Story number 1 for 5 Sep 2000

We begin today’s newscast in Sudan where China has reportedly put 700-thousand troops on alert. Officials believe this is in preparation for a big offensive against southern rebels, which would likely affect Christians living in the area. This is causing concern for Voice of the Martyrs. VOM’s Todd Nettleton. “For most of the governments of the world, dollars speak an awful lot louder than human lives. Here we have the Chinese government basically protecting its investment in the oil industry in Sudan. The human cost doesn’t seem to bother them as long as the oil keeps flowing.” Nettleton asks believers to urgently pray for the struggling church. “I think we can pray for the leadership there that they’ll continue to be encouraged and that they will continue to lead the church there in the right direction. And again, if these stories are accurate, and if there are thousands of Chinese people going into Sudan with the potential of being involved in the war there, it’s just surprising to me that our government hasn’t asked some hard questions.”