Dear Faithful Intercessors:

Don’t forget that there are some who are persecuted for their faith.  Please pray for those in Turkey.

Blessings,
Chuck D. Pierce
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Istanbul, Turkey, there was an earthquake last Thursday (March 13). Our home shook intensely. It was 4.8 on the Richter scale.  The day after, the country was shaken with the news that the political party in power now (AKP) may be shut down by the chief public prosecutor, because of its Islamisizing efforts.

Please continue to pray for Turkey, as there is increased persecution for us, and the believers here.  We have had to go low-key, because we could no longer get the permission to do public outreaches. We have now shifted our focus to the poor and villages. But praise the Lord! We just distributed 2000 New Testaments in the past week!

The other day, we preached the Gospel to a group of about 10 - 15 garbage pickers. One man asked us to pray for his arm that had been cut by glass. He felt the feeling come back into his arm as the others looked on. He prayed to receive the Lord Jesus!

At our New Testament storage depot, someone threw rocks at the windows and broke them. Someone else made deep scratches with a metal object on our vehicle - maliciously and purposefully.

Things are intense right now. In another city, our friends and every single person in their church have received death threats. The municipality here in Istanbul is making another church evacuate the building they have used for many years. Some of the churches that we partner with are going through much persecution.

A recent newspaper article described how Turkish culture is changing by becoming more Islamic in clothing, daily life, and language (see The Gradual Islamization of our Daily Lives ).
 
Below are a few sample headlines which can be viewed at www.compassdirect.org

TURKEY: TRIAL FOR “INSULTING TURKISHNESS” STILL HOUNDING CONVERTS   
March 17, 2008

TURKEY: Threats, Violence against Christians on upswing
Friday October 05, 2007
Compass

TURKEY: Catholic Priest Stabbed
Monday December 17, 2007
Compass

Turkish police reportedly foil plot to kill pastor  http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKL3135314120071231

WHY CHRISTIANS FEEL UNDER THREAT IN TODAY'S TURKEY
December 29, 2007
The Economist
http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story