PRAYERPRAYERMAY 2018

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Open Doors Canada8-19 Brownridge Rd.Halton Hills, ON L7G 0C6www.OpenDoorsCA.org

May 18 | NORTH AFRICA In North Africa, pray for Christians in the region who will encounter Muslims who are seeking the truth during Ramadan – may they have blessed conversations with these Muslims.May 19 | ALGERIA In Algeria, pressure on believers from a Muslim Background has grown in recent years. Pray that God will give them strength and wisdom in these weeks of Ramadan, when the pressure from their family to return to Islam might intensify.May 20, Sun | MUSLIM WORLD In some countries during Ramadan, Islamists intimidate Christians with many questions about their faith. Pray that God will give these Christians the right words to speak and the right attitude towards those who question them.May 21 | PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES As the first week of Ramadan comes to an end, pray that God’s love and mercy will continue to be revealed to many who wholeheartedly seek Him.May 22 | MIDDLE EAST During Ramadan, Christians in Muslim societies are looked down upon by Muslims for not fasting. This can also lead to harassment (even violence) in the streets, at work or at school. Pray for peace-filled hearts for Christians and that the Lord will give them wisdom to know how to act in the coming weeks.May 23 | EAST AND WEST AFRICA Pray that the eyes of the spiritually blind will be opened during Ramadan, and that Muslims will see Jesus as the King of kings who has come “to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners” (Isaiah 61:1).May 24 | BRUNEI Pray for God to provide new Christians like Victoria* with His wisdom. She, and many others, are still secret believers and face an especially difficult time during Ramadan because of all the Muslim rituals and practices that are observed.May 25 | BANGLADESH In Bangladesh, a couple, Abu* and Sufia*, are planning to reach out to their Muslim community during Ramadan. Pray that they will be safe but fruitful. Also pray for a group of local believers in the area to be able to safely, and without fear, worship God during Ramadan.May 26 | TURKMENISTAN Hadija’s* Muslim husband forces her to pray and fast during Ramadan. He does not know that Hadija became a Christian after a friend shared the Gospel with her during one Ramadan. Pray for safety for Hadija, and many others like her, during Ramadan. May their loved ones come to know Christ through their living testimonies. Telephone: 905-636-0944

May 27, Sun | SOUTH EAST ASIA Muslims who convert to Christianity have great difficulty raising their children as Christians. They are forced to place their children in public schools where they are taught the Qur’an. Pray that during this month of fasting, God will give these children His strength and wisdom, as they may face much pressure from their fasting Muslim peers.May 28 | KAZAKHSTAN One day during Ramadan, Roman*, a devout Muslim, decided to visit a church to see the betrayers of Islam and cause a scene, but when he entered the church, he could not bring himself to leave and gave his life to Christ. Pray that God will draw many Muslims to a church this Ramadan, that they too will find faith in Christ.May 29 | CHECHNYA Before Fatima became a Christian last year, she suffered from depression, fear and nightmares for over five years. Now she desires to see her parents also come to know Christ. Pray that God will use Fatima’s life and her prayers to draw many people to Him. Pray for a breakthrough during this Ramadan.May 30 | SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES One of the biggest fears of the Church in the Southern Philippines, as told by a local Christian, is, “If the Church doesn’t reach out to the Muslims, the Muslims will reach out to them.” Pray that during Ramadan God will give Christians wisdom in reaching out to their Muslim neighbours.May 31 | MALAYSIA Pray for a Christian couple who is currently studying to deepen their knowledge of the Bible. They plan to fast with their Muslim family and friends this Ramadan, so that they will have the opportunity to share Jesus with them.

May

“ Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” –Jeremiah 29:12-13 (NIV)

Please pray for the church in Algeria to stand strong at this time.

SPECIAL EDITION | RAMADAN 15 MAY to 14 JUNE 2018 Pray that Jesus will reveal Himself to many Muslims as they fast during Ramadan.

RAMADAN ISCOMING UP

*Representative photo used to protect identity.

*Representative photos used to protect identity. *Names changed to protect identity.

further investigation. Pray for God’s grace over Elizabeth and that she will remain “strong in the faith”. Pray for justice. May 12 | GUINEA Pray for Madeleine. This married woman and mother of three children is facing mistreatment and death threats since her conversion to Christianity from African Traditional Religion in September of last year. She has been cut off from the community and her husband. Pray for Madeleine and her children, for protection and provision. Pray that her whole family will come to faith in Jesus Christ. May 13, Sun | NIGER A church in Tokarawa (established 30 years ago) was attacked by radicals earlier this year. Everything was stolen, including chairs, benches and musical instruments. When the leader took the case to the village chief, he refused to act. Pray for God’s protection and encouragement for this Christian community. Pray for the members to remain strong in their faith. Pray for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.May 14 | COLOMBIA Christians in rural communities are often on the receiving end of violence from guerrillas, paramilitary groups and government forces. Diego*, a pastor, and his wife Ledy* and their two small children in southeast Colombia have been threatened by guerrilla fighters to stop their ministry. When he refused, fighters came to destroy his house and crops, as well as to sexually abuse his wife and children. Please pray for protection over Pastor Diego and his family as they serve the Lord in difficult areas.RAMADAN BEGINS May 15 | WORLDWIDE Pray that Jesus will reveal Himself to many Muslims through faithful testimony as well as in visions and dreams as they fast during Ramadan. Pray too for the protection of Christians, as tensions often run much higher during this month of fasting.May 16 | MALDIVES The Maldives is a country which is very closed to the Gospel. Ramadan however, is a good time to engage Muslims in religious talk. Pray for God’s protection and wisdom over a couple, Mark* and May*, as they seek to share His love with Muslims this Ramadan.May 17 | SOMALIA In Somalia, Jihad groups linked to Al-Qaeda have flourished. They keep a close watch over Ramadan celebrations and heavily punish anyone suspected of not participating. Pray especially for the protection of secret Christians during Ramadan.

Leaders like Pastor Diego come together for a persecution

preparedness seminar in Colombia.

Pray that God will bring many Muslims to church.

May 7 | LAOS Lao parents living in rural villages do not send their children to school for various reasons such as acute poverty, or a lack of school facilities. Open Doors, through its children’s ministry in Laos, gives children free access to informal education usually during Sunday schools. Teachers and trainers in the children’s ministry are regularly equipped with training sessions. Pray that, through this ministry, many more children in Laos will be able to read, write and know Jesus. Pray for the teachers as well, that they will continue to have zeal for the Lord and passion to teach children. Pray for the 40 teachers who will be participating in the training of trainers (TOT) and pray that this activity will be used mightily for the furthering of the Kingdom. May 8 | TAJIKISTAN Please pray for Gulnora, the wife of arrested pastor Bahrom Kholmatov. May the Lord touch their relatives who are adding to her situation of anxiety at this time. They are being abusive and negative to her because of her faith in Christ. May these relatives find salvation in Jesus soon. Pray that Gulnora will receive complete healing from ailments caused by extreme stress and depression.May 9 | IVORY COAST Traoré (20) is an orphan student in secondary school who converted to Christ in 2016. When his family saw that he was going to church, they locked him up and beat him to force him to renounce Christ. Recently, they took him to the Imam who warned him to leave Christ. He was given a ‘mystic’ drink to try to change his mind, but to no avail. Pray for the Lord’s continued protection over him and that his faith will be sustained. Pray for wisdom for the pastor supporting him. He asks that we join him in praying for the salvation of his entire family. May 10 | NIGERIA Ruth* (24), from a sharia governed state in Northern Nigeria, converted to Christianity from Islam after listening to several Christian messages on the radio and other sources. Her conversion caused her parents to disown her. A church elder took her to his house after listening to her story in the church and enrolled her in a fashion design course. After approximately a year of her staying in his house, the sharia police abducted her a few days ago. She is being held in an unknown location. Pray for the Lord’s protection over Ruth and that she will be reunited with her faith family soon. Pray that she will be able to withstand pressure to revert to Islam. May 11 | NIGERIA Elizabeth Paul, an undergraduate student of Gombe state University, was expelled from the university for sharing her faith in Christ on social media. Some Muslim students accused her of blasphemy. Elizabeth was arrested for

Gulnora is thankful as she receives cards and letters of encouragement from prayer

partners across the world.

May 1, Sun | NORTH KOREA When Hanchul first heard the gospel, he felt scared and could not listen to the message of hope. Years of propaganda by the government claiming that Christians are one of their worst enemies had left him brainwashed. However, by God’s grace, he started opening his heart and mind to Jesus Christ. Hanchul received training at the Bible training centre outside the country and is planning to go back to his hometown in North Korea. Please, pray for God’s protection and strong presence upon Hanchul that he may keep his faith strong in dangerous circumstances. Pray for his family and friends to open their hearts and minds to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. May 2 | NORTH KOREA Christians in North Korea continue to suffer for their faith. Let us pray for the Lord to provide for them physically and spiritually so they will survive and will be encouraged through Scripture and His presence. “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” (Acts 12:5) May 3 | BHUTAN Pray with local pastors and their wives who visit believers living in remote areas to encourage and share the Word of God. They travel the winding highways of Bhutan for long hours, passing through steep mountains, high cliffs and narrow roads. Pray for protection and safety as they travel. Pray that the Lord will continue to broaden their territories and that they will be a blessing to many.May 4 | BHUTAN Praise the Lord for the lives of two Christian workers, May* and Ram*, who are committed to seek out those who are persecuted in Bhutan. Pray that they will always be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and His leading to serve the persecuted church. May 5 | SRI LANKA “Due to mixed marriages between Christians and non-believers, prayer time in many families is slowly diminishing”, says Pastor Nim* during a meeting with other believers and Open Doors workers in Sri Lanka. Pray with the believers in these families that they will boldly speak the truth and seek the Lord. Pray for a divine intervention among these families. May 6, Sun | INDIA The state of Uttarakhand’s state cabinet, led by Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, passed an anti-conversion bill on March 13, making it the sixth BJP-led state in India to adopt the legislation. Please continue to pray for Christians and other minorities who are being swamped by a wave of Hindu nationalism overtaking the country.

Pray for believers in Bhutan to grow in the knowledge of the word of God despite the hurdles coming

their way.

May

*Representative photos used to protect identity. *Names changed to protect identity.