AUSTRALIAN PRAYER NETWORK NEWSLETTER

* MASS ARREST OF NEW CHRISTIAN CONVERTS IN IRAN
* PRESS STATEMENT BY KENYAN CHRISTIAN CHURCH LEADERS
* WORLD HAS FORGOTTEN ABOUT SOMALIA
* NIGERIAN PRESIDENT CALLS FOR UNRELENTING PRAYER FOR HIS
COUNTRY
* PAKISTAN FLOODS CREATE POLITICAL OPPORTUNITY
* ADULT STEM CELL STUDIES OUTPERFORM EMBRYONIC CELLS
* U.K. STUDY FINDS THAT BELIEVERS ARE HAPPIER THAN
AGNOSTICS

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MASS ARREST OF
NEW CHRISTIAN CONVERTS IN IRAN

In a pre-planned and coordinated effort by government security
forces, a group of new Christian believers has been arrested in a
northern province of Iran. According to reports received by Farsi
Christian News Network (FCNN), a group of 15 newly-converted
Christians, who were travelling to meet and have fellowship with
believers in Bojnoord, were arrested in the city of Masshad. Informed
sources said, the government security forces had prior knowledge of
the trip and stopped the group en-route to their destination and
after boarding the bus arrested everyone.
Masshad is considered one of the most important cities of Iran. In
its report FCNN says: “This city has a special significance for the
Shiite Muslims of the world as it enshrines the tomb of the eighth
Shiite Imam, Imam Reza, and is thus a centre of
pilgrimage, theological studies, and training of future clerics.”
FCNN explained that Masshad is significantly larger in population
than the city of Ghom, another great and important Shiite pilgrimage
centre. The FCNN report states that many people in Masshad have come
to faith in Jesus Christ in the last few years.”
The report adds that all 15 detainees were transferred to the
Ministry of Information’s central detention centre. During the
ensuing week they were subjected to harsh and inhumane
interrogations. After one week, 13 of these believers, after agreeing
to sign promissory notes and posting bails, were conditionally freed.
Two remaining detainees, 48-year-old Reza (AKA Stephen) and 23-year-
old Ehsan Behrooz, did not agree to sign any forms and post bail, and
thus remain in detention. There is no further information of the
whereabouts and the condition of these two detainees.
FCNN reports that on the same day as his arrest, Ehsan Behrooz was
escorted by three security agents to his residence and, after
searching his home, a number of items such as his computer, books,
and other literature were seized and taken away as evidence. The FCNN
report states: “From that time until now the family of Mr. Behrooz
has no further information about his wellbeing and his whereabouts.
Only twice has Ehsan been able to contact his family by phone, and
during these brief conversations he is has indicated that he is doing
well.”
Mr. Reza is married with two children, and his family is extremely
worried about his condition at the detention centre. FCNN reports “As
of now there has been no formal charges announced, legal
representation has been denied, and no one knows how long these men
will spend in detention awaiting their day in court.” FCNN states
that, “it is noteworthy to mention that Masshad is not only a centre
of Shiite faith and pilgrimage, but it is the birthplace of the
current supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ali Khamenei,
and thus receives special attention from the government.“
Moreover, the large sums of money, millions of dollars annually, that
are collected from the alms and donations made to the shrine of the
eighth Imam of Shiites, Imam Reza, supports the power of the Ali
Khamenei, who maintains full control over all the revenue generated
in this city.” FCNN states: “Perhaps it could be said that the
success of Christianity in this ultra-religious city that remains a
political, economic, and religious centre for the Shiite clerics is
due to the shedding of the innocent blood of a Christian Martyr—Rev.
Soodmand.”
FCNN adds: “Since the coming to power of the Islamic Republic of Iran
in 1979, Rev. Soodmand was arrested and interrogated on several
occasions and finally after an illegal trial, with no defence lawyer
permitted and no legal procedures followed, the 39-year-old Rev.
Soodmand was tried and condemned to hang.” FCNN explained that “on
December 3, 1990, the execution order was carried out in the prison
yard of Masshad and the spirit of this Martyr went to be with the
Lord Jesus. Prison guards took his body and buried it in ruins in the
Southern part of the city.”
Hussien Soodmand, a convert from Islam to Christianity, became the
first Christian minister to be tried and executed by the Judicial
authorities in Iran. The Cleric who signed the order of execution
stated in a conversation that, “we executed him as an example to
those who are contemplating leaving Islam.” FCNN said “At that time
there were just a handful of Christians in the city of Masshad.
Today, more than 20 years later, there are thousands of Christian
believers in Masshad and we can see why the Lord did not stop the
hand of the evil one from killing His faithful servant.”
Source: Assist
News
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PRESS STATEMENT BY
KENYAN CHRISTIAN CHURCH LEADERS
Following the approval of a new constitution for Kenya, which amongst
other things allows the establishment of Sharia Courts in the nation,
the following statement has been issued by Christian Church leaders
in Kenya.
“The Christian church in Kenya wishes to thank all Kenyans for voting
peacefully during the recent referendum. We especially appreciate the
more than two million Kenyans who courageously stood to demand that
the anomalies in the proposed constitution be addressed before the
same is passed. We will forever hold fond memories of those who
sacrificed their lives in incidences of violence during this process.
We are saddened by the fact that the pre-referendum process was
marked by malpractices and irregularities which continued right into
the balloting and tallying phases.
This calls into question the validity of the process and its outcome.
Throughout this process, the Christian Church has adopted the
position that the proposed constitution contains various contentious
issues whose implications are grave for our nation. The results
announced following the referendum do not in any way nullify these
contentions. These must be resolved since all Kenyans agree that the
issues are contentious. We call upon all Kenyans to remain peaceful
and united as we pursue the process of addressing these contentious
issues.
As church leaders, we remain united and steadfast in that
duty. Ezekiel 33: 3 will always guide our engagement in the nation:
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so
hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to
the wicked, O wicked man, you will surely die, and you do not speak
out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his
sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you warn
him to turn from his ways and he does not, he will die for his sin,
but you will have saved yourself.”
Source: Press statement released by the Kenyan
Church
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WORLD HAS
FORGOTTEN ABOUT SOMALIA
Somalia is a prime example of an emergency the world has forgotten,
says the Alliance of Churches and Humanitarian Agencies (ACT). “With
1.5 million people forced from their homes by fighting, aid relief
inside the country remains critical,” the Alliance said. At
least 600,000 Somalis are refugees, living mainly in Kenya, Yemen and
Ethiopia. ACT members in Somalia plan to issue a fresh appeal to
provide basic services to displaced people in the country and to
refugees in neighbouring nations. After Afghanistan and Iraq, Somalia
generates the highest number of refugees.
Somalis are fleeing conflict, economic collapse and drought,
according to the United Nations’ refugee agency. Many civilians have
been killed and wounded in fighting in Mogadishu. At the same time,
the African Union said it would add 4,000 troops to its peace force
in Somalia, which is trying to keep the Western-backed government
from rebels fighting to topple it. A Somali Islamist group,
al-Shabab, has said it was behind two blasts last month that killed
more than 70 people in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, to protest
against the presence of peacekeepers from that country in Somalia.

The ACT Alliance said that since 1991 clashes between ethnic groups
have resulted in the death of many and caused immeasurable economic
and social destruction. Mortar fire and weaponry have left thousands
of people disabled and living in desperate situations. A third of
Somalis survive with what little they receive from relatives.
Violence and insecurity in south and central Somalia have
considerably reduced the regions aid agencies can work, compelling
them to move or evacuate international workers to safer places,” it
said.
Source: Anglican
Journal
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NIGERIAN PRESIDENT
CALLS FOR UNRELENTING PRAYER FOR HIS COUNTRY
Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
has called on Nigerian religious leaders “not to relent” in “praying
for the peace of the country.” The President stated this during a
recent Prayer Breakfast organized by the Aso Villa Chapel in the
State House, Abuja, the nation’s capital. He acknowledged that the
collective prayers, offered by men and women of God, is what has been
keeping the country, adding that more prayers are needed to make the
country perform better.
He went on to say that “the way out of the challenges facing the
country” was through a “trust in God,” and he enjoined religious
organizations to pray that God would guide Nigerian leaders “to lead
the nation properly.” Referring to the Scriptures where the children
of Israel experienced calamity as a result of their deviation from
God, the President said that it is a “dangerous thing to turn away
from God,” pledging that he will continue to trust in God to direct
him as he leads his nation. “No matter the wisdom, skills and ability
I have, I cannot succeed except with God,” he remarked.
Speaking during the event, Pastor William Kumuyi, the General
Overseer of the Lagos-based Deeper Life Bible Church, gave an
exhortation entitled, “The Awesome Responsibility of Choosing our
Future.” The pastor said that everyone has been given the opportunity
to choose his future, stressing that Nigeria has come to a “critical
moment in its history.” He called on all Nigerians to be involved in
“bringing about the change that will guarantee a glorious future of
the country.”
Source: Assist
News
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PAKISTAN FLOODS
CREATE POLITICAL OPPORTUNITY
At least 1,500 people have been killed in floods in northern Pakistan
that have affected 3.2 million people. The World Health
Organization has warned that hundreds of thousands of people are at
risk of diseases from contaminated water. A World Food Program
spokeswoman says 1.8 million Pakistanis are in need of food
assistance. In terms of those affected, that’s more than the Boxing
Day Tsunami, the Kashmir Earthquake and the Haiti crisis combined.
The flooding is creating political unrest as Pakistanis are angry at
the government for its slow response to the crisis.
Some experts are saying the U.S. can capitalize on the moment to
create goodwill toward America by sending relief. The Pentagon has
announced it is sending six helicopters from Afghanistan to help with
relief efforts in neighbouring Pakistan. U.S. forces already have
delivered more than 189,000 packaged meals. But other groups,
including Islamist charities with suspected ties to terrorist
organizations, are also providing aid. The crisis creates an
opportunity for them to expand their influence on the general
populace, which could help their recruiting in the future.
Pray that the tragic floods would not allow an opportunity for
terrorists to expand their influence. Pray that the Lord would thwart
the schemes and intentions of those who would capitalize on the
floods for evil purposes. “For he spoke, and it came to be; he
commanded, and it stood firm. The LORD foils the plans of the
nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the
LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all
generations” (Psalm 33:9-11).
Source: Intercessors for
America
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ADULT STEM CELL
STUDIES OUTPERFORM EMBRYONIC CELLS
For all the emotional debate of the last decade on allowing the use
of embryonic stem cells, it’s adult stem cells that are in human
testing today. An extensive review of stem cell projects reveal a
wide range of potential treatments. Adult stem cells are being
studied in people who suffer from multiple sclerosis, heart attacks
and diabetes. Some early results suggest stem cells can help some
patients avoid leg amputation. Recently, researchers reported that
they restored vision to patients whose eyes were damaged by
chemicals.
Apart from these efforts, transplants of adult stem cells have become
a standard lifesaving therapy for perhaps hundreds of thousands of
people with leukaemia, lymphoma and other blood diseases. “That’s
really one of the great success stories of stem cell biology that
gives us all hope,” says Dr. David Scadden of Harvard, who notes stem
cells are also used to grow skin grafts. But adult stem cells have
potential that embryonic stem cells do not, such as the ability to
stimulate tissue repair, or to suppress the immune system.
Source: Intercessors for
America
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U.K. STUDY FINDS
THAT BELIEVERS ARE HAPPIER THAN AGNOSTICS
Research conducted by a study led by Professor Andrew Clark and Dr.
Orsolya Lelkes called “Deliver Us From Evil: Religion as Insurance”
has found that people who believe in God are happier than agnostics
or atheists. The report found that religious people were better able
to cope with disappointments such as unemployment or divorce than
non-believers; moreover, they become even happier the more they pray
and go to church. The study also reportedly found that less than a
sixth of churchgoers in Britain believe it is better to divorce than
stay in an unhappy marriage.
Source: Intercessors
Network

http://www.ausprayernet.org.au/

Related Articles:

• SUDAN & BURMA: CHRISTIAN REFUGEES IN PERIL
• Pray for the World 6 February 2012
• PRAYER OF A HUMBLE SERVANT
• Prayers for Help in Times of Trouble
• Pray for the World (January 31, 2012)

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