Syria: al-Baghdadi’s ugly legacy
In 2014 Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the establishment of an Islamic caliphate and that the world’s Muslims owed him their allegiance as ‘Caliph Ibrahim.’ It was an attempt to establish Islamic sovereignty across the Earth much as the Prophet Mohammed enjoyed. Recent events demonstrated that his aspiration died with him. However al-Baghdadi divided the jihadist movement rather than uniting it. IS controlled a hard-line state, offering recruits the chance to live its ‘revolutionary’ vision, which was what made IS such a radical sensation, and was key to al-Baghdadi’s recruiting power. Now both the caliph and the caliphate are gone. Yet IS survives underground, lurking in the shadowy manner al-Baghdadi helped to define for it.
DRC: Justin Welby visits Ebola zone
The Archbishop of Canterbury has visited areas affected by the Ebola crisis in the DRC, which surfaced in August 2018 and has killed 2,169 people so far. Following strict anti-contamination procedures he toured hospitals transformed into Ebola treatment facilities with quarantine units, screening centres, and blood-testing tents set up to combat the disease. The archbishop flew to Ebola-affected cities with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF). They fly in the most difficult places in the world, landing on the most challenging runways but with the highest safety standards. MAF said the situation is complex, with the threat of violence now increasing. Flying is a safe and trusted way to deliver blood samples, vaccines, scrubs, gloves and oxygen tanks to those working to combat the virus.
Lebanon: demonstrations - PM resigns
Protesters have paralysed Lebanon, blocking roadways, closing schools and shutting banks nationwide. Emergency reform measures and an offer of dialogue with protest representatives by the president failed to defuse anger or move the cross-communal demonstrations of Christians, Muslims (Shia and Sunni), and Druze from the streets demanding the resignation of all Lebanese political leaders. On 29 October the prime minister, Saad Hariri, resigned. The protests over political corruption and economic turmoil began after now-scrapped plans to tax WhatsApp calls were introduced in mid-October. Lebanon has one of the highest debt levels in the world. Mr Hariri must stay on until a new administration is established, but parliament contains the same factions that are in the outgoing coalition. On 30 October demonstrators celebrated Hariri’s departure, but vowed to stay in the streets until all their demands are met. See
Pray for Somalia
Somalia, located on the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, has summer droughts and dust storms and floods during the rainy season. It has the seventh-highest birth rate in the world, the second-highest maternal mortality rate, and fourth-highest infant mortality rate. Decades-long instability has caused a 38% literacy rate, and 1/3rd of children are underweight. Sunni Islam is the official religion; the government functions under the Union of Islamic Courts, which has implemented Shari'a law, creating a mixed legal system with other customary laws, known as Xeer. 16 of the 22 people groups have never heard the gospel, but praise God that the Somali church (a tiny minority), though driven underground, has withstood sufferings, great persecution, and martyrdom. Pray for an end to radicalism and tribalism, and that the country’s leaders will help to unite people by bringing in policies that protect human rights and equality of all people.
