Praying the News Summary 9

Summary: Country of the Week: Sudan
Source: Link

Syrian Refugee Crisis

Summary: Syria: People, including children, are freezing to death in tents and without shelter as they are fleeing violence in winter.
Source: Link
Summary: 82,000 people are living in the open air in Syria as they flee violence.
Source: Link
Summary: 5.5 million Syrian refugees and 6 million internally displaced people due to 9 years of war.
Source: Link
Summary: The conflict is escalating between Syria & Turkey (and also between opposing Syrian groups)
Source: Link
Summary: Syria's war is both a civil war (opposing factions in Syria), but also a proxy war (where Turkey and Russia are interceding on behalf of the groups they support). 3.7 million Syrian refugees in Turkey.
Source: Link
Summary: Turkey announced it will allow refugees from Syria to cross into the EU while Greece and Bulgaria ramp up their border security to prevent crossings.
Source: Link
Summary: 18,000 people have crossed into the EU, but Greece is firing tear gas to try to prevent crossings.
Source: Link

US Border Crisis

Summary: Study reveals that families who were separated at the US border display mental health conditions such as PTSD, major depressive disorder, or a generalized anxiety disorder. This has not only been linked to the families fleeing violence, but also the stress of separation.
Source: Link
Summary: Pray for God's justice to be done in broken immigration, refugee, and asylum systems.
Source: Link
Summary: The US is creating a specific office to handle de-naturalizing American citizens in trouble with the law or who have problems with their application. These are naturalized citizens having their citizenship revoked, while native-born citizens don't face the same punishments for their crimes.
Source: Link
Summary: 800+ migrants who sought asylum at the US border, but were told to wait in Mexico for their hearing, have experienced kidnapping, rape, and other violent crimes. The courts have ruled that the US must follow its asylum laws that grant an asylum hearing to anyone who requests it, regardless of their legal status, but the courts are hearing more arguments about whether the US can make asylum seekers wait in Mexico for their US hearing.
Source: Link
Summary: 60,000 migrants are waiting in Mexico for their US asylum hearing. Asylum courts at the border have less than a 1% chance of asylum being granted.
Source: Link
Summary: May the Church remember to show compassion as we love God and our neighbors.
Source: Link

Other Requests

Summary: 5 dead in a work shooting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Source: Link
Summary: At least 20 dead in protests in India.
Source: Link
Summary: Pray for holistic childhood programs in Brazil, human trafficking, and locust swarms in East Africa.
Source: Link
Summary: 18,000+ dead from the flu in the US and 32 million infected.
Source: Link
Summary: Pray for people to have compassion and empathy in the midst of their fear and prejudice.
Source: Link
Summary: Praise: US and Taliban reach a peace agreement.
Source: Link and Link

Pray for those without homes in winter

Pray for those who are sleeping outside.
Pray for those in tents and for those without any shelter.
Pray for those within our borders who have no homes.
Pray for the homeless within our own communities.
Pray for those around the world in similar situations.
Pray for refugees who are being turned away from overflowing camps to sleep in the open air in freezing weather in Syria.
Pray for the families who are grieving as their children are freezing to death because they have no shelter.
Pray for the Church to be disturbed by these deaths and to come alongside those who are suffering.
Pray for peace and justice to come to this world, so no one will die from sleeping outside in freezing weather.

Covid-19 (Coronavirus) Update

Summary: Covid-19 (Coronavirus) Update: This link is a live feed updated throughout the day.
Source: Link and Link
Summary: 60 cases in the US (45 from US citizens brought back from China & Japan)
Source: Link
Summary: 50 countries dealing with the virus with more than 4,300 infected outside of China. Italy, South Korea, and Japan have the worst outbreaks outside of China. This link has maps, charts, & summaries.
Source: Link
Summary: The greatest threat from the virus is fear, rumors, and stigma.
Source: Link
Summary: 83,000 cases worldwide of the virus and 2,800 deaths.
Source: Link
Summary: 3,100+ cases in South Korea, 78,900+ cases in China, and 500+ cases in Iran.
Source: Link
Summary:  Around 37,000 have recovered from the virus. 2-4% fatality rate in Wuhan, China and 0.7% fatality rate outside of Wuhan.
Source: Link