Egypt, a neighbor of Sudan, has been rocked by the recent bombing attack by Muslim radicals on one of its churches in Alexandria. A local Christian leader writes about the traumatic effect of this attack:

“The trauma is bottomless. Especially as a Westerner one cannot go near the quarter of town where the attack happened. Authorities are strongly present there. Even for people affected and /or living there going out was prohibited yesterday. The frustration and the desire to defend or protect oneself is big especially with the young people. It's not the first time, after all, that something like that is happening. And there is always an official version of things. Emotions are indescribable. Many Muslims have also expressed their anger about this being done to the Christians. It appears the number of people now in hospitals is much bigger than first thought.”

Please pray for:
1.    soothing of physical pain (many lost limbs, in the bomb were nails).
2.    hospitals to be able to cope, blood donations to reach the ones in need.
3.    the other Christians to be able to bring true comfort and meaningful help - perhaps as of Wednesday. Pray that the church is able to organize itself for that.
4.    the young Christians who were taken away to prison during the riot. Under military law here nobody knows where they are and if and when they will be released again.
5.    ability for the affected to keep fear, frustration and hate in check during the shock.
6.    outward security; Westerners are not welcomed by the ones in charge, the country fears loss of face.
7.    long-term strategy when the dust has settled.

A personal note follows from a dear Christian brother in Egypt regarding this tragedy:

Hope

There is always Hope with Jesus. I believe that even in the dark hour, there is that Light that we can always rely on. I'm sure that the enemy wants to fill our hearts with despair so we can't look with hope for the days ahead.

In my country as in many other places around the world, there are sad, difficult things happening every single day. Lately, we had a horrible terroristic attack on Christians where many died & were injured. There is fear spreading even in the midst of God's people.

I was involved in some prayer gatherings lately where I felt led by the Spirit to inspire Hope in the body of Christ that even in hard times, we're going to see God's Mighty Hand like never before in our lives. We're going to see His signs & wonders. I'm filled with faith that in the midst of hard times, we'll see Him mightily. We'll experience what we have never experienced before. Lions will bow down before His children.

Challenges will be everywhere & giants will be all around. Goliath will keep threatening. Jezebel will keep frightening. Yet, now is the time for the David(s) to come out and defeat the giants. Now is the time for the Elijah(s) to come forth in the name of Jesus and declare victory over Jezebel.

We'll definitely see His Glory like never before. There is Hope. "There is Hope for a tree; if it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail. Its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump die in the soil, YET at the scent of Water it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant." (Job 14: 7-9)