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News and Prayer for the Persecuted
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Historic Christian Monastery Demolished by ISIS
The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) completely destroyed the St. Elijah Monastery-a 1400 year old Christian Monastery in Iraq. The Associated Press (AP) confirmed the news with exclusive satellite images published early on Wednesday, January 20. It had been preserved and treasured by the Christians in Iraq as the oldest in the country. The Obama Administration and the Vatican immediately condemned ISIS along with United Nations Economic, Social, and Cultural Offices (UNESCO) Director General Irina Bokova. Bokova stated that reducing St. Elijah's monastery in Mosul to a "field of rubble was malicious and misguided."
- Pray for the protection of monasteries in Iraq that ISIS may attack and attempt to destroy
- Pray for Christians in Iraq who have lost their place of worship in Iraq; pray that they will be able to find new places of worship
- Pray for displaced families fleeing violence in Iraq who are in desperate need of warm shelter, food, clean water, medicine, and protection
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US citizen and Christian pastor Saeed Abedini, was freed late Friday night after the United States and Iran announced a prisoner swap in continuance of the landmark nuclear deal that was reached between the P5 + Germany and Iran in July of 2015. At the time of writing, the prisoners were released approximately 20 hours ago before the implementation of the deal, which would release Iranian funds held through various sanctions.
Pastor Saeed was among five US citizens that held dual citizenship with Iran. Pastor Saeed, an Iranian native who converted to Christianity, was arrested in 2012 on charges of attempting to "undermine the Iranian government" and sentenced to eight years. Abedini has undergone torture and harsh conditions as recent as June of 2015. His wife, Naghmeh Abedini, has worked for years to secure his release while taking care of their two children in the United States.
- Pray for Pastor Saeed's physical and mental recovery as he has suffered much torture at the hands of the Iranian government
- Pray for Pastor Saeed as he transitions back to life at home
- Pray for protection, wisdom and boldness for our brothers and sisters in Iran
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Christians Among Those Held as Slaves by ISIS
1/19/2016 Iraq (Reuters)
The United Nations released a Joint Report providing details of ISIS's 3,500 slaves being held under tortuous conditions. Among the slaves are Christians from Northern Iraq, and many areas of Syria. The report lists the brutal and violent executions, including those of child soldiers, carried out by ISIS against its "population" of slaves.
The militant group, which also controls large parts of neighboring Syria, has committed widespread abuses that may "in some instances, amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and possibly genocide," the report said.
Full Story
- Pray for the freedom of the over 3,500 slaves being held by ISIS
- Pray against the exploitation of vulnerable women and child soldiers in refugee camps across the Middle East
- Pray that the church will stand together in unity and raise our voices in prayer for the freedom and justice for slaves being held by ISIS
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This weekend marked the anniversary of shocking riots that blazed across Niger in January 2015 when radicalized Muslim mobs targeted Christian property, burned churches, looted pastors' homes, and created a picture of hell on earth for the country's tiny Christian minority.
On January 16 and 17, angry protests erupted across all of Niger's major cities, from the capital of Niamey to Maradi, from Zinder to Goure, and beyond, just nine days after the deadly Charlie Hebdo murders in Paris, France. On January 7, 2015, terrorist gunmen stormed the offices of the French satirical magazine, murdering twelve people and injuring others because they published a cartoon of the Muslim Prophet Muhammed. This is considered blasphemy in the Islamic faith.
- Pray for the comfort of friends and family of the victims who were murdered during the Niger attack; pray for their emotional and spiritual healing
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Praise
for the speedy rebuilding of the churches and homes that were destroyed in the attack
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Pray for the surviving victims to heal not just in body, but in mind and spirit
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Hyeon-Soo Lim Charges Called "Outrageously Unjust" According to Source Close to Him
Detained Pastor Hyeon-Soo Lim has been incarcerated since January of 2015 in North Korea with formal sentencing occurring ten months later. A source close to the pastor has called his charge of plotting to overthrow the country to be "outrageously unjust". The source, a North Korean defector who has known Mr. Lim for nearly a decade, sat down for an interview with Daily NK (a pro-democracy news site located in Seoul, South Korea) describing the relationship between them and the reasons for pastor Lim's visit to the hermit kingdom.
- Pray for Pastor Lim and his family, as they live with no knowledge of if, or when, they will be reunited
- Pray for North Korean Christians, who face the daily threat of persecution, imprisonment and death for their faith
- Pray for an end to the totalitarian government in North Korea, and for the freedom to live and worship without fear
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Christian Persecution Up 20% in India Claims Christian NGO
1/18/2016 India (Times of India)
The Catholic Secular Forum has claimed that Christian persecution in India has seen a dramatic rise over the past year. According to the groups own research, they claim that persecution is up "at least 20%" in 2015. Many attribute this to the current federal government in India that is run by a Hindu nationalist party. Whether actively involved or not, Hindu radicals in India have increased their anti-Christian activities claiming that they have "tacit approval" from the federal government. Will 2016 bring another dramatic rise in persecution?
Full Story
- Pray for the safety of Christians in India who must live their lives in fear of persecution
- Pray for the cultural barriers of the caste system and Hinduism to be overcome by the Gospel
- Pray for justice and hope in a nation plagued by oppression, poverty, and disease
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