(Voice of the Persecuted) You are invited to join us tonight in a prayer conference call for the persecuted church hosted by Persecution Watch.
Afghanistan
- Population – 38 million, Christians in the thousands
- Ethnic groups: 42% Pashtun, 27% Tajik, 31% are 5 other groups.
- GDP Per capita: $500 (2018 estimate, so probably much less now.)
- At least 244,000 Afghans have been displaced since the US Military has left; 80 per cent are women and children.
- Christians who remain in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover routinely face persecution and torture from the Taliban government. The Taliban denies that Christians exist in the country.
Prayer Points
- Reversal of progress for women – Girls’ schools remain closed-Pray for a change of heart for the Taliban government, to see girls and women as equal contributors to the economy and society.
- It has been two years since the withdrawal of the US forces from Afghanistan. To this day, Christian minorities live in deep fear and face violent persecution. -Pray for the safety and protection of believers from being discovered.
- Drug addiction has become worse under the Taliban government. -Pray for healing and restoration for many who are under the clutches of drug abuse
- Many people are forcibly evicted from their homes in various provinces if they are perceived to support the former government. -Pray for the families who must leave everything behind as they flee to safety
- 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” – Maybe someone will accuse you of something that you have not even done, but they so fear for their own lives that they must give the Taliban something. So, it’s a country ruled by fear now. Pray against the spirit of fear.
- Pray for the Lord to comfort, console and have His hand on the young Christian girls and women who were kidnapped and forced into marrying Muslims.
- Pray for teenagers and men not being forced into the Taliban military.
- Pray for the Christian refugees who are trying to restart their lives in strange countries and cultures.
- Pray for believers who stayed in Afghanistan will connect with other believers, for fellowship and encouragement.
- Pray to the Lord that He will give wisdom and discernment to those who want to return to Afghanistan and be His witnesses.
- Pray to the Lord that Christians will forgive and love their persecutors.
- Pray for the NGOs working to equip and encourage Afghan Christians, and that the Lord will show them creative ways to distribute aid and support.
- Female literacy had improved from 11% in 1979 to over 55% in 2018. Pray more Afghan women to read material that will lead them to Jesus.
Again, we want to lift-up these persecuted witnesses to the Lord:
- Leah Sharibu, a prisoner of Boko Haram since 2018. Pray for her release.
- Alice Loksha Ngaddah, kidnapped February 2019. She is a mother of two, working as a nurse for UNICEF. Pray for her release.
- Pastor Wang Yi to be released from prison, for his family and for the church.
- Armenian Genocide Happening Again. Read full report here: Genocide and Forced Deportation: Nagorno-Karabakh
- Pastors Haile Nayzgi and Dr. Kiflu Gebremeskel. It is unconscionable that these two men, along with Pastor Meron Gebreselasie who was arrested a month later, remain imprisoned under horrible conditions.
- The Harvest: “37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38
Michael Laird, Persecution Watch Prayer Conference Call Moderator
Please forward prayer points to your church, prayer groups and others who will pray.
Prayer Conference Call Details
Monday through Saturday, 6 nights a week
USA Time Zone:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: (667) 770-1476
Access Code: 281207#
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If you are experiencing any difficulties joining the call, please let us know.
What is Persecution Watch?
Persecution Watch is a U.S. national prayer conference call ministry that prays specifically for the global Persecuted Church. For over a decade, Blaine Scogin led this national network of believers who faithfully pray for the persecuted and the global harvest for the Kingdom of God. The group meets via a free call-in service every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday night at 9pm Eastern time in the United States (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted, and the two missions became one. Brother Blaine passed into glory on December 26, 2019. It was truly a blessing for all of us to serve alongside this dear man of God and he will be greatly missed. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch remains an important part of our mission. Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with the dedicated Persecution Watch prayer warrior team.
Prior to the passing of Brother Blaine, he confirmed the passing of the torch as prayer conference call leader to Nadia Dybvik. Nadia has a burdened heart for the persecuted and is a prayer warrior standing in the gap for them. She joined the Persecution Watch prayer team in 2015 and has been part of the core ever since. Before becoming the prayer call leader, she served in the role of prayer moderator since 2016. Blaine chose Nadia for her faithfulness to pray for the persecuted and her strong commitment to the Persecution Watch mission. We are blessed not only with her gift of prayer, but her genuine love for every brother and sister in Christ that comes on the call to pray. May the Lord continue to bless Nadia and the prayer team in the mission and their personal lives.
“Pray for us” is the number one request that we hear from the persecuted. As the members of the first century Church were moved by the Holy Spirit to pray, we too must continue to serve those suffering persecution by lifting them up to the Lord through prayer.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters are invited to join the conference call and share the trials they are facing. The team serves to encourage them by washing their feet in Spirit led prayer. Time is reserved for those on the call to ask questions. We believe this helps to gain a better understanding of the situation that persecuted Christians endure in their specific nations. Q&A also helps us to focus our prayers based on their current needs.
Persecution Watch also hosts callers who want to pray united from other nations. If your heart is perplexed by the sufferings of our persecuted brothers and sisters, you no longer need to pray alone.
We welcome all who desire to pray for the persecuted church and consider it a joy to pray together with you. If you are new to the call and cannot find your voice, listen in, and pray silently or mute. We are grateful and thank the Lord for bringing us all together to pray in agreement for our persecuted family in Christ. We can all be prayer warriors on this call!
God bless and protect you in your faithfulness to serve.
Lois Kanalos, Founder, Voice of the Persecuted, Nadia Dybvik, Persecution Watch Prayer Call Leader, and the Persecution Watch Prayer Call Moderator Team
NOTE: Please fill out the form in the sign up at link below to be added in our distribution list to receive urgent prayer requests, prayer points, notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers.
Note to Voice of the Persecuted (VOP) readers: The Persecution Watch prayer team is also the prayer team of Voice of the Persecuted. SIGN UP today.
VOICE OF THE PERSECUTED 