India: Asks US evangelists to leave
An international advocacy group urged the U.S. government to condemn Indian authorities for asking three American Christians to leave India because they allegedly participated in evangelism. ‘We urge the U.S. government to look into this matter and take appropriate measures to pressure India to respect the religious freedom of Christians and other religious minorities,’ explained an International Christian Concern (ICC) representative. Shelly Deeds, a nurse from Pennsylvania, her daughter Katelyn 15, and Diane Harrington a teacher at Wisconsin were ‘asked to leave’ the country after Hindu organizations complained they ‘tried to convert poor families in India's southern state of Kerala. Indian police acknowledged there was no evidence the Christian tourists participated in proselytizing, but said they asked them to leave because the women ‘violated’ visa regulations by trying to attend a prayer meeting. Pray: God’s protection for Christians and the Christian community in the sensitive areas of India. (Ps.17:1) More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/17201-india-asks-u-s-evangelists-to-leave
Afghanistan: Christians face uncertainty in India
Afghan Christian refugees who fled to India are in hiding over fears they will be deported back to Afghanistan, where possible arrest, imprisonment and execution await them. In 2010, a television network broadcast baptisms of Afghan Muslim converts to Christianity. A member of parliament called for the execution of the apostates and President Hamid Karzai called for an investigation into how aid organisations were promoting Christianity in the region. The investigation resulted in Afghan Christian Said Musa being charged with apostasy and issued the death sentence. After a nine month effort by the international community to engage Afghanistan's government, Musa was released and able to leave thecountry. Although Musa's ordeal is over, a decision made by the United Nations in New Delhi to deport a number of Afghan converts may drive that small Christian community to a similar fate. After Musa's arrest Afghan Christians went into hiding and others went to India or Pakistan.
Pray: for secret police and intelligence agencies to stop harrassing Christians, and to work alongside them instead. (Ps.17:7-9)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/uncertainty.for.afghan.christian.refugees/28042.htm
Syria: Christians' concerns
On Wednesday security forces entered Damascus university dormitories, detaining dozens of students and setting fire to some rooms. Source: An Open Doors report said, Christians in Syria have been living in peace with churches practicing their faith without threats or danger in this Muslim nation for a long time. Since the Middle East erupted many small and other self interest groups have exploited the situation to achieve their agenda in the region. Extremist foreign fighters have travelled to Iraq and killed innocent Iraqis, Shiites, Sunnis and Christians. These same extremist groups have turned their Jihad to Syria, exploiting the situation to establish their Islamic Emirate. Groups have been entering houses and threatening many Christians and minority groups. Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Moallem denied that Hezbollah and Iran were helping the Syrian regime in its three-month-old crackdown on protesters. See: Pray: that forces trying to turn Syria into an extremist Islamic nation will fail and Christians have courage as they resist fear and calls to flee. (Heb.13:3)
Sudan: A call to prayer
June 21st the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Kadugli called Sunday June 26th a day of prayer and fasting ‘To end the Nuba Genocide and for the Peace of all Sudan’ as Sudan faces the nightmare of genocide in what the Bishop called, a final attempt to erase our culture and society from the face of the earth. It is not a war between armies that is being fought in our land, but the utter destruction of our way of life.’ See Meanwhile President Bashir threatened to shut pipelines carrying South Sudan's oil. Oil accounts for 98% of the south's income. Most pipelines, refineries and the main port is in the north. Talks between North and South continue regarding oil, citizenship and disputed borders while horrendous fighting persists between Christians and Muslims. See last weeks Prayer Alert and INSIGHT article.
Pray: for God in His mercy to place His hand over this situation and bring order out of chaos. (2Ch.14:11)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13870929
