Afghanistan and Israel: renewed bombings
A week after the Taliban said it was launching a ‘spring offensive’ of large-scale attacks, bomb and gun attacks hit Kabul killing 28 and injuring 329. After the assault was declared over, another blast rocked Kabul. Afghan MP Elay Ershad said, ‘Everyone is scared in this situation.’ Other similar attacks have been foiled by security forces, but preventing them completely is almost impossible. Explosives are easily available, and bomb-making skills are common. The ‘spring offensive’ is a propaganda war. Meanwhile in Israel 21 people were injured, two seriously, when a bomb exploded on a Jerusalem bus. Bus bombings were a feature of the second intifada which ended ten years ago. However, recently there has been a fresh wave of Palestinian attacks on Israelis. Bombings are perpetrated by extremist segments of society and armies and police are under increasing pressure to stamp it out. See also:
Conflict and Christianity in Azerbaijan
It is twenty years since the end of Moscow’s domination over the Caucasus and Central Asia, but a bitter legacy of the Soviet era is ‘frozen conflicts’ that erupt for various reasons. For two weeks there has been a new wave of fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, which has serious destabilising potential in the South Caucasus. Although the clashes between troops have temporarily halted with a truce, the death of dozens of soldiers and civilians from both sides has caused serious concern among neighbouring countries and regional and outside powers. Azerbaijan’s wealth comes from oil reserves, the trade in which is riddled with corruption. 0.2% of Azerbaijan is Christian, with government persecution increasing. But despite harassment the Church is growing. Pray for the government to build structures that produce lasting benefits for the nation, and pray they will accept Christian values. See also:
USA: summer at IHOP
With summer around the corner, the International House of Prayer in Kansas is preparing formative events. There will be camps and conferences that prepare people for growth and renewal: –Children’s Signs and Wonders Camps for ages 3–12 where children are trained and released to be wholeheartedly devoted to God. –Teens Awakening Camps where teens learn about their identity in God, intimacy with Jesus, intercession and how to have a lasting impact for the kingdom of God. –A high school conference for young people who desire to live radical lives of devotion to Jesus, encounter His love and bring His power and presence to school campuses and local churches. –A three-week training programme for college students and campus ministry leaders aged 18 to 30, who desire to fuel prayer in their colleges. –A conference to equip and empower pastors, parents, and leaders to pursue God and enjoy prayer.
Africa: drastic increase in children used in suicide attacks
UNICEF reports that the number of children involved in ‘suicide’ attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger has risen from four in 2014 to forty-four in 2015. One in five suicide bombers was a child. Terrorists are deceiving children and forcing them to carry out deadly acts. Half of the attacks in Cameroon were done by children, one in eight in Chad, and one in seven in Nigeria. The primary group perpetuating these tragedies is Boko Haram. An African proverb notes that children are the reward of life. Jesus didn’t keep the children far away; he welcomed them closely. Tragically we cannot physically reach the children in these countries, but we can pray that children will cease being objects to be used and start being individuals to be loved.
