PrayforChina Prayer Request

Monday
"Poor but still wasting." Such are the common conditions of rural health care, having the vaccines or medicines but lacking the proper storage, leading to spoilage. Many churches in the villages have resources, Bibles and spiritual books but often lack the properly trained workers to make good use of them. Let us pray also for the good stewardship of resources among believers.

10:04:42 AM    

TURKMENISTAN: EVEN HARSHER CONTROLS ON RELIGION? (f18NS)

Turkmenistan plans to make its harsh state restrictions on religion even harsher, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. Under a new draft religion law, which neither the OSCE nor Forum 18 has been able to see, penalties for breaking the law will lead to criminal, not administrative, punishments. The new law also reportedly requires religious groups to "coordinate" contacts with foreigners with the government, and to gain permission before receiving foreign support such as funding and religious literature. Turkmenistan has the harshest state controls on religion in the former Soviet Union, but the Justice Minister claims harsher controls are necessary to address security concerns. Places of worship have already been demolished and police routinely break up religious meetings. Believers have been beaten, threatened, fined, sacked from their jobs, imprisoned, had their homes confiscated, been sent to a remote area of the country, and deported from Turkmenistan.

9:59:05 AM