Budapest: Youngsters seek united, peaceful world
Over 12,000 youngsters from some 100 nations have concluded Central and Eastern Europe's first-ever 'Genfest', a youth summit, with a call for a more united and peaceful world. After three days of exchanging ideas on how to realize that utopia, they prayed and listened in front of Budapest's Saint Stephen's Basilica, one of Hungary's largest Roman Catholic Church buildings. During Sunday's open air Mass they were encouraged not to give up their hope and dreams. The Vatican's ambassador to Hungary, the Apostolic Nuncio Alberto Bottari de Castello reminded the participants of this year's Genfest theme: 'Let's Bridge'. He said, ‘Christ is the true bridge between people and God,’ and ‘the Lord wants us to carry out that message as bridges of love towards all people.’
Pray: for all the young people who attended that they will have met with Christ the true bridge between people and God. (Is.42:5-7)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/23157-thousands-of-youngsters-seek-united-peaceful-world-in-budapest
Budapest: Youngsters seek united, peaceful world
Over 12,000 youngsters from some 100 nations have concluded Central and Eastern Europe's first-ever 'Genfest', a youth summit, with a call for a more united and peaceful world. After three days of exchanging ideas on how to realize that utopia, they prayed and listened in front of Budapest's Saint Stephen's Basilica, one of Hungary's largest Roman Catholic Church buildings. During Sunday's open air Mass they were encouraged not to give up their hope and dreams. The Vatican's ambassador to Hungary, the Apostolic Nuncio Alberto Bottari de Castello reminded the participants of this year's Genfest theme: 'Let's Bridge'. He said, ‘Christ is the true bridge between people and God,’ and ‘the Lord wants us to carry out that message as bridges of love towards all people.’
Pray: for all the young people who attended that they will have met with Christ the true bridge between people and God. (Is.42:5-7)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/23157-thousands-of-youngsters-seek-united-peaceful-world-in-budapest
Iran: Youcef Nadarkhani’s imprisonment ignored
Last week a Jewish advocacy group, the American Jewish Committee (AJC), urged Iran's Non-Alignment Movement summit to address the plight of Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who has been imprisoned for over 1,000 days due to his Christian faith. The summit served as a platform for Iran to gain international support during tough sanctions levied against it by many western countries and bolster its relationships with North Korea, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and Sudan. AJC implored United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to ‘emphatically speak out in support of Pastor Nadarkhani's freedom’ arguing that Iran is violating its own constitution, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, by holding Nadarkhani for more than 1,000 days on charges of apostasy and attempting to evangelize Muslims.
Pray: against Iran’s harassment of Christians, religious minorities, human rights advocates and for the release of all prisoners of conscience. (Is.61:1b)
More: http://www.christianpost.com/news/youcef-nadarkhanis-imprisonment-ignored-at-irans-nam-summit-80740/
Sudan: Rescue effort launched
Barnabas Fund is to airlift 2,000 needy and vulnerable Christians stranded in Sudan to safety and a new life in South Sudan. The first of 12 chartered flights are due to leave Khartoum for Juba on September 7th. Approximately 800 women (two-thirds are widows and 1,200 children) will be transported from makeshift shelters in flood conditions to the South. They are among hundreds of thousands of people of Southern origin who remain trapped in Sudan, having been stripped of their citizenship after the South voted to secede. Many have now made their own way to South Sudan but the poorest and most vulnerable do not have the resources. As well as being impoverished, Christians in Sudan are extremely vulnerable, as Islamist President Omar al-Bashir has made it clear that they are not welcome and repeatedly declared his intention to make the next constitution 100% Islamic and strengthen sharia law.
Pray: for the most vulnerable to be able to reach their extended families in the South and that NGO’s will be able to help with their practical needs. (Ps.132:15)
