AFGHANISTAN—Update on Imprisoned Afghan Christian Brothers
Latest news - As of February 8, the Christian Post Correspondent now reports that Said Musa is "facing execution within three days for converting to Christianity. Said Musa, 45, was told by a judge that he would be hanged within days unless he reconverts to Islam. But the father of six has refused to renounce his faith, telling the Sunday Times, 'My body is theirs to do what they want with. Only God can decide if my spirit goes to hell.' He also claimed he was tortured and sexually abused by prison guards and inmates." If this report is accurate, the execution could be carried out by the 11th. Please pray urgently for our brother and his release. See www.Christianpost.com for more details.
In the last IPC Connections, it was reported that Said Musa was imprisoned in Kabul in May, 2010, and Assadullah was imprisoned in Mazar-e-Sharif on October 21, 2010. Their crime was converting to Christianity from Islam.
The following is an update on their situation from within Afghanistan:
"The two prisoners are standing strong, and western diplomatic pressure may discourage execution. They could be released if they were declared insane. One of the men has already been put under six-month s care of a psychiatric doctor. There is major concern with this, however, because the physician is administering some unknown pills, the prisoner is afraid of being tricked into taking some mind-altering substances. Please pray for this, for God's will to be done and that He will protect these two men from any abuse or manipulation. In 2006, there was the case of Abdul Rahman, the situation around him was different but he was also arrested because he openly confessed to be an Afghan Christian. He was declared insane so the court case could be dropped, and he was put out of the country.
Please pray that the situation will be resolved soon, that the brothers will remain strong in their resolve, that those trying to defend them will have godly wisdom and not feel forced to use questionable or even harmful means to obtain their release.”
MYANMAR—Children in Prayer Summit
Yangon (the capital), Myanmar, was the location for the January 12-14 National Children in Prayer and 4/14 Window Leaders’ Summit. John Robb, Chairman of the International Prayer Council, and Jeffrey Chew, SE Asia Regional CiP Coordinator, served as the main speakers. Present were 240+ participants, pastors, leaders, and children ministry and orphanage directors from various denominations from Yangon and all over Myanmar who enthusiastically strategized and planned out starting Children in Prayer ministries in the regions from which they came. God will use these children to bring about transformation to their society.
BURMA—Day of Prayer Set
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (www.csw.org.uk) announced the Burma Day of Prayer on March 12, 2011. The gathering will be in Central London to pray for the people and nation of Burma.
Smith Wigglesworth Church set to be resurrected
Bowland Street Mission, in Manningham, in Northern England, is where the extraordinary ‘people's preacher’ Smith Wigglesworth had his base. The site is set to be restored to its former glory - and turned into a centre of healing, a museum and coffee shop. Brian Holland, with his wife Kathryn, and international preacher and broadcaster Terry Quinn are founding members of the Smith Wigglesworth Foundation which has agreed a long-term lease on the building. Brian said: ‘Wigglesworth was a catalyst for the charismatic revival of the church and one of the fathers of the Pentecostal church. The plan is to restore the building back to its original 1889-1919 design, the heyday of Smith and his wife Polly's ministry in Bradford’. The group plans to open at the end of April 2011 with the original purposes: to show God knows and loves people through a healing touch alongside preaching from the Bible. Praise: God for Wigglesworth’s heritage and pray that many more would be blessed in the years to come. (Ps.84:11-12)
