Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 157 | Wed 02 May 2012

by Elizabeth Kendal

Security is deteriorating rapidly for Christians along Africa’s notorious
ethnic-religious fault-line: roughly between the 5 to 10 degrees north
parallels. Genocidal Islamic jihad has displaced Christians in Somalia,
Sudan, South Sudan, Nigeria, Mali and Ivory Coast. Multitudes of
predominantly Christian, ethnically southern Ivorian refugees feel
forgotten. Displaced during the French-backed Islamic coup of April 2011,
they remain desperate and vulnerable, unable to return home because their
homes and farms have been occupied by pro-Ouattara supporters who are
being protected by armed ‘dozos’ from the north. Appointed by Ouattara’s
Republican Forces (former ‘rebels’) to crack down on crime, ‘dozos’ are a
‘brotherhood of initiated traditional hunters renowned for their mystical
powers’.

Further to this, terrorist groups such as al-Shabaab in Somalia and Kenya,
the Government of Sudan, Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria and eastern Mali
and Ansar Dine in Northern Mali are targeting Christians continually.
These groups are seeking at the very least the subjugation of Christians
and in some places their total eradication. The jihadists receive support
from Islamist governments and from al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)
which gets most of its funds from trafficking drugs, weapons and human
beings.

TERROR IN KENYA

After Kenyan troops crossed into Somalia to fight al-Shabaab in October
2011 the Somalia-based jihadists threatened Kenya with ‘a long, protracted
war’. On Saturday evening 31 March militants believed to be from al-
Shabaab hurled explosives into a prayer meeting in the coastal town of
Mtwapa, just 16km from Mombasa. A woman and a nine-year-old boy were
killed while around 30 others were wounded. On Sunday 29 April some 50
believers were worshipping in God’s House of Miracles International Church
in Nairobi when a militant simply walked in and hurled a bomb at the
altar. ‘I heard a blast and then around me everyone was covered in blood,’
said Steven Mulinge, the church pianist. One person was killed while 15
others were treated in hospital for shrapnel wounds. Four victims with
critical injuries have been transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital.

TERROR IN NIGERIA

On Sunday 29 April believers worshipping at Bayero University in the
northern city of Kano were targeted by militants from Boko Haram. The
jihadists attacked the open-air service outside the faculty of medicine,
throwing explosive devices amongst the worshippers then chasing and
shooting believers as they fled. They also attacked a worship service
being held in the sporting complex, again throwing explosive devices
amongst the believers who were then chased and gunned down as they fled.
Twenty-one people were killed and more than 20 were treated in hospital
for gunshot wounds. In an almost simultaneous attack, six Boko Haram
gunmen burst into a Church of Christ in Nigeria chapel the northeast city
of Maiduguri, spraying bullets throughout the sanctuary. Whilst the
worshippers escaped with wounds but no fatalities, the pastor and three
others who were preparing to serve communion were found dead in the
sanctuary.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL –

* cut the lines of support that keep these jihadists armed and paid; may
he sever relationships, smash networks, destroy trade and smuggling
routes and remove key players so that the jihadists will be starved of
resources. May the ‘horns’ [strength] of the wicked be cut off, and the
‘horns’ [strength] of the righteous be lifted up. (Psalm 75:10)

‘ . . . in the name of the LORD I cut them off!’ (Psalm 118:10 ESV.)

* intervene for the sake of his imperilled people to infuse wisdom,
courage and commitment into fearful, reluctant, equivocating and
short-sighted African governments. ‘The king’s heart is a stream of
water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.’ (Proverbs
21:1 ESV)

* be a shield and provider for his displaced and frightened people; may
he heal their wounds, shelter and protect them, provide their every
need and increase their faith. (Psalm 18)
To see this RLPB with hyperlinks go to
http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com.au

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SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE
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CHRISTIANS TARGETED FROM EAST TO WEST IN AFRICA

Islamic jihad has displaced Christians in Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan,
Nigeria, Mali and Ivory Coast. Terrorist groups such as al-Shabaab in
Somalia and Kenya, the Government of Sudan, Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria
and eastern Mali and Ansar Dine in Northern Mali are targeting Christians
continually. On Sunday 29 April some 25 Christians were killed and dozens
wounded when jihadists launched terror attacks against church worship
services in Nairobi, Kenya, and in Kano and Maiduguri, Northern Nigeria.
The two groups involved – al-Shabaab and Boko Haram – both receive support
from al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), as does Ansar Dine, the group
that has driven Christians from northern Mali. AQIM gets most of its funds
from trafficking drugs, weapons and human beings. Please pray for these
Churches.

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We suggest that churches and fellowships using the above Summary might
also provide a copy of the listed prayer points to be used in their
worship by people who are leading in prayer.

For more information, updates and helpful links see Elizabeth Kendal’s
blog ‘Religious Liberty Monitoring’ <http://elizabethkendal.blogspot.com>.