Tag: Open Doors

Please pray for believers in Nairobi – Nairobi church stands strong after grenade kills boy, injures others

Peanut Gallery: Please pray for believers in Nairobi. This report from Kenya personalizes the fear that many believers feel just thinking about going to church on any given Sunday.

Nairobi church stands strong after grenade kills boy, injures others (Compass Direct) See full article below –

Would you attend church or stay home under these circumstances? With kids, it’s an even tougher choice.

“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.” Ephesians 6.13 NLT

Please pray for courage and protection of believers in Kenya… and for the people and church leaders mentioned in this report:

  • John Ian Maina (age 9) Killed in Attack
  • Jane and Patrick Maina, John’s Parents
  • Sally Gatei, Sunday School Teacher and Parent
  • Paul Muigai, Church Usher
  • Maureen Mwangi, (child) Survivor of Attack
  • Maureen Mwangi’s Brother, (child) Sustained Serious Injuries
  • Jackline Nduku, Parent of Injured Child
  • Archbishop Wabukala, Anglican Church of Kenya
  • Bishop Joel Waweru, Nairobi Diocese
  • Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, Member of Parliament for Starehe
  • Rev. Steve Shisia, Pastor St Polycarp’s Anglican Church

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Nairobi church stands strong after grenade kills boy, injures others

‘What if it’s this Sunday?’ questioned congregation, yet did not give into fear

Nairobi, October 11 (Open Doors News) — “Every week we wondered ‘What if it’s this week?’ Yet every week we turned up for church.”

Speaking to Open Doors News just after her Oct. 9 return from the funeral of 9-year-old John Ian Maina, Nairobi Sunday School teacher Sally Gatei was in reflective mood. “I told the team I didn’t need counselling, but I’d not been back to the building for a few days, since it happened. When I did go back to the church, my heart was pounding. You think ‘You’re alright, you’re strong,’ but I am going to get some counselling now.”

Gatei was in the room when a grenade exploded at about 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 30 at St. Polycarp, of the Anglican Church of Kenya, on the Juja Road in Nairobi. The explosion killed the boy and injured eight other children. Sally’s own son had been in there, too, only three minutes before.

“The most amazing thing, though, is that, although we thought we should cancel Sunday school the next Sunday, most children insisted we should meet as usual, even though the room had not yet been repaired!” Continue reading “Please pray for believers in Nairobi – Nairobi church stands strong after grenade kills boy, injures others” →

Please pray for Syrian believers – Day 6

Peanut Gallery: How do Christians survive as minorities in Islamic countries? Not easily… although in Syria, Christians have enjoyed relative freedom and autonomy and have integrated well into Syrian life.

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.” Titus 3.1-2 NIV

But the Sectarian Civil War  (pitting ruling Alawites against opposition Sunni Muslims) have caught Christians in the crossfire… and everything has changed. How to respond?

In this crisis, Syrian Christians have adopted this motto of a Lebanese pastor who lived through the heat of the civil war in his country –

Our loyalty is to Christ, Our submission is to the laws of the land, and Our love is to all. (With love from Syria….)

“In May 2011, International Christian Concern indicated that Christians in Syria were more afraid of the anti-government protesters than of the government itself, because under the Syrian Assad government there has been tolerance towards religious minorities.” (Wikipedia)

Please join me in prayer: “My people are hurting….”

  • For peace in the country and an end to the bloodshed.
  • For God’s rich mercies on the suffering people.
  • For the safety and protection of the churches, keeping the church’s faithful witness.
  • For wisdom and vision for church leaders.
  • For the glory of the living God to dwell in the Church.
  • To empower the Church to reach out to the suffering, to share the divine cure of the gospel, and to speak the word of the Lord in all boldness.
  • That the evil powers of darkness will be defeated in our land.
  • That the values of false religion will be exposed for what they are and despised and rejected by many.
  • For many souls to come to know the love and forgiveness of Christ and to enjoy His saving grace.
  • That the Lord would send wise, God-fearing counselors to the decision-makers in all parties in the country.

Please pray for Syrian believers – Day 4

Peanut Gallery: “Loving your enemies” is literally being put to the test by Christians in Syria.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”  Matthew 5:43-45  NKJV

Context: Over the past 20 months, the civil war between President Bashar al-Assad’s forces and the Free Syrian Army has caused approximately 30,000 casualties, mostly civilians, according to several reports….

The cities of Aleppo and Homs have become especially dangerous for Christians. “A lot is being destroyed in Aleppo,” one of Open Doors’ contacts in the city reports. “Extreme violence is being experienced in the last few weeks. You can see the results of it in the old city and in other neighborhoods and surrounding villages. There is a lot of destruction. We see that their apartments are easily confiscated by the rebels to be used for snipers,” the spokesman continues.

“The Christian community is the only group that doesn’t fight back or doesn’t protect property with guns. So when the rebels search a place to stay or to use for their battle, they choose the houses and apartments of the softest target – the Christians.” (Open Doors)

The City of Homs is a major industrial center, and with a population of at least 652,609 people, it is the third largest city in Syria after Aleppo to the north and the capital Damascus to the south. Its population reflects Syria’s general religious diversity, composed mostly of Arabic-speaking Sunni Muslims and Alawite and Christian minorities. The city boasts a number of historic mosques and churches and is close to the Krak des Chevaliers, a world heritage site.  (Wikipedia)

Please join me in prayer…

■  For peace in the country and an end to the bloodshed. For God’s rich mercies on the suffering people.
■  For the safety and protection of the churches, keeping the church’s faithful witness.
■  For wisdom and vision for church leaders.
■  For the glory of the living God to dwell in the Church.
■  To empower the Church to reach out to the suffering, to share the divine cure of the gospel, and to speak the word of the Lord in all boldness.
■  That the evil powers of darkness will be defeated in our land.
■  That the values of false religion will be exposed for what they are and despised and rejected by many.
■  For many souls to come to know the love and forgiveness of Christ and to enjoy His saving grace.
■  That the Lord would send wise, God-fearing counselors to the decision-makers in all parties in the country.

Please pray for Syrian believers – Day 3

Christians Emboldened as Syria Spirals into Chaos 
reported by Open Doors USA

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 NLT

Chaos Creating Opportunity: On the surface, the news from Syria appears completely bleak. An estimated, “300,000 people are now refugees from Syria, that’s triple the level of just three months ago,” reports Jerry Dykstra from Open Doors. In spite of the traumatic and chaotic circumstance, God continues to draw people to Himself. Dykstra adds, “We hear reports that many Christians are sharing with their Muslim neighbors. So even in the midst of this terrible tragedy, we see the Lord working.”

“The violence has pushed people out of their homes, fleeing for their lives,” a Christian pastor in Syria paints a picture for Christians in the West of the rapidly deteriorating, horrific conditions in the war-torn country. “Many are displaced internally and many others are external refugees living in the most humiliating circumstances, deprived of even shelter, clean water, power, food and medical care.”  (Open Doors)

Please join me in prayer…

  • For peace in the country and an end to the bloodshed. For God’s rich mercies on the suffering people.
  • For the safety and protection of the churches, keeping the church’s faithful witness.
  • Wisdom and vision for church leaders.
  • For the glory of the living God to dwell in the Church.
  • To empower the Church to reach out to the suffering, to share the divine cure of the gospel, and to speak the word of the Lord in all boldness.
  • That the evil powers of darkness will be defeated in our land.
  • That the values of false religion will be exposed for what they are and despised and rejected by many.
  • For many souls to come to know the love and forgiveness of Christ and to enjoy His saving grace.
  • That the Lord would send wise, God-fearing counselors to the decision-makers in all parties in the country.

Context: Evangelism in Syria – While conversion of Muslims to Christianity is legally possible, the societal obstacles make it virtually unknown.

The first and foremost reason why Syrian Muslims cannot change their religion is not the passive role of the state, but Syrian society. Father Paulo comments “freedom of religion is virtually unthinkable with regard to the cultural role religion plays in everyday Syrian society.” He opines that the “replacing of one’s current religion would not only mean the complete loss of one’s social ties, including one’s own family, friends, and acquaintances, but maybe also professional position.” From this perspective there are no legal but a fortiori social sanctions. Islamic scholar Jørgen S. Nielsen says in the same regard “the state obviously discourages it because it simply rocks the boat.” (Wikipedia)

Please pray for Syrian believers – Day 2

Peanut Gallery: This week I am praying for Syrian believers. I encourage you to pray for them with me, and/or to select another country or people group of your own for which to pray. Information on other countries for which to pray is available here.

Day 2: Please pray for Christian unity among the various denominational sects in the midst of Syria’s civil war strife.

Jesus’ prayer for unity:

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

“I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.  John 17:20-22 NLT

Christians have historically represented approximately 10% of the Syrian population with the majority population made up of 74% Sunni Muslims and the remainder scattered among various Shia Muslim sects. (Wikipedia)

Christians in Syria make up about 10% of the population.[1] The country’s largest Christian denomination is an Eastern Orthodox Church of Antioch(officially known as the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East),[2][3][4] closely followed by a Uniate[5] Melkite Greek Catholic Church, and then by an Oriental Syriac Orthodox Church; there are also a minority of Protestants. The city of Aleppo is believed to have the largest number of Christians in Syria. (Wikipedia)

Current News – Fighting centered in Aleppo (10/3/2012).

Aleppo, Syria’s commercial capital with a population of 1.7 million people, has become one of the focal points of the nearly 19-month-long crisis in the country. (France24.com)

This video shows the devastation of car bombs detonated in Aleppo – click here France24.com.

Please join me in prayer  –

  • For peace in the country and an end to the bloodshed. For God’s rich mercies on the suffering people.
  • For the safety and protection of the churches, keeping the church’s faithful witness.
  • Wisdom and vision for church leaders.
  • For the glory of the living God to dwell in the Church.
  • To empower the Church to reach out to the suffering, to share the divine cure of the gospel, and to speak the word of the Lord in all boldness.
  • That the evil powers of darkness will be defeated in our land.
  • That the values of false religion will be exposed for what they are and despised and rejected by many.
  • For many souls to come to know the love and forgiveness of Christ and to enjoy His saving grace.
  • That the Lord would send wise, God-fearing counselors to the decision-makers in all parties in the country.

With love… from Syria.