Urgent Prayer Request: From YWAM Haiti
Haiti. We'd like to call people to prayer for our city and the countryside surrounding it. There seems to be an outbreak of some kind of a water-borne disease where people who contract it come down with severe diarrhea resulting in death within 24-48 hours. We do not have concrete numbers of how many have actually died to date, only scattered reports from Haitians seeking aid and purified water saying; ‘Many, Many, Many people are dead or sick!’ The hospital in St Marc is filling up with cases and our clinic down the road has been made ready for overflow. Pray: that God would hear our prayers and for a breakthrough by the health professionals to combat this outbreak. More: http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=8326
Philippines: Super typhoon leaves 200,000 homeless
Typhoon Megi left a trail of destruction in the northern Philippines before gathering strength and heading towards China. Officials there said at least 200,000 people remained homeless with the cost to infrastructure estimated to have caused more than US$100 million in damages. The storm is described as the worst for many years. Taiwan's central government has mobilized 31,610 soldiers nationwide to be on alert as Typhoon Megi moves near the island on its way to China. In Southeast China hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated from coastal areas, disaster relief authorities said on Thursday. Megi is forecast to make landfall on the east coast in Guangdong Province around Saturday, according to the Fujian Provincial Meteorological Department. Pray: that the thousands made homeless and injured by this typhoon would quickly receive exactly what is needed. (Ps.10:14)
Brazil: Drought
Brazil has extended emergency drought measures across the Amazon State as key waterways and rivers are completely parched in the worst drought in decades. The seven months drought has affected 40,000 people in communities depending on the rainforest for sustenance and the government has airlifted six tonnes of food and 200 tonnes of donations to 25 stricken villages. Aid delivery has been slow due to the low water levels in rivers preventing large vessels from navigating them, consequently transportation can only be done by canoe. In some places, people are running out of food and many people are suffering intestinal problems caused by poor water quality. The drought is an extreme weather event resulting from El Nino in late 2009 with its fallout being felt this year. Pray: for God to show entrepreneurs, farmers and governments His way forward as they work with the earth's resources. (Ps.65:9) More: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/10/2010101704539981971.html
Iraq: Refugees regret returning
‘Most refugees who have returned to Iraq have since regretted their move after finding that they faced persistent threats to their security’ a UN refugee agency said on Tuesday. The survey found 34% said they were uncertain whether they would stay permanently in Iraq and would consider seeking asylum in neighbouring countries once again if conditions do not improve. Returnees highlighted instances of ‘explosions, harassment, military operations and kidnapping’ as evidence of the insecurity. But many also said they had been forced to return to Iraq because they could no longer afford the high cost of living in asylum countries. More than three-quarters of returnees did not go back to their original place of residence but sought shelter with their relatives, friends or rented other accommodation. Pray: that Christians in Iraq have opportunities to come alongside those searching for security and hope. (Jer.31:17)
Afghanistan: Many election votes invalid
Election officials will throw out 1.3 million ballots from last month's parliamentary election due to fraud; and investigators still need to rule on over 2,000 serious complaints affecting results before they can be finalized at the end of October, at the earliest. The Afghan election commission has also told investigators to look into allegations that 220 candidates have cheated or been responsible for misconduct on election day. Throwing out so many votes could inflame tensions in provinces where different ethnic groups already have an uneasy relationship. The insecure Pashtun areas had a very low turnout. The credibility of the latest vote in the Afghan parliament may colour President Barack Obama's review of Washington's Afghanistan war strategy in December. Pray: for God’s mercy to fall on Afghanistan, for a united people under Christ’s banner, for leaders who minister justice. (Is.59:1)
Bhutan: Christian imprisoned for film show
A court in predominantly Buddhist Bhutan sentenced Prem Singh Gurung, a 40-year-old ethnic Nepalese Christian, to three years in prison for ‘attempting to promote civil unrest’ by screening films on Christianity. Gurung was arrested after neighbours complained he was inviting villagers to watch Nepali movies, then between each feature he showed films on Christianity. Government attorneys could not prove that Gurung promoted civil unrest so he was charged with an attempt to promote civil unrest, and violation of a Bhutan law requiring authorities to examine all films before public screening. While Gurung has the right to appeal it is unclear if he had the resources to take that course. Over 75 per-cent of the people in Bhutan are Buddhist. In the south of Bhutan there are 6,000 Bhutanese Christians. In this landlocked nation between India and China Christians are not officially acknowledged. No Christian institution is officially registered and believers practice their faith in their homes. Pray: for Christians and house churches to be strengthened and for Christian material to be available through the media networks. (Ps.18:6) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/12469/27133/
Lebanon: Heroes and villains
Shouts of ‘welcome’ in Persian and showers of rice, sweets and petals greeted President Mahmud Ahmadinejad as he waved to crowds from an open-topped car in Beirut this week. It's his first visit to Lebanon where he addressed Hezbollah-organized rallies of up to 60,000 people. His visit took weeks of preparation and his reception contrasted with Israel's, the United States and Sunni politicians foreboding. Over 200 prominent Lebanese citizens signed an open letter in advance of the trip asking Ahmadinejad to avoid using Lebanon as a ‘spearhead’ for confronting Israel. There have been suggestions that Ahmadinejad will travel to the Lebanese-Israeli frontier and court yet more controversy by throwing highly symbolic stones into Israel demonstrating to the world that Iran is a regional power in a confrontation state with Israel. Israel’s security is challenged as Lebanon, Syria, and Hamas-ruled Gaza are seen to be serving Iranian interests and all of them have threatening capabilities for Israel's civilian population. Pray: that all strongholds of violence will be disarmed and that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, will rule in these lands. (Ps.29:6) More: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/LJ15Ak02.html
Saudi Arabia: Filipinos charged with proselytising
Authorities in Saudi Arabia have charged twelve expatriates from the Philippines and one from France with proselytising, according to an official at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh. Although twelve of the expatriates were temporarily released through petitions filed by their employers and the thirteenth was released on bail, the release does not mean their case has been settled. If they are proven guilty as charged they would go back to jail. Proselytising in Saudi Arabia is punishable by death. According to reports, the thirteen were arrested during a raid of a public mass that was attended last Friday by around 150 expatriates. Public practice of non-Muslim religions is strictly prohibited and Christians are only allowed to gather in homes for private religious services. Saudi’s Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice conduct raids on private non-Muslim religious gatherings. Pray: for God to use the Philippine Embassy and the international outcry to bring protection of religious freedom for non residents in Saudi Arabia. (La.3:24-25)
China: Denies Christians entry to Christian event
Two-hundred Chinese Christians scheduled to participate from 16th to 25th October in a major evangelical gathering in South Africa are not going because the Chinese government has denied them permission to travel to the event. More than 4,000 Christians from around the world will gather for the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization known as Cape Town 2010. The Chinese would have had much to contribute had they been able to share what God has been doing in China in the past 20 years. Lausanne's Executive Chair Doug Birdsall told CBN News in an exclusive interview hours before the launch of the Congress that he was deeply saddened about the decision not to permit the Chinese delegation to participate. Pray: that in spite of their absence God will build his worldwide Church and speak through the spiritual growth of China. (Mt.16:18) More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2010/October/China-Denies-Christians-Entry-to-South-Africa-Event/
Iran: Pastor on trial for 'thoughts'
Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) reported a Christian pastor in Iran faces a potential death penalty for a ‘thought crime’ President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says they don't have a ‘thought crime' law yet that's what Pastor Nadarkhani is charged with.’ VOM confirms the Pastor’s trial was wrapped up within the last 60 days but the formal verdict has not been announced nor a sentence imposed. Nadarkhani was arrested in 2009 after complaining about the Islamic instruction of his Christian sons in the school system. Religious education is a part of the curriculum but the Christian Nadarkhani family wanted their sons to receive Christian religious instruction instead of Islamic. Nadarkhani's wife Fatima was arrested several months earlier and remains behind bars. Their arrests can be linked to a crackdown by authorities concerned about the spread of Christianity among Muslims in the country. Pray: for God to thwart Iran’s attempts to control every facet of society and religious expression and for justice to prevail in the courts. (Eze.34:16)