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THURSDAY 5: The newly passed
Criminal Laws (Amendment)
Act 2023 increases the
punishment for insulting
Islam’s prophet Mohammed
and his family to a minimum
of ten years. Pray for increased
legal protection for minorities
vulnerable to accusations of
blasphemy.
FRIDAY 6: Thousands of
extremists attacked up to 19
churches and hundreds of
Christian homes in Jaranwala,
Punjab, in August following
allegations that a copy of the
Koran had been desecrated.
Pray for the many Christians
who are now without homes or
churches.
SATURDAY 7: Punjab’s
government is investigating
reports that the Jaranwala
riots in August were carefully
co-ordinated attacks. Pray for
justice for families affected by
the violence.
SUNDAY 8: Ask God to multiply
the efforts of our partners as
they work tirelessly to meet the
practical and spiritual needs of
Christians made homeless by
the Jaranwala riots.
MONDAY 9: Pray for the three
children of Shazia Imran, a
Christian widow from Lahore
who was abducted and brutally
murdered after refusing to
convert to Islam and marry one
of her kidnappers.
TUESDAY 10: Pray for peace
in communities in Pakistan
and beyond, following the
public burning of the Koran in
Sweden. Pray that any attempts
to whip up anti-Christian
sentiment will fail.
WEDNESDAY 11: Pray for
Christian Haroon Shahzad
from Sargodha who has been
charged with blasphemy after
he shared on Facebook Bible
verses to which local Muslims
took offence.
THURSDAY 12: Zaki Masih from
Chak 98 Shumaali village has
been accused of blasphemy
over a Facebook post that he
denies sharing. His village’s
Muslim cleric denies it is
blasphemous. Pray the case
against Zaki will be dropped.
FRIDAY 13: Pray for swift justice
for the many people in Pakistan
who have been accused of
blasphemy but not yet tried.
SATURDAY 14: Pray that
Christians in Pakistan will have
the wisdom and grace to know
how to interact peacefully with
their Muslim neighbours, and
share God’s love.
ERITREA
SUNDAY 15: Praise God for the
recent release of seven women
and six men, all Christians, who
prayershield
had reportedly been in prison for
about ten years. Ask God to help
them to rebuild their lives.
MONDAY 16: Continue to pray for
the release of church leaders
arbitrarily detained in Eritrea,
including Pastor Haile Naizgi and
Dr Kiflu Gebremeskel, who have
been jailed since 2004.
TUESDAY 17: Ask God to speak
to the hearts and minds of the
officials responsible for the
arbitrary detention of Eritrean
Christians, including their prison
guards.
WEDNESDAY 18: Continue to pray
for former prisoner of faith Aster,
whose twin sister Azieb died
after they were both severely
beaten in jail. Aster, who now
lives in France, says she has
no bitterness towards their
torturers.
INDONESIA
THURSDAY 19: In Riau Islands
province, about 30 people used
hammers and clubs to damage
a Pentecostal Mission Church
in Indonesia building under
Christians in Jaranwala, Pakistan, were forced to meet outdoors after rioters
destroyed many local churches