West Africa: Food shortage
A deepening food crisis in West Africa’s Sahel region sparks fears of famine. Events might easily mirror the devastation seen recently in the Horn of Africa unless urgent action is taken. According to a new report commissioned by World Vision and Save the Children a lack of ability to access, grow, and store food year after year means millions of children in West Africa now live in a state of permanent food shortage. The report calls for a radical rethinking of policies to address hunger in West Africa. Contributing factors to this situation are low rainfall and rising food prices leading to poor harvests and declining food supplies. Crop yields have been nonexistent in some areas and severely reduced in others. In addition recent conflicts, the return of hundreds of migrant workers, and a flow of refugees from Mali into one of the most affected areas of Niger has further strained an already stressed food supply.
Pray: for the 18 million affected across Niger, Mauritania, Mali, Chad and Senegal who are facing desperate food shortages are in imminent danger of doing so. (Is.58:7)
More: http://www.worldvision.org/news/west-africa-food-crisis-qa
Somalia: Election next week
As the process for ending Somalia's political transition gathers momentum, some presidential candidates have been accused of interfering with the process of electing new parliamentarians and vote-buying ahead of the presidential election, which is due to take place on August 20. It is common to hear one of the dozens of presidential candidates say ‘I want to run for president.’ In response many Somali politicians and the public ask, ‘Does he have money to buy votes?’ Dr Abdirahman Mohamed, a presidential candidate, says questioning how deep is the pocket of a candidate is like saying only corrupt leaders who have stolen from state coffers are eligible to run. The transition process calls for clan elders to choose members of a new parliament. Those new lawmakers will then elect the new president.
Pray: that vote-buying and corruption will not influence the future for Somalia’s government. (Ps.45:3-5)
Uganda: Pastor forgives Muslim attackers
A Ugandan pastor, who was the victim of an acid attack by Muslims, told International Christian Concern (ICC) that he doesn’t hate his Muslim attackers and wants them to believe in Jesus Christ. ‘My message to my attackers is simple, I hold no grudge against them. They wished me death but I wish them life today and forever in Christ Jesus our Lord,’ said Pastor Umar Mulinde in his statement to ICC. Pastor Mulinde was a Muslim leader before he converted to Christianity and started a church. He successfully brought many Muslims to Christ and openly opposed the call for Sharia law in Uganda. He was attacked last Christmas and is currently receiving medical care in Israel. Pastor Umar’s message to Christians around the world warned of the danger of radical Islam, ‘The vision of Islam is all about world dominance and no country should think itself to be safe from radical Islam.’
Pray: for the persecuted Church in Africa and the Middle East to experience God's provision (Ps.17:8-9) and to be able to forgive those who hate them. (Lk.6:27-31)
More: http://blog.godreports.com/2012/08/pastor-hit-with-acid-attack-forgives-muslim-attackers/#more-2001
Egypt:Lawyer wants Coptc Christians removed from Egyptian Constitutional Committee
A lawyer from Alexandria has submitted a report to the public prosecutor requesting that Egypt's Coptic Christians be excluded from the committee forming the nation's new constitution. Sherif Gadallah claimed that Orthodox Coptics are not representative of Egypt's Christian population because they're not Nasara, the so-called ‘true’ Christians of Islam's Qur'an, a book in which the word ‘Christian’ never appears. Since Orthodox Copts are not Nasara, or even Christians, Gadallah said they can be counted as polytheists, which will make Coptics non-representative of Egypt's Christian population. Gadallah justified his report by the Qur'an, which claims the prophets of Allah - Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad - are all mere humans sent by God to pass his message on to creation. Since Christians believe Jesus to be the divine Son of God, they are polytheistic infidels and not the Nasara of the Qur'an; therefore, Copts who also profess the divinity of Christ as expressed in the Trinity must be barred from having any say in Egypt's new constitution
Pray: against any move to marginalise Coptic Christians which would restrict full representation of all people on the constitutional committee. (Pr.29:14)
More: http://www.worthynews.com/11682-lawyer-wants-copts-removed-from-egyptian-constitutional-committee
