[Today’s Prayer] A family of 18 from India dies… after leaving for a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia

On the 17th, near Medina, one of the Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia, a bus carrying pilgrims was involved in a collision that left 42 people dead. Among the victims, it was later revealed that an entire family of 18 from Hyderabad, India, lost their lives at once, adding to the tragedy. The family included three generations, and especially heartbreaking is that nine children were among those who died. The accident occurred on the 17th when the bus carrying the pilgrims collided with a diesel tanker and then caught fire, resulting in many casualties.

On the 19th (local time), Mohammed Asif, a resident of Ramnagar and a relative of the victims, spoke in tears: “My parents-in-law, my brothers- and sisters-in-law, my wife, and my three children all lost their lives in this accident. The bus was burned to ashes in the fire, and all 18 members of our family disappeared. This is a horrific tragedy for us.”

(omitted)

The Telangana state government announced that it will provide compensation of 500,000 rupees (8.28 million won) to each family affected by this tragedy.

(omitted)

According to Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar, of the 46 people on the bus, 45 died at the scene, and the sole survivor, Muhammad Abdul Shoaib, is currently in critical condition in the hospital.

(continued)

Source: Nate News

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, and to set the oppressed free.” (Luke 4:18)

God, we hear the heartbreaking news that 45 people were killed in a collision involving a bus carrying pilgrims near Medina in Saudi Arabia.

In particular, as an entire extended family of 18 who had departed from Hyderabad, India, lost their lives at once and their surviving relatives are engulfed in shock and sorrow, You know, Lord, that no amount of government compensation can take away the pain of losing one's family in an instant.

Lord, please touch the impoverished hearts of the bereaved families, and allow the local church in India to care for their broken hearts and share the love of Jesus’ cross with them.

Every year, millions of Muslims around the world devote their lives to traveling to Saudi Arabia in hope of the paradise promised in the Quran, yet accidents like this continue to claim lives. In the midst of this, may the Muslim brothers and sisters who are blinded by a false religion and held captive by the spirit of Islam now be set free by the Spirit of truth.

For this, may the global church proclaim victory through prayer and worship that can pierce even the strongest strongholds of Islam, and may the footsteps of those bringing the gospel to Muslims living under the shadow of death never cease.

May the local churches of each nation unite, rise, and become missionary leaders who lead all Muslims to the Lord in these final days.

So that the 2.1 billion Muslims will repent before the Lord, be filled with the hope of the second coming of Jesus Christ, and shout with joy over the salvation they have received!