Urgent Prayer Chain

Eritrea (MNN) — Voice of the Martyrs Canada is reporting that a 37-year-old Eritrean Christian woman has died while in custody in Eritrea.

According to accounts from Compass Direct, the woman, Azieb Simon, succumbed to malaria while being held in the Wi’a Military Training Center. Already weakened by mistreatment she’d endured since her arrest in December, she contracted the disease a week prior to her death, and authorities reportedly refused to give her treatment. She was a member of the Kale-Hiwet Church in Assab.

Other Christians imprisoned in the centre are under constant pressure to recant their faith. Compass sources say eight other Christians being held at the Adi-Quala prison needed emergency medical care due to torture by military personnel at the camp.

Despite the continued targeted round-ups, the government continues to support its statement issued in May 2003 that “no groups or persons are persecuted in Eritrea for their beliefs or religion.”

Yet, 32 additional Christians from Assab were also imprisoned and taken to Wi’a earlier this month. Close to 2,000 believers remain in Eritrean prisons where they face deplorable conditions. According to Release Eritrea, these numbers mean that approximately one in ten Eritrean evangelicals are presently being detained.

Simon was among the more than 2,000 believers who have been imprisoned for their faith. Pray that Eritrean Christians will remain faithful in the face of pressure to deny Christ.

Ethiopia (MNN) — On July 19, 2008, a Muslim mob attacked and stoned two Christians who were attending a church meeting in the town of Jijiga, in eastern Ethiopia.

“They were confronted by nine Muslims who were yelling anti-Christian slogans and started hurling stones at the Christians,” said Jonathan Racho, Regional Manager for Africa for International Christian Concern.

One of the two Christians, a leader in the church, was struck by eight stones and suffered a concussion as well as injuries on his torso. He was admitted to Karamara hospital and received treatment.

The other Christian escaped without injury. As he ran toward the police station, the mob dispersed, but the police never responded to the situation.

Although the majority of Ethiopians are Christians, Wahhabi Islam is growing rapidly in some regions of the country, like eastern Ethiopia. In fact, the radical brand of Islam is growing faster than Christianity in Ethiopia, according to statistics.

“Wahhabi Islam is spreading very fast in Ethiopia, and it’s being sponsored by countries such as Saudi Arabia. They are teaching intolerance against Christians and other non-Muslims,” Racho said. “So there is a very strong atmosphere of hostility against Christians in many parts of Ethiopia where there are many Muslims living.”

Jijiga is the capital of the Somali Regional State, one of nine Ethiopian states. Most of the state’s inhabitants are Muslim, including most of the residents of Jijiga.

“Unless the growth of radical Islam is curbed in Ethiopia, the attacks against Christians will continue to rise,” Racho said. “Ethiopian government officials, particularly local officials in Muslim-dominated areas of the country, should be made accountable for failing to protect Christians against such attacks.”

Racho said Christians can contact the Ethiopian embassy in Washington D.C. to pressure the Ethiopian government to protect Christians from persecution. Click here to find the embassy’s contact information.

Racho also urges Christians to pray for the Ethiopian church.

“I call upon Christians in the United States and in other countries to pray for the continuous growth of church in Ethiopia,” he said. “Please also pray that the Lord will protect Ethiopian Christians from the increasing persecution and hostility from Muslims.”

In the same day, I was also Ordained as a Prison Pastor here.
I had tried to hand over the Leadership work to some people around, but no
one was willing to take it, I had wanted only to remain as a volounteer.
Many people have encouraged me not to step down, please keep praying for me.
Pray for God’s provison towards this work. When God calls, He provides too.

In His Service.

Pastor Mary

Hi,

Thus says the Lord, today is my day.
This day is the “day of change”.
From today, I take over the leadership in your life.

Give your problems to me, says the Lord,
and I , your God will do the rest.

From today, I will make sure that what you do is successful.
From today, I will fight for you.
From today, I will bring to you, everything you need to live a life that is
pleasing to me.

I will fill up all your deficiencies with my riches.
Forgive all your debtors/offenders.
Do not quarrel with your destiny. Forget your very negative past.
Through me, you are a new creature. I am lifting up all your barriers.
I am exterminating all your hindrances.

With my help and my power, you will attain all that you requested of me.
With me, you will overcome all your hindrances, everything that now still
stands so mightily in your way. I’m with You, says the Lord.

I am your father, who has good thoughts towards you (who means well for you),
says the Lord.

Only stay in contact with me, says the living God, and all will be well.

This is what the Lord give me for You., for today.

God bless You

God bless You

Pastor Joh.W.Matutis
www.nnk-berlin.de (see english menu)

———————————————————————————
Thank you for all your prayers.
The event with Obama,(in Berlin) was one preparation for the “New World
Order”. He spoke as a world citizen. He wants to tear down the walls, between
Christians, Jews and Muslim. This is what the Antichrist also wants.
Now we must pray for the USA.

Today the Lord points me in the prayer, to pray for the USA,
The Holly Spririt says: Now come for America (US) dark and heavy times.
The Lord show me, a dark smoke cloud lay all over America (US), and a big
fear was on the whole country.

I WENT TO CERTIFIED TODAY IN RAVENSWOOD TO GET GAS IN MY CAR THE GUYS WHO
WORK KNOW ME WHEN I PULL IN AND THEY ARE ALL VERY KIND AND HARD
WORKING…

TODAY THE GENTLEMAN WORKING LOOKING SO TIRED HE HAS BEEN IN COLUMBUS OHIO WITH HIS
WIFE AND NEW BABY DAUGHTER WHO WAS BORN 2 MONTHS EARLY SHE IS HAVING
TROUBLE…SHE IS NICU AND HAS BEEN FOR 1 WEEK, NOW HER BODY TEMP. IS TOO
LOW. I TOLD THIS YOUNG MAN THAT I WOULD ASK FOR PRAYER FOR HIS LITTLE GIRL AND THAT MY
CIERRA WAS ALSO EARLY AND SHE IS BIG AS ME NOW AND I REMINDED HIM THAT EVEN
THOUGH SHE LOOKS FRAGILE AND WEAK THAT SHE IS REALLY VERY STRONG..

SOO I AM ASKING ALL MY FRIENDS TO PLEASE HELP ME TO PRAY FOR THIS MAN AND HIS WIFE
TO MAKE THEM STRONG FOR THIS PRECIOUS LITTLE GIRL AND TO MAKE HER STRONG TO
SURVIVE..PLEASE PASS ON!!! HER NAME IS MADISON ROSE.

Jeannie P Chapman (Burgess)

Have a great day!!!!

SANTA ANA, Calif. (July 2, 2008) – Open Doors USA is launching an email advocacy campaign on behalf of an imprisoned Chinese Christian.

On March 19, Shi Weihan was re-arrested for publishing Bibles and Christian literature. The 37-year-old bookstore owner had been released in January following his arrest on November 28, 2007, due to “insufficient evidence.”

Under his Holy Spirit Trading Company, Shi ran a Christian bookstore, a printing press and travel agency. The bookstore is located near the Olympic Village and Shi never had any problems with authorities before his arrest last November.

His bookstore operated legally and it sold only books for which he had obtained government permission. His printing press, however, printed Bibles and Christian literature without authorization for distribution to local house churches. Last January, Shi was concerned about publishing the unauthorized books, but because the churches needed them, he felt the risk was worth taking.

Pastors from house churches and official Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) congregations have reported a shortage of Bibles and other Christian materials in Beijing, the northwest, the northeast, and the southwest. Church growth in tribal areas also has created an urgent need for Bibles in minority languages.

Shi never had any plans to protest during the Olympics, which start August 8 in Beijing. Shi and his home church have been free to worship and have been under no pressure to stop the church or register it. However, Shi’s many foreign relationships formed during his time as a travel agent may have caused suspicion from Chinese authorities.

The China Aid Association (CAA) reported on April 28, that authorities were holding Shi at the Beijing Municipal Detention Centre as a “dangerous religious element,” thinking he may try to cause a stir during the Olympics. A long-time friend, Ray Sharpe, dismissed the allegation as contrary to Shi’s gentle, patriotic nature, saying, “I know him as someone who teaches others to love their country, pray for their government and obey the public officials as though they were placed over us by God.”

A father of two, Shi has been held without any family visits. His wife, Zhang Jing, has received no word on her husband’s condition, and she has been prohibited from bringing him any food or clothing since his re-arrest. Until the end of April, Shi had also been denied a visit from his attorney.

The months of separation from her husband, anxiety about his health condition, and having to manage her family without Shi, have exacted a toll on Zhang’s well-being. She is now suffering from depression and feels very weak and utterly helpless.

Their two daughters are also very affected by all that is going on. They have become very emotional and cry constantly because they have not seen their father for months now.

Adding to their stress is the intimidation they are experiencing from being under surveillance by the PSB. They are followed wherever they go, even when Zhang sends her daughters to school. The movements of Shi’s lawyer are also being monitored to ensure that he will not make contact with any foreigner or groups overseas. The PSB tell him, though, that they are only doing that in order to “protect him” so that his work will not be interrupted.

On June 19, the three-month deadline for a hearing expired and Shi’s hearing never took place as expected on the last day. Therefore, Shi is now being held illegally.

Open Doors is very concerned about Shi’s health as he has diabetes and may be subject to torture while in detention. The CAA reported that Shi’s attorney said he was in dire need of medical attention. “However, the detention center authorities refused to provide medications or even the most basic humanitarian treatment,” the organization said.

Carl Moeller, President/CEO of Open Doors USA, says: “Not only is Open Doors focusing on Shi’s case, but the China Aid Association, International Christian Concern and Release International are all advocating on his behalf. We hope that the Chinese authorities will recognize that Christians like Shi are an asset to their country, and not a threat. Hopefully the authorities will respond to the many petitions of Christians in the United States and around the world who would like to see Shi released before the start of the Olympics.”

Open Doors is urging Christians in the United States to Email Chinese Ambassador to the United States Zhou Whenzong to express their concern over the status of Shi, including access to medical care and medicines, adequate clothing, visitation rights for his family and a fair and prompt trial. To send an email, click here.

FROM MARY BURCHETTE

I have been asked for an update regarding my son Mike (who had the quadruple
bypass May 16) had an all body PET scan last Thursday because the doctor
said that the biopsy from the sudden growth on the side of his neck
showed it is cancer. It is not only on the side of his neck but in the front too and
because it grew so fast after he came home he ordered an all body PET
scan. They think it may be in other parts of his body too. Last Friday he had pre-op
testing. They did probes of his throat and now it hurts for him to even
talk. We are currently awaiting the results of his all body PET scan test. The
extent of the surgery still scheduled on August 4th is yet unknown.

Mary Burchette

PLEASE PRAYER WARRIORS,

PRAY FOR CONVERSION OF JOHN PAYNE, HE HAS JUST BEEN ARRESTED FOR A OUTSTANDING TICKET. IT APPEARS

THEY WANT TO KEEP HIM IN JAIL FOR UP TO A YEAR FOR NOT PAYING THIS

TICKET. THEY WILL KEEP HIM IN LOS ANGELES JAIL. PLEASE PRAY FOR

HIS SAFETY AND CONVERSION. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.MAY GOD

BLESS YOU ALL FOR THIS SOUL. HE ALSO NEEDS HEALING FROM SEXUAL

ABUSE AS A 12 YR OLD. HE NEEDS TO KNOW JESUS.

India (MNN) — Radical Hindus in India are angry and helpless. Thousands of Hindus are giving their lives to Christ. That is causing extremists to lash out at Christians.

According to Gospel for Asia, last week two of their Bible college students were beaten and ridiculed for handing out evangelistic tracts in the state of Maharashtra. They were on their weekend outreach when the incident occurred.

Founder and President of Gospel for Asia KP Yohannan says, “This is one of the toughest states. Not only two, but a group of seven of our students while they were going out for outreach, they were rounded up by 30 or 40 people who simply destroyed their literature, burned their Bibles, and beat them up without mercy.”

The trouble began when Mohan, a third-year student, came across an automobile driver who questioned his authority to distribute tracts about Jesus. The automobile driver then slapped Mohan on his face.

Simson, another third-year student, was distributing Gospel tracts nearby and rushed to protect Mohan. The scene drew a crowd of people and they, too, began to interrogate the students. They shouted at Mohan and Simson, using vulgarities to speak out against them. Their attackers shoved the two students around and beat them until they were severely bruised. One of the attackers pushed Simson down and kicked him.

At first, no one came to the students’ aid. Finally, a few people from among the crowd told the assailants to stop beating them. The attackers grabbed their Christian literature, telling them, “We don’t want any Jesus.” Then they let Mohan and Simson go, warning them not to return.

GFA has 120 students enrolled in the Maharashtra Bible College. These are just a few of the many young people who are receiving the Bible school training. Yohannan says many more would like to attend. “[For] $30 a month, anyone can help to train one of these young people. We have 7,000 young people now in our Bible colleges all across the Asian nations. And, we have the possibility to recruit thousands more, if we had people pray and help them.”

According to Yohannan, this training is serious. “We tell them, ‘You are going to the mission field because Jesus is sending you, and this is what He said: Are you willing to make a commitment and lay down your life for [My] sake?’ So far, I don’t know any graduates that have said, ‘I don’t want to get beaten up, and I don’t want to get killed.’”

According to Yohannan, persecution is expected. “Wherever people are coming to Christ in large numbers, we see persecution increase. [However], wherever the persecution is harsh and increasing, there we find more people coming to Christ. That is a strange irony.”

If you’d like to support a Bible college student, click here.

Please pray for Scott Kinny who lost his son, IAN, this week to a terrible
car crash by a drunk driver.

Please pray for his family, for salvation and
comfort, and to be able to forgive, for he has much anger toward this drunk
driver, which also badly hurt IAN’s girlfriend.

The anger is understandable, but forgiveness is necessary also, in time.

My friend who knows him, [as he directs plays near here], prays that he will find the Lord soon.

Someone actually shared BRIEFLY with his son prior to his death, and he accepted
with a peaceful look, then died.

BLESSINGS TO YOU all, and this WHOLE FAMILY!!

In JESUS, – K