It all started two weeks ago when student protesters began demanding an end to a quota that reserves 30% of government jobs for relatives of freedom fighters.

Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations says, “One of the greatest fears that the government would have would be a student movement. It’s incredibly intimidating because they know the power of that and the substance of that. That’s what was happening, and so they began to negotiate to ease some of these quota restrictions.

“So the good news is that things are moving in the right direction. The bad news is it just was very revealing of how unstable a country like Bangladesh is.”

Dhaka, Bangladesh. (Photo courtesy of Niloy Biswas/Unsplash)

Along with the social unrest, Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority nation in deep spiritual darkness.

“If the Church around the world is looking at Bangladesh, they’re going to find a country that is in great need of the Gospel,” Kelley says. “I mean, you can’t look at a country of 173 million people, top 10 population of countries in the world, and less than 2% Christian [without] saying, ‘Oh my goodness, where is the Church at? Where are our missions efforts at?’”

So what can the Church do? Kelley says, “We need to get Bibles in there!”

Unknown Nations is reaching Bangladesh with biblical hope. In connection with ministry partners, “We distribute solar-powered audio Bibles by the hundreds in the Bengali language.”

Pray for the peace of Christ to permeate Bangladesh as a result of millions of people hearing Scripture and choosing to follow Jesus.

Support Unknown Nations’s audio Bible distribution ministry here!

Header photo courtesy of Unknown Nations.

Nearly 300 French cities and several Paris neighborhoods have seen violent protests and vandalism in recent weeks.

The spark was lit when 17-year-old boy was killed by police on June 27. Nahel Merzouk, a teenager of North African descent, was shot during a traffic stop. Police say Merzouk drove at the officer who shot him in self-defense.

Paris, France (Photo courtesy of Pascal Weiland/Unsplash)

Protestors argue the tragic incident demonstrates the mistreatment of minorities and refugees in France. Police say it’s an issue of youth delinquency. Many of the protestors and vandals arrested have been youth and teens, with the average age being 17 and some as young as 12.

The continued unrest, although it has slowed some, has deterred many holiday travelers plans during Bastille Day and affected local businesses and ministries.

Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) has felt the impact with their Good News Clubs for kids in France.

Krista Biesiadecki with CEF says, “Parents are concerned about sending their children out into our Good News Clubs and other things that were happening for children in these weeks. A lot of cities are also enforcing curfews and asking that parents would just keep their children home, especially when a lot of the violence is starting with young people and teenagers.”

The conflict is complicated, but one thing is certain: Hurting communities in France need the hope of the Gospel. Yet, this can be easier said than done.

“These areas have been previously difficult to reach with the Gospel,” Biesiadecki says. “In those same neighborhoods where there’s a lot of violence and there’s a lot of rioting right now, a lot of the Good News Clubs and CEF ministry to children has not been accepted.”

(Image courtesy of CEF)

According to a recent survey by Odoxa, 74% of the French population aged 65 and older claims Christianity (largely Catholic). However, among young people in France under age 25, only 30% identify as Christian. Fewer are actually active in their faith.

“This is really an area of prayer that we can be praying for the children and the young people of France, that they would know and they would have hope in Christ,” says Biesiadecki.

“This is a generation without a lot of hope that [is] growing up without knowing Christ. It’s leading to a lot of violence and a lot of sad situations in their communities.”

Please pray also that God would open new doors for CEF’s Gospel ministry to kids in France.

Header photo courtesy of Joe DeSousa/Unsplash.

This is the second time Lebanon’s municipal elections have been postponed. They were originally supposed to take place in May 2022 but were delayed one year.

Municipal and parliamentary elections are the only elections in Lebanon that allow for citizens to vote directly.

Additionally, Lebanon is approaching six months now without a president, and one year without a fully functioning government. Three-quarters of the population lives in poverty.

(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

As Camille Melki with Heart for Lebanon puts it, the Lebanese have been “holding our breath.” With the elections postponed again, disappointment and anger has taken hold.

Lebanon has shown over and over again that the people cannot rely on politicians for solutions.

Melki explains, “The municipalities are the smallest sized government that provides daily services to the citizens of that village, town, and city…. Those municipalities are out of cash, out of resources, and they can’t even pay their own staff salaries. So their basic needs and basic services are lacking all throughout the country of Lebanon.”

In this time of political uncertainty, the Lebanese Church is pointing people to a better hope in Christ.

“The citizens of Lebanon are seeking help predominantly from non-government agencies and from places of worship, which put the Church at the forefront addressing basic needs, immediate needs of survival — whether it’s food, education, or medicine. The Church is playing a significant role to be the hands and feet of Jesus today more than it has ever done so.”

Melki says, “The Church does all that with Christ’s love without anything expected in return. Your politicians might love and care on you, but basically they’re loving and caring on their position. They want a return on their daily investment.

Aid distribution
(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

“So when people see the Church loving freely and unconditionally and understanding that is in the ethos of our Christian faith, then it gives us the opportunity to answer the next question: ‘Who is Jesus? What does the Bible teach us?’”

Heart for Lebanon works with a network of churches in Lebanon of various sizes and denominations. However, like most organizations in the country, they have limited resources.

You can come alongside Heart for Lebanon with financial support so they can provide food packages, blankets, medical supplies, and even education scholarships to struggling Lebanese families!

Visit HeartforLebanon.org.

Also, Melki asks, “Pray for us that we would persevere and continue pressing on, knowing that our God is a God of strength, empowerment, encouragement, perseverance, and resources. We cannot give up. We can be motivated and encouraged by the greater Body of Christ that is praying for us.”

Header photo of Lebanon flag, courtesy of Charbel Karam/Unsplash.

Critics accuse capital security forces of supporting the protestors. Authorities arrested one ex-security official and the former head of capital police, Anderson Torres. He reportedly “gutted” the police force before leaving on vacation.

“The conflict in Brazil reflects a climate of instability in a divided country,” Ricardo Kroskinsque with Trans World Radio Brazil says.

“We are praying for the Lord to pacify hearts and encourage leaders in the Brazilian Church to pray for the authorities. We believe they were constituted as a part of God’s plans.”

On January 8, Bolsanaro supporters stormed the presidential palace, Congress, and Supreme Court demanding a coup. “We still have people that don’t agree with this new government, but things are calm right now,” Kroskinsque says.

Pray for peace in Brazil and unity among the followers of Christ.
(Photo courtesy of TWR)

Brazil’s October election was the tightest race in the country’s history. Political loyalties run deep and keep society fragmented. TWR Brazil endorses a different response.

“We encourage the exercise of meekness and self-control – qualities of the fruit of the Holy Spirit,” Kroskinsque says.

“We’re asking listeners [to pray] for us for wisdom in this process because we need to understand that [the One] who will reign our country is God. We are asking God to do what He wants to do, what He needs to do.”

Header image depicts people at a street party in Brazil. (Photo courtesy of Anna Kapustina/Pexels)

“The population is saying that they’re not going to stop until the Prime Minister leaves Haiti,” DeHart says.

“Every time he (Prime Minister Ariel Henry) goes on the radio to address the nation, things get substantially worse.”

Store shelves are bare because delivery trucks cannot reach the city. “Many Haitians live hand to mouth; they’re out trying to get enough food for their families for that day,” DeHart says.

“This (unrest) is making it even harder because now sometimes they can’t find anything, even if they have money.”

(Photo courtesy of For Haiti with Love)

For Haiti With Love operates one of the few medical clinics in Cap Haïtien. More about that here. “We were on the verge of closing because [we were] running out of supplies, but the plane got in and got us everything we needed,” DeHart says.

“[Our partners brought] everything that they had in their hangar for us, so they totally resupplied the clinic. Now, we can patch them (citizens) up when they get shot or cut on the streets.”

Believers share Christ daily in word and deed at the clinic. “The fact that we are still open in the midst of all of this is a big testimony. God gets all the credit for that,” DeHart says.

Donate here to help For Haiti With Love keep its medical clinic open and stocked.

Meanwhile, here’s how you can pray alongside a five-year-old Haitian boy: “His prayer was, ‘Dear God, Haiti is in trouble. Please help Haiti,’” DeHart says.

“‘Please make the people change so they will love You. If they love You, they won’t do the bad things. And, I want to go to school. Please make the streets safer again.’”

Header image courtesy of For Haiti With Love.

Kazakhstan’s entire government resigned after the protests spread across the country. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has imposed a state of emergency, a ban on mass gatherings, and a curfew. The unrest began after a sharp hike in fuel prices. Early reports say dozens have been killed and thousands injured in the violence.

Eric Mock with the Slavic Gospel Association explains underlying tensions. “There are a few people in the country who have benefited greatly from the development of Kazakhstan, mostly from oil and natural gas, and then there is a mass majority of the people (which constitutes a lot of the people that are part of the churches we serve) that are quite poor.”

SGA partners

The country is experiencing an internet blackout, making it difficult to get updates from local partners. Mock says, “SGA works with several faithful local churches. We support a seminary and Bible Institute there, as well as working with missionary pastors. We help churches minister to over 2,700 orphaned children. In all of the 25 regions of Kazakhstan, we are involved in helping the churches there.”

“Our hearts are broken that they’re going through this chaos.”

Pray that the love of Christians in Kazakhstan would point many to Jesus. Mock has seen the witness of these churches during the COVID-19 pandemic. “They responded immediately by reaching out to many people that were distant from God. They wanted people to find their hope and contentment in Christ. And so now in these difficult days, the Lord has positioned his Church.”

The header photo shows the protests in Kazakhstan on January 4. (Photo courtesy of Esetok, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

The same fuel shortage that placed people in harm’s way this weekend prevents caretakers from adequately tending to their injuries. Medical teams do the best they can with no electricity, little or no fuel to run generators, and limited supplies. The Lebanese parliament will meet on Friday to discuss the fuel crisis, Reuters reports.

The August 15 explosion is the latest episode in Lebanon’s never-ending civil drama. See our full coverage here.

“Most of the people in Lebanon are extremely upset. They’re frustrated at government officials, the whole system, and they’re taking that out [with] rioting; civil unrest,” Heart for Lebanon’s Tom Atema says.

“One lady told me, ‘I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired. Nobody’s fixing anything.’”

Lebanon’s nonstop disasters increase the demand for support services like the ones offered by Heart for Lebanon. “We’re trying to help Christian schools. We’re looking at possibly [helping] 1,000 children this year through our H.O.P.E. (Helping Overcome Poverty through Education) Program and our Hope On Wheels programs as a result of this latest explosion, combined with the economic problems,” Atema says.

“Schools are supposed to start in about a month, and [caretaker officials say] ‘schools are not going to start, and we don’t know when or if they will start next year.’”

Support Heart for Lebanon’s efforts here. Most importantly, pray. “This is a golden opportunity for us to pray for the indigenous Christians who are out there sharing their faith the best they can with whatever resources they have,” Atema says.

“I know people on our team giving over half of their weekly salary to people who have less than they do. What an example to all of us.”

Pray local believers will set aside time for rest and renewal. “This is 24/7 pressure; pray that God will refresh them so they can continue working for Him,” Atema requests.

People encounter Christ’s love and hope through Heart for Lebanon’s programs and the believers who run them. Those encounters lead to transformation. “They’re looking for answers and this is our opportunity because we have the answer,” Atema says.

“In our two churches, on Sunday, we had record attendance; we had over 2,000 Muslim background believers between both churches.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Piron Guillaume/Unsplash.

The riots started out as protests against the imprisonment of a former South African president on corruption charges, but they quickly spiraled into violence that killed over 300 people.

Stuart Gordon with Trans World Radio Africa says, “There’s been panic buying by a lot of people because much of the supplies cannot get to the shops. So people are storming the shops, and there are queues and queues outside shopping centers. Again, it’s not like this everywhere, but it is over much of the country.”

COVID-19 lockdowns have added to people’s financial woes, though the government has now lifted some restrictions.

How to pray

Pray for peace and wholeness in South Africa. Gordon says, “Pray for protection for us, and that people won’t take the law into their own hands. Sometimes good people want to stand up for what is right, but they do it in the wrong way. Not that we don’t have a right to protect our own lives and our families, but sometimes we maybe get carried away, so be praying that there will be calm, and that wisdom will prevail.”

Thankfully, TWR stations suffered no damage. Pray the hopeful message of Jesus’ love will combat the fear and anger in the country.

The header photo shows South Africans in line to buy food after the riots. (Photo courtesy of Rudantu, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

But Andrew Bush with Bethlehem Bible College says through it all, Palestinian Christians remain committed to peacemaking. That’s why the school is launching the Bethlehem Institute of Peace and Justice.

A vision for peace

Bush says some might ask, why bother making peace in the Middle East? “But Jesus didn’t get that memo. He called us to be peacemakers. And Bethlehem Bible College, out in the midst of its experience of living in the midst of conflict, has just been convinced that the way forward is the way of reconciliation and promoting the dignity of all peoples and justice for all who live in the land.”

The Institute will offer courses in English for anyone who wants to attend, starting this fall. “And our goal is to assist local and international peacemakers to be part of preventing and mitigating and transforming conflict and establishing sustainable peace and justice. in Palestine, Israel and throughout the world.” You can join these classes, either traveling to Bethlehem or participating remotely.

Most of all, pray The Bethlehem Institute of Peace and Justice will foster peace and reconciliation around the world.

The header photo shows the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which Israeli police stormed over the weekend. Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia

Moïse’s term is ending, but he claims he has one more year due to the chaos of the last election that prevented him from taking office at first. During his time in office, he has been accused of embezzlement and fraud.

Haiti’s current president Jovenel Moïse. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)

But Eva DeHart of For Haiti with Love says hunger drives much of the unrest. “People are blaming him totally for what’s going on. They want him out of there. He says his term’s not up, he’s not leaving. So it’s kind of a standoff. The difference with Haiti is that they pre-plan their riots, they actually get approval for their riots. Port-au-Prince was scheduled to explode in February. But it’s our understanding that might be accelerated.”

Kidnapping for food

Dehart says many desperately hungry Haitians have resorted to kidnapping to get ransom money to buy food. “They’ll take anybody that isn’t begging for food with the hopes that [their families] can exchange food to get them back. You’ve got children as young as five on the streets begging for food or money to get food. And you’ve got a major section of teenagers and young adults doing the kidnapping.”

The For Haiti with Love burn clinic continues to see patients during this chaotic time, healing their wounds and sharing the Gospel. Fuel shortages in the country mean more people are using motorcycles, which can lead to more injuries and burns.

DeHart asks listeners to pray, “Just for the peace and calm of the staff that they focus on the people coming in and not on what’s happening in the rest of the country.”

And pray God would enable Haitians to be able to get food during this difficult time.

The header photo shows a house in Haiti. (Image by smattern from Pixabay)