Displaying items by tag: Brussels

The Belgian government is under pressure to offer residence permits to hundreds of undocumented migrants who have been on hunger strike in Brussel’s Béguinage church and university buildings for sixty days and are in a life and death situation. Alarm grows because some are now refusing water. Four men stitched their lips together last month to press their case for legal access to the jobs market and social services. Two UN officials urged the government to offer temporary residence permits to the 476 hunger strikers. 150,000 sans papiers live in Belgium, according to the campaign group ‘We Are Belgium Too’, which is calling for the regularisation of undocumented migrants. Many have been in Belgium for five or ten years. Belgium’s minister for asylum and migration refused a blanket amnesty to undocumented workers. The deputy prime minister and other Socialist ministers threatened to quit the government if any hunger strikers died. It is becoming a political snowball.

On 18 August, 48 hours of Brexit talks resumed in Brussels. A source close to British negotiators said it would not accept any deal that ‘constrains’ the UK to the EU’s rules and infringes sovereignty. They reiterated that the UK was still seeking a free trade deal with the EU, similar to its agreement with Canada. The source said, ‘We remain committed to working hard to find the outlines of a balanced agreement. Our priority throughout the process has always been the return of our sovereignty.’ Former Brexit secretary David Davis said that fifty civil servants going to Brussels to negotiate was not enough. It ought to be a couple of hundred because there are so many things going on in parallel. We are also negotiating trade with America, Japan, New Zealand and Australia. The Americans and the New Zealanders are complaining we’re not moving fast enough.

The Lord is gathering His people on the European Continent, and the whole body of Christ from other parts of the world stands with this European Gathering, for we know that the Lord will uncover the old wells on this continent and new streams of grace will again flow from Europe to the world.

In the last years Rise-Up Now has run several conferences in different European cities with the vision to see national European believers and immigrant believers from different parts of the world living in Europe work together to proclaim God's ownership of each European land they live in through prayer, networking, and proclaiming the good news to all.

His bride from every tribe, people, and nation exclaims to HIM, "You are worthy." This bride from many nations will come together in Brussels from June 11th to 13th to worship Him and proclaim His dominion over Europe.

Video invitations:

Dr. Khaled Leon
https://youtu.be/rAy302eg-js

Fadi Krikor
https://youtu.be/WPPR0AGpmpE

Pastor Yassir Eric
https://youtu.be/I1m_MRjwvtg

The Lord gathers his people from Europe and the whole body of Christ from other parts of the world to become one with the European assembly because we know that the Lord will open the old wells on this continent Europe and new streams of grace from Europe again will flow all over the world.

In recent years, Rise-Up Now has held several conferences in different European cities with the vision of seeing European siblings working together with foreign siblings who come from different parts of the world and now live in Europe To proclaim God's rule over every European country they live in through prayer and cooperation in spreading the gospel.

His bride from every tribe, people and nation calls to him: "You are worthy." This bride from many nations will meet in Brussels from June 11th to 13th to worship him and proclaim his rule over Europe.

To Register Click Here:

http://www.riseup-now.com/events/riseup-now-2020/

The parish of Riches Claires has a dedicated committee that has worked for thirty years helping new arrivals to Europe. For many residents in Brussels the Christian outreach was a key step for their integration into the city. Most refugees in the church arrive after fleeing their countries of origin for economic or political reasons. However, arriving in their new home has not been easy for most, particularly those from Latin America who, for the most part, had to learn from scratch the intricacies of the local language. ‘The uprooting of our culture, of leaving our family members and leaving our friends is very painful,’ said Zoraida, a Colombian human rights defender. Over the years, the church community has evolved following the migratory waves. The first to arrive were Spaniards, then Chileans. More recently, it has been Venezuelans and Central Americans fleeing violence.

The EU, along with UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), is organising a high-level international conference on 28 and 29 October in Brussels. They are calling for urgent and concerted action for Venezuelan refugees and migrants. On 23 October Brussels highlighted the dramatic flight of millions of Venezuelans - one of the direst displacement crises in the world, and the largest in the recent history of the region. Nearly 80% of the 4.5 million who left their country have remained in Latin America or the Caribbean. Although countries in the region show solidarity towards them, their capacity and resources are reaching breaking point. The conference aims to raise awareness of the crisis, reaffirm global commitments, and assess best practices.

For days, thousands of Hungarians have demonstrated against the rule of prime minister Viktor Orban (see ). Opposition parties, student groups and civilians object to two new laws: one allows employers to ask for up to 400 hours of overtime work per year, and the other has set up a parallel judicial system which will severely undermine judicial independence. A Budapest-based research group observing the protests said there is a committed opposition against the government, and it could be the starting point of a broader movement. Meanwhile, French 'yellow vest' protesters have demonstrated for five consecutive Saturdays against President Macron’s rule. The movement was initially against fuel taxes, then education reforms, and now many issues bring them to the streets, even though their protests have forced the government to adjust its economic course. Also, the UN migration pact has brought thousands of demonstrators on marches in Brussels near major EU facilities, amid fears that it could lead to an increase in immigration.

Since 2011 intercessors from different backgrounds and nations come into the presence of God in the European Parliament every Friday. Some attend regularly; other individuals or groups join when they can. Every gathering looks different as the Holy Spirit leads. Afterwards they have a sharing time over lunch or coffee. Hundreds of people from across the world have prayed with them inside the EP. All have experienced God intervening in every meeting for every prayer topic. There have been deliverances, healings and visitations of the Holy Spirit. An intercessor writes, ‘We’ve already begun praying for the May 2019 elections for members of the European Parliament; for God to raise up people with godly values to represent the people of Europe. Key people at the top of the list in each political party, who will seek and have the Lord’s favour and grace. We also pray that those who are obstacles will resign or be moved out and for the “unknowns” to come forward.’

The following is part of a translation from a Russian political blogger: ‘A Syrian donor conference opened in Brussels under the guidance of the UN and EU. It included non-governmental organisations of Syria who are officially trying to distance themselves from Middle Eastern affairs, but at the same time retain a presence there.’ Their objectives were raising funds for the Syrian population and refugees and resuming Syria’s negotiations with UN help. The blogger said, ‘Syria has become an arena of global confrontation, where each of the external players is solving its own tasks in the region. In these conditions, there can be no question of any observance of the law of war. Hence - the use of poisonous substances, mercenaries, the use of the local population as hostages.’ He also said that these attempts to help refugees reflect idealism, and where there is idealism there is hope - hope for peace.

Sir Ivan Rogers, the British representative to the EU, has resigned from his position without warning, following disagreements with Theresa May’s team. His resignation leaves the Prime Minister without a senior experienced European negotiator, only weeks before Brexit talks are due to begin. One of the country’s most senior retired civil servants, Lord Macpherson, said that this sudden decision highlighted the Government’s ‘wilful and total’ destruction of its EU expertise. In a farewell message Sir Ivan, who had been criticised for being pessimistic about Britain’s future outside the EU, called on the staff of Britain’s mission in Brussels to ‘continue to challenge ill-founded arguments and muddled thinking’. The Government has acted swiftly to deal with the crisis by appointing Sir Tim Barrow (former ambassador to Russia) as Sir Ivan’s successor. See: