. Kindly Pray for the Prayer Point . IRAN, MIDDLE EAST . Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reached out to Christians on Christmas Day. In a formal statement, Rouhani said he “wished a new year full of cooperation, peace, security, and tranquility for the Christians.” He tweeted, “May Jesus Christ, Prophet of love & peace, bless us all on this day. Wishing Merry #Christmas to those celebrating, esp Iranian Christians.” However, his words rang hollow. Jerry Dykstra, Media Relations Director for Open Doors USA, said, “The words of President Rouhani ring very hollow in light of the continuing arrest, sentencing, and imprisonment of Christians in Iran. If he truly wants to walk the talk, he would release the reportedly dozens of Christians languishing in terrible conditions in Iranian prisons.” . Pray for the Iranian government to release imprisoned Christian Believers immediately. . Pray for freedom of religion in Iran. . Pray for President Rouhani to believe in Jesus Christ. . . BURKINA FASO, WEST AFRICA . In Bagassi, a cave-in at a mine killed 14 people and injured 10 others. The mine is illegal, and the government blames the deaths on “anarchic” mining practices. Illegal mining is prevalent in Burkina Faso, and it is not uncommon for accidents to happen. . Pray for the government to regulate and control the mining industry. . Ask the Lord to heal the injured miners. . Pray for God to grant comfort and peace to the victims’ families. . Pray for the Gospel to spread in Burkina Faso. . . MALI, WEST AFRICA . The Malian government created new legislation designed to protect former child soldiers. During the rebel conflict, Islamist groups recruited, sometimes forcibly, hundreds of children, some as young as seven. According to Watchlist, many of the children were “tasked with manning road blocks, cooking and running errands, and many were trained to use weapons. Many girls were raped or forced into marriage.” In Bamako, two government shelters provide the children with food, shelter, clothing, and medical care. . Praise God for the government’s treatment of former child soldiers. . Ask the Lord to heal and free the young girls that were raped or forced into marriage. . Pray for Malian leaders to govern wisely and seek God’s wisdom and direction in all their decisions. . . AZERBAIJAN, SOUTHWEST ASIA . Rashida Manjoo, United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women, called on the Azerbaijan government to enforce laws protecting women from violence and “ensure accountability for acts of violence against women, including by punishing not only the perpetrators but also those who fail in their duty to respond to abuses. I am extremely concerned by the statistics that were shared with me on gender-related killings of women. The killing of a woman is the ultimate act of violence and is a reflection of the lack of protection and prevention measures when other acts of violence are not addressed by state authorities.” . Pray for the Azerbaijan government to implement laws shielding women from brutality. . Pray for Azerbaijani women to have the courage to report violent attacks and abuse to the authorities. . Ask the Lord to shield women from those who wish to harm them in this Asian nation. .
|