GPN 03-04-2011
"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" - Ephesians 6:18. It is a honor to be able to this for each other. Greetings, Roberto Wijnhof
Guatemala is a turbulent and violent country. BBC news recently listed it as having the 3rd highest murder rate in the world for a country not at war. In this city alone, around 4 bus drivers are murdered each week by extortion gangs. Many more citizens are murdered in acts of violent crime. It is a country gripped by fear. A short-time missionary, Anna, writes of how God inspired her to start prayer for this community. Young people visited the prayer room that was set up for a weekend of 24 hour prayer. She received a couple of stories from that short prayer weekend. The pastor’s wife said that she had entered the room looking for her young son and found him lying prostrate on the floor praying and sobbing to God. Another friend had accidentally slept through his designated prayer slot and when he awoke was worried that the prayer room may have been empty. When he entered he realised that many of the young people had not finished when their hours had ended but had continued to pray through the night. Praise God for stirring young people’s hearts to seek His face. Pray that more young people will join in these prayer initiatives. Pray that Anna and her friends will see the blessing of seeking God in Guatemala as stated in 2 Chronicles 7:14 and Luke 18:7-8.
We are all doing good here in the Philippines and a little busy right now because we started in this coordination of the 3 cities to have massive evangelistic Campaigns because God wants to move, but he has people an effective and relevant, and connection different denominations in the Philippines to challenge your community reach and penetrate the 7 pillars of society that is, education, science and technology, entertainment, government and family. So that's what we're doing here now. Pray for this. Impact World Tour Coordinator, Dennis Alejo
As you have no doubt seen on the news, Pakistan’s Minister for Minorities Affairs, and close friend of CSW, Shahbaz Bhatti was assassinated.
Shahbaz was shot by a group of unknown gunmen as he left for work this morning. He is believed to have been assassinated because of his long-term stand against Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws which are often misused to target religious minorities. Shahbaz had received numerous death threats over recent months, so it is unclear why police and security forces were unable to protect him.
But, we are determined to continue Shahbaz’s work for religious freedom in Pakistan and to support, pray and advocate for Pakistan’s religious minorities.
Pakistan’s religious minorities are now in an even more difficult and delicate position and need our prayers more than ever. Now, in his memory, we ask you to take one minute every day over the next few weeks to pray for justice, religious freedom and inter-faith harmony in Pakistan.
Please pray for pastor John TL Maasbach from the Netherlands, who is in Pakistan right now, holding crusades with a group of 15 people also from the Netherlands. Pray for their protection and that they will succeed in what they are there for.
I desire therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. (1 Tim.2:8). Pray that God will capture the hearts of men and draw them near to Himself. Pray that the men in your community will come together to seek God’s face. Pray that men will start prayer groups to pray for their congregation, workplace and country.
God, please strengthen and comfort the thousands of Christians in Eritrea who are experiencing imprisonment and torture such as Helen endured. Praise God for the victories we’ve seen, such as the release last July of Eritrean refugees detained in Libya. Pray for Eritrean refugees who are suffering at the hands of people traffickers.
Our lawyer (BSR) in an important legal case is turning hostile. At this final stage of the case, it is not practical to change him. Holy Spirit of God, please change his heart and take control of the matter. We ask in His name.
Please join us in prayer for FIRE TRAILS, a national prayer initiative. The FIRE TRAILS initiative was born to unite National Ministries, Movements and Churches in South Africa for a period of 40 days (6 March to 16 April 2011), to support and serve local communities towards sustainable and Biblical transformation. Four trails and two shorter tracks will be covered by action groups, visiting towns and cities on invitation. Other towns and cities, not on the “trail routes are forming station with events in their own communities. Christians and congregations in South Africa are invited to take hands to unite in serving their communities
UPDATE: Will undergo another Echocardiogram on my heart March 18th to see what's up with my new heart valve. Dr. Moreau, the Cardiologist, and Dr. Sahad, the Pulmonologist, have ruled out everything else that could be causing my recent problems. Hopefully this will solve the mystery, and they can determine what to do from there. Dr. Moreau has increased my heart BP medicine, and that is helping significantly, ... And... I can return to working out - which helps everything!!! Helen K.
India. Pastor Hari Shankar Ninama, 65, was attacked by at least 10 men in Ambarunda village, Rajasthan, in northwest India. His attackers seized him while he was praying for a sick child in the village. The men, who accused him of forced conversions, stripped him and beat him with wooden clubs and their fists. They told him they would kill him if he continued his evangelism. Then they fled, leaving the pastor to walk naked to the nearest police station, five miles away. Fearing retaliatory attacks, Pastor Ninama's family asked the police not to investigate the beating. Extremists have threatened to burn down his daughter's house if the police prosecute. Pastor Ninama's 40-member house church has not met since the attack, and Christians in the village fear more attacks. Attacks against pastors or church members have also occurred in five other Indian states so far this year. Thank God that Pastor Ninama wants to continue his ministry. Pray that God will use this event to strengthen the faith of the believers in Ambarunda.
AFGHANISTAN -- Believer Remains in Afghan Prison -- VOM Sources
Shoaib Assadullah has been in prison in Afghanistan for four months, accused of apostasy and expecting a death sentence. He was arrested Oct. 21 after giving a New Testament to a man who later reported him to authorities. While in prison, Shoaib has been attacked physically and threatened with death by other prisoners, and he is under severe psychological pressure. Shoaib became a Christian five years ago, and authorities are pushing him to recant his faith. His father, who is not a believer, visits regularly and can't understand why Shoaib won't recant and get on with his life. In a Feb. 17 letter, Shoaib wrote that he expects to be executed soon. "The court's decision is most definitely going to be the death penalty for me," he said. Pray that Shoaib will not be discouraged and that he will put his whole trust in God. Pray that he will feel compassion for his persecutors and that the Lord will give him the right words to use in sharing salvation with other prisoners.
After protests in Tunisia and Egypt forced leaders from power, demonstrations began breaking out across North Africa and the Middle East. Yemen, Iran, Bahrain, Kuwait, Morocco, Djibouti, Jordan, Algeria and Iraq are among the nations where protests have been staged. In Libya, hundreds have been killed in clashes between security forces and demonstrators. Pro-democracy protests continue to break out across North Africa and the Middle East, threatening to topple governments. Unrest has been reported in Iran, Yemen, Morocco, Bahrain, Kuwait, Algeria, Jordan, Iraq and Djibouti. The most deadly violence in the region has been in Libya. Unlike Egypt, where the military forces identified with protesters and tried to maintain peace, Libyan forces have engaged in a full-scale crackdown. Special units and mercenaries were called in by leader Muammar al-Qadhafi to shoot and bomb demonstrators. Residents in Tripoli said they were afraid to even leave their homes as trucks loaded with militiamen patrolled the streets and opened fire on protesters. Although no one is sure how many were killed, several reports have put the number in the hundreds, making this revolt the bloodiest in the Arab world since violence first erupted in Tunisia. aPray for: the civil unrest spreading throughout North Africa and the Middle East to be an open door for the gospel to reach many Muslims; the Lord to continue shaking this region, toppling spiritual strongholds and setting the captives free
SUDAN, Hiba Abdelfadil Anglo, the 15-year-old daughter of a Christian widow in northern Sudan, was kidnapped by suspected Islamic extremists in Khartoum eight months ago. The girl disappeared while returning from the Ministry of Education on June 27, 2010. Her mother, Ikhlas Anglo, a member of the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church in Khartoum, said her daughter had gone to the education ministry office to get her transcripts for entry to secondary school. Two days after Hiba disappeared, her family received threatening telephone calls and text messages from the kidnappers demanding 1,500 Sudanese pounds ($560) for her return. Ikhlas and others say they believe the kidnappers are Muslim extremists who have targeted them because they are Christians. When Ikhlas tried to report her daughter's abduction to police, they bluntly told her she must first leave Christianity for Islam. During this ordeal, Ikhlas also lost her job. Christians in northern Sudan fear what the future may hold for them after the Christian majority south secedes to become a new nation in July. Pray for the safe return of Hiba Abdelfadil Anglo, and ask God to take care of her family. Pray for Sudan as its leaders determine how to divide the country.
