Colombia is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a church leader. Around 25–30 church leaders are assassinated each year in connection with their faith, and across the whole country there is a murder every twenty minutes.

Christians are particularly unwelcome in many indigenous communities where traditional beliefs are the norm. Traditional religious authorities in these communities close down non-traditional religious buildings such as churches, and try to force Christians to convert back to traditional beliefs. These actions clearly violate Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that no-one must be forced into another belief against their will.

This week please:

• Ask God to protect people like Reverend Salvador Alcantara, a church leader who has received death threats because of his work for justice;
• Thank God for the courage of Christians who continue to hold onto their faith despite violent opposition;
• Ask God to comfort the families of victims of violence;
• Pray that traditional religious authorities in indigenous communities would be more tolerant of other faiths;
• Pray for CSW’s work training local activists to advocate effectively for freedom of religion;
• Pray that God would pour out his peace across the whole of Colombia;
• Pray especially for the Operation 18 campaign on 18 September – could you encourage your small group to pray too?