Benin: Gospel broadcasts break voodoos' hold

Proclaiming the gospel through Christian radio programmes remains an essential way to get the message of salvation to those in bondage to voodoo. Benin, West Africa, is known as the birthplace of voodoo, and signs of this ancient practice are entangled in the culture, especially in the southern parts of the country. At a recent Fulani women’s conference, one participant described how she was set free from the bondage of demons and idols after she had listened to the ‘Programmes of Life’ radio broadcasts. For years Fulani herdsmen have heard the gospel in their mother tongue on eight local radio stations. Many of the women listen faithfully and have now started to support the radio work financially to mark their commitment. Gospel broadcasts in the Adja language recently touched the hearts of a respected voodoo practitioner and his assistant, as well as the leader’s three wives and many children. All came to faith in Jesus Christ.

Praise:

God for the way that new life comes via the Good News of the Gospel. (Ac.5:20)

David Cameron speaks of Christian faith in Easter message

David Cameron has spoken of the ‘peace’ and ‘guidance’ he finds in his Christian faith. In a rare comment on his religious beliefs, the prime minister stressed the importance of teaching children about the religious aspects of Easter. He told BBC Radio Norfolk he wanted Nancy, Arthur and Florence to understand that the festival was more than just ‘chocolate eggs’. It comes as Downing Street released Mr Cameron's Easter message on YouTube. He speaks of the ‘countless acts of kindness’ carried out every day across the UK by ‘those who believe in and follow Christ. ‘The heart of Christianity is to 'love thy neighbour' and millions do really live that out,’ he added, praising Alpha courses run in prisons and the ‘spirit’ shown by those who had helped rescue residents during the winter storms across southern England.

Praise:

God for Cameron’s testimony and pray that his faith will increase. (1Cor.16:13)

Britain must stand against Christian persecution says PM

British Prime Minister David Cameron has said Christianity is now the most persecuted religion around the world and that Britain should be ‘unashamed’ in standing up against persecution of Christians and other religious groups. ‘I hope we can do more to raise the profile of the persecution of Christians around the world,’ Cameron said in an opening speech at his Easter reception at Downing Street. ‘It is the case today that our religion is now the most persecuted religion around the world. I think Britain can play a leading role in combating this.’ Cameron said Britain had met its obligations in terms of the aid it gives to countries around the world. ‘We're seen as a country which is engaged internationally.’ Foreign Secretary William Hague and Foreign Office Minister Baroness Sayeeda Warsi agreed with the prime minister on the need to raise a voice against religious persecution, Cameron said.

Pray:

that the response to Cameron’s comments will raise awareness and lead to a stronger voice against persecution. (2Th.1:4)

Muslim Brotherhood transfers HQ from London

The Muslim Brotherhood is reportedly moving its headquarters to Austria from London due to a new investigation of the group by Prime Minister David Cameron’s government. (See also Prayer Alert 12-2014) The Islamist group, which was named a terrorist entity by both Egypt and Saudi Arabia, has come under increasing scrutiny in Britain and in various Arab countries. According to a report on Saturday on the Daily Mail website, the group decided to move its headquarters to Graz, Austria after Cameron launched a joint investigation by both the domestic intelligence agency MI5 and the foreign one, MI6. The group had recently relocated its international office to Cricklewood in north western London, above an out-of-business kebab shop.Cameron announced on April 1 that his government was launching a probe into the Brotherhood’s activities in Britain and its links to terrorism.

Pray:

that following the investigation instigated by the authorities the exposure will lead to a further reduction in the group's activities. (Jn.3:20)

Trojan Horse: 25 schools probed over alleged takeover plot

An investigation into an alleged hard-line Islamist takeover plot of Birmingham schools has widened, with 25 schools now under the spotlight. Birmingham City Council said it had received more than 200 reports in relation to its inquiry.It has appointed former head teacher Ian Kershaw as its chief advisor. Anonymous claims that hard-line Muslims were trying to take over the running of some city schools were made in a letter sent to local authorities last year. The 25 schools now being looked at include primaries, secondaries and academies. Besides the announcement about Ian Kershaw, who'll oversee the Trojan Horse investigation on behalf of the city council, there have been two other important appointments. Stephen Rimmer will chair a second group which will include faith groups and figures from the local communities. He was brought to the West Midlands last year to lead an investigation into the abuse and sexual exploitation of children. Pank Patel will decide which schools can become academies and will monitor performance. (See also Prayer Alert 08-2014)

Pray:

for wisdom for those leading the inquiry into Islamic influence in Birmingham schools. (Ec.7:18b)

Children let down by asylum system

A report published last week by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner reveals that some children who arrive alone in the UK seeking asylum face a struggle to get their voices heard in a system designed to deal with adults. Children and young people who claim asylum are placed in the care system until they turn 18 but if their claims fail they are then required to leave the UK. Having learned English and settled in the UK, they are then asked to return to countries they have not seen since childhood, where languages are spoken which they may not know. The Refugee Council says the report shows the uncertainty these young people face as their stay in the UK progresses. It recommends that they should be provided with greater stability whilst in education or training, making them better equipped to establish themselves when they are then made to leave the UK.

Pray:

for young asylum seekers and that the British Government will extend the best possible care to them in case they have to leave the UK. (Dt.23:15-16)

Isle of Man homeless charity holds school workshops

A homeless charity is holding a number of workshops in Manx schools to raise awareness of what they describe as a ‘hidden problem’. According to Housing Matters, a growing number of people on the island have no home to call their own. The Douglas-based charity said it has helped about 300 clients in the last 12 months, 10% of whom were under the age of 18. There are neither housing associations nor homeless legislation on the island. Housing Matters' Kat Ash said: ‘We want to give young people the knowledge that if they find themselves homeless they know where to turn.’ Without housing associations or homeless legislation, some people are slipping through the safety net, the charity Housing Matters claims. The charity said it has helped 33 young people in the last 12 months - 18 of which were referred to the charity by the Department of Social Care.

Pray:

for all who find themselves homeless and for this initiative in the Isle of Man. (Lev.25:35-36)

Online porn seen by one in four by age 12

One in four people have seen online porn by the age of 12, a BBC Three-commissioned survey has revealed. The BBC reported that 62 per cent of respondents, who were all aged 16 to 21, said they first saw it ‘when they weren’t expecting to or because they were shown it by someone else’. Of the 1,002 questioned seven per cent were under ten when they first saw online porn. The BBC documentary’s presenter, Jameela Jamil, said: ‘I worry about the new generation of men whose first real introduction to sex is what they see on their laptop’. She added: ‘They think we are supposed to look, sound and move like that. What’s scarier is that I worry young women are starting to think the same.’ In December, the headmaster at one of Britain’s leading co-educational schools said online porn ‘gives a distorted image of human relationships to young people’.

Pray:

for the Government to speed up measures preventing accidental viewing and requireing people to register to view porn. (Ps.119:37)

Falling savings put millions at risk of repossession

Millions of working families in the UK could not pay their rent or mortgage for more than a month if they lost their job, according to new figures from the housing and homelessness charity Shelter. A survey of working adults who pay rent or a mortgage found that, with little or no savings to fall back on, 3.8 million families could be just one pay cheque away from losing their home. Worryingly, the research also found that more than a third of families would not be able to make their next rent or mortgage payment if they were to lose their job this month. Mirroring Shelter’s research, the latest government figures on savings reveal that 15 million working age adults in the UK have no savings at all and that savers withdrew money from their accounts last year at the fastest rate for nearly four decades.

Pray:

for all those who lack the wherewithal for rent and mortgage payments.

EU elections: 'We can hardly complain if we didn't vote'

The European Parliament elections have a long tradition of failing to attract large numbers of voters, but British Churches are urging their members to participate. The elections have had a historically low voter turn out, with only a third of those eligible turning out for the 2009 European elections. To boost turnout and encourage people in the difference their vote can make, the Methodist Church in Britain, the Baptist Union of Great Britain and the United Reformed Church have produced a document highlighting the impact that decisions made in the European Parliament have on people living in Britain. The document does not support a particular party programme but sets out some of the issues that are important at the European level, including tax, migration, human rights and whether Britain should remain in the EU. It also explains how the EU and the European Parliament work.

Pray:

for many more people, especially Christians, to involve themselves in elections by voting. (Dt.1:13)

Ukraine crisis: Big test for Europe

For Europe these spring days may prove to be a defining moment. Its protests over Russian action in Ukraine have gone unheeded. Its pleas have been disregarded. In recent weeks its hand in the crisis has only weakened. Europe's foreign ministers meet on Monday in Luxembourg. They are in danger of losing the ability to influence events. At stake is not just the risk of a descent into civil war in Ukraine, but whether the European Union can demonstrate unity, determination and resolve. Over recent days a scenario has unfolded in Eastern Ukraine. It is familiar in its design and execution. Police stations and buildings in several Ukrainian cities have been occupied by pro-Russian protesters, many of them armed. According to reports, some of the men carry specialised Russian weapons and, as in Crimea, some wore identical uniforms without insignia.

Pray:

that God will grant a resolution to this situation and bring peace. (Ps.34:14)

Global corruption & G20

The G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group meets in Australia later this year. We are asked to pray that the G20 countries make positive progress on their 2013/14 commitments to the Anti-Corruption Action Plan. In the UKRAINE recent corruption investigations exposed an astonishing $37 billion missing from state coffers. DEVELOPING COUNTRIES lose between $20 billion and $40 billion each year to bribery, embezzlement and other corrupt practices. For instance in Nigeria the National Petrol Corporation robbed $20 billion from the nation’s treasury through huge loopholes and discrepancies between what the government received and what they should have received. This story is repeated in Chad, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. It is important that G20 countries set a global standard in the natural resource sector through country-by-country and project-by-project reporting on payments that companies make to governments. Transparency by companies and governments will benefit the millions of poor across the nations. See also: https://www.g20.org/g20_priorities/g20_2014_agenda/fighting_ corruption

Pray:

for transparency of anonymous corporations, for global asset recovery, for successful strategies to combat corruption so that governments can release much needed resources to those living in poverty. (Ex.23:6 & Ps.12:5

Nigeria: National Conference needs prayer

Retired military generals attending the National Conference were enraged when civilian colleagues condemned previous military regimes for the country's woes. Delegates demanded ‘former military administrators and coup plotters’ to be barred from holding public offices. Retired military officers insisted civilians benefited from the regimes and sponsored the military takeovers. Fighting has not only been verbal. A security operative attacked a photo-journalist and smashed his camera. In the past week two delegates have collapsed and been taken to hospital and a retired Police Officer died. In his inaugural address the President said, ‘We cannot continue to proffer yesterday’s solutions for today’s problems.’ A representative in the conference requests the following prayers, ‘ that every plan to scuttle the confrence shall not come to pass. (Is.7: 7) that every altar raised against the National Conference shall fail. (1 Jn.3:8) and those using intimidation to misdirect, distract and confuse shall be put to shame. (Job 5 12-14) See also: http://businessdayonline.com/2014/04/to-national-conference- delegates-beware-of-nine-mistakes-that-haunt-nigeria/#.U05b0 1fJGRM

Pray:

for the 2014 National Conference to be the event in history which Nigeria chooses to build and positively restructure. (Ecc.3:3 & Is.60:1-3) Pray for the Christian delegation to be protected. (Is. 54:14-17)

Chile: Fire destroyed 2,000+ homes

The Chilean Red Cross has appealed for donations to help thousands who were left homeless after a fire destroyed everything in its path earlier this week. Fires are frequent in central Chile, where summer sends temperatures soaring, but the most recent one had destroyed 2,000+ houses by Sunday evening, killed 12 and caused 500 to be treated in hospitals. The port city of Valparaiso has been declared a catastrophe zone and the military are in charge of maintaining order. Around 1,250 firefighters, police and forest rangers battled the blaze while 2,000 sailors in combat gear patrol streets to maintain order and prevent looting. Many people stuffed their cars with possessions and left the area quickly after receiving evacuation calls. The fire forced 10,000 to flee to temporary shelters where the Red Cross has been distributing food and other basic supplies. This emergency follows an 8.2 earthquake that hit northern Chile on 1st April.

Pray:

for those who have lost everything and pray for law and order on the streets. Pray for the Lord to draw close to those who know Him and reveal Himself to those who do not yet knowHim. (Ps.22:11)

Afghanistan: British Armed Forces and the elections

Following the apparent successful presidential elections on 5 April in this strife-torn nation, there now seems to be controversy over the partial results, leading to concerns of unfairness and fraud.(Six of the eight Afghan presidential candidates have rejected partial results that put former foreign minister, Abdullah Abdullah, in the lead). The country's election complaints commission said it would take weeks before it rules on the issue and the UN has appealed for calm until the vote count ends. If there is not an outright winner with more than 50 percent of the vote, there will be a run-off between the two leading candidates at the end of May. British troops remain on high alert during this uncertain time as violence continues to plague Afghanistan despite the presence of thousands of foreign forces for more than 12 years. Please pray for peace during the vote counting and for an honest and fair outcome. Pray that the British and other UN troops will be able to leave Afghanistan as planned. See : http://www.aopnews.com/today.html

Pray:

that the Taliban will be thwarted in any attempt to disrupt the progress that has been achieved over the past few years.(Ps.140)

South Korea: Hundreds missing after a ship sinks

Heavy fog overnight led to the cancellation of many island passenger ferry services. Then early on Wednesday a distress signal was sent from a ferry, identified as the Sewol. This triggered a rescue operation involving dozens of ships and helicopters. About 164 passengers, including high school students, were plucked to safety. Nearly 300 passengers are still missing hours after the ferry sank. A crew member and a teenage student are reported dead at the time of writing this report. The ferry was carrying 475 people and 150 vehicles when it began to list badly as it neared Jeju island. Television pictures showed it lying on its port side, shortly afterwards it completely capsized with only part of the hull above water. The students and teachers were on a field trip to Jeju when the ship sank. There are fears this could turn out to be South Korea's biggest maritime disaster in almost 20 years.

Pray:

for the families of the missing, for those in shock after the event, for the survivors who have lost friends and colleagues and for a thorough, honest investigation into the cause of the incident.

Pakistan: David Cameron urged to raise blasphemy law concerns

Wilson Chowdhry, chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association, raised his concerns regarding victims of Pakistan's stringent blasphemy laws during a meeting with the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street.The call is timely as this week an appeal hearing against the death sentence of Christian mother Asia Bibi for blasphemy was delayed by the Pakistani courts for the third time. Mr Chowdhry said the Prime Minister had indicated he would raise the issue of the blasphemy laws with Pakistan's President Mamnoon Hussein during a forthcoming visit. Girls are being forced to convert to Islam in Pakistan, but because they are Christian nobody cares. Pakistan is one of the harshest places on earth for Christians, with churches and Christian neighbourhoods the victim of bombings and mob attacks. Christian girls are often abducted and forced to convert to Islam and marry their abductors. Many Pakistani Christians work in the lowest paid jobs because of their faith. See also: http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.co.uk/

Pray:

for God to use Mr Cameron to bring about justice, for God to put His words in Mr Cameron’s mouth as he speaks out for persecuted Christians. (Deut.18:17-19)

Nigeria: Bomb kills 71 at bus station

An explosion ripped through Nyanya Bus Park station about five miles south of Abuja at rush hour on Monday, killing 71 people as they were travelling to work.124 people were wounded. Body parts were strewn across the station as rescue workers scrambled to contain the chaos that followed the attack. People were running around in panic. The blast destroyed more than 30 vehicles and caused secondary explosions as their fuel tanks exploded and burned. Bus parking zones have been among Boko Haram's preferred targets. A bomb killed more than 40 last year at a terminal in Kano.

Pray:

for an end to terrorist attacks on the vulnerable. Ask God to protect schools, villages, markets, military bases, checkpoints and bus stations from terrorism. (Is.42:3-4a)