#906 (6/12) "Is Brazil Ready for the World Cup?" [begins today!]

The Bulletin Board:(Please SCROLL DOWN this page to find the article titled on this post in LARGE CAPITAL LETTERS. Thank you.)

PRAY FOR AMERICA:  THANK GOD for His many blessings on America throughout it's history. May we then ask that AMERICA once again be a blessing TO GOD, by once again submitting to HIS will in our affairs - both personal and national - that He may truly "heal our land." (2 Chron. 7:14)

SIGN A PETITION TO THE UN FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHRISTIANS :" The church in Syria has shone brightly for 2,000 years. But today violence and persecution threatens its survival. Thanks to an incredible response, Open Doors is helping 8,000 families in Syria survive each month. We believe the signatures and prayers of 500,000 people will encourage the UN to act and protect the rights and lives of all Syrians, especially the vulnerable Christian community." Go to: http://lp.opendoorsusa.org/emails/nov-13-action/save-syria.html?utm_source=action&utm_medium=email&utm_content=button&utm_campaign=november

WORLD-WDE PRAYER REQUESTS:
PRAY for the WORLD CUP IN BRAZIL (6/12 ff) -  that God will show favor to the many thousands who are there to present the message of Christ to the athletes and visitors from around the world. May many return to their home countries having come to Christ and sharing that same new faith with family and friends.

 LATEST SAHEED NEWS!  May 22 - "Pastor Saeed Forcibly Returned to Prison after Beating" - By Caitlin Burke,CBN News, May 22, 2014;http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2014/May/Pastor-Saeed-Beaten-Sent-Back-to-Iran-Prison/ "Saeed Abedini, a U.S. pastor imprisoned for his faith, was severely beaten at an Iranian hospital before being returned to the brutal Rajai Shahr prison. His Iranian family claims the transfer was unexpected and the reason is unclear. But one of the guards involved in the transfer suggested recent Iranian nuclear talks could be a motive, the family said...""

We need to continue to pray for Pastor Saeed - that his health will improve and that he will be re-united with his wife and two young children who live in the United States. We also remain hopeful that in addition to getting the medical care he so desperately needs, that Iranian officials display the kind of humanitarian treatment that often accompanies the start of the Iranian New Year which began on March 21st. This is the time of year when the Iranian government frequently offers clemency to prisoners of conscience. [If you have not yet, please sign the petition for his clemency- http://beheardproject.com/saeed#sign]

PRAY ALSO : - For comfort and peace for Saeed’s wife and children here in the U.S.\

- For a strong witness and testimony from Pastor Abedini in the prison where God has placed him

- For Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ

- For leadership from the White House and State Department in defending the freedoms of Abedini and other Americans

- GO TO SaveSaeed.org to sign a petition over 600,000 others asking for his immediate release

LATEST NEWS /PRAYER ALERT"100,000 Russian Troops at Ukraine Border, Could Invade ’At a Moment’s Notice’" - 3/28/2014;http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=3716
The U.S. State Department believes the Russian army is now prepared to launch an invasion of eastern Ukraine if President Vladimir Putin decides to pull the trigger, according to a senior Administration official."At this point, they are amassed and they could go at a moment’s notice if Putin gave the go ahead," the official said...Top Ukrainian security officials said Thursday that Russia now has 100,000 troops on its side of the Russia-Ukraine border.(Sources: CBS News, Washington Post, Huffington Post, Daily Beast) 
As the Lord leads, please pray: 
*For God to suppress President Putin’s ambitions to "restore" the Soviet empire.
*For the people of Ukrainen [esp. for the church 'to be THE church']  as they wait to see if the Russian troops will advance.
*About President Obama and  to use wisdom in crafting our  foreign policy, and wisdom for his advisers.

NEWS/PRAYER ALERT!"Kim Jong-un Calls for Execution of 33 Christians" - 3/7/2014; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=3651 "North Korea tyrant Kim Jong-un has reportedly ordered that 33 Christians believed to be working alongside South Korean Baptist missionary Kim Jung-wook be put to death. The South Korean missionary - who was arrested last year - and his accomplices have reportedly started 500 or so underground churches..."[PRAY that the plans for execution would be rescinded, and these believers released.] [Che\ck out: They'll Be Dead By Morning (What Difference Will It Make) http://loristanleyroeleveld.blogspot.com/2014/03/theyll-be-dead-by-morning-what.html
NEWS ALERT/PRAISE! "Iran Allows Surgery on Ailing, Imprisoned Pastor" - CBNNews.com,March 07, 2014;http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2014/March/Iran-Allows-Dire-Surgery-on-Ailing-Imprisoned-Pastor-/ The Iranian government has finally allowed doctors to perform surgery on imprisoned Pastor Benham Irani.Irani suffered from a herniated disc and bleeding intestines and urgently needed medical care. PRAY for the final release of Pastor Irani and others imprisoned for their faith.

Oct. 23: "Christians Fleeing IRAQ Area Once Considered Safe," - CBNNews.com, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/October/Christians-Fleeing-Iraq-Area-Once-Considered-Safe/ PRAY that believers in Iraq will know God's protection and provision; that believers will know[ whether they are called to flee or remain and persevere; and that their persecutors  may come to hear the gospel and come to faith in Christ. - Stan] 

Continue to Pray for EGYPT - Continue to pray for the tense situation in Egypt and especially for the Christian believers who are being targeted with violence by Muslim Brotherhood members.]  

Update on Kenneth Bae: "US Ready to Bargain with N. Korea for Bae's Release,"-  CBNNews.com,  Aug 14, 2013  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/S-Ready-to-Bargain-with-N-Korea-for-Baes-Release/  - PRAY for 1) God's healing of and presence with Pastor Bae, 2) His earliest release by the North Korean government, and 3) God's comfort for his family and friends.] 
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"Is Brazil Ready for the World Cup?" - Ana Quintana / @Ana_R_Quintana / June 11, 2014 / http://dailysignal.com/2014/06/11/brazil-ready-world-cup/


Sao Paulo, Brazil, days before the start of the FIFA World Cup 2014. (Photo: Kyodo/Newscom)

The World Cup starts tomorrow [6/12] and right now, there’s little faith Brazil will come out of the games unscathed.

Government mismanagement, burdensome bureaucracy and outsize corruption have led to this being the most expensive World Cup to date at around $12 billion. From unfinished construction projects to blatant government corruption, the games have served to highlight systemic issues plaguing the South American country.

That’s no surprise when you look at specific costs. A whopping $3.6 billion in taxpayer money has been spent on both building new and refurbishing 12 old stadiums. One stadium cost’s tripled to $900 million in public funds mainly because of fraudulent billing, according to Brazilian government auditors.

Nor is that the only example of hiked costs due to corruption. In the capital city of Brasília, auditors found “grave irregularities” from contractors overbilling the city for construction of a seat stadium whose cost rose 68% to $636 million.

Visitors arriving in the Fortaleza airport, another host city, will be walking under a tent rather than airport terminal after the city’s $78 million terminal construction fell through. Last minute cosmetic fixes like beach scenes are being used to hide unfinished road construction projects. Mass transit strikes plague Brazil’s largest city and opening site for the World Cup, São Paulo. With no foreseeable end in sight to the strike, many fans have been told to “travel by donkey” if they want to attend matches.

And what’s the benefit of all this spending, some of which was originally allocated for long-term infrastructure pieces? Well, now the World Cup is expected to produce only 380,000 temporary jobs and generate $11.1 billion in the licit economy. That’s not a lot of bang for the nearly $12 billion spent.

Unsurprisingly, Brazilians have become increasingly disenchanted with World Cup spending. Initially, almost 80 percent of Brazilians supported hosting the games. Now, 36 percent believe the World Cup will bring more harm than good.

There could be political consequences: The World Cup could potentially be President Dilma Rousseff’s largest challenge going into October’s election. Riding high on her predecessors’ legacy, her recent approval ratings have plummeted to 36 percent.

After a dynamic period of growth, Brazil’s economy has hit a wall and Brazilians are responding. Anti-government protests have been taking place since June of last year in response to the corrupt political system and slowing economic growth. The Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom continues to find heavy government intervention in the economy as the cause for misallocation of capital and propellant of social injustice.

As rising civil unrest continues, major protests remain a concern leading up to tomorrow’s [Thursday's (6/12)] kickoff.

[bold and italics emphasis mine]
Ana Quintana is a research associate in The Heritage Foundation’s Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies. She specializes in U.S. policy toward Latin America.