Next, two Christians have been refused bail after being arrested in the port city of Izmir, Turkey. 38-year-old Ercan Sengul and 28-year-old Necati Aydin were arrested March 1st on charges of forcing people to accept Bibles and insulting Islam. According to Compass Direct, the two men were selling and distributing Christian literature. Three local residents made complaints against them. The arrests come on the heals of a special television show which depicted what it called, “Christian missionary sects.” A hearing date is scheduled for March 30th.
News Archives
Following India’s recent parliamentary elections, one evangelistic ministry is watching to see how the new leadership may effect the work they are doing. Dayspring International’s John Gilman describes the state of the church these days. “There are militant Hindus that are in favor of a Hindu state, but now the church across India has moved away from the foreign missionaries support as the young church in India really takes hold in a dynamic new way.” Gilman explains their film on the life of Christ reaches people because: “…it’s entertaining and dramatic and educational-it makes the people so comfortable. They love this movie on the life of Jesus and it relates to them in their cultural setting. If Jesus walked into one of their villages, they wouldn’t be able to distinguish him from the another villagers. That’s how relevant the Gospel is today in the villages of India.” Dayspring International will be sending new 100 new film teams throughout India this year with the film.
Meanwhile, Global Advance recently finished a series of Frontline Shepherd’s Conferences in India. Dr. David Shibley says while training the pastors for ministry, he came to believe that the persecution believers face has had a constructive result on the countenance of the church. “The reason for increased persecution in India is because of the advance of the Gospel and the tremendous growth of the church throughout most of India in the 1990’s. I believe that the growth will continue in the coming decade as well.” Shibley says this is because the martrydom of missionary Graham Staines and his sons actually galvanized the body of Christ. “I believe that Christians, by and large, though they are concerned for their own safety, certainly, they are really taking strength and being encouraged in the Lord. New churches continue to be planted throughout India.”
Rain has again hit flood-ravaged Mozambique as the people try to recover from weeks of flooding. Hundreds are confirmed dead and nearly a-million people homeless. Food for the Hungry’s Scott Clark explains the situation. “It seems as though the rescue period is starting to wane. We’re seeing now that people have come down from the roofs of their houses. They’re able to get around a little bit further. But, there are serious problems of malaria cases arising. There is some cholera as well as the fact that people just don’t have food.” Clark says there are more problems before them. “To get seeds and tools into peoples hands so that they can take advantage of the second cropping season. The farmers in Mozambique were very close to harvest when these incredible rains and cyclones hit. Their seeds and their food stocks were basically exhausted from the year before.” Clark says they’ll be sharing their faith as they provide these necessities in the weeks ahead.
Meanwhile, Medical Ambassadors International is asking people to help the flood victims of Mozambique by sending a financial gift. MAI’s Executive Director Paul Calhoun says as cholera and malaria increase, the need for medication also increases. Calhoun says they need the funding so they can share Christ’s love in word and deed. “We are putting out a plea to help with the costs of supplying the medications. These medications can be bought at a considerable discount and we commit will go 100-percent to the field.” Calhoun adds when the rest of the world eventually forgets about the devastation in that country Medical Ambassadors will remain there. “When people pull out, Medical Ambassadors will be there establishing community health evangelism outreaches to enable these people to get back on their feet.”
Although more rain has fallen in flood-ravaged Mozambique this week there is still a message of hope for the victims. The southern African nation is recovering from weeks of flooding and the devastation it has caused is expected to set the country back years. Through their unique radio ministry, Trans World Radio continues to air messages of hope in Jesus Christ amidst the misery. They are airing nearly 18 hours of Christian programming each week in 6 languages into the country.
Elsewhere, the Samaritan’s Purse Hospital is the latest victim of recent bombings by the Islamic government in Southern Sudan. For the second time in a week, patients were evacuated from the hospital after 15 bombs exploded near the facility. Hospital officials say in spite of the recent attacks, they are committed to staying open because they are the largest hospital in the area. Samaritan’s Purse continues to show the Sudanese people the love of Christ through various forms of medical missions.
Headlining today’s news, the United States added high technology and more helicopters to the international flood relief effort for Mozambique. Christian relief agencies are also in high gear assisting. Medical Ambassadors International’s Executive Director Paul Calhoun explains how they will help some of the half-million displaced people. “To bring medications to these people working with MAF and Campus Crusade Canada to get water purification resources. And, we’re very much concerned that cholera and malaria are going to be breaking out in mass proportions.” Calhoun says financial gifts are desperately needed to help meet this need. He says people will come to Christ. “Ministering to these people person to person in ways that touch them in the name of Christ to be able to assure them that there is a God who cares and who loves them.”
Next, violence in Burundi is causing problems for ministry in that African country. Christian Blind Mission International’s David McAllister is there right now. McAllister says the seven year civil war is causing making it tense for workers there. He says rebel soldiers visited their partner hospital and a number of things were taken at gunpoint. McAllister says there is now a curfew in parts of the country as hundreds of people have been killed in recent weeks.
Keston News Service reports that the Turkmen government has recently issued a directive closing down the United Bible Society and other religious groups. The persecution has been mounting recently with raids and arrests on Christians in the area. Just last month, officials confiscated materials and interrogated members of another house church, threatening them with arrest and criminal charges. The church meeting reportedly violated a law governing religious associations in the largely Muslim Eurasian nation, officials said.
