Africa

An attack on a Christian village in Mile Bakwai, about 37 miles south of Jos, left 18 believers dead and about 500 displaced from their homes. 

Pastor James Mahwash lost five members of his church that night. “At about 8 p.m. the attackers, all Muslim Fulani herdsmen, came into this village in two separate groups, attacking us from two different directions, and shooting down anyone they saw.”

Pray for 25-year-old Hassan Gulled - we do not know if he is alive or dead. He was kidnapped by members of Al-Shabaab, a branch of al-Qaeda that operates in Somalia (their war flag is pictured below). According to Morning Star News, Al-Shabaab has been torturing him so he will deny Christ. 

“Dear Jesus, please save me and mom,” 7-year-old Comfort prayed. A soldier from Nigeria's Special Task Force (STF) had just opened fire on her family. Her mother, Lyop, was wounded in the back, the shoulder, and the thigh. Comfort was shot in both legs. Her baby sister and little sister, Nancy, were dead. Her grandma was wounded too.

Lift up Pastor “Mbarra” in WEST AFRICA as he combats the spread of Islam and animism in his community by proclaiming God's Word, partly through equipping young pastors and evangelists and commissioning them to bring the Gospel to rural villages. Pray for protection for these harvest workers and ask God to bless the seeds they plant.

He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. - Colossians 1:28

KENYA: A Christian reports that, "The government is fearful; it does not know how to handle the Islamist drive, and thus has a tendency to give in easily to demands, sometimes at the expense of the churches."

Pray that believers will put their hope and trust firmly in the Lord of Heaven’s armies and not in the feeble governments and councils of men.

"Having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." - Colossians 2:15

ERITREA: The hideously cruel regime of President Isaias Afewerki may be crumbling! On Jan. 21, insurgents seized the state television building and broadcast a message that insisted Afewerki release thousands of political prisoners (many Christians) and return to a democratically elected government. The coup was brutally put down, but shows that the nation is not at peace with its Islamist leader.

Pray for God to establish justice in Eritrea for the sake of His persecuted Church!

Eman, a Muslim student from SUDAN’s Khartoum Applied College, secretly accepted the Lord two years ago. Recently she made a decision for baptism and was baptized by two church leaders. Authorities have arrested the leaders and charged them with baptizing a convert from Islam. Eman tried to flee the country but was caught by members of the Sudan Embassy in Ethiopia. At this time, her fate is unknown. Ask God to glorify Himself through the faithfulness of His children and work out these circumstances in a way that honors Christ.

ALGERIA: One day at work a man asked Mohamed Ibaouene, “Is it true that you are a Christian?” He answered, “Yes, I am.” The man tried (and failed) to persuade Ibaouene to return to Islam. Months after the incident, Ibaouene was convicted of “pressuring a Muslim to convert." The court didn't even have Ibaouene appear to testify or give his side; he was tried 'in absentia.' He was notified through the mail that he was sentenced to one year in prison and fined 50,000 dinars ($635). 

Last spring in MALI, groups linked to al-Qaida seized control of the northern half of the country and began imposing Sharia law on Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Many Christians fled the north, abandoning homes and churches that, according to Sharia, were later confiscated or destroyed. Today, jihadists training camps and munitions depots are proliferating and northern Mali ranks among the most dangerous places to openly worship Jesus.

Pray for God to halt the Islamization of this nation and frustrate the strategies of terrorist groups.

Last month, Mohammed Ibrahim was appointed to lead EGYPT’s Interior Ministry – which means he is now in charge of the police force. He previously was overseeing prison affairs. Christians suspect his loyalties lie with the Muslim Brotherhood and fear he will use his new position to further harass and persecute them. Pray that he will not abuse his authority, and if he does, that God will remove him from office and replace him with someone who acts justly.

“Make Your face shine on Your servants.” - Psalm 31:16

The day after Christmas (Dec 26, 2012), Islamist-ruled north SUDAN dropped nine bombs on a Christian village in the Nuba mountains, killing two Christian women – 70-year-old Kuku Tia and 45-year-old Aisha Tolodi. The blast also killed two little girls - Rehab Alfol, 8 and her 4-year-old sister, Najaha.