East Africa: starvation in refugee camps
Famine continues, and refugee camps in Kenya and Uganda continue to fill. Church leaders in Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan have launched another desperate appeal for food aid to keep refugees and churchgoers alive until Christmas, after enduring an 18-month-long period of droughts, famine and conflict. Archbishop Stanley Ntagali of Uganda said, ‘The numbers and the need are overwhelming. I appeal to you all to help us so that we can help these helpless people, the refugees from South Sudan.’ The refugees, having fled famine and conflict in their homeland, are now living in Camp Rhino, northern Uganda. Most of their food aid is provided by Barnabas Fund, working through the Church of Uganda. Every day, 300 refugees from South Sudan arrive in the camp. The numbers have risen to 120,000, and are predicted to go even higher. A large proportion are women and children.
Bhutan: 780,000 have never heard of Jesus
There are 77 different people groups in Bhutan; most of them speak the official language, Dzongkha, but each group has its own mother tongue. Buddhism is Bhutan’s religion, and 72 of the 77 people groups have never heard of Jesus Christ. Even though Christianity is outlawed in Bhutan, Christian Aid assists brave missionaries who seek to serve the Lord there. Just beyond the border, in Nepal, an indigenous ministry offers training for native gospel workers and leaders. The sessions are held in tents on rented land. Pray for a God-sized shield of protection to cover this brave group of ministers who are giving their lives more fully to the harvest in Bhutan. May they grow in wisdom and understanding and come to know God more deeply. See also:
Bahrain: tolerance in a troubled region
Bahrain has a tradition of religious coexistence, and is an example of respect for others in a deeply troubled region. People are not required to pass through metal detectors before entering churches, and ‘Jew’ isn't a dirty word. Bahrain was the first Arab nation to assign a Jew as its UN ambassador (2008 - 2013). At a time when Coptic Christians face growing threats in their native Egypt, in Bahrain hundreds of Coptic expatriates travel every weekend from Saudi Arabia to worship freely. While ancient Catholic churches lie in rubble in Iraq and Syria, Bahrain is constructing the largest Catholic church in the Arab world. Christian pastors can find hope in a Muslim country. Although only 2.5% of the population are evangelical Christians, we can pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to help them reach the seven Bahraini people groups who have not yet heard of Jesus.
Uganda: combating violence against children
According to the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (2012), more than half of 15- to 19-year old girls have experienced physical or sexual violence. In an effort to reduce the large number of children who remain exposed to abuse, exploitation, and violence, International Justice Mission (IJM) will work to set up community level referral mechanisms, legal counselling, and aftercare for child survivors of sexual violence. While child protection continues to be a critical challenge in Uganda, this project will enhance services and build strong violence prevention programmes for child survivors and those most at risk of sexual violence.
