MONDAY
Nepal – MANY PEOPLE ARE DYING DUE TO THE COLD

Our partner in Nepal writes… “The doors are wide open to preach and help people on the mountains. God is allowing us to do so as an answer to your prayers. We drove for 4 hours to get to Aaptar. We drove on a very rough road for two hours. There we preached among Majhi and Danuwar tribes. Then we drove to the top of the mountain to get to Jyamire village. There were 40 people above 60 years of age. One of them was a Hindu priest and he also got to hear the clear gospel message for his soul and also got a warm blanket for his body. It was really good to supply some copies of John’s gospel and other literature to the local churches. We sent 540 warm blankets to the Eastern Terai to give out among very poor people who desperately need them. We are hearing that many people are dying due to the cold and lack of warm clothes. Pray that the Lord opens their hearts to understand the truth of the Gospel and their need of the Saviour. We always trust God for boldness to proclaim His Gospel to the lost souls. Keep praying for us as we GO with the Gospel of propitiation through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God!”

TUESDAY
China – INNER MONGOLIA NEEDS SPIRITUAL BREAKTHROUGH

Inner Mongolia is the Chinese province bordering Mongolia to the south east. It has a population of 25 million, of which four million are ethnic Mongols. While the growth of the church is impressive, it has mainly been among the Han Chinese in the cities with very little work done among the minority groups. Due to cultural and language differences, very few Mongolians have come to faith. What local Mongolian church there is, is small and divided with lots of young churches and young church leaders, but they are passionate to reach out. It is similar to the situation in Mongolia about 20 years ago. The church in Mongolia senses God’s calling to take the gospel to their cousins in Inner Mongolia. They understand their needs and share their culture. Pray for two Mongolian pastors as they seek to evangelize and plant and strengthen churches in the province. They are focused on mentoring and helping local pastors especially in the areas of spiritual growth, unity and partnership.

China. –  XINJIANG WOMAN IMPRISONED FOR HOLDING BIBLE STUDY

A local court in China’s western Xinjiang sentenced a Christian woman to three years in prison for holding a Bible study. Ma Huichao, who was taken into police custody along with four other Christians when officials claimed their Bible study met without government approval, stood trial in mid-November for “gathering a crowd to disturb public order.” Her lawyer, Li Dunyong, was disallowed to plead innocent on her behalf, and she received a three-year prison sentence—which began on December 30th. Ma does not plan to appeal. Ask the Lord to strengthen Ma physically, emotionally and spiritually through this ordeal. Pray she may have many opportunities to share the Gospel while in prison and bring glory to the One she is suffering for.

WEDNESDAY
North Korea – FOOD SHORTAGES CONTINUE

Behind the headlines on North Korea, we find from personal experience that there are good people doing good works in this closed country. Praise God for opportunities to work with them to improve the lives of children in orphanages by providing food, and Bibles for the underground North Korean church. We can help by praying and giving towards these opportunities! During the harsh winter conditions of 2017 when food supplies are very low pray especially for North Korea. Pray for our partners who are ministering under extreme conditions where their lives are at great risk.

THURSDAY
Pakistan –  CHRISTIAN ACCUSED OF RIPPING KORAN FACES DEATH PENALTY

In what is a never-ending story of abuse… A Pakistani Christian faces the death penalty after being accused of ripping pages out of a Koran. Shahbaz Babu was accused of desecrating the Koran by writing his name on it and scattering torn-up pages in front of a mosque near Lahore. The 41-year-old was thrown in jail on blasphemy charges following a complaint by a man who is in a business dispute with the married father-of-three’s family, it has been claimed. Christian activists say Badu, an evangelical Christian, is illiterate and cannot have written his name on the Koran. The organisation reports that Badu was moved by local police to another to police station to avoid ‘possible reprisals’ arising from the charges against him. There were no eyewitnesses to him writing his name on the book, while his accuser is said to be in dispute with Badu’s brother who owns a ‘thriving’ grocery store. Others have pointed out inconsistencies in the accusations. According to Asia News, Babu was arrested on December 30 under Article 295B of the Pakistan Penal Code. One observer to the case stated that ‘This latest blasphemy case highlights the little progress made by the Government of Pakistan towards improving the rights of minorities under their protection… In every blasphemy case in Pakistan common-sense flies out of the window as a corrupt and incredibly inadequate police force goes about its business with prejudice and avarice.’ Pray for Badu’s safety while he awaits trial. On a number of previous occasions, Christians awaiting trial have been killed by enraged Muslim police officers who feel they are defending Islam. Pray for Badu’s family who most likely are in hiding for their safety! Pray for Bro. Hamid and his wife Aksa who direct AsiaLink’s ministry in Pakistan.

FRIDAY
China – CHINESE PASTOR SENTENCED TO PRISON
Chinese Pastor Yang Hua was sentenced on January 5th to two years and six months in prison after being tried secretly on the charges of “divulging state secrets”. Pastor Yang has been held by authorities since December 9, 2015. While incarcerated, prosecutors tortured Yang and threatened his family in an attempt to force a false confession from him. Yang subsequently requested that the prosecutors be banned from his case and asked his lawyers to sue members of the prosecution. However, the court still allowed the prosecutors to continue with the case. They eventually provided forged evidence that implicated Yang. Pastor Yang co-founded Living Stone, also known as Huoshi Church, with Pastor Su Tianfu. Chinese officials reportedly forced Pastor Su to “take a trip” in recent weeks. The details of his trip and his current condition are unknown. The church has grown from its original 20 members in 2009 to more than 700 today. Pastor Yang was originally taken into custody after he tried to prevent officials from confiscating a church hard drive. He received two consecutive, five-day administrative detention sentences for “the crime of obstructing justice” and “gathering a crowd to disturb public order.” When his wife, Wang Hongwu, came to pick him up on December 20th 2015, she saw four men put a black hood on his head and throw him into an unmarked van. Ask the Lord to give Yang courage during this time of suffer-ing and uncertainly. Pray he will find great strength from the knowledge that the Lord walks with him and his family during this difficult time. Pray for Yang’s church! Ask God to use Yang while he is in prison.

SATURDAY
China/North Korea – GARRETT’S LIVING UNDER A CLOUD
Continue to pray for Canadian missionary Kevin and Julia Garratt, as they settle back into Canada after their arrest and imprisonment in China. Since their return the Garratts do not feel entirely free. In recent months, relatives have encountered strange interference on their phones, computers have gone haywire, and strange cars parked outside their homes drive away when someone approaches. Pray for their safety and recovery as they adjust to life back in Canada. Thank God for his release and also, continue to pray for Canadian Pastor Hyeon Soo Lim from Mississauga who has been sentenced to life in prison in North Korea.