Fiji: Charges dropped against Methodist leaders
The Fijian government has dropped most of the charges against leaders of the Methodist Church in Fiji. Fijian Methodists have made contact with the Methodist Church in Britain to thank people for their prayers and support. All members of the Fiji Methodist Church Standing Committee were charged with attending an unauthorized meeting held in April 2009 and were held for questioning by police in July last year. (See Prayer Alert 3109) Now all but four of them have had their charges dropped due to ‘insufficient evidence’. Mike King, Leader of World Church Relationships, said: ‘The church leadership was keen to give us this heartening news and to thank the many Methodists in Britain who have prayed so faithfully for the Methodist Church in Fiji.’ Methodists in Britain fasted in solidarity with the Methodist Church in Fiji in February after increasing pressure was put on the Church from the country’s government led by Commodore Bainimarama. Praise: God for this move in answer to the believers prayers. (Jn.17:20)
Cambodia: Prayer requests
We have received the following prayer request from Cambodia. 1) ‘There is a Festival from October 6 to 8 when the king and the government bow under the Buddhist monks leading the religious rites. 2). Mission Kampuchea 2021 is a church planting movement with a vision to planting one church in every one of the 14,000 villages in Cambodia. Please pray for more churches to catch the church planting vision and release workers for training. 3) More than 60% of the population is under 18 and the youth prayer movement grew from a few people in 2005 to 250,000 now. The challenge of this movement is finding churches big enough for monthly gatherings. 4) 85% of the population live in the provinces where there is a lack of quality teachers. Students in the provinces score are lower in their achievement after high school. Pray: for God’s provision and anointing as the young church and youth movement in Cambodia grow and for Buddhist rituals to become less significant. (Mt.16:18) Source Sensitive
N. Korea: Sex trafficking
Members of the House Human Rights Commission hosted a congressional hearing last week, shining a spotlight on how China is ignoring the plight of North Korean refugees living in the country. Lawmakers heard firsthand that ninety percent of the women who flee North Korea fall victims to traffickers and the Chinese government does nothing about it. In fact it is the Chinese government's ruthless policy of repatriating North Koreans that makes them so vulnerable to the traffickers. It is hoped that when President Obama meets with the leader of China later on this year he will raise this issue. The administration is silent on these issues and although nuclear issues are important, human rights for the North Korean people is important also. China also returns refugees to North Korea where they face imprisonment and death. Pray: for more activists to make a stand for the North Korean refugees in China. (Ps.9:18) More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2010/September/Lawmakers-Spotlight-NKorea-Sex-Trafficking/
India: Christian harassment
On Wednesday, evangelist .V K Williams and seven other Pastor/Evangelists were arrested Wednesday morning and are now in police custody in Bodi Nayakanur because they had started a One Day Gospel Outreach which immediately drew an anti-gospel disruption. The local anti-gospel elements and their leadership are putting pressure on the police to book them under false charges. ‘Our local Brethren have rushed to the police station and assisted the pastors detained for questioning. Urgent Prayers solicited.’ See Also, the Global Council of Indian Christians reported, ‘Pentecostal pastor Shivanda Siddi, was arrested during a service at an Assemblies of God Church in Kanataka on Sunday.’ About five Hindu extremists disrupted the service and began to humiliate the pastor by tearing his clothes and beating him in front of the faithful. After beating the pastor for about half an hour, they called the police at Yellapur station. The pastor and seven women and children were arrested. Pray: that the 25 million Christians in India would know God’s presence in times of persecution; and experience his enabling when ministering the gospel. (Ps.118:8) More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/pentecostal.pastor.beaten.and.arrested.in.india/26806.htm
