Prayer Tips

False charges of harassment against missionary beaten by 300 Hindus in Karnataka The provincial of the Missionaries of the Holy Cross says that Brother Phillip Nononha is the victim of a conspiracy organized by the Hindus with the complicity of the authorities. For the religious claims of harassment are only a pretext to expropriate the school of the Holy Cross of Whitefield of its land for the benefit of the local Hindu temple. Bangalore: - Beaten by over 300 Hindus and humiliated by the media, Brother Phillip Noronha, a missionary of the Holy Cross and vice-rector of Holy Cross School in Whitefield (Karnataka) now has to defend himself against false accusations of sexual harassment brought by the parents of some students of his school.   Yesterday, the police, in complicity with the attackers held him for over 2 hours in the local station of Whitefield, releasing him only after payment of bail.

Baptists are fined, beaten, their Bibles seized, all for praying “without authorisation” Police raids a home, breaking up a celebration, terrorising and taking the names of those present. In the following days, some of the victims are beaten and threatened again. Five are accused of “teaching religion”, and sentenced to heavy fines. Baptists complain unsuccessfully of the abuses inflicted upon them. Tashkent :– In Uzbekistan, Baptists are systematically persecuted, beaten, victims of raids and illegal Bible seizures by police officers—several members of community have been heavily fined just for praying together. In the Central Asian country, any activity by unregistered religious groups, like praying, is “illegal”.

Iraqi bishops againt hanging Tareq Aziz Prelates slam the decision to hang Saddam Hussein’s right hand man. They call for life to be respected. For ordinary Iraqis, the sentence is politically motivated. Saddam’s former Christian minister remains a controversial figure. Baghdad :– Iraqi bishops and ordinary Iraqis have joined the European Union and the Vatican in criticising the death sentence imposed on Tareq Aziz, former right hand man of Saddam Hussein. Most Iraqi media have done the same. According to the ruling by Iraq’s Supreme Court issued on Tuesday, the former foreign minister is guilty of taking part in the elimination campaign of a number of Shia political groups, like Dawa, to which current Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki belongs. The European Union, through its foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, has called the sentence as “unacceptable”, demanding its suspension. One of Aziz’s lawyers, Badia al-Aref, said he plans to plead with the Vatican to do something...

Tsunami: rescue operations hampered by lack of transportation and volunteers The evacuation of affected villages on Mentawai Islands is slower than expected, despite aid pouring in from abroad. The number of dead and missing continues to climb. Jakarta :– The lack of transportation, staff and volunteers is hampering the evacuation of the villages of Pagai Selatan and Pagai Utara, the most affected by Monday’s localised tsunami. Rescue operations were already a difficult task because of the remoteness of the Mentawai islands (West Sumatra), which are located some 13 hours by ferry from the district capital of Padang. The latest figures put the death toll at d311 people, plus 426 missing. “More personnel and medical supplies are urgently needed in the worst affected islands such as Pagai Utara and Pagai Selatan,” Antarizon, a provincial rescue team, said.

Islamic fundamentalists against church named after Mother Teresa Plans to build a Catholic place of worship in Cikarang, some 60 kilometres east of Jakarta, is generating opposition among Muslim groups. At least six churches were attacked since last year. Several Protestant clergymen were also assaulted. The authorities have been criticised for failing to stem the wave of intolerance. Jakarta : Anti-Christian intolerance is raising its ugly head again. Islamic fundamentalist groups are increasingly trying to stop the construction of churches in areas where the Catholic Church is present. Government slowness in reacting to such phenomena has come under fire because it effectively adds more fuel to the flames of intolerance fanned by such groups.

Iranian Christian Dies After Being Beaten by Relative TEHRAN, IRAN :- A believer with a Muslim Background (BMB) died in Iran after being severely beaten by a relative, according to Christian Human rights group. According to Middle East Concern, he left behind a wife and two young children.  Due to security concerns to the surviving family, the man's name was not able to be released. A number of Christians continue to be held in jail in Iran for their faith in Jesus Christ. According to Farsi Christian News Network, three of 15 believers arrested near Mashhad on July 8th of this year are still in detention. They are under pressure to renounce their faith in Jesus Christ, but have refused to do so. In the city of Ahvaz, another believer, the assistant pastor of a fellowship, remains detained after having been arrested during a raid on his home July 24th. His wife and daughter were also arrested and detained, but were released shortly after. According to a repo...

Christian Family in Bangladesh Attacked, Charged with Crime Muslim neighbors fabricate attempted murder charge after beating them for their faith. Bangladesh: October 27 : Muslim neighbors of a Christian family in Bangladesh scheduled to be baptized last month beat them and filed a false charge of attempted murder against them and other Christians, the head of the family said. Foyez Uddin, 62, told Compass that his neighbor Nazrul Islam and Islam’s relatives told him, his wife and his two adult children that as Christians they were “polluting” society and beat them on Sept. 17 in Joysen village in Rangpur district, some 300 kilometers (186 miles) north of Dhaka. Islam is a policeman. Islam’s uncle, Abdul Mannan Miah, then filed false charges against Uddin, his family and three others, accusing them of trying to kill Miah’s niece, Uddin said by telephone after his release on bail on Oct. 8. The village is under Pirgacha police jurisdiction. Uddin said his family wa...

China : Police Dispatched to Hinder House Church  Christians from Traveling- With the Lausanne Congress about to begin in South Africa  on October 16th, many house church members and pastors are intending to arrive at Beijing Intl Airport   to depart for the conference. Accordinging to inside sources, approximately 100 people will be planning to make the trip. Approximately 1,000 police officers arrived at the airport in order to restrain believers from boarding the planes and will have a 10-to-1 advantage over the house church Christians. Pray that these Christians will be allowed to board these planes and safely fly to this conference, which could significantly impact the spread of the Gospel throughout China  and the world. Pray that the government of China , who repeatedly target Christians with force, imprisonment, and other means of persecution, will be divinely moved to release some of this pressure and allow Christians to worship J...

Maldives :: Muslims Force Expat Christian  Teacher to Flee Maldives On September 29, Geethamma George, a Christian teacher from India, had to be transported off of one of the Islamic nation's islands after Muslim parents of her students threated to expel her for preaching Christianity.  A group of angry Muslim parents stormed the government school on the island of Foakaindhoo, in Shaviyani Atoll, accusing George of drawing a cross in her class.  "Fearing that the teacher would be physically attacked, the officals took her out of the island right away," a source at the school said. "She will never be able to come back to the island, and nor is she willing to do so. She will be given a job in another island."  George, a social studies teacher, had drawn a compass to teach directions to Class VI students. But the students, who knew little English, mistook the drawing to be a cross and thought she was trying to preach Christianity, the source ...

Turkmenistan : Protestant Pastor's Trial Set for October 21 - Ilmurad Nurliev, a Protestant pastor, is being brought to trial in Turkmenistan  on October 21, 2010 on charges of large-scale swindling. If convicted, he will face up to five years in jail. His wife, Maya Nurlieva and other church members deny the charges and insist that the five accuser are not church members, as the indictment claims. The Church has stopped meeting for worship since Nurliev's arrest. Pray for Pastor Nurliev  and his wife, Maya, that they may be strengthened in their faith and justice would be brought forth in the charges against him. Pray that their church would not waver in their faith but fix their eyes on Jesus and they would again gather to worship.

Population : 5,792,984 Political Leader : President Isaias Afworki Christians : 1.7% Dominant Religion: Sunni Islam Persecution Ranking: 11th Number of Terrorist Groups: 4 Acts of Terrorism: 5 (16 casualties) Percent of Corruption: 71% Percent of People in Poverty: 50% The East African nation of Eritrea, which borders the Red Sea, was once part of Ethiopia. A thirty-year war resulted in its independence in 1993. The government of Eritrea has not been an active partner in counterterrorism programs. Unresolved border disputes have been used as an excuse for not cooperating. In 2002, religious groups were required to register with the government. This effectively outlawed all independent Protestant fellowships and resulted in the closing of countless church buildings. Those who disobey this restriction are subject to arrest, torture and imprisonment. Eritrea is ranked number eleven on the Open Doors Watch List 2010 of the worst persecutors of Christians. PRAISE The Eritrean ...

Islamic fundamentalists preventing the construction of a church in Kuwait The government and the emir have approved the project but the Kuwait City Municipal Council refuses to issue building permits or explain its reasons for doing so. About 460,000 Christians share four official churches, two Catholic, one Evangelical and one Anglican. A Coptic church is under construction. Kuwait City :– A group of Christians has complained that Kuwait City’s Municipal Council is preventing them from getting land to build a church. "The Municipal Council is the big problem preventing us from getting land; not all of the members, just the Islamic fundamentalists," said Archimandrite Boutros Gharib, head of the local Greek Catholic Church. Recently the municipal council blocked an attempt by the Greek Catholic Church to acquire land in Mahboula, an area in the Ahmadi governorate south of Kuwait City. The request has been pending for several years. A new church would reduce o...

Baptist Christians in prison for having gathered to pray The police raided a private home, a photographer present, cutting electricity and gas. 4 Baptists detained, taken to court and convicted the same night. In the country persecution of Baptists and Jehovah's Witnesses frequent, to combat "extremism." Baku :- Police burst into a private home and arrested 4 of Baptist Christians "guilty" of praying together, in the northern Qusar. Ilgar Mamedov owner of the house and three other Christians (Zalib Ibrahimov, Rauf Gurbanov and Akif Babaev) , were arrested by police on Oct. 31, and immediately brought before the local tribunal, which sentenced them to five days in jail, in a swift hearing held behind closed doors, without access to a defense. Forum 18 news agency reports that on November 1, another Christian, went to the police to ask for news of the four arrested the night before, he knew the trial had already taken place. The nature of the off...

Muslims Attack Church On Oct. 31, Islamic extremists attacked worshipers at the Syrian Catholic Church of Baghdad, killing 59 Christians and severely injuring more than 80 others, according to VOM sources. Several gunmen armed with automatic weapons and explosives entered the church during a worship service and opened fire on the worshipers. Two priests were among those killed in the attack. “[This church was attacked] because they are very active, especially among the youth and community,” VOM contacts said. “This church works closely with the United Bible Society and VOM by distributing Bibles and Action Packs in Iraq. This is the second time this church has been targeted; in 2004 it was hit with a car bomb.”

SOUTH ASIA -- Missionary Beaten and Jailed -- Gospel for Asia On Oct. 2, four extremists attacked two missionaries as they showed a movie about Jesus to a group of villagers. Vikranta Rao, a missionary supported by Gospel for Asia, was praying for those watching the film when the attackers arrived. The extremists accused Vikranta of forcing people to convert to Christianity, then beat him and called the police. When the police arrived, they arrested Vikranta instead of his attackers. He spent the night in jail without food or adequate medical attention. Nirav Pillai, a missionary who was operating the projector, managed to escape the brutal beating. Pray that Vikranta will fully recover from his injuries and that he will be strengthened to continue the good works that the Lord has prepared for him. Pray that those who saw the film will be touched by its message, and pray that God will soften the hearts of the attackers and police toward Christians in the region.

Billy Graham, the most interesting man I have ever met, was born to dairy farmers, William Franklin and Morrow Coffey Graham, on November 7, 1918, on Park Road outside Charlotte, North Carolina. This was just four days before the signing of the armistice that ended World War I. He was, in unusual ways, connected to the twentieth century like no other person I have ever known. Here are some of my personal reasons for being thankful for Billy Graham and wishing him not only a happy 92nd birthday, but praying for his good health, a strong body, alert mind, improved eyesight, many more productive years and for God’s blessings to continue in abundance upon him, his family and their ministry as well as his.

Iran Prayer Alert: Iranian Pastor Faces Execution International Christian Concern urges immediate prayer for imprisoned Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani in Iran who received notification that he will be executed on charges of "apostasy" - conversion from Islam to Christianity – and is now awaiting the court's final verdict. Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, a church leader in Rasht, Iran, was arrested on October 13, 2009 for questioning the Islamic education practice of Christian students – including his own children – to be required to read the Quran in school. His execution, initially scheduled for October 24th, was postponed to an unknown date by security forces in hopes that Youcef will renounce Christ and return to Islam. Once the court's final verdict is delivered, Pastor Youcef will have 20 days to appeal to the Supreme Court. Pastor Youcef's wife, Fatemeh Passandideh, was arrested on June 8 and sentenced to life imprisonment. However, after filing an appeal, ...

Bhutan Prayer Alert: Christian Sentenced to Three Years Imprisonment for Showing  Jesus Film- On October 6th, Prem Singh Gurung, a Bhutanese Christian, was sentenced to three years in prison for showing a film about Christianity. He is accused of "promoting civil unrest." According to the report by the government-run daily Kuensel, Gurung was arrested on May 21 after he showed a Christian film in the villages of Simkharkha and Gonggaon. The villagers alleged that Gurung showed the film about Christianity after telling them that he would show them a Nepali film. After detaining him for more than a month, the police charged him with promoting civil unrest and violating sections 105(1) and 110 of the Bhutan Information, Communication and Media Act. According to this Act, it's illegal to show films without getting authorization from government officials. Pray that the Father would guard Gurung's heart and mind and keep him courageous in the face of persecu...

Iran :Tens of Thousands of Muslims Coming to Christ, Says Iranian Leader- Over the past 30 years, more Muslims have come to Christ than in the past 1,300 years. "Betrayed by the government, disillusioned with the religion, depressed by the prospects of the future, Iranians when they come to know the Lord Jesus Christ are completely transformed," he said. "They proclaim Christ in the marketplace. Entire families, men and women, are coming to Christ." More than ever there is this reality of persecution against the Church because more than ever the gospel is reaching the communities to challenge the status quo. Prayer Evangelism is a very powerful spiritual activity that the body of Christ can engage in from wherever they are to combat territorial forces as the suffering Church engages is spiritual battle. Pray that the eyes of the Muslims will open to see the light of the gospel. Pray that nations as a whole will have eternal life from among the vario...

Nigeria: Feared Muslim Sect Issues New Threats- A Muslim sect suspected of a series of targeted killings and a massive prison break has issued new threats in northern Nigeria, this time invoking al-Qaeda's north Africa branch. The message warned the public against assisting the police or going near soldiers guarding the town at night. "Any Muslim that goes against the establishment of Sharia (law) will be attacked and killed," the message read. All over the world there seems to be a growing spirit of fundamentalism and extremism. The people of God in different parts of the world are under threat. The reality of the protection of God is very real when "my people, called by my name, humble themselves, seek my face and pray..." as the word says. Pray that the people specially the poor and the weak who do not have anyone to speak out for them, find the protection of God and the favor of the authorities. Pray that the persecuted and the anointed will ha...

USA : Northern Indiana School Boards Vote to End Bible Class- Officials at a northern Indiana school district have voted to end an elementary school Bible class that triggered a lawsuit. A lawyer for the Fairfield Community Schools advised the board that it was bound to lose a lawsuit over the constitutionality of the class at New Paris Elementary. The blessings of God had been on this nation for many years now. Among the many reasons for this, one chief reason was that the USA was a nation that honoured God and influenced the world through the missionaries that took the power of the Word to the many nations of the world. We have come to a place where we are pushing God out of our schools, communities & public places. This nation is digging for itself wells that do not offer living water. Pray that the nation will turn back to God. Pray that God will change the hearts of people and draw them back to Him.

Iran :Letter from Imprisoned Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani- This is a message from our brother Youcef Nadarkhani, a pastor of an Iranian church who is in prison for apostasy. Our dear brother has been kept in custody since October of 2009 and has recently been sentenced to death. This message has been translated from Farsi to English: "Dear brothers and sisters, Salam. In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I am continuously seeking grace and mercy to you, that you remember me and those who are bearing efforts for his name in your prayers. Your loyalty to God is the cause of my strength and encouragement. For I know well that you will be rewarded; as it's stated: blessed is the one who has faith, for what has been said to him by God, will be carried out. As we believe, heaven and earth will fade but his word will still remain..." As the members of the body of Christ, when one part of the body suffers, every member suffers. Click "full story" to r...

Iraq :Iraq's Christians Consider Their Future After Deadly Attack The latest attack, on the 31st of October, on Iraq's dwindling Christian community, which left 58 people dead, and warnings by al-Qaeda that more killings will follow, is raising questions about the future of one of the oldest Christian congregations in the Middle East. Five suicide bombers took an entire congregation hostage at Our Lady of Salvation, one of the largest of the Syrian Catholic churches in Baghdad shortly after mass on the 31st of October. They shot dead some of the worshipers, including two priests, before setting off their explosive belts when Iraqi security forces stormed the church a few hours later. Nearly 100 people were injured. The attack, claimed by an Al-Qaeda-linked group called the Islamic State of Iraq, was the deadliest recorded against Iraq's Christians. "The Ministry of War in the Islamic State of Iraq announces that all Christian institutions, organizations, ...

Eritrea : Eleven Christians Arrested in Eritrea's Latest 'Cleansing' The governor of the Southern Zone of Eritrea has ordered a crackdown on Christians living in his province. As a result, Eritrean security officials rounded up Christians from the cities of Mendefera, Dekemharre and Dibarwa. Most of the detained belong to the Full Gospel Church, an evangelical church that was among those that were banned by Eritrean officials in 2002. 11 Christians remain in detention. Greg Musselman, of Voice of the Martyrs Canada, confirms the situation but observes, "It is so targeted toward a specific group, that it is sad there has not been more of an international cry." Despite information that 3000 believers are being held illegally, the government continues to support its statement issued in May 2003 that "no groups or persons are persecuted in Eritrea for their beliefs or religion." However, in spite of this news, the Gospel is still going forward. ...

Russia : Russian Leaders Decry Arson Attacks on Churches Political and religious leaders in Russia's mainly Muslim North Caucasus region denounced the arson attacks on two Russian Orthodox churches and one Baptist church overnight on November 1st. An Orthodox church in the village of Ordzhonikidzevsky in the province of Karachayevo-Cherkessia was nearly destroyed totally, according to Interfax, a news agency that covers business interests in Russia, China and emerging markets in Eurasia. Two other churches in the nearby city of Karachaevsk were damaged but saved by night attendants. No one was injured in any of the blazes. Authorities don't know who was responsible, but the attacks on churches appeared to be part of a growing Islamic insurgency within predominantly Christian Russia seeking an independent state where they could establish Islamic law. Praise God that no one was injured in any of the arson attacks on the Russian churches and that President Boris Ebz...

Pakistan : Christian Girls Targeted for Violence in Pakistan The Christian community in Pakistan is shocked at the increasing violence and abuse targeted at young Christian girls. Two Christian girls were abducted, raped and murdered by a group of Muslims. A 13 year old girl became pregnant after being raped by a young Muslim. Violent abuse is "part of daily life" in Pakistan. There are increasing numbers of violent abuse incidents against Christian and Hindu girls, said Fides, a Vatican missionary agency. Christians are targeted because they are considered on a lower social level, and often abductions of young girls involve intent to force marriage and religious conversion or to trap them into prostitution rings. The latest tragic abuse is part of a larger phenomenon of violence against women in Pakistan, which often meets with indifference and impunity, Fides said. There were 1,198 kidnappings, 352 rapes and 1,052 murders of women in 2009 alone. Pray that the ...

 Iran : Full Story of Youcef Nadarkhani Youcef is 33 years old and is from Rasht, in the Gilan province of Iran. For the past ten years he has been a pastor in a network of house churches. He was previously imprisoned in December of 2006, the charges being apostasy (leaving Islam for Christianity) and evangelism (spreading the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ), but was released two weeks later. He is married and has two sons, ages 8 and 6. They were attending a local school when the government decided that all children should be taught about Islam, including those from Christian families. Youcef went to the school and protested this based on the Iranian constitution, which allows for freedom to practice religion. As a result, the secret police called him before the political tribunal in Rasht, Iran on October 12th of 2009. At that time he was arrested, charged for protesting, and has been in prison in Lakan (which is seven miles south of Rasht) ever since. Later t...

Vietnam :Vietnamese Governmet "Military Wiping Operation" On August 22nd of 2010, the Vietnamese government launched a large scale military operation involving thousands of armed soldiers, riot police, security police, and local police to participate in what they called "tieu quet" which means "wipe out." It is in reference to "wiping out" Degar Christians who do not join the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (ECVN). During this "Wiping Operation," they attacked 32 Degar Christian villages. At this present time, the Vietnamese government has strategically placed security police to watch over the villagers making sure that no one is still worshiping God at their villages and that no one is leaving to attend church for worship. The security police are ordered to arrest, torture and send to prison any one who violates this law. Pray that God will thwart any hostile plans of the Vietnamese authorities against Christians. Pray th...

Burma :Persecution in Burma Caught on Camera- A humanitarian group has released a shocking documentary about relief efforts for Burmese Christians along the Burma-Thailand border. For more than 60 years, Burmese soldiers have raided the border camps, killing and wounding Karen Christians. Craig McDonald of Christian Freedom International (CFI) suggests that Burma, which is also known as Myanmar, is trying to exterminate the Christians. "There is basically, what we consider in Burma, an ethnic cleansing going on," McDonald explains. "Because the military regime does not agree with the Christian faith, they're trying to wipe out all the Christians in the nation." In an effort to raise awareness about the 24/7 operation to seek out, tend to, and spotlight Christians who are being intimidated, raped, killed and driven from their homes, CFI recently sponsored a trip for members of a popular Irish Christian band called Bluetree. The journey was caught on ...

Muslim Extremists Kill Man Accused of Blasphemy and 4 Others Including 5 Year Old ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, November 19 : — Police suspect two Muslim extremists shot a Christian to death yesterday in Punjab Province shortly after the victim was granted bail in a “blasphemy” case – and less than a week after Islamist militants killed four members of a Christian family for their faith in the same province. In Godhpur village in Narowal district, 111 kilometers (69 miles) northeast of Lahore, 22-year-old Latif Masih died after two men with pistols shot him to death near his home. Inspector Rafique Ahmed said that Masih’s murder was likely linked to the case against him for allegedly desecrating the Quran. . Muslim Extremists Murder Christian Family in Pakistan ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN :— Islamic extremists killed a Christian lawyer, his wife and their five children in northwestern Pakistan this week for mounting a legal challenge against a Muslim who was charging a Christian ex...