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Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin – No. 238 – Wed 24 Sep 2003

WELCOME to the 35 intercessors who have joined the list this month.

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DURING SEPTEMBER WE HAVE PRAYED ABOUT –

UGANDA: and the troubles in the north due to Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) terror. In the August Update, we requested prayer ‘for the Ugandan government, particularly President Museveni, to publicly turn to God for help’, quoting Isaiah 22:11.

the Soroti Pastors and Elders Forum and people of the north in a day of prayer and fasting in Soroti town. And God is answering prayer. On 8 Sep, the UPDF (Ugandan Army) found three underground LRA armouries. On 16 Sep in Gulu, the UPDF dug up more ammunition stocks, including 84 bombs. Over 250 children were rescued during September, many being seriously ill. Also, Sudan has permitted the Ugandan Army once again to pursue the LRA inside Sudan. As well, ‘New Vision’ newspaper (Uganda) reported on 17 Sep that over 100 LRA rebels, including six senior commanders, had surrendered in the past month. Please continue to pray for God to bring peace, restoration, reparation and reconciliation to Northern Uganda. Pray for the Church as it leads the way, and that Joseph Kony’s occult-inspired terror will end forever.

NORTH KOREA: a land of zero religious freedom and unparalleled suffering for believers. Psalm 40:1-3, Psalm 24:7-10

TENSIONS ON AFRICA’S RELIGIOUS FAULTLINE: Please pray. ‘The Lord will be our Mighty One. He will be like a wide river of protection that no enemy can cross.’ Isaiah 33:21 NLT.

* UPDATES:

* IVORY COAST – The situation remains precarious with the nation split. The rebels have now quit the government of national unity and suspended their participation in a national program for disarmament, saying ‘the resumption of war is not pure fantasy’. Thirteen months ago Ivory Coast was a prosperous safe-haven and a bastion of Christian mission for North and West Africa. Today it is threatened – please pray.

* KANO, NIGERIA – Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir has pledged full support for Kano’s Islamisation and implementing Sharia, with increased co-operation between Kano and Sudan. Remember the suffering Christians of Kano and Northern Nigeria.

* SUDAN – Peace talks in Kenya progress delicately, knowing that failure will result in war. The Government of Sudan resists making concessions because of their overwhelming military advantage. The South Sudanese however are making concessions because they desperately need peace. Their children suffer unique chronic and fatal neurological disorders, parasites (particularly the painful Guinea Worm, due to the lack of clean drinking water), starvation, grief and trauma. They are our brothers and sisters. Achieving a peace agreement will be nothing short of miraculous, so please pray for God’s intervention in the hearts and minds of all concerned (Proverbs 21:1). The fact that the talks have not yet failed is itself a miracle – surely God is at work – so be encouraged and keep praying (Jer 32:17).

MORE ISSUES DURING SEPTEMBER —————————-

BELARUS: RETURNING TO SOVIET DAYS

President Lukashenka has decreed that all Belarusians must subscribe to an official State ideology, taught in schools and workplaces by trained ideological instructors. Lukashenka has said that this Belarusian ideology should incorporate the ‘basis’ of the Soviet-era ideology. Differing ideologies are being labelled as ‘infections’ that must be eradicated before they make the nation sick! Pray for the strength, courage and unity of the evangelical believers in Belarus in the face of increasing difficulties. Pray for justice and freedom.

CHINA: THREE RELEASED

In the July Update, we prayed for the three church leaders who were arrested in a 4am prayer meeting. On 5 Sep, Voice of the Martyrs reported that the three had been released in mid/late August due to international pressure. We praise and thank God for this and keep praying for other religious prisoners, particularly Pastor Gong Shengliang who is suffering so severely. Following international embarrassment by a high profile death in custody, China has introduced new regulations to eliminate police brutality, including a ban on torturing prisoners. These regulations operate from 1 Jan 2004, but as yet there is no way to enforce them. Pray for religious freedom for China.

ERITREA: MORE CHRISTIANS DETAINED

On 7 Sep, 12 evangelical Christian ‘young people’ were arrested as they met in a private house for worship. A police chief in Asmara has ordered withholding their food rations until they sign papers denying their faith. As of 17 Sep, none had signed. Also, nothing more has been learnt about the fate of 57 young people arrested and locked in metal containers since 19-20 August as punishment for having Bibles with them at their summer military camp in Sawa. At least 230 evangelical Christians in Eritrea are currently jailed for their faith. In reports on 17-18 Sep, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have most helpfully exposed the persecution of Christian minorities in Eritrea. Pray for God to bring change, justice and freedom.

JORDAN: SIHAM AND HER CHILDREN

On 17 September 2003, a judge ordered Siham Qandah to hand over her children, Rawan and Fadi, to a Muslim guardian in three days or face 30 days’ imprisonment. The court alleges that Siham’s husband converted to Islam before he died. (Thus the children should be deemed Muslim and the mother lose custody.) However there is no evidence of any conversion. On 21 Sep, a meeting was to take place between Siham’s representative, a member of the Jordanian royal family and a Supreme Court judge in Amman to try and get this verdict overturned. Precedents will be set with this case – please pray that justice is done, for Siham, Rawan and Fadi, and all other Jordanian Christians.