Seychelles: Island paradise captive to heroin
10% of Seychelles is dependent on heroin. Addiction threatens to overwhelm them. Foreign workers are brought in to do the work that drug-dependent locals cannot do. Seychelles is number one in the world for heroin consumption. Tanzanian guards are in the jail to stem heroin flowing into the cells, but it’s not working. The jail no longer has a methadone programme or counselling sessions to treat heroin dependency. Addicts outside prison can get free Methadone if they register. Surprisingly, in a nation captive to heroin, methadone is the only support available. Taking methadone without detox and counselling is not a good solution. Yet, all residential rehabilitation centres are closed. However a grant from the UAE has been released to build a rehabilitation centre. Pray for this to begin to turn around Seychelles misery. Heroin enters Seychelles by boat and is sold in improvised shops in people’s homes. A cottage industry with whole communities involved.
Global: Bribery and corruption
This week, a US judge ordered Swiss mining and commodity giant Glencore to pay US$700 million in a long-running corruption probe. Last year, Glencore pleaded guilty to channelling at least US$100 million in bribes to public officials globally - from Brazil to the DRC, and Nigeria to Venezuela. Glencore negotiated with Brazil, the UK and America to pay up to US$1.1 billion. This week’s sentence confirms the US portion of the coordinated settlement. But it doesn’t address the full scope. There are more populations and individuals who suffered harm from Glencore’s scheme. Pray for a more comprehensive effort to identify and adequately compensate all those affected, particularly the most vulnerable. Meanwhile Indonesia wants guarantees from the UK that they will receive a portion of any future financial settlement resulting from a corruption inquiry into an aircraft manufacturer after Jakarta was excluded from an agreement made with Airbus, even though Indonesia assisted with the investigation.
Global: Ramadan starts 22nd March
Beginning at sundown on 22nd March over a billion Muslims around the world will abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and sex from dawn to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan. Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and one of the highest forms of Islamic worship. Abstinence from earthly pleasures and curbing evil intentions and desires is their act of obedience and submission to God and an atonement for sins, errors, and mistakes. Fasting is an act of faith and worship to increase their spiritual piety. Fasting together as a worldwide community (Ummah) affirms the brotherhood and equality of man before God. Throughout the day many go out of their way to help the needy, both financially and emotionally. Believing that a reward earned during this month is multiplied 70 times and more. For this reason, Ramadan is also known as the month of charity and generosity.
EXALTING JESUS - 21-day Devotional Series
Exalting Jesus! - is a 21-day journey into Easter... and a 21-day journey into more of Christ!
It takes place online between March 19th and April 9th 2023 (Easter Sunday)
Join us! - as we seek to enliven and enrich our relationship with Jesus Christ for all that He is!
Exalting Jesus is a series of 21 short daily video devotionals with responsive prayers for personal, group or church use. It has been produced by David Bryant of Christ Now in association with IPC.
More info at www.exaltjesus.life
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