Christians in the village of Kalbatu, Kazakhstan, were fined last August for gathering for Sunday worship in a home without state registration. Two of the group got reduced fines because they were in their late 70s and not in a good financial position, and three others had reduced fines because they had children to care for. The Christians had claimed in court that they had the right to practise their religion according to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which Kazakhstan had ratified in 2005. But this argument was ignored by the judge. Pray that the Kazakh authorities will cease to harass Christians who are simply meeting together to pray and worship. (Source: Forum 18)
Wednesday 11 “The number of gatherings of men in military uniform is increasing, civil society is planning a big march … meanwhile we ask for the prayers of God’s children.” This is just one of many messages received by Barnabas Fund from Christians in the Central African Republic towards the end of last year. At the time of writing, the Islamic Seleka militant group controlled more than half the country but not the capital Bangui. The CAR population, however, is mainly Christian. UN peacekeepers seem readier to shoot civilians than to act against the rebel fighters. Many disastrous scenarios were envisaged, including the return of Seleka to power, an army mutiny, or a coup to oust the newly installed President Touadera. “We know that all final authority belongs to God and that it is He who will have the last word,” affirms our contact in CAR. Remembering that the Lord is on His throne, pray that He will bring peace, freedom and justice in CAR.
Tuesday 10 The Baptist Council of Churches in Kazakhstan and other countries of Central Asia are seeking to claim their rights to religious liberty by a policy of civil disobedience. They refuse to pay fines imposed on them for practising their Christian faith. As a result some have had their property (e.g. washing machines, cars) seized, or have restraining orders placed on their property to prevent them selling it. Some are prevented from leaving the country or put in prison for short periods. Pray that they may not become discouraged by the constant
Thursday 12 The village chief and about 25 other villagers in Ndomete, Central African Republic (CAR) died on 16 September at the hands of Muslim Seleka rebels who were going door to door looking for Christians to kill. In the nearby town of KagaBandoro, a Bible training centre was destroyed, and some NGO centres and private homes were looted. But Christians refuse to despair and they see God’s hand at work in response to prayer. “Every day that goes by brings its share of desolation and consolation,” wrote one CAR church
leader to Barnabas Fund in November, “Desolation, as diabolic activity has become ever more apparent since the arrival of the Seleka in the CAR ... Consolation, as the prayers of God’s children around the world continue to make all the difference in the nation and the church can still have hope.” Keep praying for CAR.
but even if this has happened, it takes several years for people to recover properly from a severe famine such as Ethiopia experienced last year. Pray for Barnabas Fund’s Project Joseph, feeding some of the hungriest through local churches. Pray also for good rains now in Zimbabwe, which has also been severely affected by drought, so that its maize harvest in March –May will be good. Sunday 15 Lord Jesus, we praise
Friday 13 Twelve Christians were killed in Somali-dominated Mandera, north-east Kenya, on 25 October when al-Shabaab Islamist militants attacked a guest-house with guns and grenades. Earlier in the month they had murdered another six Christians. The Kenyan security forces seem unable to protect Christians from these targeted attacks by the Somali militant group. In response to the 25 October attack they issued advice to churches not to turn on lights at night, and told non-Somalis not to walk around after 6 pm. Ask the Lord to comfort those who mourn, and to be a shield around His people in north-east Kenya (Psalm 3:3). Saturday 14 If the rains have been good, Ethiopia should now be in the middle of its main harvest season,
Monday 16 Constanţa county, in south-east Romania, is a centre of Islam in this 90% Christian country. The city of Medgidia, in Constanţa, was founded by a Turkish sultan and its population today is around 20% Muslim. The Turkish government has recently opened a new kindergarten and a new orphanage and also runs the only teacher-training institution in Medgidia. The main university in Constanţa is reported to have Muslims in two-thirds of its leadership positions. Although Turkey is clearly trying to increase the influence of Islam in Romania, pray that instead
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“Barnabas Fund is literally the only Christian organisation to significantly aid Christians in CAR,” said one of our ministry partners last June
and thank You for the example of the many desperately poor Christians, especially in African nations, who have clung faithfully to You despite offers of material wealth if they would convert to another religion. Though their poverty continues, may each one affirm with Job that they still have this consolation – their joy in unrelenting pain – that they had not denied the words of the Holy One (Job 6:10). May we too be prepared to make sacrifices for You, whether great or small, remembering always that You died on the cross for our sins.
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the Muslims may themselves be touched by the power of the Gospel and may encounter the living God. Tuesday 17 In September 2016 Hungary created a new government department whose purpose is to help persecuted Christians. This follows years of covert help by the Hungarian government for Christians in the Middle East. Speaking for the government, Eduard von Habsburg explained that one aim of going public was to set an example to other nations in Europe. “Somehow the idea of defending Christians has acquired a bad taste in Europe, as if it means excluding other people,” he said. Pray that other European nations will indeed be inspired by Hungary’s example to help Christians suffering because of their faith. Wednesday 18 Spain and France both saw a spate of jihadist attacks on church buildings around September last year. In each country it was a Moroccan who was the perpetrator. The Moroccan responsible for the Spanish attacks was expelled from Spain and banned from the EU Schengen area for ten years, while the one responsible for the French attacks is on trial at the time of writing. These men doubtless believe that what they were doing was pleasing to Allah. Pray that they may meet the living God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thursday 19 Church leaders in Sweden are split over whether or not to show support for persecuted Christians. Last year some started an initiative called Mitt Kors (My Cross) encouraging Swedish Christians to take selfies with a cross as a way of showing solidarity
with persecuted Christians. Other Swedish church leaders condemned this as “seditious and un-Christian” because they feared it might offend Muslims. Pray for a united and clear stand by all Swedish Christians on behalf of their brothers and sisters in other countries who suffer so much for their commitment to the Lord Jesus. Friday 20 Ever since the partition of Korea in 1945, after the Second World War, North Korea has been under Communist control – first Soviet and then the Korean Workers’ Party – and Christians have been severely persecuted. Prior to that Korea was ruled for 35 years by Japan. Korean Christians played a prominent part in the movement for independence from Japanese colonialism, which created respect for Christianity as a valid religion of Korea. Despite the terrible dangers of following Christ in North Korea, there are thought to be thousands of believers there. Pray that each one will be sustained and encouraged in their faith. Saturday 21 Scores of radical Muslims from the Islamic Defenders Front and local residents of Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, protested on 23 September against a church that serves the Toraja people (a mainly Christian, indigenous ethnic group). The protestors wanted to prevent the renewal of the church’s building permit and cited the 2006 Indonesian law which requires every new place of worship to have the written approval of at least 60 local households of other religions. Pray that our Toraja brothers and sisters will be rescued from the hand of their enemies and enabled to
serve and worship the Lord without fear (Luke 1:74). Sunday 22 O Lord, we pray for
Monday 23 Another 160 Vietnamese Christian refugees in Cambodia have been refused asylum and are to be forcibly returned to Vietnam. They are part of a larger group of Christians from an indigenous hill tribe known as Montagnards (Mountain People) who fled persecution in their atheist Marxist homeland in May 2016. Some of the original group have already been forced to go back to Vietnam, while just 13 have been granted refugee status and allowed to move to the Philippines. Ask the Lord to watch over their coming and going both now and for evermore (Psalm 121:8). Tuesday 24 Parliamentary elections in Morocco in October were won by the Islamist Justice and Development Party, with 125 out of 395 seats, up from 107 seats in the 2011 elections, when it likewise had the largest representation in parliament. Its leader Abdelilah Benkirane continues
Wednesday 25 Slimhane Bouhafs (49), an Algerian Christian from a Muslim background, has been sentenced to three years in prison for “offending the Prophet” and “denigrating the creed and precepts of Islam”. His crime? A Facebook post stating “Jesus overcomes the lies of Islam.” Pray for our brother Slimhane, who has poor health and has been in custody since his arrest on 31 July 2016, that the Lord will sustain him physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually while he serves his sentence. Thursday 26 At the time of writing, a coalition of forces from various nations are closing in on Mosul, northern Iraq, to seize it back from the occupying Islamic State (IS) militant group. But President Erdogan of Turkey has announced that after IS has been expelled “only Sunni Arabs, Turkomens and Sunni Kurds” (i.e. only Sunni Muslims) should be allowed back into the city. This is very alarming for the estimated 35,000 Christians who once lived in Mosul. The last few thousand of them fled in June 2014 when IS took control. Pray
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Christians in Vietnam, who feel the future for them looks very bleak. Fill them with Your hope. Please help especially those in rural areas with little education or resources, as they struggle to survive drought and floods which destroyed all the crops of some last year. Bless them with a good harvest next time. Strengthen them to stand against the continual persecution they face, not only from the authorities but also from their local communities. May they know the consolation and comfort of Your Holy Spirit. We ask this in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
as prime minister. The runners-up were the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) with 102 seats. PAM, which has campaigned against the Islamisation of Moroccan society, had won only 47 seats in 2011 which were the first elections to be held since the formation of PAM. As Moroccan society becomes more polarised, pray that the influence of moderate and liberal Muslims like PAM will increase even to the point where the existence of Moroccan Christians can be officially acknowledged for the first time.
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that a Christian presence will be reestablished once again in this ancient city (Nineveh of the Old Testament). Friday 27 The town of Qaraqosh (also called Baghdeda and Hamdaniya), in the Plains of Nineveh, northern Iraq, used to have a population of 50,000 with around 95% of them Christians. It was seized by Islamic State (IS) in the summer of 2014 and the Christians fled from cruel subjugation or death at the hands of IS. In October 2016 it was liberated by Iraqi troops as were many other Christianmajority towns and villages around Mosul. Please pray for the former inhabitants, most of whom have been living since 2014 in very difficult circumstances in Iraqi Kurdistan. Ask that God will guide them whether to return to their homes in the Plains of Nineveh, which used to be the heartland of Iraqi Christianity.
Christian troops praying in Tahira church, Qaraqosh, just after it was liberated from IS control. The building had been arsoned by IS Saturday 28 Four Egyptian Christians, including a nine-year-old boy, were kidnapped at gunpoint on 3 October in Manfalout, Assiut. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of half a million Egyptian pounds (£46,000; €51,000) or they would kill the hostages, who
all come from the same extended family. This demand which was way beyond the ability of the family to pay, was eventually reduced to 150,000 Egyptian pounds and, after payment, the four were released. Pray for an end to persecution of Christians in Egypt. Sunday 29 Heavenly Father, we rejoice
to know that President el-Sisi of Egypt has ratified his country’s new law to regulate the building of churches. Thank you for such a dramatic change in the lives of our Egyptian brothers and sisters who, for many generations, have found it so hard to get permission to construct new churches. We ask that the new law will be implemented effectively so that there are enough buildings to accommodate all the Christians in Egypt who want to gather together to worship you. Please soften the hearts of Muslim extremists who resent the presence of church buildings in Egypt and teach them to accept Christians as fellowcitizens and equals. We ask in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Monday 30 Three Iranian Christians have been sentenced to 80 lashes for breaking the Islamic ban on drinking alcohol, which in Iran is illegal for Muslims. The three are all converts from Islam, and their new faith is not recognised by the Iranian authorities. Their offence was to take a sip of wine at a communion service. At the time of writing, the three are appealing against their sentence. Pray for Yaser, Saheb and Mohammad that God will intervene to save them from this ordeal. Tuesday 31 An Iranian hairdresser, Nasrin Abek (35), was found dead from multiple stab wounds in her
home in Sydney, Australia, on 29 September. Her husband, Amir Darbanou, has been charged with her murder. Nasrin had recently left Islam to follow Christ and it appears likely that Mr Darbanou was enacting the death sentence for apostasy which is set out in sharia. In fact, as Iranians, the couple were probably Shia Muslims and Shia law only prescribes death for male apostates. A woman apostate, according to Shia law, must be imprisoned and beaten with rods. As many Iranian Muslims around the world are becoming Christians, pray for their protection from all who would harm them.
Friday 1 “Kill them on the streets of Brunswick, Broadmeadows, Bankstown, and Bondi. Kill them at the MCG, the SCG, the Opera House, and even in their backyards. Stab them, shoot them, poison them, and run them down with your vehicles.” This call to violence in suburbs, cricket grounds and other targets in Melbourne and Sydney was reported in Rumiyah, a new magazine published by Islamic State (IS). In language reminiscent of the Quran (such as Q2:191 and Q9:29), the article continued, “Kill them wherever you find them until the hollowness of their arrogance is filled with terror …” This call to violence in Australia is in response to the death of an Australian jihadi killed by a coalition airstrike in Syria. Pray that the followers of IS will become sickened by the continual calls to hatred, vengeance and violence, and may turn instead to the Prince of
Thursday 2 Lift to the Lord Christians who are born, live and die in contexts where they are despised by the majority society, discriminated against, marginalised, and have no protection against violence or injustice. Ask that, like Simeon, who was waiting for the consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25-27), they may not lose hope or patience as they wait for their deliverance and vindication. Pray that the Lord Jesus Himself will comfort them with His presence, giving them peace, hope, joy and the grace to forgive their enemies and pray for those who persecuted them. Friday 3 “The government of Sudan has declared that after the separation of South Sudan [in 2011], there is no more recognition of other religions in country except Islam is only religion for nation,” wrote a Christian pastor from (North) Sudan to Barnabas Fund in October. He went on to give many examples of churches being forcibly closed or destroyed, pastors being imprisoned, Christians being killed. Pray that God will sustain and strengthen His people in Sudan, as their government pursues its apparent plan of persecuting them until the Christian presence has completely disappeared. Saturday 4 At the time of writing, major fighting in South Sudan has stopped but there is random violence and looting, bandits make travel by road very dangerous, there are severe shortages of food and fuel, and inflation is at 600%. There are huge
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February
Peace and the God who is Love and commands His followers to forgive.
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numbers of displaced people within the country as well as refugees who have fled to neighbouring Uganda and DRC. Archbishop Daniel Deng has preached clearly and powerfully on the need for peace, with senior politicians listening in the congregation. Pray that his call will be heeded and that this, the newest country in the world, established primarily so that Christians need not live under sharia, will find a way to establish peace amongst its citizens. Sunday 5 We praise you, O Lord Jesus Christ, for the release of 21 of the Nigerian “Chibok girls” in October, more than two years after being kidnapped from their school by Boko Haram. We lift to you Mary, Jummai, Blessing, Lugwa, Comfort, Maryam, Comfort, Glory, Saratu, Deborah, Rahab, Helen, Maryamu, Rebecca, Asabe, Deborah, Agnes, Saratu, Glory, Pindah and Rebecca, as they continue to recover from their long ordeal, having been forcibly converted to Islam and married to jihadi fighters. We pray also for around 200 other girls from the same school, who are still held captive. O Lord, You know each one. Strengthen their faith in You, even though outwardly they are forced to live as Muslims, and set them free. Monday 6 Winter is a time of extra hardship for the very poor and for displaced people and refugees in cold climates – and that includes countries like Syria and Iraq, even though they are very hot in summer. Please pray for all who are homeless or penniless where snow lies on the ground. Remember especially our Christian brothers and sisters who have lost their worldly possessions because of
persecution. This year Barnabas has sent a special grant to provide wood for fuel for some of the most impoverished believers in Armenia from October to February, a country where we have also been feeding Syrian Christian refugees. Pray that they will all be encouraged in the Lord. Tuesday 7 Barnabas Fund is helping to provide food and coal for some of the poorest believers in Ukraine’s “Grey Zone”. This is the area between the western part, held by the Ukrainian army, and the eastern part, held by separatist forces with Russian support. The conflict continues in the Grey Zone, where most factories have closed and people have no way to support themselves. Ukrainian Christians in the west tried to help by sending potatoes, cabbages, and other produce in season. Barnabas Fund is working through the churches to provide food and coal for some of the neediest during the five coldest months. Pray that help will reach the neediest and bring them spiritual comfort and hope as well as practical relief.
Coal for needy believers in Ukraine. Barnabas is also providing wood as winter fuel for Christians in Armenia
Thursday 9 The Kazakh parliament has been discussing a draft Amending Law which would greatly reduce religious freedom in Kazakhstan. It is already illegal for Christians to share their faith in public, but the proposed new law would require anyone “spreading a religious teaching” to be registered as a missionary. It would also require pre-publication censorship of all religious literature, and would limit individuals to bringing into the country just one copy of any uncensored book on religion. Pray that these proposals will not become law. (Source: Forum 18) Friday 10 The government of Sindh province, Pakistan, has announced a programme to renovate and repair historic places of worship of Christians, Hindus and other minorities. The budget of 400 million
rupees (£3 million; €3.5 million) will also be used to install CCTV cameras at churches, temples and gurdwaras. Praise God for this encouraging news and pray that the non-Muslim minorities in Sindh will be able to worship safely. Saturday 11 A prominent writer from Jordan’s small Christian community was shot dead by an Islamist gunman on 25 September outside the court in Amman where he was due to stand trial for contempt of religion. Nahed Hattar had been arrested in August for posting on Facebook an allegedly offensive cartoon depicting jihadist beliefs about heaven. Pray that the dwindling number of Jordanian Christians will not be afraid, remembering the Lord Jesus’ words of encouragement and promises to His “little flock” (Luke 12:32). Sunday 12 Lord Jesus, we pray today for Christians in Saudi Arabia – the many migrant workers from Asia and Africa, and the small number of Saudi believers, who have taken the huge risk of leaving Islam to follow You. Although they cannot practise their Christian faith in public, please lead them to opportunities to worship You and to learn more of how to follow You. We ask that the Holy Spirit will teach them all things, and that lonely isolated believers will know His fellowship. Give them Your peace, that their hearts may not be troubled, despite the daily dangers they face (John 14:2627; 2 Corinthians 13:14). Monday 13 The New Urban Communities Authority in Egypt has given permission for three new church buildings to be constructed and
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Wednesday 8 Pastor Marat Nizalyiev, a Russian citizen who leads a church of Muslim-background believers in Kyrgyzstan, was taken into police custody on 6 October charged with attempted rape of an eight-year-old girl. He had previously been accused of indecently assaulting the child, based on a statement by the girl’s mother, who later tried to withdraw it but the police would not allow her to do so. His lawyer has proof of his innocence. This action by the police appears to have been taken in revenge because Marat’s church won a court case after the KGB had illegal tried to close his church down. Pray that the case against Pastor Marat will be dropped and that the authorities will cease harassing his congregation. Barnabas is assisting with Marat’s legal costs.
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allocated plots of state-owned land for them. Rejoice with Christians in New Minya, New Fayoum and Badr City for these approvals which are highly significant, given the long history of difficulties that Egyptian Christians used to encounter from the authorities with regard to church buildings. Pray for protection of the three churches as there is also a history of Muslim communal violence against church buildings in Egypt, especially new ones. Tuesday 14 Ms Ayat Oraby from New York, who is a prominent activist for Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, posted a speech on Facebook in September in which she called for Christians in Egypt to be subjugated to Muslims and for Muslims to boycott businesses owned by Egyptian Christians. “They must be made to understand that the crescent must always be on top the cross.” Ms Oraby’s attitude reflects a basic teaching of classical Islam about the dominance of Muslims over nonMuslims. Pray that more moderate Egyptian Muslims will have courage to speak out against such teachings and to affirm that Christians are equal citizens alongside the Muslim majority. Wednesday 15 The former US administration announced that they had hit their target of accepting 10,000 Syrian refugees during the last fiscal year (1 October 2015 – 30 September 2016). But only 56 of the 10,801 Syrian refugees accepted in that period were Christians. In addition there were 20 Shia Muslims and 17 Yazidis. That means 99.1% of the Syrians accepted were from the Sunni Muslim majority, despite the fact that it is the nonSunnis who are the primary targets of
Islamic State and similar rebel groups. Pray that the new administration will not only recognise the dangers facing Christians, Yazidis and Shia Muslims in Syria but will also welcome these “huddled masses yearning to breathe free”. Thursday 16 Pray for the 92 Christian widows whom Barnabas Fund is supporting in Aleppo, Syria. All their husbands died violently in the current war, many of them specifically because they refused to deny Christ. Thank the Lord that many widows in the group testify that their sufferings and loss have brought them closer to God. The programme also supports the 193 fatherless children of these widows, not only with food, clothes, shoes and school materials but also with programmes to help them deal with their trauma. Pray for God’s healing hand and His consolation for all the women and children. Friday 17 After Islamic State (IS) killed Angela’s husband and father-in-law they sent her a DVD of the beheadings. “They were very stubborn,” IS told Angela in a phone call, “They refused to convert to Islam.” But when IS had buried the bodies according to Islamic funeral rites, they told Angela that the burial method had made the two men Muslims anyway and therefore, she, as the widow of a “Muslim”, belonged to them, IS. After many more phone threats, Angela and her children fled from Syria, to Armenia, where Angela affirmed to Barnabas Fund, “I have trust and faith that God is with me. My future and my kids’ future are 100% in His hands.” Pray that her faith and hope may continue strong. Pray also for
her young daughter and two sons, each showing in different ways the trauma they have suffered, that the Lord will gently heal each one.
Saturday 18 Islamic State (IS) have emphasised in their online magazine Dabiq that nothing will make them stop hating Christians, because “our primary reason for hating you will not cease to exist until you embrace Islam. Even if you were to pay jizyah and live under the authority of Islam in humiliation, we would continue to hate you.” Pray for every member of IS, so proud of being hate-filled, that they will discover that God is love and that He showed it by sending His Son into the world (1 John 4:8-10). Sunday 19 Lord Jesus Christ, who
commanded us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, we pray today for Islamic State (IS) militants who have tried so hard to destroy Your people in Iraq and Syria and eliminate all evidence of 2,000 years of Christianity. Please draw to
Monday 20 Between February and September 2016 at least 743 Christians and ten Yazidis living in refugee centres across Germany suffered religiously motivated attacks from Muslims. The survey that revealed this information was conducted by a group of Christian charities, who stressed that the real numbers were probably far higher. Most of the Christian refugees were from Syria and Iran. The attacks included violent assaults, death threats and sexual attacks, and came from fellow-refugees, staff at the refugee shelters, and security guards. Some Christians also mentioned the problem of interpreters deliberately twisting their words. The group at greatest risk were converts from Islam. Ask God to be their refuge and strength, an ever-present help to them in all their troubles (Psalm 46:1). Tuesday 21 The German Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, has called for the creation of a “German Islam” based on tolerance and liberalism. Humanly speaking this seems very unlikely, given that research shows that 32% of Turkish-background Muslims in Germany would prefer a society like that in the time of Muhammad and 47% consider sharia more important than German law. Liberal Muslims
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Angela, who now works with a Barnabasfunded feeding programme in Armenia
Yourself those who are so zealous for the cause of Allah, so willing to follow the rigid law of Islam and to sacrifice their lives for what they believe in. Reveal Yourself to them as the Way, the Truth and Life. Channel their zeal to serve the King of love, and may they take up their cross and follow You, giving their lives for Your Kingdom and Your glory.
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who call for an interpretation of Islam such as Herr Schäuble hopes for are lone voices with little support for their position from other Muslims; indeed they face great danger from Islamists who consider the liberal Muslims to be heretics. Remembering that nothing is impossible with God, pray that a peaceable form of Islam, which sees all people as of equal worth and with equal rights, will indeed develop in Germany.
Cyprus – all of which had been part of the Ottoman Empire before 1914. Erdogan’s announcement therefore means that he wishes to re-create the Ottoman Empire, in which Christian minorities lived as millet communities, strongly controlled and restricted by the state. Pray that the Lord’s purpose will prevail, despite what plans may be in the heart of President Erdogan (Proverbs 19:21).
Wednesday 22 Five Turkish Muslims have at last been convicted of murdering three Christians in Malatya on 18 April 2007. Nine years after the crime, in which the throats of two Turkish Christians and a German missionary were slit after they had been tortured, their murderers, who were arrested at the scene, have each been sentenced to three consecutive terms of life imprisonment. But for the moment they remain free, because they have appealed against the court’s decision. This sends the message that Turkey’s tiny Christian minority can be attacked with virtual impunity. Pray that the Turkish judiciary may act with justice and righteousness for all.
Friday 24 Barnabas, called the son of consolation, came from Cyprus (Acts 4:36 KJV). For many centuries a bastion of Christianity, Cyprus was invaded by Turkey in 1974 and the result is today’s divided island, with the self-styled Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the north and the Republic of Cyprus in the south. Northern Cyprus has been thoroughly Islamised since 1974, with at least 77 church buildings converted into mosques and others to military depots. Most Christians have fled to the Christian-majority Greek-Cypriot south. The remaining Orthodox churches in the north have to obtain special permission from the Turkish authorities to hold a worship service, and since May 2016 have only been allowed to hold one service per year – either Christmas, Easter or another date of their choice. Pray that the few remaining Christians of northern Cyprus may find consolation, strength and comfort in their Lord as they continue to live and witness for Him.
Thursday 23 President Erdogan of Turkey announced in October 2016 that his country no longer recognised the international boundaries established by the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923. This decision is hugely threatening for Christians in the area of the former Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans (Turkey) had sided with Germany in the First World War and the Treaty of Lausanne required Turkey to renounce its claim to Mosul, to recognise the independent states of Iraq and Syria, and to recognise British control of
Saturday 25 Christians from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) report that Islam is growing fast, with many Christians converting to Islam, largely because they are unaware of
what Islam teaches and how different Allah of the Quran is from the God of the Bible. It is also reported that Muslim peace-workers with the UN have facilitated the building of mosques in areas of DRC which had none before. Pray that Christians in DRC, who have suffered much violence and killings by the Islamic militant group the ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) over the last two decades, may be well grounded in their faith and may know the character and nature of our triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Sunday 26 O Lord, we pray for Christians in north-east Nigeria and neighbouring countries, who have faced violent persecution for so many years by Boko Haram Islamist militants, seemingly unstoppable by any human agency. We pray for those still in their homes, never knowing from day to day whether they will be attacked. We pray for those who have had to flee, losing homes and livelihoods, not knowing how they will feed themselves or their children. When anxiety is great within
Monday 27 The Islamic preacher, debater, missionary and author, Ahmed Deedat (1918–2005) remains very influential far beyond his own country, South Africa. In Uganda, his two-volume work The Choice: Islam and Christianity is widely circulated. Ugandan Muslims are well trained in how to challenge the Christian majority with questions based on the Bible that seem to refute the divinity of Jesus Christ. They ask, for example, how Jesus could be God since he slept in a boat while the psalms tell us that God “will neither slumber nor sleep”. Pray that Ugandan Christians will be well equipped with a good understanding of their faith so that they will stand firm and not be swayed by spurious arguments like these. Tuesday 28 Pray that the British government will change its priorities about who is to be granted visas to the UK. Last year they issued guidance that senior members of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood should be granted asylum in the UK, despite the fact that the Brotherhood has repeatedly incited violence against Egyptian Christians. Two Islamic leaders from Pakistan were granted visas for a preaching tour of UK mosques, despite the fact that they were prominent campaigners in support of murdering those who opposed Pakistan’s “blasphemy laws”. Yet the British government refused visas to two church leaders from Zimbabwe who are at the forefront of protests against the brutal regime of Robert Mugabe.
January/February 2017 15
A training session for Christian leaders in DRC
them, may Your consolation, O Lord, bring joy to their souls. We ask this in Jesus’ Name (Psalm 94:19).
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