South Sudan: Receiving God’s Word

Bible translators Wycliffe Associates are focusing on South Sudan’s unreached people groups, many of whom are living in crowded, insanitary refugee camps. The conflict in South Sudan means those who sought safe refuge before are in danger again. With the country in turmoil, men, women and children are caught in the crossfire between government and rebel fighters. Violence is rampant but in the midst of turmoil there is a ray of hope. This ongoing conflict has created a fertile ground for seeds of faith in the most unlikely soil - refugee camps. More than ever these refugees are open and hungry for hope and truth. They need God’s Word in their heart language to cling to in the midst of such persecution and tragedy.’ One million South Sudanese speak approximately 54 different languages. Unfortunately, the Bible has yet to be translated into many of these languages.

Praise:

God for this opportunity to reach the lost. Ask him to release more workers into the fields of Bible translation for the yet unreached people groups. (Heb.4:12 and Lk.11:28)

Vatican City: Popes canonised

Popes John XXIII and John Paul II were canonised on Sunday. They ascended to become giants of Roman Catholicism in part because of their shared devotion to freedom. Both John XXIII and John Paul II were children of World War II. John XXIII was known to have falsified baptismal certificates so that Jews could escape the Holocaust. John Paul II tried to help Jews as well and be an anti-Nazi partisan in Poland. They were both men committed to freedom. During the Cold War, that lasted almost four decades, they fought on the side of freedom. John Paul II believed ‘the idea of sainthood is that these people are special role models,’ which led to almost as many canonisations on his watch as in all the years before. With that idea still prevalent in today's thinking, John Paul II's alignment against communism in the 1980s strikes a particularly resonant chord with Christians.

Praise:

God for all who work tirelessly for freedom, truth and justice, asking Him to raise up more ‘Kingdom role models’ in the 21st century. (Mat.6:10)

Teacher murdered - authorities not addressing weapons in schools.

This week Spanish teacher Ann Maguire was stabbed to death in a classroom in Leeds Corpus Christi Catholic College. She was described by the headteacher as the ‘cornerstone’ of the community. Meanwhile a Christian youth charity suggests, ‘The Department for Education must work to address the reasons why young people are carrying weapons in schools, rather than simply pursue a policy of enforcement.’ A recent Sky News investigation found that 981 children have had weapons confiscated on school premises since 2011; at least 80 were primary school children. One in eight violent crimes involve school-age children. The charity XLP was lukewarm about guidance from the Department for Education, saying they failed to address the reasons why students are carrying weapons in the first place. See also: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27206437

Pray:

for the family friends and colleagues of the murdered teacher and for the children in trauma after the event. (Ps.119:52) Pray that the ownership of weapons by children is addressed and overcome.

Vulnerable witnesses allowed to give evidence pre-trial

Vulnerable witnesses can give evidence before a trial starts from Monday as part of a pilot scheme in three Crown Courts in England. Children under 16 and vulnerable adults will be eligible to give their account in advance and outside court. They will give evidence and be cross-examined in front of a judge, with a recording then shown to a jury during a subsequent trial. The government said the scheme ‘prioritises the victim’. The pilot aims to limit the number of cases where victims and vulnerable witnesses are subject to long and uncomfortable questioning. The scheme will run for 6 months - filming evidence of selected witnesses to be used in cases in Crown Courts in Leeds, Liverpool and Kingston-upon-Thames. If successful, it could be extended to cover victims of sexual violence and rape. The scheme will also allow witnesses to receive counselling and other therapy earlier.

Pray:

for those within the legal system to work enthusiastically with this pilot so that it may be extended to serve vulnerable victims across the country. (Pr.21:15 & Ps.41:1)

Evangelical Alliance says ’Christian values lead to a better Scotland’

Evangelical Christians reminded politicians of the part Christianity can play in shaping a good society - whether independent or not. The Evangelical Alliance manifesto for a future Scotland entitled ‘What kind of Nation' has been launched. It is an excellent guide that could be used for prayer as the Referendum comes nearer - irrespective of the decision on the 18th of September. Drawing upon the Christian values of wisdom, justice, compassion and integrity, as inscribed on the Scottish parliament mace, the Alliance reminded politicians that the Church has something to say about the future of Scotland – whether independence takes place or not following September's referendum. The Evangelical Alliance represents more than 750 organisations and two million evangelical Christians in 3,500 churches across 79 denominations in the UK. The Alliance will be hosting seven hustings events in cities around Scotland, drawing together high profile politicians from either side of the independence debate.

Pray:

for God to be in the detail of every debate, husting and choice made by voters across Scotland in the coming months.

Assisted suicide early day motion

Care.org are encouraging Christians to ask their MP to support existing protections against assisted suicide. The Prime Minister recently confirmed his opposition to changing the law to legalise assisted suicide. He is concerned that to do so could lead to people feeling ‘unfairly pressured’ into ending their lives. It is currently illegal in the UK to encourage or assist a person to commit suicide. We have an opportunity to show our MPs that we want this to remain the case. Fiona Bruce MP has tabled a motion which expresses support for the current system, noting that ‘to relax the current law would add further to the number of unlawful killings and murders and that the most important considerations are the protection of vulnerable people and public safety.’ So far 36 MPs have signed Early Day Motion (EDM) 1158 so there are still several hundred names which could be added! Christians are being asked to write to their MP and ask them to add their name to the list too.

Pray:

for many MPs to acknowledge and sign EDM 1158, and end speculation about assisted suicide in the United Kingdom. (Lev.24:17 & Ps.119:26)

British High Court hearing against Shell

Next Tuesday Britain's High Court will hold a pre-trial hearing brought by 15,000 members of Nigeria's Bodo community against oil giant Shell. They’re seeking compensation from the British-Dutch company over two oil spills in 2008, having failed to reach a compensation deal last year. London-based law firm Leigh Day, which represents Bodo residents, called Shell's initial offer ‘insulting.’ The local environment was devastated by two spills depriving thousands of subsistence farmers and fishermen of their livelihoods. Lawyers said each individual would end up with $1,700 after subtracting a lump sum to be paid to the community. Most of the fishermen affected by the spills earn $5,000 to $8,400 per year. ‘Our clients know how much their claims are worth and will not be bought off cheaply.’ Day said in a statement. The spills in the cluster of fishing communities in Rivers state were between 500,000 and 600,000 barrels. Decades of spills have caused widespread pollution in the region.

Pray:

for fair compensation, for a clean up of areas where oil has spilled and an end to illegal refining and sabotage activities. (Ex.23:6 & Pr.14:31)

Trend of repeat abortions in the UK

More and more women in the UK are having more than one abortion and the rise is so considerable that even a leading abortion provider is calling for an investigation into the reasons behind the trend. Marie Stopes UK conducted 65,000 abortions last year and commissioned interviews with 430 women between the ages of 16 and 24. 121 had undergone more than one abortion. While the number of abortions as a whole is going down, the number of women seeking more than one abortion is on the rise. 57% claimed they had been using contraception at the time they conceived. Niall Gooch from the pro-life charity LIFE said the number of women having repeat abortions was genuinely tragic and represented ‘a massive failure to provide women in crisis pregnancy with adequate support and help, and a failure to help women who have had one past abortion avoid future crisis pregnancies’.

Pray:

for more ongoing practical and emotional support for pregnant women in complex situations. (Job 26:1-3)

Rochdale reacts to Cyril Smith sex abuse allegations

Greater Manchester Police said its investigation into Cyril Smith’s alleged activities at Knowl View School had now identified at least 11 potential suspects of sexual abuse. Smith was a governor at the school during the 1970s, when the offences are said to have taken place. A book published by Rochdale's Labour MP Simon Danczuk claims Cyril Smith was left free to abuse children as young as eight, despite 144 complaints being made by victims. ‘He was in a position of power and I thought he was alright at first. But you quickly become suspicious. He did a lot for kids in the area but maybe he had motives beyond that.’ Geoffrey Carter 72, said the claims should have been picked up a long, long time ago. PA: Jesus said we are not to cause little ones to stumble. Stumbling is deviation of trust and authority that wounds body, soul and spirit and leaves scars that last a lifetime.

Pray:

for the successful and straightforward outcome of this and all the ongoing investigations into child abuse. (Mat.18:6 &Pr.13:12)

EU Membership and elections

The President of the European Commission is the most powerful office holder in the EU. The mandate of Commission President Jose Barroso ends this year. Current candidates for the job are Martin Schulz (Germany) - centre-left, Guy Verhofstadt (Belgium) – liberals, Ska Keller (Germany) – Greens, Alexis Tsipras (Greece) - European Left and Jean-Claude Juncker (Luxembourg) centre-right. This week Mr Juncker said renegotiating the UK’s EU membership would be a priority if he wins the job in May’s European Parliament elections; adding ‘as commission president I will work for a fair deal for Britain. No reasonable politician could neglect to try to find solutions for the political concerns in the UK.’ Elections Timelines:- European Parliament elections and local elections in UK 22nd May; European Parliament elections in all member states 22-25 May; Scottish independence referendum 18th Sept.; UK general election May 2015. See also http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27194913

Pray:

for those voting in national and international elections to make wise choices; for God’s anointing and blessings on those He raises up to lead at this time. (Pr.21:1)

Ukraine: EU imposes new sanctions on 15 Russians

Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief, said, ‘I am alarmed by the worsening security situation in Eastern Ukraine. The downward spiral of violence and intimidation undermines the normal functioning of legitimate state institutions. A number of people have been killed, wounded, tortured or kidnapped in the last few days. I condemn the shooting of mayor of Kharkiv, Henadiy Kernes, yesterday and the detention of military observers from OSCE participating States in Slavyansk by armed separatists since last Friday. All persons still illegally detained by armed groups in Eastern Ukraine need to be immediately released. I am also concerned about continued attacks on journalists and the deterioration of media freedom in Eastern Ukraine, including the illegal seizure of TV transmission towers.' Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Ryabkov said ‘Iron Curtain’-style US sanctions might harm its hi-tech sector and that the EU was ‘under Washington's thumb’. See also: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27204009

Pray:

against threats to Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence. (Ex.23:1,2)

Middle East

In the 46 years since the Middle East war of June 1967 there have been many peace plans and many negotiations. Some of these have been successful, including those between Egypt and Israel and Israel and Jordan, but a settlement has still not been reached in the core conflict - the dispute between the Israelis and Palestinians. This week marks an Israel Palestine peace deal divorce. Meanwhile the U.S. secretary of state touched a diplomatic live wire when he predicted an apartheid situation if Israel and the Palestinians fail to agree on a two-state solution for their decades-long conflict. (Apartheid was the system of racial segregation implemented before South Africa transitioned to a multiparty democracy)

Pray:

for leaders not to give up on a fresh expression of a middle east democracy.(1Tim.2:2)

Arctic Circle: Greenpeace protest against Russian Arctic oil

On Monday Greenpeace sent a protest ship to meet a Russian tanker carrying the first oil drilled offshore in the environmentally fragile Arctic. The Rainbow Warrior ship is captained by Peter Willcox, who was among campaigners detained by Russian authorities last year after staging a high-profile protest against Arctic drilling. Rainbow Warrior will seek to escort to harbour the Russian tanker Mikhail Ulyanov which is delivering oil purchased by French energy giant Total. The oil was drilled at an offshore rig owned by Russian energy giant Gazprom and the site of Greenpeace's protest last September. Greenpeace argues that the Gazprom rig is an environmental catastrophe waiting to happen and it risks ruining the pristine Arctic ecology of the southern Barents Sea where the deposit is located. Greenpeace also accused France's Total of hypocrisy for buying the Arctic oil after its CEO said in 2012 that the company would not drill in the fragile region.

Pray:

against dangerous and environmentally unfriendly exploration of the world's resources. (Ps.24:1 & Ps.33:6,7)

The Central African Republic: Update from a missionary

On Saturday 26 April Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri (former companion in arms to Osama Bin Laden) called on all Muslims to provide military support to their brothers in the CAR. This may indicate the start of yet further renewed hard times for Christians here. There have been at least 22 recent deaths. Also more aid workers were killed in the village of Nana Boguila by rebels coming from Batangafo. This new rebellion is said to be underwritten by the son of the late President Kolingba. The current President, Cathérine Samba Panza, comes from a Christian background. Humanitarian workers are encouraging the displacement of Muslims from Bangui to the north of the country without consulting with the government, which further undermines cohesion and the opportunity for dialogue. Please pray that our international partners, both humanitarian and military, do not further deepen divisions already existing between people in CAR, regardless of their religion.

Pray:

for A. H. – He is now the leader of those carrying out attacks on Christians and their families in Bangui. Pray for peace in the Km5 sector which is now a complete war zone. (Job.19:25)

Nigeria: Update on missing school girls

Last week you were asked to pray for more than 230 school girls abducted by Boko Haram militants in Chilbok. This week, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the United Nations' special adviser on girls' education, will visit Nigeria to launch a campaign to raise funds and awareness of the schoolgirls' plight. ‘We cannot stop terrorism overnight but we can make sure that its perpetrators are aware that murdering and abducting schoolchildren is a heinous crime that the international authorities are determined to punish,’ he said. Relatives say they have been told of mass weddings last weekend involving insurgents and some of the abducted girls. ‘It's unbearable. Our wives have grown bitter and cry all day. The abduction of our children and the news of them being married off is like hearing of the return of the slave trade,’ said Yakubu Ubalala, whose 17- and 18-year-old daughters Kulu and Maimuna are among the disappeared.

Pray:

for Nigeria's armed forces who face an uphill battle against the insurgents. (Ps.58:9). Pray protection for communities across the country's porous desert borders. (Ps.58:10,11)

USA: Dozens killed as tornadoes tear through southeast US

Sunday night saw the beginning of a deadly outbreak of tornadoes across the US Plains, Midwest and South, throughout the first few days of this week, killing at least 35 people in ravaged neighbourhoods across six states. 70 million more people braced for severe weather conditions of hail the size of baseballs. In hard-hit Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee, at least 17 people were killed on Monday, another 18 were reported dead in Arkansas, Iowa and Oklahoma. The tornadoes laid waste to homes and businesses in their paths of destruction. 14 were reported killed in Little Rock, alone as a powerful twister cut an 80-mile corridor through the Arkansas capital's suburbs. Gov. Mike Beebe remarked that the storm may have been the worst he's seen. The stormy conditions continued through Wednesday in parts of the Midwest and South. ‘The damage is overwhelming. But the outpouring of people to lend a hand and give out water and food is tremendous.’ said the authority managing many neighbourhood properties. See: http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.ht ml?ID=13755

Pray:

for those who've lost loved ones and homes. Pray for those working to repair the damaged infrastructure. Pray for the children without a school building and the elderly and confused in the middle of chaos. (Ps.23:4)

Syria: Jihadists hanging victims on crosses

Al Qaeda-backed jihadists are hanging the bodies of executed enemies on crosses crucifixion-style in Northern Syria. The executions took place on Tuesday in Raqqa, where the extremist group ISIS, an Al Qaeda-linked network, has taken over the city, according to Abu Ibrahim Alrquaoui, who identifies himself as a founder of a group called ‘Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently’. Alrquaoui said those killed were rebels that had previously fought against the Syrian government of Bashir al-Assad. ‘It’s very dangerous,’ he said in an interview. ‘They threaten us directly and want to kill us.’ Alrquaoui witnessed the executions and took photographs that have since been posted on the group’s Facebook page. Jihadists in Syria have previously been accused of shooting people in the head, then affixing them to crosses. In this latest case, ISIS charged the seven men with espionage and attempted assassination of the group’s leaders.

Pray:

for God in His mercy to protect the citizens still living in Syrian cities that have fallen into the hands of Islamic terrorists. Pray for the friends and families of the 150,000 people that have died since the civil war began.(Ps.691-4 & 14)

Columbia: Spiritual leader accused of money laundering

The head of an international ‘neo-Pentecostal’ church is accused of money laundering and possibly murder. Colombian native María Luisa Piraquive, with a total of 805 churches in 42 countries including the United States, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, has been accused of using the church to launder money for drug cartels in Colombia and Argentina, according to Colombian and Argentine media reports. Piraquive and her late husband are part of a highly connected religious and political family in Colombia. They started the Iglesia de Dios Ministerial de Jesucristo Internacional (the Church of God Ministry of Jesus Christ International) in Bogotá in 1972. Their daughter co-founded a Colombian political party and is currently a senator. Church members claim the allegations are part of a global smear campaign by political rivals to discredit them. María Luisa Piraquive’s Facebook profile is filled with photos of charitable works. It does not contain any photos of fancy houses, boats or cars.

Pray:

for truth to be revealed and for God’s Church in Columbia to move forward without smear or blemish. (Ps.46:10)