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Praise God that in Romania the International Justice Mission (IJM) workers have seen many answers to their prayers. Specifically – IJM Romania has been receiving an increase in referrals from law enforcement. Training conducted by IJM has been a great success with positive feedback from police and prosecutor participants. There are continued strong and engaged partnerships between IJM Romania and the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Justice, police, prosecution offices and the Anti-Trafficking Agency. IJM Romania and the Orthodox Church have seen good progress in their collaboration. Please continue to pray for their work with churches, including engagement with the Evangelical and Catholic Churches and for more fruit to come from partnerships with public justice agencies.
Praise: God for the progress and success of IJM and all who are involved in catching and prosecuting sex traffickers. (Romans 8:28b)
More: https://www.ijmuk.org/stories |
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An ex-Muslim Christian working among Gazans in Jerusalem for medical treatment of war wounds said, ‘They’re tired of hatred and fighting so it’s easier to talk about love and reconciliation.’ Several became believers and one man was miraculously healed of cancer. If only more people would preach the Gospel, many more Muslims would come to Jesus! A great number of Jews have also come to discover their Messiah, and now contend that they are more Jewish than ever. Some had visions of Christ.’ Also, the Church of England will offer an act of repentance in 2022 for its anti-Semitism. The service will mark the passing of 800 years of humiliating anti-Jewish laws which eventually led to the expulsion of Jews from Britain. This monumental move follows their 2019 document ‘God’s Unfailing Word’, which acknowledged the Church’s role in fostering anti-Semitic feeling.
Praise: God for touching the lives of all His people. (Psalm 3:8)
More: https://prophecytoday.uk/comment/israel-middle-east/item/2309-the-wonder-of-jesus.html |
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The National Health Service has been providing free health care to all UK citizens based on their need for medical care rather than their ability to pay for it since its inception in 1948. This mandate does not extend to social care such as home care and residential care, which is means-tested. There is no overall limit on social care costs so thousands of frail and elderly people have had to sell their homes to pay for residential care. See Only those with savings, homes and assets worth less than £23,250 currently receive free council help with residential care. On 8th September Boris Johnson revealed plans to fund England’s social care and help the NHS recover after the pandemic. Employees, employers and self-employed will pay 1.25p more in the pound for National Insurance from April 2022. It will raise £12bn annually for the NHS and a proportion will be moved into social care over the next three years. Care cost contributions are to be capped at £86,000 from October 2023. If someone has less than £20,000 their care will be free and from £20,000 – £100,000 costs will be subsidised on a sliding scale.
Pray: for those working to alleviate the burden that our ageing population, the pandemic, staff shortages and falling government spending has created for the social care system and the health service. (Amos 5:24)
More: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-58436009 |
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The leader of Wiltshire Council, Richard Clewer, was astounded to learn that there are 1,350 empty Ministry of Defence homes in the county and is calling for some of the properties to be used as temporary housing for Afghan refugees. But he said the MoD ‘have not been terribly easy to talk to about this’ and he was frustrated by the delays. ‘Even setting aside the Afghan issue, to find out there are over 1,300 empty properties in Wiltshire while we are looking at the need to build further housing and have a waiting list, it really is deeply frustrating.’ Devizes MP Danny Kruger has backed the plans and says he has raised the issue with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace. ‘Afghans have helped us and we have to help them,’ he said.
Pray: for empty homes on and off Army bases to be quickly identified as suitable for refugees. (Isaiah 61:8b)
More: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-58434928 |
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Priti Patel is preparing to send back small boats carrying migrants in the Channel despite warnings from the French authorities that it could endanger lives. Border Force staff are being trained to employ ‘turn-around’ tactics at sea. Plans developed for two years would allow UK officers to force small boats back into French waters. It is unclear if the proposals would include taking migrants back to French shores. The proposals have already been rejected by the French government on the grounds that ‘safeguarding human lives at sea takes priority over considerations of nationality, status and migratory policy.’ Border Force will only deploy the tactics, developed in consultation with maritime experts, when they deem it safe to do so. Training is due to conclude this month. Conservative MPs want the home secretary to break international law and send all migrants arriving illegally by boat straight back to France.
Pray: for compassionate coastline forces to meet the needs of persecuted people and desperate refugees and establish coordinated structures to catch people smugglers. (Zechariah 7:9)
More: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/sep/09/priti-patel-to-send-boats-carrying-migrants-to-uk-back-across-channel |
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An Independent Inquiry found child sexual abuse in most UK religious organisations. Some had no child protection policies in place at all though many had strong safeguarding policies. They examined evidence from 38 religious organisations in England and Wales about ‘known’ prevalence of child sexual abuse. Numbers are unlikely to reflect the full picture. There was blatant hypocrisy and moral failing of religions claiming to teach right from wrong and yet failing to prevent or respond to child sexual abuse. Organisational and cultural barriers to reporting child sexual abuse are numerous, varied and difficult to overcome. These include victim-blaming, an absence of discussion around sex and sexuality, and discouraging external reporting, thus prioritising the organisation’s reputation above the needs of victims of sexual abuse. 250,000 children receive ‘supplementary schooling’ from a faith organisation.
Pray: for all faith groups to have a child protection policy and procedures, and allow Ofsted to examine the quality of child protection. (Matthew 18:10)
More: https://www.ekklesia.co.uk/2021/09/03/inquiry-finds-child-sexual-abuse-in-most-major-uk-religions/ |
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Millions of pupils are returning to classrooms in England and Wales, amid fears of a spike in Covid cases. Most Scottish schools went back in mid-August and since then Scotland’s Covid cases have reached record levels. Pre-term Covid testing is being used to limit infection, but rules on social distancing and face masks have gone. Scientists have warned of a rapid rise in school cases without such measures and experts have not recommended jabs for healthy 12 to 15-year-olds. Ministers want a return to normality, but cases are more than 30 times higher among children compared with last year. Headteachers are hoping for a much smoother term but also want school safety measures to be kept under review. Modified exams have been pledged but there is little detail yet on England’s plans. Teachers are asking for more information as they focus on helping pupils recover from the disruption.
Pray: for the government to be ready to step in so that pupils get what is needed. (Jeremiah 29:11)
More: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-58419277 |
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Legalising physician-assisted suicide could make the ‘right to die’ into a ‘duty to die’ for the most vulnerable. The following are ways to pray for end of life care. Ask God to provide necessary finances, staff and volunteers to the hundreds of UK hospices that offer individual holistic care for people approaching the end of life within a peaceful, compassionate atmosphere. Pray for the God of peace to equip nurses, doctors and all caring for terminally ill patients with everything good for doing His will. Remember vulnerable people who fear about the future and ask God to watch over anyone who is alone, uncared for, neglected or abused. Shine Your light into their lives and send Your saving grace and peace. As political and public pressure mounts, ask God to raise up respected medical experts to campaign against permitting assisted suicide and persuade the professional Colleges to maintain their stance against it. For more prayer points click ‘more’.
Pray: for God to frustrate plans for assisted suicide and give strategies to politicians to maintain safeguards and provide palliative, practical and pastoral care. (Hebrews 4:16)
More: https://care.org.uk/cause/assisted-suicide/ten-ways-to-pray-for-end-of-life |
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This year, all three of the biblical autumn feasts (Leviticus 23:23-43) take place in September. The Feast of Trumpets on 6-7 September is followed by the Day of Atonement on 15-16 September and the Feast of Tabernacles on 20-27 September. Among much else, Tabernacles is a ‘harvest festival’, celebrating the ‘ingathering’ of the summer harvest (Exodus 23:16). Just as the spring feasts (Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost) were fulfilled at Jesus’ first coming and by the sending of the Holy Spirit, so the autumn feasts will be fulfilled by His return, the gathering of His people to meet Him, the redemption of Israel, and the Messianic Age. As we celebrate this year’s harvest, both from the fields and of those who have been added to His Kingdom, give thanks that God is working His purpose out and that the time draws ever nearer when ‘the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea’ (Hab. 2:14).
Pray: for God to crown the year with His goodness and grant that we may use the fruits of the earth for His glory. ( Psalm 86:12)
More: https://hopeforthecountryside.uk/seedsofprayer/ |
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On the heels of last month’s warning from the UN climate science panel that extreme weather and rising seas are hitting faster than expected, over 50 ministers, heads of climate organisations and development banks met in Rotterdam this week and called for November’s COP26 climate talks to treat adaptation as ‘urgent’. They want more money and political will to help people adapt to the new reality. In a communique, they said adaptation – which ranges from building higher flood defences to growing more drought-tolerant crops and relocating coastal communities – had not benefited from the same attention, resources or level of action as efforts to cut planet-heating emissions. That has left people worldwide ‘exposed to a climate emergency unfolding faster than predicted’, they said.
Pray: for COP26 to launch an acceleration in adaptation efforts to enable the world to keep pace with a far-reaching emergency. (Galatians 6:7)
More: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/6/cop26-summit-urged-to-prioritise-adaptation-as-emergency-surges |
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Political leader, Aleksei Navalny, is documenting corruption and ostentatious spending by government officials and launched ‘Smart Voting’ to loosen the chokehold the Kremlin-allied United Russia party has on elected legislatures nationwide. Authorities have stepped up a crackdown on anything connected to Smart Voting in the runup to September’s elections to the lower house of parliament – crucial for cementing United Russia’s political life and key to constitutional manoeuvering ahead of 2024’s presidential election. Navalny used the Smart Voting tactic to secure victories for hundreds of opposition candidates in local elections in 2018, 2019 and 2020. On August 24th Smart Voting went high-tech with a downloadable app that identifies in most races the candidate most likely to defeat their ruling party rival, regardless of party affiliation or ideology, and urges voters to cast their votes for that candidate. Navalny is now experiencing police intimidation, attempts to block the Smart Voting website and fake Smart Voting sites flooding the Internet.
Pray: for Navalny strategists and systems analysts to successfully bring honesty and true competition into Russian politics. (Proverbs 14:34)
More: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-duma-smart-voting-navalny/31444380.html |
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Soldiers occupying Tigray are ethnically purging native people – detaining in concentration camps and massacring dozens. In Humera soldiers are going ‘door-to-door’ searching for ethnic Tigrayans in the campaign of slaughter with occupying soldiers saying ‘exterminate all Tigrayan residents in the city’. Last week Tigray forces attacked a hospital and religious site with artillery, killing civilians and looting medicine. See Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders have 800 staff treating war-wounded people, supporting five hospitals and running dozens of mobile clinics. See US officials recently reported fighters looting warehouses, trucks and causing destruction in every village visited. On 7th September the UN said 100 trucks of food and non-food items must enter Tigray daily to meet humanitarian needs. But less than 500 trucks have arrived since July. Over five million need emergency assistance and 400,000 face famine-like conditions. That number could get higher.
Pray: for humanitarian aid to reach those needing medical care, shelter, water and food. And for terrified Ethiopians to be given comfort and hope. (Psalm 34:18)
More: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-africa-47639452 |
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Since the February 1st military takeover, at least 1,045 protesters have been killed by security forces, and over 6,000 are currently in detention. The UK’s foreign ministry said it would impose an asset freeze on conglomerate Htoo Group of Companies and its founder Tay Za, who is involved in arms deals on behalf of the military coup leaders. The military junta has shown no signs of halting its brutal attack on the people of Myanmar and the UK with its partners will continue to restrict the junta’s access to finance and confine the supply of arms used to kill innocents, including children. The US has sanctioned Myanmar’s Minister of Information Chit Naing, Minister for Investment Aung Naing Oo, Labour and Immigration minister Myint Kyaing, and Thet Thet Khine, the minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement, as well as three members of the powerful State Administrative Council and their families – who are linked to the military coup.
Pray: for the protection and success of protesters demanding the restoration of democracy and an end to military repression. (Luke 4:18)
More: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/3/britain-announces-new-myanmar |
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On September 6th soldiers seized power, dissolved the government and detained Guinea’s President Conde. Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, a former French legionnaire, and his army want a transitional government and a new constitution. He announced on TV that all land and air borders are shut, the government is dissolved and ‘Guinea no longer entrusts politics to one man, we will entrust it to the people.’ Conde’s popularity plummeted after he changed the constitution so that he could stand again. This caused protests killing dozens. Doumbouya released 80+ political prisoners who had campaigned against the constitutional change and met the heads of Guinea’s various military branches to unify the armed forces under his command. West Africa’s regional bloc (ECOWAS) suspended Guinea’s membership on 7th September and sent a high-level mission to Guinea on the 9th to re-examine its position. ECOWAS was criticised by activists for remaining silent about Conde’s third-term bid.
Pray: for this to be the end of decades of corrupt rule and for Guineans lives to be improved. (Ecclesiastes 3:8)
More: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/8/west-african-bloc-suspends-guineas-membership-following-coup |
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Islam is Malaysia’s official religion. People can practice other religions, but ethnic Malays are banned from leaving Islam. Aadam and his wife Kasih are Muslim-background believers facing hardships because they decided to follow Christ four years ago. A young couple with a passion to serve people have been persecuted by family and the community as they lead a few house churches with dozens of believers. The couple and their toddler son and newborn baby were thrown out of their house once their faith in Christ was discovered. Because of lockdown, Aadam was unable to work driving his lorry which was also recently deemed unroadworthy. They had nowhere to stay and no way to earn a living. International Christian Concern heard about their predicament and provided house rental and repair for his lorry, plus two months of groceries. Kasih was so emotional she could not stop crying.
Pray: for the couple to continue to be the light and salt in their community and be bold as they witness to their Muslim friends and neighbours. (Philippians 4:13)
More: https://www.persecution.org/2021/09/05/icc-helps-a-malaysian-couple-thrown-out-for-their-faith/ |
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Catholic hospitals will defy Queensland’s euthanasia laws that force them to allow doctors to administer end-of-life drugs in their facilities. Health provider Mater said, ‘We will not tolerate non credentialed doctors coming on-site, nor will we assist in the provision of voluntary assisted dying (VAD) in any of our facilities.’ The VAD laws were signed off by parliament and are due to go to a vote later this month. Catholic facilities provide one in five hospital and aged-care beds in Queensland and want the same right to oppose VAD at their facilities, as is the case with South Australian laws. The legislation is all but certain to pass but many oppose allowing unaccredited doctors to enter hospital rooms without notice or permission and then to assist in a medical procedure that is dangerous and undermines patient safety. The Queensland government is forcing Catholic hospitals, against their values and beliefs, to open their facilities to assisted dying.
Pray: for institutions that block people’s access to VAD not to be fined for their actions. (Exodus 20:13)
More: https://ausprayernet.org.au/catholic-hospitals-revolt-on-euthanasia-in-queensland/ |
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One week after Hurricane Ida came ashore over half a million people are still without power. Some of the hardest-hit areas could be without power until 29th September. Mayor David Camardelle said, ‘It looks like a bomb went off. We have no water, we have no electricity, we have no food.’ Residents have been waiting in long queues for water, ice, food and fuel, and the situation has been made worse by extreme heat without air conditioning. On 9th September forecasters watched category 3 Hurricane Larry and Tropical Storm Mindy that are heading towards Bermuda and Canada causing ‘significant swells’ along America’s east coast. Louisiana’s Governor said, ‘We know there are a lot of people out there who are hurting. We’re going to continue to work hard every single day to bring additional relief and to make progress.’ But Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy said residents need more help now.
Pray: for God to strengthen first responders, emergency management personnel and all who are working to repair infrastructure damage. (Psalm 28:7a)
More: https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2021/september/it-looks-like-a-bomb-went-off-death-toll-from-ida-now-68-power-will-be-out-for-weeks |
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The Taliban is giving American-made military equipment to Iran. A report by Iran International showed images posted on social media of equipment in Tehran and armoured tanks and Humvees being transported towards Tehran. Two of the images were posted by the acting Defense Minister of Afghanistan. Last week Iran offered to resume fuel shipments to Afghanistan to prevent an economic collapse. Basic services like electricity are under threat, and there are food and cash shortages. On September 8th the Taliban showed that it is re-establishing its Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan with a caretaker government of hard-liner men from the 1990s. The theocratic Taliban core remains unchanged with several members of their governing body listed as terrorists. Few were non-Pashtun. Pray for the Taliban to respect women and minorities rights. See
Pray: for God’s plans to come to maturity regardless of man’s plans. (Isaiah 5:20)
More: https://vfinews.com/news/september-7-2021/taliban-gives-us-tanks-military-equipment-to-iran |
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