Bangladesh, Asia: Religious discrimination and tension is rising. Islamists, while a small minority, exert increasing pressure for governance by shari’a principles. Minority groups, even Muslim ones, find themselves vulnerable. Christians, Buddhists and especially Hindus suffer as persecution intensifies, occasionally to the point of destruction of property and sometimes even death. Forced reconversion to Islam is an increasing threat. Since independence, the percent of the population comprising minority sections of society has been reduced to half. Pray for binding of the powers of darkness operating in religious, social and ethnic realms. Pray also that the constitutional freedom allowing all to practise and propagate their own religions might be maintained. For more information go to www.operationworld.org.

Azerbaijan, Asia: Draconian registration laws enacted in 2010 make life difficult not just for most Christian groups, but also for other faiths, including Muslims. The government seeks to regulate and restrict religious practice, which it evidently sees as a threat. There are now harsh legal restrictions against religious groups who teach children or who produce literature, against the involvement of foreigners for religious purposes and against developing property for worship purposes. Congregations can legally function only at the location where they are registered, and the registration process is highly obstructive and subject to extortion and manipulation by unscrupulous officials. For more information go to www.operationworld.org.

Australia, Pacfic: Student ministry is one area needing greater attention. Witness to the nearly 600,000 students in 40 universities and many more colleges has had some impact, but not nearly as much as potential would allow. AFES(IFES) is on almost every campus (with 53 groups and nearly 100 workers/volunteers), Student Life (CCCI) is on over 20 and Navigators on 5. A notable trend is that foreign students are proving more responsive to outreach than Australians. Praise God for this open door, but pray that Australians might also be reached during this crucial phase of their lives. Pray for a greater evangelistic zeal, a larger harvest for the Kingdom and an increased flow of missionaries from these groups to the world.For more information go to www.operationworld.org.

Armenia, Asia: The control of Nagorno-Karabakh, now functionally independent, is unresolved and a millstone around the necks of all involved. Refugees on both sides of the conflict (250,000 Armenians from Azerbaijan, and 530,000 Azeris from Armenia and western Azerbaijan) are still displaced. Although the armed cease-fire has held, all diplomatic solutions have failed. Both nations refuse to back down, and Nagorno-Karabakh itself refuses to accept any resolution into which it does not have direct input. Pray for an answer that is acceptable to all and that allows each group to move forward. For more information go to www.operationworld.org.