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EUROPE
December 1 Bulgaria and Romania are both hoping to join the EU in 2007. However, many concerns regarding religious freedom remain unaddressed. Pray that both of these countries would bring their laws and practices into line with international human rights law.

December 2 “Anti-sect” laws are on the rise in many European countries. These laws are often worryingly vague and can be used to target any new religious group, including legitimate Christian churches. Pray that in their desire to protect people from dangerous cults, European leaders would have wisdom in how they draft and implement these laws.

December 3 The European Union is now one of the largest political and economic blocs in the world and as such has the potential to be a powerful force for human rights. Pray that religious freedom would be firmly on the agenda.

December 4 Secularism is on the rise across Europe and Christians in some countries have found themselves forced to go to court to defend practices and preaching that have historically been freedoms that we take for granted. Pray for better understanding between different communities of faith or no faith in Europe and for wisdom for Christians in knowing how to respond to attacks in the media or in the courts.

December 5 Belarus is considered by many to be the last European “dictatorship”. Many of the vestiges of the USSR , including the KGB and antagonistic approach to non-state sanctioned religious groups, remain. Pray for the small but vibrant Christian community that continues to thrive even in the face of government harassment and restrictive legislation.

December 6 The past year has seen a number of clashes between different religious groups in Europe . Pray that Christians across Europe would take the lead in reaching out in love to marginalized groups.

December 7 Lord, we thank You for the presence and work of Your Church in Europe over the past millennia. We ask forgiveness for the divisions and bitterness amongst Christians and pray for increased unity. We pray for wisdom and sensitivity in reaching out to our neighbors who may come from very different backgrounds.

HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
December 8 Please pray for those who boldly risk their lives to speak up on behalf of the oppressed. Many face threats and physical assaults as a result. Our prayers remain vital in supporting them, encouraging them, and fulfilling our obligation to stand with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

December 9 Remember all those human rights defenders who recently attended CSW's training sessions for Colombia . Ask for God's protection on them as they carry out this dangerous work of reporting and standing alongside victims of violence.

December 10 Remember the work of the Protestant Crisis Center in Indonesia and the many other Protestant and Roman Catholic programs supporting victims of human rights abuses. Pray for unity of purpose and wisdom in their work.

December 11 Pray for a Vietnamese lawyer named Nguyen Van Dai who has previously represented the church leaders Nguyen Hong Quang and Than Van Truong. Ask for God's protection for him as he takes up religious freedom cases, and for other members of the human rights group known as the ‘8406 Democracy Movement.'

December 12 Pray for Gao Zhisheng and his family, in China . Gao, a human rights lawyer, was recently detained by the Chinese authorities in connection with his defense work. He has previously faced threats on his life.

December 13 Pray for complete healing for Parvez Choudhry, a human rights lawyer who was involved in a serious car accident earlier this year. Serious threats on his life continue to be made. Please pray for him and his family.

December 14 Remember lawyers such as Wuille Figueroa and others defending victims of human rights abuses. Ask God to protect them and their families.

December 15 Father, thank You for the courage of our brothers and sister around the world whose faith is an inspiration and challenge to each of us. Protect and support them in their work and give them joy and hope when situations seem hopeless.

December 16 Lord, inspire those who advocate for your Church. Inspire them by Your Spirit as they speak and act on behalf of others. May they know Your rich blessing in their lives as they follow Your example, being willing to lay down their lives for others.

PAKISTAN
December 17 Pray that President Musharraf would curb the spread of Sharia law and repeal or reform the blasphemy laws and Hudood Ordinances. Pray for justice for all victims of religious discrimination.

December 18 Pray for all those falsely accused of blasphemy, including Younas Masih, Mehdi Hassan, Haji Abjul Latif, Haji Muhammad Latif, Shahbaz Masih and Hafiz Afzal ul Rehman. Asking God to protect them in prison and in court, to speed their release and to help their families.

December 19 Pray for the staff of the Christian NGO Legal Aid for Destitute and Settlement (LADS), asking God to protect them in the face of frequent verbal threats and physical attacks, some of which have almost certainly been engineered by militant Islamists. Ask God to provide them with the finances they urgently need for their work.

December 20 To convert from Islam to Christianity is very dangerous in Pakistan , as Sharia law appropriates death as the punishment for apostasy. Pray for the safety of converts whose new faith has to be a closely-guarded secret, for fear of torture or death at the hands of extremists or even members of their own families.

December 21 Many women in loveless, arranged marriages suffer violence and abuse from their husbands. Thank God that they can find a desperately needed haven in one of the women's refuges, where they (and sometimes their young children) receive protection, counseling and therapy. Pray for the women and children affected.

December 22 Pray for God's blessing on the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance and its leader, Shahbaz Bhatti, as it seeks to defend poor victims of the blasphemy laws and Hudood Ordinances.

December 23 Loving Father, we thank you for all the courageous people who work for justice and peace in Pakistan . We ask that You will extend Your protecting arm over them and over all Christians, especially converts. We ask for your inter-vention to end or amend unfair laws and to guarantee freedom of conscience and belief in Pakistan .

PROJECTS
December 24 Please pray for all of the projects of religious liberties groups around the world. Pray that the Lord would use these projects to meet the needs of the body of Christ suffering persecution. Please also pray for protection for those who administer the programs.

December 25 On this Christmas day, please remember that Christ came as a child, and also recall the incredible love He showed to children during His ministry on earth. The CSW partnership supports three projects in Burma helping Karen and Karenni refugee children and orphans. Pray today for safety, health, education and peaceful futures for these children.

December 26 The National Council of Churches of Nepal and its leader Dr. K.B. Rokaya are CSW's partners promoting peace and religious liberty. Pray for full religious freedom to be guaranteed, and praise God for the first official appointment of a Christian, Dr. Rokaya, to the Ceasefire Monitoring team.

December 27 CSW pays the salaries of three lawyers working for Peruvian Christian human rights groups, Peace and Hope (Paz y Esperanza) and CEAS, both active on behalf of innocent prisoners and their families and for justice and peace in Peruvian society. Ask God to bless them with adequate funds and success in their struggle for justice for the poor.

December 28 CSW's partner, the Commission for Restoration of Life and Peace (CRVP) of Colombia , brings us into contact with 5,000 churches, many of whose members are in mortal danger from the military and rebels. CSW funds a coordinator who facilitates church support in justice and peace projects and helps them to publicize human rights abuses. Pray for the protection of all peacemakers.

December 29 CSW is developing working relationships with a number of agencies to provide desperately needed help to Christians in Eritrea , almost 2000 of which are in prison. Pray for God to open further avenues for CSW to help suffering Christians inside and outside Eritrea .

December 30 For some time, CSW has felt called to help endangered North Korean refugees who are badly treated in China . Our Christian partners have to work in great secrecy. Ask God to strengthen existing links and to open ways for such help to reach those in danger.

December 31 Dear loving Father, You bless us so often when we speak out for justice and peace across the world. We ask You now to touch our hearts and make us generous in our responses to the urgent needs of those in danger for their faith and for their work for justice. We ask You especially to extend Your arms to protect CSW's partners and all refugees, and in Your generosity to provide the funds they urgently need.

MIDDLE EAST
January 1 As we begin the new year, let us remember that Christians in many countries in the Middle East face issues of discrimination and even persecution, particularly where they are converts or live under Sharia Law. Please pray for an explosive growth in your Church in the Middle East , in spite of the difficulties.

January 2 Pray for an end to all fighting in the Middle East . Pray for a peaceful and lasting solution to be found for the tensions between Israel and Lebanon and for an end to the struggle between Israel and Palestine .

January 3 Christians living in the Middle East face a range of difficulties, from the stigma attached to conversion to losing homes and property during conflicts. Pray that Christians would be a beacon of God's light in what can be desperate situations.

January 4 Pray for the governments of the Middle East , that they would be given wisdom in their internal affairs, and diplomacy in foreign relations. Pray that they would not resort to force, but that peaceful talks would lead to lasting stability in the region.

January 5 The UN and various countries have been instrumental in talks to end the Middle East tensions. Pray that UN agreements would be adhered to and that world leaders would work to diffuse rather than inflame the situation.

January 6 Pray for UN peacekeeping forces called to intervene in the Israel/Lebanon conflict and other peacekeeping forces already positioned in the Middle East . Pray that they would work sensitively and effectively in their surroundings.

January 7 Pray that tensions over Iran 's nuclear program would be settled through peaceful means. Pray for Christians in Iran who are increasingly facing imprisonment and mistreatment following their conversion to Christianity.

January 8 Lord God, we know that You rule over the nations. We pray that You would intervene to bring peace to a region torn by conflict and division. Give wisdom to those in leadership on all sides of the conflict to bring a lasting end to the violence.

January 9 Father, bring comfort to those who have lost their homes or family members in the Middle East . Strengthen Your people in the midst of this conflict, helping them to show Your love and wisdom in difficult circumstances.

INDONESIA
January 10 In July a bill establishing Sharia law was passed in Aceh state. Pray that those working on the implementation guidelines can soften the more excessive provisions. Pray for a robust response from the international community.

January 11 Pray for wisdom for President Yudhoyono as he seeks to balance the needs of Indonesia 's minority faith communities with the Muslim majority. Pray also that he will be able to balance those elements of his government who hold more hard-line and militant Islamic views.

January 12 Pray for the families of Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva and Marinus Riwu, accused of masterminding the violence in Poso, Sulawesi in 2000 and executed on September 21 st . Pray for security in the region and that any protest by the Christian community will be peaceful. Pray that the authorities would act fairly and promote justice for those still detained following episodes of violence in Indonesia .

January 13 Pray for Rebekka, Ety and Ratna, who were sentenced to three years of imprisonment in 2005 for ‘Christianization'. Thank God for their peace and joy, and pray that they may be granted early release.

January 14 Continue to pray for the Church in West Java affected by legislation on church registration last year. Ask God to give the Christian community wisdom and courage in its response. Pray for the 15 churches closed recently.

January 15 Pray for CSW-UK staff as they advise the Christian community and others in Indonesia on their response to new legislation such as that in West Java and Aceh. Pray for God's wisdom and effectiveness in our work.

January 16 Heavenly Father, we pray for the country of Indonesia where violence and injustice has brought so much suffering. We pray that Your spirit of peace and unity might be at work to bring reconciliation and healing to this troubled land.

January 17 Lord, we pray that the Church may be united and effective in its response to discrimination and persecution. In all things we pray that each individual, whether Muslim or Christian, might seek to uphold values of tolerance, love and communal harmony.

PERSECUTION
January 18 The words ‘Christianity' and ‘persecution' are almost synonymous. Jesus spoke clearly of the cost that would be incurred by becoming one of his disciples and around the world today the body of Christ is experiencing terrible persecution. God commands us to remember them and pray for them as if we were suffering right beside them. Pray that the free Church would be obedient to this command and pray fervently.

January 19 Pray that the Christians experiencing persecution will find strength in Christ to endure their present hardship. ‘That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.' 2 Corinthians 12:10

January 20 ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?' Romans 8:35. Pray that all those enduring difficult circumstances may be reminded of Christ's love and find comfort in this truth.

January 21 Pray that God gives Kofi Annan wisdom as his time as Secretary-General draws to a close at the end of 2006, and pray that Ban Ki-moon's term will be one of peace and reconciliation.

January 22 Pray that UN reform will be successful in tackling internal problems and will make the UN the most effective body it can be.

January 23 Ask for God's blessing on the new Human Rights Council, which replaces the Commission on Human Rights. Pray that it will bring justice and real change to the lives of those who are suffering.

January 24 Praise God for the UN's 1981 Declaration and ask that the issue of religious liberty may receive more prominence in the UN. Pray that the United Nations would build upon the Declaration, leading to enforceable rights under a Covenant which countries must ratify.

January 25 CSW has lobbied the UN on behalf of the persecuted Church for many years now. Pray that our presence would be made increasingly effective and that we would be an authentic voice for our suffering brothers and sisters.

January 26 The human rights situations in Burma and North Korea have steadily been gaining attention at the UN. Pray for continued momentum and action on the part of the UN to bring freedom to the Burmese and to North Koreans.

January 27 Almighty God, we thank You for the UN and for the opportunity it provides for cooperation between nations. Give wisdom to all those working in these institutions and especially to those whose decisions concern issues of life and death for people all over the world.

January 28 Father, we ask that the UN would be swift and effective at bringing humanitarian relief and that the new Human Rights Council would be increasingly effective in upholding human rights standards across the world, leading to greater freedom for all.

FAITH FOCUS: Pastor Carlos Lamelas
January 29-31 Extracts from the testimony of Pastor Carlos Lamelas, who was arrested in Cuba on 20 February on charges of illegal human trafficking and detained for 126 days.

“The cells we occupied had a living space of 2x3 meters, and there were up to four people in each. Within that space there were two bunk beds and a latrine or “Turkish toilet” [a hole in the ground] in which we had to do our physiological necessities, and have a wash whenever they turned on the water (generally after 10 pm and only for 10-20 minutes); also, if we could get hold of plastic bottles, we collected water during the rest of the day from what was used to flush out the sanitation, so that we could have a drink.

Often the temperature was over 40ºC, as the ventilation was insufficient with only two breathing holes which don't allow anyone to see outside, and don't give enough flow of air for such a small space. The beds were metal slabs on which they put a thin foam rubber mattress of approximately 1” thickness at night. The mattress had to be removed at 6 am and was not allowed to be used again until 10 pm.

Visits were limited to just 20 minutes once a week. They took place in a comfortably decorated room but always in the presence of an official who controlled the subject of conversation. Nevertheless, these visits were a great comfort, as my wife being a brave fighter was strong and gave me encouragement. It was her words, always filled with love and firmness, which were a great stimulus and inspiration; as were the hundreds of letters and cards which arrived from many countries like a rain of grace and blessing in a time of drought.

From the beginning I had the conviction that this whole traumatic incident responded to a plan of God and had a well-defined purpose. Now it was up to me to be sensitive and attentive to what He wished to show me, and discover the reason why He took me to that place. Although sometimes I fought furiously and my soul suffered due to the separation from my beloved princesses, I knew that I had to stay docile like clay in the hands of the Potter.

My family and I will be eternally grateful and indebted to the people of God who from all continents sent us letters and cards expressing support and solidarity with our suffering. Their prayers were continually lifted on high before the throne of Grace of our Lord, like aromatic incense, and I am absolutely convinced that in the moments when I most needed renewed strength, it was those hundreds of prayers which reached the cell where I was imprisoned.”

- Pray that Pastor Lamelas will rehabilitate quickly
- Pray for the safety of all those church leaders in danger of imprisonment in Cuba
- Pray for all those Christians currently detained in Cuba for their faith
- Pray that CSW might be an effective voice for Christians in Cuba
- Pray for those in authority, that they will exercise compassion with Cuban prisoners of conscience

   "Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, 
who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins."  -Ephesians 5:2