In This Issue: Stories from Japan, Burma, Ethiopia, and Azerbaijan
- JAPAN: Ways to Pray
- BURMA: Arab Protests Spark Online Uprising
- ETHIOPIA: Attacks on Churches
- AZERBAIJAN: Church Growing, Reaching Out
Missions Catalyst is a free, weekly electronic digest of mission news and resources designed to inspire and equip Christians worldwide for global ministry. Use it to fuel your prayers, find tips and opportunities, and stay in touch with how God is building his kingdom all over the world. Please forward it freely!
JAPAN: Ways to Pray
Source: Japan Prayer Link via email from Liz Adleta of Ethne Prayer, March 12, 2011
At 2:46 p.m. local time, March 11, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Japan off the eastern coast of Miyagi Prefecture. This is the largest recorded earthquake ever to have struck Japan … Some experts have said that there could be strong aftershocks of up to magnitude level eight for six months.
The devastation from the initial earthquake was compounded by heavy tsunamis that hammered the east coast, and even after 24 hours the eastern coast of Japan was still under warning for tsunamis. Sendai City was hit the hardest, both by the [tremor] and the tsunami. Some towns were entirely obliterated by the tsunamis.
– Casualty reports are still coming in. Pray for those who are trapped and injured, as well as those who are missing friends and family.
– Pray also for the weather. With radiation being diffused into the air, wind or rain could carry it into populated areas and expose people. Pray that any wind will carry radiation out to sea rather than into populated areas. What’s more, bitterly cold night-time temperatures could prove life-threatening for those who are trapped.
– Public transit systems in Tokyo and the surrounding areas were shut down for hours after the quake, with some people still [separated] from their families. Pray for those who are stranded away from their loved ones at this difficult time.
– Millions of homes in northeastern Japan are without power, and over a million homes in Ibaraki Prefecture are without fresh water supplies. Pray for the power plants and water facilities to be able to resume their work, and pray for those who do not have these essential supplies.
– Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in the coastal areas and the area around the Fukushima nuclear power plants. Please pray for them, and all who are having to stay in public shelters.
– Relief workers are working around the clock to rescue survivors. Pray for the relief workers, that God would grant safety and stamina.
– Pray for the Christians of Japan, that we would be able to mobilize relief efforts and provide for people’s needs, both physical and spiritual.
>> See also: Praying for Japanese Brothers and Sisters (Fetch a Prayer) for Bible-based daily prayers and Ten Ways a Christian Should Respond [Theologically] to the Earthquake in Japan (Adrian Warnock).
BURMA: Arab Protests Spark Online Uprising
Source: The Christian Post, March 8, 2011
Inspired by protesters in the Arab world, Burma’s democracy activists have set off an online revolution to oppose their junta-led government.
Alana Golmei, in charge of advocacy group Burma Centre Delhi, said the Burmese pro-democracy activists were closely watching the protests in the Arab world despite media and Internet restrictions.
An activist from the Thai-Burma border who identified himself as Tha U Wah A Pah said, “Every act of freedom anywhere in the world is an encouragement to the people here and gives hope and courage.”
However, the impact of the Internet campaign is expected to be low in Burma’s frontier states where most ethnic minorities, including Christians, live and have been fighting for independence or greater autonomy. “People in ethnic minority states have limited access to the Internet,” Kaung said.
>> Full story with picture.
>> See also: Winds of Revolution Stirring in Burma (Mission Network News).
ETHIOPIA: Attacks on Churches
Source: SIM (Serving in Mission), March 8, 2011
After four years of calm, Christians are once again being attacked in Jimma area, 300 kilometers west of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The attacks took place in different locations starting from March 2 until now. Churches and Christian homes have been put on fire. The violence seems well-planned and organized. Thousands of Muslims gathered from surrounding villages to burn, to destroy, and to oust churches and Christians [in areas where Muslims and Christians] have lived together peacefully for years.
Churches among four denominations have been attacked in eight towns.
In addition, more than 35 Christian homes were burnt down in the daylight, which has displaced families into the wilderness. Church leaders reported that children and women are greatly affected. It is also estimated that more than 1000 people have become homeless and are dependent on relief aid. As we prepare this report, more attacks are occurring in these areas and nearby communities.
We request Christian brothers and sisters to pray for the suffering churches in Jimma zone, and to pray for our Muslim neighbors who are involved in this aggression.
>> Full story.
>> See also: Mobs in Jimma Zone Destroy Churches (Jimma Times), and on a more positive note, Pray for Banna and Kafa Scripture Translations (SIM).
AZERBAIJAN: Church Growing, Reaching Out
Source: Mission Network News, March 10, 2011
In a country where religion has been restricted, the Azerbaijani church is growing and reaching out.
That’s the message from the President of Russian Ministries, Sergey Rakhuba, who is traveling throughout the former Soviet Union this week. Rakhuba says while the government required the re-registration of all religious organizations, unfortunately not a single evangelical church has been allowed to register.
Rakhuba says persecution has followed. “Several pastors [have been] imprisoned for many months for activity on behalf of their church[es]. So they would provoke them into something, throw them in prison, and persecute them.”
While persecution has increased, it hasn’t affected church growth in the predominately Muslim nation. Rakhuba says young people are open. “They say, ‘We want to have a relationship with God. We want to know more about God. However, traditional Islam does not give us any grounds to learn more about [him].'”
Many are turning to Christ as Christians reach out covertly with the gospel, says Rakhuba, and these new believers are passionate about evangelism. “They’re so active. They’re so clever. They’re so strategic in reaching out to villages in Azerbaijan under tremendous threat.”
>> Full story with picture.
Pat Noble has been the “news sleuth” for the Missions Catalyst since 2004. In addition to churning out the news, she is working to create a SWARM (Serving World A Regional Mobilizers) in Northern New York using the NorthernChristian.org website. A mission leader in her local church, avid reader, and follower of world news, Pat is also a Northeast Regional rep for ACMC (Advancing Churches in Missions Commitment).
