Prayer List for January 25-31, 2009

Sunday, please pray for Yao Lifa, a Chinese political activist, who has disappeared. “Yao Lifa, a well-known advocate of free elections from Hubei province in central China, was due to attend the reception held by the U.S. consulate in Wuhan, the provincial capital” to celebrate the inauguration of President Obama. “Yao Lifa, 50, a school official in the small city of Qianjiang, achieved nationwide celebrity as a fast-talking and tireless advocate of democratic votes, winning himself a place on the local Communist Party-controlled assembly. But Yao Lifa's campaigning and mobilisation of disaffected farmers irked officials. Under a shadow of official disfavour, he failed to win re-election but threw himself into a life of organising other independent candidates. He also signed the "Charter 08" petition issued last month demanding democratic political reform, which has pitted hundreds of dissidents and rights advocates against the Party.” His son believes he has been secretly arrested. (Yahoo)

Monday, please pray for MakeWayPartners to be able to provide and staff a sterile surgical unit for their mission in Sudan. They recently lost a pregnant mother and baby due to the long journey through the countryside to reach a suitable sterile surgical unit. (MakeWayPartners)

Tuesday, please pray for justice to be done in the assault and murder of a seven-year-old girl, Ma Ne Mya “of Ma Oo Bin village in the area close to Kyauk Kyi Town, Nyaunglebin District” by a Burma Army soldier on December 27, 2008. “The Karen Women's Organization is demanding the immediate arrest and prosecution of an SPDC soldier who raped and killed a young girl in Burma's northern Karen State last week, as well as punishment of his commanding officer for failing to take action over the crime.” The commanding officer, Captain Thet Khaing, has done nothing to the soldier. Not only does it leave an injustice, it endangers all women and children because other soldiers will think they can commit atrocities with impunity. (Free Burma Rangers)

Wednesday, please pray for the Christians of California, especially those in San Francisco, who have taken a stand for traditional marriage by supporting Proposition 8. Homosexuals have trashed churches by putting swastikas and insults on buildings. San Francisco officials have turned a deaf ear to the attacks on the churches. (Charlie Butts, OneNewsNow)

Thursday, please pray for the Christians of Mosul, Iraq. “Yassr tells us that terrorists in police uniforms are patrolling the streets of Mosul, setting up rogue checkpoints in what appears to be an organized campaign to force the city’s Christians to flee. One brother was stopped in the street by militia men who demanded to see his identity card. Seeing he was a Christian, the extremists shot him in cold blood. As many as 20 Christians have been killed in this way in Mosul in recent days. “Among the fatalities is a 15-year-old who played in the street with his Muslim friends, an elderly man, and even a man in a wheelchair,” says Olaf, Open Doors coordinator for Iraq. “Having ‘Christian’ on your ID card is enough to get you killed!” As a result, Christians have been fleeing Mosul in droves.” Please especially pray for those who have neither the money nor the means to leave. (Open Doors)

Friday, please pray for “the health and safety of the son of martyred Iranian pastor Hossein Soodmand. (Fears) are escalating as Ramtin Soodmand awaits trial for ‘promoting anti-government propaganda.’” The Iranian government could sentence him to death. (Open Doors, me)

Saturday, please pray for an Indonesian Christian, Rini, and her 4 children. Since her conversion 3 years ago, her husband has abandoned the family. Her family has also threatened and physically attacked her. (Open Doors)