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Prayer Points for July 1/ 03
 

Georgia – Protestant believers have reported several incidents of persecution in recent months. A Pentecostal church in Tblisi has been blockaded several times, most recently on June 22.  Father David Imnadze, an Orthodox priest, is accused of helping to organize these blockades. Police have now ordered the church to stop holding services in their pastor’s home. In the village of Akhalsopeli in eastern Georgia a Baptist church was burned down on June 15. Believers say that a local Orthodox priest had previously threatened to burn down the church and a car like his was seen near the church the night before the fire.

Prayer Points: Pray that the Orthodox Church and the Protestant community would love and respect one another and work together to restore peace. Pray that those behind these attacks would repent and turn themselves in to the authorities. Pray that God would provide a new building for the Baptist congregation that lost their church.

Indonesia – Members of Rev. Rinaldy Damanik’s defense team and other friends and associates of the falsely imprisoned Christian human rights worker have been harassed in various forms. Muslim defense lawyers were accused of violating their religion by helping a Christian. Others have been spied on or threatened with imprisonment or abduction. The threats seem to be coming from police and other security officials who fabricated the case against Damanik.

Prayer Points: Continue to pray that the verdict against Damanik would be overturned (see June 15, 2003 prayer points). Pray that those in association with Damanik would be safe and that they would not be discouraged.

Pakistan – Islamic hardliners have introduced legislation to implement sharia law in Baluchistan province. Sharia has already been applied in the North West Frontier province. Already persecuted Christians fear that their religious freedom will be negated by the imposition of Islamic law.

Prayer Points: Pray that moderate Muslims in Pakistan would oppose sharia law. Pray that Christians could worship according to their convictions without punishment.

 Turkmenistan – Christians have been fined in a series of raids on Protestant churches. Most recently a Baptist church was raided on June 13 and the believers, all but one deaf-mutes receiving an invalidity pension, were questioned and fined 250,000 manats ($50USD) each. A church leader, Yeldash Roziev, was fined 500,000 manats and threatened with imprisonment or expulsion from the country. In another case, authorities were pressuring a Christian kindergarten teacher to resign after allegations that she evangelized at school.

Prayer Points: Pray that the church in Turkmenistan would remain strong and continue to grow. Pray that the Christian teacher could keep her job and that the Lord would provide financially for those who have been heavily fined.

Uganda – The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a cult-militia led by Joseph Kony, a demon-possessed maniac, continues to terrorize the Christian community of northern Uganda and southern Sudan. The group kidnaps and drugs children who then serve as soldiers. Catholics who have helped to broker peace between the LRA and the government are now under threat, as Kony recently ordered his troops to destroy Catholic missions and kill missionaries. Over 40 seminarians were kidnapped on May 11. Several were later hacked to death when they could no longer walk due to the torture they endured.
Prayer Points: Pray for an end to the LRA’s reign of terror in Uganda. Pray for God’s protection over those who are seeking to help and minister to the many refugees fleeing the violent group. Pray for spiritual and emotional healing of the children who have been forced to participate in such gruesome violence.