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THE AID AGENCY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
to help you
pray for the
persecuted church
www.barnabasfund.org
prayer
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Thank you for your prayers for our
persecuted brothers and sisters in
Christ, which make such a difference
to them. We sometimes have to
change or omit their names forsecurity reasons, and we have only
limited space to share their stories.
But the Lord knows the people and
places we are praying about. Thank
you for your understanding. Please
do not feel limited by the specic
prayer requests, but pray as you feel
led.
NovemberThursday 1 Today is the Barnabas Fund Day
of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. We are
encouraging Christians worldwide to dedicate
time today to praying for our brothers and sisters
who suffer because of their faith in Christ. A
prayer guide is available from our website,
www.barnabasfund.org/scs, or you can join
our Facebook event or Twitter feed for prayer
updates throughout the day. As you join in this
chorus of prayer, remember before the Lord the
International Prayer Summit being held in London,
and the many smaller prayer events that have
been organised around the world. Ask God that
in answer to the prayers of many Christians today
He will grant His gracious favour to His sufferingpeople (2 Corinthians 1:11).
Friday 2 Many Christian families have seen
their lives torn apart by the violent conict in Syria
between government and opposition forces.
Thousands of Christians have lost their homes,
incomes and possessions and are now unable to
afford food and other basic necessities. As well
as being caught in the crossre of a conict thatis not their own, Christians are particularly at risk
of attack by opposition forces and the militant
groups that back them. Lift up to the Lord our
brothers and sisters in Syria who are suffering
so grievously in this crisis; ask that He will be
their refuge and their fortress (Psalm 91:2) at this
troubled time, and that God will bring about a swiftend to the conict.
Saturday 3 Pray for the tens of thousands of
Christians in North Korea who suffer unspeakable
cruelties in the countrys notorious prison camps.
Many prisoners are worked to death while
enduring severe physical and psychological
torture. They receive very little food and will eat
anything edible for nourishment, including snakesand rats. Some are executed. The camps are
mainly located in mountainous regions and are
enclosed with barbed wire and electric fences,
making escape very difcult. North Korea heads
many lists of the worlds worst persecutors
of Christians, and the succession of a new
leader, Kim Jong-Un, in 2011 has brought no
improvement. Pray that our brothers and sisters
will stand rm in their faith in these appalling
conditions, and that their sufferings will be
relieved.
Sunday 4 Pray for the many churches
who are observing Suffering Church
Sunday today or later this month.
This year the SCS resources we
have produced focus on BarnabasFunds Proclaim Freedom campaign,
which seeks to bring the plight of the
persecuted Church to the attention
of those in authority. They include
a special feature on the churches
in the Middle East and North Africa,
whose safety and very existence is
currently threatened by a rising tide
of aggressive Islamism. Pray forChristians in these countries at this
difcult and challenging time, and
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pray that the campaign will effectively
promote freedom and respect
for human rights for persecuted
Christians throughout the world.
Monday 5 Pray for Nima, a 17-year-old
Iranian Christian boy who has been left to care
for his 12-year-old sister single-handedly. Nimas
parents, Fariba Nazemian and Homayoun
Shokouhi, have been languishing in prison without
charge since February 2012, on suspicion of
taking part in Christian activities, evangelising and
disturbing national security. Nima was arrested
along with them, but was released on bail after 36days. With no support from other family, he has
been working in a shoe shop to support himself
and his sister Helma. He has to send half of his
wages to cover his parents prison expenses.
Pray that the Lord will protect and comfort Nima
and Helma during this harrowing separation from
their parents, and that He will provide for all their
needs.
Tuesday 6 Pray for Behnam Irani (41), an
imprisoned Iranian pastor whose life is in gravedanger because of the regular beatings he
receives. The charges against Behnam, of action
against the state and action against the [Islamic]
order, are pretexts for locking him up because
of his Christian faith and ministry. He now has
difculty walking owing to the severe injuries he
has sustained from guards and other inmates; heis also losing his eyesight. He has been denied
medical treatment and kept in his cell despite his
frail state. Pray that the Lord will heal his physical
and mental injuries and protect him from further
harm, and that he will remain rm in his faith.
Wednesday 7 Give thanks that Iranian pastor
Youcef Nadarkhani was acquitted of apostasy
from Islam and released on 8 September. Thecourt in Tehran found him guilty of evangelising
Muslims and sentenced him to three years in
jail. But he was set free because he had already
served this period behind bars. Pray for the safety
of Pastor Nadarkhani and his family. Pray also
that the international attention this high-prole
case has attracted will result in the abolition of the
Islamic apostasy law, which prescribes the death
penalty for any adult male Muslim who leaves
Islam. Give thanks that, despite the danger, large
numbers of Iranian Muslims are turning to Christ.
Pray that the Lord will protect them.
Thursday 8 Praise the Lord that Rimsha
Masih, a Christian girl with Downs syndrome
who was arrested under Pakistans notorious
blasphemy law, was freed on bail on 7September. Rimsha was accused of desecrating
the Quran, which carries a mandatory sentence
of life imprisonment. It has since been suggested
that she was framed by the imam of the local
mosque, who is said to have planted burnt pages
of the Quran in the bag of rubbish from the family
home. Pray that the Lord will protect and comfort
Rimsha in her ongoing ordeal, as she still faces
the possibility of having to stand trial. Pray alsofor an end to violent attacks on Christians in
Pakistan, which are continuing unabated.
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Friday 9 The arrest of Rimsha Masih (see
above) gave an opportunity to some sections
of the Muslim community in her village of
Maherabad to full their desire to expel their
Christian neighbours. After Friday prayers thatsame week, Muslim residents took an oath in the
mosque to drive out the Christians. The mullahs
issued an ultimatum giving them a month to
leave, and shopkeepers and landlords refused
to do business with them. The community ed
the area, some staying with relatives and others
being temporarily housed in church buildings. A
leading Pakistani Muslim who has spoken out for
Rimsha has suggested that the Muslims forcedthe Christians out so that an Islamic school could
be built in the village. Pray that all the needs of
these Christians will be met, and that the Lord will
comfort them in their ordeal.
Saturday 10 Praise God that the mistreatment
and arrest of Rimsha Masih has attracted
international condemnation. It is rare for a case
of anti-Christian persecution to come under the
spotlight, but the shocking treatment of such a
vulnerable girl has led to high-prole criticism.
Both the United States and France spoke out
against her arrest, calling for the Pakistani
authorities to intervene. Politicians within Pakistan
and even Muslim groups have joined the chorus
of protest. In 2011, however, two politicians who
called for the reform of Pakistans blasphemylaw were assassinated. Pray that the shining
of the international spotlight on these pernicious
laws, which are so often used against Christians,
will lead to their repeal.
Sunday 11 When our pastor
informed us about the contribution of
food we were so happy and prayed to
the Lord Jesus Christ who providedus with food... We are thankful to
Barnabas Fund for stepping forward
at this difcult time. Barnabas Fund
received these words of thanks from
Salamat Masih and Yasmeen Bibi,
Pakistani Christians who have a
daughter with special needs. Theircommunity was forced to ee their
village of Maherabad, near Islamabad,
owing to violence and discrimination
following the arrest of Rimsha
Masih. Barnabas Fund is helping all
the displaced Christians with food
parcels. Pray that the Lord will bless
our support for this community,
and that the Christians driven fromMaherabad may be able to rebuild
their lives.
Monday 12 Christians in Egypt are facing a
challenging new era as President Mohammed
Morsi, of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, begins
to assert his authority. Morsi has tightened his
grip on Egypts media by shutting down outlets
that were critical of him or the Brotherhood, and
removing or replacing the personnel of others. In
the political sphere, inuential rivals have beenremoved, while Islamists have been placed in
positions of power. Pray that God will keep His
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children in Egypt safe during this turbulent time
when they are enduring so much pressure, and
that the rise of Islamist oppression and violence
will not be allowed to continue unchecked.
Tuesday 13 Since the Arab Spring uprising
in Egypt, there has been a marked increase
in the number of Christian girls and women
disappearing, being forcibly converted to Islam
and married against their will to Muslim men. This
was the disturbing conclusion of a report, Tell
My Mother I Miss Her, released on 18 July.
Its title was a direct quote from a victim, D, in a
recorded phone conversation to her father afterher abduction. She appealed for help to escape,
but the family has been unable to rescue her.
Pray for them, and the hundreds of other Christian
families undergoing a similar ordeal. Pray also
that this report will lead to decisive action by the
Egyptian authorities to protect Christian girls and
women.
Wednesday 14 The Church in Egypt is
being subjected to cheap political blackmail
and political thuggery, according to Christian
rights group Copts Without Chains. This was
their response to demands from Islamists in the
Constituent Assembly at the end of August that
the Churchs funds be brought under state control.
This seems to be yet another attempt to intimidate
and restrict the Egyptian Church, but the Islamistsdemand may have an even more sinister agenda:
to deect growing public concern regarding
Muslim Brotherhood nances and affairs. Pray
that church leaders will respond wisely and that
the Church in Egypt will be allowed to continue
its ministry without state harassment and
interference.
Thursday 15 Kill or physically attack theenemies of the religion of Allah the Christians in
all of Egypts provinces, the slaves of the Cross.
This was the command given to all brothers and
sisters in leaets distributed by militant Islamist
organisations in Egypt. A nancial reward was
offered to those who helped to achieve Allahs
rights against his enemies. Egypts Christians arefacing increasing pressure and persecution from
supporters of the new Islamist government. Pray
that the Lord will keep them safe from violence.
Friday 16 God is real. When we believe,
we are healed from sickness and immediately
delivered from the possession of evil spirits. We
cannot deny the reality of Gods power. This
bold testimony was the response of TongkounKeohavong, a village leader from Laos, when
faced with the choice of renouncing his faith or
facing violence and eviction. Over 30 villagers
from Tongkouns village of Nahoukou, in
Savannakhet province, put their faith in Christ
between February and August. Five Christian
families were then summoned before village
ofcials on 7 August and told to recant and stop
gathering for worship. Pray that the threats
against them will not be carried out, and that the
villagers will be able to lead their Christian lives in
peace.
Saturday 17 Pray for Bountheung, a Christian
leader in Borikhamxai Province in central Laos,
who was arrested in late August for converting
300 people to Christianity. The Christian residentsof Nongpong village, who came to Christ after
meeting Bountheung, were also faced with
the stark ultimatum: either renounce their new
faith or face eviction from their homes. The
government controls or interferes in many of the
activities of churches in Laos, as it recognises
only certain Christian denominations. Give thanks
for the new faith of these 300 villagers, but pray
that Bountheung will be released, and that thereligious freedom of Christians in Nongpong and
elsewhere in Laos will be upheld.
5
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Sunday 18 Pray for the vulnerable
Christian community in West Java,
Indonesia, where two churches
were forcibly closed in late July and
early August. The congregations, inBogor and Bandung, were the latest
in a series of churches in the area
to face harassment. The large tent
used to house the 500-strong Bogor
congregation while they awaited a
permit for a building was sealed off
on 7 August. The authorities denied
that Islamist pressure had forced
their hand, claiming there had beenlocal opposition to the presence of
the tent. On 29 July, protestors sealed
off the building in Bandung. Lift up
to the Lord these congregations
in the face of such obstruction to
their meeting together, and pray
that Christians in West Java will be
able to meet without the danger of
harassment.
Monday 19 Pray for Christians of South
Sudanese origin, who have been stranded
in Sudan since the South voted to become
independent in July 2011. Hundreds of thousands
were stripped of their citizenship and are now
trapped in dire conditions of poverty, often unable
to work or send their children to school. Many
live in makeshift shelters, where ooding has
made conditions even worse. Christians are
not welcome in Sudan: Islamist president Omar
al-Bashir intends to make the next constitution100% Islamic and strengthen sharia law, which
treats non-Muslims as second-class citizens. Pray
that as the Lords people in Sudan face these
menacing conditions, He will be their strength and
their shield (Psalm 28:7).
Tuesday 20 In early September, Barnabas
Fund launched a major rescue operation to
airlift 2,000 of the neediest Christians trappedin Sudan to safety in South Sudan. Around 800
women, mostly widows, and 1,200 children are
being taken from Khartoum to Juba, where they
will be able to begin new lives with the support of
the Church there. After overcoming some major
obstacles by the grace of God, the rst of twelve
chartered ights arrived in Juba on 19 September.
Give thanks for this safe arrival and for the 157
Christians now living in relative security in South
Sudan. Pray that the remaining ights will proceed
smoothly and without hindrance, and that the Lord
will bless those arriving in Juba as they begin to
put down roots in their new home.
Wednesday 21 The assassination of a
radical Muslim cleric with suspected links to the
Islamist militant group al-Shabaab sparked riotsin Mombasa, Kenya, at the end of August. Five
churches in the coastal city were attacked as
Muslim youth clashed with police in two days
of violence. At least four people were killed.
Al-Shabaab responded by calling on Kenyan
Muslims to take all necessary measures to
protect their religion. Since Kenya sent troops
into neighbouring Somalia in October 2011 to ght
al-Shabaab militants, there have been a numberof attacks by the group, including the targeting
of churches and Christian gatherings. Pray that
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Islamic militancy will be restrained in Kenya and
that Christians there will suffer no further violence.
Thursday 22 Lift up to the Lord Eva Abdullah,
a 17-year-old convert from Islam to Christianity,who has been jailed for two years in Tanzania.
Eva was falsely accused of desecrating a Quran
by a group of radical Muslims after she refused
to return to Islam. It is thought that the judge
who sentenced her on 26 July had been bribed
by Islamic militants. Eva was disowned by her
parents when she became a Christian three years
ago. Give thanks that the Lord hears the needy
and does not despise His captive people (Psalm69:33); pray that He will comfort Eva in her ordeal
and strengthen her in her faith, and that justice
may be done for her.
Friday 23 Equipping leaders and future leaders
with a deeper knowledge of the Bibles teachings
is hugely important for their spiritual development
and ministry. Barnabas is supporting a Bible
school in Central Asia that provided theological
education to 42 students in the last academic
year. Undertaking such study involves great risk:
somebody must always be on alert in case a new
person entering the church is a secret agent.
But the students were so keen to acquire more
knowledge and skills for their ministries that the
school was extended for a month and a half. Give
thanks to the Lord for the enthusiasm of thesestudents to go deeper into their faith. Pray that
what they have learned will greatly impact their
communities, and that the Lord will keep them
safe while they study.
Saturday 24 Lift up to the Lord our struggling
Christian brothers and sisters in Azerbaijan, as
a legal decision to close Greater Grace Church
in the capital, Baku, was upheld by the countryshighest court of appeal on 31 July. This was
an important test case for religious freedom;
the church is the rst to be closed since a strict
Religion Law requiring all churches to re-apply for
registration was introduced in 2009. The church,
which has a congregation of nearly 500, had
previously been legally registered and denieshaving ever broken the law. Pray that this decision
will be reversed by the Supreme Court, and that
the congregation may remain strong in their faith
despite this ofcial hostility towards their church.
Sunday 25 The situation has got
markedly worse since July and
we dont know why. Lift up to
the Lord Protestant Christians inTurkmenistan as they face increasing
harassment from the authorities.
In one incident a Christian mans
house was raided; his mother was
intimidated, and his business closed
down. He was forced to leave the
area. Throughout the summer,
incidents of this kind, and of legal
action being taken against Christians,
became increasingly common.
Although Turkmenistans constitution
grants religious freedom, a Religion
Law passed in 2003 forbids any
activity by unregistered religious
groups, and Christian activity is often
suppressed. Pray for Christians in
Turkmenistan, that the Lord will betheir shield during these trials and a
rock in whom they can take refuge (2
Samuel 22:3).
Monday 26 Pray for the Christian residents
of a village in Serdarabad district, Turkmenistan,
who were threatened with expulsion from their
homes at a village meeting called by imams and
local ofcials. The leaders also threatened tokeep Christian children under close scrutiny at
school; there have been a number of instances of
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Christian pupils suffering discrimination. Pray that
the threat of expulsion will not be carried out, and
that the Lord will bring peace to this vulnerable
community. Pray also that He will protect and
strengthen Christian children in Turkmenistan intheir school and home lives, that they may grow
up strong in their faith.
Tuesday 27 Give thanks that Bahrains
monarch has granted a plot of land for the
building of a new church in Awali. This welcome
move goes against a ruling earlier this year by
Saudi Arabias most prominent religious scholar,
the Grand Mufti, who called for the destruction ofall churches in the Arabian Peninsula. The kings
grant of a 9,000-square-metre area of land was
gratefully received by senior church leaders, but
the decision attracted criticism from Muslims both
within and outside Bahrain. Pray that the king
will not be swayed from this gesture, which has
been described by a church leader as a sign
of openness, by the opposition to it. Pray also
that this will serve as an encouragement to other
Muslim-majority countries to extend a hand of
goodwill towards Christians.
Wednesday 28 Converts from Islam to
Christianity in Saudi Arabia are in deadly peril.
Wahhabism, an extreme and puritanical version of
Islam, is strictly enforced in the country: apostasy
from Islam is punishable by death, and the publicpractice or spreading of any religion other than
Islam is strictly forbidden. Pray for two men, one
Saudi and one Lebanese, who, at the time of
writing, are awaiting trial for allegedly helping a
Saudi woman convert to Christianity and ee
the country. The woman ed to Lebanon and
is now said to be in the UK. Give thanks for her
conversion, but pray for God to overrule in this
case and that the men will be released unharmed.Pray also that the Lord would protect other
converts from Islam in Saudi Arabia.
Thursday 29 We are afraid the anger will
engulf us. An Egyptian Christian expressed the
concerns of many of our brothers and sisters
in Muslim-majority countries as violent protests
erupted against a lm that Muslims judged to beoffensive to Islam. During one demonstration in
Cairo, a Muslim cleric burned a Bible in front of
thousands of Muslim protestors, while several
Christians in Egypt were harassed or attacked.
A church compound was destroyed in Pakistan
(see 5 December), and threats were also made
against Christians in Sudan. Minority Christian
communities are often associated in Muslim
minds with the West because of their faith, so theyreadily become targets of Muslim rage. As hostility
between Muslim-majority countries and the West
continues, pray for protection for vulnerable
Christians and for an easing of tensions.
Friday 30 Pray for the millions of Christians
who will go to bed hungry tonight because of the
pressure and persecution they suffer as a result
of their faith. They may be desperately poor owing
to long-standing discrimination, as in Pakistan,
or displaced from their homes by anti-Christian
violence and unable to work or afford food, as in
Syria. The family breadwinner may be imprisoned,
or forced into hiding by hostility from the local
community, leaving the family with no source of
income. Give thanks for Barnabas Feeding Fund,
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which enabled us to feed 60,000 Christians in
long-term projects in the year to June 2012, and
ask the Lord to help us continue to meet this basic
need for His persecuted people.
DecemberSaturday 1 Continue to remember four
Christians from the UK whose claims of religious
discrimination in the workplace are before the
European Court of Human Rights at the time of
writing. They include Nadia Eweida and Shirley
Chaplin, who were both barred from wearing across openly at work. Yet in a landmark ruling
on 5 September, the European Court of Justice
decided that people from outside the EU who
are unable to practise their faith publicly are
entitled to claim asylum in EU countries. Praise
God for this decision, which should make it
easier for Christians to escape oppressive
regimes elsewhere, and pray that the freedom
of Christians in the EU to express their own faith
publicly will not be restricted. Pray especially for a
positive outcome in the current court cases.
Sunday 2Give thanks for a rare and
signicant move towards justice
for Christians in Orissa state, India,
who have suffered so deeply from
violence by Hindu extremists. Acourt has ordered that the killers
of Michael Nayak, a church leader
whose murder in July 2011 was
originally registered as accidental
death, should be brought to justice.
Michaels family had protested
against the original verdict of a
motorcycle accident, as his only
injury was a hole below the ear andhis motorbike was not signicantly
damaged. The evening before,
Michael had willingly given a lift
home to two of his Hindu friends; he
was not seen alive again. Praise God
for this unexpected and welcome
decision, and pray that it will deterfuture anti-Christian violence in
Orissa.
Monday 3 Christians in India continue to be
the target of brutality by Hindu extremists. Edwin
Raj, a Christian from Kanyakumari District, Tamil
Nadu state, was killed on 26 August when a mob
attacked a prayer meeting in Sasthancode village.
The mob then proceeded to go on a violentrampage in a nearby village; two Christians,
Gnanamuthu and his son Johnson, were beaten
when they tried to stop them. They were taken to
hospital with serious head injuries. On 13 August,
three Christian women were harassed and beaten
by around 15 men in the same district; they were
still recovering in hospital two weeks later. Lift up
to the Lord the Christians in this area as they face
danger from Hindu extremism, and ask that He
would protect them from future violence. Pray also
for healing for those who have been injured in
these attacks.
Tuesday 4 A church building in West Bengal,
India, was attacked on 23 August by a group
of youths who have repeatedly harassed the
congregation and smashed several windows overa number of years. They gather in front of the
building, where they gamble and use offensive
language during worship services and ministry
activities. The group threw faeces and threatened
a Christian woman who appealed to them to
stop vandalising the building. Pray that the Lord
will continue to give this congregation the grace
to respond to their persecutors in a Christ-like
manner, and that the youths will be won over bythis witness to the Gospel.
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Wednesday 5 Pray for a congregation in
Mardan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan,
whose church compound was destroyed by
Muslim rioters on 21 September. The attack was
sparked by anger over the controversial lmInnocence of Muslims. A church building, a
Christian school and library, and the homes of
two pastors and the head teacher, were looted
and torched by hundreds of rioters armed with
clubs and sticks. The local church leader said that
the attack, which lasted more than three hours,
seemed to be pre-planned as the assailants
arrived with petrol. The authorities made only
minimal efforts to stop the violence. Pray forprotection for Christians in Muslim-majority
contexts, whose property and lives are so
vulnerable at times of tension with the West.
Thursday 6 Imprisoned Christian human rights
lawyer Gao Zhisheng continues to suffer gross
injustice at the hands of the Chinese authorities.
In the latest instance, two human rights lawyers
engaged by Gaos brother travelled in Augustto the remote part of the country where he is
being held, only to be turned away by the prison
authorities. The local Prison Administration
Bureau also rejected their request to see Gao,
despite offering no valid reason for the decision.
Gaos family have not been allowed to see or
even speak to him since March and are veryconcerned for his safety and well-being. He was
moved to the prison in December 2011 after years
in police custody. Pray that he will be allowed
to contact his family and lawyers, and that the
authorities will soon relent and release him
(Hebrews 13:3).
Friday 7 We will keep the faith If we
perish, we perish. At a meeting of Nigerianchurch leaders in September a senior leader
from Maiduguri reported that 100 bombs have
exploded there, some of them at schools.
Another leader, from Tabara state, described
how 25 churches in the Jalingo area have been
destroyed, a bomb detonated in another, and
church members unable to nd employment
because they have Christian names. Two
congregations in Bauchi state have been
completely wiped out. Pray for the Church in
Nigeria as it faces such intense persecution from
militant Islamists, and for the leaders as they
seek to guide their congregations through these
troubled times.
Saturday 8 Give thanks to the Lord that
Islamic leaders in Nigeria have urged an end tothe violent campaign of the militant Islamist group
Boko Haram, who have carried out many acts of
violence against Christians in an effort to establish
an Islamist state in the North of the country.
One leader said that a ceasere was urgently
expected for the sake of humanity and
peaceful co-existence among Nigerians. Praise
God for the bravery of these leaders in speaking
out, when others who have done so have beentargeted by Boko Haram. Pray that their inuence
will help to bring the groups campaign to an end
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very soon, and that Muslims in Nigeria will allow
Christians to live out their faith in peace.
Sunday 9Many Christians in Nigeria
live under the constant threat ofterrorist outrages. On 6 August, 20
Christians were killed in an attack
on Deeper Life Church in Otite, Kogi
state. Gunmen stormed an evening
service, blocked off the exits and
opened re on those trapped inside.
Fifteen people died at the scene
and a further ve in hospital. On
the same evening, evangelist AliSamari was shot dead in Maiduguri,
Borno state. Although no-one
claimed responsibility for either of
these attacks, ghters from Boko
Haram had previously warned Ali to
leave his home. Pray that the Lord
will comfort those who mourn our
murdered brothers and sisters in
Christ, and that their killers will be
brought to justice.
Monday 10 By refusing to designate Boko
Haram as a foreign terrorist organisation, the
United States is sending a very clear message
that the murder of innocent Christians and
Muslims who reject Islamism are accepted
losses. Archbishop Nicholas Dikeriehi Okoh,Primate of the Church of Nigeria, gave this
message during an ofcial visit to the United
States, which was sponsored by Barnabas
Fund. The US State Department has refused
to designate Boko Haram a foreign terrorist
organisation, believing that its violence is due to
competition for economic resources, despite the
groups professed religious motives. Pray that
the church leaders visit will lead to the US takingstronger action against Boko Haram, and that its
violence may swiftly be brought to an end.
Tuesday 11 Pray for Pastor Audu Gadzama
and his family, who came under attack by Muslim
gunmen in Nigeria on 10 August. The attackers
entered his church and shot the pastors 24-year-
old son Thomas in the leg. They red at himas well but missed before going to the familys
home. The gunmen forced Pastor Audus wife
and two other children to lie on the ground while
they torched the house and church. The family
managed to escape and hid in the bushes as the
gunmen red shots and shouted Allahu Akbar
(god is great). Pray that the Lord will heal all the
physical and psychological wounds caused by
this attack and protect this family from any furtherharm.
Wednesday 12 Pray for around 160 residents
and staff of a Christian-run village for leprosy
patients in Gia Kai province, Vietnam, who were
terrorised by abuse and threats during a raid
by police. Christian symbols were removed or
destroyed, and picture of Ho Chi Minh, who
established Communism in Vietnam, was placed
in the chapel. Residents were also ordered to
remove the church bell and knock down the bell
tower. The Church is at the forefront of caring
for the 18,000 people with leprosy in Vietnam,
but despite this work, the Communist authorities
remain extremely suspicious of Christians. Pray
that the Lord will comfort those traumatised by
the raid, and for greater security for the Church inVietnam.
Thursday 13 Mainly Christian ethnic groups
in Burma (Myanmar), such as the Chin, Kachin
and Karen, continue to be persecuted despite the
countrys recent political reforms. Government
attacks on the Chin people include intimidation
and harassment, sexual violence, forced labour
and closure of churches. A military offensivein Kachin territory has also led to widespread
violence, and many Christians have ed their
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homes. Pray that this ruthless campaign of
persecution will be brought to an end, and that
the Lord will uphold His people in Burma with His
righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).
Friday 14 If you dont want to be Buddhist, we
can arrest you, we can put you in prison, we can
do anything we want to you. You are just like a toy
in our hands. This threat was made to a Christian
pupil at a government school in Burma. Pray for
children from the mainly Christian Chin minority,
who often encounter threats and discrimination at
Buddhist monastery schools or free government
schools for minorities. They may be coerced toconvert to Buddhism or be forced to shave their
heads or wear monastic robes; they may also be
beaten for refusing to recite Buddhist scriptures.
This year, however, the parents of 59 Christian
children from very poor communities were
delighted that their children were able to attend
a regular government school because Barnabas
Fund paid their school fees. Give thanks that
these children will no longer suffer ill-treatment or
pressure to convert, and pray that they will be salt
and light amongst their peers at their new schools
(Matthew 5:13-14).
Saturday 15 Praise God that election results
in Libya did not show the expected signicant
gains for Islamist parties, in the rst election since
the revolution, on 16 July. The National Forces
Alliance (NFA), a comparatively secular andliberal coalition of parties headed by ex-interim
Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril, won 39 of the 80
seats reserved for political parties. The NFA says
that while Islamic sharia law should be the main
source of legislation, all religions and sects should
be respected. But there are serious concerns
that results for the remaining seats, reserved for
independent candidates, will see Islamists gain
the ascendancy after all. Pray that Libya willnot succumb to Islamist rule like its neighbours,
Tunisia and Egypt, and for protection for the very
small number of Christian converts from Islam in
the country.
Sunday 16 The prospects for
Christians in Tunisia have become
even bleaker after the ruling Islamist
party introduced a bill on 1 August
that would outlaw insulting Islam. The
bill would make insults, profanity,
derision, and representation of Allah
and Muhammad punishable by up
to two years in prison. Although
the legislation claims also to
protect churches and synagogues,
Christians and other minoritieswill be at greatest risk from its use
or misuse. Although Tunisia does
not have a blasphemy law, some
people have been punished for
acts judged offensive to Islam. Pray
that opposition to the bill will lead
to its being withdrawn, and that
the governments attempts further
to Islamise the country will befrustrated.
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Monday 17 The Hindu extremist said that
he would plant a bomb at our church if we did
not help his group. But when I asked what type
of help he wanted he hung up. This threatening
phone call was received by Robin Rai, theminister of a church in Lalitpur, Nepal. The church
was the target of a bombing in 2009 by the Nepal
Defence Army (NDA), which killed three people
and injured more than a dozen. Other church
leaders have also received threats, and the NDA,
which wants to reinstate Nepals Hindu monarchy,
have circulated leaets ordering Christians and
Muslims to leave the country. Pray that the threat
against this church will not be carried out, and thatthe Church in Nepal will stand rm in the face of
this intimidation (Ephesians 6:13).
Tuesday 18 After the rst two sips, it was
very tough for me to breathe, said Rita James,
one of eleven Christian student nurses who were
the victims of a suspected poisoning in Pakistan.
Three of the women required intensive care
treatment. The students fell ill after drinking tea
during a study session at the hostel of the Karachi
Civil Hospital on 29 July. It is thought that poison
may have been added to the tea while it was left
unattended. The nurses may have been targeted
for breaking Ramadan fasting rules, which forbid
eating and drinking during daylight hours,
although this incident occurred after nightfall. Pray
that the women will be healed of any remainingillness or discomfort, and that those responsible
for their suffering will be held accountable.
Wednesday 19A 20-year-old Christian
student in Pakistan was severely beaten by
Islamists who kidnapped him on 29 August. His
abductors, a radical Islamic group, were trying to
convert him to Islam. The young Christian man
was tied up with chains, physically assaulted andthreatened with death; it is thought that his captors
may also have given him mind-altering drugs.
He was eventually found by police and returned
to his family but has been seriously affected
psychologically by this traumatic ordeal. Pray that
the Lord will heal his bodily wounds, and that He
will turn His face towards the young man and givehim peace (Numbers 6:25) as he recovers from
this intense trauma.
Thursday 20 The growing but vulnerable
Church in Sri Lanka came under increasing
pressure in August, with attacks on church leaders
and harassment of church members blighting
two districts. On 9 August a senior pastor and
his wife in Deniyaya district were set upon by amob of 40 men. The pastor suffered injuries to his
body and legs and his wife was thrown from their
motorbike. Their assailants later threatened two
other church workers in the same district. In the
previous week, the house of a pastor in Horana
Kaluthara district was attacked. The attackers
smashed all the windows during the night, leaving
the pastors three oldest children traumatised.
Pray that the Lord would comfort those injured
and psychologically scarred by these attacks, and
that violence against Christians in Sri Lanka would
soon abate.
Friday 21 Pray for Pema Sherpa, a house
church pastor from Gelephu in Bhutan, who was
beaten about the head and chest by a government
ofcial on 31 July. Pema had been summonedalong with three other church leaders by the
ofcial, who warned them not to conduct worship
services in their homes. After the other leaders
had left, the ofcial drew a patang, a traditional
Bhutanese sword, and threatened Pemas life.
Pray that the Lord will heal Pema and bind up
his wounds (Psalm 147:3). State-sponsored
persecution such as this is common in the strongly
Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan. Pray that the Lordwill strengthen His Church in Bhutan and protect
Christians there from harassment by the state.
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Saturday 22 Armed gangs of jihadists have
begun to sow terror. Christians are often portrayed
as friends of the regime This propaganda gives
terrorist groups, inltrators among the rebels, a
pretext to attack us. A Christian leader expressedthe plight of many of Syrias Christians after
Jaramana, a mainly Christian and Druze suburb
of Damascus, came under attack on 28 August.
A car bomb targeted a funeral procession, killing
at least 12 people, including ve children, and
injuring around 50. Because Christians have
been generally well treated by the government of
President Assad, they are widely perceived by the
opposition to support him. Pray that the Lord willbe with those who are injured or mourning in their
distress, and that He will protect His Church in
Syria from further attacks.
Sunday 23Barnabas is helping to
support the thousands of Christians
in Syria and other countries who
have been displaced by violence
during the civil war. Many have ed
to Jordan, Lebanon and Greece,while others have migrated within
Syria. Working through church
partners on the ground, Barnabas is
helping to provide the food, clothing
and medicine that our brothers and
sisters desperately need. Pray that
this support will reach them quickly,and that the Lord will sustain them in
their ordeal.
Monday 24 In another dreadful episode for
the beleaguered Christians of Syria, the mainly
Christian town of Rableh was blockaded for two
weeks in August by anti-government forces.
Snipers prevented anyone from leaving, and
they shot dead three men who attempted to doso. Bridges were blown up and roads rendered
impassable, so that food and medical supplies ran
short; the electricity supply was also disrupted.
The opposition ghters were eventually driven
out by the Syrian army. Pray for the Christians
in Rableh as they recover from their ordeal and
consider whether to stay or leave. Ask the Lord
to watch over them wherever they go (Genesis
28:15).
Tuesday 25 As we give thanks today for the
birth of the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), pray
for the millions of Christians around the world
who live under the shadow of disadvantage,
discrimination and persecution. Pray that as
they celebrate His coming they may experience
the peace of God that passes all understanding(Philippians 4:7), and that they may take heart
from the knowledge that He has overcome the
world (John 16:33). Pray that He will guard them
from their enemies as they gather in His name
this Christmas, and that in the coming year the
pressures on them may be relieved.
Wednesday 26 Concerns that Christians
were being forcibly converted to Islam in the GazaStrip sparked protests in July that highlighted the
dire plight of the tiny Christian population there.
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Dozens of Christians staged a demonstration
on 16 July, claiming that Islamists are using
any means to convert Christians, including fear,
blackmail and the use of chemical substances.
The Christian community has been increasinglymarginalised and harassed since the Islamist
group Hamas came to power; their daily lives are
extremely difcult, and the Christian population
has shrunk rapidly. Pray that the Lord will protect
His people in the Gaza Strip from violence and
forced conversion.
Thursday 27 Praise the Lord for a welcome
show of respect for Christianity in Iraqi Kurdistan.A school textbook that was judged offensive to
Christians was withdrawn from the education
system in September. The textbook covered
aspects of Christianity and Judaism and included
disparaging statements about Jesus Christ.
The autonomous region of Kurdistan has also
welcomed tens of thousands of Christian refugees
from elsewhere in Iraq and offered them much-
needed help. But sadly their position is now
more precarious, owing to growing insecurity and
economic hardship. Pray that Christians in Iraqi
Kurdistan will continue to nd it a safe haven
where they can practise their faith without insults
and harassment.
Friday 28 Pray for the congregation of Holy
Trinity Pentecostal Church in eastern Moscow,whose church building was abruptly torn down
by the authorities in the middle of the night
of 6 September. The shock demolition was
described as a Soviet approach by Mikhail
Odinstov, an aide to Russias Ombudsperson for
Human Rights. The church has a long history of
harassment by the authorities. The pastor may
also face prosecution after holding a service amid
the wreckage following the demolition. Pray thathe and the congregation will nd strength and
peace in the Lord at this time, and that Christians
in Russia will be able to meet without fear of
harassment.
Saturday 29 Pray for Christians in Turkey
as they face continuing restrictions on theirfreedom to practise their faith. The government
had suggested that the new constitution that is
now being prepared would give better protection
to the small Christian minority in the country. But
now the ruling party is trying to have compulsory
Islamic religious education retained in the draft,
despite a ruling from the European Court of
Human Rights that this outs Turkeys human
rights obligations. It is also refusing to agree thatthe state should be impartial between religious
groups. As discussion of the new constitution
continues, pray that it will establish genuine
freedom of religion for Christians and other non-
Muslims in Turkey, and also their full equality with
Muslims.
Sunday 30Church leaders in
Colombia are often caught in the
crossre of the long conict that
racks one of the most violent
countries in the world. An estimated
20-30 are killed every year, many
targeted by illegal armed groups
because of their refusal to support
the gangs activities. In a recent
incident, Henry Rodriguez (44) wasshot dead as he left his church in
Bogota on Sunday 16 September. He
was gunned down by two men on a
moped in what appears to have been
a targeted killing by professional hit
men. Pastor Rodriguez left a wife and
three children. Pray for them in their
shock and grief, and for protection
for pastors throughout Colombia.Pray too for an end to the destructive
cycle of violence.
DECEMBER 27 - 30
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Barnabas Fund is a Company registered in England Number 4029536. Registered Charity Number 1092935Cover: This Pakistani Christian woman has received support from Barnabas Fund following the oods of 2010-11
Barnabas Fund 2012
www.barnabasfund.org
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Monday 31 Many people in the non-Western
world think that the Western New Year is a
Christian festival, so it is often a time of increased
harassment and violence against Christian
minorities. For example, at New Year 2012 theNigerian Islamist group Boko Haram issued a
three-day deadline for Christians to leave the
North of the country, and the previous year 21
Christians perished in a suicide bomb attack on
a church in Alexandria, Egypt. Pray for protection
for our brothers and sisters at this time. Pray
especially for converts from Islam, who are
especially vulnerable, that in the coming year theymay be blessed by the Lord under whose wings
they have come for refuge (Ruth 2:12).
DECEMBER 31