Prayer Calendar

General Challenges

African Christian Lawyers face practically the same problems in their respective CLS groups and they are:

• Leadership: Some who are looked upon as leaders have many other responsibilities coupled with their successful careers and societal standings; they therefore cannot provide the necessary leadership needed to expand and keep the fellowship going. The concept of leadership in Africa also has a different meaning; in Africa leadership is not generally a concept of service but to be served.
• Funds: Poverty in Africa is growing by the day this of course is due to corruption and mismanagement of resources by our leaders. An average African finds it difficult to give out of his meagre resources to a charity talk less of Lawyers who say they are Christians.
• Commitment: Many Christian lawyers are not actively involved in the activities of their respective CLS groups this may be due to many factors and it is for the various CLS groups to find solutions to this universal challenge.
• Registration Requirements: This varies from country to country. Those trying to launch face a lot of hurdles, which easily discourages them from embarking on the process.
• Language: Some months back our innkeepers from the French speaking parts of Africa requested for a translation of the Prayer Calendar and all other correspondence into French. Jean Musafiri (Rwanda) and Eric Som (Cameroon) assisted me with the translations but we could not continue for mostly logistic reasons.

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Most Recent Prayer Calendar

BURUDI:

Thanksgiving report from Mike Chibita (Secretary, Advocates Africa Board)

My time in Burundi was very encouraging. I would like to thank Jonathan and Longin for inviting me and for mobilizing such a big gathering which I put between 90-100 attendees. It was quite gratifying to know that the work started by AI and being harnessed by AA is indeed gaining momentum. I thank Sam Ericsson and AI for availing the ticket.

I am working on the presentation I made so that you all can have a copy.

I am talking to UCLF to arrange for maybe five members from Burundi to come over to Uganda to see our projects and observe for a few days to help them see what they may wish to adopt from here.

Let us pray that the Lord will provide the means to have delegates from Burundi at the UCLF conference in March.

SOUTH AFRICA:

On the 6th of March, the Christian Lawyers Association of South Africa will be hosting a Golf day to raise funds for its programmes. Please pray for the success of this programme and for the safety of all who attend and are participating in the competition.

UGANDA:

The Ugandan Christian Lawyers Fraternity (UCLF) will be hosting their national conference on the 10th March, at the Ridar Hotel Seeta, just outside Kampala. the topic this time round is 'Who is my neighbour?' focusing on the legal perception of those who we take responsibility for (namely our immediate neighbours i.e. as Lord Atkins refers to them in Donaghue V Stevenson) set against who our neighbour is according to the parable of the Good Samaritan. The obvious focus of such a topic will lead to a discussion of legal aid and pro bono responsibility. Please pray for the success of the conference.

And a prayer request from Lillian

Hi I thank the Lord for all that he is doing through you. We in Uganda are fine but in dare need of prayer. Please pray that the peace talks shall resume in juba and this time every thing shall be peaceful to the end. As one of the people from Northern Ugandan; I am so tired of this whole saga mainly of being displaced in your own country and nothing serious is being done about it and even some peoples’ lands are being sold off in the process to investors. Please stand with us in prayer to remove these injustices.

ADVOCATES AFRICA 2007

The Advocates Africa Conference will take place in Mombasa, Kenya from the 3rd - 7th of September 2007 pray for the local organizing committee as they continue with plans to organize a successful conference.

The conference fees have been set for $295 (all inclusive) pray for all the delegates and for the finances they would need to travel. (See attached document for more information)

PRAYER FOR Colonel Clement Mudenda

Let us continue to pray for Col. Clement Mudenda who is now back in Zambia recovering. The doctors recommended that he be returned home due to the continued high cost of his treatment and the family’s inability to afford hospital bills. Pray for healing and finances for the Mudenda family.

SIERRA LEONE

Ibrahim Koroma writes:

Please pray for a peaceful settlement of the misunderstanding between the Bar Association and the government. The Government has proposed to amend section 24 of the Legal practitioners Act 2000 which gives exclusive authority to lawyers to prepare certain document relating to companies and property, especially the M&A of companies. The Bar Association claims that they have not been consulted so they have proceeded on a two day strike action as a first step to opposing the Government’s action.

They have withdrawn from all commissions and other government department as well as from the courts. The judiciary is in a standstill. (This email was sent about 2 weeks ago, let us a pray that the situation be permanently resolved)

GHANA: Adjei Nketiah writes:

I have been consistently reading the prayer calendar and I am intrigued to read about what is happening around the globe and what the ADVOCATES FAMILY is doing about some of the situations.

We in Ghana are not resting on our oars. In October last year we organized the first ever Breakfast meeting for lawyers and judges. We were privileged to have the Hon. Attorney General and Minister of Justice in attendance. The man of God who spoke incidentally chose as his theme; WHAT IS A WOUNDED PERSON TO YOU? What was interesting about the theme was that the speaker did not know that the story of the Good Samaritan is the foundation scripture of Advocates International.

In November 2006 we embarked on our long awaited prison MINISTRY. We started with the Bostal Institute where juvenile offenders are kept for between two and three years. It was an eye-opener to us as Christian lawyers. We provided the boys with school uniforms, books .sewing accessories and many other items our preliminary investigations showed us they were in dire need of.

The Hon Attorney General again accompanied us. Mrs. Georgina Wood, a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana who at the time was chairing a Committee investigating a cocaine scandal involving to police and other security agencies stopped everything to go with us.

As you may be aware Ghana is celebrating her Golden Jubilee as the first nation south of the Sahara to gain Independence from the colonial masters. IT is a whole year's programme. Could you please support us in prayers in this period for God' favour upon Ghana. Greetings to all the brethren.

AA BOARD MEMBERS

The Advocates Africa board members had there board meeting in Nairobi, Kenya on the 1st and 2nd of February 2007. Let us thank God for the success of the meeting, for Journey mercies and for providing the funds to pay for their travel.

NIGERIA (& AFRICA) AT A TIME LIKE THIS: By Ikeazor Akaraiwe, Esq

Nigeria has had numerous elections supervised by military dictators 'handing over' to democratically elected regimes. Nigeria has also had some elections by 'democratically elected' governments through which they invariably returned themselves to power. But never before has democracy 'matured' to the extent in Nigeria that by reason of term limits set by the constitution, those in power have to organize elections in which they are not candidates for office. A lot of shenanigans no doubt are going on: incumbents want to doctor the process to ensure only their preferred candidates win, etc.

Against this backdrop, having sought the face of the Lord in the past nine years pretty consistently, it does appear to us that this is his burden for those believers interested in the affairs of Nigeria:

ONE: That there is a failure of leadership in Nigeria (and much of Africa);

TWO: That this failure in leadership is essentially rooted in our idolatrous practices and devil worship, our leaders inclusive (Deuteronomy 27 vs 15-26; 28 vs 15-68);

THREE: In fact, that corruption has its roots in idolatry, being driven by the spirit of covetousness, which is idolatry (Colossians 3 v 5b);

FOUR: That it is given to the church to change the destinies of nations through prayer (and fasting) (Daniel 4 v 17, Matthew 18 vs 18-20, Jeremiah 50 vs 20-24)

FIVE: That much of the church is in a state of blissful slumber characterised by criticizing government or joining the fray and taking sides with one political party or ideology against the other ( Matthew 13 v 24-30);

SIX: That we, the church must not just pray, but DECREE as follows:

         a. That the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ cover Nigeria (and Africa) as the waters cover the sea;

         b. That every contrary government to the government of Christ in Nigeria (and Africa) be dismantled and the Lord Jesus declared King over all (Revelations 11 v 15);

SEVEN: That as far as leadership in Nigeria (and Africa) is concerned ONLY

         i. able men (and women);

         ii. who fear God;

         iii. love truth; and

         iv. hate unjust gain

Should rule over the thousands (Federal Government), the hundreds (State Governments), the fifties (Local governments) and the tens (government agencies and parastatals) (Exodus 18 v 21)

We call for prayers ahead of the April '07 elections for the Lord shall yet hear the voice of His people. We seek prayers not because the earth is our hope, but because a peaceful, God-controlled environment will greatly enhance the work of the gospel as clearly stated in 1st Timothy 2 v1-4:

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For Kings, and for all that are authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

Shalom!