Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin – No. 265 – Tue 30 Mar 2004

WELCOME to the 36 intercessors who have joined the list this month.

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DURING MARCH WE HAVE PRAYED ABOUT –

AFGHANISTAN: a nation that is truly suffering a famine of hearing the words of the Lord (Amos 8:11,12). ‘Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.’ Prayer of Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:2)

INDIA: where Christians are under intense pressure to convert back to Hinduism.

CHINA: where the house churches are severely harassed. There is still no verdict in the case of the three believers charged with ‘providing intelligence to overseas organisations’.

* MORE: Mr Chen Jingmao, an imprisoned 72-year-old South China Church leader from Chongqing City, was beaten and had both legs broken on 6 February 2004. This was punishment for leading 50 prison inmates to the Christian Faith. Now, Mr Chen must be carried by fellow believers to go to the toilet, and to eat. It is reported that while beating Mr Chen the guards said his action of bringing others to Christianity had brought shame upon the Communist Party.

ERITREA: where at least 373 Christians are presently tortured and imprisoned in appalling conditions for refusing to renounce their faith.

MORE ISSUES DURING MARCH ————————

IVORY COAST: *URGENT* – WAR SEEMS IMMINENT

On 19 September 2002 Muslim rebels attempted to overthrow the democratically elected government of Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire), a nation that had for decades been a haven of peace, prosperity and religious freedom in predominantly Islamic West Africa. The coup failed and the nation was polarised along religious and ethnic lines. The political aim of the rebels is now to have the constitution changed so that all Ivory Coast’s immigrants (half the total population – all from the surrounding Islamic nations) can be naturalised. This of course would turn Ivory Coast (presently 38% Muslim and 31% Christian) into a clear Muslim majority nation able to elect an Islamic government. Ivory Coast has been in a state of unresolved tension ever since.

The rebels withdrew from a government of national unity in September 2003 and have refused to disarm. Defying a security- related ban on all political demonstrations, the rebels marched illegally in Abidjan on 25 March 2004, provoking a confrontation with security forces. Security is unraveling and a return to war seems imminent. Pray for wisdom for President Gbagbo, a Christian. Pray that God will defend justice and this great nation, and protect HIS Church in Ivory Coast and West Africa.

SRI LANKA: ELECTIONS ON 2 APRIL

Buddhist nationalist anti-Christian violence in Sri Lanka has increased massively since the Buddhist nationalist champion, Venerable Soma, died in December 2003. Between Christmas 2003 and mid March 2004, 146 Christian places of worship were forced to close. In reality, this is probably only the tip of the iceberg. Buddhist militants put a banner on one burnt out church that read ‘the Church is no more’. Evangelicals are a very vulnerable minority at 1% of the population. Buddhist monks have formed a political party, the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), that will contest the 2 April elections. If they win representation, or even clinch the balance of power, they will be able to exert considerable influence in Sri Lankan politics. They will advocate for the immediate implementation of anti-conversion laws. Please pray for the Church in Sri Lanka, and cover this election with prayer.

UGANDA: SUDANESE FIGHTING LRA

In early March, Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) militants killed several Southern Sudanese and stole some 3,000 head of cattle in Torit district. As in Northern Uganda, the predominantly Christian population in Southern Sudan has suffered terribly at the hands of this blasphemous terror militia over many years. A ceasefire with the Government of Sudan (GoS) has freed up the Southern People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) to join the fight against the LRA. Now the SPLA and the Ugandan military (UPDF) are united in their determination to rid the region of the curse of the LRA for all time. The Islamic GoS, which formerly funded, trained and armed the LRA to terrorise South Sudan and North Uganda, has also turned against them. The GoS recently agreed to arrest Joseph Kony, the spirit-medium leader of the LRA, and hand him over if they find him in GoS territory. Please continue to pray that South Sudan and North Uganda will soon be delivered of this demonic terror. May they see the arm of God bring victory and peace.

‘The Lord is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.’ Proverbs 15:29

‘Let the wicked fall into their own nets…’ (Psalm 141:10a) ‘…blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.’ (Psalm 144:15b)

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The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray specifically and regularly for religious liberty issues, and in particular to uphold the Church where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.