THE AID AGENCY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH www.barnabasaid.org
prayer
N A I T S I R H C S T R E V N CO S I S I R C N I JULY/AUGUST 2013
to help you pray for the persecuted church
JULY 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. Please do not IHHO OLPLWHG E\ WKH VSHFLÂżF SUD\HU requests, but pray as you feel led.
day, the leader of the al-Nusra Front pledged allegiance to the leader of al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri. When al-Nusra takes an area, they systematically destroy all Christian symbols. The Islamists control bakeries and the distribution RI HVVHQWLDO UHVRXUFHV VXFK DV ÀRXU DQG IXHO LQ areas they have seized. And they are imposing sharia law. The prospect of these groups taking over Syria is a forbidding one for Christians. Pray for the Lord’s intervention on their behalf.
July Monday 1 The kidnapping of two senior church leaders in Syria on April 22 vividly underlined the perilous position of the country’s Christians. The two archbishops, Yohanna Ibrahim and Boutros Yazigi, had been on a humanitarian mission in the north of the country, trying to secure the release of two church ministers who had been kidnapped some months before. Many Christians have been DEGXFWHG VLQFH WKH VWDUW RI WKH FRQĂ€LFW ,EUDKLP and Yazigi are the most senior leaders to be taken captive, and their kidnapping has greatly distressed the Syrian Christian community. Ibrahim had spoken out several times about WKH GHVSHUDWH SOLJKW RI &KULVWLDQV LQ $OHSSR two months before his capture, he said, “We FU\ ORXGO\ Âľ(QRXJK LV HQRXJK ZH DUH WRWDOO\ exhausted and cannot continue.’â€? Pray that the Lord will watch over and protect His servants (Psalm 121:5-8). Tuesday 2 On April 9, the Iraqi wing of al4DHGD WKH ,VODPLF 6WDWH RI ,UDT FRQÂżUPHG WKDW it has links with the al-Nusra Front, which is the most prominent of the numerous Islamist militias ÂżJKWLQJ DJDLQVW WKH 6\ULDQ UHJLPH 7KH IROORZLQJ
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Many Christian families have been displaced by the violence in Syria
Wednesday 3 A Christian woman from Syria told Barnabas Aid in May that many Christian women in the country dare not leave their homes for fear of being raped. They are easy targets for Islamists within the opposition who believe they have the right to rape them. This was reinforced E\ D IDWZD LVVXHG E\ D 6DODÂż VKHLNK ZKR VDLG WKDW LW ZDV ÂłOHJLWLPDWH´ IRU 0XVOLP ÂżJKWHUV ZKR are trying to put in place an Islamist government to “capture and have sex withâ€? non-Sunni, non-Muslim women. He described non-Muslim women as melk al-yamin, a Quranic term for non-Muslim sex slaves. Pray that such brazen abuse of women will not be tolerated within the Syrian opposition and that the Lord will protect our vulnerable sisters in Christ and all other women who could be targeted. Thursday 4 *LYH WKDQNV WKDW ÂżYH IRUHLJQ Christians, four Egyptians and one South
JULY 5 - 8 Korean, who were detained in Libya on suspicion of proselytizing have been released. 7KH\ ZHUH IUHHG RQ $SULO WKH (J\SWLDQV KDG spent more than a month behind bars, while the South Korean had been held since February 10. Libya has been clamping down on foreign Christians in the country. At the end of February, around 50 Egyptian Christians were arrested in Benghazi after being accused of proselytizing. (]]DW $WDOODK GLHG LQ FXVWRG\ KLV ODZ\HU VDLG that he had been tortured to death. Evangelism among Muslims is still prohibited in the DSSDUHQWO\ OLEHUDWHG /LE\D SUD\ WKDW WKHUH ZLOO EH full religious freedom there. Friday 5 On April 23, the Supreme Ulema &RXQFLO ZKLFK UHSUHVHQWV RIÂżFLDO ,VODP LQ Morocco, published a fatwa saying that Muslims who renounce their faith “should be condemned to deathâ€?. The Islamic apostasy law, which endangers Muslim-background Christians in many countries, is not currently enshrined in the Moroccan penal system, but there are fears that the edict could give extremists an excuse to attack converts. Give WKDQNV WKDW D VHQLRU KXPDQ ULJKWV RIÂżFLDO LQ WKH Moroccan government said that the fatwa “does not concern our government and commits us to nothingâ€?. Pray that it will not be written into law and that the Lord will protect the few thousand converts from Islam to Christianity in Morocco. Saturday 6 “We peeped through the windows and saw Christian youth slain in front of the church, and families carrying their wounded away.â€? Anti-Christian violence in al-Khosous, north of the Egyptian capital, Cairo, claimed the lives of six Christians in April. The Christian community was attacked after the wall of an ,VODPLF EXLOGLQJ ZDV GHIDFHG ZLWK JUDIÂżWL 7KH vandalism was falsely attributed to Christians, and local Muslims were incited to launch an assault. Four Christians were killed on April
4 and 5, and a church building, Christian kindergarten and other Christian-owned property were torched. Another man later died of his injuries, and one more was killed in a fresh outbreak on April 7. Pray for the bereaved and injured and that those responsible for the violence will be brought to justice. Sunday 7 Pray for the family and friends of Mahrous Hanna Ibrahim (30), who was killed in an attack on a Christian funeral in Cairo, Egypt, on April 7. Thousands of mourners had gathered for the funeral of the four Christians killed in al-Khosous on April 4 and 5 (see July 6), but the procession was attacked by a Muslim mob throwing stones and petrol bombs. Mahrous was shot dead, and 89 people were wounded. The police failed to intervene effectively and appear even to have ¿UHG WHDU JDV DW WKH PRXUQHUV Attacks on the Christian minority KDYH LQWHQVL¿HG VLQFH WKH UHYROXWLRQ of 2011, and Christians have accused the Islamist government of failing to protect them. Pray that they may be kept safe from further violence. Monday 8 A mosque in Cairo was occupied by radical Islamist militias on March 22 and turned into a torture chamber for demonstrators against Egypt’s ruling Muslim Brotherhood. Christians and moderate Muslims were protesting outside the movement’s headquarters when some of them were rounded up and taken to the Bilal ibn Rabah Mosque, where they were tortured for hours. One of the Christian victims, Amir Ayad, was severely beaten and left for dead at the side of the road. The Muslim Brotherhood government is clamping down hard
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JULY 9 - 12 on the increasingly vocal dissent in the country. Pray that its Islamist agenda will be thwarted and for the establishing of a just government that will promote the well-being of the Christian minority. Tuesday 9 “Thank God, they didn’t destroy my books,â€? said a Christian street evangelist in Kazakhstan after an appeal court overturned an earlier ruling that Christian literature seized from him should be destroyed. Vyacheslav Cherkasov, from Shchuchinsk, was detained by police in October 2012, and 121 books and OHDĂ€HWV LQFOXGLQJ %LEOHV ZHUH FRQÂżVFDWHG IURP him. On March 5 he was convicted of violating Kazakhstan’s rules on the import, publication and distribution of religious literature and given a KHDY\ ÂżQH %XW WKH GHFLVLRQ WR GHVWUR\ WKH ERRNV provoked widespread outrage and negative publicity, and on March 26 it was cancelled. Praise God that the literature was returned to Vyacheslav, but pray for his protection, as he has been repeatedly stopped by police. Pray too for the harsh regulations to be amended or withdrawn. Wednesday 10 Christians in Kazakhstan who share their faith with others or belong to unregistered churches could be jailed under proposed new laws. Until now these activities have been classed as administrative offenses PDLQO\ SXQLVKDEOH E\ D ÂżQH %XW WKH GUDIW ODZV would make it a criminal offense to engage in unregistered “missionary activityâ€?, including the use of unapproved literature, or to lead, take part in or support unregistered religious groups. Penalties include “corrective laborâ€? or prison. These changes follow the passing of a harsh Religion Law in 2011 that severely restricted religious freedom. Pray that Christians in Kazakhstan will not be intimidated by these repressive restrictions and will persevere in serving the Lord (Philippians 1:27-28).
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Thursday 11 “After this seminar I have changed my point of view on sufferings and I start to think more about mercy of God‌ Now I understand that I need to face suffering with joy and gratitude.â€? The words of a pastor in Kyrgyzstan testify to the good fruit of a conference for 65 church leaders that Barnabas helped to fund in early 2013. Most of them lead small churches in villages and towns and face persecution from local Muslims. They have no formal Biblical training and cannot normally afford to get it. Praise the Lord that the conference helped the pastors better to understand the place of suffering in Christian
Prayers at a pastors’ conference in Kyrgyzstan
discipleship. Pray that they may be able to encourage their churches to stand strong in the face of persecution. Friday 12 In March 2013 Islamists seized SRZHU IRU WKH ÂżUVW WLPH LQ D PDLQO\ &KULVWLDQ nation: the Central African Republic (CAR). The Seleka rebels, who are based in the north of the country, are said to follow Wahhabism, the strict form of Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia, and they apparently want to Islamize CAR and impose sharia. They have replaced the former president with their own leader and have control of the whole nation except the far east. CAR is
JULY 13 - 17 75% Christian and only 15% Muslim, and the takeover reveals the growing and menacing power of Islamism in central Africa. Pray that the Islamists will be unable to consolidate their power, and for religious freedom in CAR to be protected. Saturday 13 News emerging from CAR following the Islamist coup paints a grim picture for the country’s Christians. Days of chaos and looting followed the takeover, and at the time of writing the new government has failed to restore order. A pastor has reported attacks on individual Christians, who have been tied up, beaten and required to pay a ransom in exchange for their lives. Christian homes have been looted and their inhabitants driven away, and church buildings have been attacked. One woman said, “They [the Islamists] say, ‘It is our turn now. We will make you pay.’� Pray that this time of trial will strengthen Christians in their faith and that they will soon be delivered from intimidation and violence. Sunday 14 Cry out to the Lord for Hassan Gulled, a Somali Christian convert from Islam, who has been seized, imprisoned and tortured by the militant Islamist group alShabaab. He was taken prisoner on March 23 near Qoryoley district. Hassan (25) had been living in Christian-majority Kenya since 2007 and became a Christian there in 2010. His Christian activities were noticed by al-Shabaab extremists, who contacted their counterparts in Somalia. When Hassan returned home to visit his family in February, his movements were monitored for three weeks before he was captured. At the time of writing he is believed to still be in captivity.
Pray for Hassan’s safe release, and for other Christians in Somalia, who live at great risk of violence from al-Shabaab. Monday 15 3UD\ IRU WKH ¿YH RUSKDQHG children of Fartun Omar (42), a Christian widow who was shot dead by al-Shabaab militants in Somalia on April 13. She and her family were ÀHHLQJ WKH FHQWUDO FLW\ RI %HOHGZH\QH EHFDXVH al-Shabaab were looking for her. They were stopped at a roadblock in Buulobarde, where Fartun was detained and murdered. Her husband, Mursal Isse Siad, had been killed by XQLGHQWL¿HG PDVNHG JXQPHQ RQ 'HFHPEHU KH KDG EHHQ UHFHLYLQJ GHDWK WKUHDWV IRU leaving Islam. Pray for comfort and peace for the children and that the Lord will defend them from further harm. Tuesday 16 Pray for a Cuban pastor and his teenage son who were threatened at their home in the middle of the night in February by a mob wielding sticks and baseball bats. A week later the pastor’s church in Cotorro, Havana Province, was shut down by state security agents and all of its belongings seized. The Full Gospel Church is believed to have been targeted because of its rapid expansion and connections with a fast-growing network of churches. There has recently been a sharp increase in incidents of religious persecution in Cuba. Pray that the Lord will sustain this beleaguered congregation and HQDEOH WKHP WR ¿QG ZD\V RI FRQWLQXLQJ WR PHHW Wednesday 17 Pray for Christians in Hungary as recent constitutional and legal changes continue to discriminate against many churches. A new law on religion in 2012 granted state recognition to 14 religious groups and GHFHUWL¿HG WKH UHVW 2YHU JURXSV LQFOXGLQJ some major Christian denominations, lost their RI¿FLDO VWDWXV 7KH &RQVWLWXWLRQDO &RXUW VWUXFN
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JULY 18 - 21 down the law, but the government reintroduced it this year by changing the constitution and also cancelled the court’s power to overrule. 3UD\ WKDW WKH GHFHUWL¿HG FKXUFKHV ZLOO EH DEOH WR continue their ministry and mission, and that the government will be persuaded by international pressure to change the law. Thursday 18 Give thanks to the Lord that three pastors in Laos who were arrested on charges of spreading the Christian faith have now been released. Pastors Bounma, Somkaew and Bounmee were detained on February 5 in a shop where they were making copies of a Christian DVD for personal use. One of them was released soon afterwards, but the other two were held in a high security section of Phin district prison, reserved for the most severe criminals. Pastor Bounma was reportedly kicked and beaten in a bid to force him to confess. Pray for these brothers in Christ as they recover from this unjust and harsh treatment, and that the Gospel may bear much fruit in Laos (Colossians 1:6). Friday 19 Pray for the family of Hoang Van Ngai, a church leader in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, who has died in police custody. Ngai and his wife were arrested on March 16 while clearing brush, on a charge of “destroying the forest”, which was thought to be a pretext for targeting the local Christians. His brother was also arrested and was held in an adjacent cell. The next day the brother heard the sound of violent beating coming from Ngai’s cell and then saw him being taken out looking “completely limp as if he was dead”. Ngai’s brother believes he had made enemies in the government by standing up against abuses of power and refusing to take bribes. Pray that the Lord will empower Vietnamese Christians as they take their stand for justice and righteousness.
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Saturday 20 The government of Vietnam continues to violate the religious freedom of Christians (and others). Although it no longer seeks to eradicate Christianity by force, it now tries to manage the churches through registration and regulation. In 2012 a JRYHUQPHQW RI¿FLDO KDLOHG D ³EUHDNWKURXJK´ LQ this process in terms of its “limiting the unusually rapid development of the Protestant religion”. A number of Christians have been thrown into jail, falsely accused of plotting to overthrow the government, and the new Decree 92 makes it virtually impossible for unregistered churches to obtain legal status. Pray that Christians in Vietnam will be strengthened in their worship and witness despite these attempts to suppress them. Sunday 21 “Some have seen DQG H[SHULHQFHG KRUUL¿F WKLQJV – and even now are living in uncomfortable circumstances – but still they have hope and joy in the Lord.” A Barnabas Aid partner was reporting on a visit to Kachin Christians in displaced people’s camps in Burma (Myanmar). The Kachin, a mainly Christian ethnic minority, have been suffering a sustained and brutal attack from the Burmese army for two years, including indiscriminate bombing,
Many Kachin Christians are now in displaced people’s camps
JULY 22 - 26 gas attacks and abuse of civilians. More than 75,000 Kachin people KDYH KDG WR ÀHH WKHLU KRPHV Barnabas has provided Bibles for some of the displaced Christians. Give thanks that the faith of so many has been strengthened through their DIÀLFWLRQV DQG SUD\ WKDW WKH\ ZLOO FRQWLQXH WR VWDQG ¿UP LQ WKH /RUG Pray too for peace and freedom for them. Monday 22 Pray for the vulnerable Christian minority in Sudan, who are facing increased pressure from the Islamist government. On April 17 the minister for religious affairs announced that no new licenses would be granted for church buildings, on the grounds that existing ones could accommodate worshippers. At the same time, however, the government has been demolishing numerous church buildings on the SUHWH[W RI SDSHUZRUN LUUHJXODULWLHV VHYHQ LQ WKH .KDUWRXP DUHD ZHUH ÀDWWHQHG LQ -DQXDU\ A series of anti-Christian actions taken by the government since late 2012 appear to be a systematic attempt to eradicate Christianity from the country. Pray for protection for our brothers and sisters, and that the light of the Gospel will continue to shine in Sudan. Tuesday 23 The deportation of leaders and Christian workers from Sudan is further weakening the churches. A senior church leader and two expatriate missionaries who had been working with children in Khartoum were expelled RQ $SULO QR UHDVRQ ZDV JLYHQ WR WKHP (DUOLHU around 100 foreign workers were reportedly ejected after a story was circulated of a Muslim girl having been baptized. In February, 55 Sudanese Christians were also arrested after being falsely accused of receiving money from abroad. Pray for those Christians and churches that have been deprived of support and
encouragement as a result of these actions, that WKH /RUG ZLOO JLYH WKHP VWUHQJWK WR VWDQG ÂżUP Wednesday 24 A group of Christian workers from a university campus-based ministry in Sudan were arrested on February 23 and LQWHUURJDWHG IRU D ZHHN 6HFXULW\ RIÂżFHUV threatened to bury them alive if they did not reveal information about their activities. For the following two weeks they had to report to WKH RIÂżFHV RI WKH 1DWLRQDO ,QWHOOLJHQFH 6HUYLFHV HYHU\ GD\ IRU IXUWKHU TXHVWLRQLQJ VLQFH then they have had to go every week. Three members of the group were expelled in March. Pray that the authorities will stop harassing these workers and that they may be free to bear witness to Christ without reprisals. Thursday 25 A church in Egypt has been repeatedly attacked over the alleged conversion of a Muslim woman to Christianity. Muslims have accused the church, in Wasta, Beni Suef, of hiding Rana el-Shazli. Islamic groups GLVWULEXWHG OHDĂ€HWV DURXQG WKH WRZQ GHPDQGLQJ that the church return the woman or face “consequencesâ€?. They have thrown stones and Molotov cocktails at the church building, and Christians have also been forced to close their shops. Pray that the Lord who is their glory will be a shield around the church and lift up their head (Psalm 3:3). Friday 26 As the crisis in Egypt persists, Barnabas Aid is continuing to support impoverished and helpless Christians with essential supplies. The upheaval that has racked the country for the last two years has deepened their already extreme poverty, and they are also threatened by their increasingly precarious position in society as Islamism tightens its grip. The help that Barnabas provides gives them not only the food and other basic resources that they need, but also a measure of dignity and security
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JULY 27 - 30 in the midst of disorder. Pray that they may be sustained at this harrowing time and may soon be delivered from their desperate plight. Saturday 27 Christians in India are vulnerable to violent attacks, usually at the hands of Hindu extremists, but occasionally also by the police. On February 15, around 60 police RIÂżFHUV VXUURXQGHG 3KDWDFKDQFKDUD YLOODJH Orissa state, and forced entry to Christian homes in the middle of the night. Church pastor -DKD\D 0DQGDO ZDV LQWHUURJDWHG DERXW KLV PLQLVWU\ FKXUFK GHDFRQ .RUQHLO 5RLWD DQG D number of other Christians were tied to trees and beaten. Pastor Mandal, Korneil and four other Christians were then forced to walk barefoot over thorny and rocky ground for two and a half miles, so that their feet bled. Pray that the Lord will heal the physical and mental wounds of this Christian community and grant them justice. Sunday 28 Pray for children and staff at a Christian-run orphanage in Srinagar, India, that was attacked on April 10 after Islamic leaders falsely alleged that the home was converting Muslim children. After a group of mullahs tried unsuccessfully to kidnap the children at the home, a violent mob armed with rocks and sticks forced its way into the building and vandalized it. The mullahs also tried
A Christian-run orphanage in Srinagar, India, is attacked
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to kill the pastor who runs the home. Thankfully nobody was hurt, and police escorted the pastor and his family to safety. Praise the Lord for protecting them and the children, and that police have found the accusations against the orphanage to be groundless. Ask Him to heal the trauma caused by the attack. After the Islamists threatened the home’s landlord, the Christian group have been told to vacate the SUHPLVHV DQG PXVW ¿QG D QHZ VLWH pray that the Lord will provide for all their needs. Monday 29 3UD\ IRU D &KULVWLDQ IDPLO\ RI ¿YH who were severely beaten in an attack at their home in Uttar Pradesh, India. They had just sat down to eat on March 27 when the assailants burst in. The mother, Mrs. Survati, was left maimed after the attackers severed one of her KDQGV $UYLQG WKH \HDU ROG VRQ ZDV EHDWHQ XQFRQVFLRXV WKH \HDU ROG GDXJKWHU $UFKDQD VXIIHUHG D EURNHQ KDQG WKH IDWKHU 5DPQDWK and other daughter, Antika, were also beaten. The family is one of a number of local Christian households who host prayer meetings in their home. These have been targeted by militants, who are seemingly trying to eliminate the Christian presence in the area. Pray that they will not succeed. Tuesday 30 Our vulnerable Christian brothers and sisters in Bangladesh have been further endangered by Islamist calls for the introduction of blasphemy laws. The criminalizing of those deemed to have insulted Islam or Muhammad ZRXOG EH GLVDVWURXV IRU &KULVWLDQV VLPLODU laws in Pakistan put Christians greatly at risk. Islamists are also demanding the imposition of sharia law and the virtual segregation of women. Thankfully, Bangladesh’s government
JULY 31 – AUGUST 3 has rejected the demands, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reiterating, “This country is a secular democracy.â€? It has however been accused of appeasing the Islamists in its UHVSRQVH D ODZ DJDLQVW ÂłKXUWLQJ WKH SHRSOHÂśV religious sentimentsâ€? is being toughened. Pray WKDW WKH JRYHUQPHQW ZLOO VWDQG ÂżUP DJDLQVW Islamist pressure and that it will uphold the rights of all Bangladesh’s citizens. Wednesday 31 As well as being endangered by the threat of blasphemy laws, Christians in Bangladesh are also at more immediate risk. Christian homes were torched and churches threatened as a violent Islamist uprising targeted religious minorities. The violence began in February as Islamist protests escalated, and scores of people have been killed. At least 37 people died in clashes on May 5 alone. A Barnabas church partner whose ministry vehicle was attacked said that new Christians who have converted from Islam are particularly at risk of attack by Islamists targeting evangelistic work. Pray that the Lord will spread His protection over Christians in Bangladesh (Psalm 5:11) and that He will keep them safe from attack by Islamists.
August Thursday 1 Give thanks that Barnabas Aid has been able to help Christians threatened by Islamist unrest in Bangladesh. As well as providing our regular support, which includes ministry training, Christian literature, Christian schools and food parcels for needy Christian families, we are now helping an extremely vulnerable congregation. The church, which is LQ D 0XVOLP DUHD PHHWV LQ D ÀLPV\ PHWDO VKHG that is just 1600 feet from a mosque, but it is ÀRXULVKLQJ QHYHUWKHOHVV DQG UHFHQWO\ EDSWL]HG 62 people. Barnabas is funding the construction
of a brick church building with a boundary wall to help protect the church from attack. Pray that the congregation will be blessed richly by the new building and that our other help will reach those who need it most at this unstable time. Friday 2 Pray for protection for our brothers and sisters in Iran, whose Christian activities have been effectively criminalized by the Islamic regime. A new report by the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran has revealed that the authorities treat standard Christian practices such as being a member of a house church or attending a Christian conference as illegal acts. It also describes a pattern of systematic and arbitrary arrest and detention of Christian converts from Islam and presents clear evidence that their lives are threatened. The government has not approved a single new church building since the revolution. Pray that the churches will thrive despite this concerted repression and that Christians will persevere in their faith. Saturday 3 “It is through the suffering and tribulation that we are to enter the Kingdom of God.â€? Saeed Abedini wrote this in a letter from prison in Iran, where he has been threatened, beaten and tortured. The IranianAmerican pastor was detained in September 2012 while on a visit to his homeland, and he was jailed for eight years for planting house churches “intended to undermine national securityâ€? following his conversion from Islam to Christianity in 2000. His wife is seriously concerned for his health following the repeated attacks, and he has also been told that unless he returns to Islam he will not be released even after serving his sentence. Pray that he may FRQWLQXH WR ÂżQG VWUHQJWK LQ WKH /RUG KLV *RG Samuel 30:6) and that the authorities will soon relent and release him.
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AUGUST 4 - 8 Sunday 4 Give thanks to the Lord that a pastor who has been repeatedly jailed in Iraq has now been freed. Abdi Ali Hamzah, better known as Pastor Jamal, is a convert from Islam who has been active in spreading the Gospel in northern Iraq. During his latest imprisonment, which lasted for 21 months, he was subjected to torture and put in VROLWDU\ FRQÂżQHPHQW EXW KH UHIXVHG to return to Islam and maintained a brave Christian testimony. Pray for peace and renewed strength for him as he recovers from his ordeal. Monday 5 “You cannot imagine what the school has done in the district. We have earned a good name for being a very Christian school and providing quality education.â€? Give WKDQNV IRU WKH /RUGÂśV EOHVVLQJ RQ D Ă€RXULVKLQJ &KULVWLDQ VFKRRO LQ %HLW -DOD %HWKOHKHP ZKLFK is supported by Barnabas Aid. It is so popular that every year more children want to attend. The Christian population in Bethlehem is under pressure from economic decline and Islamic extremism, but Christian parents feel that their children are safe at the school. With support from Barnabas, children from even the neediest Christian families can attend, paying only minimal fees. Pray that the Lord will continue to show His favor to the school and prosper its work (Psalm 90:17).
Gulinuer Yimiti and her two sons
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Tuesday 6 Please continue to pray for Alimujiang Yimiti, a church leader and convert from Islam in China, who is serving a 15-year prison sentence for his Christian activities. His wife, Gulinuer, has recently had her short visits to him severely curtailed: previously she was allowed to see him once a month for 20 minutes, but now she is admitted only once every three months and for only ten minutes. Alimujiang, who was active in evangelism and Christian literature distribution among his own (mainly Muslim) Uyghur people, was unjustly convicted of illegally providing state secrets to foreigners and is not due for release until 2024. Pray that the Lord will uphold Alimujiang, Gulinuer and their two sons in their cruel separation, and that he will soon be restored to his family. Barnabas has provided funds to assist them. Wednesday 7 Praise God that heavy ÂżQHV LVVXHG WR WZR &KULVWLDQV LQ $]HUEDLMDQ IRU participating in unregistered religious meetings have been cancelled on appeal. Pastor Zaur Balaev and Hinayat Shabanova were each ÂżQHG 0DQDWV 86' PRUH WKDQ D year’s average wages for a local manual worker, following raids on their homes in Aliabad in November 2012. The church has been trying without success since 1994 to obtain state registration, and Pastor Balaev has previously been imprisoned for his faith. Pray that the authorities will stop harassing the congregation, and for greater religious freedom in Azerbaijan. Thursday 8 “[The police] have decided to use fear to separate us from God, something they can never achieve – they cannot ban me from my Christian faith.â€? Galina Gileva, a 73-yearold Christian from Zhaskent in Kazakhstan, was speaking after an Easter Day service that she was attending in a private home was raided by the authorities. Galina suffered a heart attack that she attributes to the stress
AUGUST 9 - 12 of the raid and the six-hour interrogation that followed. Yet despite the recent tightening of DOUHDG\ VWLĂ€LQJ FRQWUROV RQ &KULVWLDQ DFWLYLWLHV the president of Kazakhstan claimed on April 17 that “Kazakhstan is an example to the world of equal rights and freedoms for all citizensâ€? and that “religious freedom is fully securedâ€?. Pray for healing for Galina and other Christians WUDXPDWL]HG E\ RIÂżFLDO KDUDVVPHQW DQG IRU the establishing of true religious freedom in Kazakhstan. Friday 9 A church in Stepnogorsk in northern Kazakhstan was celebrating the Lord’s resurrection on Easter Day when police raided their service. The visiting pastor, Igor Andreikin, was accused of “conducting illegal missionary DFWLYLW\´ KH ZDV WROG WKDW KH QHHGHG ORFDO VWDWH permission to preach at the church and that he ZRXOG UHFHLYH DQ RIÂżFLDO ZDUQLQJ 7KH FKXUFK is also concerned about an apparent attempt by the authorities to discredit or blackmail its pastor, visiting pastor and members. Pray that WKLV RIÂżFLDO KDUDVVPHQW ZLOO VWRS DQG WKDW WKH MR\ of the Lord will strengthen the church (Nehemiah 8:10). Saturday 10 Barnabas Aid supports and strengthens the Church in a Central Asian country where Christians suffer sustained harassment from the authorities and their hostile Muslim neighbors. One community we support comprises 15 families, converts from Islam, ZKR KDYH EHHQ UHSHDWHGO\ JLYHQ KHDY\ ÂżQHV IRU holding church services. Many jobs are closed to Christians because of their faith, so they struggle WR SD\ WKH ÂżQHV DQG VXSSRUW WKHLU IDPLOLHV Barnabas is helping them to purchase land for farming to generate an income. Pray for them and other harassed and needy Christians in this country, that our God will meet all their needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ (Philippians 4:19).
Sunday 11 Pray for our brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka, where attacks by Buddhist extremists are becoming more frequent in what may be a concerted campaign. Ten separate anti-Christian incidents took place in different parts of Sri Lanka during the month of March. On March 9, a church building in Batticalao was burned down, and soon afterwards a pastor from Angunakolapelessa was threatened by police and told to stop holding services. Seven other churches were also harassed in March, mostly by Buddhist monks but sometimes with police or mob support. Pray for vulnerable Sri Lankan congregations, and ask the Lord to arm them with strength (Psalm 18:32) to face the opposition they encounter from Buddhist extremists. Monday 12 A persecuted pastor and his family in Sri Lanka have endured a second round of persecution by Buddhist extremists. The family’s home, which is also used for worship services, was attacked on March 18 by an angry mob that broke in and vandalized the property. Pastor Pradeep Kumera’s wife returned with the couple’s children while the three-and-a-half hour attack was taking place, and the assailants threatened her. Although the police were called, they could not control the mob. Pray for the family and for the pastor’s ministry, which has faced opposition in the past. His church was attacked in December 2012 by a group of Buddhists who had threatened him the day before. Ask the Lord to be a shield to the family as they take refuge in Him (Proverbs 30:5).
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AUGUST 13 - 17 Tuesday 13 Evangelical churches in Sri Lanka are at risk from proposed new legislation that will enable the authorities to take action against religious groups it considers to be “cultsâ€?. The law is designed to prevent anyone from “distorting the original teachingsâ€? of Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. Evangelical FKXUFKHV ZKLFK DUH QRW RIÂżFLDOO\ UHFRJQL]HG by the government, are liable to be labelled as “cultsâ€? by those who oppose them. Pray that the authorities will come to a better understanding of the Christian faith and that churches in Sri Lanka will be allowed to worship in peace. Wednesday 14 Give thanks for what God is doing, through Barnabas Aid, for Christian war widows in Sri Lanka. Many of them were displaced and left struggling to provide for their families after they lost their husbands in the country’s long and brutal civil war. But that all changed when Barnabas provided them with the training and resources they needed to start up their own small businesses. A group of 80 Christian widows are now supporting their families through sewing, farming, carpentry, matmaking, grocery shops and food manufacture. Praise God for His provision for this vulnerable group and ask Him to continue to bless them. Thursday 15 Christians across the vast continent of Africa are facing the challenge of an increasingly strident and sometimes militant Muslim population. The line separating the largely Muslim north and the mainly Christian south runs across the whole continent and through the middle of several countries, and the great social and political tensions it creates VRPHWLPHV H[SORGH LQWR EUXWDO FRQĂ€LFW 0DQ\ of the Muslim-majority countries are becoming more Islamic in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, sometimes by political means and sometimes by violence. Islamist terrorism is also wreaking havoc in several parts of the continent. Muslim
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PLQRULWLHV DUH JURZLQJ PRUH FRQ¿GHQW DQG powerful, and Islamic mission is being vigorously promoted. Pray for the protection of Africa’s Christians against oppression and persecution
Aftermath of the attack on a church in Arusha, Tanzania
Friday 16 Violence has continued to rage against Christians and churches in Tanzania. Five people were killed and around 60 wounded when a new church building in Arusha was bombed during an inaugural service on May (LJKW VXVSHFWV KDYH EHHQ DUUHVWHG SROLFH had previously been warned about the threat of violence from Islamist groups. A Barnabas Aid contact reported that radical camps in Tanzania are teaching young Muslims that Christians must either be killed or live as second-class citizens. Pray that the Lord will comfort the families of those who lost their lives in this atrocity, and pray WKDW WKH SRLVRQRXV DQG JURZLQJ LQĂ€XHQFH RI Islamism in Tanzania will be curbed. Saturday 17 Two Christians were killed on April 3 in an escalating row over the slaughter of meat in Tanzania. Muslims are denying Christians the right to sell their meat because it is not halal. Although no law exists against Christians doing so, the authorities are siding ZLWK WKH 0XVOLP DJJUHVVRUV RYHU &KULVWLDQV
AUGUST 18 - 22 were arrested in Tunduma and dozens elsewhere. When church leaders visited one of the detained, a fellow pastor, they were beaten, many so severely that they required hospital treatment. Pray for the easing of tensions over this issue and pray that Christians in Tanzania will be able both to worship and to carry out their business in peace and safety. Sunday 18 Cry out to the Lord on behalf of Lukia Khalid, a convert from Islam in Tanzania who was seven months pregnant when her Muslim husband forced her out of the family home for accepting Christ. Lukia became a Christian on March 23 after an evangelist visited her home in Ujiji. Her husband threatened to kill her if she did not return to Islam. She and her three children escaped by night. Lukia has been helped to set up a small business to support herself and her children. Pray that this will thrive and that the Lord will also strengthen Lukia in her new faith. Monday 19 As the Nigerian authorities struggle to contain militant Islamist group Boko Haram, which has been targeting Christians and others in its campaign to establish an Islamic state in the North, an amnesty for the group has been suggested. The idea has divided opinion in the country, with leading Christian organizations being strongly opposed. Boko Haram itself has rejected any such deal, claiming that it has “not committed any wrong to deserve amnesty�. On 0D\ 3UHVLGHQW *RRGOXFN -RQDWKDQ GHFODUHG a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa in the wake of escalating attacks by the increasingly well-armed and well-organized militants, and the security forces began to attack Boko Haram in these states. Pray that the
response of the authorities will be effective in containing the disorder. Tuesday 20 The mainly Christian population of South Sudan is desperately lacking in healthcare facilities. Praise God for the work of a church-based mobile clinic, supported by Barnabas, that provides essential health VHUYLFHV IRU ÂżYH UHPRWH YLOODJHV DURXQG WKH FLW\ of Yei. The residents need medical attention for various conditions, and without the clinic they would have no functioning health facility. Life expectancy in such remote communities is just 40 years. Barnabas covers the costs of medicines, running the vehicle and seven members of staff. Pray that the clinic will help to transform the lives of poor and vulnerable Christians in the villages, and for the rebuilding of South Sudan. Wednesday 21 Pray for the congregation of 6HWX &KXUFK LQ %HNDVL :HVW -DYD ,QGRQHVLD whose building was demolished by the authorities on March 21. Workers were cheered on by Muslim protestors, who shouted, “They’re LQÂżGHOV DQG WKH\ÂśYH EXLOW WKHLU FKXUFK ZLWKRXW permission,â€? while church members looked on in tears. The authorities said that the church lacked the required permit for the building, but the pastor replied that it had complied with all the requirements but been repeatedly refused. It has been suggested that the demolition was ordered as a way of winning support from Islamic extremists before regional mayoral elections. Pray that the church will be able to continue holding services at the site and may have grace to love and pray for their persecutors (Matthew 5:44). Thursday 22 Pray for Palti Panjaitan, a pastor in Indonesia who is facing assault charges after his church was attacked by a mob of Muslim extremists. He was attempting to leave the scene of the incident, during which
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AUGUST 23 - 26 PHPEHUV RI )LODGHOÂżD %DWDN &KULVWLDQ 3URWHVWDQW Church were pelted with rotten eggs, dung and plastic bags full of urine, when the leader of the mob moved in to attack him. Palti stopped the Muslim’s blow with his hand to protect himself and his wife. No action was taken against him at the time, but three months later on March 20 police named him as a suspect. Pray that he may be cleared of all wrongdoing and that the congregation may be protected from Islamist YLROHQFH DQG RIÂżFLDO KDUDVVPHQW Friday 23 “He is the president of intolerance.â€? Palti Panjaitan, an Indonesian pastor (see August 22) was criticizing an award given to his country’s president. A US-based interfaith organization has given its World Statesman Award to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, in recognition of his work in supporting human rights and religious freedom. But a coalition of religious minorities, including churches that have suffered sustained persecution, have protested against the award and have called on the president to end their plight before he accepts it. Pray that he will heed their call and take decisive action to stop attacks on Indonesia’s Christian minority. Saturday 24 Pray for Christian parents in West Papua, Indonesia, who have seen their children removed to Islamic religious schools in -DYD IRU ÂłUH HGXFDWLRQ´ 7KH\ DUH HQWLFHG E\ WKH SURPLVH RI IUHH VFKRROLQJ EXW WKH FKLOGUHQ ÂżQG themselves in strict boarding schools where they spend hours praying and reading the Quran and suffer harsh discipline. Christian children are pressured to convert to Islam, and the schools aim to send their students back to Christianmajority Papua to spread their stringent form of Islam there. Pray that the parents may be forewarned against this danger and will resist the pressure to send their children away. Pray too for protection for the Christian children in the schools. 14
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Sunday 25 Attacks on whole Christian communities on the pretext of revenge for supposed wrongdoings by individual Christians are becoming disturbingly frequent in Pakistan. A Muslim mob went on the rampage on April 3 in Francis colony, a Christian neighborhood in Gujranwala, following a minor dispute between Muslim and Christian youths. Muslims from a nearby village armed themselves ZLWK ÂżUHDUPV DQG FOXEV DQG attacked the neighborhood, following calls over mosque loudspeakers to “teach the &KULVWLDQV D OHVVRQ´ $W OHDVW ÂżYH &KULVWLDQV ZHUH LQMXUHG LQ WKH DWWDFN a church building was ransacked and dozens of shops and vehicles were damaged. Pray for those injured in the attack, and ask for the Lord’s healing for them. Pray that the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) will change the hearts of those who seem so ready to attack innocent Christian communities. Monday 26 A third mob attack on a Pakistani Christian community in less than 50 days took place in Eassa Pur village in Punjab on April 26. A group of around 50-60 armed Muslims beat Christian residents and attacked their houses EHIRUH RSHQLQJ ÂżUH RQ WKHP 7ZR &KULVWLDQV DQG one Muslim were injured in the attack, which followed a dispute between a Muslim farmer and a Christian farmer over the rent of some farming equipment. The mob also threatened to burn down the Christians’ houses. Although police evacuated the Christian community, they have not prosecuted the Muslim assailants and have LQVWHDG FKDUJHG ÂżYH &KULVWLDQV 3UD\ WKDW MXVWLFH will be done for this vulnerable community and
AUGUST 27 - 30 that they will be able to live in safety again in their own homes. Tuesday 27 Praise the Lord that a Barnabasfunded Christian school in Lahore, Pakistan has VHHQ DQ RXWSRXULQJ RI *RGœV JUDFH LQ LWV ¿UVW year of operation. From humble beginnings in April 2012, when the school began teaching six children, pupil numbers have grown to 58, and all the children passed their examinations in the ¿UVW \HDU %HFDXVH &KULVWLDQ IDPLOLHV LQ WKH DUHD are generally very poor, many parents would not otherwise have been able to send their children to school. Give thanks for the quality, Christcentered education the school provides, and SUD\ WKDW LW ZLOO FRQWLQXH WR ÀRXULVK Wednesday 28 Christians in Nepal face JUHDW GLI¿FXOWLHV LQ ¿QGLQJ EXULDO SORWV IRU WKHLU departed loved ones. The majority Hindu community oppose the rights of Christians and others to bury their dead. But earlier this year, the country’s interim government set up D VSHFLDO FRPPLVVLRQ WR ¿QG EXULDO SORWV IRU Christians in each of the country’s 75 districts. Christians, who comprise around 2-3% of
Children at a Barnabas-funded school in Lahore, Pakistan
the population, have had to buy private land, and with space being extremely limited, up to ten bodies may be contained in a single grave. These burial sites have frequently been desecrated and the land seized. Pray that
the commission will put an end to decades of opposition that Christians have endured over this issue. Thursday 29 Those who turn to the Lord in countries where Christians are persecuted often ÂżQG WKHPVHOYHV LVRODWHG GLVFULPLQDWHG DJDLQVW and in great danger from those around them. Converts to Christianity are at risk both in Islamic contexts, where the apostasy law provokes hatred and discrimination, and elsewhere. New Christians may face persecution from their families and communities, from armed Islamist groups, and from local and state authorities. And WKRVH ZKR KDYH QR FKRLFH EXW WR Ă€HH WKHLU KRPH country may be refused asylum by Western governments. Give thanks for all those around the world who give their hearts to the Lord, and pray that He will protect and strengthen converts in their new faith so they will be able to endure any opposition they face. Friday 30 “The state of international religious freedom is increasingly dire.â€? This sobering judgment was made by Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, Chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), on the publication of its 2013 Annual Report. USCIRF recommended that eight countries currently designated by the US government as “countries of particular concernâ€? be retained on the list and that another seven countries be added. Dr. Swett drew special attention to the rise of violent religious extremism, leading to the targeting of minorities, and to repression by authoritarian governments that discriminate against religious groups and restrict their activities. Christians are seriously oppressed or persecuted in every one of the 15 countries listed. Pray that the report will prompt Western governments to put pressure on these countries to grant full religious freedom to all their citizens.
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AUGUST 31 Saturday 31 Barnabas Aid has been campaigning for many years against the Islamic apostasy law. This prescribes the death penalty for any adult male Muslim who leaves Islam, and in some schools of sharia for women apostates too. Christian converts from Islam are acutely vulnerable as a result of this law in many Muslim-majority contexts, even where it is not a part of the law of the land. A recent survey of Muslim opinion by the Pew Forum revealed
USA 6731 Curran St, McLean, VA 22101 Telephone (703) 288-1681 or toll-free 1-866-936-2525 Fax (703) 288-1682 Email XVD#EDUQDEDVDLG RUJ International Headquarters The Old Rectory, River Street, Pewsey, Wiltshire SN9 5DB, UK Telephone 01672 564938 Fax 01672 565030 From outside the UK Telephone +44 1672 564938 Fax +44 1672 565030 Email LQIR#EDUQDEDVIXQG RUJ New Zealand PO Box 27 6018, Manukau City, Auckland, 2241 Telephone (09) 280 4385 or 0800 008 805 Email RIÂżFH#EDUQDEDVIXQG RUJ Q] Australia PO Box 3527 Loganholme QLD 4129 Telephone (07) 3806 1076 or 1300 365 799 Fax (07) 3806 4076 Email EIDXVWUDOLD#EDUQDEDVIXQG RUJ
strong backing for the law in South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. Large numbers of Muslims also supported the freedom of Christians to practice their faith, but – in line with sharia – this freedom appears not to include the right to share that faith or for Muslims to convert to Christianity. Pray for the abolition of the apostasy law and for converts from Islam to be allowed to worship and serve the Lord in peace.
UK 9 Priory Row, Coventry CV1 5EX Telephone 024 7623 1923 Fax 024 7683 4718 From outside the UK Telephone +44 24 7623 1923 Fax +44 24 7683 4718 Email LQIR#EDUQDEDVIXQG RUJ Jersey /H -DUGLQ /D 5XH D 'RQ *URXYLOOH -HUVH\ &KDQQHO ,VODQGV -( *% Telephone 700600 Fax 700601 Email EIMHUVH\#EDUQDEDVIXQG RUJ Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland PO Box 354, Bangor, BT20 9EQ Telephone 024 7623 1923 ext 244 or 07867 854604 Email NULVE#EDUQDEDVIXQG RUJ Singapore Cheques in Singapore dollars payable to “Barnabas Fund� may be sent to: Kay Poh Road Baptist Church, 7 Kay Poh Road, Singapore 248963 Ž hope and relief for the persecuted church
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Cover: A Christian convert is baptized BARNABAS PRAYER JULY/AUGUST 2013 Š Barnabas Aid 2013