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THE AID AGENCY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
to help you
pray for the
persecuted church
www.barnabasfund.org
prayer
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Thank you for your prayers for our
persecuted brothers and sisters in
Christ, which make such a difference
to them. We sometimes have to
change or omit their names forsecurity reasons, and we have only
limited space to share their stories.
But the Lord knows the people and
places we are praying about. Thank
you for your understanding. Please
do not feel limited by the specic
prayer requests, but pray as you feel
led.
JanuaryTuesday 1 This year marks the 20th
anniversary of Barnabas Fund. Please give
thanks with us for all that God has enabled us to
achieve in the last two decades, and pray for us
as we continue to full the fourfold calling He has
given us: to provide practical aid for Christians
under pressure; to encourage prayer for the
persecuted Church; to raise awareness of their
sufferings among Christians in the West; and
to bring their plight to the attention of those in
authority. Pray too that the Lord will comfort and
strengthen His suffering people in 2013 and bring
them relief from their troubles.
Wednesday 2 Barnabas FundsProclaim
Freedom petition closed on 31 December
2012. This campaign was designed to press
Western governments to promote freedom
of religion, human rights and justice in other
countries, especially for the millions of persecuted
Christians, and for those who incite or engage
in hatred and violence towards Christians to
be held accountable. Give thanks that tens of
thousands of people signed the petition, and prayfor Barnabas as we make plans to present it. Pray
that this and the other initiatives will inuence the
policies of Western nations and bring tangible
change for Christs suffering people throughout
the world.
Thursday 3 Give thanks that 76 Christiangirls in Kenya are growing up in the safety of the
Cana Girls Rescue Home, a Christian shelter that
Barnabas Fund has supported for many years.
There they are encouraged by the pastor couple
running the home to study hard at school and are
helped to grow in their Christian faith. Many of the
girls ran away from their parents, who wanted to
force them to practise traditional African religions,
especially by undergoing a female circumcisionrite, and often to marry much older non-Christian
men who were not of their choice. Pray that the
Lord will comfort and restore them and that they
can rejoice in God as He spreads His protection
over them (Psalm 5:11). Ask the Lord to bless
their studies and that they will grow up to be
strong women of God.
Friday 4 I cannot fathom why they targeted the
little ones. The mother of John Ian Maina, a nine-
year-old boy who was killed in a brutal grenade
attack on a Sunday school in Kenya, expressedher grief at this cruel crime. Several other children
were injured in the attack on St Polycarp Church
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in Nairobi, for which sympathisers of the Islamist
group al-Shabaab are thought to be responsible.
An improvised explosive was thrown at the room
where the children were waiting for their Sunday
morning session on 30 September 2012. Pray forJohns bereaved family, that they will know the
presence of our Comforter in sorrow (Jeremiah
8:18), and that the Holy Spirit will enable them
to forgive and love his killers. Ask that the
traumatised children will know the Lords peace
as they recover from this attack.
Saturday 5 Remember in prayer twelve
Christians from Shiraz, Iran, who are in prisonunder harsh conditions because of their faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:3). Seven
of the twelve were arrested during a raid on
a house church in February 2012. They have
been held separately in Adel-Abad prison
alongside murderers and drug dealers. The
remaining ve were detained in a prayer meeting
on 12 October 2012 and are being held at the
Intelligence Ministrys notorious detention centre.
Pray that God may strengthen them during their
connement and during any interrogations they
might have to undergo. Ask the Lord that they
can remain strong in their witness and they will
experience the joy of the Lord despite what they
are undergoing.
Sunday 6 The Gospel continuesto spread in Iran despite the threat
of arrest faced by those who
accept Christ. The countrys media
has acknowledged growth in the
number of Christians; a report in
a government-backed newspaper
stated that 200 house churches,
made up of Christians from Muslim
backgrounds, are now meeting inMashhad. A senior Islamic cleric,
quoted in a local newspaper,
also warned against the spread
of Christianity. He said that 600
people have become Christians in
Neishabour alone. Praise the Lord for
these many new brothers and sistersin Christ, and pray that He will protect
them from the pressures and risks
that accompany faith in Christ in Iran.
Monday 7Pray for the congregations of two
churches in Esfahan, Iran, where state security
agents have been permanently posted in an effort
to hinder their activities. The agents interfere in
many aspects of church life at St Lukes and StPauls, ordering the pastors around, threatening
the congregation and attempting to create
tensions by spreading false rumours. Listening
devices have also been installed. After the pastor
of St Lukes was made to release personal details
of his congregation, members were harassed and
warned of dire consequences if they persisted in
their faith. Pray for Christians in Iran, that the Lord
will sustain them and never let them be shaken
(Psalm 55:22), and ask that the ofcial campaign
against them will cease.
Tuesday 8 Tomorrow (9 January), a Supreme
Court hearing is scheduled to take place over
the future of Greater Grace Church in Baku,
Azerbaijan. It was issued with a liquidation order
in April 2012, a decision upheld by an appealcourt in July. If the Supreme Court does not
overturn the ruling, the church, which has a
congregation of nearly 500, will be dissolved. This
is an important test case for religious freedom in
Azerbaijan, as Greater Grace is the rst church to
be closed since a strict Religion Law requiring all
churches to re-register was introduced in 2009.
Pray that the Lord will move the Supreme Court to
rule in the churchs favour. Lift up to the Lord theleaders and members as they await the verdict.
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Wednesday 9 Praise God for a welcome
victory for religious freedom in India. An anti-
conversion law in the state of Himachal Pradesh,
which was used by Hindu extremists to stop
people becoming Christians, was partially struckdown on 30 August 2012 after a legal challenge
brought by Christians. The requirements of the
law endangered Christian converts, as they were
expected to give ofcial notice of their conversions
and be listed in a public registry. The registry was
checked by Hindu extremists, who tracked down,
persecuted and even murdered new Christians.
Give thanks that the court decided that some
aspects of the law are unconstitutional. The casewill now go to Indias highest court, where the
judges are expected to come under pressure from
Hindu extremists. Pray that their inuence will not
prevail.
Thursday 10 Pray for Lal Mani Prasad, an
Indian pastor, who was beaten unconscious in
a vicious attack on his family. A group of around
ten Hindu extremists broke into the family home
in Narela on 14 October 2012. After insulting
the family for their faith in Christ, two of them hit
Pastor Prasad on the head with a steel bucket
and continued beating him until he passed out,
soaked in blood. His son Samuels hand was
broken in the attack, and the pastors wife and
three daughters were also assaulted. Pray that
the Lord will restore Pastor Prasads familyto health and heal their wounds (Jeremiah
30:17), both physical and emotional, and that
He will protect Christians in India from attack by
extremists.
Friday 11 Babar Bhatti, a pastor in Pakistan,
was shot outside his home in Faisalabad by
Muslim extremists on 30 September 2012. He
was with a member of the church youth groupwhen the attack happened. Pastor Babar was
taken to hospital, where he underwent surgery
to remove two bullets from his left leg. Prior to
the shooting, he had been receiving threatening
phone calls. Thank God for preserving Pastor
Babars life and pray that he will make a full
recovery. Pray that the Lord will watch over hiscoming and going (Psalm 121:8).
Saturday 12Give thanks that Barnabas
Fund opened another 13 new Christian schools
in Pakistan in 2012, bringing the total number
of Barnabas-funded schools in the country up
to 35. Hundreds more disadvantaged Christian
youngsters are now receiving a Christian
education in a supportive environment. TheseChristian schools are bringing Christian children
opportunities that were not open to them before
owing to discrimination and poverty; 200 former
students, from one Barnabas-funded school in
a rural area where most of the pupils parents
are factory workers and street-sweepers, have
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now graduated from university. Give praise for
the change that the schools are bringing to so
many lives. Pray that the school principals and
teachers will have wisdom and integrity in leading
the schools, and that more supporters will joinBarnabas Funds school-place sponsorship
scheme.
Sunday 13 As the Burmese military
continue their violent offensive
against the mainly Christian Kachin
people, helpless children may be
caught in the ring line. For example,
on 15 October 2012 a seven-year-old boy, Bawn Hkaw, the son of a
pastor, was shot in the left thigh and
right hand during a two-hour siege
at a Kachin refugee site. Troops
red machine guns and mortars
from a hilltop, destroying houses
and forcing the refugees to run for
cover. Bawn Hkaws father heard his
screams and rushed him to a local
hospital. Pray that he may make a full
recovery from his injuries, and that
the merciless attacks on the Kachin
will cease.
Monday 14Christian leaders in Laos can
come under great pressure from local ofcials,
who may use any measures available to forcenew Christians to renounce their faith. Five
Christian leaders were arrested in Phin district,
Savannakhet province, on 11 September 2012.
While two of these, who have not been named,
were released two days later, Bounlert of Alowmai
church, Adang of Kengsainoy church and
Onkaew of Kapang church are still in custody.
They have been made to endure inhumane
conditions, their hands and feet in chains. Adangand Onkaew have become seriously ill. Pray that
all three will know the Lords love and strength in
these dire circumstances, and that they will soon
be released. Pray that their congregations will be
able to continue to worship in their absence.
Tuesday 15Pray that the Lord will giveChristians in Laos the strength to stand rm
as they face pressure from local authorities to
perform acts of spirit worship or else be evicted
from their villages. This tactic has been used
against around 50 Christian families from several
villages in Savannakhet province. In one case,
the pressure was intensied with the threat that
the Christians homes would be seized and
destroyed. Taking part in the rituals would beviewed as a public statement that the Christians
were returning to the villages traditional religion
and renouncing their faith in Christ. Pray that the
Laotian authorities will honour their commitments
to uphold religious freedom so that Christians can
worship as they choose in peace.
Wednesday 16On 14 October 2012 Ali
Hussein, a notorious Muslim gang leader in
Deir Mawas, Egypt, stormed into the home of
a Christian family and demanded that a young
mother of two be handed over to live with him.
When the family refused, Hussein shot dead
Ephrem Marzouk (24), and scores of gang
members then ooded into the house, killing
Ephrems 61-year-old father Ibrahim. Before
the raid, the gang had killed all the animals inthe stables to frighten the villagers. They have
been terrorising Christians in the area for over
two years. Pray for peace for this beleaguered
Christian community, and that the authorities will
provide better protection for them.
Thursday 17 Christians in Egypt are
increasingly vulnerable to accusations of
blasphemy. Bishoy Kamel, a Christian teacherfrom Sohag province, was sentenced to three
years imprisonment after cartoons deemed
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offensive to Islam and comments against
Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi appeared
on his Facebook page. His appeal was rejected
on 27 September 2012. Pray for Bishoy, that the
Lord will protect him as he endures imprisonment,and that his conviction will be overturned.
Give thanks, however, that Nevien, a Christian
teacher who was falsely accused of blasphemy
following a history lesson she taught on the life
of Muhammad, was acquitted on 30 September
2012.
Friday 18Christians in Egypt have become
even more vulnerable after a contradictory draftconstitution left the way open for an Islamic state.
While some clauses in the document guarantee
equality for women and freedom of belief, others
indicate that legal rulings will be shaped by sharia
law, which discriminates against women and
non-Muslims. Islam is referred to as the states
religion, and an anti-blasphemy measure is
included in the draft. The state is also granted
powers to interfere in matters of morality and
behaviour. Pray for Christians in Egypt, who
are already at risk of persecution, that the Lord
will protect them if sharia law is imposed on the
country. Ask that religious freedom will be upheld,
and that hard-line Salast Muslims, who say that
the draft constitution does not go far enough, will
not make it even more extreme.
Saturday 19Give thanks to the Lord that
Barnabas Funds International Day of Prayer for
the Persecuted Church captured the imaginations
of Christians around the world. A chorus of
voices lifted up our suffering brothers and sisters
in prayer on 1 November, with individuals and
churches in 30 countries taking part. In India,
for example, an awe-inspiring 4,440 churches
participated. Praise the Lord that He is a God whohears our prayers if we ask anything according to
His will (1 John 5:14), and pray that our continued
intercession for persecuted Christians will bear
much fruit.
Sunday 20 The protests against
the anti-Islamic lm Innocence ofMuslims led in September 2012 to
renewed calls for a global blasphemy
law. Muslim leaders such as the
head of Hezbollah, Sheikh Hassan
Nasrallah, and Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for
an international law banning the
defamation of religion, chiey Islam.
There are concerns that such a law,if introduced, would limit rights to
freedom of speech, and that it could
lead to Christians and other non-
Muslims in Muslim-majority countries
being even more marginalised and
endangered. Existing blasphemy
laws in Pakistan are often misused,
and Christians are especially
vulnerable. Pray that the international
community will rmly resist the
introduction of an international
blasphemy law.
Monday 21Christian women who live in
contexts of pressure and persecution may
suffer both for their gender and for their faith.
Kidnapping, rape and sexual violence againstwomen may be used as a weapon in campaigns
against Christian minorities, for example in
Burma. Women may be forced by crushing
poverty to take jobs as domestic workers in the
homes of people from the majority community,
who are often very abusive to them, as in
Pakistan. Or they may be obliged to comply with
highly restrictive codes of behaviour or practices
that are not their own, such as the strict dresscodes enforced by sharia law, and they may be
severely punished for any infringement. Pray that
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persecuted Christian women will be protected
from abuse and strengthened in their faith, and
that they will know the Lords peace in their trials.
Tuesday 22Christian leaders of a churchin Orissa, India had just attended a three-day
Barnabas-funded leadership training course
when their church was attacked. A mob entered
the church and demanded money from the
believers. When the Christians refused, they
were beaten and furniture was destroyed. The
village leaders sided with the mob and also
punished the believers. One of the subjects
studied during the training, Standing rm in themidst of persecution, helped the leaders to stand
strong in their faith during this time of trial. Give
thanks that the training came at exactly the right
time, and pray that the leaders can convey what
they learnt to the congregation. Pray that all 334
Christian leaders who received training in June-
August 2012 thanks to Barnabas Fund will be
strengthened in their faith to lead their ocks well.
Wednesday 23Lift up to the Lord those
Christians in India who live under the constant
threat of violence by Hindu extremists. Four
Christians were forced to ee their village,
and many more were beaten, in attacks inChhattisgarh over two nights in early September
2012. A 600-strong mob broke down the doors of
the families houses, damaged their possessions
and tried to force them to renounce Christ.
When the families refused, the mob forced four
Christians to leave the village, in the middle of
the night and in heavy monsoon rain. Pray forthese Christian families, that the Lord who gives
strength to the weary and increases the power
of the weak (Isaiah 40:29) will uphold them. Pray
that they will be able to live in peace without fear
of further harassment.
Thursday 24Pray for our brothers and sisters
in Karnataka, India, where Hindu nationalists
have increased the pressure on them ahead ofstate assembly elections. In late October 2012,
reports of anti-Christian violence were being
received almost every other day. It is thought
that the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata
Party, which is seeking re-election, is painting
Christians and Muslims as enemies of Hindus
in order to consolidate the Hindu vote. Pray that
this repugnant tactic of using the persecution of
Christians as an election strategy will cease, and
that the outcome of the poll later this year will be
favourable to the Christian community.
Friday 25Pray for Christian children in
Bangladesh who have been taken from their
families by deceit and sold to Islamic schools,
where they are physically abused and pressured
to convert to Islam. Poor tribal Christian familiesare convinced by intermediaries to send their
children to boarding schools, where they will be
fed and educated for a fee. The intermediaries
pocket the families money and then sell the
children to the schools. The children have to
endure hours of Arabic lessons and Quran
readings, and those who miss Islamic prayers or
refuse to take part in a lesson are subjected to
violence. Pray that the Lord will enable them topersevere in their Christian faith, and that they
may soon be set free.
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Saturday 26Give thanks to the Lord for the
amazing faith and courage of the Christians of
Shouwang Church in Beijing, China. Shouwang,
one of the largest unregistered churches (house
churches) in the capital, was evicted from itsleased meeting-place in April 2011, and since
then its members have been meeting in the
open air. As a result many have been arrested,
at home or on their way to services, detained for
short or longer periods, or deprived of their jobs
and homes but still they persist. In a recent
statement they said, May God open our eyes
to see His work, and guard our faith, so that we
will be faithful and used by Him. Pray for theirprotection, and that the authorities will relent and
allow them to buy or rent a worship space.
Sunday 27 Chinese house churches
meet under the constant threat of
suppression. On 13 September
2012 a group of about 30 Christians
in Kucha, in the Xinjiang Uygur
Autonomous Region, had gathered in
one of the members homes for Bible
study, teaching and worship. Ofcials
forced their way into the house,
declared the meeting illegal and
claimed that all house churches are
cults and heretical. They conscated
the Christians ID cards, along with
mobile phones, computers, Biblesand study materials, and arrested
four people for questioning. Although
the Christians were released late
at night, the police retained the
Christian literature, alleging it to be
illegal. Pray that the authorities will
not harass our brothers and sisters
any further, and for religious freedom
to be upheld in China.
Monday 28As many as 70,000 Christians
may still be locked away in North Koreas brutal
labour camps, as the countrys ruler Kim Jong-
Un continues the repressive policies of his late
father, Kim Jong-Il. Since succeeding to theleadership in 2011 he has lifted some restrictions,
such as bans on Western foods, but there are
no reports of improved conditions for Christians.
Three generations of a Christian family can still
be imprisoned for life just for owning a Bible,
and many die in the camps. The secret services
also try to close off avenues of escape, spying
on Christian networks in China that have links
to North Korean refugees. Pray for persecutedChristians in their distress, and for the establishing
of wise and just government in North Korea.
Tuesday 29As Islamist militants continue to
tighten their grip on northern Mali, Christians in
the country nd themselves in growing danger.
Reports of appalling human rights abuses in the
north, including public executions, amputations
and oggings, have attracted international
condemnation. Although Christians were driven
out of the north at an early stage of the crisis, if
the militants continue to grow in power and gain
territory, the Church in Mali will be at risk of having
sharia law strictly imposed on them and the
grievous persecution that often follows. Pray that
the Lord will protect His people and deliver them
from Islamist violence and oppression.
Wednesday 30The militant Islamist group,
Boko Haram, which is waging war against
Christians in Northern and central Nigeria, has
been responsible for an estimated 3,000 deaths
since 2009, according to an army chief. The group
has been carrying out deadly attacks on churches
and Christian communities, as well as the security
forces and other ofcial targets. Entire Christianfamilies have been killed in cold blood in their
homes, and children, pregnant women and the
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elderly have not been spared. Pray for the safety
of our vulnerable brothers and sisters as they face
such murderous hostility.
Thursday 31Praise God that ve
impoverished congregations in Burundi now
have roofed churches to worship in with help
from Barnabas Fund. Many of the members are
destitute. They have only recently resettled in
the area after living for many years as refugees
in neighbouring countries to escape a long and
violent conict that ended in 2008. They collected
stones for the foundations and built the walls with
bricks they made themselves. Barnabas helpedby funding the nails and iron sheets for the roof,
which the Christians could not afford. Pray that
the congregations will be beacons of light in their
area.
FebruaryFriday 1At least four churches in Tanzania
were destroyed, and others attacked, duringtwo nights of rioting by Muslims beginning on
12 October 2012. Police arrested 122 members
of the Islamic separatist group UAMSHO
(Association for Islamic Mobilisation and
Propagation) in connection with the riots, which
took place in Dar es Salaam. Muslim groups cited
police laxity in dealing with an incident of alleged
blasphemy involving a 14-year-old Christian boy
as the reason for the riots. Pray for the boys
protection in light of the disproportionate reaction
of local Muslims. Pray too for the congregations of
the destroyed churches, that they will be able to
meet and worship in peace without fear of further
attacks.
Saturday 2Give thanks for a signicantmove towards better political representation for
Christians in Indonesia. A Christian politician has
made electoral history in the country by taking
one of its highest political posts. Basuki Purnama
became the rst Christian to be elected vice-
governor of Jakarta despite opposition from hard-
line Muslim groups. His inauguration ceremony
was delayed from 7 to 15 October 2012
because of protests by Islamists. Mr Purnamahas been praised for his honest leadership and
has promised to bring reform by emphasising
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transparency and servant-leadership among
public ofcials. Praise the Lord for this promising
new Christian inuence in Indonesian politics, and
pray that Mr Purnama will be protected from harm
at the hands of his opponents.
Sunday 3 The congregation of GKI
Yasmin Church in Bogor, Indonesia,
continues to suffer harassment from
local authorities. In a new blow in
early September 2012, the church
was ordered to move from its current
location. This order went against a
ruling by Indonesias Supreme Courtthat had allowed the church, which
had been blocked off, to be reopened.
The mayor of Bogor, who has been
inuential in the campaign against
the church, is thought to have bowed
to pressure from Islamists in making
these decisions. The ruling provides
for land elsewhere to be given to
the church, but the congregation
resisted it on principle. Pray that this
long-running dispute will be resolved
and that GKI Yasmin Church will be
allowed to worship in peace.
Monday 4Life for Christians in parts of
Indonesia continues to be unstable. On the
evening of 9 October 2012, two bombs explodedin Poso, Central Sulawesi. The rst explosion hit
the home of Okril Mamuaya, a local Christian,
causing windows to shatter and damaging a
car parked in front of the house. An hour later,
the second bomb exploded outside Immanuel
Church. Give thanks that no-one was injured
in either blast. Pray for Christians in Indonesia,
that the Lord will protect them as they face the
threat of violence from Islamists and that furtheraggression towards them will be deterred.
Tuesday 5Pray for nine house churches in
Banda Aceh, Indonesia, that have been shut
down by the authorities. Islamists had complained
about improper use of the buildings, and the
deputy mayor said that the churches were illegalbecause they lacked the proper permit. Private
homes cannot be used for religious ceremonies
or functions in Aceh, which is the only Indonesian
province where sharia law is ofcially permitted.
The Aceh branch of the Islamic Defence Front
called on the authorities elsewhere in the province
to stop any unapproved non-Muslim worship.
Pray for the lifting of these oppressive restrictions
and for freedom of worship for Christians in Aceh.
Wednesday 6Pray for Christians in Mindanao
in the Philippines, who are threatened with
becoming part of an Islamic sub-state. The
government has reached an agreement with a
Muslim separatist group that has been waging a
violent campaign for independence, to create an
area called Bangsamoro that will be governed
by sharia law. When Mindanao Christians
objected to a similar agreement in 2008, the
Islamist group responded by killing some 400
of them and displacing 750,000. Pray that the
government will keep its promise that Christians
will not be made subject to sharia, and that
religious liberty throughout the Philippines will be
maintained.
Thursday 7Pray for an evangelical church
leader from the city of Idleb, near Aleppo, in Syria,
who was subjected to a horric ten-hour ordeal
at the hands of a gang of Wahhabi Muslims on 9
September 2012. They kidnapped and blindfolded
him, tying his hands and feet together, and then
beat him repeatedly, causing him to pass out
twice. The kidnappers interrogated him about
his Christian ministry and threatened to kill him.He woke to nd himself abandoned at the side
of a road. The church leader was left severely
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traumatised; pray that the Lord will bind up his
wounds and restore him to full physical and
mental health.
Friday 8The situation is very critical andbad. Your supportive intercession prayers are
highly requested and valued. These were the
words of one of our partners in Aleppo, Syria,
after two Christian areas of the city were invaded
by armed opposition forces on 25 October
2012. The districts of al-Syriaan al-Jadide and
al-Syriaan al-Qadime fell to the rebels, who
positioned snipers on roofs in both areas. In
the former area, two checkpoints were set up infront of a church building, and a Christian school
was taken over. Three churches belonging to
different denominations have been destroyed.
Christians are often targeted by opposition forces,
who generally view them as being government
supporters. Pray that the Lord will be a shield
around them and protect them (Psalm 3:3) as
they face these attacks.
Saturday 9Keeping Christian books and
Bibles in ones home in Uzbekistan can result in
enormous nes. Two couples from Navoi were
charged exorbitant sums, 90 times the minimum
monthly wage, in April and June last year for this
reason. When one of the couples, Artur and Irina
Alpayev, refused to pay, both out of principleand because they did not have the funds, bailiffs
came to their at in August and September 2012
and seized essential household items; they were
warned that more might be taken. The other
couple, Nikolai and Larissa Serin, have also been
threatened with conscation of their property.
Pray that the Lord will intervene and that the nes
will be retracted and property restored. Pray that
authorities in Uzbekistan will loosen their controlson the possession of religious literature.
Sunday 10 A disabled Christian
woman, Natalya Pleshakova, and
her mother Valentina were brutally
beaten when police raided their
home in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Six
plain-clothes ofcers broke into their
at with sticks and bats. Natalya
was knocked down and dragged
into the kitchen, while blows were
rained down on Valentina. After their
home was turned upside down and
Christian literature seized, the women
were taken to the police station.
There, ofcers tried to force them to
renounce their faith in Christ. Theywere released only after an ordeal
that lasted ten hours. Pray that the
Lord will comfort the women as
they recover from this nightmare,
and that He will be the refuge and
shield (Psalm 119:114) of vulnerable
Christians in Uzbekistan.
Monday 11We want him freed. I and ourolder children are praying for him. We all miss
him. The wife of an Uzbek pastor detained in
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Kazakhstan spoke of how his arrest has affected
his family, as news broke that he could face a 15-
year prison sentence if extradited to Uzbekistan.
Makset Djabbarbergenov was originally charged
in Uzbekistan with offences relating to theteaching of religion and the distribution of religious
literature, which each carried a maximum three-
year jail term. But he has now been charged
with a much more serious offence relating to
involvement with religious extremist organisations.
Pray that the authorities in Kazakhstan will
release Makset, and that the Lord will protect him
from being extradited and imprisoned on account
of his faith.
Tuesday 12All her Muslim friends and
relatives broke off contact with Amangul after
she converted from Islam to Christianity in
Kyrgyzstan. She was also red from her job as
a teacher. With her usual support network fallen
away, Amangul was very grateful that she could
stay at a Barnabas-funded Christian safe house
when she needed specialist medical care in a
city far from her village. The congregation that
runs the shelter had decided to build it after the
number of persecuted Christians increased so
much that church members became unable to
accommodate them all in their homes. Barnabas
support subsidised part of the land purchase and
building costs. Give thanks for the love and care
that this congregation in Kyrgyzstan is showingto suffering Christians such as Amangul. Pray
that Muslims in the country will show tolerance
towards those who convert from Islam to
Christianity.
Wednesday 13Christians in some Central
Asian countries live under constant threat from
their local police. An elderly pastor, his wife and
son were assaulted in an illegal police raid ontheir house-church gathering in Turkmenistan on
23 September 2012. Pastor Begdjan-aga, who
is 75, was pushed out of his house. His wife was
physically assaulted and threatened by a police
ofcer, and their son was beaten when he asked
police to produce identication. The congregation
was rounded up, and all except the pastors wifewere taken to the police station. The church has
been trying unsuccessfully to obtain registration
since 2006. Pray that the Lord will heal the
physical and psychological wounds caused by
the illegal raid, and that this church and others
in Turkmenistan will be protected from further
harassment.
Thursday 14Rimsha Masih, the 14-year-oldChristian girl who was released after being falsely
accused of blasphemy in Pakistan, continues to
be under intense pressure. Her position has now
become even more vulnerable; three out of the
four witnesses who testied that evidence against
her was planted by Khalid Jadoon Chishti, the
imam of the local mosque, have withdrawn their
statements. They claimed that they had originally
been coerced into making them. Pray that justice
will be done in Rimshas case, and that the Lord
will protect and strengthen her and her family at
this difcult time.
Friday 15Lift up to the Lord Ryan Stanten,
a 16-year-old Christian in Pakistan who has
been charged with the countrys most serious
blasphemy offence. He was accused offorwarding to Muslim neighbours on 9 October
2012 a text message containing material deemed
offensive to Islam. The following day, an angry
Muslim mob led by Islamic clerics ransacked the
home where Ryan lives with his mother, Rubina
Bryan, and set re to numerous household
items. Ryan was subsequently arrested and
charged under section 295-C of the Pakistan
Penal Code, which carries the death penalty forusing derogatory remarks against Muhammad.
He denies sending the text, and there was no
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trace of it on his phone. Pray that our brother
will be cleared and that he and his family will be
protected from those who want to cause them
harm.
Saturday 16Give thanks that ten displaced
Christian families in Pakistan now have their own
newly-built homes thanks to Barnabas Fund.
They had all been made homeless in 2010 by
devastating oods that submerged a fth of
Pakistan. Pray that they will experience Gods
abundant blessing in their lives as they start again
in their new homes. All ten families are converts
from Hinduism. Pray that the Lord will continue tobe their rock, their fortress and deliverer (Psalm
18:2).
Sunday 17 Give thanks that charges
against two Christian children, who
were accused of blasphemy and
detained in Egypt, were dropped
in October 2012. Mina Nady Farag
(9) and Nabil Nagy Rizk (10) were
arrested after the imam of their
local mosque in Ezbet Marco village
accused them of desecrating theQuran by tearing up pages and
urinating on them. The father of one
of the boys pointed out that, as they
are both illiterate, they could not
have known what they were doing
when they found the pages amongst
rubbish in the street. Give thanks thatthe boys have escaped prosecution
for their unwitting actions, and pray
that the Lord will protect His Church
in Egypt from such accusations,
especially vulnerable children.
Monday 18Praise God for a rare legal victory
for Christians in Egypt. On 8 November 2012, the
countrys prosecutor general ruled that a Cairochurch was the rightful owner of a piece of land in
Shubra Al-Kheima district that around 100 Salast
Muslims had taken over three days earlier.
Wielding sticks and rods, they had put up a sign
saying Al-Rahma Mosque, then performed
Islamic prayers for 24 hours. They threatened to
set re to shops belonging to Christians if they
were blocked from performing Friday prayers
at the site. But the trespassers left after church
ofcials reported the incident to the Interior
Ministry. Pray that the church will now be able to
go ahead with its building plans without further
opposition.
Tuesday 19Praise God that the Islamisation
of constitutions in the Middle East and North
Africa since the Arab Spring has been partiallychecked in Tunisia. The countrys Islamist rulers
have withdrawn a proposed anti-blasphemy
clause from the nal text of the new constitution.
Other attempts by the Islamist ruling party,
Ennahda, to Islamise Tunisian society have been
ercely opposed by secularists. Give thanks that
this clause, which would have made Christians
and other minorities more vulnerable, will not be
included, and pray that moderate inuence willprevail in Tunisia and hold back the forces of
Islamism that endanger our brothers and sisters.
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Wednesday 20Lift up to the Lord our
Christian brothers and sisters in the Nuba
mountains in Sudan, where they are the target
of cleansing aimed at removing non-Arabs and
non-Muslims. Asia Omer Kuku, a Christian motherof seven, was killed when the predominantly
Christian town of Heiban was bombed by
government forces. During the attack, which took
place on 27 September 2012, ve bombs were
dropped near a crowded market place. Several
other Christians were wounded. Pray for Asias
grieving family, that the Lord will comfort them in
their distress, and that the needs of her children
will be provided for. The conict has createda humanitarian crisis in the area; pray that the
violence will soon end and that aid agencies will
be able to reach the territory.
Thursday 21A Christian couple in Russia
have had their 14 adopted children removed
by the authorities, in a case that bears the
marks of religious discrimination. Although Ilya
Yaroslavkin, a church pastor, and his wife Lubov
have won awards and been praised for their
exceptional care, local authorities accused them
of worshipping the wrong god and following
unintelligible church traditions. The couples
children were removed from their schools on
12 September 2012 without being able to say
goodbye to their parents. Pray for this family,
which has been so cruelly torn apart. Ask that theLord will comfort Ilya and Lubov and their children
as they endure this separation, and that the
decision will be overturned so that the family can
be reunited.
Friday 22 The gunmen were asking students
if they were Christians or Muslims, and then
asked Christian victims to deny Christ. Christian
students who refused to do so were killed bythe gunmen instantly. This is how one Christian
student described a systematic attack at a college
housing complex in Mubi, Adamawa state, north-
eastern Nigeria, on 1 October 2012. At least 46
people, mostly students from Federal Polytechnic
Mubi, were killed. Violence ared following the
election of a Christian in a student union poll.Boko Haram was believed to have been involved
in the massacre. Pray for the families of these
students as they try to come to terms with their
traumatic deaths. And plead with the Lord for an
end to Boko Harams deadly campaign against
Christians in Northern Nigeria.
Saturday 23Churches in Nigeria are beingruthlessly targeted in suicide bombings thought tobe the work of Boko Haram (see 30 January). For
example, at least seven people were killed when
an explosive-laden car was driven into a church
in the Malali neighbourhood of Kaduna state on
28 October. On 23 September, a church in Bauchi
was attacked by a suicide bomber, and at least
four people, including a seven-year-old boy, were
killed. Dozens were injured in both bombings.
Pray for those who are mourning, that they will
know the presence of the God of all comfort (2
Corinthians 1:3), and that He will defend His
people in Nigeria from further barbaric attacks.
Sunday 24 A woman and her three
children were among 16 Christians
killed in Plateau state, Nigeria, on the
same day. Gunmen simultaneouslyattacked three villages in the Riyom
area on 10 October 2012, killing 14
Christians. Several other people were
injured and property destroyed in
what were described as coordinated
attacks. Elsewhere in Plateau state,
two Christians in a car were shot
dead in Barkin Ladi. Muslim Fulani
herdsmen were thought to beresponsible for the murders. Pray
that they will be brought to justice.
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Pray also for the bereaved and
injured, that the Lord will heal the
broken-hearted and bind up their
wounds (Psalm 147:3).
Monday 25Helping hardworking Christian
women in Juba get out of poverty - this is the
aim of a Christian micronance ministry in South
Sudan, which Barnabas Fund supported last year.
Thanks to our help 197 Christian women received
microloans for starting up or expanding small
businesses. Many started selling food or drinks
at local markets or opened small shops. They
are doing well; 89% of the women are repaying
their loans and can now provide for their families.
Give thanks that these small loans are enablingChristian women to become self-sufcient. Pray
that the young nation of South Sudan, where
the majority of the people are impoverished and
Christian, can build up its infrastructure and bring
its people out of poverty.
Tuesday 26One of the gravest dangers
facing some Christian women and girls in
Muslim-majority contexts is forced marriage andconversion to Islam. Especially in Pakistan and
Egypt, increasing numbers of Christian women
are being kidnapped, sexually assaulted and
then pressured to marry their Muslim captors and
become Muslims themselves. The authorities
will often take no action to protect women, and a
victims family may be told that she has converted
and married of her own free will. Pray that the
Lord will be a shield for our Christian sisters to
protect them from harm (Psalm 18:30).
Wednesday 27Pray for the many Christians
who have been forced to ee their homelands
and take refuge in other countries because of anti-
Christian injustice and violence. Some of them
continue to be at risk of religious persecution in
the countries where they have ed, and converts
in particular may face severe obstacles whenthey apply for refugee status in the West. These
include suspicion from the authorities that their
conversions are not authentic, and hostility
from ofcers and interpreters to their decision
to convert. Barnabas Fund is providing practical
help for displaced Christians in various countries
and is arguing their case at an international level.
Pray that the Lord may be a shelter for His people
wherever they go, and that Western governmentswill become more sensitive to the plight of
Christian refugees.
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Barnabas Fund is a Company registered in England Number 4029536. Registered Charity Number 1092935Cover:An Ethiopian Christian woman at prayer (Source: Steve Evans, AKA Babasteve)
Barnabas Fund 2012
www.barnabasfund.org
New Zealand
PO Box 27 6018, Manukau City,
Auckland, 2241
Telephone(09) 280 4385 or 0800 008 805
Jersey
Le Jardin, La Rue a Don, Grouville, Jersey
Channel Islands JE3 9GB
Telephone 700600
Fax 700601
Email [email protected]
USA
6731 Curran St,
McLean, VA 22101
Telephone (703) 288-1681 or
toll-free 1-866-936-2525
Fax (703) 288-1682
Email [email protected]
International Headquarters
The Old Rectory, River Street,
Pewsey, Wiltshire SN9 5DB, UK
Telephone 01672 564938
Fax 01672 565030From outside the UK
Telephone +44 1672 564938
Fax +44 1672 565030
Email [email protected]
UK
9 Priory Row,
Coventry CV1 5EX
Telephone 024 7623 1923
Fax 024 7683 4718From outside the UK
Telephone +44 24 7623 1923
Fax +44 24 7683 4718
Email [email protected]
Australia
PO Box 3527
Loganholme QLD 4129
Telephone (07) 3806 1076or 1300 365 799
Fax (07) 3806 4076
Email [email protected]
Thursday 28Praise God for a European
Union decision that those who are unable to
practise their faith publicly in their homeland
can now claim refugee status in EU countries.
The European Court of Justice decided on 5September 2012 that EU member states will now
grant asylum on the basis of religious persecution
even when the claimant is able to practise his or
her religion privately in the home country. Pray
for Christians trying to escape from oppressive
regimes, that this ruling will make it easier forthem to nd a new home.
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