Prayer Diary September -October 2014

8/11/2019 Prayer Diary September -October 2014

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2 BARNABAS PRAYERSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

Thank you for your prayers for our

persecuted brothers and sisters in

Christ, which make such a difference

to them. We sometimes have to

change or omit their names forsecurity reasons, and we have only

limited space to share their stories.

But the Lord knows the people and

places we are praying about. Thank

you for your understanding.

Please do not feel limited by the

specic prayer requests, but pray

as you feel led. On each Sunday wehave provided a set prayer; please

feel free to use these in their current

form, to adapt them as you prefer, or

to use the information they contain to

frame your own prayers.

SeptemberMonday 1Praise God that Pakistans Supreme

Court has instructed the government to take

specic steps to protect religious minorities fromviolence and intolerance. The ruling was issuedpartly in response to the deadly attack on AllSaints Church in Peshawar in September 2013,

which claimed over 100 lives. The court orderedthe formation of a National Council for Minority

Rights, a special police force to protect places ofworship, and a taskforce to develop strategies tocounter intolerance, along with further correctivemeasures. Campaigners for the rights of

Christians in Pakistan welcomed the moves butexpressed reservations about whether they wouldbe implemented. Pray that the measures willachieve a tangible improvement in the condition ofthe countrys Christians.

Tuesday 2About 1,500 Christians staged aprotest in Lahore, Pakistan in June 2014 over

the grabbing of church-owned property by thegovernment of Punjab. Over ten large properties,including a church, schools, hospitals andgraveyards, have been taken. Christian leaders

met with the Lahore District Coordination Ofceron 15 June to demand the return of the latestschool to be seized, but when they failed to get apositive response, Christian protestors took to the

streets. Pray that the provincial government willrespect the property rights of the churches.

Wednesday 3 Give thanks that members of a

Pakistani Christian family who have been trapped

in bonded labour for years have been rescuedby Barnabas partners. The owner of the brick kilnwhere they worked had kept them enslaved bywithholding their wages and forcing them to takeout a loan from him. When they tried to leave,he made them return, and he beat, tortured and

threatened to kill them. The father of the familydied in 2013 as a result of illness and weakness.But earlier this year, his widow sought help fromour partners, and they obtained a court orderfor the recovery of the family. Pray for the threemembers who have already been rescued asthey recuperate at a safe house. Pray too for theefforts to secure the freedom of six others still heldby the owner.

Thursday 4As the Syrian civil war rages on,

the militant Islamist group the Islamic State ofIraq and the Levant (ISIS) now controls extensiveterritory in eastern Syria. The group is acutelyhostile to Christians, who are suffering grievousoppression under its rule. The US Commissionon International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)has named Syria as one of the worlds worstviolators for the rst time, saying that the crisishas devolved largely into a sectarian conict

and represents one of the worst situations inthe world for religious freedom, with abusesbeing committed by all sides. Before the war, it

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was easier to be a Christian in Syria than almostanywhere else in the Arab world. Pray that theUS and other Western governments will continueto work for a resolution of the conict and for

religious freedom for all Syrias citizens.

Friday 5Give thanks that Barnabas Fund ishelping many Christian families from Aleppo,Syria, to survive. One group of over 240 familiesoriginally lived in one of the citys poorestneighbourhoods, but on Good Friday 2013, rebelsinvaded their area, forcing them to ee. Theylost all their possessions on that day and have

been living as displaced persons. The familieshave been receiving monthly food packagesand milk powder for the children for almost twoyears now, as well as regular additional packagescontaining essentials such as blankets, shoesand seasonal clothes. Pray that our partner will beable to continue getting the aid to those who needit most. Pray too that the displaced families mayexperience Gods nearness through their ordeal.

Saturday 6The militant jihadist group ISISlaunched a terrifying attack on Mosul, the second

city of Iraq, on 6 June. They seized weapons,freed prisoners and looted and torched churchbuildings. Three days later, police came to senior

church leaders there and advised the Christiancommunity to leave. They ed immediately,leaving everything behind as they sought refugein the Nineveh valley. The following day Mosul

fell to the rebels. Barnabas sent emergency aidto support the Christians in their desperate need.

The militants then advanced south, promptingChristians also to leave the city of Kirkuk. Pray forprovision and protection for our displaced brothersand sisters and that they will nd safety in theKurdish areas of northern Iraq.

Sunday 7Heavenly Father, we cry

out to You for the Christians left inMosul, mostly elderly and sick, as

they now face the threat of sharia

penalties introduced by ISIS: the

amputation of limbs for thieves,

crucixion for criminals and the

death penalty for apostasy. We pray

that You will protect them from the

brutality of the militants. We pray

for peace and healing for those who

have already been threatened or

attacked, and for the safe return of

those who have been kidnapped.

We pray too for those struggling

to pay the humiliating jizyatax that

the militants have imposed. We ask

that the attempt to restore a united

Islamic state under one ruler in thecross-border territory controlled by

ISIS will come to nothing.

Monday 8Iraqi Christians are losing evenpreviously safe havens under the relentlessassault of ISIS. On 25 June, the militant groupattacked the historic Christian town of Qaraqosh,near Mosul, driving its mainly Christian population

of around 40,000 to ee. Many Christians fromMosul had gone there after the fall of their owncity earlier in the month. Kurdish forces were able

SEPTEMBER 5 - 8

These displaced Christians from Aleppo

receive support from Barnabas


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to repel ISIS from the town, allowing some peopleto return to their homes for the time being, but

their security remains extremely precarious. Praythat the ISIS advance will be stopped and that

the Iraqi security forces will be able to regain thecaptured territory.

Tuesday 9A Christian from Loynam village inthe Savannakhet province of Laos was arrested

on the morning of 29 May and tied to a postbefore being imprisoned. Two weeks earlier,police and village security ofcers had gone toMr Sorts home and threatened him with eviction

from the village and conscation of all his propertyif he did not give up his faith. He refused, despite

repeated attempts to coerce him. The village chiefthen seized around 300 of Mr Sorts money. Givethanks that our brother, who has been a Christian

for less than two years, has stood rm in hisfaith, and ask the Lord to renew his courage and

strength (1 Corinthians 16:13).

Wednesday 10Five Christians have beencharged with murder in Laos after a sick woman

sought prayer at her local church, convertedto Christianity and later died. Mrs Chan, fromSaisomboon village in Savannakhet province,had been ill for two years when she approachedthe church. Her health improved for a short time,and she and her eight grown-up children came

to faith in Christ. The sons and daughters wanteda Christian burial ceremony, but the authoritiesforbade this unless they renounced their faith,which they refused to do. When Christiansin the area protested, ve were arrested andsubsequently charged with Mrs Chans murder.Pray that the God of justice will have compassionon His people (Isaiah 30:18) and ensure theiracquittal from this false accusation.

Thursday 11In an earlier incident inSaisomboon village, three teenage Christian girls

were disqualied from taking their nal schoolexaminations because of their faith. The villagechief said that in following Christianity, Noi (15),Net (15) and Nut (14) had forfeited their right to

education. Five families from the village havenow converted to Christianity. A spokesman forHuman Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedomexpressed the view that the authorities were tryingto nd every possible way to stop the spreadof Christian religious freedom in the area. Praythat the girls will be allowed to complete theireducation and that opposition to the Christians in

the village will cease.

Friday 12Pray for Bible school students inVietnam who were subjected to a terrifying night-time raid by police and hired thugs. On 9 June,ofcers swooped from adjacent rooftops into thechurch compound that houses the school, whilevehicle-loads of people were brought to the siteto vandalise the building with bricks, stones andsticks. The students were beaten, punched andkicked before being taken away for interrogation;20 were left in need of medical attention but wereprevented from leaving to nd it. Thugs continuedto attack the compound over the next ten nights.

Pray for the students as they recover from thisbrutal assault and that they will stand rm in theirfaith in the face of intimidation.

Saturday 13This is a war against Christiansand democracy and their constitution. Allah sayswe should nish them when we get them. Theleader of the Nigerian Islamist militant group BokoHaram was speaking in a video that reasserted

their agenda and addressed the people ofthe world, saying, Either you are with usMujahedeen or you are with the Christians. Thetranslation of the video was released as scores

of people were killed in suicide bombings in May,including at least 118 in a double attack in Jos,Plateau state on 20 May. Pray that Boko Harams

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BARNABAS PRAYERSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

murderous campaign to establish an Islamic statein Northern Nigeria will not succeed.

Sunday 14 Almighty God, we call

to You for relief for Christians inthe Gwoza area of Borno state

in Northern Nigeria, as they face

repeated violent attacks by Boko

Haram militants. We pray for comfort

for the relatives and friends of the

hundreds who have been killed,

and for the thousands who have

been forced from their homes and

seen them torched. We ask for Yourspecial protection on Christians

as they gather to worship You. We

pray for the Nigerian authorities to

re-establish control of the area, so

that the displaced Christians may be

safe from further attacks and free to

rebuild their shattered communities.

We pray too for their persecutors to

come to repentance and faith in the

Lord Jesus.

Monday 15Give thanks that two smallChristian communities in Niger have received

livestock from Barnabas Fund to help thembecome self-sufcient. The Christians also

received three days of training to learn how totake care of the animals. The predominantlyMuslim region where these communities arelocated has endured more than a decade of food

insecurity. Pray that the livestock will prosper,so that the Christians will be able to sell themat a good price and will become nanciallyindependent. Pray also that growing tensionsbetween Muslims and Christians in Niger will notadversely affect them.

Tuesday 16Violence in the Central AfricanRepublic (CAR) has been raging on despite the

presence of peacekeeping troops from Franceand the African Union. On 28 May, Christianswere left reeling from one of the worst attacks ontheir community since Seleka Islamists whoseized control of CAR in March 2013 wereforced from power in January. Around 20 peoplewere killed, including a 78-year-old minister, and ahigher number kidnapped in an attack by Muslimgunmen on a church in the capital, Bangui. Theincident sparked further violence and protestsover the failure of the transitional governmentand peacekeeping troops to protect civilians.Pray for the restoration of peace and for fracturedcommunities in CAR to be reconciled.

Wednesday 17Lift up to the Lord TandinWangyal, a pastor in Bhutan; the authorities

seem determined to pin a charge on him. He wasarrested on 5 March along with another pastor,M.B. Thapa, and they were held for 49 daysbefore being released on bail. The Minister ofHome and Cultural Affairs sought to have themcharged with proselytising (Christians are notable to share their faith freely in Buddhist-majorityBhutan), but after no evidence could be foundfor this, the pair were accused of other offences.

While Pastor Thapa was subsequently cleared,Pastor Tandin was charged with illegally collectingfunds; another charge of attempting to screen a

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A Christian from Niger with goats received

from Barnabas


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lm without permission was dropped. Pray thatTandin will be cleared and that both pastors willbe allowed to conduct their ministry without furtherinterference and harassment.

Thursday 18Cry out to the Lord for the twoorphaned daughters of a Christian couple whowere hacked to death in a savage attack in

India. The Bhutia family, Tibetan converts fromBuddhism, were targeted in their home in theGeetdubling slum in a remote part of Darjeelingdistrict, West Bengal, on the night of 18 June.Their 12-year-old daughter Rinjees eye was

gouged out in the attack, while her youngersister escaped unharmed. The bodies of theirparents, Dominic (45) and Christina (35), werefound by neighbours. Pray that the offender(s) willbe brought to justice and that the father to the

fatherless (Psalm 68:5) will surround the Bhutiagirls with His love and care.

Friday 19Lift up to the Lord a group of

52 Indian Christian families in Sirisguda,Chhattisgarh, who have been suffering in various

ways. After they had been denied food rationsfrom the public distribution system for twomonths, a group of them complained to the foodinspector on 16 June. A local pastor said it hadbeen very difcult for the low-income familiesto survive without the rations. The complaint

sparked a violent attack on the community by aHindu extremist mob that left ten Christians inneed of hospital treatment. The following day, thevillage chief called a public meeting and said thatall villagers should convert to Hinduism or elsetheir lands would be seized. Give thanks that theChristians refused to renounce their faith; praythat they will continue to stand rm and let nothingmove them (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Saturday 20We killed your father becausehe refused to deny Jesus Christ. This is what

the killers of Indian Christian Nimmaka Laxmaya(50), a convert from Hinduism, told his son afterhe found his fathers body dumped on a roadsideon 25 May. The Hindu extremists had actually

been hunting the son because he had justbeen baptised; they mistook Nimmaka for himbecause the older man was walking home alonefrom the ceremony in the village of Dherubada,Orissa state, carrying the baptismal clothes. Inthe subsequent confrontation with the son, theassailants threatened to kill him also, but hemanaged to escape. Pray that he will be able toforgive the murderers and will be comforted in his

grief by his fathers steadfast testimony.

Sunday 21Father God, we pray

for the 30 Indian Christian families

who were left homeless after the

authorities demolished their homes

in a slum on 11 June to make way

for a new road in Bhubaneswar,

Orissa state. We pray that You will

provide for their every need, Lord,

as they have lost most of their

possessions and been left living in

a makeshift shelter without access

to drinking water. We pray especially

for the children, who were not able

SEPTEMBER 18 - 21

The demolition of homes in Orissa has left

250 Christian families homeless



to start the new school year as a

result of this incident, and ask that

You will make it possible for them

to resume their education. Most of

all Lord, we pray that You will givethese Christian families the grace to

respond to this injustice with dignity

and forgiveness.

Monday 22Pray for imprisoned pastor SaeedAbedini, who has been severely beaten andforcibly returned to jail from hospital in Iran.He had been recovering there for two months

from injuries received in past beatings, and histransfer back to the deadly Rajai Shahr prisoncame without warning. When he arrived at thehospital in March, he was shackled, and guardslashed out at him violently. But his treatment laterimproved; his family were allowed to visit him, andhe was given nutritious meals. Ask the Lord tostrengthen and protect Saeed in this latest stageof his long and painful ordeal, and pray that hewill soon be released. Pray too for comfort for hisfamily in the US; his wife has said that this latestdevelopment breaks her heart.

Tuesday 23On 23 June, Vahid Hakkani, a

Christian convert in prison in Iran, resumed ahunger strike in protest against the refusal ofa court to grant him and two other Christians

conditional release. Vahid had broken his previousstrike in May after another of his fellow-detaineeswas set free. The prison authorities havereportedly conscated his personal belongingsfrom his cell and are denying him the right tomake phone calls; they have also separated theChristian prisoners from one another. Even beforehis rst hunger strike, Vahid had been sufferingfrom a digestive problem and internal bleeding.

Pray that his health may not fail altogether andthat his action will secure justice and freedom forhim and his friends (Psalm 69:33).

Wednesday 24Saudi Arabia remainsunique in the extent to which it restricts the publicexpression of any religion other than Islam.In its annual report for 2014, the United States

Commission on International Religious Freedomhighlighted the extraordinary restrictions facedby Christians and other non-Muslims in one ofthe most rigid and hardline Islamic states in theworld. No churches exist in Saudi Arabia becauseof an Islamic tradition that Muhammad saidthere should be only one religion in the Arabianpeninsula. Pray for peace and perseverance forthe small number of Saudi converts and the many

expatriate Christians practising their faith in thisrepressive context, and ask that the authorities

will yield to international pressure to introducegreater religious freedom.

Thursday 25On 18 June, Bishoy ArmiaBoulous (31) was sentenced to ve years inprison and given a ne of 500 Egyptian Pounds(US70; 40) for disturbing the peace bybroadcasting false information in connectionwith reports he produced relating to anti-Christianviolence in Minya for a Christian TV channel. Hislawyer believes that Bishoy has been targetedbecause of his conversion from Islam. TheChristian gained notoriety in Egypt in 2007 asthe rst person to try to change his religion onhis ID card, a case that is still unresolved owing

to the political tumult in the country over the lastthree years. Pray that the Lord will be Bishoysstrength and shield (Psalm 28:7), and that he willsoon be released.

Friday 26Kidnapping for ransom has been apersistent problem for the Christian community inEgypt amid the political upheaval and instabilityfollowing the Arab Spring revolution of 2011. On

14 June, Wadie Ramses, a well-known surgeon,was seized in El-Arish. The assailants openedre on his vehicle and took him away wounded.

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They later demanded a ransom of ten millionEgyptian Pounds (800,000; US$1.4 million) forhis release. Two days later, Christian merchantGemal Shenouda was captured near his home

in the same city. It is thought that Islamic militantswith links to al-Qaeda, who have been behindescalating violence in the Sinai region, areresponsible for the kidnappings. Pray for the safereturn of our two Christian brothers and that theyand their families will know the Lords peace.

Saturday 27The case of an EgyptianChristian man arrested following complaints by

Muslim neighbours that he had been using hishome as a church without a permit highlights theneed of the Christian community for more placesof worship. The 55-year-old man from Minya inUpper Egypt, where Christians are particularlyvulnerable to persecution, was arrested oncebefore, in 2011, for the same offence. Everychurch building in Egypt requires a permit, butthese are notoriously difcult to obtain. Pray thatthe authorities will show leniency to the Christianman and that a provision in the new constitution

addressing the issue of church buildings willbe enacted.

Sunday 28 Father God, we pray for

Meriam Ibrahim and her family in

Sudan as they face a very uncertain

future. We thank You that Meriamwas cleared on appeal of the

charges of adultery and apostasy

that were laid against her and that

she was spared from ogging and

execution. But we pray that the

new charges of forgery and false

information relating to her travel

documents will also be dismissed

and that the family will be free toleave Sudan and begin a new life

elsewhere. We pray that You will

keep her safe in the meantime from

those who have threatened her

with death.

Monday 29Cry out to the Lord for AlexisPrem Kumar, a 47-year-old Christian ministerfrom India who was abducted in Afghanistan on2 June. No group has claimed responsibility forthe kidnapping, but three Taliban militants havebeen arrested in connection with it. Alexis hadworked for an NGO in Afghanistan since 2011,helping returning refugees. He was leaving aschool near Herat for Afghan children who haverecently returned from Iran or Pakistan when hewas seized. Give thanks for Alexis willingness toserve the Lord in what remains one of the most

dangerous countries in the world for Christians,and pray for his safe return.

Tuesday 30Pray for Christians in Sri Lankafacing attacks from Buddhist extremists, whohave forced the closure of numerous churches.In an apparently positive move, the governmenthas created a Religious Disputes Unit to addressconicts between different groups and combatattempts to create religious discord. But manyChristians and Muslims believe that Buddhist

extremists are allowed to operate with impunityand that the new unit will not solve the problemsfaced by non-Buddhists. A cap on the building

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Meriam Ibrahim in prison with her two

children



of places of worship has also been announced,and this seems to serve the Buddhist lobby,which is opposed to expanding Christian activity.Pray for protection for Christian congregations

and that their ministry and mission will not befurther impeded.

OctoberWednesday 1The landslide victory of theHindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)in Indias general election in May sparked alarmfor Christians and other minorities in the country.

The BJP is the political wing of a Hindu nationalistmovement, Hindutva, which is striving to make

India a religiously pure nation. It has given supportto Hindu extremist groups that attack Christians,

and states under the partys rule have generallyexperienced a rise in anti-Christian violence.The BJP has introduced anti-conversion lawsin a number of states, which are used to prevent

legitimate Christian evangelism. Prior to thegeneral election, the BJP pledged to introducenational legislation to curb missionary activityand end proselytising if elected. Pray that the BJPwill rule justly and that the rights and freedoms ofall Indian citizens will be upheld.

Thursday 2Pray for a Christian family inKandhamal in Orissa state, India, who have been

left devastated after their home was destroyedfor the third time by Hindu extremists. TheDigals of Budruka village were among hundredsof Christian families to lose their home in thehorrendous anti-Christian violence of December2007. They returned two months later and rebuilttheir house, but in August 2008 the attacksresumed, and their second home was alsodestroyed. After receiving nancial aid from the

government they were able to rebuild it againthis year, but in April it was wrecked once more,shattering their hopes of returning to their village

to cultivate their land. Pray that the Lord willcomfort them in their distress and provide them

with a peaceful dwelling-place and secure home(Isaiah 32:18).

Friday 3The training helped me to establishthe foundation of my faith in the Word of Godand build my life on it. I deliberately teach thecourse to my friends. Mr Lepcha, a Nepali livingin India, had participated in a tutor training coursesponsored by Barnabas that equipped him tolead Bible training courses. He then also startedserving as an elder in his church. Give thanks

that these courses are building up the faith of419 Christian students and 54 teachers, mostof whom are converts from other religions. It isalso helping them stand strong when they meetresistance from their relatives and communities.Pray that they will experience Gods comfort whenexperiencing persecution and Gods strength to

reach out in love to those who are hurting them.

Saturday 4Around 40 church leaders andmembers in Nepal were arrested on 13 June,accused of forcibly converting Hindus. Theywere detained in Boudha by the police, whowere pressured by Hindus to take action againstthem. A crowd of Hindus then gathered outsidethe jail and threatened a riot if the Christianswere freed. They were all released eventually,

but a Barnabas contact said that Hindus werelooking for arguments with Christians and tryingto attack them, having been encouraged by Hindunationalists in India. The vice-president of Indiasruling BJP party had visited Nepal from 30 Mayto 1 June and called for religious conversion tobe outlawed. Pray that the freedom of NepaleseChristians to share their faith will be upheld in thecountrys new constitution.

Sunday 5 Loving Father, we pray

for Christians in one district of West

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Java, Indonesia, who have seen

seven of their churches closed by

the authorities because of alleged

building permit irregularities. We

pray especially for those who havehad to move to other locations for

security reasons, that You will keep

them safe. We thank You for the

support our brothers and sisters

have received from the national

human rights commission. We pray

that the crippling restrictions on

church buildings in Indonesia will be

relaxed and that local authorities willnot yield to pressure from Islamist

groups. We pray too that the newly

elected president of Indonesia will

take effective action to combat

religious intolerance.

Monday 6A group of Christians came underattack by Islamic extremists while prayingtogether in a private home in Yogyakarta inIndonesia on 29 May. The assailants threwrocks and stones in the raid on the property. Theowner, Julius Felicianus, was not at home at thetime, but returned after his son informed him

of the incident. The extremists then launcheda second assault; they beat Julius and hit himwith a ower pot, breaking his shoulder. Pray

for comfort and healing for Julius and the otherChristians, and that they will be left alone toworship God in peace.

Tuesday 7Pray for the members of twochurches in Yogyakarta that were attacked inseparate incidents in June. On Sunday 1 June,members of Islamist groups and local residentsthrew stones at one church building, shattering

the windows. Then on 29 June, three groups ofmasked intruders burst into another building inPugaram, dressed in black and shouting Allah is

great. They vandalised property and posters ondisplay. This incident coincided with the start ofRamadan, the Islamic month of fasting. Pray forprotection for Christians in the area and that the

intimidation and violence against them will cease.

Wednesday 8Christians and other minorities

in Burma (Myanmar) are extremely concernedabout a proposed religious conversion bill thatwill require people to seek permission from theauthorities before changing religion. It is part ofa package of four bills designed to protect raceand religion in the Buddhist-majority country. The

government says it is intended to prevent forcedconversions. The draft says that forcing someoneto convert would be punishable by a year inprison, while insulting another religion wouldbe punishable by between one and two yearsin prison. Similar laws in force in several Indianstates are used to threaten legitimate evangelismby Christians and as a pretext by Hindu militantsto attack Christians, whom they falsely accuse offorcibly converting people. Pray this bill will notbecome law in Burma.

Thursday 9Give thanks that 55 Christians,almost all church leaders and converts fromIslam, received Bible training at a three-dayseminar in Kyrgyzstan that was supported byBarnabas Fund. The participants have virtually

no access to Biblical training, and so the studieswere a great boost to their faith and ministry.Meeting fellow church leaders, who are alldealing with similar issues, such as isolationand persecution from Muslim relatives and localMuslim communities, was also very encouragingto them and gave them the opportunity to build upa Christian support network. Pray that the Lordwill continue to speak to them through the Bible

passages they studied at the seminar, and thatHe will bless their ministries.

OCTOBER 6 - 9



Friday 10Leaders imprisoned for up to 60days and members for up to 45 days; nes,corrective labour or community service: theseare the penalties for taking part in religious

gatherings in Kazakhstan held without statepermission, according to a new criminal code.Those who nance unregistered religiousactivity will be liable to the same punishments asleaders. In addition, a new Code of AdministrativeOffences lays down a wide range of penaltiesfor exercising the right to religious freedom.Both codes have been condemned by 119Kazakh and international human rights groups

and individuals. They further tighten controls onreligious practice in a context where it is alreadymuch restricted. Pray for wisdom and couragefor Christians in Kazakhstan as they seek tomaintain their worship and witness.

Saturday 11Two Christian families inUzbekistan who meet in a private home to readthe Bible and pray together have been repeatedlyned and had property conscated. Alisher

Abdullayev and Veniamin Nemirov were originallyned in 2012 for unregistered religious activityand teaching religion illegally. They refused onprinciple to pay, claiming that they had not violatedany laws. But earlier this year bailiffs went to their

homes and conscated a car, a mobile phone andhousehold items. The men and their wives werethen ned again, ten times the minimum monthlywage. Ofcers have also raided one of their

meetings, lming and harassing those presentand seizing religious literature. Pray that theauthorities will stop targeting the families and thatthey will be left alone to study and pray in peace.

Sunday 12Heavenly Father, we pray

for Kim Jung-Wook, a South Korean

Christian who has been sentenced to

hard labour for life in North Korea for

spying and attempting to establishhouse churches in the country. We

thank You that although prosecutors

demanded the death penalty, this was

commuted, but we pray that Jung-

Wook will be sustained by You in his

imprisonment and cruel treatment

and will soon be released. We pray

too for the dozens of North Koreans

who were detained after Jung-Wooks

arrest in October on suspicion of

helping him, and for the families of

any who have already been executed.

We pray for political change and

religious freedom in North Korea, that

OCTOBER 10 - 12

Students at a Bible training seminar in Kyrgyzstan


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it may be made legal to be a Christian

and to take part in Christian activity.

Monday 13Pray for the residents of Gorsi

Tourou, a village in northern Cameroon thatwas ravaged in an attack by suspected BokoHaram militants on 6 June. They ran for theirlives as more than 300 heavily armed mentorched churches and houses and lootedproperty. Cameroonian soldiers arrived aroundtwo hours later and were able to drive back themilitants. Boko Haram has been wreaking havocin neighbouring Nigeria, targeting Christian

communities in particular in its bloody battleto establish an Islamic state in the North. Praythat the groups evil activities will be restrainedand that they will not be able to gain a footholdin Cameroon.

Tuesday 14Pray for Christian communities inKenyas coastal region, who have been targetedin attacks by militants from the Islamist group al-Shabaab that left around 30 dead. Heavily armedghters descended on Hindi in Lamu county andGamba in neighbouring Tana River county on thenight of 5 July. Some men were tied up and hadtheir throats slit, while others were killed whentheir homes were set on re. One man was founddead with a Bible on his back, while the victimsincluded a twelve-year-old boy. The assailants

told non-Muslims they should leave the area orconvert to Islam. Pray for protection for thesevulnerable communities from further violence.

Wednesday 15The attackers enteredmy house, took my boy out of the house, thenkilled him by shooting him, leaving my wife anddaughters inside. The son of a pastor wasone of around 50 people killed in an attack by

al-Shabaab on Mpeketoni, a mainly Christiantown in coastal Kenya on 15 June. The militantslooted the armoury of the local police station

and went on a shooting spree through the town.

They entered one house after another, askingif the men there were Muslim and if they spokeSomali and shooting those who responded in

the negative. Another 15 people died in raids onsurrounding villages on the night of 16 June. Prayfor consolation for the bereaved families, and thatthe Kenyan authorities will succeed in restrainingthe violence of al-Shabaab.

Thursday 16Pray for a Christian convertfrom Islam in Kenya who was beaten senselessin a mosque and later arrested. Hassan Hussein

Mohammed (26) was converted on 10 April inMogotio through the witness of a local church. Hereturned to the mosque to collect his papers, butwhen he explained that he had accepted Jesus,the Muslims beat, struck and kicked him until hewas unconscious. Hassan was taken in by a localchurch leader, but on 30 April they were bothdetained, along with the pastor who led Hassanto Christ. They were repeatedly questioned aboutHassans conversion, and although the pastorswere later freed, Hassan himself was kept incustody; his present whereabouts are unknown.Pray that he may be kept safe from harm and beleft in peace to practise his new faith.

Friday 17Lift up to the Lord two EgyptianChristians who have been sentenced to jail in

spurious cases under the countrys blasphemylaw. Kerolos Shouky Attallah (29) was said tohave defamed Islam by liking a Facebook pagedeemed offensive by Muslims, and DemianaEbeid Abdelnour (25), a school teacher, wasaccused of insulting Islam during a lesson.Kerolos, who was also convicted of incitingsectarian violence because the incidentprompted attacks by Islamists on Christian

property was sentenced to six years in prisonon 24 June. Demiana was appealing against heroriginal sentence; the judge on 15 June replaced

OCTOBER 13 - 17



her ne of 100,000 Egyptian Pounds (US$14,000;8,000) issued last year with a jail term of sixmonths. She is currently in self-imposed exileabroad, separated from her family. Pray that the

Lord will undertake for Kerolos and Demiana.

Saturday 18Thank the Lord that, with thehelp of Barnabas Fund, three Christian nurseriesin Upper Egypt were able to buy educationalresources, classroom furniture and kitchenequipment last year, and that these are makingthe 205 youngsters learning experience muchmore hands-on and enjoyable. The teachers

are also using them to tell Bible stories in amore accessible and lively fashion. Child-sizedtables and chairs, and cupboards, have madethe classrooms more orderly. And with the newkitchen equipment, the staff of two of the nurseriescan prepare daily, nutritious meals for the children.Give thanks that these changes are making such

a difference in the lives of these Christian children,who mainly come from very poor backgrounds.

Pray that the Lord will work through the teachersto teach and inspire the children to live their livesfor Christ.

Sunday 19Heavenly Father, we

lift up to You the nation of Egypt

as it faces many challenges and

ongoing instability in the wake of

the Arab Spring. We pray thatthe new president, Abdul Fattah

al-Sisi, will be a bulwark against

Islamic extremism, as the countrys

Christians hope. We give You

thanks that he has promised to

rebuild or repair churches that were

attacked by the Muslim Brotherhood

following the removal of Islamist

president Mohammed Morsi in July2013 and has taken tough action

against those involved in the groups

violent protests. We pray that the

Christian community, which has

been scapegoated for Morsis fall,

will be protected from further attacks

and that the rights granted to them

in the countrys new constitution will

be upheld.

Monday 20Pray for the protection of foursenior Eritrean church leaders who took theextremely courageous step of publishing on25 May an open letter criticising conditions inthe country, which is one of the worlds worstpersecutors of Christians and where no dissent

is tolerated. Mengsteab Tesfamariam, TomasOsman, Kidane Yeabio and Feqremariam Hagosdescribed Eritrea as desolate because somany people have ed, are imprisoned or areconscripted into the army, lamenting the resultingfragmentation of the family unit. The churchleaders said Eritreans were leaving for peacefulcountries, to countries of justice, of work, where

one expresses himself loudly, a country where

one works and earns. Pray that their words willbe heeded by the Eritrean government and thatthere will be a radical turnaround in policy.

OCTOBER 18 - 20

Demiana Ebeid Abdelnour was sentenced

to six months in prison


14/16


Tuesday 21Pray for the widow and threechildren of a church leader in Somalia who wasmurdered outside his home earlier this year.

Abdishakur Yusuf was found lying in a pool of

blood, having been shot multiple times in thehead. The militant Islamist group al-Shabaabis suspected of carrying out the attack; it haspledged to rid the strictly Islamic country of its tinyChristian presence. Abdishakurs children areaged eleven, eight and ve; the family has beenrelocated. Pray for their safety in their new homeand that the Lord will comfort them in their grief(Matthew 5:4).

Wednesday 22Pray that the Lords healinghand will touch the nine or so Christians whowere injured, one of them stabbed, in an attack

on a church near Bethlehem in May. Muslimsinterrupted a service in the village of El-Khaderin the West Bank, turning violent when they wereasked to leave. They started throwing stones atthe building, causing damage, including brokenwindows. The incident comes amid increasedattacks on churches in Israel; 14 have beenreported in a year. Threats have also been madeagainst senior church leaders. Pray that theLord will watch over the coming and going of Hispeople in the Holy Land and keep them from allharm (Psalm 121:7-8).

Thursday 23Praise God that Islamist rebelswho took over the Christian town of Kessab,Syria, in March have withdrawn. The siege bymilitants from the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Frontand other Islamist groups drove hundreds ofChristian families from their homes. But when therebels withdrew from the town on 14 June, theyleft only a small number of men behind. Theyretreated when pro-regime ghters advanced on

a nearby village. Pray for the restoration of orderand that the former residents will be able to returnhome soon and rebuild their lives.

Friday 24Militants from ISIS have conscatedhouses and land belonging to Christians in theSyrian city of Raqqa. The seizures took place on1 June in Ein al-Issa; the owners of the property

were forced to leave the area. Raqqa has beenunder ISIS control for over a year, and the militantsare imposing strict sharia rules in the territory.They have also turned one of the churches inRaqqa into an ofce for the management ofIslamic affairs and the promotion of sharia. Prayfor the beleaguered Christians there, that theymay stand rm under pressure and that the grip ofISIS in the region will soon be broken.

Saturday 25Continue to lift up to the LordAasia Bibi, a Christian wife and mother sentencedto death for blasphemy in Pakistan. The appealhearing that was scheduled for 27 May wascancelled; this is the fth time that it has beenpostponed. No new date was set. Aasia has beenin jail since June 2009, but Islamic extremists inPakistan are strongly opposed to her release.They have been making threats against the

judges to pressurise them into upholding thesentence. Pray that Aasia will be kept safe whilein prison and that she will soon be set free andrestored to her family.

Sunday 26 God of justice, we lift up

to You the family of Sanwal Masih, a

Christian teenager in Pakistan whowas raped and killed by a young

Muslim man. We give You thanks

that his grieving family resisted

intimidation from the owner of the

estate where he worked to make them

bury the body at once and that they

reported the murder to the police;

thank you too that the accused

man has been arrested. We pray forCLAAS, a Christian legal organisation

that is helping the family, that their

OCTOBER 21 - 26



enquiries will publicly establish the

truth and ensure justice for Sanwal.

We pray that You will give the family

Your comfort and peace in their

devastating loss.

Monday 27Praise the Lord that for over veyears Barnabas Fund has been supporting theministries of 103 Christian workers in Pakistan

by paying for 50% of their monthly needs.Patras, one of the workers, who is pastor of

a congregation of over 200 members in the

city of Multan, is seeing the fruits of his work.In just one month, three families joined thechurch and 23 people accepted Jesus Christ astheir Saviour. He also baptised six people and

prepared nine more for baptism. Pray that Godwill continue to bless Patras ministry as wellas those of the other workers, and that they allwill be able to continue to do their work withoutharassment or interference.

Tuesday 28Deadly attacks by Boko Haramcontinue relentlessly in Northern Nigeria. On15 June, gunmen descended on the remote

Christian village of Daku in Borno state; they killed15 people, chasing and shooting those trying toescape, and torched a church, several homes

and a market. Two weeks later, scores of peoplewere killed in attacks on four villages near themainly Christian town of Chibok; in Kwada theassailants burst into four churches and opened

re on worshippers before setting the buildingson re. Pray that our distressed and persecutedbrothers and sisters may nd strength in the Lordtheir God (1 Samuel 30:6) as they pass throughthis bitter ordeal.

Wednesday 29Cry out to the Lord for themany Christian victims of kidnapping by BokoHaram in Nigeria. Remember especially the more

than two hundred teenage girls who were takenfrom the Government Girls Secondary School inChibok, Borno state, on the night of 14 April. Avideo released in May showed eight of the girlsspeaking about their ordeal; they plead for theirrelease, and one says, I never expected to sufferlike this in my life. It is believed that they havebeen divided into at least four groups and thatmost of them are being held in camps outsideNigeria. They are hungry, while some are unwelland need medical attention. Pray for their saferelease and for that of other kidnapped Christians.

Thursday 30A church on Maa Island, partof the Zanzibar archipelago, was attacked on 9May by around 80 young Muslim men armed witharrows and knives. The church members, who

are mainly converts from Islam, had gathered fortheir weekly overnight prayer session when theattackers appeared, shouting death to ritadi(those who leave Islam). They set re to thechurch, leaving the interior in ruins, and then wentin search of the pastor, but he was not at home.

The incident followed a bomb blast at anotherchurch in Mwanza in mainland Tanzania on 5May, in which a worker at the church rest house

was critically injured. Pray that the authorities willeffectively address the increasing incidence ofattacks against churches.

OCTOBER 27 - 30

Sanwal Masih was raped and murdered in

Pakistan


16/16

Friday 31Pray for a pastor in the Kilimanjaroregion of Tanzania whose home was attacked on17 May; two of his children were injured. Whenhe went to report the incident to the police, he

was falsely accused of raping a young womanwho had left Islam to follow Christ. The pastorhad taken her into his home, along with fourother converts, after she was thrown out by her

family; it was they who made the accusationagainst him. He has faced much opposition

because of his fruitful outreach to Muslims,and several failed attempts have been made to

frame him with false accusations. Pray that thesovereign Lord will help him and that he will notbe disgraced (Isaiah 50:7-9).

OCTOBER 31

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Telephone(09) 280 4385 or 0800 008 [email protected]

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Telephone07772 [email protected]

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Telephone+44 1672 564938Fax+44 1672 [email protected]

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Barnabas Fund is a Company registered in England Number 4029536. Registered Charity Number 1092935

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Barnabas Fund 2014

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Prayer Diary September -October 2014

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