J
Jesse
Guest
Hi,
This thread is to pray for those who are persecuted in Asia, Europe, and beyond. Each Day I will try to post the VOM's daily prayer needs and a scripture to pray daily. Here is today's requests:
Prayer of the day:
Ask believers will fix their eyes on the joy of Christ and of making Him known.
Verse Reference: Hebrews 12:2
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Prayer requests
CANADA
(VOM Canada)
In April 2003, VOM reported the plight of "Nancy" (not her real name), who had fled to Canada from Iran, when threats were made on her life after she converted to Christianity. However, in applying as a refugee, the immigration judge ruled that Nancy did not understand "the most basic Christian concepts," even though he admitted to not understanding Protestant Christianity. Despite all evidence, including a warrant for her arrest in Iran, she was ordered to be deported. After seemingly exhausting all appeals, Nancy prepared to go to the U.S., if all permits could be obtained before being deported. A January 28th news release from the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada announced that Nancy’s latest appeal for refugee status in Canada had been successful. She has also received approval from the U.S. for a visa as a religious worker. She is planning to work in Utah and Nevada as a missionary to Muslims.
Praise God that He has given Nancy an opportunity to serve her Lord. Pray for the Muslims with whom she will be sharing her love for Jesus Christ.
INDONESIA
(Compass Direct)
Muslim protestors have attacked at least five churches over the past three weeks in the regions of East Java, West Java, and North Sumatra. A crowd of approximately 100 people attacked a church in East Java on January 9th. Government officials had given permission for the church to renovate an old house that had been used as a church since 1975. However, leaders of a local mosque encouraged Muslim neighbors to protest against the renovations. Church members met with local government and mosque officials on January 12th and agreed to suspend renovations temporarily. Meanwhile, three other churches were attacked in Surabaya in late December and early January, and a was placed in a church in Medan, North Sumatra. Muslim protestors forced the three churches in Surabaya to close their doors. The pastor of one of the churches received threats from the attackers.
Pray these attacks will cause the Christians to commit their lives completely to Jesus. Pray the Christians’ witness will allow the Muslims to see the love and glory of their Savior.
IRAQ
(ASSIST News Service)
Four Christian women were killed and five others injured when militants in a passing car sprayed their minibus with fire, Barnabas Fund confirmed January 26th. Nine Christian Iraqi women were on their way to work in the laundry at the Habaniyah American military base, when four masked men in a white Opel machine-gunned their minibus. Four women died, and none escaped without injuries. Among those killed was a woman who had decided to hand in her resignation that day, rather than live in fear of reprisals for cooperating with the U.S.-led coalition. She had been working to support her paralyzed husband and four children. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, although church leaders, individual Christians and human rights workers have told ASSIST News Service in Iraq they are concerned about rising against Christians.
Pray God will comfort the families and friends of these women, knowing their dear ones are rejoicing with the saints in heaven. Pray Christians in Iraq will trust God and be bold in their faith. Pray God will bring peace to this troubled country.
NIGERIA
(Compass Direct)
For the past three years, 15-year-old Helen James has been living in a refugee camp in central Nigeria following the of her father, mother, two sisters and three brothers in religious that engulfed Christians in the state of Bauchi in June 2001. Over 10,000 people, forced to flee their homes during three weeks of Muslim-Christian shed, languish in camps nearly three years later. Their numbers are being decimated daily by disease, hunger and poverty, but they do not want to return home for fear of being attacked again by Muslim militants. One refugee decried the indifferent attitude of government officials toward the displaced, saying that nothing has been done to alleviate their suffering.
Pray the Lord will raise up a strong Christian community in the refugee camps. Pray God will give hearts of flesh to Nigerian government authorities to relieve their suffering brothers and sisters.
PAKISTAN
(Pakistan Christian Post)
Christians in Pakistan fear a 14-year-old who was kidnapped will be forced to convert to Islam and marry a Muslim. Shamim Kausor was abducted from her home December 31st by men who pulled up in a jeep and took her away by point, according to International Christian Concern (ICC). Young Christian s in Pakistan often are abducted, d and forced to marry Muslim men with no rights or recourse for the crimes committed against them. This was the second abduction of Kausor. At that time, when her father was able to secure the help of police to rescue his daughter, the kidnapper said: "A beautiful like you should not remain Christian. I will make you Muslim, and you will bear a Muslim child." However, the police are not interested in helping this time, ICC said.
Pray Shamim Kausor will remain faithful to Jesus in her heart, no matter what she has to endure. Pray the Lord will give the kidnappers a spirit of repentance and the forgiveness of Christ.
This thread is to pray for those who are persecuted in Asia, Europe, and beyond. Each Day I will try to post the VOM's daily prayer needs and a scripture to pray daily. Here is today's requests:
Prayer of the day:
Ask believers will fix their eyes on the joy of Christ and of making Him known.
Verse Reference: Hebrews 12:2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prayer requests
CANADA
(VOM Canada)
In April 2003, VOM reported the plight of "Nancy" (not her real name), who had fled to Canada from Iran, when threats were made on her life after she converted to Christianity. However, in applying as a refugee, the immigration judge ruled that Nancy did not understand "the most basic Christian concepts," even though he admitted to not understanding Protestant Christianity. Despite all evidence, including a warrant for her arrest in Iran, she was ordered to be deported. After seemingly exhausting all appeals, Nancy prepared to go to the U.S., if all permits could be obtained before being deported. A January 28th news release from the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada announced that Nancy’s latest appeal for refugee status in Canada had been successful. She has also received approval from the U.S. for a visa as a religious worker. She is planning to work in Utah and Nevada as a missionary to Muslims.
Praise God that He has given Nancy an opportunity to serve her Lord. Pray for the Muslims with whom she will be sharing her love for Jesus Christ.
INDONESIA
(Compass Direct)
Muslim protestors have attacked at least five churches over the past three weeks in the regions of East Java, West Java, and North Sumatra. A crowd of approximately 100 people attacked a church in East Java on January 9th. Government officials had given permission for the church to renovate an old house that had been used as a church since 1975. However, leaders of a local mosque encouraged Muslim neighbors to protest against the renovations. Church members met with local government and mosque officials on January 12th and agreed to suspend renovations temporarily. Meanwhile, three other churches were attacked in Surabaya in late December and early January, and a was placed in a church in Medan, North Sumatra. Muslim protestors forced the three churches in Surabaya to close their doors. The pastor of one of the churches received threats from the attackers.
Pray these attacks will cause the Christians to commit their lives completely to Jesus. Pray the Christians’ witness will allow the Muslims to see the love and glory of their Savior.
IRAQ
(ASSIST News Service)
Four Christian women were killed and five others injured when militants in a passing car sprayed their minibus with fire, Barnabas Fund confirmed January 26th. Nine Christian Iraqi women were on their way to work in the laundry at the Habaniyah American military base, when four masked men in a white Opel machine-gunned their minibus. Four women died, and none escaped without injuries. Among those killed was a woman who had decided to hand in her resignation that day, rather than live in fear of reprisals for cooperating with the U.S.-led coalition. She had been working to support her paralyzed husband and four children. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, although church leaders, individual Christians and human rights workers have told ASSIST News Service in Iraq they are concerned about rising against Christians.
Pray God will comfort the families and friends of these women, knowing their dear ones are rejoicing with the saints in heaven. Pray Christians in Iraq will trust God and be bold in their faith. Pray God will bring peace to this troubled country.
NIGERIA
(Compass Direct)
For the past three years, 15-year-old Helen James has been living in a refugee camp in central Nigeria following the of her father, mother, two sisters and three brothers in religious that engulfed Christians in the state of Bauchi in June 2001. Over 10,000 people, forced to flee their homes during three weeks of Muslim-Christian shed, languish in camps nearly three years later. Their numbers are being decimated daily by disease, hunger and poverty, but they do not want to return home for fear of being attacked again by Muslim militants. One refugee decried the indifferent attitude of government officials toward the displaced, saying that nothing has been done to alleviate their suffering.
Pray the Lord will raise up a strong Christian community in the refugee camps. Pray God will give hearts of flesh to Nigerian government authorities to relieve their suffering brothers and sisters.
PAKISTAN
(Pakistan Christian Post)
Christians in Pakistan fear a 14-year-old who was kidnapped will be forced to convert to Islam and marry a Muslim. Shamim Kausor was abducted from her home December 31st by men who pulled up in a jeep and took her away by point, according to International Christian Concern (ICC). Young Christian s in Pakistan often are abducted, d and forced to marry Muslim men with no rights or recourse for the crimes committed against them. This was the second abduction of Kausor. At that time, when her father was able to secure the help of police to rescue his daughter, the kidnapper said: "A beautiful like you should not remain Christian. I will make you Muslim, and you will bear a Muslim child." However, the police are not interested in helping this time, ICC said.
Pray Shamim Kausor will remain faithful to Jesus in her heart, no matter what she has to endure. Pray the Lord will give the kidnappers a spirit of repentance and the forgiveness of Christ.