Month: August 2013 - Pray For Qatar

CHRISTIANS AND PERSECUTION

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Qatar’s national religion is the strict Wahhabi form of Sunni Islam. Proselytizing Muslims is strictly forbidden. While non-Qatari Christians living in the country are allowed to practice their faith—there is a special place in the capital city set aside for churches to meet—many expats don’t share openly for fear of deportation, job loss, and other forms of persecution. In fact, Qatar has been ranked for several years in the top 25 worst countries in the world for Christian persecution. Because of the sheer quantity of expatriates in Qatar, and also the cultural and economic divide, Qataris are relatively inaccessible. This…

ARTIFICIAL CLOUDS

Image: Creative Commons

In 2022, Qatar will be the first Arab country, and the world’s smallest country, to host the World Cup, the most-watched sporting event in the world. One small problem: Qatar is known for suffocating summer heat that regularly tops 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Engineers at Qatar University are working on a green, nature-inspired solution: artificial clouds. These large robotic cloud-like structures are made from a lightweight carbon structure and kept afloat by helium gas and four solar-powered engines. The clouds could hover in one place or glide over the stadium by remote control to provide shade to the anticipated 86,250 spectators….

A PRAYER FOR AHMED & MARYAM and others like them

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Read Ahmed & Maryam’s profile. God, change is hard. Thank you for Your promise that You never change (James 1:17). We cling to that when the world around us seems to change so rapidly. We pray for Ahmed and Maryam and others like them. We thank you for the legacy of hard work and community they’ve modeled to the next generations. However, life and culture as they knew it is quickly dying. As they age and face their humanity and death, free them from fear. You give us assurance of life forever through Jesus Christ. Open their hearts to this…