Africa

Displaying items by tag: Africa

Thursday, 04 May 2023 21:37

Sudan: prayer needs

Sudanese passports are locked inside European embassies. Spain's foreign ministry urged people to obtain travel documents from the Sudanese authorities. Mohamed was waiting for his visa for a Spanish holiday when war erupted. He phoned the Spanish embassy to retrieve his passport. The receptionist asked, ‘Are you Sudanese or Spanish?' He said he was Sudanese, she immediately hung up. Mr Badawi works for a French company. His passport was at the French embassy and they refused to return it. There are many more trapped. 15.8 million people already needed humanitarian assistance before the conflict. Now the situation is dire. Water, food, fuel, and medical supplies are scarce. The UN and partners are working to reboot the humanitarian response. Also the toll on children and young people’s mental health is profound. Additionally, the cost of transportation out of the worst-hit areas has risen exponentially, leaving the most vulnerable unable to move to safer areas.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 27 April 2023 21:49

Sudan: hospitals horror

Sudan’s healthcare system is paralysed. 39 out of 59 hospitals are closed. Those still working are running out of blood, medical equipment, and supplies. Doctor Abaro said closed hospitals must remain closed because medical supplies have run out and oxygen stations have been destroyed. It’s not safe to go into the streets, so medical staff and medical supplies can’t reach hospitals. Electricity, water and food are running low, and there are restrictions on ambulance movements. The situation is difficult. ‘The worst thing was seeing injured men and chronic patients struggling to survive,’ said Doctor Mustafa. ‘They were already vulnerable, and we felt paralysed trying to help them.’ A former foreign minister sheltering in Khartoum said, ‘We’ve had no electricity for 24 hours. We’ve had no water for six days, medical teams are targeted, and there are rotting bodies of youths in the streets’.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 27 April 2023 21:47

Libya: warlord involved in Sudan war

Libyan warlord Haftar controls eastern parts of Libya and, fuelled by outside interests, could worsen Sudan’s conflict. Analysts describe a ‘nightmare scenario’ of multiple regional powers fighting a proxy war in Sudan, endangering over 45 million people. Recently, Haftar passed on crucial intelligence to Sudanese general Hemedti, detained his enemies, increased deliveries of fuel, and trained hundreds of RSF fighters in the urban warfare tactics needed in Khartoum and other cities. Hemedti and Haftar have also collaborated on smuggling operations of valuable illicit cargo between the two countries. Currently, neither Haftar nor his sponsors, UAE and Russia, will commit entirely to one side in a conflict whose outcome remains unclear. Also, he does not want to alienate Egyptian supporters who back Sudan’s General Burhan. One NLA militia commander said his force was ‘ready to support Hemedti but is still monitoring the unfolding situation in Sudan’.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 27 April 2023 21:42

Sudan: tens of thousands trapped

So far, two thousand people from fifty countries have crossed the Red Sea to the port of Jeddah, while tens of thousands of Sudanese are trying to reach Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. Those remaining in Khartoum homes are running out of supplies. ‘If this war doesn't stop, there is no way to stay here.’ said a nurse. Lakshmi from Massachusetts was hitchhiking south. He said, ‘For the 16,000 Americans in Sudan, the race to evacuate diplomats has left them to fend for themselves. There are at least 158 Australian families registered in Sudan, but Australia has no embassy, so they have no consular services to help. See Many Britons scrambled to get to an airfield near Khartoum and fly back to the UK via Cyprus before the ceasefire ended.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 27 April 2023 21:30

Nigeria: nothing short of a massacre

In Kaduna state, Fulani militiamen killed 33 Christians in the predominantly Christian Runji village on 16 April and burned down half of the village. ‘Attackers in their numbers maimed and burned mostly women and children’, a press statement recorded. Locals have long believed that the government is capable and able to stop this evil - but they are not ready and willing to stop it. Nigeria is the leading country where Christians are killed for their faith (5,014 martyrs in 2022), and led the world in Christians abducted (4,726), sexually assaulted, harassed, forcibly married, physically or mentally abused. It had the most homes and businesses attacked for faith-based reasons. Being a Christian automatically puts a target on one's back. ‘Please pray for us’, said resident Mugu Bako. Rev Jacob Kwashi presided over their funerals, bemoaning the government's callous response to increasingly violent attacks against Christians. See

Published in Worldwide
Friday, 21 April 2023 09:42

Sudan: battle for control

Plumes of smoke fill Khartoum’s sky as Sudan’s military and paramilitary battle to control Sudan. Fighting that erupted on 15 April has killed hundreds, wounded many more, and damaged homes, hospitals, airport and residential water supplies. The power struggle is between General Burhan, commander of the armed forces, and General Dagalo, head of Rapid Support Forces. They were allies and orchestrated the 2021 military coup that derailed Sudan’s transition to democracy. Now they are killing each other in the streets, and the conflict could lead to Sudan’s collapse. Pray that this will not happen and for a return to dialogue. The region is already grappling with ongoing conflicts in Libya, CAR, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Chad. All of them are theatres of ongoing armed conflict and all share borders with Sudan. Their conflicts have killed tens of thousands and displaced millions more. If the situation in Sudan worsens, all the Horn of Africa will suffer. See also

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 06 April 2023 21:44

Angola: landmines scourge

People are still dying or being maimed by one of the millions of landmines or unexploded ordnance left from the war that ended 20+ years ago. ‘I don't want my daughter to be the next landmine victim’, said Helena from eastern Angola. The 25-year-old mother has joined the ‘sapadora’ - Angolan women risking their lives daily to clear the scourge of leftover landmines. A national survey by the Angolan government in 2014 found that about 88,000 people were living with injuries caused by landmines. Organisations like the International Campaign to Ban Landmines say the true toll may be higher still, as there is no on-going official monitoring of casualties. Everyone in Angola knows someone who is injured. 7,300 hectares still need clearing. ‘We need to stop this cycle for the good of our people and our nation’, said Helena.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 30 March 2023 23:25

Jihadists release kidnapped missionary

After more than six years in captivity in West Africa, longtime Christian aid worker Jeff Woodke has been released. His wife Els was told that he was in good condition and expressed her profound thanks to the many people in governments and others around the world who have worked so hard to see this result and praised God for answering the prayers of Christians everywhere who have prayed for this outcome. No ransom or other conditions were part of the release.

Published in Praise Reports
Thursday, 30 March 2023 22:04

Cameroon: Bible translator killed

Due to ongoing conflict in Cameroon between separatist groups and the government, as well as attacks by Islamic organisations, Bible translators are in persistent danger. Wuwih William Gemuh supervised Bible translation work in the Mfumte languages, in northwest Cameroon, facilitating workshops choosing words for dictionaries in a number of languages. When returning home from a workshop he was kidnapped and later killed by armed men. Wycliffe Bible Translators’ executive director says Bible translators are working in dangerous places because these are the most inaccessible locations both geographically and spiritually, where God’s word has yet to be translated. For Bible translators across vast swathes of Asia and Africa, this is the reality of their life and work. Please join us in prayer for all those affected by Wuwih’s death: his immediate and extended family, and his colleagues in the Mfumte project team, who have lost one of their leaders.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 30 March 2023 22:00

Algeria: praying for unreached Muslims

The Sahara Desert covers over four-fifths of Algeria. Nevertheless Algiers, the capital, is an oasis of culture and enterprise in the north. Many Algerians have become Christians in the past twenty years, but 99.9% of the country is still unreached by the Good News. Algiers has 2,854,000 residents: 96.5% are Muslims. Pray for God to protect and encourage the underground house churches as they send out teams, especially to the Arab people group. Pray for Holy Spirit wisdom to fill those translating the New Testament into the Chenua language. Pray for the exaltation of Jesus and the healing of the minds and hearts of new Jesus-followers. Pray for leadership schools to be established in Algiers that enable new believers to grow in their faith and boldness. During Ramadan, pray for the Kingdom of God to come through dreams and visions, freeing those trapped in darkness to see the Light of the World.

Published in Worldwide