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One billion people around the world have never heard God’s word in the language they understand best. There are 6,000 unique languages on earth today, and 2,000 languages need translating so that unreached peoples can read the scriptures in their heart language. A decade ago, ten Bible translation agencies formed an alliance to end what they call ‘Bible poverty’, and organised the ‘I Want to Know’ campaign, giving people an opportunity to sponsor translation of one or more Bible verses. They hope everyone will have access to the Bible in their native tongue by 2033. Walkie, a native speaker of the Yupik language of Alaska, remembers the moment his mother understood the Bible’s message for the first time. ‘Before she died, I was able to read her Psalm 139 in Yupik,’ he recalled. ‘And she said, “Oh! So that is what it means to us!”’
Praise: God that the languages have been identified, and translators are in place to see that the Good News is translated into every one of them. (Romans 10:17)
More: www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2021/april/illuminations-alliance-by-2033-the-scriptures-will-be-available-in-every-language |
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Praise God that the Institute for Victim Care and Assistance in Guatemala has been able to give holistic care to 4,600 survivors of violence in the past six months. 60% of those receiving the trauma-informed support, co-created by the Guatemalan government and IJM, were women and children. Praise God that survivors of violence can now receive free legal, psychological, and medical support in one place. Pray for God’s strength for staff members at the Victim Institute as they continue to support survivors of violence.
Praise: God for the various agencies bringing release and care to victims of violence. (Psalm 34:17)
More: mailchi.mp/f66a5de3611f/ijm-prayer-update-pray-for-6-children-now-free-664920 |
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On 12 April, 1.6 billion Muslims will begin thirty days of prayer and fasting for Ramadan. Tens of thousands of disciples around the world will pray for them to come to know Jesus and experience new life in him. You are invited to join ‘Beyond’ for a regional update focused on the Islamic world and hear how God is working among Muslim peoples, the challenges and strongholds they face, and how we in the UK can get involved in reaching them with the Good News. The free online multi-week trainings are called Disciple-making Movement Nuggets. Each session focuses on one component – giving a short, practical piece people can ‘try out’. If they find it helpful, they can be connected to more detailed training and coaching. See also
Pray: for many to hear God’s call on their lives to reach out to Muslims during Ramadan. (John 17:3)
More: beyond.org/event/regional-muslim-world/ |
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On 8 April the gates of Belfast’s so-called peace wall were prised open and set alight, police were attacked, petrol bombs thrown and a bus burnt in another night of violence. Over the week 41 police were injured, and ten people arrested. The most recent violence saw eight more officers hurt on both sides of an interface between several hundred loyalists and nationalists throwing petrol bombs in both directions in the loyalist Shankill Road and the nationalist Springfield Road. The power-sharing executive has met to consider the situation; the escalation in disorder requires a united response. It is hard to know how ministers will work in unity when they have not been on the same page about why the violence has been happening. Also criminals are orchestrating violence by putting petrol bombs into the hands of 12-year-olds: see
Pray: for the police to apprehend the criminals putting petrol bombs in the hands of youths. (Romans 12:19)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-56664868 |
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Sir Keir Starmer apologised for the ‘hurt’ caused by his visit to Jesus House of All Nations after the church was criticised for holding traditional biblical views on homosexuality. He praised the church for opening its premises as a vaccination centre, then later tweeted it was a ‘mistake’ to visit the church, and that he was ‘not aware’ of their views on gay rights. The church was criticised for being anti-LGBT and supporting conversion therapy, but it does not engage in conversion therapy. Pastor Agu, the church pastor, said they provide appropriate pastoral support, including prayer, to all their members, whatever life situations they find themselves in: ‘This is consistent with the fundamentals of freedom of speech and freedom of religion and the government’s current position. Over the past 48 hours, in the courtroom of social media, we have felt prosecuted, judged, and sentenced unfairly.’ He said he is very concerned for the thousands of churches and millions of Christians who hold a traditional biblical understanding of marriage and sexuality.
Pray: for politicians to respect the biblical worldview and for Christians in the Labour party to share their beliefs with Sir Keir. (Romans 7:12)
More: premierchristian.news/en/news/article/we-have-felt-prosecuted-judged-and-sentenced-unfairly-jesus-house-hits-back-after-sir-keir-starmer-apologises-for-visiting-church |
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In November, the Government proposed cutting its aid budget as a result of the pandemic. In March the Prime Minister said the proposed reduction was only temporary and the figure would return to 0.7% cent ‘when the fiscal situation allows’. In a joint statement Archbishop Welby and Cardinal Vincent Nichols said that the recent review of defence, diplomacy, and development was a pledge to return the aid budget to 0.7% and honour the many promises made and to deliver on the duty imposed by Parliament. They added, ‘Saying the Government will only do this “when the fiscal situation allows” suggests it will act in contravention of its legally binding target. This promise, repeatedly made even during the pandemic, has been broken and must be put right.’
Pray: for the lifesaving work of the aid budget to be restored, for example in Yemen, Syria, and South Sudan. (Luke 6:38)
More: www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2021/9-april/news/uk/overseas-aid-cuts-are-doing-harm-and-should-be-restored-say-welby-and-nichols |
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L’Arche are committed to providing adults with learning disabilities with the opportunities they need to lead fulfilling and empowered lives through person-centered support. There are eleven L’Arche communities in the UK. L’Arche Brecon are working to rebind old hardback books into beautiful journals and notebooks. Rebound Books are individually and uniquely created from original publications. People with and without learning disabilities work together, removing spines from the original books and, using quality reclaimed paper, intersperse blank pages with selected pages from the original book. The books are then wire-bound into unique journals and notebooks. Agnes, a workshop facilitator at Rebound Books, said, ‘Everybody here enjoys what they are doing. Just because we think a person might not be able to do something doesn’t mean that they won’t be able to do it. It is about working together to discover our gifts.’ See also
Pray: for God to continue to bless L’Arche communities with the volunteers and resources to reach even more adults with special needs and help them develop their abilities and spirituality. (Matthew 5:6-8)
More: www.larche.org.uk/news/rebound-books |
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Twelve girls from southern England were in an Instagram chat group whose name refers to suicide. The group was discovered when three of the girls were found seriously unwell in a street and taken by ambulance to hospital for emergency treatment. One of the girls mentioned they had met online and discussed suicide. Police examined digital devices and found the group’s other members. Seven of the girls had self-harmed before being traced by the police. Children’s social care services from seven different local authorities are involved in safeguarding members of the group. In November Instagram launched technology to recognise self-harm and suicide images and words in content on its app in the UK and Europe. Sadly, Instagram said it found no suicide or self-harm related content in this group. The police said that peer-to-peer influence increased suicidal tendencies amongst the children involved, to the extent that several escalated to suicidal crises and serious self-harm.
Pray: for stronger protection for social media’s youngest users, and for comprehensive information sharing between Instagram and the police. (Psalm 146:9)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56617838 |
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Rt Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the Church of England’s first black female bishop, is concerned that a Government’s report on race and ethnic disparities said that the success of the ethnic minority population in education and economy is a model for other white-majority countries. The Bishop said that we will be an example when black people are not just sweeping floors, cleaning, and catering in establishments, but sitting around every table and in leadership in all walks of life. ‘There are serious issues around that report if it is telling us we are now a model country.’ The report, commissioned after the Black Lives Matter movement began, said there was no evidence of institutional racism in the UK: rather, geography, family influence, socio-economic background, culture, and religion all impact life chances more than racism. Many say the report was culturally deaf and out of step with public opinion.
Pray: for the report to realistically reconsider the degree of respect the white community gives to people of colour. (Romans 14:10)
More: premierchristian.news/en/news/article/bishop-of-dover-says-britain-not-yet-a-model-for-other-white-majority-countries |
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ECM UK is an international, interdenominational mission agency whose ministry primarily focuses on planting churches in areas of Europe where there is little or no evangelical presence. They work in over twenty countries, planting churches, training people in leadership development and managing social care ministries. Nearly all ECM missionaries are volunteers, raising their own financial support and prayer cover. ECM also has partners in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, France, Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands, all reaching out to unreached Europeans. See
Pray: for God to inspire more people to become tentmakers, evangelists, and discipleship trainers. (Matthew 28:19-20)
More: www.ecmbritain.org/ |
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Lava flowed from a volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula on 28 March, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of tourists. Then on 5 April a new 100- to 500-metre fissure opened half a mile north of the original crevice. Drone footage shows lava rivers feeding a larger lava flow pouring into a nearby valley. After weeks of seismic activity and over 50,000 tremors, the volcanic eruptions started near Fagradalsfjall mountain which has been dormant for 6,000 years. The current fissures are the first experienced on the peninsula in 800 years. In the first days a 600- to 700-metre-long fissure began ejecting lava. Now a cone with two open volcanic vents is ejecting lava at a constant rate of four to five metres every three seconds. The area is mostly uninhabited and 19 miles from Reykjavík, the capital and largest city of Iceland.
Pray: for God to look after the area, for the lava flow to remain in uninhabited areas, and for wildlife to be safe and sensitively evacuated. (Philippians 4:19)
More: www.forbes.com/sites/davidbressan/2021/04/05/new-fissure-with-lava-fountains-opens-near-icelandic-volcano/ |
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No party leader has enough support to form a governing majority, so Israel’s president has handed the job to Benjamin Netanyahu amid his corruption trial. If there is another election, a definite possibility, we are looking at another five to six months in which the current government is still running the nation. Lord, do not allow this government to miss anything it needs to do during this time: yet do not allow them to touch anything that is to be reserved for the next government. We remember Your promise, ‘I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will advise you with My eye upon you.’ (Psalm 32:8). Thank You that Mr Netanyahu is still Israel’s prime minister in all the world’s chaos at this time. Strengthen him for as long as You have ordained him to lead Your nation. Psalm 75:7 says that You are the Judge; You put down one and exalt another.
Pray: for God’s hand to direct Israel in the paths they should go. (Isaiah 30:21)
More: www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/6/israels-president-to-announce-candidate-to-form-new-government |
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While a Russian minister visited Myanmar for Armed Forces Day, security forces killed 114 peaceful protesters. His visit left observers wondering what Russia wanted to gain by strongly supporting the junta amid the bloodshed. But the timing was such that Russia, which never admits to anything, let alone apologise, felt the need to distance itself from Myanmar and sought to soften the damage to its image amid outrage over the deadly violence. Mr Putin’s spokesman said, ‘We are really worried by the growing number of civilian casualties. It is a source of deep concern. We are following Myanmar’s unfolding situation closely.’ The violence also challenges the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which must decide whether to stick to its principle of non-interference in members’ internal affairs or not. China, which is the only nation against imposing sanctions on Myanmar, is influencing the situation for its own commercial and political advantage.
Pray: for nations to unite to bring sanctions, peace and democracy. (Romans 12:18)
More: www.rferl.org/SteveGutterman |
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Last week we prayed for the nations to work towards ending Iran’s history of making weapons-grade nuclear material in underground facilities while denying their existence. This week the USA has joined talks in Vienna aimed at reviving the Iran nuclear deal which the Trump administration abandoned in 2018. Acting as intermediaries, officials from the UK, France, and Germany are shuttling between two hotels in the Austrian capital. Diplomats from the two other remaining parties, Russia and China, are also attending. President Biden has said he wants to return to the landmark accord. But the six remaining states need to find a way for him to lift the sanctions imposed by his predecessor and for Iran to return to the agreed limits on its nuclear programme. Iran has said it will not meet the USA face to face until that happens.
Pray: for negotiators to find ways to lift sanctions and address the nuclear issues. (Ephesians 5:11)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-56643178 |
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Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said they will continue to work around the clock assisting thousands of people evacuated from the shores of Palma after violent attacks by insurgents. At the seaport of Pemba MSF teams have been assisting refugees who are scared, traumatised, hungry and desperate. Project director Luiz Guimaraes said, ‘We have three mobile clinics around Pemba city. We provide for 400 to 450 consultations per day.’ He said that out of fear people fled, walking long distances on foot without food and shelter. Teams are also assisting with water and sanitation, as people need clean water to drink. ‘In this situation, they drink dirty water, and they have a lot of diseases caused by waterborne pathogens.’ He said that they had also implemented mental health services to help people cope with their traumatic experiences. Pray for God’s peace to comfort the refugees.
Pray: for the power of God’s Spirit to give MSF the stamina and medical supplies needed to address the physical needs of the refugees. (Philippians 4:13)
More: ewn.co.za/2021/04/07/msf-working-around-clock-to-help-mozambicans-displaced-by-insurgency-violence |
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It is fire season in Thailand, with hundreds of patches of farmland and forest ablaze in the north, belching toxic fumes into the atmosphere and poisoning the air. Tiny pollution particles caused an estimated 32,000 premature deaths in Thailand in 2019, according to a global report. Along with exhaust fumes and crop burning, smoke from the wildfires contributes to the problem. On the worst days this year, drifting smoke made Chiang Mai the most polluted city in the world. As the years go by, the pollution is getting worse. Each year, on average, northern Thailand has been swathed in smoke for eight weeks, causing thousands of health problems. In the first three months of this year 200,000 people in eight provinces have been made ill by toxic particles in the air, according to health officials. ‘Most of the people hospitalised already had chronic diseases,’ said the director-general of the ministry of public health.
Pray: for farmers to stop using fires for crop control, and for urban areas to use clean, environmentally friendly fuel. (Isaiah 24:4,5a)
More: news.sky.com/story/thailands-fight-against-toxic-wildfires-that-kill-tens-of-thousands-every-year-12267180 |
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A Turkish court sentenced Syriac priest Father Sefer to two years and one month in prison on terrorism-related charges. This sentence comes just over a year after Father Bileçen was detained alongside twelve others on the charges of aiding the PKK, an internationally recognised terrorist organisation. Father Bileçen said, ‘Two members of the organisation came to the monastery asking for food, and I gave it. It was detected afterwards, and the gendarmerie commander met me through the metropolitan bishop. I did not deny it. I wanted security measures to be taken so that this would not happen again. But no security measures were taken.’ Nevertheless he thought the case was closed. Christians in rural Turkey are caught in the middle of the Turkey-PKK conflict and no matter how they respond – they lose. Religious charity is being criminalised.
Pray: for the model established by the Turkish court in this decision to be reversed. (Isaiah 61:8)
More: www.persecution.org/2021/04/07/turkey-sentences-priest-imprisonment-acts-religious-charity/ |
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Iran is currently fighting a fourth wave of the pandemic, according to its health authorities, who announce horrifying rates on a daily basis. As of 6 April, the number of cities under a red alert hit 88, marking a sudden jump from 47 only two days before. One of the latest members of the red zone is the capital Tehran. Of the city’s 175 hospitals, 173 are dealing with Covid patients, whose population has grown by 100% since last week, fuelling fears that in a matter of weeks, if not days, hospitals will be overwhelmed. Over 90,000 nurses battling the pandemic on the poorly-equipped front lines have been infected by the virus. The rates are blamed on an easily transmissible new mutation, which was first identified in the UK and referred to as the British virus. The government traced the spiking rates to negligence of preventive measures during the two-week Persian New Year holidays that ended on 2 April.
Pray: for the health minister to make wise decisions about controlling the virus when Ramadan starts on 12 April, with the rituals of shared evening meals. (Proverbs 13:10)
More: www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/04/alarm-iran-pandemic-numbers-shoot-back |
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Prayer Alert is produced in partnership with
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The views expressed in Prayer Alert and on our website are those of the authors, organisations and websites named, and are not necessarily those of the Prayer Alert Editorial Team, the Prayer Alert Steering Group or the World Prayer Centre or any of its employees or trustees. While we try to ensure that the information we provide is correct, mistakes do occur and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of our material. If you do notice any mistakes then please let us know.
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