President of Medical Teams International Bas Vanderzalm

Syria (MNN) -- It's been 15 months since sects in Syria began their attacks against President Assad's regime. The violence is getting worse, and more innocent people are being killed.

President of Medical Teams International Bas Vanderzalm says, "There are over 100,000 people who are now receiving food. There are 65,000--and many more--now on the way as refugees, because it's just too difficult of a place. A number of them are Christians who are finding persecution and difficulty."

When Christians in the West hear these kinds of stories, it's difficult to know what to do. "[God] doesn't want us to turn our backs on Syria. He's certainly not turning His back on them, even in these difficult times."

We have a responsibility to believers in Syria, says Vanderzalm. "There are Christians and believers in Syria, and we who are believers should pray for them and stand with them."

Medical Teams is sending in over one million dollars worth of medical supplies at the request of local Christians. "We're hoping as a result of this that the witness of the churches to the love of Christ will be shown in very concrete ways. And as a result of people experiencing compassion and care for their children and their families, [we hope] that this will draw them to explore God's love for them," says Vanderzalm.

He continues, "For $5 or $10, we can provide enough medicine for one child. That's an enormous gift in the middle of a very difficult circumstance."

Vanderzalm believes now is the time for Christians to help in the Middle East. "I think there's a tremendous Kingdom struggle underway, and we as believers need to do all we can to support those who are caring for those who are suffering."

If you'd like to help Medical Teams International supply medicine to the region, click here.

Yesterday, police arrested five suspects who may have instigated the attack, says Open Doors, USA. Otieno Awour, the Officer Commanding Police Division, Changamwe Division Mombasa said the five suspects will be arraigned in court once the investigations are complete.

It's the most recent in a bout of increased violence in Kenya, a nation filled halfway with Christians. In this case, the two pastors, Benjamin Juma of Nyali Baptist Church and Jackson Kioko of Melchidizek Church, were planning to hold an evangelistic outreach in the Jomvu area of Mombasa City. While planning, a crowd gathered and suddenly accused them of being thieves.

Without waiting for any sort of confirmation of the supposed crimes, the two pastors were set on fire and charred to death.

Pastor Juma's friend received a phone call about the incident. The friend didn't know whether the call was serious or a disturbing joke, but when he called around, he could not get a hold of Juma. It was too late for the pastors by the time their family and friends got wind of what was happening.

New widow Mrs. Juma tried to describe the traumatizing scene: "I don't know what they used, whether it was petrol or whatever else it might have been, but (after the fire) you could not see a thing (body parts) -- there were just charcoal-like bits (left)!"

An angry congregant, Ms. Emma Mbura demanded: "When the crowd accosted and accused them of being thieves, what were they supposed to have stolen? We want to know!"

Initial reports indicated that there seems to be more to the heartbreaking incident than just a case of tragic mistaken identity, though. Open Doors will provide more information as this story unfolds.

Nearly 50% of Kenya's population is made up of evangelical believers, and over 82% of the nation at least adheres to some form of Christianity, according to the Joshua Project. But recently, Kenya's Christians have been under serious attacks including bombings. Pray for the church to remain bold and unwavering despite this perhaps unexpected bout of persecution.

Pray also for peace for the pastors' widows and churches, all of whom remain distraught by this tragedy.

Operating theater in Grand Bassa Hospital, Liberia. (Photo courtesy International Aid)

Liberia (MNN) -- The story of Grand Bassa Hospital, a government-run hospital in Lower Buchanan, Liberia, West Africa, is one of perseverance and rejuvenation.

The health care delivery system was demolished by a 14-year civil war that ended in 2003. Although the country has made significant moves toward stability and reconstruction, poverty hovers over roughly 76% of the population.

For those who do attempt to seek treatment for an injury or illness, the weakened health sector answers inadequately for lack of medicines, equipment, and personnel. Hospitals are desperately short of equipment, and roughly half of the equipment they have is in need of repair.

That's where Jim Loeffler, Director of Medical Equipment Procurement for International Aid, comes in. He traveled to Liberia and Ghana this month to meet with partners serving in the field. "Initially, my plan was to return to Liberia to help make an assessment of a county hospital. We had gone there last year to do an assessment of medical equipment conditions, and I returned there to see if anything had changed or how we could do a better job."

What had changed? Not much, he says. "The equipment that we originally identified that needed to be upgraded still needed to be upgraded. There was one sterilizer and a distilling unit that was new in the facility, and they had done some cleaning up, but most of the major equipment that we had identified as 'very poor' was still at the facility."

Missing manuals, incompatible power connections, and needed repairs turn generous equipment donations into unusable machines. International Aid's solution is to serve as a critical link between equipment donors and recipients to guarantee equipment donations are ready for use. Loeffler explains, "What we're doing now is verifying what they need as far as replacing equipment to upgrade their operating rooms and their ob/gyn area, and then continue to work on this project so we can send a container of refurbished equipment, hopefully, by the end of this summer."

The equipment will make the doctors' jobs much easier. They've learned to adapt to their conditions, and they've shown an incredible amount of ingenuity in utilizing what equipment they do have. Take their operating theater light, for example. Loeffler says, "What they have now is an old light that is attached to two pipes that slides back and forth across the bed. They had to retrofit that light because it's so old that they could not get bulbs for it anymore, so they actually did some retrofitting."

Loeffler goes on to describe conditions in what should be the jewel of the hospital. "They also need a new operating room table. It just doesn't work anymore. We found less-than-appealing conditions in the birthing area. We'd like to upgrade their infant incubator."

Once they get the equipment shipped, there will be training sessions so that national technicians can repair it and keep it in working order. International Aid wants to help hospitals in developing nations attain self-sufficiency in equipment operations.   

The biggest reason they come alongside is to keep the doors open for the Gospel. "Missionary healthcare has been a huge portion of being able to witness to a people group. We support those who are at the tip of the spear, who are sharing the Gospel. A good way to share the Gospel is to gain the trust of the people you're witnessing to, and what better way to gain trust than to take care of their people?"

We'll have a follow-up later this week with a visit to a hospital in Ghana with challenges of a different sort. In the meantime, check out the Featured Links Section for more ways you can partner with International Aid teams. 

Nicole on the day she arrived at Kids Alive, and today. (Photos courtesy Kids Alive International)

International (KAI/MNN) -- In a child sponsorship program, there's often the question of timing. Do coordinators wait until they have sponsors to take in the children, or do they intervene first and hope for the sponsors to roll in?

According to Kids Alive International, it's the latter. The reality is this: for some of the children, if Kids Alive doesn't intervene immediately, they might not be able to come back and ask for help.

These kids are in a desperate battle to survive every day. They are the most vulnerable people in a population. Family might move out of the area--either fleeing oncoming war or seeking a better life somewhere else. For those fending for themselves, they are at risk of abuse, abduction, or worse. Or some could contract an illness and die.

In many developing countries, there is no "safety net" to protect children. While there are sincere efforts on the parts of individuals and government agencies, the needs are overwhelming, and resources are not keeping up.

That's why the Kids Alive ministry plan is to accept as many of the hurting, desperate children as they can while trusting God for their care. Some of their project directors confess that selecting which kids they accept into their children's homes, care centers, and schools is "the single hardest thing that we face."

Their hearts break every time they realize another child needs help. They pray, lose sleep, and wrestle with the monumental decisions they must make.

Today, there are desperate children who need to be rescued from the streets and cared for as Jesus cares.

Kids Alive's primary mission every day is to make sure that every child in their care knows that Jesus loves them and has a special purpose for their lives. Ministry sites are spread across five continents in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Pacific Rim.

Funding is the only thing holding the ministry back. Please help those children who are desperate for a chance to survive and thrive.

India (MNN) -- Anyone familiar with the global missions world has likely heard about the church boom in India. Despite the still low percentage of believers in the country, the church is growing fast. But it may surprise you to know how young the movement is, and who is helping inspire it.

"India has been closed to the Gospel for centuries. And now, just in the last few years, it is open for the first time as never before in history," explains Dave Stravers of Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Mission India. "It's open especially because the children of India are open."

Children have been an integral part of the Gospel spread in India.

"Children are enthusiastic, brave evangelists," explains Stravers. "Our staff in India say, ‘Don't tell us that children are the future leaders of our country. Children are the current leaders of our country, because they're the ones that are making an impact for the Gospel like no one else.'"

When children learn about Christ at a Bible club, for instance, they take the news home with them. Think about the enthusiasm and excitement the kids in your own life bring to every bit of good news. Children in India are no different, and they certainly get excited about the love and saving grace of Jesus Christ.

At the same time, in order for kids in India to get revved up about the Gospel. they have to hear it to begin with. Mission India is teaching thousands of kids about Christ through Children's Bible Clubs, and kids are thrilled to join in the lessons.

"Our staff in India believe that there are at least 10 million kids in India that would enroll tomorrow if only we could provide them the opportunity," adds Stravers.

But there are 358 kids to reach in India--more children under 15 in that one nation than there are people of any age in the entire population of the United States. How can Mission India reach all of them?

Enter My Passport to India, a program we introduced at MNN on Monday in part one of this Mission India series. My Passport to India is a 10-video virtual tour of India, connecting kids in the West with everyday life in India. Kids who participate get a free mini suitcase, a virtual passport, instructions on how to take the video tour with tour guide Chris, and more. As the kids learn about India, they can raise a few dollars for the Bible Clubs. It only takes one dollar to send a child to a Bible Club, a fairly simple goal for many kids in the West.

The idea is to spread the Good News to more kids in India, but over the last year, Mission India has discovered that My Passport to India has not only transformed lives in India, but it's transformed the lives of kids learning about India and sending loose change. Children in the United States, for example, get just as excited to share with others how God's working in India as kids in India get to share about God's love.

Change the lives of the children around you, and those in India through this free program. To learn more and sign up, click here or on the banner on the MNN homepage.