Democracy Day in Nepal

From an e-mail from Nepal:
Today Nepalis are celebrating Democracy Day even though the King cancelled democracy here 18 days ago. Actually, he declared a state of emergency because Nepal’s 14-year experiment with democracy resulted in nothing but rampant corruption and violence. He is taking back all power for 3 years in order to restore a semblance of governance, he said. All phone lines in Nepal were cut when he first took over but slowly communication lines are opening (although many remote areas are more isolated than ever). Rebel forces continue to paralyze life outside the capital city by declaring strikes and shutdowns. Instead of the usual 3- or 4-day strikes, though, they’re calling for a 42-day nationwide shutdown and overthrow of the palace.

Could I request your prayers for Nepal at a greater fervency than ever before? Things are at a real turning point here, on many levels. One of those is the level of persecution rising against the Church. [Someone] told me government officials had just imprisoned a relative on the pretext of his leading a fellowship without a government license. Believers around the country are expecting increased persecution now that the staunchly Hindu king has taken control.

A local evangelist/church planter visited us today and reported that clusters of believers up in the northern mountains are being severely persecuted and martyred at the hands of a fierce Buddhist lama there. Would you take extra time, make extra effort to battle on your knees for these needs? [We] are sensing a new season in the Spirit starting in Nepal....

Pray for:
1. Strength, courage and wisdom for the persecuted believers.
2. Defeat of Satan’s tactics and a power takeover by the King of kings
3. The heart of Nepal’s king to be guided by the Sovereign One