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Praise Reports

Britain’s got Christian talent

A gospel choir and a friar will be among the competitors in the penultimate stage of Britain’s Got Talent. In April when Fr Kelly sang Everybody Hurts, Simon Cowell said it was one of his favourite auditions ever, and many in the audience were moved to tears. His singing previously went viral on Youtube when he sang Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah at a wedding in 2014. It received over 60 million views. The DMU Gospel Choir was the university gospel choir of the year in 2016 and has been a BBC Songs of Praise choir of the year finalist. Members impact and transform the lives of many as they engage in community outreach, visit hospital wards, do schools workshops, charity performances, and sing for societies and organisations like Global Hands (Run for Africa). See

Praise: God for music that brings people with and without faith closer to Him. (Psalm 40:3)
More: www.demontfortsu.com/soc/DMUGospelChoir/

Immigrant: ‘God helped me’

Mamoudou, a Malian migrant living in Paris, caught the world’s attention when he bravely saved a child who was dangling over the edge of a balcony of a high-rise apartment complex. He has been nicknamed Spider-Man for the incredible way he scaled four floors of the building and lifted the child to safety. When asked why he undertook such a dangerous climb, he simply replied, ‘I didn’t think about it, I climbed up and God helped me.’ He added: ‘I like children. I would have hated to see him getting hurt in front of me. I ran and looked for solutions to save him, and thank God I scaled the front of the building to the balcony.’ Mamoudou has been awarded French citizenship. The child’s father is under investigation for neglect, and the child has been placed in care.

Praise: God that with His help we can achieve the impossible, even scale walls. (Psalm 18:29)
More: www.christianheadlines.com/blog/courageous-immigrant-who-saved-child-from-high-rise-says-god-helped-me.html

Praise Reports

Teachers and sexual harassment

For newly-qualified teacher Maya, sexual harassment started in her first week at a prestigious London state secondary school with a culture of misogyny thinly veiled as banter. Senior colleagues made inappropriate comments about her body, and she and her female colleagues experienced a barrage of abuse from male students. Many times over, female staff who reported problems saw no action taken. Maya’s close friend had her phone stolen by children, who rang her father saying, ‘We’re going to rape your daughter outside school.’ She wasn’t supported by the school at all. A year later Maya left the school, and soon afterwards she left teaching altogether. A recent study of over 1,200 female teachers by a teachers’ union revealed that one in five has been sexually harassed at school by a colleague, manager, parent or pupil. Nearly a third of these were subjected to unwanted touching, two-thirds to inappropriate comments, and over half to inappropriate sexual remarks.

Pray: for Government ministers and school bodies to take these incidents seriously and act. (Proverbs 29:15)
More: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/may/29/lewd-comments-upskirting-women-teachers-sexual-harassment

White fields across the Channel

Mainland Europe is a mission field on our doorstep. Jean Darnall and Smith Wigglesworth both prophesied God’s Spirit would flow from the UK to mainland Europe. Some from the UK and other European nations have relocated to France as ‘missionaries’. The evangelical church in France has seen remarkable growth equivalent to one new church every ten days. There are now 650,000 evangelical Christians in France. At the same time, the Roman Catholic church has declined, but there is a thriving RC charismatic movement. Social despair, mistrust of political leaders, and high unemployment, combined with a cultural willingness to discuss and debate have created conditions favourable to evangelical church growth. Now a Paris-based ministry with a vision for France and Europe called Jesus2Europe invites UK intercessors to join in prayer for France between 1 and 7 June. You can sign up for a prayer slot at

Pray: for a significant move of the Holy Spirit in France. (John 4:35b)
More: http://jesus2europe.com/about/

NHS resources – 1

A survey of 2,195 GPs in England found that 39% were likely to leave by 2022, and 61% of those over the age of 50 planned to quit within five years. Pressures in general practice have reached an all-time high. Workload has escalated by at least 16% over the last seven years, but the share of the NHS budget general practice receives is less than it was a decade ago. GP numbers are falling, and many GPs are burnt-out. GPs have increasing workloads, too little time to do justice to the job, and a pile of paperwork to meet external bodies’ requirements and increasing patient demands. A representative from hospital trusts said that the figures reflect a gap between what the NHS is asked to deliver and the resources available, following almost a decade of austerity. There are not enough staff, ambulances, community and mental health capacity or hospital beds to cope. Also see the next article.

Pray: for Jeremy Hunt to fulfil his pledge to increase the GP workforce. (Proverbs 11:3)
More: www.theguardian.com/society/2018/may/31/two-in-five-gps-in-england-intend-to-quit-within-five-years-survey

NHS resources – 2

Many are saying the ‘hostile environment’ policy is damaging the NHS. The current visa rules place a cap on how many non-EU workers can come to the UK, and this ceiling has been hit for six months in a row, preventing more overseas doctors from coming. Many believe the visa rules aren’t working in the best interests of NHS patients, and think that ministers ought to do more to ensure hospitals get adequate numbers of staff. Labour’s shadow health secretary said that we are turning away trained doctors who want to come and work in the UK while the NHS has a workforce crisis with 100,000 posts unfilled. Vacancy rates for nurses and doctors are rising every year. Health trust bosses raised concerns over the visa scheme recently when it emerged that 100 Indian doctors had been denied visas to work in the UK. See also the previous article.

Pray: for a change in visa rules regarding trained medical staff. (Ecclesiastes 8:1)
More: www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/theresa-may-nhs-doctors-immigration_uk_5ae877afe4b04aa23f2717dc?guccounter=1

Another forced marriage attempt

Last week a Birmingham mother was jailed for forcing her daughter to marry a relative almost twice her age. This week a Leeds couple were found guilty of luring their 19-year-old daughter to Bangladesh in 2016, in an attempt to force her to marry her first cousin and have a baby with him. She was rescued after she texted her location to her boyfriend, who then told West Yorkshire Police.

Pray: for recent events to alarm and deter families from allowing illegal marriages. (Psalm 119:136)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-44290935

Small talk saves lives

The path to suicide is usually gradual, progressing from suicidal thoughts to planning, then attempting, suicide, and finally death. Mark Harris of the Samaritans recently commented on ways of talking and listening that can help others in crisis. He said that making small talk with a stranger might save their life. Walking up to someone who seems distant or distressed and asking ‘Are you OK?’ or ‘Do you fancy a coffee?’ might be enough to break the chain of suicidal thinking and move them to seek help. He said people should not worry about saying the wrong thing. Often, someone in crisis is looking for an intervention and saying something, however small or seemingly silly, is better than walking on by. ‘By asking questions you are eliciting a response from someone, and you are at once engaging with them.’ In 2016, there were 4,941 suicide deaths in England and Wales – but a much larger number consider taking their own lives. See

Pray: for more outreach and community projects to touch the lonely and isolated. (1 Corinthians 15:55)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/40FpdJNjbFSWFTRchZLwKNj/how-to-talk-like-a-samaritan

Abortion in UK and Ireland

The Taoiseach’s comments in February when the 8th amendment referendum announcement was made were that abortions should be ‘safe, legal and rare’. In the United Kingdom abortion is not rare. The abortion law currently being proposed by Ireland’s government goes even further than the already very permissive UK law. The British law allows one in every five pregnancies to end in abortion each year. An article written by the Iona Institute sets out exactly how what is on offer in Ireland is more permissive than the British law. To read the article click the ‘More’ button. The most recent statistics on abortions carried out in England and Wales are for 2016; when there were 190,406 carried out for residents and 4,810 for non-residents.

Pray: for health centres to give appropriate help and advice to women and their babies. (Psalm 113:9)
More: http://ionainstitute.ie/why-our-abortion-law-would-be-more-permissive-than-the-british-law/

Praise Reports

Is Caen the new Calais?

Security at Calais is tight and Caen is becoming the point for illegal migrants to reach the UK. On 30 May the Road Haulage Association spoke of truckers running a gauntlet of violence and intimidation by migrants trying to cross into Britain. ‘We have evidence of real and present threats to lorry drivers’ lives. Lorries are forced to stop by makeshift roadblocks where migrant gangs attempt to get on board – frequently with threats of violence. There have been threats of rape towards female drivers. There is no question that the risk to drivers is significant and the situation is deteriorating.’ The RHA said that the French authorities need to do more to ensure that hauliers can operate safely. Drivers have the right to complete their journeys in safety and though the police and security forces are doing their best, they are heavily outnumbered. The RHA is calling for the deployment of the French military, who have the resources necessary to bring the situation under control.

Pray: for a solution that avoids violence and ends this Europe-wide border problem. (Proverbs 29:7,8)
More: www.rha.uk.net/news/press-releases/2018-05-may/is-caen-the-new-calais-the-rha-gives-victoria-derbyshire-the-full-story

Italy: political/culture change?

Following difficult negotiations after the 4th March election Italy has agreed to have a coalition government. Ministers are drawn from both the anti-establishment Five Star (M5S) and the right-wing League. Their newly chosen minister, Giovanni Tria, is in favour of Italy’s continued membership of the single currency. But the populists’ conflict with the EU is not entirely over. The M5S and the League have promised both new welfare spending and also tax cuts – which may run into conflict with the EU’s spending rules.Army general Vincenzo Santo believes 80% of the flow of Mediterranean migrants is controlled from Italy’s coastlines by its Mafia. With a new government pray that the migration issues will be dealt with. Many are anxious about immigration and afraid of migrants. Italians no longer trust in the EU protection of borders, the principle of Schengen zone and the solidarity principle in general. See

Pray: for God to enable the government to stabilise the political culture. (Proverbs 8:15)
More: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44322429

Praise Reports

USA: Mount Kilauea volcano

As the weeks pass and the Mount Kilauea eruptions show no sign of stopping, many are grappling with ‘What’s next?’ What happens if lava just keeps coming? How will lava-ravaged communities rebuild? The eruptions are in their fourth week, and for the people living on the island their unpredictable future is seemingly unrelenting. Pray for the thousands of families, particularly the elderly and vulnerable, who are being told on news broadcasts to be prepared to vacate their homes at a moment’s notice. Pray for the people returning to their homes to rescue pets and retrieve medicines who are finding mini-volcanoes in their back gardens. Pray for those living in fear as incessant earthquakes shake their homes and heat the ground under their feet, and for the thousands who have lost everything, or fear losing everything. Volcanologists have no idea when the eruptions might end. May God give hope to all whose future looks uncertain.

Pray: for God’s protection over those experiencing evacuation orders and poor air quality. (Psalm 91:15a)
More: www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/38312659/nearly-4-weeks-after-eruptions-started-more-homes-and-roads-at-risk

North Korea: summit with USA

Kim Yong Chol, a top lieutenant of Kim Jong-Un, is meeting with US secretary of state Mike Pompeo in New York, in one of three sets of parallel talks aimed at salvaging a summit between Kim and Donald Trump. Lower-level officials have been meeting at the inter-Korean border and in Singapore for other pre-summit negotiations. South Korea’s president said, ‘Kim Jong-un believes a face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump could put an end to the history of war between the two nations.’ Pray that this hope is realised. He also said that Kim had reaffirmed his commitment to ‘complete’ denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula when they had a surprise meeting at the demilitarised zone. Pray for Pyongyang and Washington to agree on a roadmap of talks that will resolve their differences.

Pray: for God’s wisdom to direct the talks between all the involved parties. (Proverbs 13:10)
More: www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/05/donald-trump-north-korea-summit-june-12-180527053507290.html

Kenya: apologies between political rivals

In Kenya, politics and ethnic rivalry go hand in hand. On 31 May president Uhuru Kenyatta, opposition leader Raila Odinga, and their deputies exchanged hugs and apologies, cementing their pledge to promote unity after a fractious and bloody election. The unusual scene unfolded at the country’s annual national prayer meeting, eight months after Kenyatta’s re-election in a poll that divided the nation and left at least 92 dead, according to rights groups. ‘We have said nasty things against each other, and today I ask forgiveness and apologise,’ said Kenyatta. ‘Never again shall a Kenyan die because of an election. On my own behalf and that of all those behind me, I tender my apology’, said Odinga, whose supporters were killed by police during protests.

Pray: for these hugs to activate true reconciliation across Kenya’s divided communities. (Matthew 6:15)
More: www.news24.com/Africa/News/hugs-and-apologies-between-kenyan-political-rivals-20180531

India: new virus alert

With a rising death toll (15) and the deaths of a nurse and a soldier in Kolkata, panic about Nipah virus is spreading in Kerala. Half-informed WhatsApp messages about Nipah are making it hard for people to distinguish fact from fiction, but what is known is that it is fatal in 70% of cases and there is no vaccine. On 29 May health experts flew to Kerala to help contain the virus that the WHO lists alongside Ebola and Zika as a disease that could cause a global epidemic. Emergency measures have been imposed to curb its spread; dozens of patients have been quarantined since the outbreak was detected two weeks ago. Nipah spreads from bats or pigs to humans, with many strains capable of spreading from person to person. This increases the chances of a strain emerging that spreads rapidly among the densely populated communities and beyond. See

Pray: for improved awareness by communities of infection control practices. (Psalm 91:3)
More: www.indiatoday.in/india/story/nipah-virus-claims-2-more-lives-in-kerala-death-toll-rises-to-15-1246498-2018-05-31

South Africa: a church response to land issues

Christian leaders are being invited to a meeting in Johannesburg on 5 June to collaborate on a joint Bible-based response on land expropriation without compensation, for submission to a new constitutional review committee. After parliament’s February vote in favour of land expropriation without compensation, this committee was set up to review Section 25 of the constitution and other clauses where necessary, to make it possible for the state to expropriate land in the public interest, without compensation. Following this submission, further stages of the public consultation process will continue; the committee must submit its report by 30 August.

Pray: for the power of God’s word in this document to bring clarity and fairness. (Proverbs 20:23)
More: http://gatewaynews.co.za/urgent-meeting-called-to-draft-bible-based-church-response-on-land-issue/

Australia: uprising of prayer

A next-generation prayer movement ‘Zoom gathering’ will take place on 19 June to raise up and encourage the next generation (15- to 35-year-olds) of intercessors in Australia. The event, organised by the National Day of Prayer and Fasting committee, is designed to reach more young people and alert them to all that is happening in prayer in the region. The vision is to raise up a next-generation prayer movement and spiritual awakening for Australia. Those gathered will divide into small groups of people being led by an older prayer warrior. The focus of the breakout room time will be on 50% discussion and 50% prayer. Each group will be asked: ‘What is God’s vision for the Next Generation Prayer Movement, and how can you contribute to that? How can we as an older generation of prayer leaders serve you?’

Pray: for God to ignite an uprising of prayer like nothing seen before. (1 Chronicles 5:20a)
More: www.nextgenprayermovement.com/

USA: Islamophobia

ACT for America, an Islamophobic lobby group, has published a 129-page booklet ‘The Art of Chapter Leadership’ which includes advice on how to ‘map’ kindergarten to 12th grade school boards for suspected Islamists, and how to monitor Muslim activities in universities, particularly in political science departments and Middle East studies departments which they say ‘have a real likelihood of being funded by the Saudis and have professors who are pro-Sharia, anti-America and anti-Israel.’ A former FBI agent, who provides counterterrorism training to US law enforcement, was secretly filmed telling police officers that Muslim students in universities pose a threat of ‘jihad’ and that a prominent civil rights group is a front for ‘terrorist’ organisations. He also stated publicly that Muslim Americans should not have the same rights as other citizens, and claimed he was in direct and regular contact with attorney-general Jeff Sessions, who serves under Donald Trump.

Pray: for God to cut the tentacles of anti-Muslim racism reaching into Washington. (Isaiah 5:20)
More: www.aljazeera.com/investigations/islamophobiainc/

Praise Reports
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