Afghanistan: Christians’ plight Under the Taliban
Since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, religious and civil liberties have rapidly deteriorated under Taliban rule. Former government officials, civil servants, and religious minorities, such as Christians, endure intense governmental and societal pressure. They face regular Taliban raids on their homes, threats against their jobs and families, and limited access to education.
The Taliban aims to sever contact between Afghani citizens and Western groups and has virtually eradicated on-the-ground relief efforts by NGOs, suspecting spies among their workers. Despite the dire situation, the state of religious freedom and Christian tolerance has not improved since Afghanistan was listed as one of the worst places for Christians in the 2022 Persecutor of the Year report. The Taliban seeks to erase Christianity and other religious minorities, even denying the existence of Christians in Afghanistan.
Increasing poverty and starvation rates pose a higher security threat as the Taliban offers financial rewards for reporting Christians. Captured Christians face brutal torture or death unless ransomed, often bankrupting their families. Many Christians escape to Pakistan, risking capture or death by the Taliban. Those who make it to Pakistan must hide their faith, while some even return to Afghanistan, deeming it safer under the Taliban.
The West's response to the regime remains ambivalent, employing economic sanctions that devastate Afghanistan's economy. While no government officially recognizes the Taliban, 30 countries engage in diplomatic talks. Despite these challenges, the gospel continues to reach Afghani hearts, with believers bravely preaching in remote regions.
Despite the Taliban's efforts, the light of the Gospel perseveres in Afghanistan, with secret prayer meetings, teaching sessions, and courageous evangelism amidst adversity.
More: Persecution.org | Operation World
Pray: protection for those persecuted in Afghanistan, grant them strength, and let Your light shine in darkness. (Matthew 5:10)
Pray: divine hope and freedom to those oppressed under the Taliban. May Your love conquer fear. (2 Timothy 1:7)
Pray: empower Afghani believers to share Your message despite adversity. Let faith overcome challenges. (Romans 8:37)
Pray: for the church-planting movement who are working to resource the church in oppressed nations. (Isaiah 41:10)
Nepal earthquake: Municipality at epicentre witnesses miraculous escape
In the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in Nepal's Jajarkot district, a rural municipality situated at the epicenter experienced a miraculous escape from human casualties. The earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.4, struck near the Ramidanda village in Barekot Rural Municipality just before midnight on a Friday.
While the earthquake caused massive physical damage to houses and public infrastructure, this particular rural municipality avoided any reported deaths as of Saturday evening, in stark contrast to the 157 lives lost in other parts of the district and neighboring Rukum West. The chairperson of the rural municipality, Bir Bahadur Giri, described the scene as "difficult to believe" given the extent of damage to buildings. Some residents attribute their survival to divine intervention.
Although five people in the municipality sustained injuries, none were reported dead. The district administration office confirmed the absence of casualties in Barekot Rural Municipality despite the earthquake's epicenter being located there.
Experts noted that the epicenter doesn't necessarily experience more physical damage than other locations during earthquakes, but it is indeed rare and almost miraculous for an epicenter to avoid human casualties in such a significant quake. Factors such as the location of the fault line and the strength of buildings contribute to the scale of damage during earthquakes.
More: Hindustan Times | CNBC
Pray: giving thanks for sparing lives in Nepal's earthquake. Your protection is our refuge. (Psalm 46:1)"
Pray: for comfort and strength for those affected by the earthquake. May they find hope in You. (Isaiah 41:10)"
Pray: for the relief agencies and medical staff who are working to bring support and assistance to the areas that have been more seriously affected. (Psalm 121: 1-2)
USA: 18 Killed in mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine
On October 25, 2023, a tragic incident unfolded in Lewiston, Maine, as a shooter named Robert Card, aged 40, unleashed a violent rampage. The first shooting occurred at Just-In-Time Recreation, a local bowling alley during a youth league event. Card used a semi-automatic rifle with an extended magazine, resulting in the death of seven individuals.
Shortly thereafter, at Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant, located 4 miles away, another shooting took place, claiming the lives of eight individuals, with three more succumbing to their injuries later in the hospital. This heart-wrenching event left a total of eighteen people dead and thirteen others injured.
A manhunt for Card began, and his abandoned vehicle was discovered near the Androscoggin River in Lisbon, sparking a widespread search effort with the assistance of federal agencies. An arrest warrant was issued for Card, charging him with eight counts of murder. Police surrounded a house in Bowdoin while executing a search warrant.
The search for Card extended into the river, where dive teams, sonar, and remotely operated underwater vehicles were employed. Eventually, on October 27, Card was found dead near his former workplace, a recycling center in Lisbon, having apparently taken his own life.
This tragic event shook the community, as the victims, ranging from ages 14 to 76, were identified. Card, a former sergeant first class in the United States Army Reserve, left behind a trail of devastation, leaving the community to grapple with grief and loss.
Mass shootings are an ongoing issue in the USA, with 621 people killed, 2,126 injured in 520 separate recorded incidents to date in 2023. The right to bear arms is enshrined in the US Constitution. Gun sales have risen steadily, peaking during the pandemic.
Pray: Father, comfort and strengthen the grieving hearts in Lewiston. Be their refuge and solace. (Psalm 34:18)"
Pray: bring healing to the wounded and peace to the broken community. Let your light shine in the darkness. (Psalm 147:3)"
Pray: for the means to an end of this senseless violence. May your love and grace prevail. (Matthew 5:9)
Australia: Children Born Alive Bill – Prayer Request
Readers are invited by our friends at Canberra Declaration, and Love Australia to cover them in prayer as they conduct an important pro-life campaign associated with the Children Born Alive Bill…
This Australian legislation aims to ensure that every baby born alive after a failed abortion is given medical treatment, including life-saving care.
Unbelievably, right now there is no national law protecting babies born after a failed abortion. They have no legal rights, and in some cases, are simply left to die with no medical care.
The Children Born Alive Bill seeks to implement this desperately needed protection on a national basis for these precious little ones.
The Senate committee (that was formed to look into the bill) recently released its findings. We were incredibly disappointed, but not surprised that it simply endorsed many of the claims made by the pro-abortion industry and failed to properly engage the serious issues brought by the pro-life groups.
You can read a summary of the Senate committee's poor findings in the short Daily Declaration article here.
With your help, this bill will not go away! By having the bill debated in the Senate, it will continue to reveal the national scandal that this country treats live babies, born after a failed abortion, as unworthy of the same human rights and medical care as any other baby.
Canberra Declaration Senate submission is here
Watch and pray with this video
Pray: We urge you to pray particularly for these two senators: Simon Birmingham's and Sen. Bridget McKenzie
Pray: for all our senators and parliamentarians. The spiritual battle over those in leadership is real, which is why we are commanded to pray for our leaders (1 Tim 2:1–4).
Pray: for a miracle – that this campaign achieves the goal to get the bill debated and voted on in the Senate!
We must continue to speak up for life as long as it takes victory to be achieved. The march for life is a marathon, not a sprint.
Thank you for your prayers and actions!
Samuel Hartwich & Warwick Marsh
Canberra Declaration / Love Australia
Prayer Points for Unreached Peoples and Cities
