Prayer Diary: July - October 2020

Rev Irshad Ashknaz before Sunday service, Christ Church Youhanabad, Pakistan

Your daily prayer guide

prayer diary July-October 2020

Saad Sarfraz Sheik/CSW

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

Isaiah 58:6

Welcome

Your prayers are needed for Human rights defenders.

Week 1: 12–18 July We’re constantly humbled and inspired by the stories we hear from all over the world of human rights defenders who dedicate their lives to advocating for freedom and justice. And as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, these brave people – often from persecuted religious communities themselves – are ensuring food and medical supplies reach those most in need. This week, thank God for each of these people: • ‘Faith or no faith, they are human beings.

If you are a human being you are born with human rights.’ Nehemiah Christie, a human rights defender from India, advocates for the right of religious minorities to freely practise and propagate their religion.

Despite risks to his family, he continues to make frequent interventions on behalf of victims of attacks in local police stations, and engages closely with senior officials in Tamil Nadu to raise concerns on behalf of all minorities, with or without faith, in the state.

When I’m asked what enables me to keep going in the face of the appalling injustices I encounter in the course of my work at CSW, there are three things which come to mind.

The first of those is prayer. During over 25 years of involvement with CSW, I have learned so much about the central importance of prayer. It is our most important advocacy tool. I’ve been privileged to pray with many of you at Burma prayer days, at protest vigils and in churches around the UK. I have seen for myself the power of your prayers, and the gratitude of those for whom you pray, and I am truly grateful.

The second is the example of those whom we exist to help: Christians who continue to worship, church leaders who continue to speak out, and human rights lawyers who defend the rights of others at great personal cost. It is their courage, resilience and perseverance despite the consequences which inspires me daily. I 22 All images by CSW unless otherwise stated.

see their courage and dedication and know that if they don’t give up, neither should I. Finally, I draw faith from what I’ve seen God do in the past. I often remember the words of an East Timorese Catholic priest. When I asked him whether he ever thought he’d see the day East Timor would be free from occupation, he answered, ‘Throughout our struggle, people told me we were fighting a losing battle. But we had one thing those people didn’t know about: faith. This was a victory of faith.’ A situation which seemed impossible, changed dramatically. That gives me hope.

As we pray, let us draw inspiration from the courage of others and from the victories of faith we’ve experienced as we have sought justice, freedom and peace for so many vulnerable people around the world.

Benedict Rogers East Asia Team Leader

• ‘I’ve made up my mind: the most they can do is jail me. But if I stay silent, I’ll regret it my whole life.’ – Zhang Kai, a Christian human rights lawyer from China working on freedom of religion or belief cases. Last Thursday, 9 July, was the fifth anniversary of a crackdown when hundreds of China’s human rights defenders and lawyers, including Zhang Kai, were detained, interrogated or imprisoned.

He was later released, but then detained again for 48 hours. His work continues to put him at risk.

• Michelle Chaudhry heads the Cecil and Iris Chaudhry Foundation (CICF, named after her parents) in Pakistan. She works to promote education and the rights of religious minorities. The CICF began a coronavirus relief programme in March, delivering parcels of food, soap, disinfectant and gloves to families in need during the lockdown.

• Nguyen Bac Truyen is a Vietnamese legal expert serving an 11-year sentence on ‘charges of carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the government’ because of his work for persecuted religious communities, among others. He is a Hoa Hao Buddhist who

Nguyen Bac Truyen

last year went on hunger strike to protest the mistreatment of a fellow prisoner, a young Catholic activist named Nguyen Van Hoa. • ‘I dream of a Nigeria where Christians, Muslims and those of no faith will be free to believe what they want to believe...without molestation or threat to life.’ Reverend Yunusa Nmadu runs CSW-Nigeria, as well as being General Secretary of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) denomination. He and his team work with communities affected by the religion-related violence that has claimed tens of thousands of lives in central Nigeria, and that continues despite the lockdown.

Heavenly Father, today we give you heartfelt thanks for the people on this page who defend the rights of those who suffer for what they believe. Many are also risking their lives to provide food and medical supplies to people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please protect them from the virus as well as from violence, and may we be inspired by their example. Amen.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

(Proverbs 31:8-9) 23

This week please pray for Cuba.

Week 2: 19–25 July On 27 March Yoe Suárez, an independent journalist, was summoned and interrogated by the police; less than a month later he was threatened by state security agents at his home. His mother was also interrogated twice during this period, forcing her to breach quarantine and risk contracting or transmitting COVID-19.

Yoe has written extensively about human rights and religious freedom issues, and as a result he has been targeted regularly by the authorities. Speaking out against the government’s human rights abuses often carries a penalty, and individuals who do so are frequently exposed to further harassment from the authorities.

Every year Cuba observes three days of public holiday from 25-27 July, to commemorate the start of the 1953 Revolution. These annual festivities mark the overthrow of repressive military rule and the beginning of liberation for the people of Cuba.

More than half a century has passed, yet true freedom for Cubans has not been achieved.

Many fundamental human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, are still routinely violated by the government. In 2019 alone CSW received 260 documented cases of religious freedom violations from across the island.

Merciful Father, we bring before you the people of Cuba today.

For all those in power – we pray you would give them hearts of justice, compassion and genuine charity towards their citizens.

Yoe Suarez

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Your prayers are needed for Inspirational women.

For all faith communities that regularly face harassment and restrictions on their right to practise their faith – we pray for protection, peace and true freedom.

Helen Berhane

For pastors who are routinely monitored and detained without reason, who witness the destruction of their churches and homes – we pray for courage, hope and renewed faith.

For women who are repeatedly and often violently prevented from attending Sunday worship – we pray for safety, resilience and conviction.

For adults passed over for promotion and children bullied by their fellow pupils and teachers because of their religious beliefs – we pray for fortitude, optimism and encouragement.

For those whose faith inspires them to feed the hungry, help the sick, support the elderly and vulnerable, and in so doing arouse the suspicion of the authorities – we pray for strength, perseverance and a yet greater outpouring of generosity.

For those who defiantly speak out for others who are denied their religious rights – we pray for wisdom, confidence and protection.

Loving Heavenly Father, we ask you to work powerfully throughout the land of Cuba to bring about real change and true freedom for its people today.

Amen.

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:18-19) For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Week 3: 26 July – 1 Aug CSW is blessed to work alongside and advocate on behalf of some truly inspirational women, who continually show courage and resilience in the face of suffering and danger. Their determination to follow Christ no matter the cost, and to praise God throughout their times of greatest suffering, is deeply moving and inspiring. Join us this week in thanking God for their remarkable example.

• Thank God for Michelle Chaudhry, one of our closest partners in Pakistan. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, she has been offering practical support such as food and face masks to religious minorities who were already very vulnerable.

• Pray for Marilín Alayo Correa, one of the leaders in the Apostolic Movement in Cuba.

On account of their ministry, she and her husband Pastor Alain Toledano Valiente have been harassed by the authorities for over two decades, and have seen their church and home destroyed multiple times.

Marilín bravely recorded a video testimony of her experience, even though speaking out could put her at risk.

• Praise God for the remarkable women who have shared their moving experiences in our Faith in Extraordinary Times video series: Meriam Ibrahim, who was sentenced to death for apostasy in Sudan; Helen Berhane, an Eritrean gospel singer who spent 32 months detained in a metal shipping container; and Ladan Nouri, who was imprisoned in solitary confinement in Iran for converting to Christianity.

• Thank God for Leah Sharibu, another inspiring young woman of incredible faith. In February 2018 Leah was abducted by ISWAP (an offshoot of Boko Haram) from her school in Dapchi, Nigeria, and refused to convert in exchange for her freedom. She was only 14 at the time and has been held ever since.

• Give God thanks for the wonderful example these women offer us, and for the bravery they display by remaining faithful to God’s call in spite of the risks they encounter for doing so.

Heavenly Father, you have blessed these daughters of yours with incredible strength, and given them the courage they need to face head-on their suffering on account of you. May they be inspired today with an even more unshakable faith, trusting with their whole heart, soul and mind that they can look forward with confidence to the day when they will rejoice with you in heaven.

Amen.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.

(Matthew 5:11-12) 25

Pray for India.

Week 4: 2–8 August ‘Thousands of people are hungry without food...We are helping those people with food every day.’ Patsy David, Uttar Pradesh ‘We are even approaching enforcement agencies and giving them masks, gloves and sanitisers. These police are thankful for our work. They are given [their] duty but they are not given any safety gear.’ Laxmi Narsimha Rao, Telangana As the world’s largest lockdown continues to affect communities across India, our contacts have been supporting those in need. However, there have been reported incidents of Christians delivering aid being falsely accused of conversion.

On 25 August the community of Kandhamal in Odisha State will mark 12 years since the worst outbreak of anti-Christian violence in India’s history. Almost 100 people died and tens of thousands were left homeless, after false accusations spread that Christians were responsible for the murder of a prominent Hindu monk. Seven Christians were jailed for their alleged role in the murder, and although they were released on bail last year, the case is still ongoing. Tensions persist in the area. More recently, on 4 June a 14-year-old Christian boy

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Your prayers are needed for China. was brutally murdered after being kidnapped from his home by assailants.

Week 5: 9–15 August

Violence against Christians continues to the present day, with families being attacked and ostracised from their villagers because of their faith. In May three families in a village in Chhattisgarh State were beaten and threatened with death for refusing to abandon their religion. The families had to flee for their lives, and have taken refuge in another location.

On Easter Sunday, at least six leaders of Early Rain Church were taken from their homes and their electricity was cut off, after government officials learned they were joining an online church service.

And this was just one latest incident in years of intrusive government surveillance and harassment the church has endured. Many members are still in detention, on bail or under house arrest.

• Thank God for the overwhelming courage, generosity and selflessness shown by Patsy, Laxmi and many others who are providing aid and medical supplies to police and to migrants.

Brother Zhou said:

• Pray that they will be protected from the virus, as well as from those who would wish them harm. Declare that no weapon formed against Christians during the lockdown would prosper, particularly in Odisha State.

• Pray for all law enforcement officers to administer their duties with integrity and impartiality.

• Pray that the accusations against Muslims as being responsible for the spread of the coronavirus will stop. Continue to pray for reconciliation between Hindus and Muslims.

• Pray that the prolonged Kandhamal litigation against the seven Christians will come to an end soon, and justice will be done for those affected by the violence.

Heavenly Father, we commit to you today the religious minority communities of India.

Thank you for their incredible generosity of spirit in providing aid and medical supplies.

And we pray that this pandemic will be a turning point when India’s people and government acknowledge that the religious minorities living among them should have equal rights and equal respect. We commit all this to you in the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

(Proverbs 25:21)

Recently a letter has been widely shared on Chinese social media describing the church members’ experience. The letter is by Brother Zhou1, a member of Early Rain.

Our three families have now been under guard for more than 480 days...They saw the guards bitten by mosquitoes in summer, and almost frozen in winter…The couple felt compassion. Sometimes they give food, sometimes they give the Bible...

This is the way Christians express their love. Yes, we treat them as human beings. However, their leaders use them as chess pieces and dogs. Even when the virus raged, they stood pitifully at their posts…

• Thank God for the love and compassion shown by the members of Early Rain Church who are under house arrest, towards their guards.

• P ray that the guards will be moved by the example of the Christians they are guarding, and that their hearts will soften.

• Pray that the government will stop harassing, intimidating and detaining Early Rain Church, so that church members can practise their faith freely and peacefully.

• Authorities shut down a Sunday service at Xingguang Church in Xiamen on 3 May, Early Rain Church

Wang Yi in prison.

Photo: China Aid

injuring several church members. The church is an independent ‘house church’, but has been coming under increasing pressure to register with the government.

Pray the pressure would cease completely.

• Pray for protection for the estimated one to three million Uyghur Muslims held in camps in the Xinjiang region. Conditions in the camps are horrific, and there are serious concerns that if COVID-19 reaches the camps it could spread unchecked.

Brother Zhou wrote this prayer for the police who are in his home: Lord, we pray for the police [in China]. Lord, you give them the authority and power – let them use it properly. We pray that the Lord will give them an upright and righteous heart and let them work in accordance with the laws and regulations, not just the command of their leaders. We pray that the Lord will give them a brave heart and that they will dare to say no to the darkness!

We pray this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

‘But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.’

Matthew 5:44-45a 1 Name changed for security reasons.

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Pray for Victims of violence.

This week please pray for The disappeared.

Week 7: 30 Aug – 5 Sept Gao Zhisheng is a Chinese human rights lawyer who has spent much of his career speaking up for religious minorities. Since he was first detained in 2006, he has been repeatedly targeted, imprisoned and tortured by the authorities and has been forcibly disappeared on multiple occasions. Most recently, he disappeared on 13 August 2017 and his current whereabouts remain unknown.

Week 6: 16–22 Aug Next Saturday, 22 August, marks the International Day Commemorating Victims of Acts of Violence based on Religion or Belief. In countries across the globe different religious communities experience numerous violations at the hands of repressive authorities, dominant religious communities or tribes, or extremist groups. Join us this week in praying for all those who suffer violence for belonging to a particular faith community.

• Pray for Rev Canon Bayo James Famonure, his wife Naomi, and their two sons Adua and Victor. The family from Plateau State, Nigeria were shot in their home on 5 May, while they were praying in their sitting room. Thank God that none of them sustained serious injuries. The attackers were from the Fulani tribe, and the incident follows a string of other attacks by armed Fulani groups on Christian communities in central Nigeria.

• On 3 May authorities in Xiamen, China forcibly shut down a Sunday service at Xingguang Church, damaging the property and injuring several church members, with one person sustaining significant injuries.

Pray for protection and healing for this Christian community.

• For the past decade large numbers of women affiliated with the Ladies in White movement in Cuba have been arbitrarily detained and – often violently – prevented from attending Sunday Mass. The women have, at times, been physically attacked by police and security agents. Some recount being dragged across a pavement or down stairs, before being forced into patrol cars and taken to police cells or dropped off in remote locations, far from their homes. Ask God to sustain and strengthen these women in their faith.

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• The Burmese Army, known as the Tatmadaw, has been responsible for widespread human rights violations targeting religious and ethnic minorities for decades. On 9 May, the Tatmadaw announced a ceasefire until the end of August, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the ceasefire excludes Rakhine and Chin states, which means that Rohingya Muslims and Chin Christians are still at risk. Please pray that the ceasefire would be extended to cover the entire country, and would be used as an opportunity for genuine peace-building.

• Three Christian families from a village in Chhattisgarh State, India were beaten and threatened with death for refusing to abandon their faith. The families were later expelled from the village and have taken refuge elsewhere, but still fear for their lives.

Pray that God would keep them safe, dispel their fear, and fill them with his peace.

Lord Jesus Christ, you hear our cries when we are troubled and save us from distress.

You, the Word-Made-Flesh, were sent by the Father to bring healing to the world. Protect all those who suffer violence on account of their faith and bring them the healing and comfort that you alone can provide. Amen.

Today, 30 August, marks the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

Let’s raise our prayers this week for all those who, like Gao, are disappeared because of their beliefs or for speaking up for others who are denied religious freedom. Their whereabouts and names may be unknown to us, but we can be certain that God knows and watches over each and every one of them.

• Pray that God would protect and sustain all those who have been disappeared because of their religious beliefs, and that they would know that they are not forgotten.

• Ask God to grant the families of those who have been disappeared strength, consolation and divine peace, as they desperately await news of their loved ones.

• Thank God for those family members, such as Gao’s daughter, Grace, who bravely speak up for their loved ones and will not rest until they see them returned.

• Pray that God would miraculously transform the hearts of the captors, filling them with repentance, justice and mercy, and that they would release their prisoners.

• For all those who risk being disappeared because they advocate on behalf of others who are denied their right to freedom of religion or belief: pray for wisdom, conviction and courage.

Lord Jesus Christ, comfort all those who have been disappeared because of their faith or because they have bravely spoken up for others. May they know that, while their families may be looking for them, you know exactly where they are. You are with them this very hour, as you promised you always would be. We ask you to give them today the consolation, hope and peace that your presence alone can provide. Amen.

‘And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:20)

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.

He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.

(Psalm 107:19-20) Illustration: Badiucao

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Your prayers are needed for Prisoners.

Your prayers are needed for Burma.

Week 8: 6–12 September

Week 9: 13–19 September

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues across the world, concerns are growing about the impact in prisons – some of the most crowded places, where it would be incredibly difficult to contain it.

Yet the God we serve watches over all these prisons, even as he watched over the prison where Peter was held before sending an angel to lead him into freedom (Acts 12:1-18).

For decades, the Burmese government has prioritised military spending over health spending, leaving Burma in a very weak position to deal with the COVID-19 crisis. The Burmese military (the Tatmadaw) has a long history of violent attacks on religious and ethnic minorities. Victims of Burmese military attacks – many of whom are Kachin or Chin Christians, and Rohingya Muslims – have been forced to flee their homes and have lost everything. Adding to their suffering, Burma’s government places restrictions on the aid they receive, and assistance from international donors is insufficient.

For many years CSW has advocated for countless people who have been imprisoned unjustly, and our faithful supporters have joined us to campaign and pray for their freedom. Now the whole world is being shaken in a manner none of us have ever witnessed, and many things will change as a result. Who knows what incredible stories may come out of this pandemic? The fact that some prisoners have been released in Iran is already an answer to prayer! We’re told that before Peter was released, ‘the church was earnestly praying to God for him.’ (v.5) Knowing that we worship a God who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20), let us be bold enough to pray big prayers to our big God. Let us pray that no one will ever again be imprisoned because of their faith.

• Thank God for the release of several prisoners in Iran, either temporarily or permanently, due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in the prison system.

These include people incarcerated due to their faith such as Fatemeh Bakhteri (Aylar), a Christian from a Muslim background who was serving a 12-month sentence after being found guilty of ‘spreading propaganda against the regime’.

• Ask God to provide adequate food for prisoners in Vietnam. In response to the pandemic, prisoners are no longer permitted to receive visits from their lawyers or their families, or to receive parcels. They used to supplement the insufficient food they were given with supplies from outside.

• Pray that the Eritrean authorities will respond to the UN Special Rapporteur’s call for vulnerable prisoners and prisoners of conscience to be released from Eritrea’s overcrowded prisons, to offset the spread of COVID-19. Tens of thousands of Eritreans are detained without charge or trial in appalling conditions, and last year alone more than 200 people were imprisoned because of their faith.

• Thank God for the wonderful stories from Early Rain Church in China, where several church members are in detention, on bail or under house arrest: ‘Sometimes they give hymns to the guards, sometimes they give food, sometimes they give the Bible...This is the way Christians express their love.’

• Finally, pray for those still in prison, and join us in a bold prayer, that the COVID-19 pandemic will fundamentally change the world so that no one will ever again be imprisoned because of their faith.

Sovereign Lord, we come to you acknowledging that you who created everything also rule over everything. As the world faces the COVID-19 pandemic, will you do a miracle? Will you change hearts and minds across the world, and change systems and structures, so that everyone will be free to practise a religion or belief of their choice, and imprisonment for one’s faith is consigned to the history books. Though we have faith only the size of a mustard seed, you told us that this is enough to move mountains, so we ask you today to move this mountain. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

• Give thanks for local NGOs in Burma that are working hard to support Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) living in camps in poor conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Pray that Burma’s government and military would be convicted to act in the interest of justice, freedom and genuine peace for all of Burma’s citizens, whatever their ethnicity or religion.

• Give thanks for the temporary ceasefire in place across most of Burma, and pray that it would be extended to cover Rakhine and Chin States.

Heavenly Father, we give thanks that you hold the future of nations in your hands, and sit above every earthly government. We pray for Burma, that you would be at work during this time of crisis to bring genuine peace, true democracy and real justice for all of Burma’s citizens. We pray for an end to the violence and military attacks that have marked the country for decades, and that you would make a way for a just, free and equal society to emerge for all of Burma’s citizens. Amen.

• Pray that the temporary ceasefire would lead to genuine peace in all of Burma’s states and an end to violent attacks on religious minorities.

• Pray for protection, provision and strength for Chin and Kachin Christians forced to flee because of military attacks and now living in IDP camps.

‘He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth; he saves them from the clutches of the powerful. So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.’ Job 5:15-16

NurPhoto / Getty Images

‘I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?’ (Jeremiah 32:27) 30

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Your prayers are needed for World leaders.

Pray for Nigeria.

Yunusa Nmadu and his wife Alice

Week 10: 20–26 September

• Ask God for physical and mental healing for the family shot in their sitting room in Plateau State, and for other victims of attacks both there and in Kaduna State.

Pray that all such attacks would cease.

As countries around the world attempt to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, we’re working hard to ensure that freedom of religion or belief is also protected. The danger is that authoritarian governments could exploit the pandemic to consolidate their power even further, or to legitimise crackdowns on targeted faith communities.

We are campaigning for prisoners who are at greatest risk – such as Pastor Nadarkhani and Pastor Haghnejad in Iran – to be temporarily released, for the duration of this crisis. We are lobbying the UK government to provide assistance to Rohingya refugees and Kachin Christians who have been forced to flee their homes because of attacks by the Burmese military. At the same time, we are continuing to speak up for the groups and individuals we were helping before this crisis hit.

• Pray that official restrictions on freedom of religion or belief would not be used to discriminate against particular communities, and that they would be lifted as soon as they’re no longer needed to control the spread of the virus.

• Ask God to use the United Nations Human Rights Council to hold governments to account for any abuses of human rights during the pandemic and beyond.

• Ask God to intervene to ensure that the pandemic does not worsen existing religious intolerance and division.

• Give thanks for CSW’s Public Affairs Team as it works with country advocates to provide policy-makers around the world with the information they need to address religious freedom violations.

Rehman Chishti, the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, meeting CSW

Week 11: 27 September – 3 October

Rehman Chishti meeting Mervyn

‘The pandemic has caused a flare-up in existing religious intolerance in many countries. I am alarmed to see the upsurge in incitement to hatred, scapegoating religious or belief communities, including Christians, Jews, and Muslims for the spread of virus.’ – Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief Heavenly Father, you are above all rulers, nations and principalities, and we call out to you to instil wisdom, truth and justice in the hearts of all those in positions of authority. Move by your Holy Spirit to convict governments and leaders to act justly and love mercy, not seeking their own desires and ambitions, but serving for the good of their citizens. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

1 Timothy 2:1-2

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• Pray for effective strategies and action to end violence from the Boko Haram factions and from Fulani militia. Ask God to remove any obstacle to a coordinated and effective response to every source of violence in the country.

A family of four was shot and injured in May by armed assailants who invaded their home in Ghana Ropp, Plateau state, and opened fire at close range as they were praying in their sitting room. This was just one in a series of continuing armed assaults on Christian communities in Plateau and Kaduna states that continue despite lockdowns in both states.

Meanwhile we continue to pray and campaign for Leah Sharibu, the schoolgirl abducted by terrorists in February 2018 and held because she refuses to renounce her faith. We’ve gathered together regularly since her abduction to pray and protest, and we haven’t let the lockdown stop us. In May we held our first ever online prayer event, where over 250 people gathered to lift Leah up to God and petition for her release. We will not stop until she’s free.

• Pray for a change of heart for the attackers, that they would put down their weapons, and would find ways other than violence to solve any grievances, or secure an income.

All-powerful God, we declare that you are sovereign over everything that is happening in Nigeria. Though we may feel overwhelmed by the seemingly endless violence, we leave it all in your hands. Fulfil the promises in Isaiah and bring about a Nigeria that is secure under a just and fair government, where everyone lives in peace and terror does not come near. We ask especially for you to return Leah Sharibu and other abductees safely to their families.

In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

You will be secure under a government that is just and fair. Your enemies will stay far away. You will leave in peace, and terror will not come near. If any nation comes to fight you, it is not because I sent them. Whoever attacks you will go down in defeat.

(Isaiah 53:14-15 NLT) Rebecca Sharibu

• Thank God for Leah’s continued courage and inspiring faith. ‘If she, at her age can stand for Christ, then as an adult, I have no excuse.’ – Reverend Yunusa Nmadu, CEO of CSW-Nigeria.

• Continue to ask God to release Leah from captivity and return her home safely. Also pray for the safe release of those kidnapped for ransom from villages in southern Kaduna by Fulani assailants.

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This week please pray for CSW.

This week please pray for The Church.

Week 13: 11–17 October

Week 12: 4–10 October A prayer for CSW During the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen the need for CSW’s work greatly increase. In fact, it’s needed now more than ever. Many of the individuals and faith communities we were advocating for before the pandemic have been at even greater risk. You’ll have read about church leaders being interrupted while live streaming services, Christians providing aid being falsely accused of conversion, church leaders having their electricity cut off to prevent them hosting online church services; and many of those unjustly imprisoned because of their faith have been at even greater risk due to the spread of COVID-19 in prisons.

Our teams have been working harder than ever to continue speaking out for the people and communities we were already helping, as well as working for those who have been targeted even further during the pandemic.

This week, we ask you to join us to pray for our trustees, staff, local partners and volunteers.

Father God, thank you for the calling and purpose you have given to CSW. We praise and thank you for your provision of their every need over so many years.

Thank you for calling them for such a time as this, to tackle injustice and advocate for freedom.

May all at CSW trust in you Lord during this season and find new strength. May they run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.

May the leadership team and trustees hear your voice saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it’. Grant them wisdom, insight and understanding, that they may lead the 34

organisation in line with your will and purpose.

May each member of CSW’s staff be encouraged that whatever their role, everything they do is known, seen and valued by you for the sake of your kingdom.

million people left stranded during India’s nationwide lockdown.

Although church buildings have stood empty in many countries to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the Church is very much active! We’ve been extremely encouraged by reports from many of the countries on which we work of church communities coming to the assistance of others – despite the difficulties and threats they are facing. We’re giving thanks and celebrating these acts of service and love this week.

• Teams of human rights activists in India, who defend persecuted Christians and who have responded to the unfolding humanitarian crisis by delivering aid and essential items to those in need.

‘The pandemic knows no race, ethnicity, religion, social class or group. But it’s important that we [people of different religions] do something to help other people.’ Archbishop Agustinus Agus of Pontianak, Indonesia

• CSW friend and partner Michelle Chaudhry and her team in Pakistan, who have been providing aid to families in need every month since the end of March.

We give thanks for: • The love and kindness shown by the Christian community in Kaduna state, Nigeria (some of whom live with the daily threat of violence, kidnapping and attacks on their homes and churches) which gathered and distributed food and other essentials to over 1,000 households in need during the state’s COVID-19 lockdown.

• CSW’s local partners, Patsy, Laxmi and their teams in Uttar Pradesh and Telangana States in India, who have been delivering aid to some of the 100

• C atholic dioceses across Indonesia, which have been providing food, hygiene supplies and protective equipment to the most marginalised in society, as well as regularly disinfecting schools and houses.

Lord, we thank you that your Church is alive and active in the midst of this global crisis.

Thank you that churches and communities which are under threat of persecution or violence themselves, are nonetheless choosing to show love to their neighbours.

May these acts of kindness build longlasting bridges between faith communities.

‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was ill and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Matthew 25: 35-36

May you grant divine protection to all the individuals and organisations that CSW works with around the world. Thank you for their bravery in speaking up for justice and freedom, often at great cost to themselves.

We ask you Lord to intervene in the lives of all those who face harassment, discrimination, violence, imprisonment or worse because of their faith. Give power to the weak and strength to the powerless.

Amen.

Distributing food parcels in Kaduna, Nigeria

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Our manifesto #13

We believe in the power of prayer to bring change.

CSW is a human rights organisation advocating for freedom of religion or belief. As Christians we stand with everyone facing injustice because of their religion or belief.

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PO Box 99 New Malden Surrey, KT3 3YF United Kingdom