USA: National Day of Prayer
09 Apr 2015
The National Day of Prayer is an annual day of observance held on the first Thursday of May, designated by the United States Congress, when people are asked ‘to turn to God in prayer and meditation’. Each year the president signs a proclamation that encourages all Americans to pray on this day. The modern law formalizing its annual observance was enacted in 1952, although it has historical origins to a mandate by George Washington, the first president of the United States. The event is nationwide. (See aalso GB&! item.)
The death toll in al-Shabaab’s assault on a Christian University College is likely to climb above 147 and anger grows among local residents over the government’s failure to prevent bloodshed. A police source, who remains anonymous, said that when the alarm sounded at Garissa University College the authorities took hours to respond, arriving at the scene after politicians and journalists. He said the government's rapid response team was held up in Nairobi for hours arranging transport before it finally made its way to Garissa where gunmen separated Christian students from Muslim students and then killed the Christians. Some, such as Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi, believe that entrenched corruption in the security system allows al-Shabaab to move freely in and out of Kenya, carrying out attacks with ease. The government has identified Mohamed Mohamud as the groups mastermind with an extensive terrorist network within Kenya. Al-Shabaab is based in Somalia and linked to Al-Qaeda, that was birthed in Yemen.
Yemen: 100,000 displaced – a critical situation
09 Apr 2015
UNICEF reported 100,000 people have fled their homes - the majority of them women and children. Thousands are in dire need of aid. The Red Cross was able to land one passenger plane carrying staff but have not yet been able to find a cargo plane operator to fly supplies into the country. A conservative estimate was of 74 children killed was 74 and 44 maimed since the Saudi-led coalition started bombing Houthi positions. UNICEF said children were paying an ‘intolerable’ price and they needed protection. The number of civilian casualties is increasing and the humanitarian situation is deteriorating due to the siege and air-strikes hitting food storages. When one thinks of Yemen (situated between Saudi Arabia and Somalia two of the most radical Muslim nations) one seldom thinks of Christians, primarily because they are practically non-existent in such an inhospitable environment. Yemen's entire non-Muslim population is less than one percent.
South Africa: God’s power at work
09 Apr 2015
Pastor Steve Haines is passionate about raising a generation of supernatural believers. Haines has been a pastor for 12 years he established the Supernatural Lifestyle School in Pietermaritzburg in 2010 providing Christians with two weeks of equipping in praying for the sick, prophecy and supernatural evangelism, while also giving space for people to encounter God through soaking and impartation. In 2014 the school moved to Cape Town. Katrina Harageus, a past student, returned to Namibia, and started a healing room in a hospital. The nurses have been bringing patients to her because they patients are touched by God and healed, even from cancer. In every school that has been run, they have seen healings, deliverances and salvations through the hands of ‘normal’ believers. Read about the deaf hearing, alcoholics delivered and more at the link below.
Global: Other elections to be held before 7 May
16 Apr 2015
On the 7 May the United Kingdom will hold Elections for the House of Commons, but seven other countries will also be holding parliamentary elections between now and then: Finland with election for Parliament on 19 April; Haiti has an Election for Chamber of Deputies on 24 April; Anguilla with election for House of Assembly on 25 April; Togo has an election for President on 25 April; Benin an election for National Assembly on 26l; Kazakhstan holds an election for President on 26 and Tanzania has a Referendum on 30l. For further Insights into how to pray for these and other elections in 2015 click the ' 'More' button below.
Nigeria: Election campaigns almost divided Lagos
16 Apr 2015
Lagos’ Governor Babatunde Fashola said on Tuesday that the 2015 general election campaigns almost divided Lagos along ethnic line and civil service administration. This comment came as the Lagos State Governor-elect, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, urged the civil servants in the state to continue giving support to his incoming team in order to continue the work in the state. Fashola said that the task ahead is daunting both at the national and state level and noted that 2015 election campaigns recorded unprecedented hype compared to previous elections in the country. ‘I have been involved in four elections, but in none of those elections have I seen a campaign that tried to divide our public service. I have never seen posters in front of the state secretariat that distorted the reality of our condition in service’.
India: Police attack Christian missionaries
16 Apr 2015
A group of 20 Christian missionaries were wounded by police officers because of their missionary work in the city of Jaipur, Rajasthan. The attack took place on 26 February and has recently become widely publicised amidst concerns of ongoing religious violence and persecution against Christians in the largely Hindu nation. ‘We were made to get out of the police van by being kicked and then, inside the police station, the police lined us up and hit us with belts on our hands and wrists’ The missionaries arrived from Hyderabad and began distributing Christian leaflets in Jaipur. They were met with some hostility so they left. However, when they returned to where they were staying they found that someone had called the police and they were arrested. This incident comes on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying, ‘We consider the freedom to have, to retain and to adopt a religion or belief is a personal choice of a citizen.’
Canada: Pro-life - an issue in election year
23 Apr 2015
Anti-abortion movement ‘March For Life’ will demonstrate in Ottawa on 13 May. Support for the pro-life cause has grown from 19,000 to 25,000 in three years and it’s the largest annual protest in Canada. However abortion advocates are working hard in public debate. Pro-life views have been suppressed and derided in politics and on the eve of last year’s march Justin Trudeau declared that Liberal MPs would be forced to vote pro-abortion on any legislation. (Mr.Trudeau is the leader of the Liberal Party)The theme of this year’s march for ‘Let Life Win,’ a veiled reference to Trudeau’s ‘no choice but pro-choice’ edict. This is an election year in Canada. In the past pro-life organisations have encouraged pro-lifers to support pro-life candidates, not specific parties. Now, in response to Trudeau’s ongoing aggressive pro-abortion rhetoric, the organizers have launched a campaign called #No2Trudeau.