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 The bigger the problem, the more time we need to think and to pray before we say too much or respond too quickly.
MALAYSIA
1. Christmas As we approach the end of the year, churches nationwide have begun to prepare for their Christmas celebrations. Hallmark events for Christmas include carolling, special meetings, banquets and exchanging of gifts. Christmas is a very special season for Christians as they celebrate and share the love, joy and peace of the birth of Christ with family and friends. Spending extravagantly is not encouraged. Rather, giving to the less fortunate has greater blessings and meaning.
· Let us pray for all the preparations that are being made that they would turn out well.
· Let us pray for peace and love to continue to saturate and unite this nation.
· Let pray for the less fortunate that they will be remembered this Christmas season.
2. Floods Floods that started in the middle of November and which have hit the northern, eastern and southern part of the country have either reached their peak or begun to subside. So far, there have only been seven fatalities. All were from Kelantan, the worst-hit state. Many of the evacuation centres have closed and evacuees have returned to their homes. There is much cleaning up and repairs to do for those who were hit by the floods. Though a yearly affair, it is by no means a small matter. While the flood waters are receding, they can still pose dangers. Firstly, let's praise God for the low number of fatalities.
· Let's pray for God's comfort upon the family members of the seven who perished in the flood.
· Let's also pray for the flood waters to recede speedily and normality to be restored.
WORLD
We pray for our brothers and sisters who face injustice and suffer for the name of Christ, may God's steadfast love hold them up and His consolations cheers their souls.
1 In Kachin State Serious violations of human rights continue to be committed by the Burmese Army in eastern Burma, while humanitarian conditions deteriorate due to a lack of international funding, according to a report released by Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). Soldiers from the Burma Army’s 88th Light Infantry Division attacked the Assemblies of God church in Muk Chyik village, Wai Maw Township on 6 November, injuring several people. The congregation was expelled from the church, and soldiers reportedly looted church donation boxes. The house of one church member, Mr Jumphpawk Hawng Lum, was burned down. At least 50 church members are taken to work as forced porters for the Burma Army.
http://asiancorrespondent.com/69304/to-prove-irreversible-reform-burma-must-end-war-in-kachin-state/)
2 In Nigeria Last year alone, more than 2,000 Christians in Nigeria were killed in clashes with Muslim extremists. "They don't ask for us to pray that persecution would stop. They pray instead, that they would be strong in the midst of persecution, and God to empower them to be bold witnesses despite the obvious persecution in many places." Recently, more than 100 Nigerians were killed during a series of attacks by the militant Islamic group Boko Haram in Borno and Yobe states. Several churches were destroyed in the city of Damaturu and others were bombed over the summer in Maiduguri.
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2011/November/Nigerian-Christians-Not-Suffering-in-Silence/)
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