Prayer Diary: July-October 2022

Your daily prayer guide

prayer diary Photo: Uriel Badillo and his wife

July-October 2022

Pray for China.

Welcome.

My name’s Phil and I’m the Church Relationships Coordinator, based in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. I’ve seen God do some truly amazing miracles through prayer, so I want to encourage you that you should always pray and not give up (Luke 18:1).

I often go out - sometimes with a friend, sometimes by myself - to pray for the people I meet on the street, or in a Sainsburys car park, or wherever the Holy Spirit leads me.

One day I offered to pray for a man outside Sainsburys. I’ll call him Daniel. He refused my offer in no uncertain terms, but I felt like God was telling me to ask about his wife.

‘I know this sounds crazy, but I feel like I need to ask you: How is your wife?’ ‘...How did you know?’

‘Well, I didn’t know, but I’m a Christian and I felt God was telling me to ask about your wife.’

It turned out Daniel’s wife had been diagnosed with terminal cancer the week before, but they hadn’t told anyone yet.

This time he accepted my offer of prayer, so I prayed with him and he went on his way.

Years later I was in the same spot, offering

to pray for people. A man I didn’t recognise came up and said, ‘Five years ago I was here and you prayed for my wife who had cancer. She was healed and we both gave our lives to Jesus.’

Thank you so much for your faithful commitment to praying for CSW and the people we work for. In the pages of this Prayer Diary you’ll read many heartbreaking stories, but if those stories discourage you I’d like you to remember what God did for Daniel and his wife.

Imagine the hugging and the laughing and the joyful praising Daniel and I did that day, with the other shoppers walking past and wondering what was going on. He and his wife are wonderful people, and living reminders that our God works miracles.

In my role as CSW’s Church Relationships Coordinator, I’ve had the privilege of praying with and for many of you who are reading these words. I’m always humbled and overjoyed by your faith! Thank you so much for your prayers for the people we work for.

Phil Drummond Church Relationships Coordinator

‘Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.’ (Ephesians 3:20-21)

P.S. Save the date! On Sunday 6 November we’ll be marking the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. It’s a few months away still, but from September we’ll have resources available on our website for you to use by yourself or with your small group. Keep an eye out!

All images by CSW unless otherwise stated. Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

2

Week 1: 10-16 July In March China introduced new ‘Measures for the Administration of Internet Religious Information Services’ which prohibit the sharing of religious content online without a permit, including through text messages, images, audio and video.

These could have wide-ranging implications for everything from sharing Bible verses via the messaging service WhatsApp, to conducting online youth work or church services. The measures have provided the Chinese authorities with yet another tool with which to restrict religious activity, even as the situation for human rights in the country continues to deteriorate.

Find out more at csw.org.uk/china

Sunday 10 July Yesterday marked the seventh anniversary of the beginning of the infamous ‘709 crackdown’ in which over 300 human rights lawyers, activists and family members were interrogated, detained and even imprisoned or disappeared. Most have since been released, but please pray for continued healing and restoration from any lasting trauma.

Monday 11 July Other human rights lawyers who have worked on freedom of religion or belief cases, like Gao Zhisheng and Chang Weiping, have been detained or disappeared in the years since the 709 crackdown. Ask God to comfort their families today, and pray for their swift and unconditional release.

Tuesday 12 July Church leaders continue to be similarly targeted. In February Pastor Hao Zhiwei was sentenced to eight years on ‘fraud’ charges by the authorities in Hubei province, and at least ten others from four unregistered Protestant churches are facing similar charges. Pray that all these individuals are freed.

Gao Zhisheng

Wednesday 13 July See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.’

(Isaiah 43:19). Pray that God would do a new thing in China today.

Thursday 14 July Keep praying for the situation in the Uyghur region, where over one million of the predominantly Muslim Uyghurs, as well as Kazakhs and members of other ethnic groups, have been detained without charge in ‘re-education camps’ since 2017. Ask God to inspire co-ordinated and powerful international action on this egregious human rights crisis.

Friday 15 July Pray for the members of Shenzhen Church, most of whom fled to South Korea following increasing government harassment in China.

Although they now have greater freedom to live out their faith, they are waiting to be granted asylum in South Korea - a process which could take years.

Saturday 16 July Lord Jesus, we thank you that even in a nation as populous as China, you see and know the stories of every citizen. We ask you to bring peace and comfort to all those who are living in fear today. May prisoners be released and human rights respected. Amen.

3

Pray for Egypt.

Pray for people of all religious beliefs and none.

Week 3: 24-30 July Galatians 6:9-10 calls us to ‘do good to all people.’ It’s true that there is an emphasis on our fellow believers.

But, as the Bishop of Truro explained in his article on p.14 of Response, the command to ‘do good to all’ is certainly not exclusive. Here are four prayers to pray throughout this week.

‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Week 2: 17-23 July In April President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi proposed the convening of a national dialogue in which every Egyptian can participate and speak freely, regardless of political or ideological affiliations, in order to define the country’s new priorities. The initiative is part of a national human rights strategy launched in September 2021 which has resulted in the release of many prisoners, including human rights activists and religious detainees.

Days after the announcement, nine Coptic Christians were released from prison. They had been arrested on 30 January 2022 after taking part in peaceful protests demanding permission to rebuild St Joseph and Abu Sefein Church in Ezbat Farajallah village, Minya Governate, which had burnt down in suspicious circumstances in 2016. Forty-one political activists were released from pre-trial detention on the same day.

The national dialogue had not begun at the time of writing, although applications for participation are open. We pray it will prove to be a genuine effort to achieve reconciliation, healing and renewal that will also definitively address continuing restrictions on the right to freedom of religion of belief.

Find out more at csw.org.uk/egypt

Join us in praying the words of Psalm 126 over the Egyptian people.

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.

Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.

Lord, we lift Egypt to you this week. We give thanks for the incremental change so far, and pray for its acceleration. We ask, specifically, for a genuine national dialogue that will bring peace, reconciliation, and healing. Surround your people with your love, and restore their fortunes in full. May they reap abundantly with songs of joy in every area where they have sown with tears. Amen.

Father God, we are impatient for freedom and justice for all, and long for suffering to come to a swift end. Yet we know that meaningful, systemic changes take time.

Grant us today a fresh determination to keep pursuing a world where everyone is free to believe – no matter how long it takes. Amen.

‘Therefore, as we have opportunity…

Thank you, Father, that each of us has a part to play in campaigning for freedom of religion or belief for all. Give us opportunities to share with our friends, churches and communities the stories of those who are facing injustice. Give us the words to share why we, as Christians, speak up for people of all religious beliefs and none. Amen. ‘…let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.’

(Galatians 6:9-10)

Bishop of Truro

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’

(John 3:16) Father God, may our actions reflect the breadth of your love for all people around the world – the love that sent Jesus to the cross, his arms open wide to all humanity, so that everyone could have the opportunity to choose him.

Use us to bring injustices to light, to amplify the voices of the oppressed, and to call for urgent intervention for people of all religions and beliefs – without discrimination. Amen.

Lord, it breaks our hearts to hear of any human suffering. We think especially of Pakistan, which saw 78 documented cases of girls being abducted and forced to convert last year: 38 Christians, 39 Hindus, and 1 Sikh. We lift them all up to you, asking for their miraculous, safe return to their loved ones, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.

4

5

Pray for Mexico.

Your prayers are needed for Pakistan.

Week 5: 7-13 August

Week 4: 31 July-6 August

‘Such heart-rending incidents represent our collective failure and put our whole society to shame. No girl deserves to go through this.’ - Shehbaz Sharif, currently Prime Minister (then Leader of the Opposition)

On Sunday 28 July 2019, four Protestant Christians were forced to leave their homes by the authorities of the village of Cuamontax Huazalingo, Hidalgo state, Mexico. The village leaders told the victims – Gilberto Badillo, Uriel Badillo and their wives, Agustina Lara and Adelina – that the expulsion was the consequence of their refusal to sign an agreement that bans Protestant Christians from entering the village.

Today, just over three years later, religious minority communities in Mexico continue to be routinely and systematically targeted.

Join us this week as we pray God’s protection, peace and love over them.

Pooja Kumari was only 18 when she was shot and killed in March this year, by a man who broke into her home with two other men. They initially attempted to abduct her before shooting her. Reportedly he had previously asked her to marry him, and she had refused.

Uriel Badillo and his wife

Find out more at csw.org.uk/mexico

Sunday 31 July

Wednesday 3 August

The Badillo families were forced to take refuge in a nearby village after the leaders of Cuamontax Huazalingo led an attack on their homes, stealing belongings and breaking doors and windows. Such forced expulsions are not uncommon in indigenous communities governed under traditional laws and customs. Please pray protection over the Badillos and all religious minority families forcibly displaced from their homes.

In March this year we published our ‘Let her be heard’ report, on the experiences of indigenous religious minority women in Mexico. Praise God for the 27 women who shared their stories with us, and pray that each one would remain secure in the love of God that surpasses knowledge.

Monday 1 August The forced displacement of the Badillo families followed months of threats, including the cutting off of their access to electricity and running water. Harassment like this is commonplace against religious minorities living in indigenous communities governed under traditional laws and customs. Pray that all basic services withdrawn from religious minority households would be immediately and fully restored.

Tuesday 2 August To date, the Badillos have been unable to return home, despite complaints filed with the Regional Human Rights Office, municipal authorities, the Federal Religious Affairs Office and the office of the governor of Hidalgo.

Pray that God would soften the hearts of individuals at all levels of the Mexican government to respond to these appeals.

6

Thursday 4 August Give thanks to God for all those who have already read and engaged with the report.

Pray that ‘Let her be heard’ would continue to be read widely, inspiring policymakers to take concrete action to ensure the rights of these women are protected.

Friday 5 August ‘Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.’

- 2 Thessalonians 3:16a. Pray this verse over Christians of all denominations in Mexico today, that they would know the Lord’s peace at all times and in every way.

Saturday 6 August Father God, we lift the nation of Mexico to you today. We pray for protection for the oppressed, peace for the weary, and transformation in the hearts of those who perpetrate injustice. Let your love reign in Mexico we pray. Amen.

Every year hundreds of Hindu girls, like Pooja, and Christian girls are abducted and forced into marriage with Muslim men. Many of them are minors. Find out more at csw.org.uk/pakistan

Pooja Kumari

Sunday 7 August

Thursday 11 August

Pray for comfort and peace for Pooja’s family.

Her attacker was arrested shortly afterwards, and reportedly confessed to the murder. Pray that justice will be done swiftly.

In 2019 the UK government informed one state that it would receive no further funding for education while its textbooks contained hate speech. This was another of our campaign calls praise God that this issue is being taken seriously.

Monday 8 August Pray that the government will take strong action to combat the issue of abductions, forced conversion and forced marriage, so that Pooja’s tragic murder will be the last ever case of violence against a girl from a religious minority.

Tuesday 9 August A Muslim man said to be suffering from mental illness was killed by a mob in February, after he was accused of burning pages of the Qur’an.

Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are often used against both Muslims and non-Muslims to settle personal scores or to resolve disputes over money, property or business. Pray that these laws would be amended or repealed.

Friday 12 August ‘Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.’ - Psalm 89:14. Pray that Pakistan’s government would be characterised by righteousness and justice.

Saturday 13 August Father God, we know that your heart is broken by the injustices that led to Pooja Kumari’s death, and that you grieve with her family. We ask you to comfort them, that Pooja’s memory would be a blessing to them, and that her death will lead to lasting change. Amen.

Wednesday 10 August Thank God that the chapter on religious minorities has been reinstated in a key textbook in Pakistan’s curriculum - for years religious minorities have been written out of the country’s past, and schoolchildren have learned a distorted version of history. This is just one victory following our Faith and a Future campaign, which many of you took part in, campaigning for an end to religion-based discrimination in education.

7

This week please pray for India.

Your prayers are needed for Myanmar.

Photo: CSW/Benny Manser

Week 7: 21-27 August Week 6: 14-20 August A 50-year-old Christian pastor was murdered by a group of around 50 masked men in the state of Chhattisgarh in March. Yallam Shankar had received several threats to his life in the past, which included demands that he abandon Christianity and accept Hinduism.

India is becoming more and more repressive towards religious minorities. Violence, discrimination and harassment are commonplace, perpetuated by a culture of impunity that allows injustice to increase.

Abuses of freedom of religion or belief rarely occur in isolation. Injustices such as forced marriage or denying an individual the right to work often find their root in religious intolerance, with examples of this seen across India. Find out more at csw.org.uk/India This week, join us in praying for India, inspired by the words of Isaiah 53.

near to you - may they know your peace and kindness.

‘He was despised and rejected by mankind’.

‘Surely he took up our pain, and bore our suffering’.

Lord, as you walked the earth, you knew what it was to be rejected and scorned, even by those closest to you. We lift to you those in India who have been rejected and scorned because of their religion, and those who have lost their families, their friends or their livelihoods because of their beliefs. Holy Spirit, comfort those who are mourning for what is lost.

‘A man of suffering, familiar with pain’.

As we recognise and reflect on the pain endured by religious minorities in India, we remember that you too are familiar with pain. A man of sorrows, who is not separate or far away from our grief and pain. Draw those who feel far from you 8

Lord, as you came to deliver us from sin and evil, we lift India to you. We pray against the prevailing attitude of intolerance. Expose the injustice that grieves your heart, and raise up leaders of peace and democracy, we pray. ‘...the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed’.

Lord, where there are wounds in India and in the hearts of those who love you, we pray that you will bring restoration: From Punjab to Kerala, may your Kingdom reign. Amen.

Photo: Unsplash/Saw Wunna

For years you’ve been faithfully praying with us for Myanmar/Burma, which has seen devastating levels of conflict since the February 2021 military coup. Together with this violence, religious and ethnic minorities continue to experience discrimination, harassment and persecution. We’re still praying and campaigning for peace to reign in this country, and we give thanks for your partnering with us in doing so.

Find out more at csw.org.uk/burma

Sunday 21 August Give thanks for the partners we have in Myanmar such as Cardinal Charles Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, who is persistently advocating for freedom of religion or belief in his country. His courage and perseverance are inspiring.

Monday 22 August The Archbishop of Mandalay, together with his staff and priests, were held incommunicado on 8 April after an estimated 40 soldiers from the army forcibly occupied Sacred Heart Cathedral.

The soldiers left the following day, after finding no weapons in the cathedral. Pray for an end to this kind of attack.

Tuesday 23 August Earlier this year, the US government accused the Myanmar military of genocide against the predominantly Muslim Rohingya community.

Give thanks for this step in the direction of justice, but pray that these words will translate into tangible action for the Rohingya people.

Wednesday 24 August The Rohingya people have been persecuted for generations, with Myanmar denying them

citizenship rights that we take for granted such as the right to vote and access to basic services.

Pray for the authorities to have a change of heart towards the Rohingyas, a group of people loved and seen by God who grieves for their suffering.

Thursday 25 August Pray for Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratically elected leader of Myanmar, who was ousted in the 2021 coup. She has been handed multiple prison sentences on unfounded charges.

Pray that she will be released, along with other political prisoners.

Friday 26 August We’re continuing to call for a global arms embargo on the weaponry that devastates the land and lives of Myanmar. Pray that our combined efforts will ultimately be successful.

Saturday 27 August Lord, we lift Myanmar/Burma to you - a nation that has been rocked by instability, conflict and repression. Lord, we pray that you will deliver the people of Myanmar from violence and destruction. May your peace reign across this land. Amen.

9

Your prayers are needed for The Missing.

Your prayers are needed for Cuba.

Week 8: 28 August-3 September

Week 9: 4-10 September

At any one time there may be thousands of people worldwide who have been ‘disappeared’ for their beliefs – or because of the action their faith inspires them to take.

‘They no longer even have the shame to hide their lies.’ - Maridilegnis, wife of Pastor Lorenzo

For the loved ones who are left behind, their lives are in a state of fragility as they wait, sometimes for months or years, for their loved one to return home, or even for news on their whereabouts. This sense of hanging in the balance leaves its mark, as families try to pick up the pieces of their lives and endure the conflicting emotions of hope and grief. Find out more at csw.org.uk/missingappeal

Sunday 28 August Pray for those across the world who are victims of forced disappearance. Pray for church leaders like Pastor Raymond Koh in Malaysia, for those abducted from their schools, like Leah Sharibu in Nigeria, and for human rights lawyers like Gao Zhisheng in China. Pray for their safety, and that they will be returned home to their families.

Monday 29 August Peru’s internal conflict lasted for two decades, between 1980 and 2000, and left over 60,000 people killed or disappeared. Some families are still left waiting for answers - more than 20 years since the end of violence. Pray for the loved ones who are still searching for answers and for hope in the midst of unimaginable suffering.

Tuesday 30 August In 2021, we published an article detailing the stories of two women whose husbands had been forcibly disappeared during the conflict in Peru. Pray that their unresolved stories will not be forgotten, and for comfort during what is an excruciating time of waiting and grieving, today on the International Day for the Vctims of Forced Disappearance.

Wednesday 31 August Leah Sharibu was abducted from her school in northern Nigeria by ISWAP (Islamic State of West Africa Province) terrorists when she was just 14 years old. Four years on she is still being held captive, having been declared a ‘slave for life’,

10

In December 2021 Reverend Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo was convicted on unfounded charges of ‘disrespect’, public disorder’, ‘criminal incitement’ and ‘assault’. He had been arrested five months previously during nationwide protests in Cuba, and has been in prison ever since.

Leah Sharibu

despite the Nigerian authorities declaring their intention to secure her release. Pray that their words will be translated into action; and for the release of the thousands of ‘Leahs’ in Nigeria and across the world whose names may not be known to us, but are known to God.

Thursday 1 September Pray for the family of Pastor Raymond Koh, who was abducted in broad daylight in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia in 2017. Pray for his family’s continued courage in the face of extreme suffering, and ultimately for Pastor Koh to be released and returned to his loved ones.

Friday 2 September Pray these words from Susanna Koh, Pastor Koh’s wife, over all the families who are victims of forced disappearance: ‘We will not faint or grow weary because we’re fixing our eyes on God.’ Pray for their strength and comfort.

Saturday 3 September Father, we cry out to you for the victims of forced disappearance. From Peru to Malaysia, from Nigeria to China, we pray for the families who are still dealing with uncertainty and trauma from the disappearance of those they hold dear. May your right hand hold them fast.

May they know your peace, which surpasses all understanding, now and always.

Amen.

Pastor Lorenzo and his wife Maridilegnis

In April Pastor Lorenzo and his family learned he had been sentenced to seven years in prison. The sentence had been decided soon after his trial - yet the government did not inform him of the decision until months later. This is the strategy of the Cuban authorities: lies, deceit and secrecy. Find out more at csw.org.uk/cuba

Sunday 4 September Ask God to bring peace and comfort to Pastor Lorenzo’s wife Maridilegnis, and their children David and Lorena. Pray that justice would prevail and that Pastor Lorenzo would be released from prison without condition.

Monday 5 September Pastor Lorenzo was not the only individual targeted for participating in last year’s peaceful protests. At least seven other religious leaders were detained, sometimes violently, and most have faced ongoing harassment and threats of re-arrest since their release. Ask God to protect and strengthen them today.

Tuesday 6 September In CSW’s latest annual report on Cuba, we noted an increase in reported ‘acts of repudiation’, in which the authorities organise supposedly spontaneous mobs to harass, intimidate and sometimes physically assault religious leaders.

Pray that God would change the hearts of those who organise and participate in these mobs. Read more at csw.org.uk/HomelandFaithLife

Wednesday 7 September ‘In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’

John 16:33.

Pray this verse over Christians in Cuba today, as many continue to face harassment and intimidation even amid the country’s ongoing economic- and pandemic-related challenges.

Thursday 8 September Thank God today for individuals like Yoe Suárez and Ricardo Fernandez Izaguirre, who continue to bravely stand up for human rights in Cuba - despite facing intense harassment and being subjected to travel bans. Pray for their protection and the daily renewal of their strength.

Friday 9 September Pastor Alain Toledano Valiente and his family continue to face relentless harassment from the authorities, including through efforts to defame his character online. Pray that the truth would prevail, and that Pastor Toledano, his family and his church would be filled with a sense of freedom and peace today.

Saturday 10 September Lord God, we thank you that people in Cuba are increasingly willing to challenge the authorities’ decades-long abuses of power and human rights. We pray that their efforts would not be in vain, that we would see prisoners freed and the perpetrators of injustice held to account. Amen.

11

Pray for Democracy and human rights.

Pray for Nigeria.

Week 11: 18-24 September ‘There is nothing more heinous than being unable to protect the poor, the vulnerable, the orphans, the widows and the helpless, as is being witnessed in Nigeria today.’ - The Most Rev Dr Benjamin Kwashi, Anglican Archbishop of Jos CSW continues to receive reports of horrific violations and violence against vulnerable communities in Nigeria’s northern and central regions on an almost daily basis. Attacks are spreading southwards, and the Nigerian government has done little to contain the various armed non-state actors it has recently designated as terrorists. This inaction cannot continue.

Mubarak Bala

Find out more at csw.org.uk/nigeria

Week 10: 11-17 September On Thursday this week, 15 September, the world celebrates the International Day of Democracy.

Human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, flourish in democracies where everyone has a say - the word ‘democracy’ literally means rule by the people.

Every day this week, pray the Bible verse provided here over the countries you’ve read about in this Prayer Diary. Pray that God would raise up people of righteousness, wisdom and justice to work towards the ideals of democracy, including freedom of religion or belief, in their countries.

Sunday 11 September

Thursday 15 September

‘You will be secure under a government that is just and fair. Your enemies will stay far away. You will live in peace, and terror will not come near.’ - Isaiah 54:14 NLT

‘David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people.’ 2 Samuel 8:15 NIV

Monday 12 September ‘Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just decrees. Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments.’ - Proverbs 8:15-16 NLT

Tuesday 13 September ‘May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth.’ - Psalm 67:4 NIV

Wednesday 14 September ‘The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.’ - Proverbs 21:1 NRSV 12

Friday 16 September ‘Choose for each of your tribes individuals who are wise, discerning, and reputable to be your leaders.’ - Deuteronomy 1:13 NRSV

Saturday 17 September Sovereign Lord, you reign over all the nations of the world. We ask you to bring democracy, human rights, freedom and peace to all the peoples who are living under injustice and oppression - because even though this world is not our home, we long for your Kingdom on earth. Amen.

Sunday 18 September

Thursday 22 September

As Christians across Nigeria meet for church services today, praise God for their steadfast faith in the face of adversity, and ask that he would protect them from those who seek to do them harm.

Thank God for our colleagues at CSW-Nigeria who continue to boldly speak out for freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria, even under dangerous and unstable circumstances. Ask God to protect and bless them and their families in abundance today.

Also ask God to intervene powerfully to protect them and others who travel by road or rail from attack or abduction.

Monday 19 September On 5 April the president of the Nigerian Humanist Society, Mubarak Bala, was sentenced to 24 years in prison by a High Court in Kano after being arrested in April 2020 for allegedly insulting Islam in Facebook posts. Please pray for his release today.

Tuesday 20 September ‘I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid.'

(Leviticus 26:6). Claim this promise for the people of Plateau and Kaduna states, where violence is particularly widespread.

Wednesday 21 September On the International Day of Peace, pray that the international community would formulate a robust response to promote peace in Nigeria. Pray that states would hold the Nigerian government to account for its failures to protect citizens, and that they would assist in combatting violence wherever possible.

Friday 23 September In May Deborah Emmanuel was beaten, stoned to death and set on fire by her fellow students in Sokoto state following a blasphemy allegation. Pray for her devastated family, for justice, and that those who committed or supported the murder would have a change of heart and mind.

Saturday 24 September Lord God, we know that your heart breaks even more than ours ever could at the violence and injustices taking place in Nigeria. We ask for breakthrough in the country today; may it become a nation of tolerance, justice and peaceful coexistence. Amen.

13

This week please pray for Sudan.

Country.

Your prayers are Pray needed for. Country for Iran.

Week 13: 2-8 October

Week 12: 25 September-1 October

Photo: Amgad Saleh

Pastor Stefanous Adil Kajo, an Evangelical Lutheran Church leader, was convicted of ‘disturbing the peace’ and sentenced to one month in prison on 25 April, after his own church was attacked by extremists just two weeks earlier. Pastor Kajo’s assailant was convicted at the same time and received the same sentence, despite confessing that he had forced his way into the church and attacked the pastor.

This injustice is one of the latest indicators of the concerning direction Sudan has been heading in since the military coup of October 2021, which overthrew the civilian-led transition government.

Find out more at csw.org.uk/sudan

Sunday 25 September

Thursday 29 September

Pray for Pastor Kajo and his congregation today. Ask God to protect them from further harassment and attacks, and to ease religious tensions in their community in Gezira state.

Pray for the international community as it responds to the situation in Sudan. Pray particularly for the UN Human Rights Council to adopt a resolution that monitors Sudan until there are meaningful improvements in the country’s political and human rights situation.

Monday 26 September During the attack on Pastor Kajo’s church, several Bibles were destroyed and chairs were broken. Ask God to provide for the church financially so that they can restore and repair these damages, and to comfort anyone suffering with trauma from the attack.

Interference in church affairs has increased across the country since the coup. Pray today for an end to the harassment of church leaders in particular, and for the dissolution of illegally constituted committees which attempt to restrict and control church activities.

Pray for Nada Hamad Koko and Hamoda Teya Kaffi, a married couple who were charged with adultery after Mr Kaffi converted from Islam to Christianity. The law prohibits a Muslim woman from being married to a non-Muslim man, so a court granted the application for divorce brought by Ms Koko’s family. However, when the couple later reunited, they were arrested for adultery. Ms Koko has now also converted to Christianity, but they are still facing criminal charges. Pray that justice is served.

Wednesday 28 September

Saturday 1 October

Paul Kouk, a 19-year-old church elder, was killed in an attack on Aneet market in the disputed region of Abyei on 14 February. Please pray for his family and loved ones today, and for peace and stability in the Abyei region.

Dear God, today we lift Sudan to you. We ask that you would restore democracy to the country, and for an end to the decadeslong repression of the rights of religious and ethnic minorities in particular. May your freedom reign in every town, village and city today. Amen.

Tuesday 27 September

14

Friday 30 September

Pastor Amin Khaki is one of three Christian converts from Islam who have each been sentenced to five years in prison and fined 40 million tomans (almost £7,000). The three men stood trial in June 2021, charged with ‘sectarian activities’ under a section of the penal code that targets groups the authorities label ‘wrong cults’.

Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, another convert, has been arrested numerous times since 2009 on unfounded charges on account of his faith.

In 2010 he was even sentenced to death by hanging for alleged apostasy, but this was overturned thanks to international pressure, including our own campaign, which many of you took part in. He is currently serving a six-year sentence for ‘promoting Zionist Christianity’.

The Baha’i community is still denied official recognition. Along with the Sufi Dervish community, Baha’is are consistently targeted with hate speech and discriminatory policies, including restrictions on access to education and burial sites. Find out more at csw.org.uk/iran Iran’s deliberate repression of religious minorities has gone on for far too long. Every day this week, pray a powerful verse from Psalms or Proverbs over the entire nation.

Sunday 2 October ‘When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.’ Proverbs 21:15

Pastor Amin Khaki

Tuesday 4 October ‘The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.’ - Psalm 33:5

Wednesday 5 October ‘Praise be to the Lord, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege.’ - Psalm 31:21

Thursday 6 October ‘The Lord hears the needy and does not despise his captive people.’ - Psalm 69:33

Friday 7 October ‘Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.’ - Proverbs 31:9

Saturday 8 October Sovereign Lord, your Word tells us that righteousness and justice are the foundations of your throne. We ask today that you would set free everyone who has been wrongly imprisoned, and that through this the world would see your righteousness and justice displayed. In your holy name we pray, Amen.

Monday 3 October ‘When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place.’ - Psalm 118:5

15

Photo: CSW/Giulio Paletta

We believe in the power of prayer to bring change.

CSW is a human rights organisation advocating for freedom of religion or belief. 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

Scan the QR code to give today Registered Charity No. 281836