Iraq & Nigeria: Blasts near Churches
On August 3rd a car bomb outside a Catholic church in Kirkuk, Iraq, left 13 wounded as police disarmed two more car bombs targeting churches in the city. Online video images of the attack against the Holy Family Church showed a wall blasted open and broken glass, rubble and dust throughout the building. The explosion occurred on the second day of the month-long Muslim fasting period of Ramadan. See:http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/iraq/article_115875.html In Nigeria a committee was investigating how to overcome rapidly spreading Islamic violence after two weekend bomb explosions near churches in mainly Muslim areas. The blasts rocked the city of Jos on Saturday near a Baptist Church. A second bomb exploded Sunday morning near a Church of Christ in Nigeria building and an Assemblies of God sanctuary in the Kwarrarafa Area. The explosions came a week after five were killed in violence between Muslims and Christians in Jos.
Pray: for peace and protection in churches and public gathering places and for authorities to have much wisdom and watchfulness. (Ja.3:17)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/17791-bomb-blasts-near-nigeria-churches
USA: Religious beliefs impact levels of worry
A recently published paper by researchers at McLean Hospital presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in Washington urged mental health professionals to integrate patients' spiritual beliefs into their treatment regimens; especially patients who are religious. Researchers found that those who believe in a benevolent God tend to worry less and be more tolerant of life's uncertainties than those who believe in an indifferent or punishing God. ‘These findings suggest that certain spiritual beliefs are tied to intolerance of uncertainty and worry for some individuals,’ and ‘existing evidence indicates that many areas of spirituality and religion are salient predictors of psychological functioning.’
Pray: for this and similar studies to initiate Christian-based counselling programmes for mental health service providers. (1Cor.2:11)
More: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-08/mh-mhs080411.php
Horn of Africa: 12 million affected by drought
12 million people across the Horn of Africa are struggling from the worst drought in decades, with two regions in famine. At emergency talks between aid chiefs, charities and ministers last Monday discussions centred around ways to step up food supplies and deliver them to the epicentre of the famine in southern Somalia, much of which is under the control of Islamist militants. UN emergency official Cristina Amaral said the fact that children are dying of hunger is ‘immoral’, she has been warning about the crisis facing the drought-stricken region since November when the rainy season failed. Now she says it's not enough for donor countries to stump up some cash for immediate food aid - there needs to be long-term investment to help farmers resist droughts and international mediation to bring peace to war-torn Somalia. See http://www.canada.com/life/Famine+Somalia+immoral+ordinator/5151657/story.html
Pray: for herders killing livestock on which their lives depend before they die of starvation and for God’s wisdom to endow the authorities making decisions in the coming weeks. (Ps.123:2)
More: http://www.canada.com/news/famine+Somalis+flee+Mogadishu+UNHCR/5159452/story.html
Ghana: Development without foreign aid
The chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyina has challenged Ghanaian leaders to take the nation’s destiny into their own hands rather than rely on foreign support and aid to accelerate development. The country is naturally endowed in many areas yet still depends heavily on foreign support for development 54 years after gaining independence. He was delivering a Lecture, ‘Embedding National Missionary Initiatives’ when he said Ghana will truly be independent and develop when leaders and citizens harness the resources currently available, liberate itself from the shackles of poverty and stop the blame game; while bringing about development without foreign aid. 'It is time for politicians, religious leaders and others working for the country’s advancement to take responsibility for the current challenges,' and added, ‘The Church of Pentecost is currently growing in leaps and bounds and does not rely on foreign support.’
Pray: for the Church as they encourage Ghanaians to believe in their capabilities, pray also for self-help programmes that will stand the test of time. (Ps.127:1)
North Korea: Call to end Christian persecution
An interim petition calling for religious freedom in North Korea has over 20,000 signatures from the UK. Release International presented the petition to the North Korean embassy in London last week demanding freedom of worship to Christians, who face regular harassment and imprisoned for owning a Bible. Recent reports by human rights organisations accuse North Korea of putting 180,000 people into forced labour. There are reports that Christians face torture, starvation and execution in political prison camps. Release International support North Korean Christians who have fled their country by providing safe houses, pastoral support and health care. Those who’ve escaped describe these camps as 'hell on Earth’. Some risk being shot by border guards as they try to flee the country. Signatures are still being collected and the final petition to the North Korean embassy will be presented at the end of the campaign. See www.releaseinternational.org/petition
Pray: for millions to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves and for their voices to be heard and acted upon. (Pr.31:8,9)
More: http://www.releaseinternational.org/pages/take-action/prisoners-of-faith.php
International: Pray for persecuted Christians during Ramadan
Christians face discrimination and violence in Muslim-majority countries and Open Doors USA is asking Christians in the West to pray alongside persecuted believers in predominantly Muslim countries during Ramadan. From August 1 to the end of the month Muslims will be fasting from dawn to sunset and praying. During this time Christians are especially isolated in some Muslim-dominated countries and pressure on their beliefs increases. The end of Ramadan will be followed a fortnight
later by the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Michele Miller, Director of Open Doors Prayer Ministries, said it was vital that the church pray for both Christians and Muslims during the 9/11anniversary. The worst persecutors of Christians are Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Somalia. There are difficulties for Christians also in countries considered more moderate, such as Egypt, where believers have been killed in church attacks by extremists.
Pray: for millions of hearts to be changed during Ramadan and for the 9/11 anniversary to be peacefully recognised. (Is.60:3)
USA: Atheisgroup wants to stop World Trade Centre cross
A group of atheists has filed a lawsuit to stop the display of the World Trade Centre cross at a memorial of the 9/11 terror attacks. The ‘government enshrinement of the cross was an impermissible mingling of church and state,’ the American Atheists said in a press statement. The group filed the lawsuit this week in New York and posted a copy of the lawsuit on its website naming many defendants, including the state of New Jersey, the city of New York, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. The World Trade Centre cross, two intersecting steel beams that held up when the twin towers collapsed, was moved Saturday from near a church to its new home at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. There was ceremonial blessing of the cross in a service led by Father Brian Jordan, a Franciscan monk who ministered to workers clearing the area after the 9/11 attacks.
Pray: against religiosity and agnostic aggression that could smear an important part of commemorating 9/11 (Ps.36:9-11)
USA & Middle East: Debt fears
Congress is divided amid warnings of dangers to the world economy. The financial crisis deepened after President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner accused one another of failing to negotiate to avert an unprecedented debt default early next week. Chiefs of the International Monetary Fund and credit rating agencies such as Standard & Poor's and Moody's warned they will downgrade the United States' top credit rating if an agreement isn't reached by Tuesday. Also on Tuesday the Arab League will meet in Cairo at the request of President Mahmoud Abbas due to a funding crisis causing them to be unable to pay employees salaries. A funding crisis crippling the West Bank government is due to pledged aid by the Arab League not materializing. PA staff receive half-pay until funds arrive, if the crisis continues the government will take additional austerity measures. See http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2011/07/2011726172640853156.html
Pray: for God to give his wisdom to the nations who have chosen to spend beyond their means. (Pr.21:1)
More: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2011/07/2011726172640853156.html
Afghanistan: Christian broadcasting
This month The Afghan Christian Media (ACM) launched a one hour weekly LIVE TV talk show for Afghanistan. Hussain Andaryas the host of the Voice of Christ and editor of (ACM) said, 'This is a wonderful tool to reach millions with the gospel of the Lord Jesus. The program has a Bible teacher and co-host from the Mala-khel tribe of Afghanistan who responded to the many telephone calls received during the first 3 live broadcasts. Afghan and some Iranian audiences have many reactions and are coming with questions about faith in Jesus. Thus far most responses come from Afghan living in Iran. The broadcast originally began in as web based gospel television. Later it broadcast 30 minutes television through Satellite TV which was well received by Afghans World-Wide. Now it is Live on Tuesday nights at 8pm to all with a TV in Afghanistan with 3 repeats on Wednesdays.
Praise: God for this good news, may it cause an avalanche of new believers and solid discipleship in the region. (Ro.10:14,15)
Afghanistan: Christian broadcasting
This month The Afghan Christian Media (ACM) launched a one hour weekly LIVE TV talk show for Afghanistan. Hussain Andaryas the host of the Voice of Christ and editor of (ACM) said, 'This is a wonderful tool to reach millions with the gospel of the Lord Jesus. The program has a Bible teacher and co-host from the Mala-khel tribe of Afghanistan who responded to the many telephone calls received during the first 3 live broadcasts. Afghan and some Iranian audiences have many reactions and are coming with questions about faith in Jesus. Thus far most responses come from Afghan living in Iran. The broadcast originally began in as web based gospel television. Later it broadcast 30 minutes television through Satellite TV which was well received by Afghans World-Wide. Now it is Live on Tuesday nights at 8pm to all with a TV in Afghanistan with 3 repeats on Wednesdays.
Praise: God for this good news, may it cause an avalanche of new believers and solid discipleship in the region. (Ro.10:14,15)