Two leaders of the Assemblies of God church of Ahvaz, Shahnaz Jayzan and Davoud Alijani, were released from prison during January. Will you join us in praying for them as they recover from their ordeal and make plans for their next steps? Davoud was released from Karoun prison on January 13th and Shahnaz from Sepidar prison on January 28th after being imprisoned on 1 May 2013. Davoud reflected on his incarceration, saying, “The mental anguish affects you physically, even if you are not mistreated physically. Each time I was sick, I would go to the prison pharmacy which was run by inmates and really only provided painkillers.... The guards regularly pressured me to reconvert.” Shahnaz’s husband Farhad Sabokrooh and Naser Zamen-Dezfuli began serving one year sentences at the same time as Shahnaz and Davoud, but were released earlier, in December 2013. All four leaders had been convicted on trumped up political charges relating to their Church leadership, after being arrested during a Christmas celebration in their church in 2011. During the Christmas raid, the whole church was interrogated, including Sunday school children. The church has been unable to meet together since that time, so let’s hold them all up in prayer. Pray for • Davoud, Shahnaz, Farhad and Nasser as they recuperate • The members of the Ahvaz church to stay strong in the Lord • Those left in prison; Farshid, Rasoul, Nasim and others