Afghanistan: persecuted and hungry
Sixty days in a cage, no light, and tortured, is one of the extreme cruelties which Christians in Afghanistan experience. They are under a death sentence, yet there are over 10,000, almost all converts from Islam. They have a long, dangerous, and deadly road ahead of them. Please pray for the underground church facing the ultimate threat: turn back to Islam or die. Pray also for the safety of the known Christians who have been open about their faith. May God give them wisdom in all they say and do. Also a humanitarian crisis of incredible proportions has grown more complex and severe since the Taliban took control. Job losses, lack of cash, and soaring food prices have resulted in nearly 20 million not having enough to eat. Afghanistan is on the brink of economic collapse. The currency is at an all-time low. See
Sudan: battle for control
Plumes of smoke fill Khartoum’s sky as Sudan’s military and paramilitary battle to control Sudan. Fighting that erupted on 15 April has killed hundreds, wounded many more, and damaged homes, hospitals, airport and residential water supplies. The power struggle is between General Burhan, commander of the armed forces, and General Dagalo, head of Rapid Support Forces. They were allies and orchestrated the 2021 military coup that derailed Sudan’s transition to democracy. Now they are killing each other in the streets, and the conflict could lead to Sudan’s collapse. Pray that this will not happen and for a return to dialogue. The region is already grappling with ongoing conflicts in Libya, CAR, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Chad. All of them are theatres of ongoing armed conflict and all share borders with Sudan. Their conflicts have killed tens of thousands and displaced millions more. If the situation in Sudan worsens, all the Horn of Africa will suffer. See also
Yemen: peace talks
An agreement to restore relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran has opened the possibility of peace talks between Riyadh, which backs Yemen’s official rulers, and the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels. Saudi and Houthi representatives met with Omani mediators in Yemen last week to negotiate a permanent ceasefire. Pray for further progress. The UN estimates that 4.5 million Yemenis are displaced and two-thirds of the population are in dire need of humanitarian aid. In eight years Yemen has endured terrible suffering from bombs and mines causing needless deaths. The war is fuelled by Saudi Arabia, Britain, America and the United Arab Emirates - and also Iran, which has supplied funds and weapons to Houthi rebels. There are miles of negotiations and diplomatic manoeuvrings to go, but to reach this point is a tremendous tonic for Yemenis who have seen war plunge their beautiful and naturally resource-rich country into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Asia: severe heatwave
The worst April heatwave in Asian history is causing deaths and forcing schools to close. Temperatures of over 40C in Bangladesh have caused road surfaces to melt, and if the heat does not abate the ministry of environment will declare a temperature emergency. Six cities in India recorded temperatures above 44C. India has become particularly vulnerable to extreme heat recently; experts fear 2023 could be even worse. As temperatures and humidity soar, causing an orange severe heatwave warning, rural workers and labourers are forced to work outside. Weekend thunderstorms could abate conditions, but extreme heat is projected to continue into next week. Thailand has issued heatstroke health warnings and the high temperatures could continue beyond the usual summer months, causing drought and crop failure. China reported record-breaking temperatures for April in many locations, and over a dozen countries are experiencing similar problems. The death toll is expected to rise. Pray for the frail and elderly to drink enough fluids, including in the UK as meteorologists forecast an even hotter summer for us than in 2022.
