If you are in a hurry and do not have time to read the rich articles in this Connections prayer journal, here is a shortlist of crucial prayer concerns we invite you to pray about.

1 The situation in North Korea and the provocative actions of Kim Jong Un and his regime that could get out of hand and cause war, potentially even involving nuclear weapons. Pray for peace and restraint on all sides and that the North Korean leaders will introduce reforms of their society that will both set their people free and establish better relationships with the international community.

2 Afghanistan- that the Spring offensive of the Taliban will not occur and that their movement would be thrown into confusion, disunity and dissolved so they cannot continue to destabilize the nation.

3 Pakistan- that God would raise up honest, good leaders in the parliamentary election (May 11) process going on now and that the Taliban radicals would not be able to derail this election or harm those who are running as candidates.

4 Children in Prayer Chinese World Consultation (May 16-19)- that Chinese Christian leaders in China and Hong Kong will get the vision and be equipped to empower the 335 million youth and children of their vast population.

5 Middle East Prayer Assembly (October 1-4, Cyprus)- that good delegations from each nation in the region would be able to take part and that a strong, ongoing and interconnected prayer movement for this embattled region will be the result.

6 Malaysian National Election (May 5)- that a new government ruled by honest, caring leaders who put the people first will be put into power and that corrupt, self-serving politicians will be removed.

7 Egypt- for the peace of the Lord to reign over this nation and that it will be able to move to greater freedom and prosperity, throwing off authoritarian Islamic ideology in favor of upholding human rights for all its citizens.

8 Syria- that the civil war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives will wind down and that there will be a peaceful resolution of this conflict resulting in a new, united government that works for the good of all Syrians.

9 Exposed: Shining a Light on Corruption – 14-20 October 2013 – that this global campaign against corruption will be used of the Lord to save the over US$1 TRILLION that goes missing through mismanagement, illicit business practices and poor governance so it can be used to help the poor and their children and fulfill the UN Millennium Development Goals.

10 The International Prayer Initiative for the United Nations and Children in Prayer Global Consultation - “Children and Youth: Investing in the Future” (November 15-20)- that all the arrangements will come together and that UN officials, ambassadors, Christian NGOs working among children, ministry leaders as well as praying youth and children will be able to come from around the world for this historic event.

As members of the Religious Liberty Partnership meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, we support the appeal of our brothers and sisters in Syria for the worldwide church to pray for the nation of Syria and the Syrian church at large amidst the current crisis. We specifically call on Christian denominations and organizations worldwide to take this appeal to their members in recognition that we are one body united in Christ.

The RLP acknowledges:
• The call of Syrian Christian leaders for prayer as they struggle to survive amidst this crisis;
• The frustration and fears of the Syrian people following decades of political repression;
• The Syrian refugees and displaced finding protection and critical assistance in Lebanon,
• Jordan, Turkey and other countries;
• The important international efforts to broker a solution to the ongoing conflict in Syria;
• and
• The nation’s historic ethnic and religious diversity and peaceful coexistence which is
• now placed at risk.

The RLP is concerned about:
• The exodus of Christians and other ethnic and religious minorities from Syria as well as the attacks on and destruction of religious sites of all faiths;
• The lack of respect for humanitarian law, including kidnappings, and ongoing violence;
• The security and well-being of Syrian refugees and those internally displaced; and
• The inadequate input from and representation of ethnic and religious minorities in the political dialogue regarding the ongoing crisis in Syria.

We call on the international community:

• To provide sufficient protection for all ethnic and religious communities as well as their historical, religious, and cultural sites;
• To encourage all relevant parties to uphold international humanitarian standards, including appropriate and principled communication, fundraising, and program administration;
• To collaborate with organizations assisting the church in Syria and to promote peaceful coexistence between all ethnic and religious communities;
• To support organizations and agencies working to improve the security and provide for the well-being of those displaced;
• To work toward a peaceful political and diplomatic solution to the conflict that ensures the participation of all Syrians including all ethnic and religious communities.

We call on the worldwide church:
• To participate with the Refugee Highway Partnership (www.refugeehighway.net) in World Refugee Sunday, June 23, 2013 and designate it as a special day of prayer for Christians in Syria and all those affected by the current crisis; and
• To write to the UN Special Envoy for Syria and ask him to pay particular attention to vulnerable ethnic and religious minorities, ensuring their equal participation in his mandate.

The RLP commits:
• To pray for the church and its leaders as they stand amidst the ongoing attacks on their communities throughout the crisis;
• To raise awareness and work toward a peaceful solution of the current crisis, including reconciliation among the various ethnic and religious communities; and
• To utilize practicies that prioritize that well-being of all Syrians when providing assistance and advocating on behalf of the vulnerable.