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7/31/2019 Prayer Diary July/August 2012
1/16
Galatians6:10
THE AID AGENCY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
to help you
pray for the
persecuted church
www.barnabasfund.org
prayer
JULY/AUGUST 2012
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2 BARNABAS PRAYER JULY/AUGUST 2012
Thank you for your prayers for ourpersecuted brothers and sisters inChrist, which make such a differenceto them. We sometimes have to
change or omit their names forsecurity reasons, and we have onlylimited space to share their stories.But the Lord knows the people andplaces we are praying about. Thankyou for your understanding. Pleasedo not feel limited by the specificprayer requests, but pray as you feelled.
JulySunday 1 Many people come to us often women asking the church to help themand their families. It is terrible as they areso many and we have very little materialthings that we can give them. These werethe words of a Barnabas church partner inMalakal, South Sudan, where the Church hasbeen overwhelmed by the influx of SouthernChristians returning from the North. Theywere stripped of their citizenship of Sudanafter the South voted to secede. At the timeof writing, an estimated 350,000 Southernerswere still stranded in Sudan, while thosewho have managed to travel south, leaving
their homes and jobs, are in great need.Barnabas Fund is helping with the provisionof emergency supplies. Pray that SouthernChristians will soon be able to find homes andestablish new lives in South Sudan.
Monday 2 The minority Christian communityin Sudan finds itself painfully caught up in the
growing tension between the mainly Muslim
country and neighbouring South Sudan. On 21April a church compound in the Al-Jiraif district
of Khartoum was attacked and torched by an
Islamist mob. Many South Sudanese refugees
are part of the church, and the Muslims shouted
insults at the Southerners as they destroyed the
worship area and attached Bible school. A contact
told Barnabas Fund that all the buildings hadbeen destroyed, with books and office equipment;
the students who were present were terribly
shaken. Barnabas supports a prison ministry
run by one of the church leaders. Pray that the
congregation will be able to continue its worship
and mission despite this cruel assault.
Tuesday 3 Two young children from a mainly
Christian ethnic group in Burma (Myanmar) weremercilessly gunned down by the Burmese military
on 5 May as they were playing in a river. The five-
and seven-year-olds, from the Kachin people,
were startled by a loud bomb blast, and as they
tried to run to safety, the soldiers opened fire on
them. This was only the latest cruel atrocity in the
armys campaign against the Kachin, which has
displaced around 75,000 people. Soldiers have
attacked villages, razed houses and destroyed
churches; they have also raped women and
tortured prisoners. Pray that the Lord will comfort
the bereaved families of the children and bring
relief to His oppressed people (Isaiah 61:1-3).
Many Southern Christians are stranded
and homeless in Sudan
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Wednesday 4 Praise God for signs of positivepolitical change in Burma. The National League
for Democracy of opposition leader Aung San
Suu Kyi won a landslide victory in a series of
parliamentary by-elections in April, which havebeen hailed as evidence of a genuine move
towards democracy. But although 2011 also saw
an end to decades of outright military rule, there
is still a long way to go: the parliament continues
to be dominated by the army and its allies. Most
Christians in Burma belong to non-Burman ethnic
minorities, and the military are extremely hostile to
these groups. Pray that the political changes will
bring genuine freedom and justice for all Burmaspeoples, and that Christians will no longer be
endangered.
Thursday 5 Praise God for better news ofGKI Yasmin church in Bogor, Indonesia, which
has faced a long campaign of opposition by
the mayor and hostility from local Muslims. The
churchs building permit was revoked in 2008,
and the building was subsequently sealed off by
the authorities; the congregation has been forced
to hold worship in the street or in private homes.
But now the mayor has agreed that the building
can re-open, provided that a mosque is built next
door, and the church has accepted this proposal.
Pray that this may bring an end to the harassment
suffered by this brave and persevering Christian
community, and that its patient witness to itsopponents may bear fruit (1 Peter 2:12).
Friday 6 This is a dark time in the history ofreligious freedom and tolerance in Aceh, said the
spokesman of an Indonesian human rights group
after the sealing of 17 Christian places of worship
in the semi-autonomous province. The undungs,
which are small buildings not classified as
churches, were closed in early May after protestsfrom hard-line Islamist groups. The authorities
insist that only one church and four undungs may
be built in Singkil, despite its having a Christian
population of some 20,000. Elements of sharia
are in force in Aceh, and although non-Muslims
are exempt from it, the churches are coming
under increasing attack. Pray for their protection,and that the Muslim majority will allow them to
meet and worship without hindrance.
Saturday 7 When the Filadelfia Batak ChristianProtestant Church in Jakarta, Indonesia, gathered
on 17 May to celebrate the ascension of the Lord
Jesus, it was attacked by hundreds of Islamists.
They shouted threats and insults at the Christians,
threw stones at them and showered them withurine and dirty water. The following Sunday
another mob tried to block them from reaching
their worship site, threatened them and then threw
sewage, water, oil, mud, rotten eggs, sticks and
blunt objects at them. The police presence was
woefully inadequate to restrain the attackers. The
church has been meeting outside or in homes
since its building was sealed off by the authorities
in 2010. Pray that the ascended Lord, who is
exalted to the right hand of God, will watch over
them (Acts 2:33-36).
Sunday 8 Thank God that Tunisiasgoverning Islamist party, Ennahda, hassaid that it will not support changing thecountrys constitution to make sharia the
main source of legislation, as had previouslybeen proposed. The party said at the end ofMarch that it would uphold the separation ofreligion and state enshrined in thefirst articleof the constitution. Ennahdas leader, RachidGhannouchi, who in the 1970s called for thestrict application of sharia in Tunisia, saidthat they were not going to use the law toimpose religion. Pray that they will be true to
their word and that Tunisias small Christiancommunity will be allowed to practise theirfaith freely.
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Monday 9 The optimism that accompanied theindependence of South Sudan a year ago today
has been shattered by renewed tensions between
the new nation and Sudan. Fierce border clashes
in disputed oil-rich territory in April sparkedinternational fears of a return to all-out war. On
3 May, both countries signed up to an African
Union-brokered roadmap, but attacks continued,
with each side accusing the other of being the
aggressor. Pray that the two nations will resolve
their outstanding disputes and that there will be
lasting peace between them. Another conflict
would be catastrophic for the mainly Christian
South, which was devastated by the 21-yearcivil war and is struggling to establish itself as an
independent state.
Tuesday 10 Beleaguered Iraqi Christiansgathered for a moment of real celebration in
March as a church building in Kirkuk that was
bombed six years earlier was officially reopened.
The car bomb attack that wrecked it also killed
a 13-year-old Christian boy, who had stopped
there to pray and thank God for good school
grades. At the opening ceremony a church leader
said that such bloodshed was an invitation to
persevere despite the challenges faced by the
Christian community. These continuing challenges
were starkly underlined in the same week when
the body of a kidnapped Christian man was
found riddled with bullets and a church buildingin Baghdad was bombed. Give thanks for the
persistent faith of Iraqi Christians, and pray for
their protection against further attacks.
Wednesday 11 No doubt that the fundsprovided by Barnabas Fund have been a big
source of help and a glimpse of hope for many
many who feel left alone to face the worst.
This is how a Barnabas Fund partner in Syriadescribed the effects of the practical support
we have provided to Christians caught up in the
conflict between President Assads troops and
anti-government forces. Tens of thousands of
Christians have been forced to leave their homes
and are in great hardship. Barnabas Fund has
been helping many thousands of needy Christianswith essentials such as food and medicine.
Pray that Christians in Syria will continue to be
uplifted by this support from brothers and sisters
overseas, and pray that the Lord will supply all
their needs.
Thursday 12 An incident on 10 May in whichten Christian families were expelled from their
village in Syria highlighted the alarming powerthat armed militants have gained in the country.
A group seized control of Qastal al-Burg village
near Hama, took over the Christians homes and
turned the village church into their command
control centre. A number of suicide bombings
are a disturbing sign that jihadists with links to
al-Qaeda have been entering the country. And as
Islamists gain political influence, Christians are
concerned about what the future holds for them
in a country where they once enjoyed safety,
freedom and equality with the Muslim majority.Pray that the Lord will protect them and give them
peace at this tumultuous time.
JULY 9 - 12
his church building in Syria was badlydamaged during the current unrest
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Friday 13 The Jordanian parliament voted inApril to ban the establishment of any political
party on a religious basis. This decision will
prevent the political party of the Islamist Muslim
Brotherhood from taking part in parliamentaryelections. Although the move seems designed
to ensure the continuing dominance of groups
loyal to King Abdullahs regime, it is generally
good news for the countrys Christians, who enjoy
relatively greater freedom, and opportunities in
public life, than their brothers and sisters in many
other Arab lands. Almost certainly these benefits
would be drastically curtailed or destroyed if
Islamists were to take power in the country. Praythat the destructive forces of Islamism will be
restrained in Jordan and not be unleashed against
the churches.
Saturday 14 The sizeable Christiancommunity in Kuwait, who are mostly expatriates,
have been facing the prospect of increased
repression since a coalition of Islamists gained
power in Februarys parliamentary elections.
The al-Adala (Justice) Bloc has already made
several moves to strengthen the place of Islam in
society. Under a bill passed by Parliament in May,
Muslims who insult the god of Islam, key Islamic
figures or the Quran would be punishable by
death, and non-Muslims, including Christians, by
at least ten years in prison. At the time of writing
the law was awaiting the consent of the Emir ofKuwait. A law to prevent the construction of new
churches has also been proposed. However,
the Emir has blocked a proposal to make all
legislation comply with sharia. Give thanks for this
decision, and pray that other attempts to Islamise
Kuwait and tighten restrictions on its Christians
will also be frustrated.
Sunday 15 When we checked thevoter list many Christians who already gotenrolled in the list were shocked to find
their names missing from it. The presidentof a Christian forum in the Indian stateof Madhya Pradesh has reported that thenames of 20,000 Christians have been
deleted from the electoral roll in the state.The forums general secretary suggestedthat the Christian community was beingdeliberately disenfranchised by the rulingHindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party,which is notoriously anti-Christian; hisclaim was supported by the states mainopposition party. Pray that the freedom ofIndian Christians to participate in the political
process will not be restricted.
Monday 16 Around 100 radical Muslimsforced their way into a Christian prayer meeting
in Nutangram village, West Bengal State, India,
on 30 March. They threatened the Christians with
death and chased them, with their children, at
knife-point. As the believers ran for their lives, the
children were crying in fear, and their attempts
to escape were blocked by the Muslims, who
physically and verbally assaulted them. A crowd
of about 500 Muslims watched in amusement as
the Christians were tormented for around an hour
and a half. Pray for our brothers and sisters, and
especially for the children, as they recover from
their ordeal, and for protection for Christians in
this part of India.
Tuesday 17 On 2 April a group of Hinduextremists in Akkarapettai, Tamil Nadu State, India,
went to a government school and announced
that a reward would be given to any children who
had Christian literature in their homes. But when
some of the children innocently said that they
did, they were harassed by the Hindus, who then
summoned their parents and threatened to expel
them from the village if they continued going tochurch. The next day they searched houses for
Bibles and Christian books, which they tore up.
5
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Twelve families were locked out of their homes
for three days. Pray that the Lord will enable
His people in India to stand firm in the face of
intimidation by Hindu radicals.
Wednesday 18 One conviction and 156acquittals: these were the verdicts of Indian
courts in March on defendants charged with
involvement in the ferocious anti-Christian
violence that racked Orissa State in 2007-8. All
those charged with house-burning were cleared,
in some cases owing to an alleged lack of proper
evidence; the only conviction was for murder. At
least 50 Christians were brutally killed during theviolence; around 18,000 people were injured;
and numerous Christian women were raped;
thousands of homes and hundreds of church
buildings were destroyed. Very few people have
been convicted for any these crimes. Pray for
justice for the Christians of Orissa, and that
further anti-Christian violence will be prevented
there. Barnabas is helping to rebuild homes for
Christians.
Thursday 19 Praise God for remarkablechurch growth in Nepal, from 29 known believers
in 1950 to more than half a million now. Most
have converted from Hinduism. Barnabas Fund
is helping young Christians grow in their faith
through Bible correspondence training courses
that are used for regular Bible study by most of
the churches in the country. Many have reported
on how much the courses have helped them inpractical matters such as learning to trust in God
and to live in accordance with the Bible. Pray
that Nepalese Christians will mature in their faith
and that they will be salt and light in their country,
drawing many more to Christ.
Friday 20 At least 38 people were killed in asuicide bombing outside two church buildings
in the city of Kaduna in Northern Nigeria onEaster Day, 8 April, as the congregations were
celebrating the Lords resurrection. Most of the
victims were motorcycle taxi drivers who were
caught in the blast; the bomber had tried to drive
into the church compound but was stopped at
a checkpoint. Three weeks later further church
services were targeted in Northern Nigeria in
attacks that left 27 people dead. In both incidents,
gunmen fired on worshippers, while in one place
bombs were also thrown into the building. Pray
for those injured and bereaved, that the Lord will
comfort them and bind up their wounds (Psalm
147:3).
Saturday 21 The anti-Christian attacks inNorthern Nigeria bear the grim marks of Boko
Haram. This militant Islamist group has beencarrying out attacks against Christians, the
police and the security forces in its malevolent
campaign to create an Islamic state in the region.
At New Year 2012 it issued a three-day deadline
for Christians to leave the North, and in March
it declared war on them, saying that it was
planning coordinated attacks to eliminate them
from some parts of the country. Its attacks on
churches and individual Christians have beenunrelenting. Pray for the Nigerian authorities as
they struggle to contain the violence of this group,
These tutors provide Biblecorrespondence training for Christians inNepal
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that they will succeed in restoring order to the
region.
Sunday 22 The Bible teaches me that we
should have faith in God. This is our town.This is our home. This is where we shouldworship. Amako Laraba, a mother of twofrom Kaduna in Northern Nigeria, expressedthe resolve of many Christians in the regionto continue gathering despite the dangerof further violent attacks. At this time ofintimidating threats and painful tensions,church services are characterised by joyful
singing, rousing preaching and focusedprayer. Courageous volunteer security guardscheck vehicles for weapons and explosivesand patrol church grounds during services.Give thanks for the boldness and faithfulnessof these Christians, and ask that God maybe a wall of fire around them and their glorywithin (Zechariah 2:5).
Monday 23 Anti-Christian violence is alsoraging in Nigerias Middle Belt, where Christians
and Muslims live in roughly equal numbers. A
senior Christian leader in the Jalingo area of
Taraba State told Barnabas Fund in April that
around 300 Christians had been killed there in the
space of just three weeks. Two churches in the
city of Jos, in Plateau State, were also targeted
in quick succession; a pregnant woman and an18-month-old child were among those killed.
Pray for relief for Christians in the region from this
brutal and senseless killing.
Tuesday 24 Excessive and discriminatorywas how new legislation restricting religious
freedom in Hungary was described by a leading
European body in March. Barnabas Fund,
along with others, had raised concerns aboutthe decertifying of more than 300 religious
organisations, including a number of major
Christian denominations and smaller church
groups. In its report, the Venice Commission
identified various areas of the act that fail to
comply with recognised minimum standards
of human rights, including those relating toreligious freedom. It says, The Act sets a range
of requirements that are excessive and based on
arbitrary criteria with regard to the recognition of a
church. The Hungarian government has said that
it intends to introduce amendments in response
to the report. Pray that it will follow through on this
undertaking, and that everyone in Hungary will be
able to practise their faith freely.
Wednesday 25 We will set the rules, therules that suit us, whether you want it or not.
Any attempts to change it will end in blood. We
will flood the city with blood. With these words,
spoken in a television interview broadcast on 24
April, a Muslim lawyer in Russia called for the
introduction of sharia courts. Dagir Khasavov,
the founder of an organisation that defends the
rights of Muslims, said that the ordinary courts
were alien to them. His statement provoked
a backlash in Russia, and the head of the
countrys Presidential Human Rights Council
rejected Khasavovs call outright, denying any
role for sharia courts except possibly in arbitration
hearings. Pray that the Russian government will
stand firm in resisting attempts to Islamise the
legal system.
Thursday 26 Lift to the Lord in prayer TurkishPastor Semih Sertek (58), who was kicked and
beaten by a group of Muslims on the evening of 7
April. The group forced their way into his church
in Istanbuls Bahelievler district immediately
after a service and threatened to kill him unless
he recited the Islamic confession of faith, thus
converting to Islam. The attackers, all agedaround 18, said to the pastor, This is a Muslim
neighbourhood, theres no place for a church. As
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such incidents become more frequent in Turkey,
pray that the Lord will protect the leaders of His
church there and give them courage in their
witness to Him.
Friday 27 It is now more than five years sincethe brutal murder of three Christians at the Zirve
Christian publishing house in Malatya, eastern
Turkey. But those responsible for the deaths of
Necati Aydin, Ugur Yuksel and Tilman Geske
have yet to be brought to justice. Five young men
were arrested at the scene, and their trial opened
in November 2007, but despite 38 hearings
since then, there has been no verdict. Then inFebruary 2012 the judges said that an indictment
was being prepared against those suspected of
masterminding the killings, but this too has been
delayed in preparation. Pray that justice may
be done for the three Christians, and pray for
strength for their families in the meantime.
Saturday 28 Turkeys poor treatment of itsChristian minority has helped to put it on an
important list of the worlds worst violators of
religious freedom. In its annual report the US
Commission on International Religious Freedom
now places it in the same category country
of particular concern as such notorious
persecutors as North Korea, Saudi Arabia and
Iran. The report said that restrictions on non-
Muslim communities, such as limiting their right totrain clergy and own places of worship, have led
to their decline, and in some cases, their virtual
disappearance. It also referred to the increasing
number of attacks on Christians, which have
ranged from harassment and vandalism to death
threats. Pray that this report will prompt Turkey
to grant greater freedom and protection to its
Christians.
Sunday 29 The Communist governmentin China is intensifying its campaign
to oppress and wipe out the numerousunregistered churches (house churches)in the country. According to ChinaAid, ithas been conducting intensive and secret
investigations of these congregationsand creating files on them. Its intention isthen to draw them into the government-approved Three-Self Patriotic Movementand eradicate those who refuse to comply.It is also preparing lists of approved churchleaders with a view to branding thousandsof house church ministers as illegal. In2012 the number of cases of persecution
and suppression of house churches hasalready risen by 20% over 2011. Pray thatour brothers and sisters will standfirm in theface of government attempts to stop theiractivities, and that the Word of the Lord willspread rapidly and be honoured in China (2Thessalonians 3:1).
Monday 30 Pray for a congregation in Hefei inthe Anhui Province of China whose building was
illegally demolished on 27 April by developers
supported by the government. Over 100 people
descended on the church compound; some broke
down the main gate, while others forced their way
into one of the rooms and dragged several of the
church staff outside; one Christian woman, aged
over 60, was injured. Church members were
blocked from entering the compound while a largebulldozer started to tear down the building, which
was destroyed in minutes. ChinaAid reports that
the site looked like a bombing scene in a movie.
Pray that the church will soon find alternative
premises and be able to resume its regular
services and meetings.
Tuesday 31 Christians in North Korea share
in the desperate poverty that afflicts their strickenand oppressed country. In addition to suffering for
their faith under a regime that is widely agreed
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to be one of the worlds worst persecutors of
Christians, they must also endure severe food
shortages and inadequate medical supplies. A
third of all under-fives in the country are believed
to be chronically malnourished. Although theinternational community has been providing aid
for many years, North Koreas rocket launch in
April prompted widespread condemnation and a
threat of tighter sanctions against the Communist
government. Pray that the basic needs of
North Koreas suffering people will be met, and
especially for protection for our brothers and
sisters.
AugustWednesday 1 Horrible crimes have beenmade against the population: massacres, rape
of women, obligation to wear the veil, chasing
Christians All the believers had to flee towards
the south, leaving their homes and giving up all
their goods. A Barnabas Fund contact in Mali
vividly described the rampage of Islamists through
the north of the country in March and April and
its destructive effects on the regions Christians.
The heavily armed rebels ransacked and looted
homes, vandalised church buildings and occupied
a Bible school. All the church buildings in Gao andTimbuktu were destroyed. More than 215,000
people were displaced, and many Christians fled
to the capital, Bamako. Pray for an end to the
violence in Mali and that the Lord will guard His
people there from further attack.
Thursday 2 Barnabas Fund is helpingChristian families who fled the violence in northern
Mali. The displaced believers received corn
and rice that covered their food needs for three
months. We also supplied medicines for children
and women, and covered housing costs for
some of the families. Pray that these provisions
will sustain them and that the Lord will give them
wisdom to know what to do next. Pray too for the
generous Christians in the south of Mali who arealso supporting them.
Friday 3 Last year Sofian, a church leaderin North Africa, took some theological courses
funded by Barnabas. He then started applying
the knowledge he had acquired in his preaching
and teaching seminars in various churches in his
region. To many of the Christians who heard him
the material was new and refreshing. He also
recorded a series of 15-minute teaching sessions
on Christ in the Old Testament, which were
broadcast nightly last year during primetime on
a Christian satellite TV channel and were even
watched by Muslims in his country. Pray that all
the pastors and church leaders who take these
courses will be similarly strengthened by them to
lead the growing churches in this North Africancountry. Pray for boldness and discernment for
them as they teach.
Saturday 4 Pray for vulnerable Christians inPakistan who are ground down under the feet of
the wealthy and powerful. In a recent incident,
believers in Bhondary Wala village have been
threatened and abused while trying to save their
communitys graveyard from being turned intofarmland. A retired army colonel has claimed
ownership of the plot, which has been used by
AUGUST 1 - 4
Many Christians fled when Islamistsrampaged through northern Mali
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Christians for decades, and has built a boundary
wall that reduces it to less than a third of its
original size, turning the rest over to agricultural
use. Only when a government minister intervened
were the police persuaded even to investigatethe matter. Pray that the Lord will defend these
Christians and shatter the rod of their oppressor
(Isaiah 9:4).
Sunday 5 My attitude has changed. BeforeI was often very irritated. Now I can comehere. In January, Hina, a 19-year-old Christiangirl in Pakistan, started following a one-year,
church-run course in sewing and literacy,which is funded by Barnabas. The course isopening up new worlds for her. Before shewas always at home helping her mother withhousehold chores, unable to read or write. Hermother never left her alone at home out of fearthat her daughter might be attacked or rapedby their Muslim neighbours. Now she can readfrom the Bible, her favourite book. Pray thatall 17 women following the course this yearwill be transformed by what they are learning.Ask the Lord that their new sewing skills willenable them to earn an income and providefor their families.
Monday 6 Pray for three victims of violence inPakistan, who received support from Barnabas
Fund to set up small businesses. A Christiancouple, Javed and Farzana, were falsely accused
of desecrating the Quran, a charge that carries a
mandatory life sentence under the Pakistan Penal
Code. Their angry Muslim neighbours burned
down the houses of Christians in their village, and
they had to flee with Farzanas father and live
in hiding in desperate circumstances. Through
Barnabas, Javed, a welder, received tools for his
trade, and Farzanas father was provided with apush cart from which he sells vegetables. Pray
that their new businesses will be successful and
will give them sufficient income to survive. Ask the
Lord to sustain them during these difficult times.
Tuesday 7 Give praise to the Lord that aChristian couple in Pakistan who were sentenced
to life imprisonment for blasphemy have been
cleared on appeal. Munir Masih and his wife
Ruqqiya were acquitted on 17 May. A false
blasphemy charge was laid against them in
December 2008 after a quarrel between their
children and some local Muslim children, and in
March 2010 they were convicted of desecrating
the Quran. Munir was freed on bail in November
2010, but Ruqqiya remained in jail. A tearful
Munir thanked God for their acquittal and quoted
Psalm 94:22, saying The LORD has become
my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I takerefuge. The couple were helped throughout their
ordeal by CLAAS, a Christian legal organisation
supported by Barnabas Fund. Pray for Munir and
Ruqqiya as they rebuild their lives.
Wednesday 8 Christians in Nepal face avery uncertain future as the countrys Constituent
Assembly struggles to put together a new
constitution. The proposals on religious freedominclude restrictions on conversion, recalling last
Munir Masih and Ruqqiya Bibi, who were
cleared of blasphemy in Pakistan
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years draft Civil Code, which threatened to make
illegal any activity that might lead others to change
their religion. Hindu extremists are pressing for
Hinduism to be privileged and protected, while
Nepals Muslims are also becoming increasinglyassertive, demanding to be recognised as a
distinct community within the constitution and for
positive discrimination in their favour. Pray that
the interim constitutions commitment to freedom
of religion and expression for all will be confirmed
and enhanced, and that Christians in Nepal will be
allowed both to practise and to share their faith.
Thursday 9 Continue to pray for BarnabasFunds Proclaim Freedomcampaign. This
initiative calls for Western governments to use
their influence with other governments to promote
global human rights, religious freedom and
justice for all minorities, especially Christians.
Praise the Lord that at present there is greater
concern among politicians and in the media
about anti-Christian persecution, and pray that
this will translate into positive action on behalf of
our oppressed Christian family. Give thanks too
for the encouraging response to the Proclaim
Freedompetition, and pray for more signatures.
Friday 10 The recent US Commission onInternational Religious Freedom report on
religious freedom (see 28 July) named Burma
(Myanmar), China, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq,Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia,
Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
and Vietnam as the other countries of particular
concern in 2012. This list comprises countries
whose governments have engaged in or
tolerated systematic orflagrant violations of
religious freedom. In every one of these countries
Christians have suffered serious discrimination
and persecution for their faith in recent years.Pray that pressure from the international
community will bring them some relief.
Saturday 11 Pray for Greater Grace ProtestantChurch in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, which
has become the first church to be liquidated by a
court under the countrys harsh new religion law.
The decision was taken at a 15-minute hearingat which no representative of the church was
present, and makes all its activities illegal and
subject to hefty fines. The law requires all religious
organisations to re-register, and the government
body responsible for this process claims that the
church has failed to do so. However, it has denied
permits to many groups, while hundreds more
are awaiting its response, and in court it failed
to produce any evidence that the church hadbroken the law. Church members intend to appeal
against the ruling, if necessary to the European
Court. Pray that their freedom to worship and
serve the Lord will be upheld.
Sunday 12 Secret police raided a Christiangathering at the home of Natalya Kim inYukori-Chirchik, Uzbekistan on 27 February,claiming to be searching for a bomb. Duringtheir search, they confiscated Christianbooks, a laptop and Natalyas notebooks onliving as a Christian. On 9 April, Natalya was
fined 60 times the minimum monthly salaryfor arranging an unauthorised gathering inher home and leading a religious meeting;14 other Christians werefined ten times the
minimum monthly salary. Pray that theseChristians will not be deterred by this raidfrom meeting to worship the Lord Jesus.Pray for our brothers and sisters as theyendure persecution, and pray for an end to theharassment of Christians in Uzbekistan.
Monday 13 Praise the Lord for better newsfrom Esther (17), a Christian pastors daughter
from Uzbekistan, who suffered severe brain injurywhen she was savagely attacked by the police in
May 2011. Before having surgery that Barnabas
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helped to fund, she could not walk, often lost
consciousness and suffered several epileptic
seizures every day; she also lost her eyesight.
After surgery she no longer has seizures; she can
walk and has begun to study and attend college.Her eyesight and coordination are improved but
not yet fully restored. Give thanks for her progress
and also that the pressure on her family has
been relieved in recent months, and pray for her
complete recovery.
Tuesday 14 Converts from Islam in northernCameroon have great needs. Many of them
are very poor, and some are isolated with fewopportunities for fellowship. They also suffer
contempt from the Muslim majority in the area,
and they are coming under increased pressure
from militant Islamists. Earlier this year a group
that identified itself as Boko Haram (the Islamist
movement responsible for numerous anti-
Christian attacks in neighbouring Nigeria) told
Christian converts to return to Islam or face
Allahs wrath. They then raided the houses of two
Christian leaders. Pray that the Lord will provide
opportunities for these believers to encourage one
another and grow in their faith, and that He will
raise up leaders from among them. Pray too that
He will protect and empower the Christians who
are training, encouraging and mentoring them (1
Samuel 23:16).
Wednesday 15 Gods House of MiracleChurch in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, had gathered
for its Sunday service on 29 April when a man
who had infiltrated the congregation threw a
grenade. One person was killed and 15 injured,
some critically; the assailant fled, and when some
of the Christians pursued him, he pointed a gun at
them. The incident followed a similar attack on an
open-air Christian gathering near Mombasa on 31March, when two people died and around 50 were
wounded. The Kenyan authorities believe that
recent attacks may be the work of al-Shabaab
militants from Somalia, where the militant
Muslim group has murdered numerous Christian
converts. Pray for protection for Christians in
Kenya and that the security forces will be able tocounter the violent activities of al-Shabaab.
Thursday 16 New Christian converts fromIslam often need equipping with practical skills
so that they can stand strong if their Muslim
families and friends disown them and Muslim
employers refuse to give them jobs. In an area
of Uganda where Muslims are particularly
aggressive towards converts, Barnabas has
enabled a church in train 120 new Christians in
vocational skills such as sewing, cloth weavingand hairdressing. On their graduation Barnabas
Fund provided the graduates with the tools to
embark on their professions, such as a sewing
machine, a cloth weaving machine or hairdressing
equipment. Pray that these converts will now be
able to provide for their families and that they will
continue to grow in their faith.
Friday 17 Please pray for a church leader (46)from Vietnam, who was beaten unconscious
on 23 February on his way home after taking a
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Christian converts in Uganda graduate
from their vocational training courseand receive equipment to start their
businesses
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funeral service. He said, On the way back to
my parish, three strangers on motorbikes came
after me and beat me around the head, back,
stomach and arms with two iron bars. The
pastor suffered multiple injuries and cuts. Thethugs had reportedly just been released from
prison and apparently have connections with the
local authorities. Such groups are hired to attack
church leaders and Christians in an area of in
the Central Highlands that the government has
declared a no religion zone. Pray for the Lords
protection over those who face persecution for His
Name in Vietnam.
Saturday 18 A Christian orphanage in Vietnamwas destroyed in a late night raid on 14 April.
Shortly after midnight, a group of thugs cut the
electricity to the orphanage before throwing
stones and other objects to frighten the children.
They then stormed the building and beat the
children. Around 200 policemen arrived, but
rather than protect the children and round up
the offenders, they helped the mob to destroy
the centre. Pray for all those who were injured in
the attack, including a local church leader, who
was beaten. He received such severe blows
to the head that he lost consciousness. Pray
that the children will know the Lords comfort in
their distress and that He will provide alternative
accommodation for them.
Sunday 19 In the Central Highlands ofVietnam, the 43-year-old church leader of anunregistered house church, who is highlyesteemed within the Christian community,was arrested in April and convicted of handingout anti-government leaflets enticing ethnicminorities to commit wrongdoing anddisrupting national unity; he has been jailed
for eleven years. Pray for this church leader,and ask the Lord to touch the hearts of theauthorities and overturn the conviction. Pray
that the government of Vietnam will ceaseseeing Christians as a threat and will put intopractice the freedom of religion guaranteed inits constitution.
Monday 20 Pray for around 200 Christiansfrom the Hmong ethnic minority in Vietnam who
have taken refuge in Bangkok, capital of Thailand,
to escape persecution at home. In April Barnabas
learned that the UNHCR was withdrawing their
right to remain in Thailand, thus exposing them
to the risk of deportation back to Vietnam. Some
of the Christians had been involved in a peaceful
protest against the confiscation of their land inMay 2011 in which more than 60 protestors were
killed by the security forces; even so, they were
told that it would probably be safe for them to
return. All the Christians have appealed against
the decision. Pray that the danger in which they
stand will be recognised and that they will be
granted refugee status.
Tuesday 21 The Iranian governments hostilityto Christianity is so intense and relentless that it
seems to be trying even to wipe out the countrys
Christian heritage. Churches and Christian
cemeteries are particularly vulnerable. In April a
cemetery in the Ghale Dokhtar area of Kerman
province, which was over 200 years old, was
completely demolished without the permission of
its owners. In 2011 a church building in the samearea was pulled down by bulldozers overnight
despite being registered as a national monument.
Other historic sites have been neglected or
repeatedly attacked. Pray that the faithfulness
and courage of Iranian Christians in the face
of persecution will proclaim powerfully that the
gates of hell shall not overcome Christs Church
(Matthew 16:18).
Wednesday 22 When members of a Tehrancongregation met for worship on 6 May they
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were asked to provide their names and national
ID numbers to the Iranian authorities, following
pressure from government officials. These details
will enable the security services to monitor the
churchs activities, and especially the convertsamong them, and could be used to pressure
believers into staying away. The church has been
under close surveillance for many years, and
some of its members have been killed. Pray that
this campaign of harassment and violence will
not discourage the Christians in their worship and
witness.
Thursday 23 Pray for Farshid Fathi, aChristian convert from Islam in Iran, who has been
sentenced to six years in prison. The married
father of two had been arrested by security forces
in the capital, Tehran, in December 2010 in a
major crackdown on the countrys house church
movement. He has been held in the notorious
Evin prison ever since, spending several months
in solitary confinement. At his trial he was accused
of action against the regimes security, being in
contact with foreign organisations and religious
propaganda, but all this amounted to nothing
more than practising his Christian faith. He is
expected to appeal; please pray for his protection
while in custody and for his swift release.
Friday 24 In better news from Iran, Fariborz
Azarm, a Christian from Rabat Karim, wasunexpectedly released from prison on 11 April,
having spent six months behind bars. His wife
and two children had been denied access to him
for most of his incarceration. Give thanks for our
brothers release, and pray for him as he recovers
from his hardships. Pray too for the safe release
of Eshan Behrooz, another detained Christian
who is being held in the Vakil Abad prison in
Mashhad. Many secret executions have takenplace there, but the authorities have reportedly
promised to set Eshan free.
Saturday 25 The case is being handled bythe killer and of course it would be impossible for
the killer to condemn himself. With these words
a Christian woman whose sister was shot dead
during a protest in Egypt denounced the closingof the investigation into the killing. Christians were
demonstrating in Cairo against the torching of a
church and other injustices on 9 October 2011
when they were brutally attacked by security
forces; 27 Christians were killed and 329 people
injured. But on 24 April the judges appointed to
investigate the incident claimed that the culprits
could not be identified. Another Christian woman,
whose fianc was crushed under a militaryvehicle, said that the dropping of the case was
a farce. Pray that such gross injustices against
Christians in Egypt will be put right, and that the
courts will defend them against arbitrary violence.
Sunday 26 The future of Egypts Christiancommunity hangs in the balance as Islamistsseek to extend their political ascendancy. Ina rare encouraging development, in April acourt suspended a panel appointed by theEgyptian parliament (which is dominatedby Islamists) to draft the countrys new
Eshan Behrooz, a Christian convertimprisoned in Iran (Source: FCNN)
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constitution. But the influence of Islamismshaped the recent elections, and it willcontinue to determine the political agendafor the foreseeable future. Christians are
concerned that Islamist supremacy willturn the country into a strict Islamic statewhere they will not be welcome. There wereChristians in Egypt many centuries before thebirth of Islam. Pray that the new constitutionwill guarantee their freedom, and that the newpresident will defend them.
Monday 27 A recent survey reveals a
menacing level of support for the agenda ofEgypts Islamists. A poll conducted by the Pew
Research Centre showed that six out of ten
Egyptians want the countrys laws to follow the
Quran strictly. The main Islamist group, the
Muslim Brotherhood, was rated positively by
70% of the interviewees, and 61% think that
Saudi Arabia, which enforces an extreme and
puritanical version of Islam, is a better model for
the role of religion in government than the more
secular Turkey. If these preferences are ever
translated into government policies, discrimination
and persecution against Christians will inevitably
intensify. Pray that the progress of Islamism in
Egypt will be halted and reversed.
Tuesday 28 Pray for a Christian teenager,
Gamal Abdou Massoud, who has been jailedfor three years in Egypt for posting a cartoon
allegedly insulting to Islam on his Facebook
page. The sentence was the maximum penalty
allowed by Egyptian law for such an offence.
The cartoon was regarded by Muslims as a
depiction of Muhammad, though Gamal denied
this. It prompted violent protests: Muslims torched
Gamals home and four others belonging to his
friends and relatives. His family were evictedfrom their village, and local church leaders had
to issue an apology. Pray for Gamal, that he may
be kept safe while in prison, and for freedom of
expression to be upheld in Egypt.
Wednesday 29 The power of Islamism
in post-revolution Libya was vividly revealedwhen a ban on religious-based political parties
was lifted just a week after it was introduced.
The ruling National Transitional Council issued
a new law on 25 April that banned political
parties based on religion, tribe or ethnicity, as
a means of preserving national unity. But after
vociferous protests by Islamist parties, a new
version of the law was published on 2 May that
made no mention of the ban. Islamists weretightly restrained by Libyas former ruler, Colonel
Gaddafi, and their victory in national elections
would stamp a much more Islamic character on
the new regime. Pray for the expatriate Christian
community in Libya and the very few converts
from Islam, as they seek to respond wisely to
political developments.
Thursday 30 Pray for Christian schoolchildrenand teachers in Brunei as they face increased
pressure from the Islamic authorities. The Ministry
of Education announced in March that Islamic
Religious Knowledge was to be made a core
subject of the school curriculum. This means
that all the Christian schools in the country will
have to teach it to all their students (not just to
the Muslim children, as before) at both primaryand secondary levels. It was already illegal for
them to teach Christianity even to the Christian
children. The government of Brunei is an absolute
Muslim monarchy; it actively promotes Islam and
imposes restrictions on the practice of Christianity
and other non-Muslim religions. There are around
40,000 Christians in Brunei, about 10% of the
population. Pray for wisdom for the schools as
they respond to this new directive, and that theLord will protect the faith of Christian children in
Brunei.
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Barnabas Fund is a Company registered in England Number 4029536. Registered Charity Number 1092935 Barnabas Fund 2012
www.barnabasfund.org
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Friday 31 Praise God for the bravery of agroup of Christians in Laos who are standing
up for religious freedom in the country by
resisting the closure of their church building.
On 5 April, officials ordered the confiscationand closure of the building in Khamnonsung
village, Savannakhet province, claiming that the
Christians did not have permission for it, despite
its dating from 1968 before the Communist
government came to power. But the Christians
continued to meet for worship in the building;
they said that they were willing to risk their safety
and that of their families to defend religious
freedom. The confiscation follows the closure ofthree other church buildings in the district, and
others are vulnerable to takeover. Pray that the
determination of these Christians will prompt a
change of heart by the authorities.
AUGUST 31