Dear Friend,

Doors of Opportunity… Leads to a Miracle!

Opportunity. What a challenging and frightening word. It’s word we should grow to love. After all in our lives there are those moments when we all wish for a new sense of direction… a new possibility. We’ve become weary of the present path we are walking on. It’s become mundane, dull and lifeless. It no longer excites us. When we encounter God given opportunities it should inspire hope within us when we have none. God creatively uses opportunities to motivate us – inspires us – to become a person of faith who will also ultimately inspire others to achieve great things through their lives.

But it starts with us. Taking responsibility to hear God’s voice of direction when confronted with an opportunity. Some of the prayer requests we share with you this month are just that opportunities for you and I to touch others through our prayers.

In our latest AsiaLink magazine coming your way in the mail you’ll read an inspiring story of a Muslim family that prayed to Allah for a miracle. Yet none came. In the midst of their search the wife who was desperately sick needing a miracle walked by a doorway where a group of Chinese Christians were meeting. She heard a women sharing how God had physically healed her body. The Muslim lady was intrigued by what she was hearing… so she paused and listened. Then in a surprise to her and those in the room she asked the Christians to pray for her physical healing. The Chinese evangelist who just happened to be supported by AsiaLink led the Christians in praying for her. It was an opportunity that only God could arrange. A miracle took place… and she was ultimately healed. There is so much more to this motivating story that you’ll have to wait to read it all!

I’m thankful someone took advantage of the opportunity to support and sponsor this Chinese evangelist to travel to this remote region of China to minister. I believe their reward will be great as they share in the harvest of lives because they invested in an opportunity that God opened for them!

Today you can pray and invest your faith… into situations that are life and death for those involved. Taking 2-3 minutes to pray each day is your opportunity to see miracles take place.

You can also help sponsor a church planting evangelist in Asia who has committed their life to the Gospel but are hindered by a lack of finances. Pray about whether this is your opportunity to support one or more of these workers with a gift of $50 per month per church planter. This could be your moment… your opportunity to see God at work in ways you never imagined!

Rev. Dale R. Hiscock
Executive Director

MONDAY | China - COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT TIGHTENS CONTROL OVER CHURCHES
In signs of increasing control government officials in China’s coastal Zhejiang Province recently ordered that surveillance cameras and equipment be installed in Three-Self Patriotic Churches (TSPM are churches registered with the communist government) allowing the government to easily monitor church services and activities. If any church refuses, the government has been sending officials to forcibly set up the devices if the order meets with refusal. Officially, the government is stating that the need for cameras in the church are for the “safety” of the congregation and to protect congregants from “terrorism” attacks. The government also stated they would take into account whether or not the church had previously resisted cross demolitions that have taken place over the past several years and that they would send more government agents to the site if it had.

From March 21-24, hundreds of police officers converged on Changlin Church in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, in order to carry out this task, beating any Christians who resisted their efforts.

A local Christian said the church members questioned why they needed additional surveil-lance since Three-Self Churches are already heavily monitored and policed by the govern-ment. Some Christian women stationed themselves outside the church, fearing a possible church demolition, and were seized for their resistance, then released once the cameras were set up. Officials also destroyed the church’s reception desk and other parts of the building, including the church’s gate. On March 23rd, Shengai Church, in Pingyang County, Wenzhou, issued a statement accusing the government of violating their privacy; disrupting the internal affairs of religious organizations; and breaking laws by installing the cameras. The church claimed the government had no legal basis for these actions, saying that it needs to obtain the permission of the church or would otherwise result in an abuse of power and religious freedom.

Pray for China’s church as increased surveillance and persecution escalates.

Pray for our partners in China to be protected as they minister under the ever changing political landscape and maneuvering by China’s communist party.

Pray for pastors and church leaders to have wisdom when dealing with authorities. Thank the Lord for the faithfulness of His church in China. Pray it will continue to grow.

TUESDAY | Myanmar - BURMESE SOLDIERS ARREST PASTORS AMID ATTACKS BY MILITARY
Recently, several Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps were attacked by Burmese Soldiers. Mortars were fired at the unarmed IDP civilians. Hundreds of people, who are mostly elderly and children, needed to flee the camps and they spent the night in the cold. Other camps with civilian IDPs were also attacked with mortars and air strikes.
Christian pastors are now being sought out and arrested. Men and women are being taken by the Burmese Military to serve as their slaves and as human shields. We are partnering with local Christian workers to bring food and aid to the thousands of Kachin IDPs in Myanmar.
Some areas are too risky to go to as cars are being stopped and checked and Christian aid workers are being arrested. Pray for the safety of all the extremely brave local aid workers who are risking their lives to bring aid and a message of hope to suffering Christian Kachin brothers and sisters.
Update: Thank you for praying and helping to supply blankets for the Kachin. With donations from our various friends, we were able to purchase and distribute 500 blankets and order 3000 jackets from China which should be delivered soon.
Wednesday | Pakistan - BLASPHEMY LAWS CONTINUE TO AFFECT CHRISTIANS
Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are used to settle personal scores, with Christians often wrongly accused and convicted. Last month a Christian facing the death penalty on blasphemy charges was granted bail by the Supreme Court, apparently because of gaps in the investi-gation of his case. Evangelist Adnan Prince had been in prison since November 6th, 2013, after he sought to correct misconceptions about Christianity in a Muslim book. He was charged with outraging religious feelings, defiling the Koran and derogatory remarks against Muhammad, and his lawyer said that Adnan still faces the death penalty.
Pray for Adnan and others facing similar ordeals because of their faith in Jesus, that they will keep strong in the faith and know God’s peace and presence at this time. They would want us to pray that the Lord would use them in a mighty way to show His love to those who are holding and prosecuting them.
In the midst of this turmoil Bro. Hamid, our Pakistan Director, who lives and minsters in central Pakistan amazingly wrote to share that they are planning a youth evangelism conference on May 12 – 13. The purpose of this conference is to teach Pakistani Christian young people how to do evangelism in a safe manner in a Muslim country? The visionary theme for the conference is Youth Evangelism In a Muslim World.
Pray for the special speaker and the finances that are URGENTLY needed to make this conference possible. Ask God to protect those who will attend and that the conference location will be safe and secure for all!
Friday | India/Sri Lankia - New from AsiaLink Partners
In Bihar, India, a Muslim friend requested a Bible from our worker and another is showing interest. Pray for the three small worship services taking place in two villages. We are asked to pray for transformation in the lives of the people who attend and for those that minister to them. On 3rd March, a pastor and two of our staff conducted a mission aware-ness seminar for young people in a predominantly Buddhist Sri Lankan town. Forty-seven young people from five churches gathered and eleven dedicated their lives to serve in His Kingdom. Praise God and pray for the follow up programme.

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