* IRAQ - CHURCH SERVICE JOINS CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS <#IRAQ-CHURCHSERVICEJOINSCHRISTIANSANDMUSLIMS> * EGYPT - WOMAN JAILED FOR "FALSELY" STATING SHE WAS A CHRISTIAN <#EGYPT-WOMANJAILEDFOR"FALSELY"STATINGSHEWASACHRISTIAN> * INDIA - CHRISTIAN WOMEN ATTACKED <#INDIA-CHRISTIANWOMENATTACKED> * BANGLADESH - HELP FOR CHRISTIAN VICTIMS OF CYCLONE SIDR <#BANGLADESH-HELPFORCHRISTIANVICTIMSOFCYCLONESIDR> * BELGIUM - EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION TO ACKNOWLEDGE CRIMES COMMITTED AGAINST CHRISTIANS <#BELGIUM-EUROPEANPARLIAMENTRESOLUTIONTOACKNOWLEDGECRIMESCOMMITTEDAGAINSTCHRISTIANS> * NORTH KOREA - CHRISTIANS ARRESTED AS "FOREIGN SPIES" <#NORTHKOREA-CHRISTIANSARRESTEDAS"FOREIGNSPIES"> * MALDIVES - NON-MUSLIM MALDIVIANS TO LOSE CITIZENSHIP <#MALDIVES-NON-MUSLIMMALDIVIANSTOLOSECITIZENSHIP> * TURKEY - MURDER TRIAL PUT ON HOLD <#TURKEY-MURDERTRIALPUTONHOLD> IRAQ - CHURCH SERVICE JOINS CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS On 15 November St. John's Church in Dora, Baghdad, re-opened with a communion service. Christians and Muslims from the neighbourhood gathered for a service for the first time after the church had been closed for over 6 months because of the fighting going on in the area, and because of the massive increase in threats and violence against Christians. This is a positive sign amidst the seemingly endless reports on even more Christians leaving Iraq due to threats and violence from Muslim extremists. /Praise the Lord for this good news. Thank Him for the encouragement of Muslims sharing their support for Christians by coming to the opening service. Pray that this step would be a real encouragement to Iraqi Christians in Iraq and elsewhere. Pray that it would be the first step in a process of change for the better. Pray for the protection of the remaining Christians in Baghdad./ EGYPT - WOMAN JAILED FOR "FALSELY" STATING SHE WAS A CHRISTIAN On 21 November Shadia Ibrahim was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment. Shadia was charged with "providing false information on an official document." Shadia had stated on her marriage certificate that she was Christian, unaware of the fact that her father's short-lived conversion to Islam when she was three years old made her legally a Muslim. The Egyptian constitution gives freedom of religion for all citizens but in practice it is very difficult to leave Islam. Children of converts to Islam are automatically considered Muslims. /Pray that God would be close to Shadia and her family, and that they would experience His faithfulness. Pray that Western governments would be made more aware of the situation of Christians in Egypt, and that international pressure would bring about change in their and especially Shadia's circumstances. / INDIA - CHRISTIAN WOMEN ATTACKED A group of Hindu activists attacked five Christian women in full time ministry near Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The activists beat them up, accusing them of trying to convert the local people. The women were seriously injured. Police initially refused to cooperate and it was only after the Director General of Police had been informed that there would be a hunger strike if no immediate action was taken that the police started investigations into the attack. /Pray for the speedy recovery of the women. Pray that they would continue to put their faith in God, especially after this terrible experience, and that they would be able to continue to serve Him without fear. Pray that the police in India would not turn a blind eye to extremist incidents such as this one directed against Christians. Pray that the authorities would be quick to act and help the persecuted. / BANGLADESH - HELP FOR CHRISTIAN VICTIMS OF CYCLONE SIDR On 15 November Cyclone Sidr devastated large parts of the south-western coastal areas of Bangladesh. While help is starting to trickle in, Christians in the area are in danger of being left "at the end of the queue" when aid is given out. Christians make up only about 1% of the Bangladeshi population, and face discrimination and sometimes outright persecution as part of their daily life. Barnabas Fund is supporting three aid projects so far, providing money for food and emergency aid for 7500 Christian families in remote areas, building materials and house repair for 480 families, and for buying livestock to replace those killed by the cyclone. /Pray for all affected by this disaster. Pray especially that the Lord would comfort our Christian brothers and sisters who mourn and heal those who have been injured. Pray that help would reach them quickly, and that it would not only cover the immediate needs, but also help to build up new livelihoods. Pray that the help Barnabas Fund is sending will enable the local Christian organisations to help their brothers and sisters quickly and effectively. Pray for the Bangladeshi authorities that they will ensure that aid is distributed wisely and justly, and that non-Muslims would not be discriminated against or simply ignored./ BELGIUM - EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION TO ACKNOWLEDGE CRIMES COMMITTED AGAINST CHRISTIANS In a resolution passed on 15 November the European Parliament voiced its concern about the rapid increase in "episodes of intolerance and repression directed against Christian communities, particularly in the countries of Africa, Asia and the Middle East." It condemns all acts of violence against Christian communities and urges the countries' governments to bring to justice the ones who commit the crimes. /Praise God for this increasing political awareness of the difficult and often life-threatening situation of Christians in Africa, Asia and the Middle East countries, and that Europe has taken a clear stand against the religiously motivated persecution of Christians. Pray that this resolution would be noticed by many people. Pray that it would have an impact on foreign governments, and that it would be the beginning of a real change in the situation of the Persecuted Church. / NORTH KOREA - CHRISTIANS ARRESTED AS "FOREIGN SPIES" Nine Christians have disappeared and are believed to have been arrested as "foreign spies" and "native citizens working for a foreign intelligence service". Their whereabouts is still unknown, and it is feared that they might have been executed. There are various indexes that number North Korea among the very worst in terms of discrimination against and persecution of Christians. Following Jesus Christ is considered treason, as worship is reserved for the deceased dictator Kim II Sung and his son, the current dictator, Kim Jong II. /Pray for the nine Christians arrested. Pray that they would know the Lord's presence through this terrible time. Pray for their families and loved ones that God would be their strength and comfort. Pray for the government officials dealing with this case. Ask the Lord that the Christians' testimonies would speak to their hearts and to help them see the Truth. Pray for the Lord's protection over all Christian believers in North Korea. Pray that He would give them wisdom and courage to trust completely in Him and to persevere in their faith amidst their extremely difficult circumstances. / MALDIVES - NON-MUSLIM MALDIVIANS TO LOSE CITIZENSHIP The Maldivian constitutional assembly has passed an amendment stating that "none, except Muslims can be Maldivian citizens". The implementation of this amendment to the constitution means that a number of Maldivians will lose their citizenship and become stateless. In the Maldives it is illegal to practise any other religion than Islam; however, there is a very small percentage of Christians in the country. Some of them are expatriates, but there are also some Maldivian Christians, converts from Islam, who would lose their citizenship. Although the current constitution does not specifically mention this, any person who follows, preaches or simply reads texts of other religions is punished until he or she turns to Islam. Under President Gayoom, whose autocratic regime has recently come under attack, militant Islamism has become more widespread. After a bomb explosion earlier this year, which injured a number of tourists and was attributed to an Islamic militant group, the president promised to take measures to combat Islamic extremism. This seems to contradict this latest amendment to the constitution. /Pray that the amendment of the constitution will be quickly repealed. Pray especially for the Christians in the country that they would not be forced to choose between converting to Islam or becoming stateless and having to leave their home country. Pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in this country, who already face many restrictions and much persecution, that the Lord will protect them and give them strength to be faithful to Him. Pray that the measures taken against Islamic extremism will be followed by measures to create a more liberal and tolerant society. / TURKEY - MURDER TRIAL PUT ON HOLD The trial concerning the murder of the three Christians working for Zirve Publications (a publisher for Christian books) has been postponed until 14 January 2008. The court decided to adjourn the hearing because the defendants' lawyers needed more time to prepare their defence, court officials said. It seems that the media has been spreading rumours about the murdered Christians in order to present them in a negative light. Also, it has been reported that the majority of the investigations for this case seems to deal with the "missionary activities" of the three Christian men rather than the murders. In Turkey, Christians and other non- Muslims make up less than 1% of the population. In the light of Turkey's possible entry into the EU, the trial is being seen as an example of how the country deals with religious intolerance. /Pray that there will be no further delays to the trial. Pray that the focus of the trial will be on the actual crime, the murders, and that justice will be served. Pray that the officials' handling of the trial will be an affirmation of a more liberal Turkey and the right of all citizens to choose, practise and share their faith. Pray that the media will provide unbiased and objective reports of the crime, the trial and the lives of the three Christian men. /
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