Pakistan: Desperate needs
Much of Pakistan is still under water after recent floods. Pakistan is a country already deeply in debt with millions of people relying on food aid as they will not be able to grow rice and wheat until next year. Donors have been reluctant to give to a country with a reputation for militancy and corruption and the UN has only raised half of the $2bn it pledged to the flood victims. These people are already very poor and struggle to survive. In addition, winter is approaching and many face a lack of adequate food, warm clothing and heating fuel. Relief organizations do what they can to help, but the need seems overwhelming. We are asked to remember the poor people of Pakistan in our prayers as they face the cold winter months without adequate shelter, clothing, food and heat. The women and children suffer the most, particularly in areas not yet reached by agencies distributing life saving aid. Pray: that the organizations that are serving in Pakistan will have the financial resources to continue their projects. Pray also for the safety of local believers.
Vietnam: Officials bulldoze Bible school
At 7am Vietnamese time, about 500 police, soldiers and fire officers arrived with bulldozers at Pastor Quang’s school and demolished the property. Pastor Quang, (one of the so-called 'Mennonite Six' jailed in 2004) is currently being held at a undisclosed location after being beaten with batons 'until he fainted.' Twenty students from the school were also arrested and interrogated. Police specially drafted in from the Central Highlands region were on hand to escort students back to their provinces. Montagnard Christians from this region make up a large proportion of the Mennonite Church in Vietnam. Pastor Quang's wife, Phu Dung Le, and his three children are safe. Leaders and Bible college students linked with Pastor Quang have come under intense pressure from officials to give up their association with the Mennonite church since October. Pray: for God to keep those arrested in His perfect peace and to touch the officials involved through the witness of the Christians. (Mal.1:4)
Egypt: House converted to prevent Church services
In an effort to prevent Coptic Christians using the newly built Church of St. Mary and St. Michaels for prayer services the Giza Governorate converted a four storey house facing the church into a mosque secretly during Thursday night, and hastily hung a cloth sign outside advertising the new Ekhlass mosque. Due to the minimum distance required by law between a church and a mosque Copts view this conversion of the house into a new mosque ‘as a trick on the part of the government to make the completion and use of St. Mary's Church an impossibility.’ On Friday morning over 3000 Muslims prayed there despite the presence of an established large mosque not far from the new mosque. In November the same Coptic Church was the scene of security forces using tear gas on women, children and youths at the church, in an attempt to halt construction of the new church building. Pray: for a peaceful and just resolution to a potentially inflammatory situation. (Ps.5:11)
Iraq: Government trying to protect churches
Concrete walls up to 10 feet high are being built around churches in Baghdad and Mosul to protect Christmas churchgoers from violence, reports a Catholic News Agency. The barriers are the Iraqi government’s response to reports of increased threats to churches and other Christian communities ahead of Christmas. Normally celebrations would involve parties in church halls and parks. But after requests from church leaders activities in both Baghdad and Mosul are being scaled back to reduce the security threat. ‘The sadness of the people is everywhere. Uncertainty is everywhere. The question on everyone’s lips is What’s next?’ Archbishop Bashar Warda said. Pray: that Jesus Christ would bless, protect and enable the Christians of Iraq to draw into His presence with joy this Christmas. (Jos.1:9)
Pakistan: Muslims burn and beat evangelist unconscious
An evangelist is still recovering from burns after six young Muslim men beat him with clubs and belts and set him on fire last month. Area Christians said they found the Rev. Wilson Augustine, aged 26, unconscious with burns on his head, hand and arm on Nov. 22 near the bus stop on the outskirts of Sargodha. Christian elders of nearby villages said that Augustine was distributing pamphlets and proclaiming Christ door-to-door the previous day among Christian families of local villages when the sons of a powerful local land owner saw one of the pamphlets. Augustine later identified the six who attacked him but police decline to name the suspects in the attempted murder. Augustine’s father reported the assault to the local police station, but the registrar was reluctant to file a case against the sons of a wealthy, powerful land owner. Pray: for God to faithfully lead and protect the Christians in Pakistan as they proclaim His name. (Ps.18:30) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/pakistan/29641/
INSIGHT: Eritrea: Pray for change
The first meeting of the Eritrean Cabinet of Ministers got underway on the 14th December in Eritrea’s capital. In its agenda the meeting heard extensive briefings by President Isaias Afwerki assessing political, economic, social and diplomatic activities this year, as well as the envisaged national development programmes for 2011 and beyond. See: Analysts say the State of Eritrea is believed to be crumbling and it is doubtful that the Afewerki government will be able to sustain the unity and stability of the nation for much longer. Rumours within Eritrea say many are losing patience and may rise up against the authoritarian government. For insights into Eritrea’s Christian heritage, historical and political roots click the ‘Info’ button. Pray: for God to release Eritrea into her inheritance under His authority. (Ps.132:15)
Malaysia: ‘Faith Purification’ centres
A two-hour journey from the capital city of Kuala Lumpur revealed an isolated encampment where some Christian converts say they've been taken to be forced back to Islam. The Malaysian government calls the facilities ‘retreat centres’ where Muslims willingly go to strengthen their faith. However one Christian, who wishes to remain anonymous, said, ‘They force Christians to recite Islamic prayers and the Koran, to do all the things you're suppose to do as a Muslim. They're trying to force us to believe what we can't believe. These re-education centres come from the power of darkness.’ Another former Muslim said he lost his property, job, and family after officials learned he'd become a Christian. He's hiding from the government. Traditionally, Malays are Muslim. Five years ago, there were less than 200 Malay Christians in the country. Today, there are an estimated 1,000 or more. Christian Growth is being targeted. Pray: for the power of Christian evangelism to grow and be protected in Malaysia. (SS.4:16)
China: Christian cyber attack and house-church crackdown
ChinaAid has received information from more than one reliable source that 'Operation Deterrence' crackdowns are norrowly focussed on Christian churches and may be solely directed at China’s vibrant network of house churches and their members. Recent government actions against Christians have included official harassment of influential house church leaders and cyberattacks that brought down ChinaAid’s Chinese and English news websites. In recent years the Beijing regime had stepped back from its hostility toward and opposition to the house church movement; leading many Christians in China and overseas to believe that these unregistered congregations could win official sanction without having to join the government-run Three-Self Patriotic Movement, the only Protestant church officially allowed to function in China. Operation Deterrence harks back to the previous era of hostilities that for decades drove unknown hundreds of thousands of believers to worship in secret and fearing for their lives and freedom. Pray: China would see unity in all her churches and that house churches would be able to have a dialogue with the government. (Is.25:5) More: http://www.chinaaid.org/2010/12/china-launches-major-crackdown-on-house.html
Pakistan: Reward for killing Christian woman condemned
Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs, Shahbaz Bhatti, condemned the recent announcement of a reward for killing the jailed Christian woman, Asia Bibi, on death row for blasphemy.Maulana Yousuf Qureshi, a hard-line imam known for making reward-for-murder calls, offered $6,000 to anyone who kills Asia Bibi during his Friday sermon at the largest mosque in Peshawar. He said, ‘There are hundreds of thousands of people including mujahedin (warriors) and Taliban who are ready to sacrifice their lives for the honour of the Prophet Muhammad. Anyone of them could finish her.’ The high court has yet to set a date for Bibi’s appeals hearing. Pray: for God to place more of his shield around Bibi and her family. (Ps.71:1-2)
Afghanistan: Persecution of Christians
Men are being imprisoned in Afghanistan because of their faith. Accused of converting from Islam they face life in prison or the death penalty. Two we know of from a reliable source have been held for over six months without trial or formal charges being filed against them. They appeared at an initial tribunal to hear the case against them, but the trial has since been put on hold and court documents sent to the prosecutor's office for review. Meanwhile the two men continue to be held and they and their families suffer. Compass Direct report; An Afghani amputee in prison for his Christian faith since May faced a judge on November 21st without legal representation or knowledge of the charges against him. It is not known the outcome of this case. Said Musa was arrested in May after the local TV station broadcast images of Afghan Christians being baptized and worshipping. There were other arrests in May and June during the ensuing man-hunt against Christians. See: Pray: for their safety as they are held under very harsh conditions and for the Lord's strengthening of their faith. (Ps.7:1)