Laos: Imprisoned Christians
Laos is a communist state and one of East Asia's poorest countries. On January 4th police arrested Wanna and Yohan, pastors of two unregistered churches, and nine other Christians. Police released the nine detainees after they paid fines but Wanna and Yohan are still in prison. They were the principal breadwinners for their families, and their wives and families have no means of financial support. Several of Wanna’s children have since left school to find work. Pastor Wanna’s family say 'he has lost weight, is extremely weak and contracted an infection under the harsh prison conditions.’ Prison authorities have repeatedly told them they will ‘walk free’ when they sign documents renouncing their faith. Although there is less persecution of Christians recently, provincial authorities continue to violate freedom of religion or belief - particularly ethnic minority Protestants. The rights abuses include ‘detentions, surveillance, harassment, property confiscation, forced relocations and forced renunciations of faith'. Pray: for immediate release of the two pastors. (Ps.45:4) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/laos/article_114762.html
Nigeria: Attack on Christian mission
A bomb explosion at All Christian-Fellowship Mission in Suleja on Sunday killed one man and two women. It happened as church members were in a meeting after a church service. No group claimed responsibility, but it follows reports that the Islamic militant group Boko Haram issued warnings to Nigerians to avoid Christian, security agent’s, and government institutions, or else face death. The attack coincides with a surge in violence over the weekend. Churches remain closed following a day of violence on Saturday with multiple explosions in parts of the city. A special ambassador for Christian Solidarity Worldwide called for the protection of churches and a full investigation into reports of violence by the Joint Military Task Force, saying, ‘If the alleged Boko Haram statement is accurate and their target is now shifting increasingly towards the church, Christians are in greater danger than ever, as their places of worship provide soft targets.’
Pray: for believers and their property to be protected as the area remains on high alert against further attacks. (Ps.20:1)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/attack.on.christian.mission.kills.three.in.nigeria/28281.htm
INSIGHT ARTICLE: South Sudan: A new nation
To inspire our prayers for the new nation of South Sudan, please find in this week's INSIGHT article a portion of the prayers used by Revd Ron Hart of Salisbury Diocese at a vigil for South Sudan in the Cathedral last Friday, held at the celebrations in Juba the capital. He said, ‘There is much to give thanks for: The evangelisation of the North by 6th Century missionaries; the founding of the catholic Mission station of the Holy Cross in 1858, and the work of the Catholic missionaries. However, terrible things are happening in the Nuba Mountains and in Kadugli, bombing and looting. 75,000 people are displaced. Cathedral windows broken, altar burnt, along with vestments and the Bishop's official residence attacked. Priests have been arrested and tortured. The fear is of ethnic cleansing.’ Pray: that in the midst of change in South Sudan God will bring about His purposes and provisions and evil that will depart. (Job.36:16) Info: http://www.prayer-alert.net/info/SouthSudanSOMA.pdf
Scottish sexual infections treble in just ten years
Cases of sexually transmitted infections in Scotland have trebled in the space of just ten years, prompting critics to call for a re-think in sexual health policy. The sharpest rise was in cases of genital chlamydia, with the number of diagnoses rocketing from 5,676 in 1999 to 18,277 in 2009. During the same period diagnoses of genital herpes increased from 933 to 2,627, while diagnoses of gonorrhoea nearly doubled. In addition, between 1999 and 2010 the number of HIV-infected people more than doubled from 156 to 360. John Deighan, parliamentary officer for the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, said: ‘The more we find out about the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections the more worrying the picture that emerges. The distorted ideas of sexual liberation which have been popular for a few decades have taken a terrible toll on the lives of many people’.
