Exloring Life Eternal

Sudan - LORD God, we give you thanks for the release of Reverend Elia Komondan and five others after they were arrested on charges on kidnapping. We pray for your continued protection over them and Shiraz Feteh Rahman Bellula, a recent convert from Islam to Christianity, whose temporary disappearance had sparked the arrests.

Kuwait – Pray for the authorities to grant visas for more expatriate pastors and lay church staff in this nation.

Bhutan - Heavenly Father, we pray for the growth of the Christian Church in Bhutan. We give thanks for the small number of legally permitted congregations and ask that from them many more would grow.

Saudi Arabia – Pray for wisdom and courage for all Christians living in Saudi Arabia, that they will be Christ’s presence in this nation.

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Window International Network
P.O.Box 49127
Colorado Springs, CO 80949-9127
email: win@win1040.com
phone: (719) 522-1040
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URGENT NOTICE FOR PRAYER AND ACTION:
[Received from source inside Bhutan requesting publication for prayer and assistance]

We have been praying for these two brothers who were arrested in Bhutan January 8th 2006 in Ha western part of Bhutan. They were imprisoned without trial till now and suddenly they are sentenced for 3 years. They are given the provision of ten days for within which they are appeal to the court for bail and then fight the case with the help of prominent lawyer. In Bhutan govt is always right we are always wrong. So there is very little chance of winning the case unless there is intervention from high. So they need your urgent prayer.

In my previous mail I have asked you all not to publicize in media. But I got a call from Bhutan that those two brothers in prison has requested us to publicize media for international attention. So if you have access to media please let them know what is going on in Bhutan. If you need any further information you can contact me.

S. T.

As we all know about Benjamin and John Dai, they have been declared for three and half and then three years of imprisonment respectively.

They are given the provision of ten days for within which they are appeal to the court for bail and then fight the case with the help of prominent lawyer. The need is very much urgent. They are very much seeking the helps of organizations like Amnesty International or so.

Our previous actions were for prayer request for the victims, now the time has come for an action; an action to do something to reach the government by the prominent people. Their families have laid this request so I am doing this. So let’s help.

ACTION:
PLEASE PRAY:
1) God would intervene on their behalf and grant justice and mercy. Pray for God to bring forward a skilled attorney to represent them and people who can assist in pleading their case before the government.

2) Peace for themselves and their families and provision for all their needs. Pray also for protection from mistreatment for both them and their families as well.

3) God to use this as a means of uniting the body of Christ together to stand with our brothers in this time of need for His glory.

Saudi Arabia – Pray that the Christian Church would be committed in prayer for those who suffer for their faith in this nation.

Bhutan - Heavenly Father, we pray for safety and encouragement for all those Christians in Bhutan who have converted from Buddhist backgrounds.

Iran - We ask that you, Heavenly Father, would use the Christian Church as a real witness of your love and light to those who persecute your children.

Indonesia - Pray for the safety and release of the three Christian women who were sentenced to three years of imprisonment for allegedly trying to convert Muslim children even though these children attended the women's Sunday School classes with their parent's permission.

email: win@win1040.com
phone: (719) 522-1040
web: http://www.win1040.com [updated]
WINDOW INTERNATIONAL NETWORK
P.O. Box 49127
Colorado Springs, CO 80949-9127

Bhutan - There has been a crackdown in recent months on the Church in Bhutan. Lord, we pray that this would not cause Christians to be fearful. We pray that they would not forsake the assembling together and that they will continue to grow in the Word of God and encourage one another. Lord, we pray that You will protect them as they seek to know You more.

Indonesia – Recently, there has been a sharp increase of violent attacks by Muslim militants against Christians in central Sulawesi, including the horrific beheading of three Christian schoolgirls. Pray that the hatred, violence, and persecution against Christians will end immediately. Pray that the authorities will act swiftly, responsibly and effectively in apprehending, prosecuting and punishing those responsible for the beheadings and other anti-Christian attacks. Pray that the attempts by Muslim fundamentalists to Islamize Indonesia and have Islamic law introduced throughout the country will completely fail.

To God be the Glory, in Christ Jesus as He answers!

Bhutan, South Asia

Leader: King Jigme Singye Wangchuk
Dominant Religion: Buddhism
Christians: <1%
Persecution Ranking: 8th

The Drukpa, or dragon people, are the majority people group of Bhutan. They dominate the government and are devout followers of Lamaistic Buddhism, the state religion. The king has gone to great lengths to preserve the indigenous Buddhist culture of the Drukpa, even requiring all government workers to take an oath affirming their allegiance to 'one nation, one king and one religion'.

Such attempts to stress the majority Buddhist culture led to resentment among the ethnic Nepali community in the south. The resulting violence forced tens of thousands of Nepalis to flee the country. Some 100,000 refugees live in poor conditions in refugee camps in Nepal. Officials from Nepal and Bhutan are engaged in ongoing dialogue about their repatriation.

Evangelism or public expression of worship by any other faith is illegal. The authorities want Christians to stop witnessing and have closed many churches. Forms have been circulated requiring Christians to comply with 'rules and regulations governing the practice of religion.'

Bhutan is morally bound by the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights which guarantees the "right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion," including the "freedom to change religion or belief." Yet Bhutan has no written constitution or bill of rights and there is no legal guarantee of freedom of religion.

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Prayer points:

Pray that those under pressure to abandon their faith would remain strong.

The Church would continue to flourish despite the persecution.

Religious freedom would form part of the new constitution.

Believers would know how to share their faith with the Drukpa people.
The whole Bible would be translated into the Dzongkha language and that the Bible would be widely distributed and read.

LORD God Almighty, we pray that You would make Yourself known among the Buddhists of Bhutan as the One God, One LORD and One Savior. May You make Your truth available to them through the translation of the scriptures into their own language and through the powerful testimony of Your people in both word and deed. We ask You to bring freedom for every Bhutanese to seek You with the full backing of the law of their land. Amen.

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Bhutan is a country of personal interest. The church I had served with while in Arkadelphia adopted Bhutanese people in the prayer ministry.