Prayer Diary July/August 2012

7/31/2019 Prayer Diary July/August 2012

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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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BARNABAS PRAYER JULY/AUGUST 2012

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

JULY 18 - 21



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

JULY 27 - 31



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

AUGUST 5 - 8



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

AUGUST 9 - 13


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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

AUGUST 14 - 17

Christian converts in Uganda graduate

from their vocational training courseand receive equipment to start their

businesses



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

AUGUST 18 - 22


14/16


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)

AUGUST 23 - 26



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.

AUGUST 27 - 30


16/16

Barnabas Fund is a Company registered in England Number 4029536. Registered Charity Number 1092935 Barnabas Fund 2012

www.barnabasfund.org

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Auckland, 2241

Telephone(09) 280 4385 or 0800 008 [email protected]

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Channel Islands JE3 9GB

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Email [email protected]

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Telephone (703) 288-1681 ortoll-free 1-866-936-2525

Fax (703) 288-1682


International HeadquartersThe Old Rectory, River Street,

Pewsey, Wiltshire SN9 5DB, UK

Telephone 01672 564938Fax 01672 565030

From outside the UKTelephone +44 1672 564938

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Telephone 024 7623 1923Fax 024 7683 4718

From outside the UKTelephone +44 24 7623 1923

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AustraliaPostal Suite 107, 236 Hyperdome,

Loganholme QLD 4129Telephone (07) 3806 1076or 1300 365 799

Fax (07) 3806 4076


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

Prayer Diary July/August 2012

Documents

Transcript of Prayer Diary July/August 2012