Colombia: Murdered evangelist’s widow also killed after threats
Four months after guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (ELN) sent a murdered evangelist's wife their first demand to abandon her home in northeast Colombia's volatile Arauca department, the militants made good on their threats, report sources close to Open Doors, a ministry to persecuted Christians. On Monday, Jan 7th 2013, as the family's pastor finished an evening devotional in the home of widow Alicia Castilla, assassins entered the home and opened fire on her with pistols, killing her instantly in front of her three children and her father. An Open Door's worker who cannot be named for security reasons told World Watch Monitor that before leaving the home, the guerrillas told Castilla's son, 18-year-old Hernán, that the rest of the family had three days to leave the region. After that, the killers warned, they would return and one by one kill other family members.
Pray: for God’s people in Colombia that God will protect them and confuse the enemy. (Ps.12:7)
More: http://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/english/country/colombia/article_2006360.html
Haiti: Help still needed after three years
After the powerful earthquake that devastated much of Haiti, a priest has pleaded with people in the UK to remember the plight of Haitians. Saturday marked the three-year anniversary, but Father Francois Kawas says many thousands of people are still living in camps. Father Kawas is the founder of The Centre for Research, Reflection, Training and Social Action and was in the UK last week to meet representatives of the UK Government and partner aid agencies Christian Aid, Progressio and CAFOD. His latest visit was made to ‘help people in the UK not to forget Haiti’, he says. ‘Haiti still needs the solidarity of your people. It’s very important for us.’ Despite billions of dollars in donations to help get Haiti back on its feet, Father Kawas laments what he sees as the poor management and coordination of funds, and says that much of the money is not gettng into the hands of Haitians.
Pray: that the funds given will be released to meet the needs of those afflicted. Pray that corruption and poor management would not prevail. (Ps.10.14)
More: http://www.theway.co.uk/feature.php?id=9074&this=After_three_years_Haiti_still_needs_help
Central African Republic: Pastors request prayer
The situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) is ‘precarious’ according to national Baptist leaders. Singa-Gbazia Nicolas Aime Simplice, president of the Association of Baptist Churches of the CAR, requested ‘urgent prayer’ last week as rebels continued to challenge CAR President Francois Bozizé's leadership. The rebels now control ‘over 75 percent of the nation.’ According to the Baptist World Alliance, Simplice says many citizens have been displaced by the fighting and Baptist churches have been badly damaged or destroyed. Other church leaders have also called for negotiations between Islamist rebels and government forces, denouncing the violence against civilians.
Pray: for Christians across the nation to be protected and used by God to bring life and not death. (Jn.17:12a)
India: Attacked Christians in fear of returning home
After Hindu nationalists in Maharashtra State attacked Christians two weeks ago because they refused to honour a tribal deity – violence that led many to flee their homes – the extremists yesterday assaulted remaining Christians as they met for worship. As police stood by watching, about 100 club-bearing Hindu extremists disrupted worship at the house of Ravindra Shankar Ander in Tamsai village, Thane District. The extremists did not use their wooden clubs as they did in the attack two week's ago. More than 100 Christians from the area are afraid to return to their homes after Hindu extremists on Dec 30 beat worshippers with wooden clubs for refusing to contribute to the festival for the tribal deity. Men and women said to belong to Hindu nationalist groups in Tamsai village stormed the worship service of the Yehovah Prathana Group Tamsai congregation in Tamsai.
Pray: that God's people will not fear but trust in the His protection. (Ex.15:2)
More: http://www.religiontoday.com/blog/attacked-christians-in-india-fear-returning-home.html
