Exloring Life Eternal

May 10/40 Window Prayer Focus:
Unprecedented Protests Rock Arab World's Largest Country

The Arab world's largest country, which has a long history of oppressing and persecuting Christians, has slipped into a state of political uncertainty recently, with unprecedented street protests and demonstrations against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

In the past few months, there have been a series of consistent demonstrations by various Egyptian groups denouncing a fifth term for Mubarak or any attempt to pass the reigns of power to his eldest son, the Associated Press reported. Gamal Mubarak, 41, heads a powerful policy-making committee in his father's National Democratic Party (NDP).

Despite efforts by security forces to prevent the protests, thousands of protesters, most of them supporters of the Islamic movement, have demanded political and economic reforms and the lifting of the state of emergency imposed after the assassination of Mubarak's predecessor, Anwar Sadat, 24 years ago. Mubarak, who turns 77 this month, has been the country's leader since 1981.

Street protests and strikes are officially banned in Egypt, but the Muslim Brotherhood and the Kefaya (Enough) movements have mobilized supporters against Mubarak's regime. Security forces have recently arrested hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood members at protests and in raids designed to prevent demonstrations.

Earlier this year, Mubarak announced that rival candidates, for the first time, would be able to stand in a presidential election due this September. Previously, voters were only given the opportunity to say yes or no to a single candidate nominated by parliament, which is overwhelmingly dominated by Mubarak's ruling NDP.

Opposition groups and outside experts called it a limited step that still would not allow truly free elections. They said it was virtually certain Mubarak would stay in power, Reuters reported. Mubarak has left vacant the job of vice-president, leaving Egyptians wondering about his successor.

It is uncertain how the political unrest in Egypt will impact the nation's Christian minority.

Islam is the official state religion of Egypt, the most populous Arab nation with 72 million people and a close U.S. ally since the mid-1970s.

According to the World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission, tension between its Christian and Muslim communities dates back to 642 A.D. when Egypt fell to the invading Muslim armies of Abu Bakr, the first caliph and successor to Muhammed. Egypt had been predominantly Christian for the previous six centuries.

Ancient discriminatory laws have been used to prevent even basic maintenance to church properties and the building of new churches. Through systematic discrimination in education and employment, Christians have been forced into crippling poverty.

Many emigrate, many stay and suffer, and a very few convert to Islam. Militant Islamists have murdered and massacred Christians and the government has often treated the perpetrators of this violence with impunity, thus unofficially sanctioning it and giving permission for more. According to the U.S. State Department 2004 Human Rights Report, discrimination against religious minorities, including Christians is common.

Nevertheless, Christian leaders say God is moving mightily in Egypt. Recently, more than 10,000 Believers took part in a weekend of fasting and prayer in Alexandria, Egypt, with an additional 100,000 participating over the Internet. The Egypt prayer conference was held in Agamy, Alexandria on March 17-20.

The largest Christian conference held in Egypt was organized by the Fellowship of Evangelicals, which is under the Protestant Churches of Egypt, but all the main denominations were represented.

"Seven years ago, when the Fellowship of Evangelicals in Egypt held its first prayer and fasting conference, between 50 and 60 people gathered to pray," P.S., of Strategic Resource Group http://www.srginc.org/ , wrote WINDOW INTERNATIONAL NETWORK ... last month.

"By 2004, numbers had grown to five thousand," P.S. added. "This year eleven thousand people gathered in the tent each day, and ten times as many people participated over the Internet. They were there to praise the Lord and to seek His blessing on the land of Egypt and the nations around. And the motto of the conference was from Matthew 28:19-20: 'Therefore go and make disciples of all nations...teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.'"

While the vast majority of the conference participants were Egyptian, other Arab and African nations were represented. Included among the guests were a group of Iraqis, who had been specially invited, and a number of Sudanese residents in Egypt. Other nations represented included Korea, Brazil, the United States and several European countries.

Pastor M.K. of Uganda told those in attendance that God is reawakening a holy priesthood in the nation of Egypt. He added that God is looking for a people who will "stand on the walls," and will let Him intervene in their lives and in the affairs of their nation.

P.S. noted that "There was also an expectation that God is going to use Egypt to bless other nations, especially in the Arab world. That this has already started to happen was evident from the joy on the faces of the Iraqis, Syrians and other Arab Believers as they shared in the conference."

PRAY FOR:

- Peace to engulf the tenuous situation in Egypt. Ask God to bring religious, economic and political reform through the current political situation.

- Wisdom and guidance for President Hosni Mubarak in handling the protests against his regime. Pray for President Mubarak and others in authority to come to know Christ.

- God to raise up voices of moderation in places of authority, so that in all realms of society from the local school classroom to the nation's parliament, there might be people who can speak for Copts and other Christians. Pray for religious freedom in Egypt, including the right for Muslims to convert and tolerance of Copts.

- The Copts, who are Christian and the indigenous people of Egypt. Pray that Christians in Egypt would gain equality, as opposed to systematic, crippling discrimination. Ask God to give them security and justice, as opposed to the present system of impunity for persecutors. Pray for peace and fairness for the Copts.

- Wise, sensitive and strong leadership in the Egyptian churches, enabling Christians to stay focused on Jesus Christ while their leaders pursue justice graciously. Pray for Egyptian Christians to be able to freely share the Gospel.

- The Spirit of God to comfort and heal the hearts of Egyptian Christians who have lived for generations with discrimination, persecution and the resentment and fear that they breed.

- A spiritual awakening for Egyptian Muslims to turn from darkness to Jesus, the light of the world.

Sources: World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission, Capitol Hill Prayer Partners and Intercessors for America.

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