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Aasia Bibi says ‘I’ve forgiven everyone’

She was picking fruit on a sweltering summer’s day in June 2009 with Muslim women when a dispute arose over a shared cup of water because the Muslim women would not drink from a cup that they considered ‘unclean’ as it had been used by a Christian. This culminated in Aasia Bibi being accused of insulting Muhammad. ‘My husband was at work, my kids were in school’, she recalled. ‘A mob came and dragged me away. They made fun of me.’ ‘I am not angry at all, I’ve forgiven everyone from my heart and there is no hardness in me. I learned how to be patient after having to leave my children behind.’ These are the gracious words of Aasia Bibi, the Christian mother-of-five who spent nearly eight years on death row in Pakistan, falsely accused of ‘blasphemy’.

Praise: God for Aasia’s faithfulness to God regardless of her ordeal. (Romans 5:3-5)
More: barnabasfund.org/en/news/aasia-bibi-says-%E2%80%9Cive-forgiven-everyone%E2%80%9D-as-she-speaks-out-about-her-death-row-prison-ordeal

Sudan: prayers answered in Blue Nile region

We recently prayed that the preliminary Sudan peace deal with the rebel Sudan PLM would stand and end nine years of fighting and poverty in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan areas. Now the EU is allocating €30 million life-saving assistance to address various humanitarian needs in these areas that have been cut off from international assistance for years. Over nine million people are in need of humanitarian assistance; nearly two million are uprooted from their homes, while the country hosts one million refugees relying on aid for their survival. The EU complements its funding with development assistance that helps communities build resilience to increase people’s access to social protection in the long-term.

Praise: God for nutrition, shelter, healthcare, clean water and children’s education delivered to remote areas. May all Sudan’s hopes become realities through answered prayers. (1 Chronicles 5:20b)
More: www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/29390

More slaves freed

Last week Prayer Alert intercessors praised God for 115 people rescued from bonded-labour slavery in India. This week we can celebrate the release of 204 people, including 41 children, from two large Indian brick kilns in one of their largest ever joint rescue operations. Click the ‘More’ button for the heart-warming story of recovery.

Praise: God for the professionalism of agencies uniting to free slaves and arrest abusers. (Job 9:19)
More: www.ijmuk.org/stories/change-is-happening-204-rescued-in-a-single-day

Praise Reports

Coronavirus

We must continue to look to God and pray that people would not become unduly fearful. Pray that the coronavirus will not have any negative effects on the preparations for, and progress of, many Christian and secular Easter celebrations across the country. When times are at their worst, Christians should be at their best. We saw glimpses of this in China. Christians facing state-sponsored persecution are out in the streets giving out masks and sharing the love of Christ with their non-believing neighbours. That behaviour comes from knowing that this world belongs to God, and that He is able to wipe away every tear from our eyes. The government is advising hospitals to carry video-based patient consultations, and is moving towards the ‘delay – second stage’ to slow the spread of the virus. Pray that their precautions are successful, and that no further action ‘stages’ will be needed.

Pray: for God to help health officials to identify hidden virus carriers. (2 Chronicles 1:12a)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51749352

NHS clinic and gender transition

A 23-year-old woman taking legal action against an NHS gender clinic says she should have been challenged more by medical staff over her decision to transition to a male as a 16-year-old teenager. At the hearing, lawyers will argue that children cannot give informed consent to treatment delaying puberty or helping them to transition. The clinic runs the UK’s only gender-identity development service. Pray for the two claimants, Keira Bell and Mum A – the mother of a 15-year-old girl with autism who is awaiting treatment at the clinic. Pray for stricter control of the puberty blockers that pause the development of breasts, periods, facial hair and voice-breaking. They are meant to give children more time to weigh up their options before going through the physical changes of puberty. Their impact on brain development and psychological health is not fully known.

Pray: for institutions to give children looking for a life-altering change adequate psychological appraisals and counselling to help them to recognise how God has made them. (Genesis 1:27).
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51676020

Seeds of Prayer: Lent and signs

We live in turbulent and troubled times. The floods and other troubles facing rural Britain are just the tip of an iceberg: across the world, nature, society and church are being thoroughly shaken. These are the times of ‘signs’ that, variously, warn of God’s judgment, call us to repentance and herald Jesus’s return. Pray that God’s people will understand the times and know what to do, always being ready to give an account for the hope that is in us, and work to bring in His harvest. The season of Lent is traditionally marked by fasting and abstinence. It is a time to consider our ways. Many churches will set aside special times to meet, pray and study the Bible. Pray for Christians, both rural and urban, to understand how what we eat and how we live affects God’s creation, the land and those who farm it.

Pray: for Lent groups in village churches across the country to draw many closer to the Lord, His word, creation and people, while understanding the times we are living in. (1 Chronicles 12:32)
More: www.worldprayer.org.uk/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=a5af0e4c-b305-4586-b65c-e5f9a479a703

Flybe collapse repercussions

Flybe Airline has gone into liquidation, so that passengers needing to fly from the Isle of Man to hospital appointments in England cannot do so. Pray for the island’s government to resolve the challenge to their patient transfer contract, so that the health of patients is not put at risk. Apart from Flybe staff, pray for the hundreds of people in the aviation industry suffering in the knock-on effect, for example the ground handling companies who were used to transfer freight across the nation. Flybe is the fourth UK airline to go out of business in two years; pray that next week’s budget will be an opportunity for Chancellor Rishi Sunak to explore help for airlines. Meanwhile let us praise God for Great Western Railway who are helping Flybe customers and staff with free travel until 12 March.

Pray: for all travellers who stand to lose out financially to be catered for with compassionate banking and insurance decisions. (Job 5:16)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/business-51679904

Buy one, give one foodbank

Giving Stream have launched ‘Farming Food Bank’ where church members buy a retail hamper from their church for £30 and another hamper is donated to local families in need. The hampers include 15 balanced meals. Giving Stream’s Colin Kaye said, ‘We have the farm, butchers, chefs, equipment, and expertise to produce food. Churches have congregations and a local feeding programme or plans to launch one. This project links us all together, working as one, in the name of Jesus.’ Giving Stream will install a walk-in freezer on church premises at the company’s cost; they will stock it with two different products – a retail hamper, which can be bought, and a free food hamper, used for donations only. Every time a retail hamper is sold a free meal hamper is donated to the church, who then feed people who are hungry.

Pray: for this system to grow across Christian communities, enabling them to help families and make money at the same time. (Psalm 18:35)
More: premierchristian.news/en/news/article/buy-one-give-one-foodbank-project-helps-churches-support-struggling-families

Pray for justice

IJM is preparing to launch a Global Survivor Network. It is an opportunity for survivors of slavery to lead and influence policy on human trafficking. On 1 April two survivors, Pachaiyammal and Victoria, will be speaking in Oxford to share their experiences of trafficking and violence against women. Please pray for God to give them peace as they share their stories of freedom from slavery. Please also pray for the logistics of this event, for opportunities to connect with media, and for a global audience so that these survivors’ stories are amplified far and wide, bringing change and influencing programming around the world. Also, on Ash Wednesday, IJM launched its #SlaveFreeLent campaign, hoping and praying that this movement would reach further and have more impact than all they could ask or imagine. Praise God, they had 1800+ signups in just a few days, twice as many as in 2019. See also Praise item 3 and

Pray: for #SlaveFree to impact government, industry and business leaders who can make it a reality. (Psalm 20:2)
More: us3.campaign-archive.com/?e=&u=56bbfc10eaff2ae6cbe67be21&id=7530d7742e

Christian conference – legal action over cancellation

Scotland’s Destiny Church has begun fundraising for £150,000 to enable them to take legal action against Edinburgh Council, believing the case will have ramifications for the UK Church. It stems from the recent cancellation of a booking made at the city’s Usher Hall for the church’s annual SURGE conference with Gavin Calver and Larry Stockstill. The cancellation came after the venue said it had received complaints linked to comments Mr Stockstill had previously made. He is a preacher, author, and pastors’ mentor who runs a church-planting network. According to the Times, Stockstill has described same-sex relationships as ‘offensive’, ‘repulsive’, and ‘deeply grievous’. See Destiny Church, a thriving Pentecostal network focusing on evangelism and social action with congregations across Scotland, has been criticised by the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Episcopal Church.

Pray: for the conference to go ahead as planned, and for wider legal implications to be addressed for validity. (Psalm 28:7)
More: premierchristian.news/en/news/article/the-outcome-of-this-case-will-affect-every-church-in-the-uk-christian-conference-organisers-begin-legal-action-after-venue-cancellation

Praise Reports

Russia: Christians and new laws

Security agencies are using ‘Yarovaya Law’ to impose harsh restrictions on evangelical Christians to tackle ‘extremist’ activities. The law demands permits to enable meeting outside registered religious buildings – outlawing house churches and prayer meetings. The law gives security agencies access to private phone conversations and text messages. There are few Protestants who have not been impacted by the law. A Moscow pastor with a congregation of 50 who are interrupted most Sundays by police said, ‘Authorities dressed as civilians knock on our door, asking to come in and “pray”. If we refuse they film us turning them away and use the footage against us. If we let them in they take pictures inside the church to identify ways that we are violating the law and must pay fines for “illegal missionary activity”’. Meanwhile President Putin’s revised constitution wants gay marriage to be forbidden. It will be put to a public vote. See

Pray: for God to monitor and direct Russia’s politics/religious reforms; may they glorify God not government, and protect Christians from unfounded charges. (Psalm 5:11)
More: barnabasfund.org/sites/default/files/resources/prayer-focus-update/2020/pfu-a4-feb20.pdf

EU facing new migrant crisis

A migrant crisis on the Turkey/Greece border is entwined with Idlib, the last stronghold of Syrian rebels backed by Turkey. Russia supports Syria and intends eradicating rebels from Idlib. When 34 Turkish soldiers died in Russian airstrikes, Turkey withdrew from an agreement to prevent refugees from crossing Turkey’s borders with Greece and Bulgaria, so by 5 March 25,000 refugees and migrants had gathered on the Greek border, seeking to cross into Europe. But they faced Greek troops repelling them with tear gas and water cannons on the land border and denying landing permission at the coast. EU leaders voiced unwavering solidarity with Greece, pledging to deploy urgent border guard reinforcements on land and at sea, and to disburse immediately some €350 million in aid, sending a message to the EU’s 440 million citizens that they will prevent a new wave of arrivals at a time when the continent is struggling to prevent a coronavirus epidemic. See

Pray: for God to arrange aid and comfort for the thousands stranded at Turkey’s borders, in winter weather and no shelter. (Psalm 30:10)
More: www.politico.eu/article/eu-leaders-deploy-to-help-greece-seal-turkish-border/

Praise Reports

40 days of prayer and fasting

Dr Jason Hubbard writes, ‘Before Jesus ever performed a miracle, or preached a gospel, the Spirit of God drove Him into the wilderness to fast. He came out of that fast in the power of the Holy Spirit. Before there was an original Jesus movement, there was an original Jesus Fast. In 2020 Christians are being called to respond to Lou Engle’s call to a global 40-day-fast to see a world-wide manifestation of Jesus the Evangelist. The late Bill Bright (founder of Campus Crusade) believed that the power of fasting as it relates to prayer is the spiritual atomic bomb that our Lord has given us to destroy the strongholds of evil and usher in a great revival and spiritual harvest around the world’. See

Pray: for more of us to be motivated by a deep desire to fast and pray for the Glory of God in our lives. (Matthew 6:17,18)
More: www.ipcprayer.org/ipc-connections/item/12725-editorial-global-jesus-fast-beholding-the-lamb-by-dr-jason-hubbard.html

Global day of prayer to end coronavirus

A coalition of Christians across denominational lines has united to pray for an end to the coronavirus. Cindy Jacobs says, ‘We believe strongly that since this is a worldwide issue, it is going to take the whole Church to cry out together for the mercy and healing power of God to contain it.’ Church leaders stood united to fast and pray on 3 March to petition the Sovereign Lord for His mercy. Let us continue to knock on Heaven’s door, praying Psalm 91 over families and nations, binding fear, knowing that God has not given us a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7). Pray for wisdom for our leaders and safety for emergency responders working to protect people and prevent the virus spreading. Pray for Christians to have a calm courage to share the Word effectively through this time of crisis. For the prayer petition click the ‘More’ button.

Pray: for God to heal the land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
More: www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2020/march/christians-call-for-global-day-of-prayer-to-end-coronavirus

Nigeria: Catholics march against violence

On 1 March, despite heavy rain, many Catholics took a stand against a surge of Islamist extremist violence. The faithful marched the streets of Abuja against the rising wave of insecurity and killings in every part of Nigeria. They carried placards demanding a better and safer society. Some have reported that the numbers of protesters were in their thousands. The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference slammed the government for not doing enough to bring those behind these crimes to book. He said, ‘May we once again remind all the arms of government in Nigeria and all whose responsibility it is to protect Nigerians that without security there can be no peace.’

Pray: for God to strengthen the government and give it the ability to end religiously-motivated violence. (Isaiah 35:3)
More: saharareporters.com/2020/03/01/breaking-catholic-bishops-parishioners-protest-killing-nigerians-abuja

Global: liberation of women and girls

March is International Women’s History month. Women are two thirds of the world’s poorest citizens. Nearly two-thirds of illiterate people are women. Globally women are paid less than men. A cultural preference for male babies has led to 30 million deaths of unborn or baby girls in India and China and fuels trafficking women as brides or sex slaves. God looks on the heart: what do we look at when choosing leaders? Pray for more women and men to be recognised, equipped, and released into service based on their giftedness and godliness. Pray for more humble, Christ-like models. Prideful ‘hierarchy’ and ‘angry feminism’ destroy the unity that God designed and desires. Pray that Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, atheist, and tribal people groups will see amazing unity in the Body of Christ between men and women that causes them to turn to Jesus.

Pray: for churches to provide generous opportunities for men and women to plant churches, cast vision, develop leadership, preach, evangelise, and lead prayer and worship. (Jeremiah 1:5)
More: drive.google.com/drive/folders/17HScj7Er4e7IURkZ4BMeqMCoOeleyen1

USA: tornado devastation

Two 175 mph tornado storms touched down in Tennessee killing 24 people, sending 150+ to hospital, leaving tens of thousands of families and businesses without power, and collapsing hundreds of structures. Let us pray for the hundreds of families assessing the damage and tragedy, dealing with heartache, and facing a future of hardship. Pray for adequate aid and provisions to be made available for the many displaced people in shelters. The state’s governor has asked the White House for federal assistance. Donald Trump tweeted that the government is standing with Tennessee and monitoring the situation. Ask God to continue to strengthen the scores of people helping families who lost their homes in the storms. Complete strangers have been picking up debris and helping families go through the rubble. See

Pray: for God to support the churches, aid agencies and communities working to bring normality back from desolation. (Psalm 94:18)
More: www.christianheadlines.com/blog/violent-nashville-tornadoes-leave-at-least-9-dead-40-building-collapsed.html

Africa: coronavirus prevention action

On 15 February WHO prioritised support for thirteen African countries whose fragile health systems are already overwhelmed. It is critical to detect coronavirus early to prevent spreading within communities without the treatment capacity. Since 3 February African countries have been receiving technical guidance and advice on how to limit human-to-human transmission, so that they isolate and provide appropriate treatment to affected people. An Africa task force has been working with the WHO, screening points of entry, controlling in health-care facilities, advising on infection prevention and clinical management of people, laboratory diagnosis and community engagement. On 5 March five African countries had coronavirus – Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Senegal, and Algeria. See

Pray: for the preparation and training to be applied to contain the virus in vulnerable communities. (Job 4:4)
More: www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30355-X/fulltext

Malawi: Yao believers gathering

About 750 Christians from the Yao people group gathered recently for fellowship, worship, prayer and mutual encouragement. The believers, who spread across three different countries, had never gathered for worship in such a large group. Though many of them were very poor, they had saved up beans and maize to contribute to meals during the conference. Some of them made their own instruments and incorporated traditional dance into the worship. ‘It was beautiful,’ an observer said. A group who had experienced a lot of persecution in their village decided to take their village chief, a Muslim, to the conference. Afterwards, he decided that he and the whole village would follow Jesus. The Yao people have been predominantly Muslim since Islam’s introduction in the early 19th century. Malawi has the highest percentage of Muslims in southern Africa.

Pray: for God to strengthen the Church to withstand persecution and continue to draw people to Himself in Malawi. (Psalm 33:22)
More: vom.com.au/malawi-yao-believers-gather-for-worship-and-encouragement/

Praise Reports
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