Iran: Three Iranian-Azeri Christians fate unknown
As pressure increases on Christian communities three Christian converts Farshid Modares-Aval, Mohammad-Reza Pirri and Yashar Farzin-No were arrested on July 20 when authorities searched their homes and seized a number of their personal belongings. They are in Tabriz prison. Security and judicial authorities have not provided any reason for their arrest or given any information regarding their health. Usually when families of detainees go to the authorities about the plight of loved ones they hear promises for early release if they keep silent and don’t publicize the case. Eventually when nothing happens families tell their stories to the media. According to reports received the three men have been beaten during interrogation. Mohammad-Reza Pirri’s brutal beating put him in the prison hospital for four days. Iranian law enforcement has always tried to relate house churches to foreign governments as political groups intending to overthrow the Islamic regime.
Pray: for God to hold these men, their families and all illegally held detainees in His hands, ask Him to strengthen and encourage them as they experience suppression and persecution. (Ps.32:7-8)
Somalia: British aid stolen by Islamist militants
The UK Department for International Development revealed on Sunday that members of the Shebab Islamist group have stolen £480,000 worth of British government-funded humanitarian materials and supplies in Somalia between November 2011 and February 2012. The theft that was revealed in the fine print of annual accounts is likely to fuel concerns about how Britain is spending its foreign aid at a time of budget cuts at home. The loss was out of more than £80 million of aid allocated for Somalia in 2012-2013. Britain’s aid budget is protected from the government’s austerity programme and has recently reached the U.N. target of 0.7% of gross national income. A spokesman for DFID said there were always risks working in unstable countries such as Somalia but it was doing everything it could to stop such thefts from occurring.
Pray: for flawless systems of aid distribution to be implemented. Pray for authorities to successfully tackle the root causes of poverty and instability in Somalia. (Ps.140:12)
USA: Mental Illness and the Church
Suicide kills more people in the United States every year than homicide, hypertension or motor vehicle crashes. Yet it's seldom discussed in the Church. Southern Baptists Dr. Frank Page and his wife hope to build on the growing national awareness of mental health issues. At the Southern Baptist annual convention in Houston this week the denomination have been working to promote awareness of mental health issues and begin to remove some of the stigma attached as they encourage churches to more pro-actively minister to those who are suffering. Page says, ‘These are legitimate, serious issues that people struggle with and the church needs to be the place where we say ‘we understand’. The local Church can help through support groups, counseling or simply awareness of what the community has to offer. It's an enormous challenge but with more than 36,000 people taking their own lives each year it could meet an enormous need.’
Pray: for the success of this initiative, may the North American Church save many in every sense of the word. (Is.25:4)
More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/healthscience/2013/June/Removing-the-Stigma-Mental-Illness-in-the-Church/
Korea: Prayer for peace and reunification
August 15 is Korea's Liberation Day when liberation in 1945 from Japanese colonial domination is celebrated. This was soon tragically followed by the division of the Peninsula by the western powers. In 1989, the WCC agreed that WCC member Churches throughout the world would be asked to pray on a Sunday near August 15 for the Peace and Reunification of Korea. Therefore each year since then Christians of the NCCK and the KCF, (Korean Christian Federation of North Korea), have been preparing a common prayer for use on one of the Sundays around the 15th. Korean Christians are grateful each year for the prayer support and solidarity of Christian partners throughout the world. Again this year they want to share this joint prayer for peace and reunification in the Korean peninsula. You can read and pray the prayer by clicking the more link.
Pray: that we live no more with confrontation and conflict between North and South Korea. Make them recover their national community with love. (Ps.120:5-7)
