9/3/11 Pakistan (PCP) Agony of Pakistani Christian Family in Finland - Since September 19, 2008, Trevor Clive, along with his wife and children, has been "hiding out" in Finland — praying for asylum. In fact, if Clive does not soon receive Finnish asylum, he will most assuredly face imprisonment or even death if he is forced to return to his home country of Pakistan. A Muslim cleric in Pakistan has accused Clive of blasphemy — a crime punishable by death in this Islamic country. According to sources, entire Christian villages have been destroyed and Christian children have been burned to death on the pretext of Pakistan's blasphemy law. Thus, the threat to Clive’s life and family is valid and serious. It is urgent and extremely imperative that he and his family be granted asylum and not be forced to return to Pakistan. Full Story Pray that Trevor Clive and his family receive asylum. Pray that the Pakistani government does away with its blasphemy law. Pray that no more Christian children are burned alive in Pakistan.

9/4/11 Nigeria (Vanguard) Nigerian Christians Ask for Protection from Muslim Attackers - On September 3, 2011, Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan stated that his government officials had positive leads on the masterminds behind Nigeria's recent string of church bombings. The president also announced his marked decision to protect his country's Christian citizens. Jonathan's statement comes on the heels of the burning of two Nigerian churches early Sunday morning. According to sources, Living Faith Church and Wisdom Chapel were burnt to the ground in the midst of a skirmish between soldiers and Islamic fundamentalists. The National President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, said Jonathan's statement was reassuring enough. “It is now left for the security operatives to demonstrate their state of readiness to tackle the menace of terrorism in the country,” Oritsejafor added. Full Story Pray that President Goodluck Jonathan and his government officials are able to track down and capture the masterminds behind Nigeria's church bombings. Pray that both Living Faith Church and Wisdom Chapel are able to be rebuilt. Pray for the Lord to place a hedge of protection around Nigeria's Christian citizens.

9/5/11 Burma (Irrawaddy) Burmese Army Accused of Planting Landmines Around Indigenous Church - Since August 13, 2011, members of the Katsu Kachin Baptist Church have been unable to enter their house of worship. Their church building has been commandeered by the Burmese army — an army who is in the midst of an ongoing armed conflict with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and bent on ridding Burma of Christianity. Katsu Kachin Baptist Church is now "home" to trenches, fortifications and landmines. "They have banned local villagers from going to the church or traveling around the area," said Mai Li Awng, a spokesperson for a local Kachin relief group called Wun Tawng Ningtwey (Light for Kachin People). "I don't think they should be allowed to do this because the church is a religious site and has nothing to do with politics. It's not appropriate to take over a church and turn it into a military base. It's a human rights abuse," she added. Full Story Pray that the Burmese Army will stop using Katsu Kachin Baptist Church as an "army base." Pray that the Burmese government will fill up the trenches, remove the landmines, tear down the fortifications, and return Katsu Kachin Baptist Church to its faithful congregation. Pray that the Burmese government will enact a law banning the commandeering of churches during times of armed conflict.

9/6/11 India (GulfTimes) Bishop Condemns Vandalism of Church in Kerala - On Sunday, September 4, 2011, masked gunmen entered the Kollam diocese in Kerala and began to ransack the small church. The vandals destroyed the church altar, the priest's vestments, and the confessional room. When local citizens went to the church to investigate the "strange noises," the masked gunmen threw them out. Stanley Roman, bishop of the Kollam diocese in Kerala, said that the church plans to build a larger church on the site in Kottenkulangara. “Perhaps this project has alarmed the Hindu extremist groups that already, indirectly seek to intimidate us. We have had, in recent years, a growth of these Hindu extremist groups in Kerala and we begin to suffer the consequences,” he said. Full Story Pray that the Hindu radicals that ransacked the Kollam diocese are caught and imprisoned. Pray for the swift mental healing of the members of the Kollam diocese in Kerala.

9/6/11 Nigeria (ChristianToday) More Christians Killed in Nigeria - Last Monday, Nigerian journalists were shown the dead bodies of a father, mother, and six innocent children — bodies that had been hacked to death by Muslim youths. The family of eight had been murdered in Tatu, a region where many Nigerian Christians have been forced to take refuge after being displaced by their Muslim neighbors. According to Reuters, at least 40 Nigerian citizens have been killed in the area since last Monday. Full Story Pray for the family and friends of the family of eight who was brutally hacked to death, as well as for the families of the numerous Christians who have been killed recently in Nigeria. Pray that displaced Nigerian Christians will be able to return to their homes in peace and safety.

9/7/11 China (AsiaNews) Nun and Priest Beaten for Speaking Out Against Government's Control of Church Property - In the 1950s, several churches and church-owned properties were seized when Mao Zedong took power in China — properties that are now due for return to their rightful owners. Unfortunately, while the central government has on occasion said that the properties should be returned to the diocese, the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association and the Religious Affairs Ministry have always opposed any request for restitution. Despite 16 nuns being beaten in Xian in 2005 for attempting to take back one of their schools, a nun and a priest still attempted to restore two church properties to the Catholic church on September 3, 2011. At least a dozen assailants attacked Sister Xie Yuming and Father Huang Yusong as they tried to return church properties that had originally belonged to the Kangding diocese. Although Father Yusong only suffered minor injuries, Sister Xie Yuming is still in the hospital. Full Story Pray for the swift physical and mental healing of Sister Xie Yuming and Father Huang Yusong. Pray that the Lord will place a hedge of protection around China’s Christian citizens.

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