As Muslims around the world celebrate Islamic New Year, many Christians in Muslim-majority countries are working on building relationships with their Muslim neighbours. Despite the hostility there can often be between different religious communities, inter-community activities and peace building initiatives are providing a powerful witness to the love of God. Yet these Christians need our prayers in the challenging world they live in.

• Pray for the Indonesian Church to unite in speaking out for religious freedom, as radical Islamism grows in Indonesia;
• Pray that Indonesia’s new president, Joko Widodo, would take concrete steps to protect religious minorities from the rising tide of intolerance;
• Ask God to continue to uphold the Christian communities in Lahore and especially the district of Yohannabad in Pakistan, surrounded by Islamic schools and mosques preaching extremism.
• Pray for interfaith harmony efforts in southern Punjab province, Pakistan, and that God would use our contacts Romana and Arif to build peace between communities;
• Pray for Christians in Quetta, Pakistan, ostracised and threatened by Islamist extremist groups;
• Thank God for the strength of the Iranian Church despite the increasing harassment and persecution Christians face;
• Ask God to give spiritual and emotional strength to the wives and families of pastors in prison in Iran because of their faith.