'Operation World' is based on a book which attempts to survey the world and portray its spiritual needs. The title "Operation World" was chosen to express the vision of the book for the spiritual warfare and active involvement.
- "And when He broke the seventh seal, there was silence
in heaven for about half an hour ...
And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God ...
and there followed peals of thunder ... flashes of lightning ... earthquake ... " Revelations 8:1-5
Heaven is silent, waiting for your prayers. Let
the prayers of the saints go up before God and shake the earth ....
Let us now pray for
Saudi Arabia
Bangladesh
Azerbaijan
Albania
Indonesia
BACKGROUND
The world's fourth most populous nation with 195.6 million in 1995.
94% of the people are from Malay roots (mostly Javanese, Sundanese, Madurese,
Minangkabaus, Batak, Bugi, Balinese, Acehnese and others); 4% are Chinese;
1.2% are of Irianese / Papuan people. 78% of the people are literate.
The capital is Jakarta with about 8.7 million. A strong military-civilian
government with a partial democracy. To retain power in the parliamentary
elections of 1992 and presidential elections in 1993, Suharto courted the
Muslim vote by offering a more Islamic state. The political influence
of Muslims is rapidly increasing.
ECONOMY
Increasingly diversified economy based on oil, gas, forest products,
agriculture, textiles, with large reserves of many minerals.
RELIGION
Monotheism and communal peace are the basis for the government ideology
of Pancasila. All are free to choose to follow Islam, Hinduism,
Buddhism or Christianity but the numerical and political strength of Islam
is frequently exercised to give it preferential treatment, limit Christian
expansion and reduce Christian influence in public life. There are
therefore some restrictions imposed on open evangelism.
Muslim 83% Animist 1% Hindu 2%
Buddhist/ Chinese religion 1%
Christian 12%
PRAYER POINTS
- A spiritual conflict rages for Indonesia, especially Java/ Java's pre-eminence in population, agriculture, industry and above all, spiritual influence assures its dominance in national affairs. It is on Java that the most significant turning to Christ has occurred, but it is also the centre of powerful occult powers and of Muslim stratagems to eliminate Christian influence in the country. Pray specifically for the binding of these powers and for continued growth of the Church in the midst of intense opposition.
- The government has tilted policy to favour Muslims in government and military posts. Muslim intellectuals are aiming to replace Christians in academic institutions and places of influence. There is creeping Islamization of the nation's institutions and a restriction of Christian evangelism. There have been outbreaks of violence, church-burnings, and persecutions of Christians in areas where there is a Muslim majority. Pray that :
- Plans against the kingdom of God be frustrated.
- The nation's leaders may not bow to Muslim extremist pressure
- Christians may respond with tact, love and also firmness, and in all ways commend the gospel.
- The non-Christians may have their eyes opened to the truth in Jesus and come to Him
- Young people are a vital mission field, but so little is specifically aimed at evangelizing and discipling them. Response rates at evangelistic outreaches are consistently high.
Saudi
Arabia
An email received on 7th July 1998.
(Please do not mention names of any missions/organizations.)
Dear Friends,
Today we take the very unusual step of sending you a message that has no direct connection with the ships, but needs the attention and action of many Christians worldwide. We realize that it may be a burden to you to receive an unsolicited e-mail, and for this we apologize.
The following concerns a situation that we have been following for the last two weeks. We know that the details given are trustworthy. We are thankful that the families and churches of those involved are in favour of this action.
All forms of Christian expression are strictly banned in Saudi Arabia, and foreign Christian workers from less influential countries such as the Philippines and India are often persecuted and harassed without regard for their rights.
Over recent weeks the situation has worsened with 11 expatriate Christians have being picked up in a security sweep. They are likely undergoing interrogation under considerable mental and physical duress.
Among those detained are Wim den Hartog, a Dutch citizen working in Saudi, who was arrested on June 13 as part of the crackdown. He has been allowed to make one phone call to his wife, Grietje, during this time. Grietje and the family have now returned to the Netherlands.
The Filipino prisoners were identified by fellow Christians who witnessed their arrests in Riyadh as: Ariel Ordona, Angelito Hizon, Ruben Aguirre, Gali Afurong, Pete Prado, Jaime Liscano, John Leyson, Renato Ferrer, Guadencio Lorenzo, and Ruel Rodriguez.
Saudi Arabian authorities continue to refuse consular access this week to these 11 expatriate Christians arrested during June in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. At least 20 foreign nationals known to be practising Christians, including a nine-month pregnant woman, have been subjected to police interrogations since the arrests began June 5.
A letter writing campaign both to Saudi embassies and to the King of Saudi Arabia is being organized. Please encourage as many prayer partners and friends in your country to write to the local embassy and also to King Fahd, at the Royal Palace in Saudia Arabia.
Please take whatever action you can on this.
- Write to Saudi Arabian embassies worldwide to protest the treatment of Christians in that country and to appeal for the release of all believers presently imprisoned.
- Be tactful but firm. Name those currently captive. If you are aware of their affiliation to any agency, DO NOT include this in your letter.
- Remind the Saudi Ambassador in the country you are writing to that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as a member of the United Nations, subscribes to Article 18 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights, which promotes freedom of religion.
- Point out that the nominally Christian nations of the West kindly allow Saudi citizens, and indeed all Muslims, the full freedom to propagate their religion, to worship, construct mosques and disseminate literature.
Any co-operation you can give on this matter would be appreciated.
There follows a proposed letter to the embassies which you may
find helpful.
- Dear ambassador,
In light of the relationship between our countries, we are writing you about a matter of great concern. Recent reports indicate that during the month of June Saudi officials arrested and interrogated at least 14 Christians (a Dutchman and 13 Filipino's, one of them a woman who gave birth to a baby two days after her detention).
We don't know what they are accused of, but the fact that they were arrested by the muttawa suggests it was for practising their Christian faith. The names of the detainees, for as far as we know, are Wim den Hartog (Dutch), Ariel Ordona, Angelito Hizon, Ruben Aguirre, Gali Afurong, Pete Prado, Jim Liscano, Dolly Bonggaling, John Leyson, Renato Ferrier, Gaudencio Lorenzo, Ruel Rodrigues and Yolai Aguillar with her baby Elisha held in hospital. Juanito Manalili was also arrested during the June crackdown, but has been released since.
As concerned Christians we respectfully request that the government of Saudi Arabia, in keeping with universal human right standards, allow all people living in your country freely to practice their religious beliefs.
In addition, we request that the Saudi government immediately release all individuals imprisoned because of their faith, including those arrested before the June crackdown such as the Filipinos Rene Camahort and Gino Moriones.
Thank you for your willingness to bring this most serious matter to the attention of your government. We are looking forward to hearing from you.
Following are some of the addresses and numbers of Saudi Embassies
around the world. The full list can be viewed on the Saudi government's
web
site at <http://saudiarabia.net/info/embassyout.htm>.
(Fax numbers and email addresses are not available).
- CANADA:
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
99 Banle St. Suite 901
Ottawa, Ontario KLP 689
TEL: (613) 237 4100
TLX: 031 4285
FRANCE:
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
5 Ave. Hoche
75008 Paris
TEL: 766 0206 / 227 8112
GERMANY:
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
Codesberger Allee 40-42
5300 Bonn 2
TEL: 379 0137
SWITZERLAND:
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
12 Kramburgstrasse,
3006
Berne
TEL: 031-441555/031-444063
UNITED KINGDOM:
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
30 Belgrave Sq.
London SW1
TEL: 235 0831
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
601 New Hampshire Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20037
TEL: (202) 342 3800
ESTRADA URGED TO SEEK SAUDI PARDON FOR PREACHERS
- MANILA : President Joseph Estrada was urged Thursday by
the Roman Catholic leadership here to work for the release of 12 Filipinos
detained in Saudi Arabia for allegedly preaching the Christian faith.
House of Representatives member Romeo Candazo, in a separate statement, said the 12, all contract workers, were detained in Riyadh and some could face the death penalty for distributing religious items to fellow Filipinos there.
Quitoro said there were reports that some of the 12 had been tortured to reveal the names of other Filipinos who were practising Christianity.
"To practice one's religious faith is an internationally recognised human right," Candazo said.
Background of Saudi Arabia
Almost entirely desert but containing 25% of the world's known oil
reserves. 75% Arab (Yemeni, Egyptian, Jordanian, Lebanese, etc),
Foreigners 25% (Asian, African, etc). Capital Riyadh. Absolute
monarchy and a semi-feudal state with administration, diplomacy and commerce
tightly controlled by the large royal family.
Economy
Oil welath is used to improve services and communications, develop
industries and finance Islamic expansion around the world.
Religion
An islamic state committed to the preservation of traditional Islam.
All other religions are prohibited. Expatriate Christian gatherings
are not allowed.
Muslim 93.4% Hindu 0.7%
Buddhist 0.5% Christian 4%
Prayer Points
- Saudi Arabia once had a large Christian population. They were expelled when Islam gained control 1,300 years ago. It is now one of the least evangelized nations on earth. No Christian is permitted to set foot in Islam's holiest city, Mecca. Pray that one day soon the land may have many Christians praising the Lamb that was slain.
- Every year over 2 million make the Haji or pilgrimage to Mecca. Pray that many may have their eyes opened to see the emptiness and bondage under which they live and embrace the freedom that were in Christ. Praise God a small but growing number are doing just that - even in Saudi Arabia !
- Pray against the pervasive abuse of human rights, the arrogance of the religious police and the stiffling control of government, the media, the judicial system and any form of democratic dissent.
- The massive Islamic missionary effort is coordinated by the Muslim World League in Mecca. The Saudi government denies Christian the liberty to share their faith, yet demands it for Muslims elsewhere. Pray that "Christian" nations may have the courage and moral integrity to insist that Saudi Arabia's leaders grant their Christian minority the rights that were agreed upon when they signed the UN Charter.
- Any Saudis who confess Christ face the death sentence if discovered, yet a growing number are both seeking and finding Him. Pray for the preservation and multiplication of believers, and legalization of Christianity for Saudis. Pray also that they may be able to meet togethre in safety and have access to God's Word.
- Expatriate Christians live under strict surveillance. Secret gatherings are hunted down with increasing diligence and the leaders subjected to humiliating beatings, imprisonment and expulsion from the country. This is particularly so for the Asian Christians who have often been the most effective witnesses for Jesus. Pray that no threat may quench Spirit-inspired witnessing.
| Background
Occupying the delta and floodplains of the Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers. 97.3% Bengali; Tribal groups 1.1% (incl Chakma, Mogh, Santal, Garo, Mru, etc); Other minorities 1.6% (incl Urdu, Hindi, Burmese). Capital : Dhaka |
 |
Religion
| Muslim 87% | Hindu 11.7% | Christian 0.44% |
| Buddhist 0.6% | Other 0.3% |
Prayer Points
- Bangladesh has been a hard field for the gospel. The rise of extremist Muslim groups pressing for a more radical Islam is affecting Christian witness in many ways. Pray that the present freedom for all to practise and propagate their own religions be maintainedand that the leaders of the nation may handle the many problems with integrity, devotion to duty and fairness. Pray above all that the grip of the powers of darkness may be broken.
- Praise God for steady growth in the number of Christians with ingatherings of both Hindu and tribal people into the churches. The Church has grown at twice the population rate for the last 30 years despite difficulties.
- Revival of the Church is the greatest need. Pray that the Holy Spirit may move to revive nominal Christians, bring about unity in the Bangladesh Church and Missions vision to reach out to major non-Christian communities.
- Leadership for the churches. God is raising up a new generation of leaders who exercise a ministry beyond their own community, yet they are few. Pray for the multiplication of leaders.
- Unreached peoples. Few nations in the world have a larger number of people totally untouched by the gospel. Pray for the Muslims. From among the 100 million Muslims there are only a few thousand believers. Most have never heard the gospel and are fairly lax in their profession of Islam.
- Unreached peoples. Pray for the Hindus who feel vulnerable as a religious minority. Pray that they may be open to the truth in Jesus. Most of the responses to the gospel are from the lower castes. The upper castes have remained resistant to the gospel.
[ Back to the top ]
Azerbaijan
| Background
Transcaucasian republic on Caspian Sea. Capital : Baku Azerbaijani (related to Turkish) 83%; Indigenous minorities (Lezgin, Talysh, Avar, Kurds) 3.9%; Foreign minorities (Russian, Armenian, Tatar, etc) 13.1% |
 |
Religion
The nationalists are becoming more Islamic and anti-Christian,
but there is officially religious freedom.
| Muslim 80% | Orthodox 2.54% | Protestant 0.01% |
| Catholic 0.11% | Non-religious 17.3% |
Background
A mountainous Balkan state on the Adriatic Sea, adjoining
Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia and Greece.
Albanian 93.5%; Gypsy 2.5%; Greek 2.4%; other 1.6%
Economy : the devastation left by the Communist regime is so great that it will take decades to repair Europe's poorest country. Heavily dependent on Western aid for survival and investment for growth. Virtually the only economic activity is trading in donated and smuggled goods. Unemployment 70%
Religion
The Communists harshly persecuted all religions.
All were totally suppressed in 1967. In 1990 the ban was lifted,
but pressures from Muslim, Orthodox and Catholic leaders could lead to
discriminatory laws against other groups. Religious figures are based
on the census before World War 2.
| Muslim - 40% | Roman Catholic 7% | Orthodox - 10.9% |
| Protestant 0.06% |
PRAYER POINTS
| ASC Homepage | More About Us | Sharing & Testimonies | |
| Intercession | Visions & Prophecies | Weekly Sermons | Send Messages |
| Youth Page | Coming Events | BACK TO TOP |