North Korea:Over 56,000 Bibles delivered in 2012

As we reflect on the Bible delivery ministry for the year 2012, in the midst of many obstacles, a total of 56,330 Bibles, which included 28,269 Korean Bibles, 11,951 Chinese Bibles, 11,828 Messiah Manga Bibles, 1,328 Mongol Bibles and another 2,934 Scripture-related Books delivered. Bible delivery to North Korea was momentarily closed but God opened new doors to deliver the Bibles as the year closed. They were able to deliver Chinese Commentary Bibles, Korean Bibles and Messiah Manga Bibles which were delivered safely into the hands souls hungry for the Word of God. We pray that all the North Koreans who are receiving the Bible will be transformed by the ‘living and active’ Word so that they will become people of God. We pray that God will have mercy upon those who are waiting for the Bible to be delivered to them, so that more and more safe passages can be opened to deliver the Bibles.

Praise:

God for opening doors so that His Word of life can be delivered to the North Koreans. (Heb.4:12)

Thailand: Buddhist town gets Christian radio

An agricultural town of 80,000 residents in Thailand is a popular tourist destination. In a town that is predominantly Buddhist, a Christian radio station was set up through the collaborative efforts of Thailand Christian Radio Network, seven local churches and HCJB (an organization that tries to reach people through the airwaves and through healthcare). Local residents built the radio station on land provided by a Christian primary school. This largely Buddhist town will now be able to hear the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ on a Frequency Modulation (FM) station.

Praise:

God for the Christian radio station through which many people will hear the Gospel of Christ. Pray that God will work in the hearts and minds of people so they will accept Him as Saviour.

MPs attack Government’s 'downgrading’ of religious education

Religious education in schools is to come under attack in a report which will warn that more than half of those who teach the subject do not have any expertise. A cross-party group of MPs, peers and bishops will claim that ‘a raft of recent policies’ have undermined the teaching of RE in schools. Their report includes a survey of 430 schools, which found that 10 out of 130 secondary schools broke the law by not teaching RE to some pupils. In a quarter of the primary schools surveyed, pupils were being taught by teaching assistants, rather than qualified teachers, while 43 per cent of staff teaching RE in primary and secondary schools did not have any specialist training in the subject. The All Party Parliamentary Group on Religious Education described its findings as ‘unacceptable’. A raft of recent policies have had the effect of downgrading RE in status on the school curriculum.

Pray:

that those with control over the content of schools' curricula will recognise the vital importance of RE in our multicultural and multi-faith society. (Dt.6:5-8)

Christian graphic designer refused job because of his faith

A graphic designer has claimed that he was denied a job with a county hotel near Colchester simply because of his Christian faith. Jamie Haxby (24) was invited for an interview with Prested Hall Hotel after applying for a job to design the venue's advertising and promotional material. But after discovering that he was a Christian, manager Celie Parker said that he could not be considered for the role because his beliefs would upset atheist employees. Mr Haxby says that the interview was going well until Ms Parker saw his portfolio which contained samples of work that he had done for his local church and a Christian charity. Just over halfway through looking over my portfolio, Celie stopped me and said she did not think we needed to go any further. She then explained that she thought my work was brilliant, but that she and others on her team were atheists.

Pray:

for believers as they face challenges to their faith especially when it has nothing to do with what they are involved in. (1Cor.16:13)

Season of change for Wycliffe Bible Translators

2014 will be a big year for Wycliffe Bible Translators with the relocation of their headquarters and celebrations to mark their 50th anniversary in the UK. The charity has announced the sale of the Wycliffe Centre in Buckinghamshire, where they have been based for the last 40 years. Wycliffe executive director Eddie Arthur said the facility, with its training and conference centre, was larger than what was needed for its operations. There are plans to move to office space nearby and change the way they engage with supporters. 'The Wycliffe Centre has been a wonderful home for our mission, providing us with office space, a training centre and allowing us to host church groups and conferences. However, changing patterns in missionary training worldwide mean that we no longer need such a large facility for our own needs' says Mr Arthur. From this August, Wycliffe training courses will be available to a wider audience through Redcliffe College in Gloucester.

Pray:

for the staff and work of the Wycliffe Centre especially during the period of transition. (Lk.4:43)

Majority of UK children 'living below the breadline by 2015', says TUC

Government welfare and tax changes, together with lower than forecast wage growth, will leave the majority of children in the UK living in families below the breadline by 2015, according to new Trades Union Congress research. Tax and welfare reforms alone - both existing and future changes - will be responsible for nearly half a million more children living below the breadline, says the TUC. In 'A Bleak Future For Families', the research finds that the cumulative impact of government policies and slower than forecast wage growth over the course of this Parliament will mean that 690,000 more children will be living below the minimum income standard - the level of income needed to achieve a minimum acceptable standard of living in the UK - by 2015. TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady said: ‘Families are suffering the tightest squeeze in their living standards in nearly a century.’ See also last week's Prayer Alert 'Archbishop of Canterbury attacks Government welfare reforms'.

Pray:

for Government to ensure that children are not adversely affected by their economic policies. (Pr.19:17)

Catastrophic antibiotic threat: 'untreatable infections' coming

Health officials in the United Kingdom are warning of possible catastrophic consequences after the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. One of the reasons antibiotic resistance is on the increase is the fact that bacteria are adapting quicker than researchers can develop new drugs to fight them', Sally Davies, the chief medical officer for England, told Reuters. ‘Antimicrobial resistance poses a catastrophic threat. If we don't act now, any one of us could go into hospital in 20 years for minor surgery and die because of an ordinary infection that can't be treated by antibiotics,’ She added that there have only been a few drugs successfully developed and made available on the market in the past few decades which led to the current situation. It also means that procedures that were once thought to be routine may pose a serious health risk to patients.

Pray:

for the work of medical researchers as they seek to find solutions to this problem. (Ac.10:38)

Changes in the church?

Roman Catholics have a new leader, and the wider world has a new ministry to watch. The direction the new Pope takes his flock is important for committed Catholics. The pope wields vast influence as the world’s most powerful moral leader and the public face of Christianity. The Orthodox Union lauded Pope Francis for his solidarity with the Argentine Jewish community and expressed hope that the Pope ‘will be an active force in the battle against those who would use religion as a justification for violence and intolerance.’ New Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was formally installed two days after Francis’ official installation on March 19th and said he will keep his Catholic counterpart in prayer.

Pray:

for these two men as they take up the most visible Christian leadership roles. (Nu.6:23-25)

Church hounded from hotel over its traditional beliefs

A church in Aberdeen was blocked from holding a Sunday service in a hotel function room because of the church’s beliefs about sex and marriage. The Gilcomston Church has recently broken away from the Church of Scotland in opposition to the ordination of gay clergy. They had booked a function room at the Copthorne Hotel in Aberdeen to hold their first Sunday service as an independent church on 10 March. Hotel management broke off the agreement after it received complaints because of the church’s beliefs. Rev Smart said: ‘So much for the tolerant society. We were just going to have a church service.’ The Gilcomston Church has now come to an amicable agreement to lease its old church building, until they can find a permanent venue so it no longer needs to hire a hotel function room.

Pray:

that secular political correctness will not stop Christians from worshipping in differing ways. (Jn.17:23)

Church of Cyprus has offered to help.

‘The entire wealth of the Church is at the disposal of the country so that we can stand on our own two feet and not relying on foreigners,’ Archbishop Chrysostomos said after meeting Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades early on Wednesday. The Church of Cyprus is a major shareholder in Cyprus's third-largest domestic lender, Hellenic Bank. Unless Europe, the International Monitory Fund or Russia give Cyprus more money or the banks will go bust. Cyprus has become the tax evasion centre for Russian oligarchs. It is doubtful Angela Merkel would agree to a bailout blueprint that causes German taxpayers to subsidise Moscow billionaires with a German election looming this autumn. Anastasiades - a month in the job - gathered party leaders and the governor of the central bank at his office on Wednesday and was due to hold talks with officials from the EU, European Central Bank and IMF while Finance Minister Michael Sarris was in Moscow negotiating a Russia bail out to safeguard high levels of Russian deposits in Cypriot banks.

Pray:

for God in His mercy to sort out the looming turmoil that would affect ex-pat European citizens. (Ps.20:1)

EU’s Ashton expects breakthrough In Kosovo dispute

The European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton says Serbia and Kosovo are close to a deal to end the ethnic partition of the former Serbian province. She spoke after the leaders of both nations expressed optimism about an agreement as early as this week. In a significant U-turn, Serbia offered to recognize the authority of Kosovo's government over the north, in exchange for autonomy for Serbs living there. The two sides were at odds however over the powers any Serb institutions in the north would have. But Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic now says they are in his words ‘never closer’ to settling their differences. Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci told reporters earlier they were at what he called ‘the beginning of the end’ in reaching an accord to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia. The two men spoke after separate talks with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Belgrade and Pristina.

Pray:

for the success of these discussions and pray for a breakthrough that will bring reconciliation. (Eph.4:13)

NIGERIA: Kano bus station bomb kills 22+

A bus station primarily used by Christian passengers heading south was bombed killing at least 22 and injuring 65. Several buses were destroyed. Kano is the largest city in the mainly Muslim north of Nigeria. One of the buses targeted was full when the explosion happened, and was completely destroyed. Security in the city has been substantially tightened with the area of the explosion almost completely sealed off. In January 150 died in Kano in a series of co-ordinated attacks by Boko Haram. The group is fighting to overthrow the Nigeria government and create an Islamic state in the North. It is also believed to have a presence in Cameroon, Niger and Chad. Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation and largest oil producer. It is roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominately Christian south.

Pray:

for the families and communities affected by the killings pray also for the federal government to overcome those who do not mean well for Nigeria. (2Th.3:2-3)

Israel: Security/Syria’s chemical weapons?

In 1997, CIA Director George Tenet told Congress that Syria had or was actively developing chemical and biological weapons. Syria is considered to have one of the most advanced chemical weapon programs in the Arab world. See: http://www.wisconsinproject.org/countries/syria/chem.html On Wednesday a senior Israeli official said ‘it is clear that chemical weapons were recently used in Syria’ and that the attack will be a main topic of conversation with visiting President Barack Obama at the end of this week. The statement conflicts with US assessments of ‘no evidence’ behind Tuesday's chemical weapons attack on a village in the north of Syria. However, a senior US defence official told the Associated Press that he concurred chemical weapons had been used. He spoke anonymously because he is not allowed to speak to the media. Israel is concerned that Syria's chemical arsenal could fall into the hands of anti-Israel militants like Lebanon's Hezbollah, an al-Assad ally, or an al-Qaida-linked group fighting with the Syrian rebels.

Pray:

against the use of chemical weapons in the middle east, in the light of Obama’s declaration of military intervention should they be proven to be used. (Pr.2:10-12)

Afghanistan: Christian translations

Please pray for the protection of a production team putting together a film that depicts part of the life of Jesus. It is being dubbed into the language of the largest Afghani tribal group. Pray for the safety of local believers who have volunteered to have their voices used in this project. They are exposing themselves to tremendous risk. When one local believer was asked about his voice being used in the project, he replied, ‘Not my voice only, but all of me belongs to God. It’s my service to Him!’ Pray also for more speakers to come forward, to enable the production of multiple dialects of this language. Pray that the completed film will have secure and anointed distribution.

Pray:

for many local people to become followers of Jesus and to be protected as they share their faith. (Mk.10:28-30)

India: Orissa – more violence against Christians

At 2:30 am on 15th February, 60 police officers forced entry into Christian homes in a village in Ganjam district. Pastor Jahaya Mandal heard the commotion and investigated, then police started to interrogate him about his ministry. Church deacon Korneil Roita was called for and subsequently tied to a tree and beaten severely. Other Christians were also tied to trees and beaten. When one of them shouted, ‘O God, O Jesus, Alleluia, Alleluia,’ the police increased the brutality, causing severe injuries. Four hours later police led six (including the pastor and deacon) into the jungle with hands tied and feet bare walking over thorny and rocky ground causing their feet to bleed. They were then taken 12 kilometres from their village and left in a very bad state. Christians in India are vulnerable to violent attacks by Hindu extremists. While police often fail to intervene they are rarely the perpetrators of violence against Christians. Please pray that the police and local officials will do more to uphold religious liberties in India.

Pray:

God's peace, comfort and protection over those Christians living in pain and fear of further violence. Ps.12:5-6)

North Korea: Sabre rattling

South Korea suspects North Korea to be behind cyber-attacks on computer networks at two major banks and three top TV broadcasters which went into shutdown on Wednesday. Also this week North Korea produced another video showing the United States under attack. The White House and Washington featured in a four-minute video titled ‘Firestorms will rain on the Headquarters of War’ posted on the YouTube channel of North Korea's official website from the state media. The video portrays the United States as a bullying nuclear power intent on bending Pyongyang to its will. ‘Second by second, the fuse of a nuclear war is burning,’ a female narrator warned. ‘There is no limit to the range of our strategic rockets,’ the narrator said. Meanwhile crimes against humanity are committed daily. 200,000 men, women and children are held in prison camps. Religious persecution is boundless. Christianity is ‘public enemy number one’.

Pray:

for an end to violent religious oppression, threats of pre-emptive nuclear strikes and continued tensions on the Korean peninsula. (Job20:4-6 &1Ch.17:9)

Pakistan: Election prayer campaign

Pakistan is waging a continued war against terrorism, Talibanisation, extremism and radicalization as they go to the polls in May. They genuinely expect democracy to bring good governance that will deliver them from the quagmire of problems. Election-2013 will be of significant importance and have long term consequences for democratic consolidation in Pakistan. The National Prayer Network of Pakistan in partnership with local churches initiated a prayer campaign in December 2012 focusing on the 2013 General Election. The campaign aims to motivate Christians across Pakistan to pray for the upcoming election, believing persistent prayer will impact the election process. The campaign is also focusing on a spiritual and moral awakening of the Church and for the healing of the nation. We are being asked to pray for the Church’s Spiritual Awakening to the power of prayer to change things. See: http://www.prayerconnect.net/news/prayer-connect-news/taliba n-prayer-focus

Pray:

God will lead the Pakistani Church into a revival through the life-changing power of Jesus Christ in her midst, and a true cultural transformation. (Pr.11:14)

Iraq: 10 years of rebuilding

Ten years after the start of the Iraq war the International Medical Corps is proud to have been one of the few humanitarian organisations able to deliver assistance to the Iraqi people non-stop throughout the decade. Before the conflict started they provided primary health care services and training to Iraqi medical professionals. Within days of the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime their emergency response teams were working closely with the Ministry of Health to maintain vital services to some of the most vulnerable Iraqis. The story of International Medical Corps in Iraq has been one of hope and determination by the Iraqi people to secure a safer, healthier, self-reliant future. They provide primary and secondary health care, mental health & psychosocial support and economic livelihood training to some of the 1.5 million Iraqis displaced inside the country.

Pray:

for this and similar work to continue renovating hospitals, training medical practitioners and assisting the returning refugees and displaced Iraqi people.