10/31/2018  Kenya  (ICC) A month ago, the Somalia-based terror group al-Shabaab flagged down a passenger bus traveling from Garissa to Masalani, Kenya, separating Muslims from Christians. Consequently, Fredrick Ngui Ngonde and Joshua Ooko Obila were killed for declining to recite the Islamic creed, the Shahada, one of the five pillars of Islam. A witness said, “the two men refused to obey the jihad fighters and remained adamant that Christ is their Savior and they cannot deny the Christian faith. They were shot dead.”One of the men worked for the bus company, but his Somali colleagues, the driver and the conductor, did nothing to defend him. Please pray… Pray for the families of Fredrick Ngonde and Joshua Obila, for the Lord’s comfort and strength at this difficult time.  Pray for the Christians in northeast Kenya to remain strong in the midst of the al-Shabab persecution. Pray that the Kenyan government will do more to protect its citizens.

4/3/2018  Kenya  (ICC) Three years ago, 145 Christian students, two security guards and a military officer were brazenly and brutally massacred when a group of four heavily-armed al-Shabaab terrorists attacked Garissa University in northeastern Kenya. Many Kenyans are still reliving the trauma left behind from the attack amidst ongoing threats of terrorism. Many of those who were shot are still suffering physically from their wounds and emotionally from trauma. Please pray… Pray for peace and boldness for survivors who have lost their loved ones to terrorism.  Pray for the physical and emotional healing of those who were wounded and traumatized in the attack. Pray for discernment and protection for police and authorities in Kenya.

2/15/18  Kenya  (VOM) Christian widows whose husbands were killed in Islamist attacks are gradually returning to their coastal Kenyan homes. After an attack in June 2014 in which Islamists went door to door killing Christians, Naomi and her four children fled to her parents’ home in another village. They spent a difficult year there grieving and healing, but Naomi then decided to return to her farm. With encouragement and help from VOM, she now manages the farm with help from her two sons, ages 11 and 8. In a good season the farm sustains them, but its productivity depends on weather conditions. Please pray… Pray for Naomi and the other widows as they raise  their children and continue to grieve the loss of their husbands.  Pray that the Lord will bless their farms and provide for their material and spiritual needs. Pray that they will find encouragement, love, and comfort from Christians in their area.

5/26/17  Kenya  (BBC News) Five police in Kenya were killed in a roadside bomb attack that Al-Shabab militants claimed responsibility for last week. Their goal in staging these attacks is to get Kenya to withdraw its troops from Somalia. The troops are serving there under the African Union, and Al-Shabab militants wants them to withdraw so they can take control in Somalia. Al-Shabab frequently attacks Christians, so an increase in their strength would not be good.  Please pray… Pray for the families of the five police officers killed as they grieve for their loved ones.  Pray that Christians in Kenya will lean on Christ during these frightening times. Pray for an end to Al-Shabaab’s violent and destructive ways in Kenya.

12/2/2016  Kenya (Open Doors) Although areas of East Africa are dominantly Muslim, this does not prevent the Holy Spirit from bringing new life to individuals living there. Two cousins, both Muslim, became Christians after reading verses from the Bible explaining who Christ is – the Truth. The boys’ families, knowing they would be killed for their conversion, made them leave home. The cousins have since been able to find refuge with a community of people who shared similar experiences. Let’s pray… Pray for these boys who have left home and everything familiar to them in order to be able to follow Christ, that they will grow in their faith and stay true to Jesus. Pray for the salvation of these boys’ family members. Pray for Christian and minority communities to be able to survive despite the pressures they face living in often hostile environments.