Central African Republic: ‘Christian’ criminals and militia
On Tuesday Reuters reported, ‘three Muslim youths were killed and mutilated by 'Christian' militia in CAR. They were travelling to a reconciliation soccer game between Muslim and Christian youths that was set up to forge a peace between mostly Muslim Seleka rebels who seized power last year and the rival anti-balaka militia. Meanwhile on Tuesday a Christian worker reported, ‘Yesterday there was more gunfire in Bangui. A vehicle carrying its full capacity of armed Muslims pulled up at a Muslim-controlled area and deposited them there, causing the onlookers to flee. It was in response to preparations being made by the anti-balaka for further attacks. These ‘anti-balaka’ are criminals, whose sole aim is to drive out the inhabitants and plunder their houses and shops. They had their base in our Christian part of town for a good while, before they finally cleared off. It is a constant, intolerable threat. Please pray for our protection.'
Global: Spreading the gospel through social media
On June 8, there will be an opportunity for believers around the world to cover the Internet with the Gospel. #goeverywhere is an online movement presented by the team at yesHEis, for Christians to answer the commission Jesus left us to ‘go into the entire world’. An event called the #goeverywhere Thunderclap will see the start of something that has the potential to reach millions on a single day. By signing up to the Thunderclap, people will give permission for a post or tweet to be automatically sent out to all their friends and followers sharing a short 2 minute gospel video, creating a wave around the world. The post will say, ‘This is why I believe. #Jesus #goeverywhere’.
Nigeria: Update
Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff said, ‘We know where the girls are but we cannot tell you military secrets. Just leave us alone. We are working. We will get the girls back.’ Nigeria has ruled out forceful rescue attempts. Pentagon officials have not confirmed claims that the girls have been located. On Monday Nigerian children across the state embarked on prayers for divine intervention to bring back Chibok’s schoolgirls. They also wrote letters to Boko Haram and President Goodluck Jonathan. More than 470 people have been killed since the girls were abducted. Meanwhile Cameroon has deployed 1,000 troops to its border with Nigeria to fight the growing threat of Boko Haram. The troops will carry out reconnaissance missions and return fire if necessary. Boko Haram killed 11 soldiers and 13 police officers in the north-eastern state of Yobe. Yobe is currently under a state of emergency. See: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/05//children-write-jonahtan-boko-haram-chibok-schoolgirls/#sthash.ekxTMSor.dpuf
June 18-21, Skopje, Macedonia
There is consensus that at this time the Lord is looking down at the Balkans with a special favor. As the Lord is steering more people to pray fervently for the Balkans, we are seeing some great answers to prayer. One of those was after a short message in one church in Thessaloniki, where I spoke on having the mind of the Kingdom and not the mind of patriotism.
A few young men came after with tears in their eyes and asked for forgiveness because of the way they had been looking towards the other Balkan countries, and particularly ours. They have realized that they have been tools in the hands of the spirit of division. As a result of our coordinated prayers from both sides of the border with Greece, after many years, the railway line between Thessealoniki and Skopje will be working again.
There are a few more encouraging testimonies of what persistent prayer of an obedient church can accomplish. We have also seen the Serbian president Tomislav Nikolic publicly asking for forgiveness for what Serbia has done in the past (particularly in Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina). We have seen the Croatian president coming for the first official visit to Serbia. We have seen the Bulgarian government asking for forgiveness from the Bulgarian citizens with Turkish nationality who were expelled from their homes during the reign of Todor Zivkov. Bulgarian government asked forgiveness from Czech Republic to forgive them for being together with Soviet army in the sixties when Prague's spring was extinguished.
All of these testimonies stir us up to make a European Trumpet Call. God has planted the desire in many prayerful people in Europe to have a European prayer event from 18-21 of June 2014. This will also be in commemoration of the 100 years from WWI. God delegated this huge task to us, and hopefully with many other volunteers we hope to see even up to 3000 prayerful people coming from all the European countries.
You are more than a welcome to come and be a part of this great European prayer Assembly. We believe that this event will cause a major breakthrough in the Balkans and from here in the Middle East (particularly in Turkey) and in Europe. We feel the Lord will restore the ancient wells of His glory and the Balkans will become once again a 'powder cake,' but this time, of His gospel, as it was in the time of the apostles.
Please will you consider to take part in prayer, participation and financial help. Please do hear again this Macedonian Call and respond as the apostle responded, in reward, this land had began to be his mission base for his future missions in Europe. We believe, it would become again.
On behalf of the coordination team for European Trumpet Call in the Republic of Macedonia
Pastor Venco Nakov
P.S. Please visit the website and spread the word around. Thank you. For more information or to register, here is the website: www.europeantrumpetcall.org
UN warns of election threat in ‘lawless’ eastern Ukraine
The UN’s human rights representative in Ukraine has warned that a dark shadow looms over the prospect of holding next weekend’s presidential election in eastern Ukraine. After visiting Donetsk in the east and Odessa in the south, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic said the situation had deteriorated so much that the region could collapse. ‘I felt fear in Donetsk. And it is widespread. And the fear is not only related to security challenges, it’s also related to common criminality,’ he said. Simonovic added that he had received numerous reports of intense pressure being put on election officials in the region, which could put in doubt the possibility of holding the May 25 elections. Ukraine’s Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has said there has been an increasing number of separatist attacks on polling stations in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, with the objective of disrupting Sunday’s elections.
Balkans: Floods prompt more evacuations
Serbia has ordered the evacuation of at least 12 towns situated along the Sava river after a fresh surge of floodwaters wreaked havoc and forced more people to flee their homes across the Balkan region. At least 47 people have died after the region's worst rainfall in more than a century inundated large swathes of Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia in recent days and unleashed more than 3,000 landslides that swept away homes and unearthed land mines from the region's 1992-95 war. The fresh evacuation orders included one for the town of Obrenovac, where soldiers, police and volunteers worked around the clock to protect the coal-fired Nikola Tesla power plant. Hundreds of people in the country were evacuated by helicopters and buses, joining about 7,800 residents already forced from their homes since Friday. Hundreds more were believed trapped in the higher floors of buildings, without power or phone lines.
UN warns of election threat in ‘lawless’ eastern Ukraine
The UN’s human rights representative in Ukraine has warned that a dark shadow looms over the prospect of holding next weekend’s presidential election in eastern Ukraine. After visiting Donetsk in the east and Odessa in the south, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic said the situation had deteriorated so much that the region could collapse. ‘I felt fear in Donetsk. And it is widespread. And the fear is not only related to security challenges, it’s also related to common criminality,’ he said. Simonovic added that he had received numerous reports of intense pressure being put on election officials in the region, which could put in doubt the possibility of holding the May 25 elections. Ukraine’s Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has said there has been an increasing number of separatist attacks on polling stations in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, with the objective of disrupting Sunday’s elections.
The Netherlands: 3.2 million see Jesus Passion Play
What started three years ago in the Dutch ‘cheese city’ Gouda has developed into an annual wildly successful pop culture phenomenon in the Netherlands: The Passion, a live open-air re-enactment of the last supper, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In previous years The Passion visited Rotterdam and The Hague, and this year on the Thursday before Easter Groningen hosted the event, with over 20,000 people participating locally, and 3.2 million people watching the drama unfold on national television. The popularity of The Passion is surprising, as the Netherlands has a reputation for being one of the most secularized countries in Europe. A large cross is carried through town and followed by a long procession of people. The programme's different scenes are portrayed with Biblical characters like Jesus, Mary and Judas, and Dutch pop bands playing famous songs. The Passion is thus the modern version of the St Matthew Passion.
Miracle Healing of doctor’s father
Dr Zoe D Scounos, speaking to delegates from 38 countries at the Annual World Christian Doctors Network Conference last week, told of a surgical emergency that could have taken the life of her father. However with a strong faith in God, a recovery defying medical odds unfolded. During a family meeting with her mother and sister they were faced with an impossible situation medically so they joined hands and prayed, ‘Father God, your Word says when two or more people gather together in prayer you are present. Please restore the circulation through the rest of the bowel and restore Dad completely.’ She then stated, ‘Within 24 hours a rapid clinical improvement ensued, TPN was no longer required within a few days of discharge from intensive care, and successful recovery came 5 five weeks later. This was an example of a miraculous recovery from a surgical catastrophe, with a limited chance of survival.’
The Netherlands: 3.2 million see Jesus Passion Play
What started three years ago in the Dutch ‘cheese city’ Gouda has developed into an annual wildly successful pop culture phenomenon in the Netherlands: The Passion, a live open-air re-enactment of the last supper, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In previous years The Passion visited Rotterdam and The Hague, and this year on the Thursday before Easter Groningen hosted the event, with over 20,000 people participating locally, and 3.2 million people watching the drama unfold on national television. The popularity of The Passion is surprising, as the Netherlands has a reputation for being one of the most secularized countries in Europe. A large cross is carried through town and followed by a long procession of people. The programme's different scenes are portrayed with Biblical characters like Jesus, Mary and Judas, and Dutch pop bands playing famous songs. The Passion is thus the modern version of the St Matthew Passion.