Prayer Diary January/February 2013

7/30/2019 Prayer Diary January/February 2013

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THE AID AGENCY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH

to help you

pray for the

persecuted church

www.barnabasfund.org

prayer

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013


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2 BARNABAS PRAYER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

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.

JanuaryTuesday 1 This year marks the 20th

anniversary of Barnabas Fund. Please give

thanks with us for all that God has enabled us to

achieve in the last two decades, and pray for us

as we continue to full the fourfold calling He has

given us: to provide practical aid for Christians

under pressure; to encourage prayer for the

persecuted Church; to raise awareness of their

sufferings among Christians in the West; and

to bring their plight to the attention of those in

authority. Pray too that the Lord will comfort and

strengthen His suffering people in 2013 and bring

them relief from their troubles.

Wednesday 2 Barnabas FundsProclaim

Freedom petition closed on 31 December

2012. This campaign was designed to press

Western governments to promote freedom

of religion, human rights and justice in other

countries, especially for the millions of persecuted

Christians, and for those who incite or engage

in hatred and violence towards Christians to

be held accountable. Give thanks that tens of

thousands of people signed the petition, and prayfor Barnabas as we make plans to present it. Pray

that this and the other initiatives will inuence the

policies of Western nations and bring tangible

change for Christs suffering people throughout

the world.

Thursday 3 Give thanks that 76 Christiangirls in Kenya are growing up in the safety of the

Cana Girls Rescue Home, a Christian shelter that

Barnabas Fund has supported for many years.

There they are encouraged by the pastor couple

running the home to study hard at school and are

helped to grow in their Christian faith. Many of the

girls ran away from their parents, who wanted to

force them to practise traditional African religions,

especially by undergoing a female circumcisionrite, and often to marry much older non-Christian

men who were not of their choice. Pray that the

Lord will comfort and restore them and that they

can rejoice in God as He spreads His protection

over them (Psalm 5:11). Ask the Lord to bless

their studies and that they will grow up to be

strong women of God.

Friday 4 I cannot fathom why they targeted the

little ones. The mother of John Ian Maina, a nine-

year-old boy who was killed in a brutal grenade

attack on a Sunday school in Kenya, expressedher grief at this cruel crime. Several other children

were injured in the attack on St Polycarp Church

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in Nairobi, for which sympathisers of the Islamist

group al-Shabaab are thought to be responsible.

An improvised explosive was thrown at the room

where the children were waiting for their Sunday

morning session on 30 September 2012. Pray forJohns bereaved family, that they will know the

presence of our Comforter in sorrow (Jeremiah

8:18), and that the Holy Spirit will enable them

to forgive and love his killers. Ask that the

traumatised children will know the Lords peace

as they recover from this attack.

Saturday 5 Remember in prayer twelve

Christians from Shiraz, Iran, who are in prisonunder harsh conditions because of their faith in

the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:3). Seven

of the twelve were arrested during a raid on

a house church in February 2012. They have

been held separately in Adel-Abad prison

alongside murderers and drug dealers. The

remaining ve were detained in a prayer meeting

on 12 October 2012 and are being held at the

Intelligence Ministrys notorious detention centre.

Pray that God may strengthen them during their

connement and during any interrogations they

might have to undergo. Ask the Lord that they

can remain strong in their witness and they will

experience the joy of the Lord despite what they

are undergoing.

Sunday 6 The Gospel continuesto spread in Iran despite the threat

of arrest faced by those who

accept Christ. The countrys media

has acknowledged growth in the

number of Christians; a report in

a government-backed newspaper

stated that 200 house churches,

made up of Christians from Muslim

backgrounds, are now meeting inMashhad. A senior Islamic cleric,

quoted in a local newspaper,

also warned against the spread

of Christianity. He said that 600

people have become Christians in

Neishabour alone. Praise the Lord for

these many new brothers and sistersin Christ, and pray that He will protect

them from the pressures and risks

that accompany faith in Christ in Iran.

Monday 7Pray for the congregations of two

churches in Esfahan, Iran, where state security

agents have been permanently posted in an effort

to hinder their activities. The agents interfere in

many aspects of church life at St Lukes and StPauls, ordering the pastors around, threatening

the congregation and attempting to create

tensions by spreading false rumours. Listening

devices have also been installed. After the pastor

of St Lukes was made to release personal details

of his congregation, members were harassed and

warned of dire consequences if they persisted in

their faith. Pray for Christians in Iran, that the Lord

will sustain them and never let them be shaken

(Psalm 55:22), and ask that the ofcial campaign

against them will cease.

Tuesday 8 Tomorrow (9 January), a Supreme

Court hearing is scheduled to take place over

the future of Greater Grace Church in Baku,

Azerbaijan. It was issued with a liquidation order

in April 2012, a decision upheld by an appealcourt in July. If the Supreme Court does not

overturn the ruling, the church, which has a

congregation of nearly 500, will be dissolved. This

is an important test case for religious freedom in

Azerbaijan, as Greater Grace is the rst church to

be closed since a strict Religion Law requiring all

churches to re-register was introduced in 2009.

Pray that the Lord will move the Supreme Court to

rule in the churchs favour. Lift up to the Lord theleaders and members as they await the verdict.

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Wednesday 9 Praise God for a welcome

victory for religious freedom in India. An anti-

conversion law in the state of Himachal Pradesh,

which was used by Hindu extremists to stop

people becoming Christians, was partially struckdown on 30 August 2012 after a legal challenge

brought by Christians. The requirements of the

law endangered Christian converts, as they were

expected to give ofcial notice of their conversions

and be listed in a public registry. The registry was

checked by Hindu extremists, who tracked down,

persecuted and even murdered new Christians.

Give thanks that the court decided that some

aspects of the law are unconstitutional. The casewill now go to Indias highest court, where the

judges are expected to come under pressure from

Hindu extremists. Pray that their inuence will not

prevail.

Thursday 10 Pray for Lal Mani Prasad, an

Indian pastor, who was beaten unconscious in

a vicious attack on his family. A group of around

ten Hindu extremists broke into the family home

in Narela on 14 October 2012. After insulting

the family for their faith in Christ, two of them hit

Pastor Prasad on the head with a steel bucket

and continued beating him until he passed out,

soaked in blood. His son Samuels hand was

broken in the attack, and the pastors wife and

three daughters were also assaulted. Pray that

the Lord will restore Pastor Prasads familyto health and heal their wounds (Jeremiah

30:17), both physical and emotional, and that

He will protect Christians in India from attack by

extremists.

Friday 11 Babar Bhatti, a pastor in Pakistan,

was shot outside his home in Faisalabad by

Muslim extremists on 30 September 2012. He

was with a member of the church youth groupwhen the attack happened. Pastor Babar was

taken to hospital, where he underwent surgery

to remove two bullets from his left leg. Prior to

the shooting, he had been receiving threatening

phone calls. Thank God for preserving Pastor

Babars life and pray that he will make a full

recovery. Pray that the Lord will watch over hiscoming and going (Psalm 121:8).

Saturday 12Give thanks that Barnabas

Fund opened another 13 new Christian schools

in Pakistan in 2012, bringing the total number

of Barnabas-funded schools in the country up

to 35. Hundreds more disadvantaged Christian

youngsters are now receiving a Christian

education in a supportive environment. TheseChristian schools are bringing Christian children

opportunities that were not open to them before

owing to discrimination and poverty; 200 former

students, from one Barnabas-funded school in

a rural area where most of the pupils parents

are factory workers and street-sweepers, have

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now graduated from university. Give praise for

the change that the schools are bringing to so

many lives. Pray that the school principals and

teachers will have wisdom and integrity in leading

the schools, and that more supporters will joinBarnabas Funds school-place sponsorship

scheme.

Sunday 13 As the Burmese military

continue their violent offensive

against the mainly Christian Kachin

people, helpless children may be

caught in the ring line. For example,

on 15 October 2012 a seven-year-old boy, Bawn Hkaw, the son of a

pastor, was shot in the left thigh and

right hand during a two-hour siege

at a Kachin refugee site. Troops

red machine guns and mortars

from a hilltop, destroying houses

and forcing the refugees to run for

cover. Bawn Hkaws father heard his

screams and rushed him to a local

hospital. Pray that he may make a full

recovery from his injuries, and that

the merciless attacks on the Kachin

will cease.

Monday 14Christian leaders in Laos can

come under great pressure from local ofcials,

who may use any measures available to forcenew Christians to renounce their faith. Five

Christian leaders were arrested in Phin district,

Savannakhet province, on 11 September 2012.

While two of these, who have not been named,

were released two days later, Bounlert of Alowmai

church, Adang of Kengsainoy church and

Onkaew of Kapang church are still in custody.

They have been made to endure inhumane

conditions, their hands and feet in chains. Adangand Onkaew have become seriously ill. Pray that

all three will know the Lords love and strength in

these dire circumstances, and that they will soon

be released. Pray that their congregations will be

able to continue to worship in their absence.

Tuesday 15Pray that the Lord will giveChristians in Laos the strength to stand rm

as they face pressure from local authorities to

perform acts of spirit worship or else be evicted

from their villages. This tactic has been used

against around 50 Christian families from several

villages in Savannakhet province. In one case,

the pressure was intensied with the threat that

the Christians homes would be seized and

destroyed. Taking part in the rituals would beviewed as a public statement that the Christians

were returning to the villages traditional religion

and renouncing their faith in Christ. Pray that the

Laotian authorities will honour their commitments

to uphold religious freedom so that Christians can

worship as they choose in peace.

Wednesday 16On 14 October 2012 Ali

Hussein, a notorious Muslim gang leader in

Deir Mawas, Egypt, stormed into the home of

a Christian family and demanded that a young

mother of two be handed over to live with him.

When the family refused, Hussein shot dead

Ephrem Marzouk (24), and scores of gang

members then ooded into the house, killing

Ephrems 61-year-old father Ibrahim. Before

the raid, the gang had killed all the animals inthe stables to frighten the villagers. They have

been terrorising Christians in the area for over

two years. Pray for peace for this beleaguered

Christian community, and that the authorities will

provide better protection for them.

Thursday 17 Christians in Egypt are

increasingly vulnerable to accusations of

blasphemy. Bishoy Kamel, a Christian teacherfrom Sohag province, was sentenced to three

years imprisonment after cartoons deemed

5

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offensive to Islam and comments against

Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi appeared

on his Facebook page. His appeal was rejected

on 27 September 2012. Pray for Bishoy, that the

Lord will protect him as he endures imprisonment,and that his conviction will be overturned.

Give thanks, however, that Nevien, a Christian

teacher who was falsely accused of blasphemy

following a history lesson she taught on the life

of Muhammad, was acquitted on 30 September

2012.

Friday 18Christians in Egypt have become

even more vulnerable after a contradictory draftconstitution left the way open for an Islamic state.

While some clauses in the document guarantee

equality for women and freedom of belief, others

indicate that legal rulings will be shaped by sharia

law, which discriminates against women and

non-Muslims. Islam is referred to as the states

religion, and an anti-blasphemy measure is

included in the draft. The state is also granted

powers to interfere in matters of morality and

behaviour. Pray for Christians in Egypt, who

are already at risk of persecution, that the Lord

will protect them if sharia law is imposed on the

country. Ask that religious freedom will be upheld,

and that hard-line Salast Muslims, who say that

the draft constitution does not go far enough, will

not make it even more extreme.

Saturday 19Give thanks to the Lord that

Barnabas Funds International Day of Prayer for

the Persecuted Church captured the imaginations

of Christians around the world. A chorus of

voices lifted up our suffering brothers and sisters

in prayer on 1 November, with individuals and

churches in 30 countries taking part. In India,

for example, an awe-inspiring 4,440 churches

participated. Praise the Lord that He is a God whohears our prayers if we ask anything according to

His will (1 John 5:14), and pray that our continued

intercession for persecuted Christians will bear

much fruit.

Sunday 20 The protests against

the anti-Islamic lm Innocence ofMuslims led in September 2012 to

renewed calls for a global blasphemy

law. Muslim leaders such as the

head of Hezbollah, Sheikh Hassan

Nasrallah, and Turkish Prime Minister

Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for

an international law banning the

defamation of religion, chiey Islam.

There are concerns that such a law,if introduced, would limit rights to

freedom of speech, and that it could

lead to Christians and other non-

Muslims in Muslim-majority countries

being even more marginalised and

endangered. Existing blasphemy

laws in Pakistan are often misused,

and Christians are especially

vulnerable. Pray that the international

community will rmly resist the

introduction of an international

blasphemy law.

Monday 21Christian women who live in

contexts of pressure and persecution may

suffer both for their gender and for their faith.

Kidnapping, rape and sexual violence againstwomen may be used as a weapon in campaigns

against Christian minorities, for example in

Burma. Women may be forced by crushing

poverty to take jobs as domestic workers in the

homes of people from the majority community,

who are often very abusive to them, as in

Pakistan. Or they may be obliged to comply with

highly restrictive codes of behaviour or practices

that are not their own, such as the strict dresscodes enforced by sharia law, and they may be

severely punished for any infringement. Pray that

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persecuted Christian women will be protected

from abuse and strengthened in their faith, and

that they will know the Lords peace in their trials.

Tuesday 22Christian leaders of a churchin Orissa, India had just attended a three-day

Barnabas-funded leadership training course

when their church was attacked. A mob entered

the church and demanded money from the

believers. When the Christians refused, they

were beaten and furniture was destroyed. The

village leaders sided with the mob and also

punished the believers. One of the subjects

studied during the training, Standing rm in themidst of persecution, helped the leaders to stand

strong in their faith during this time of trial. Give

thanks that the training came at exactly the right

time, and pray that the leaders can convey what

they learnt to the congregation. Pray that all 334

Christian leaders who received training in June-

August 2012 thanks to Barnabas Fund will be

strengthened in their faith to lead their ocks well.

Wednesday 23Lift up to the Lord those

Christians in India who live under the constant

threat of violence by Hindu extremists. Four

Christians were forced to ee their village,

and many more were beaten, in attacks inChhattisgarh over two nights in early September

2012. A 600-strong mob broke down the doors of

the families houses, damaged their possessions

and tried to force them to renounce Christ.

When the families refused, the mob forced four

Christians to leave the village, in the middle of

the night and in heavy monsoon rain. Pray forthese Christian families, that the Lord who gives

strength to the weary and increases the power

of the weak (Isaiah 40:29) will uphold them. Pray

that they will be able to live in peace without fear

of further harassment.

Thursday 24Pray for our brothers and sisters

in Karnataka, India, where Hindu nationalists

have increased the pressure on them ahead ofstate assembly elections. In late October 2012,

reports of anti-Christian violence were being

received almost every other day. It is thought

that the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata

Party, which is seeking re-election, is painting

Christians and Muslims as enemies of Hindus

in order to consolidate the Hindu vote. Pray that

this repugnant tactic of using the persecution of

Christians as an election strategy will cease, and

that the outcome of the poll later this year will be

favourable to the Christian community.

Friday 25Pray for Christian children in

Bangladesh who have been taken from their

families by deceit and sold to Islamic schools,

where they are physically abused and pressured

to convert to Islam. Poor tribal Christian familiesare convinced by intermediaries to send their

children to boarding schools, where they will be

fed and educated for a fee. The intermediaries

pocket the families money and then sell the

children to the schools. The children have to

endure hours of Arabic lessons and Quran

readings, and those who miss Islamic prayers or

refuse to take part in a lesson are subjected to

violence. Pray that the Lord will enable them topersevere in their Christian faith, and that they

may soon be set free.

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Saturday 26Give thanks to the Lord for the

amazing faith and courage of the Christians of

Shouwang Church in Beijing, China. Shouwang,

one of the largest unregistered churches (house

churches) in the capital, was evicted from itsleased meeting-place in April 2011, and since

then its members have been meeting in the

open air. As a result many have been arrested,

at home or on their way to services, detained for

short or longer periods, or deprived of their jobs

and homes but still they persist. In a recent

statement they said, May God open our eyes

to see His work, and guard our faith, so that we

will be faithful and used by Him. Pray for theirprotection, and that the authorities will relent and

allow them to buy or rent a worship space.

Sunday 27 Chinese house churches

meet under the constant threat of

suppression. On 13 September

2012 a group of about 30 Christians

in Kucha, in the Xinjiang Uygur

Autonomous Region, had gathered in

one of the members homes for Bible

study, teaching and worship. Ofcials

forced their way into the house,

declared the meeting illegal and

claimed that all house churches are

cults and heretical. They conscated

the Christians ID cards, along with

mobile phones, computers, Biblesand study materials, and arrested

four people for questioning. Although

the Christians were released late

at night, the police retained the

Christian literature, alleging it to be

illegal. Pray that the authorities will

not harass our brothers and sisters

any further, and for religious freedom

to be upheld in China.

Monday 28As many as 70,000 Christians

may still be locked away in North Koreas brutal

labour camps, as the countrys ruler Kim Jong-

Un continues the repressive policies of his late

father, Kim Jong-Il. Since succeeding to theleadership in 2011 he has lifted some restrictions,

such as bans on Western foods, but there are

no reports of improved conditions for Christians.

Three generations of a Christian family can still

be imprisoned for life just for owning a Bible,

and many die in the camps. The secret services

also try to close off avenues of escape, spying

on Christian networks in China that have links

to North Korean refugees. Pray for persecutedChristians in their distress, and for the establishing

of wise and just government in North Korea.

Tuesday 29As Islamist militants continue to

tighten their grip on northern Mali, Christians in

the country nd themselves in growing danger.

Reports of appalling human rights abuses in the

north, including public executions, amputations

and oggings, have attracted international

condemnation. Although Christians were driven

out of the north at an early stage of the crisis, if

the militants continue to grow in power and gain

territory, the Church in Mali will be at risk of having

sharia law strictly imposed on them and the

grievous persecution that often follows. Pray that

the Lord will protect His people and deliver them

from Islamist violence and oppression.

Wednesday 30The militant Islamist group,

Boko Haram, which is waging war against

Christians in Northern and central Nigeria, has

been responsible for an estimated 3,000 deaths

since 2009, according to an army chief. The group

has been carrying out deadly attacks on churches

and Christian communities, as well as the security

forces and other ofcial targets. Entire Christianfamilies have been killed in cold blood in their

homes, and children, pregnant women and the

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elderly have not been spared. Pray for the safety

of our vulnerable brothers and sisters as they face

such murderous hostility.

Thursday 31Praise God that ve

impoverished congregations in Burundi now

have roofed churches to worship in with help

from Barnabas Fund. Many of the members are

destitute. They have only recently resettled in

the area after living for many years as refugees

in neighbouring countries to escape a long and

violent conict that ended in 2008. They collected

stones for the foundations and built the walls with

bricks they made themselves. Barnabas helpedby funding the nails and iron sheets for the roof,

which the Christians could not afford. Pray that

the congregations will be beacons of light in their

area.

FebruaryFriday 1At least four churches in Tanzania

were destroyed, and others attacked, duringtwo nights of rioting by Muslims beginning on

12 October 2012. Police arrested 122 members

of the Islamic separatist group UAMSHO

(Association for Islamic Mobilisation and

Propagation) in connection with the riots, which

took place in Dar es Salaam. Muslim groups cited

police laxity in dealing with an incident of alleged

blasphemy involving a 14-year-old Christian boy

as the reason for the riots. Pray for the boys

protection in light of the disproportionate reaction

of local Muslims. Pray too for the congregations of

the destroyed churches, that they will be able to

meet and worship in peace without fear of further

attacks.

Saturday 2Give thanks for a signicantmove towards better political representation for

Christians in Indonesia. A Christian politician has

made electoral history in the country by taking

one of its highest political posts. Basuki Purnama

became the rst Christian to be elected vice-

governor of Jakarta despite opposition from hard-

line Muslim groups. His inauguration ceremony

was delayed from 7 to 15 October 2012

because of protests by Islamists. Mr Purnamahas been praised for his honest leadership and

has promised to bring reform by emphasising

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transparency and servant-leadership among

public ofcials. Praise the Lord for this promising

new Christian inuence in Indonesian politics, and

pray that Mr Purnama will be protected from harm

at the hands of his opponents.

Sunday 3 The congregation of GKI

Yasmin Church in Bogor, Indonesia,

continues to suffer harassment from

local authorities. In a new blow in

early September 2012, the church

was ordered to move from its current

location. This order went against a

ruling by Indonesias Supreme Courtthat had allowed the church, which

had been blocked off, to be reopened.

The mayor of Bogor, who has been

inuential in the campaign against

the church, is thought to have bowed

to pressure from Islamists in making

these decisions. The ruling provides

for land elsewhere to be given to

the church, but the congregation

resisted it on principle. Pray that this

long-running dispute will be resolved

and that GKI Yasmin Church will be

allowed to worship in peace.

Monday 4Life for Christians in parts of

Indonesia continues to be unstable. On the

evening of 9 October 2012, two bombs explodedin Poso, Central Sulawesi. The rst explosion hit

the home of Okril Mamuaya, a local Christian,

causing windows to shatter and damaging a

car parked in front of the house. An hour later,

the second bomb exploded outside Immanuel

Church. Give thanks that no-one was injured

in either blast. Pray for Christians in Indonesia,

that the Lord will protect them as they face the

threat of violence from Islamists and that furtheraggression towards them will be deterred.

Tuesday 5Pray for nine house churches in

Banda Aceh, Indonesia, that have been shut

down by the authorities. Islamists had complained

about improper use of the buildings, and the

deputy mayor said that the churches were illegalbecause they lacked the proper permit. Private

homes cannot be used for religious ceremonies

or functions in Aceh, which is the only Indonesian

province where sharia law is ofcially permitted.

The Aceh branch of the Islamic Defence Front

called on the authorities elsewhere in the province

to stop any unapproved non-Muslim worship.

Pray for the lifting of these oppressive restrictions

and for freedom of worship for Christians in Aceh.

Wednesday 6Pray for Christians in Mindanao

in the Philippines, who are threatened with

becoming part of an Islamic sub-state. The

government has reached an agreement with a

Muslim separatist group that has been waging a

violent campaign for independence, to create an

area called Bangsamoro that will be governed

by sharia law. When Mindanao Christians

objected to a similar agreement in 2008, the

Islamist group responded by killing some 400

of them and displacing 750,000. Pray that the

government will keep its promise that Christians

will not be made subject to sharia, and that

religious liberty throughout the Philippines will be

maintained.

Thursday 7Pray for an evangelical church

leader from the city of Idleb, near Aleppo, in Syria,

who was subjected to a horric ten-hour ordeal

at the hands of a gang of Wahhabi Muslims on 9

September 2012. They kidnapped and blindfolded

him, tying his hands and feet together, and then

beat him repeatedly, causing him to pass out

twice. The kidnappers interrogated him about

his Christian ministry and threatened to kill him.He woke to nd himself abandoned at the side

of a road. The church leader was left severely

FEBRUARY 3 - 7



traumatised; pray that the Lord will bind up his

wounds and restore him to full physical and

mental health.

Friday 8The situation is very critical andbad. Your supportive intercession prayers are

highly requested and valued. These were the

words of one of our partners in Aleppo, Syria,

after two Christian areas of the city were invaded

by armed opposition forces on 25 October

2012. The districts of al-Syriaan al-Jadide and

al-Syriaan al-Qadime fell to the rebels, who

positioned snipers on roofs in both areas. In

the former area, two checkpoints were set up infront of a church building, and a Christian school

was taken over. Three churches belonging to

different denominations have been destroyed.

Christians are often targeted by opposition forces,

who generally view them as being government

supporters. Pray that the Lord will be a shield

around them and protect them (Psalm 3:3) as

they face these attacks.

Saturday 9Keeping Christian books and

Bibles in ones home in Uzbekistan can result in

enormous nes. Two couples from Navoi were

charged exorbitant sums, 90 times the minimum

monthly wage, in April and June last year for this

reason. When one of the couples, Artur and Irina

Alpayev, refused to pay, both out of principleand because they did not have the funds, bailiffs

came to their at in August and September 2012

and seized essential household items; they were

warned that more might be taken. The other

couple, Nikolai and Larissa Serin, have also been

threatened with conscation of their property.

Pray that the Lord will intervene and that the nes

will be retracted and property restored. Pray that

authorities in Uzbekistan will loosen their controlson the possession of religious literature.

Sunday 10 A disabled Christian

woman, Natalya Pleshakova, and

her mother Valentina were brutally

beaten when police raided their

home in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Six

plain-clothes ofcers broke into their

at with sticks and bats. Natalya

was knocked down and dragged

into the kitchen, while blows were

rained down on Valentina. After their

home was turned upside down and

Christian literature seized, the women

were taken to the police station.

There, ofcers tried to force them to

renounce their faith in Christ. Theywere released only after an ordeal

that lasted ten hours. Pray that the

Lord will comfort the women as

they recover from this nightmare,

and that He will be the refuge and

shield (Psalm 119:114) of vulnerable

Christians in Uzbekistan.

Monday 11We want him freed. I and ourolder children are praying for him. We all miss

him. The wife of an Uzbek pastor detained in

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Kazakhstan spoke of how his arrest has affected

his family, as news broke that he could face a 15-

year prison sentence if extradited to Uzbekistan.

Makset Djabbarbergenov was originally charged

in Uzbekistan with offences relating to theteaching of religion and the distribution of religious

literature, which each carried a maximum three-

year jail term. But he has now been charged

with a much more serious offence relating to

involvement with religious extremist organisations.

Pray that the authorities in Kazakhstan will

release Makset, and that the Lord will protect him

from being extradited and imprisoned on account

of his faith.

Tuesday 12All her Muslim friends and

relatives broke off contact with Amangul after

she converted from Islam to Christianity in

Kyrgyzstan. She was also red from her job as

a teacher. With her usual support network fallen

away, Amangul was very grateful that she could

stay at a Barnabas-funded Christian safe house

when she needed specialist medical care in a

city far from her village. The congregation that

runs the shelter had decided to build it after the

number of persecuted Christians increased so

much that church members became unable to

accommodate them all in their homes. Barnabas

support subsidised part of the land purchase and

building costs. Give thanks for the love and care

that this congregation in Kyrgyzstan is showingto suffering Christians such as Amangul. Pray

that Muslims in the country will show tolerance

towards those who convert from Islam to

Christianity.

Wednesday 13Christians in some Central

Asian countries live under constant threat from

their local police. An elderly pastor, his wife and

son were assaulted in an illegal police raid ontheir house-church gathering in Turkmenistan on

23 September 2012. Pastor Begdjan-aga, who

is 75, was pushed out of his house. His wife was

physically assaulted and threatened by a police

ofcer, and their son was beaten when he asked

police to produce identication. The congregation

was rounded up, and all except the pastors wifewere taken to the police station. The church has

been trying unsuccessfully to obtain registration

since 2006. Pray that the Lord will heal the

physical and psychological wounds caused by

the illegal raid, and that this church and others

in Turkmenistan will be protected from further

harassment.

Thursday 14Rimsha Masih, the 14-year-oldChristian girl who was released after being falsely

accused of blasphemy in Pakistan, continues to

be under intense pressure. Her position has now

become even more vulnerable; three out of the

four witnesses who testied that evidence against

her was planted by Khalid Jadoon Chishti, the

imam of the local mosque, have withdrawn their

statements. They claimed that they had originally

been coerced into making them. Pray that justice

will be done in Rimshas case, and that the Lord

will protect and strengthen her and her family at

this difcult time.

Friday 15Lift up to the Lord Ryan Stanten,

a 16-year-old Christian in Pakistan who has

been charged with the countrys most serious

blasphemy offence. He was accused offorwarding to Muslim neighbours on 9 October

2012 a text message containing material deemed

offensive to Islam. The following day, an angry

Muslim mob led by Islamic clerics ransacked the

home where Ryan lives with his mother, Rubina

Bryan, and set re to numerous household

items. Ryan was subsequently arrested and

charged under section 295-C of the Pakistan

Penal Code, which carries the death penalty forusing derogatory remarks against Muhammad.

He denies sending the text, and there was no

FEBRUARY 12 - 15



trace of it on his phone. Pray that our brother

will be cleared and that he and his family will be

protected from those who want to cause them

harm.

Saturday 16Give thanks that ten displaced

Christian families in Pakistan now have their own

newly-built homes thanks to Barnabas Fund.

They had all been made homeless in 2010 by

devastating oods that submerged a fth of

Pakistan. Pray that they will experience Gods

abundant blessing in their lives as they start again

in their new homes. All ten families are converts

from Hinduism. Pray that the Lord will continue tobe their rock, their fortress and deliverer (Psalm

18:2).

Sunday 17 Give thanks that charges

against two Christian children, who

were accused of blasphemy and

detained in Egypt, were dropped

in October 2012. Mina Nady Farag

(9) and Nabil Nagy Rizk (10) were

arrested after the imam of their

local mosque in Ezbet Marco village

accused them of desecrating theQuran by tearing up pages and

urinating on them. The father of one

of the boys pointed out that, as they

are both illiterate, they could not

have known what they were doing

when they found the pages amongst

rubbish in the street. Give thanks thatthe boys have escaped prosecution

for their unwitting actions, and pray

that the Lord will protect His Church

in Egypt from such accusations,

especially vulnerable children.

Monday 18Praise God for a rare legal victory

for Christians in Egypt. On 8 November 2012, the

countrys prosecutor general ruled that a Cairochurch was the rightful owner of a piece of land in

Shubra Al-Kheima district that around 100 Salast

Muslims had taken over three days earlier.

Wielding sticks and rods, they had put up a sign

saying Al-Rahma Mosque, then performed

Islamic prayers for 24 hours. They threatened to

set re to shops belonging to Christians if they

were blocked from performing Friday prayers

at the site. But the trespassers left after church

ofcials reported the incident to the Interior

Ministry. Pray that the church will now be able to

go ahead with its building plans without further

opposition.

Tuesday 19Praise God that the Islamisation

of constitutions in the Middle East and North

Africa since the Arab Spring has been partiallychecked in Tunisia. The countrys Islamist rulers

have withdrawn a proposed anti-blasphemy

clause from the nal text of the new constitution.

Other attempts by the Islamist ruling party,

Ennahda, to Islamise Tunisian society have been

ercely opposed by secularists. Give thanks that

this clause, which would have made Christians

and other minorities more vulnerable, will not be

included, and pray that moderate inuence willprevail in Tunisia and hold back the forces of

Islamism that endanger our brothers and sisters.

FEBRUARY 16 - 19


14/16


Wednesday 20Lift up to the Lord our

Christian brothers and sisters in the Nuba

mountains in Sudan, where they are the target

of cleansing aimed at removing non-Arabs and

non-Muslims. Asia Omer Kuku, a Christian motherof seven, was killed when the predominantly

Christian town of Heiban was bombed by

government forces. During the attack, which took

place on 27 September 2012, ve bombs were

dropped near a crowded market place. Several

other Christians were wounded. Pray for Asias

grieving family, that the Lord will comfort them in

their distress, and that the needs of her children

will be provided for. The conict has createda humanitarian crisis in the area; pray that the

violence will soon end and that aid agencies will

be able to reach the territory.

Thursday 21A Christian couple in Russia

have had their 14 adopted children removed

by the authorities, in a case that bears the

marks of religious discrimination. Although Ilya

Yaroslavkin, a church pastor, and his wife Lubov

have won awards and been praised for their

exceptional care, local authorities accused them

of worshipping the wrong god and following

unintelligible church traditions. The couples

children were removed from their schools on

12 September 2012 without being able to say

goodbye to their parents. Pray for this family,

which has been so cruelly torn apart. Ask that theLord will comfort Ilya and Lubov and their children

as they endure this separation, and that the

decision will be overturned so that the family can

be reunited.

Friday 22 The gunmen were asking students

if they were Christians or Muslims, and then

asked Christian victims to deny Christ. Christian

students who refused to do so were killed bythe gunmen instantly. This is how one Christian

student described a systematic attack at a college

housing complex in Mubi, Adamawa state, north-

eastern Nigeria, on 1 October 2012. At least 46

people, mostly students from Federal Polytechnic

Mubi, were killed. Violence ared following the

election of a Christian in a student union poll.Boko Haram was believed to have been involved

in the massacre. Pray for the families of these

students as they try to come to terms with their

traumatic deaths. And plead with the Lord for an

end to Boko Harams deadly campaign against

Christians in Northern Nigeria.

Saturday 23Churches in Nigeria are beingruthlessly targeted in suicide bombings thought tobe the work of Boko Haram (see 30 January). For

example, at least seven people were killed when

an explosive-laden car was driven into a church

in the Malali neighbourhood of Kaduna state on

28 October. On 23 September, a church in Bauchi

was attacked by a suicide bomber, and at least

four people, including a seven-year-old boy, were

killed. Dozens were injured in both bombings.

Pray for those who are mourning, that they will

know the presence of the God of all comfort (2

Corinthians 1:3), and that He will defend His

people in Nigeria from further barbaric attacks.

Sunday 24 A woman and her three

children were among 16 Christians

killed in Plateau state, Nigeria, on the

same day. Gunmen simultaneouslyattacked three villages in the Riyom

area on 10 October 2012, killing 14

Christians. Several other people were

injured and property destroyed in

what were described as coordinated

attacks. Elsewhere in Plateau state,

two Christians in a car were shot

dead in Barkin Ladi. Muslim Fulani

herdsmen were thought to beresponsible for the murders. Pray

that they will be brought to justice.

FEBRUARY 20 - 24



Pray also for the bereaved and

injured, that the Lord will heal the

broken-hearted and bind up their

wounds (Psalm 147:3).

Monday 25Helping hardworking Christian

women in Juba get out of poverty - this is the

aim of a Christian micronance ministry in South

Sudan, which Barnabas Fund supported last year.

Thanks to our help 197 Christian women received

microloans for starting up or expanding small

businesses. Many started selling food or drinks

at local markets or opened small shops. They

are doing well; 89% of the women are repaying

their loans and can now provide for their families.

Give thanks that these small loans are enablingChristian women to become self-sufcient. Pray

that the young nation of South Sudan, where

the majority of the people are impoverished and

Christian, can build up its infrastructure and bring

its people out of poverty.

Tuesday 26One of the gravest dangers

facing some Christian women and girls in

Muslim-majority contexts is forced marriage andconversion to Islam. Especially in Pakistan and

Egypt, increasing numbers of Christian women

are being kidnapped, sexually assaulted and

then pressured to marry their Muslim captors and

become Muslims themselves. The authorities

will often take no action to protect women, and a

victims family may be told that she has converted

and married of her own free will. Pray that the

Lord will be a shield for our Christian sisters to

protect them from harm (Psalm 18:30).

Wednesday 27Pray for the many Christians

who have been forced to ee their homelands

and take refuge in other countries because of anti-

Christian injustice and violence. Some of them

continue to be at risk of religious persecution in

the countries where they have ed, and converts

in particular may face severe obstacles whenthey apply for refugee status in the West. These

include suspicion from the authorities that their

conversions are not authentic, and hostility

from ofcers and interpreters to their decision

to convert. Barnabas Fund is providing practical

help for displaced Christians in various countries

and is arguing their case at an international level.

Pray that the Lord may be a shelter for His people

wherever they go, and that Western governmentswill become more sensitive to the plight of

Christian refugees.

FEBRUARY 25 - 27


16/16

Barnabas Fund is a Company registered in England Number 4029536. Registered Charity Number 1092935Cover:An Ethiopian Christian woman at prayer (Source: Steve Evans, AKA Babasteve)

Barnabas Fund 2012

www.barnabasfund.org

New Zealand

PO Box 27 6018, Manukau City,

Auckland, 2241

Telephone(09) 280 4385 or 0800 008 805

[email protected]

Jersey

Le Jardin, La Rue a Don, Grouville, Jersey

Channel Islands JE3 9GB

Telephone 700600

Fax 700601

Email [email protected]

USA

6731 Curran St,

McLean, VA 22101

Telephone (703) 288-1681 or

toll-free 1-866-936-2525

Fax (703) 288-1682


International Headquarters

The Old Rectory, River Street,

Pewsey, Wiltshire SN9 5DB, UK

Telephone 01672 564938

Fax 01672 565030From outside the UK

Telephone +44 1672 564938

Fax +44 1672 565030


UK

9 Priory Row,

Coventry CV1 5EX

Telephone 024 7623 1923

Fax 024 7683 4718From outside the UK

Telephone +44 24 7623 1923

Fax +44 24 7683 4718


Australia

PO Box 3527

Loganholme QLD 4129

Telephone (07) 3806 1076or 1300 365 799

Fax (07) 3806 4076


Thursday 28Praise God for a European

Union decision that those who are unable to

practise their faith publicly in their homeland

can now claim refugee status in EU countries.

The European Court of Justice decided on 5September 2012 that EU member states will now

grant asylum on the basis of religious persecution

even when the claimant is able to practise his or

her religion privately in the home country. Pray

for Christians trying to escape from oppressive

regimes, that this ruling will make it easier forthem to nd a new home.

FEBRUARY 28

Documents

Prayer Diary January/February 2013