Prayer Diary: July - October 2018

Your daily prayer guide

prayer diary

Marcus Perkins/CSW

July-October 2018

Welcome

A week of prayer for Cuba.

Week 1: 15-21 July

“PRAY FERVENTLY WITHOUT CEASING” The terror that unfolded in Kandhamal, eastern India ten years ago, saw almost 100 people lose their lives, while tens of thousands lost their homes and livelihoods.

Soon after the attack, the late Dr Raphael Cheenath, Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar asked, “Why the Christians have been abandoned to the mercy of a mad crowd?” He was referring to the failure of the authorities to see the decades of systemic hate campaigns against Christians in India.

We are called to hear, see and pray. This Prayer Diary presents to us a window through which we can see the need and effectively intercede for others. The stories and testimonies presented to you here would not have been possible without your collective encouragement and support.

I would like to invite you to pray fervently without ceasing. And as you pray, you put a divine magnifying glass over the issues, moving God’s hand to act.

Marcus Perkins/CSW

Believe for the impossible!

Steve South Asia Team

Our manifesto #8

We believe everyone has the right to justice.

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“Since my departure the situation in Cuba has worsened - to continue living there now I would be imprisoned or dead. The news that I receive daily shows me that religious persecution has increased. But I am sure that God hears the prayers and that our work is not in vain. I believe that God is the most interested in Cuba being free; and that this will happen soon.”

– Pastor Mario Félix Lleonart Barroso, activist and church leader Sunday 15 July

Tuesday 17 July

Friday 20 July

The Assemblies of God denomination has seen many of its churches shut down and even demolished, and its pastors and church members harassed and detained.

Please pray for God’s protection over these brave men and women today.

Today, join us in praying for the safety of the Ladies in White, the group of female human rights activists who peacefully protest the imprisonment of human rights defenders. Each Sunday they attend Mass dressed in white, then silently parade through their town.

They are harassed, physically assaulted, and placed under house arrest to prevent them from protesting.

Our Cuba work is covered by our Americas team.

Please pray for energy, encouragement and supernatural wisdom for all the staff as they co-ordinate the work across Latin America and beyond.

Monday 16 July Miguel Díaz-Canel was appointed President of Cuba in April 2018. His appointment marks the first time in nearly six decades that Cuba will be governed by an individual outside of the Castro family, and the first time that the president is not the head of the Communist Party. Today, pray that President Díaz-Canel will take strong action to protect religious freedom. Pray particularly that he abolishes the Office of Religious Affairs, which is the primary source of religious freedom violations on the island.

Wednesday 18 July Thank God for the release in March of Leonardo Rodríguez Alonso, a prominent religious freedom defender, who had been detained for two days without charge. Please pray that the government would not harass the any further.

Saturday 21 July Lord, we echo Pastor Mario Félix’s faith that you want Cuba to be free. We thank you that you are a God of freedom and justice who cares deeply for the people of Cuba. We ask you to protect all those who work for human rights and strengthen those facing harassment. Amen.

Thursday 19 July Please continue to pray for the members of the Apostolic Movement. This large, unregistered denomination has been the target of severe government harassment for years. Pray God’s protection over them today.

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This week please pray for The UN. Week 2: 22-28 July

Thursday 26 July

Our presence at the United Nations (UN) is vital for our advocacy work: whether we’re bringing people from as far afield as Africa or South Asia to tell their stories to policymakers, or making official statements regarding the situation of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in the countries we work on, we’re always working hard to make sure FoRB is at the forefront of international discussions.

Sunday 22 July “Without the support of CSW, I or others like me, would never get the opportunity to voice the injustice that is committed by the head of states in our parts of the world.” – Yona G. Nati. With CSW’s support, Yona travelled to the UN in March to tell the story of how his father was forcibly disappeared 17 years ago. Pray that his story motivates the international community to take strong action to address crimes against humanity in Eritrea.

Monday 23 July CSW works closely with the UN Special Rapporteur (the UN expert) on freedom of religion or belief, Dr Ahmed Shaheed. Please pray for

him as works to protect and promote this human right at the UN, and pray today that the UN would take strong, decisive action to promote and protect this fundamental right.

Tuesday 24 July CSW was influential in campaigning for the establishment of commissions of inquiry into the human rights situations in North Korea and Eritrea, and we gained UN accreditation last year, giving us special ‘consultative status’. Join us in thanking God for all the ways we’ve been able to work at the UN to promote freedom of religion or belief.

Wednesday 25 July Our manifesto declares that we believe that human rights are critical in enabling societies and countries to flourish: today, please pray that the UN member states would become more proactive in promoting and protecting human rights, including the right to freedom of religion or belief.

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Your prayers are needed for Eritrea.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a peerreview process of a country’s human rights record that occurs every four years.

Each UN country is assessed on its human rights record by the other countries, which then make policy recommendations. NGOs such as CSW contribute vital research. In September, the Central African Republic, China, Mexico, Malaysia and Nigeria will be reviewed: please pray that FoRB abuses in these countries will be raised extensively.

Friday 27 July Today, please pray for God to bless our UN team with energy and perseverance, and to give them strategy and insight to take the work even further. We are incredibly grateful for all that they do!

Saturday 28 July Heavenly Father, thank you so much for all that CSW has been able to achieve at the UN. We praise you for your blessings on us in the past, and we continue our UN work in the knowledge that you will bless us in the future. You are truly amazing, God! Amen.

Week 3: 29 July-4 August Eritrea is one of the most repressive regimes in the world. The government seeks to exercise total control over its citizens and jails anybody it deems to be a dissenter. These repressive policies are responsible for thousands of Eritreans fleeing their nation on a monthly basis.

Sunday 29 July

Tuesday 31 July

In early 2018, CSW learned that two elderly Jehovah’s Witnesses had died in prison. They’d been detained without charge or trial since 2008, and both are survived by their families. Today, please ask God to comfort the families in their grief.

Please continue to pray for Patriarch Antonios, the head of the Eritrean Orthodox Church. Now in his 90s, he has been under house arrest for over a decade; priests loyal to him are imprisoned, the most recent being Abba Ameha, a monk who had called for the patriarch’s release and reinstatement.

Monday 30 July In May CSW joined other human rights organisations and the Eritrean diaspora for our annual prayer and protest vigil outside the Eritrean Embassy in London to remind the Eritrean government that the world has not forgotten the people it persecutes.

The following week we coorganised a closed hearing in Parliament on religious persecution in Eritrea. Pray that one day we will not be highlighting persecution, but celebrating freedom.

Wednesday 1 August There are over 10,000 prisoners of conscience in Eritrea, from all faiths and none. They’ve been detained indefinitely without charge or trial, and are held in appalling, often lifethreatening conditions. Pray today for the release of all prisoners of conscience in Eritrea.

Thursday 2 August Two long-term prisoners were recently confirmed to have been released.

Respected Orthodox scholar Merigeta Yitbarek Berhe had been in detention since 2006, and Rev Oqbamichael TekleHaimanot had been detained since 2007, and is reportedly in poor physical condition.

Pray for healing, provision and protection for these men, and that theirs may be the first releases of many.

Friday 3 August Despite a shoot-to-kill border policy, countless people every day decide to flee Eritrea’s harsh and restrictive regime. Many of them then fall into the hands of human traffickers or are deported back to the country they desperately tried to escape.

Pray for all Eritrean escapees today, and for somewhere safe for them to rest.

Saturday 4 August Lord God, when we hear about the terrible situation in Eritrea it can seem as if change is impossible: but we know that nothing is impossible for you. We pray that you would release every prisoner and bring healing to those who have been broken in body, mind or spirit, and to the land itself. Amen.

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Pray for Pakistan.

Your prayers are needed for Vietnam.

Week 4: 5-11 August

healing and protection for the community of Essa Nagri in Quetta, Balochistan, as they continue to mourn in the aftermath of this attack.

Every year hundreds of Hindu and Christian girls are kidnapped, forced to change their names, convert to Islam, and marry men who are total strangers to them. Their families may never see them again. Please pray that this horrific practice would end and that these girls would be able to return to their families.

Wednesday 8 August

Saturday 11 August

Pakistan’s Christians often face large-scale attacks on their places of worship.

Last December, two suicide bombers stormed the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta, killing nine people and injuring over 30. Today, join us in petitioning God to place his hand of protection over these buildings and the communities that gather in them.

Lord, on National Minorities Day we lift the minorities of Pakistan to you asking that you protect them and bring them justice. We ask you to continue to bless the work of Michelle Chaudhry and our other partners, who work tirelessly for the rights of minorities, shielding them from all harm. Amen.

Though this week marks National Minorities Day in Pakistan, the reality is that many religious and ethnic minorities face daily harassment, as well as discrimination on every level, from blasphemy legislation that destroys lives, to prejudice and intolerance at school or work.

Sunday 5 August Back in May, an Ahmadi mosque and adjoining historic building were destroyed by a mob of 700 people while the police stood by and watched.

Both buildings had deep significance for the community. Please pray that the perpetrators of this act would be swiftly brought to justice, and that the Ahmadiyya community would be protected from further harassment.

Monday 6 August Ahmadis are the most persecuted minority in Pakistan. The constitution declares them as nonMuslims, and legislation from 1984 criminalises the entire community, and forbids them to share their faith. These laws are often used to harass them in the peaceful expression of their faith. Today, join us in praying that this legislation would be repealed.

Tuesday 7 August In April two men were killed and three injured after gunmen opened fire on Christians leaving a church service. Please pray for 6

commemorating the death of another community member. Please pray for their release today.

Friday 10 August

Thursday 9 August As part of our Faith and a Future campaign, we gathered thousands of signatures for a petition calling for an end to Pakistan’s biased education system that fuels so much division and mistrust between communities. As we hand this petition in to the UK government, please pray that it would be the catalyst for human rights, and especially unbiased education, to be at the forefront of Britain’s dealings with Pakistan.

Thursday 16 August

Week 5: 12-18 August The government continues to treat human rights defenders incredibly harshly. For their tireless work exposing repeated violations of freedom of religion or belief, torture, pressure to recant and detention, they too are detained, harassed and beaten. Join us in praying for human rights defenders in Vietnam this week.

Sunday 12 August In April, six Vietnamese human rights defenders (including Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton and Nguyen Bac Truyen) were sentenced to lengthy prison sentences because of their work.

Four of the men appealed their sentences, but their sentences were upheld.

Pray that they will all be released and the charges against them dismissed.

Monday 13 August Pray today for protection for Montagnard ethnic minority Catholics and Protestants in the Central Highlands who often suffer some of the most

serious human rights abuses, including beatings and torture and forced eviction.

Tuesday 14 August Today, please pray for the release of Pastor A Dao, a Protestant pastor sentenced in April 2017 to five years in prison for helping people illegally leave Vietnam – a charge he denies.

Wednesday 15 August In February 2018, six Hoa Hao Buddhists were sentenced to between two and six years in prison for holding a peaceful demonstration against the suppression of FoRB, after police had prevented them

Today, join us in giving thanks for the release of Vietnamese human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai. In April, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison and a further five years under house arrest: before this, he spent over 600 days in detention without trial. CSW has been campaigning for his release since he was arrested: though he should never have been in prison in the first place, we’re incredibly thankful for his release.

Friday 17 August The case of Nguyen Van Dai and the five other men who were sentenced in the same hearing shows the danger that many human rights defenders in Vietnam experience during the course of their work. Thank God for their courage and pray for their protection.

Saturday 18 August Heavenly Father, today we ask you to watch over the six human rights defenders in Vietnam who are facing lengthy prison sentences.

Thank you for their tremendous courage and heart to stand up for human rights: we pray that you will move powerfully to secure their release soon. Amen.

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This week please pray for China.

Your prayers are needed for India.

Thursday 23 August

Week 6: 19-25 August This year we’ve seen new regulations that tighten state control over Chinese churches. Churches that aren’t officially registered with the government, as well as registered churches, have experienced increased harassment. Not only has this led to church closures and demolitions, but the forced removal of religious items from church buildings, and a ban on children attending services.

Sunday 19 August

Tuesday 21 August

In Henan Province authorities have been demolishing both Catholic and Protestant churches, as well as reportedly destroying religious materials and making congregations sing Communist songs. Pray that no further churches would be destroyed and that the congregations already displaced would find somewhere safe to worship.

Living Stone Church has been the target for repeated harassment by the government since 2013.

Another pastor, Pastor Yang Hua, is also in prison. A former deacon, Zhang Xiuhong, was released in August last year after two years in detention.

Pray for God’s protection over the congregation of Living Stone Church, and for his Spirit to guide them.

Monday 20 August In May Pastor Su of Living Stone Church was sentenced to one year in prison suspended for two years, with a further six months’ ‘residential surveillance’. He’s been under house arrest since December 2015. Today, join us in praying for Pastor Su to be released and the charges against him dismissed.

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Wednesday 22 August The same authorities that are forcing congregations to sing Communist songs in churches and remove banners, posters and tiles with religious messages from their buildings, have also forbidden anyone under 18 from attending a church. Pray that this will change soon.

In May 200 members of Early Rain Church in Chengdu were detained or removed to prevent them from holding a prayer vigil for victims of a 2008 earthquake. Pastor Wang Yi, who leads the church, was detained by police and accused of ‘picking quarrels and causing trouble’ on 11 May, then released the following night. Pray that Early Rain Church and Pastor Yi would experience no further harassment.

Friday 24 August Our East Asia team is dedicated to promoting religious freedom in China, Burma, Vietnam, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and North Korea. They write reports and articles, visit the region to gather first-hand information, run training sessions and work tirelessly for freedom and human rights. Please ask God to bless their efforts and grant them even more wisdom and energy for their work.

Saturday 25 August Lord, we lift the churches of Henan Province to you. Protect their congregations from further harassment, we pray, and guide them to safer places to worship you in peace. We pray for China’s new, tighter controls on religion to be lifted and for children to be allowed to attend church again. Amen.

Week 7: 26 August-1 September India’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion or belief.

However, in practice this isn’t always the case. Increasing Hindu nationalism is making India increasingly dangerous for Christians, Muslims and human rights activists of all faiths.

Sunday 26 August

Tuesday 28 August

On 27 May Hindu nationalists disrupted a service at Yeshu Darber (Congregation of Jesus) Church, assaulting several worshippers and forcing the pastor and a lay leader to go to the local police station, where they were accused of carrying out conversions. Give thanks that CSW’s local contact was able to intervene, and that both men were released and the allegations were proved to be false. Pray that no further incidents occur.

It has now been a decade since the violence that swept Odisha in August 2008.

Many of the survivors of that violence, and the families of the victims, are still awaiting justice. Please pray that on this anniversary, God would renew the urgency of their case in the hearts and minds of the authorities.

Monday 27 August A few days later, on 30 May, the monthly all-night prayer meeting led by Pastor Vijay Kumar was also disrupted

by Hindu nationalists, who accused Pastor Vijay of converting people. The police took Pastor Vijay into custody, but again CSW’s contact in the area was able to secure his release the next day. Please pray that Pastor Vijay would not be discouraged or fearful, and that he would be protected from further violence.

Wednesday 29 August In September 2017 journalist and human rights activist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead in front of her home.

She was the editor of Gauri Lankesh Patrike, a weekly paper, and was an outspoken human rights activist. There are many brave people like Gauri who speak out against injustice and oppression.

Please pray that their efforts will produce favourable outcomes for those who are victimised.

Pray for protection for India’s human rights activists, and give thanks for the courage of people like Shabnam who continue their vital work despite the dangers.

Friday 31 August In May the lawyers who advocated for 14 victims of the horrific Kandhamal violence over a decade ago, were informed that the additional compensation – totalling about £1.7m – will be disbursed. Join us in giving thanks to God for this victory, and pray that this will mark the beginning of greater change in the future.

Saturday 1 September Lord God, we give thanks for all the human rights defenders and religious community leaders in India who carry out their work despite very real dangers. We ask for your divine protection over them, and for you to grant them encouragement, endurance, and strength for their vital work. Amen.

Thursday 30 August “Death and threats of death have become a common factor for advocates of free speech and conscience. Gauri Lankesh’s murder is another attempt to silence dissent,” said veteran human rights activist Shabnam Hashmi.

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Pray for Sudan.

Pray for the people of Egypt.

Week 8: 2-8 September The government severely restricts all civil and political rights, including the rights of religious minorities. Earlier this year the government responded to citizen protests following an economic downturn, by arresting hundreds of protesters and opposition politicians. Meanwhile churches continue to be demolished without notice, religious leaders face arrest and judicial harassment, and in Khartoum Christian schools are facing unfair restrictions.

Sunday 2 September Noura Hussein, a young Sudanese woman, was sentenced to death in May for fatally stabbing the man she’d been forced to marry, as he attempted to rape her for the second time. The horrific details of this case highlights the discrimination Sudanese women face every day: they have few rights and are, essentially, seen as property. Please pray that Noura’s sentence would be overturned.

Monday 3 September During the government crackdown earlier this year human rights defenders, including those who work on freedom of religion or belief cases, were arrested or faced severe intimidation.

Pray for God to continue to strengthen and protect all those who bravely stand up to defend human rights in Sudan.

Tuesday 4 September In Khartoum State the Ministry of Education has supported an order that 10

forces Christian schools to open on Sundays, thereby preventing Christian teachers and pupils from attending church. Both Muslim and Christian parents have demonstrated against this discriminatory policy. Pray that this order would be overturned.

Wednesday 5 September As we go to print, leaders of the Sudanese Church Of Christ (SCOC) are due in court charged with criminal trespass after they refused to hand over the affairs of the church to an unelected committee backed by the government. The government has been harassing this church for a number of years – pray that the church would be allowed to manage its affairs independently.

Thursday 6 September In February a church belonging to the Sudanese Evangelical Presbyterian Church (SEPC) denomination was demolished by security agents. Police trucks arrived at the church without notice

moments after the service had ended, and security personnel confiscated chairs, Bibles and musical instruments before demolishing the church. Pray that the government would provide the congregation with a new place of worship.

Wednesday 12 September At least 10 Christian soldiers serving in the army have died in suspicious circumstances since 2006: please pray for comfort for the families, and that these deaths would be investigated and justice would be done.

Friday 7 September The UN’s Independent Expert on human rights in Sudan will this month report to the UN Human Rights Council, giving them his assessment of the situation over the previous 12 months. Pray that his mandate will be renewed for another term, and that his report will encourage strong international action on human rights abuses in Sudan.

Saturday 8 September Lord God, today we pray for the nation of Sudan, especially for the situation of the many Sudanese women like Noura who face layers of discrimination. Bring about change, we pray: deliver heavenly justice for them.

Amen.

Thursday 13 September Reports persist in Upper Egypt of young girls being abducted, forcibly converted, then married to men they don’t know. Please pray that the police and courts would bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure the return of abducted girls.

Week 9: 9-15 September

largely in response to local hostility. Pray today that all these churches would be reopened, and for a lessening of the social hostility that drives these restrictions on freedom of religion or belief.

Despite the president’s continuing warmth towards the Christian community, Christians still experience societal hostility, discrimination and harassment. Pray that respect and acceptance of all faiths would spread throughout society and government.

Tuesday 11 September

Saturday 15 September

Today marks Coptic New Year: please pray that the coming year would be one of peace and safety for Coptic Christians, who continue to be the target of attacks.

Father God, we lift the nation of Egypt to you. We thank you for the Christian community that has endured there since ancient times, and pray that you would continue to protect them and uphold them in the face of severe pressure and persecution. Amen.

The government’s counter-terrorism strategy has had a knockon effect on civil rights, and the lives of ordinary Egyptians.

This week, join us in praying for peace and freedom in Egypt.

Sunday 9 September In early June the Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that an article in the draconian NGO Law that allowed the Minister of Social Solidarity to dismiss NGO boards is unconstitutional. Praise God for this breakthrough, and pray that the ruling would be respected.

Monday 10 September Between September 2016 and April 2018 fourteen functioning churches were closed by the government,

Friday 14 September

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This week please pray for Mexico.

Your prayers are needed for Iran.

Wednesday 19 September Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a Catholic priest.

As we go to print, five priests and one pastor have been murdered so far in 2018.

Pray that the government would ensure the safety and protection of religious leaders.

Thursday 20 September

Week 10: 16-22 September Mexico is a secular state with a Roman Catholic majority and on paper there is a strong separation between church and state, and freedom of religion or belief is protected under law.

However, in practice religious minorities, including minority Protestant denominations, can suffer varying degrees of discrimination, particularly in the south-west of the country.

Sunday 16 September Pray for the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Protestants – a total of 64 men, women and children – who were forcibly displaced from the community of Tuxpan de Bolaños in Jalisco State, in December 2017. Pray that they would be able to return home and live safely, and pray especially for the children who are still suffering from the trauma of being displaced.

Monday 17 September Today, please pray for the protection of the congregation of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in San Miguel Chiptic, Altamirano, Chiapas. Local 12

authorities have been harassing them in an attempt to displace them. Two men from the church were arrested for ‘preaching the gospel’, but later released – give thanks for their release.

Tuesday 18 September The Mexican presidential elections were held just a few months ago. As we go to print we don’t know the outcome, but please join us in praying that whoever is elected will strengthen the rule of law and end the impunity that often follows violations of freedom of religion or belief.

Pray for Mexico’s upcoming Universal Periodic Review, the United Nations peer review of human rights (see week 2, 22-28 July). Pray that other member states would make strong recommendations to protect freedom of religion or belief, and that Mexico would accept and enact these recommendations.

Week 11: 23-29 September We’re continuing to pray for all the Iranian Christians who are either facing or serving harsh prison sentences, or who are seeking refuge elsewhere. Many have appealed their sentences.

However, we recently learned that the unjust sentences given to four of them were upheld.

Sunday 23 September

Wednesday 26 September

Pastor Behnam Irani and his family are applying to the UN’s refugee agency for resettlement – please pray that their application would be processed quickly. Pastor Behnam was released in October 2016 after serving a six-year sentence, and while in prison he developed severe health problems as a result of frequent torture.

Arrests on national securityrelated charges amount to the criminalisation of the Christian community for exercising the right to freedom of religion or belief, even though the constitution recognises Christianity. Pray for an end to the criminalising of normal Christian activities.

Monday 24 September

Mexico has laws that protect freedom of religion or belief, even though they’re not always enforced. Pray that local, state and federal governments and officials would uphold these laws by publicly recognising violations and ensuring justice.

Please pray for Nasser Navard Goltape, currently serving a ten-year sentence in Evin Prison on national security charges. He was arrested at a friend’s engagement party. Pray for his safety inside the prison, that he would be released soon and the charges against him dismissed.

Saturday 22 September

Tuesday 25 September

Heavenly Father, we ask you to watch over families in Mexico who have been forced out of their homes and communities because of their faith. Please give them protection and somewhere safe to stay and, we pray, make a way for them to be able to return to their homes. Amen.

Today please pray for Pastor Nadarkhani, Mohammadreza Omidi, Yasser Mossayebzadeh, and Saheb Fadaie, all of whom are facing ten-year sentences that were recently upheld on appeal. Pray for the charges to be dropped immediately.

Friday 21 September

Thursday 27 September Pray for Assemblies of God church leader Reverend Victor Bet-Tamraz and his family. The Reverend is appealing a ten-year prison sentence and two-year travel ban. His wife, Shamiran Issavi, is appealing a five-year

sentence, while their son Ramil Bet-Tamraz is awaiting trial on excessive charges.

Friday 28 September ‘He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free.’ Psalm 146:6-7 Pray these verses over Iranian Christians today.

Saturday 29 September Lord, you are indeed the God who sets prisoners free and upholds the cause of the oppressed. We continue to lift to you those in Iran who received long prison sentences for taking part in normal church activities. Grant them protection, provision and, ultimately, freedom. Amen.

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Pray for Nigeria.

Pray for the people of North Korea.

Week 12: 30 September-6 October ‘We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed.’ 2 Corinthians 4:6-9 Reverend Yunusa Nmadu, CEO of CSW-Nigeria, used the Apostle Paul’s words to describe the plight of Christians in northern Nigeria, at our Pursue Justice Live event this year. Every day this week we’re bringing you quotes from his talk as we pray for Nigeria.

Sunday 30 September “Christians in northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt are suffering unimaginable hardship at the hands of Muslim fundamentalists, Boko Haram terrorists and Muslim Fulani herdsmen forces…The failure of duty bearers in Nigeria to uphold the constitution, especially in the area of protecting the religious rights of her citizens, is total.” Pray Psalm 91 over Christians in these areas – that God would be their refuge and protection.

Monday 1 October On Nigerian Independence Day, please pray for those in government in Nigeria, that they would take effective action to protect all vulnerable communities, regardless of their religion or belief; and that in the words of the national anthem, they would work hard to ‘build a nation where peace and justice shall reign’.

Tuesday 2 October “The blood of Christians has so saturated the ground that the earth no more soaks 14

it. People are poured into mass graves - repeatedly.

The blood of men, women, children is crying out for justice.” Pray for justice to roll on like a river, and righteousness like a neverfailing stream (Amos 5:24).

Wednesday 3 October “The world needs to be clear about the extent of persecution and the need for legal redress so that terrorists and criminals will not triumph, and in order that the church that is being ‘crushed’ will not be ‘destroyed.’” Ask God to hear and answer the cry Christians in the north and the Middle Belt (Psalm 126).

Thursday 4 October “Fifteen-year-old Leah Sharibu is [still] with her captors merely because she refused to deny her faith.

The young girl watched 104 Muslim girls released upon the negotiation of the Nigerian government with the terrorists, while she was left behind because of the profession of her faith.” As we go to print Leah is still being

held by the Islamist terror group Boko Haram. Please pray for her safe and swift release.

Wednesday 10 October In our recent report, Movies, Markets and Mass Surveillance, we reported that many North Koreans have a window to the outside world through foreign media smuggled into the country.

Pray that God would keep these information flows open – through radio, USB sticks, cultural engagement and other means.

Friday 5 October “In Benue State alone, the governor, Samuel Ortom, said that 1,878 persons were murdered between 2013 and 2016, 750 were seriously wounded, 200 were missing, and 99,427 households were affected with billions of naira [the currency of Nigeria] worth of property destroyed.”

Pray for these households: that God would provide them with resources and somewhere safe to live.

Saturday 6 October Heavenly Father, we lift the nation of Nigeria to you, and especially Christians in the north and Middle Belt. We know that although they are persecuted, you, Lord, have not abandoned them. Grant them heavenly protection and supernatural endurance, and move powerfully on the hearts of those in government, convicting them to ensure justice and protection. Amen.

Thursday 11 October

Week 13: 7-13 October It’s no understatement to say that North Korea is one of the most oppressive regimes in the world, imprisoning thousands of its citizens in labour camps and controlling the everyday life of its people in ways that are barely imaginable. Though we’ve been seeing some steps towards dialogue between North Korea, South Korea and the United States, there’s still a long way to go before the peninsula is truly on the path to freedom.

Sunday 7 October Today, please pray for Kim Jong-Un and the North Korean regime – pray that God would change hearts and minds, and that genuine progress can be made through dialogue with South Korea and the United States, leading to true peace on the Korean peninsula, and respect for fundamental freedoms and human dignity for the people of North Korea.

Monday 8 October

strength, an end to torture, sexual violence and slave labour, and for their release.

Tuesday 9 October While we watch events unfold on the peninsula and pray for peace, we remember all those who are unable to practise their religion or belief freely and openly in North Korea today. Today, please join us in simply praying for freedom of religion or belief in North Korea.

Many refugees seek safety by escaping via China – today, please pray that China would allow them to pass safely through the country to South Korea, and would end its policy of sending them back.

Friday 12 October Please pray for God’s wisdom, guidance and protection over everyone in the international community working to bring about peace and real change in North Korea.

Saturday 13 October Heavenly Father who is above all rulers and governments, we bring the nation of North Korea to you today. Please watch over its people as they hunger for a world very different to their own, and guide the hearts of its rulers towards genuine peace and freedom. Amen.

Pray for everyone imprisoned in North Korea’s gwanliso prison camps – for protection, 15

Our manifesto #13

We believe in the power of prayer to bring change.

As Christians, we stand with everyone facing injustice because of their religion or belief.

T +44 (0)20 8329 0010 @CSW_UK /CSWUK csw.org.uk

PO Box 99 New Malden Surrey, KT3 3YF United Kingdom