We begin today with a look at recent efforts between Russia and China to reinforce their ties. Moscow and Beijing have been improving their relations in recent years in an effort to unite their strengths in the global community. Some outreach groups think the Chinese could influence Russia toward tougher Christian limits. When asked what this bodes for their work, Far East Broadcasting Company’s Rudy Wiens says: “The local officials from Moscow say that we need to supply the information about the programs we do in Chinese language…so, there might be more restrictions in the future-what we broadcast to China.” Wiens says despite an increasingly oppressive atmosphere:”We had problems, but amazingly, to my surprise, we got back on the air on February 23rd, and we broadcast one hour daily in Mandarin to the Chinese people. So far, through God’s grace, we are able to do that. And, we plan to keep on the Chinese broadcast from two Eastern Russian cities.”
News Archives
Next, Open Doors says it will not leave Southern Sudan, despite the pull-out of thirteen aid agencies working in that area. Sudanese rebels issued an ultimatum ordering aid groups to recognize and work with its group. However, Open Doors is operating independently and working directly with the indigenous Sudanese church. The group is calling for urgent prayer for the believers of Southern Sudan as they continue to reach the victims of war with not only aid, but also the Gospel.
An American evangelist is praying his visit to Scotland will start a revival in that country. Sammy Tippit just completed three days of evangelistic meetings just outside of Glasgow over the weekend. Tippit describes the event. “We just had just some real good response. Every night the meetings grew in size and numbers and the response to the Gospel was the same way. Of course Scotland is different in that the response is much slower than you would see in Africa or other parts of the world.” According to Tippit people need to pray that the church will wake up and make a commitment to evangelism. “The church is like a sleeping giant. It just needs to awaken to the great opportunity that God has placed before it. There’s tremendous potential – tremendous possibilities. There is great history there. But, there’s got to be an awakening for the church.” Tippit is traveling to Ethiopia for evangelistic meetings that will take place along the Ethiopia-Sudanese border this week.
Meanwhile, an evangelical campus ministry is looking for a new president. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s President Steve Hayner announced his intentions to resign as soon as a replacement can be found. Agency spokesman Phil Evans. “I think the exciting thing for us is that both Steve and the board really want to go about this transition process in a good way. Steve as current president and the board of trustees are working together to identify what a new president might look like and (they’re) really committed to continuing the strong road that interVarsity started on.” Evans is encouraging people to pray for InterVarsity as they search for Hayners replacement. “I think people can specifically people can pray that we can identify the right candidate. That Steve Hayner would finish strong as the president. That this transition and succession process would go smoothly and you could pray also for our preparation for Urbana 2,000.”
Mozambique tops today’s news as mission and relief agencies are working together to save lives as flooding plagues that country. World Concern’s Sandra Church explains how they’re helping. “We are partnering with Food for the Hungry there at this time. We’ve sent monetary donations to them, to help them facilitate rescue helicopters and also food supplies and dehydration supplies and (those) types of things.” According to Church, once the floodwaters subside World Concern will be helping with seeds and emergency food needs. Church says the message of Christ will go with all of it. “The people we have there have been there for 10 years and they have relationship with those people in that area. They’re very Godly people and we know that as the minister the food and the medicines they’ll also be ministering Christ. So, we’re partnering very reliable people who love the Lord and are there for that very purpose.” Call 800-755-5022 to help.
Next, workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo fear there could be another genocide on the African continent. Christian Blind Mission International’s David McAllister is providing services to the blind in the area. He explains what they’re facing. “Two ethnic groups, one called Lendu, one called Hema were beginning to disagree in a very violent manner about land issues. And, this exploded into very severe massacres with machetes and arrows. We could see this thing exploding like what we witnessed down in Rwanda. It was the same kind of ethnic tension.” McAllister says there’s a small U-N peace keeping force there now, but tensions are still high. “It is a spiritual battle at the moment. I know the church leaders in that area are struggling with it. They need prayer. They need our support. And, I just can’t tell you very easily that yes, Christ is victorious in that area and we’ll win because evil forces are very much at large.” Pray that Christian Blind Mission will receive the funding needed to help these people.
In the Congo, years of civil war have exacted a high price from those caught in the crossfire. Grace Ministries International felt that keenly two years ago, when the fighting caused the total destruction of the Kindu Theological College campus. But, the healing has begun, so says GMI’s Steve Vinton. “It really almost physically revolted me to see the destruction of the buildings…everything just totally bombed and destroyed. but, they have re-opened the school as of January 10th. They’re meeting in a building that was not destroyed during the war and so the other professors are teaching and the students have all come back. And, all the ministries that they’re involved in are continuing.” Vinton adds that prayer has been and will continue to be the keystone. “Even if missionaries are out, there are still pastors, evangelists, Bible school teachers who are continuing to work in the country. I think the thing to pray right now is for their safety. It’s a good thing to pray for peace, but in the absence of peace, pray that God would protect the church leaders.”
Elsewhere, New Tribes Mission is reporting a sad development in the ministry in Mexico. At a recent community meeting, the missionaries were voted out of the Caborachi community. The complaints were unfounded; the real issue was the Gospel and the simplicity of Christ’s life in the believers. New Tribes’ missionaries will be allowed to stay until June. Pray for the team and the believers, that they will continue to stand firm in the face of this persecution.
The crisis in Mozambique headlines today’s news as more than one-million people have been effected by flooding of historic proportions. And, it’s not over as another cyclone is bearing down on the country. International Aid of Spring Lake, Michigan is getting involved. Agency spokesman Jerry Kitchel. “International Aid is going to be entering at the point where we can begin to provide medical supplies and emergency items. We will do that working in partnership with existing missions that are actually in the country in addition to sending shipments. So it will be on the two prong approach that we’ll respond.” Kitchel says this is an open door for sharing their faith. “By being there to help people in this hour of desperation we’re able to not only meet them at that physical level, but at the same time to be able to minister to them at the emotional and spiritual level. And, so it’s really a holistic approach.” To help with this desperate situation call 1-800-251-2502.
Meanwhile, another major outbreak of ethnic and religious violence in Nigeria continues to cause devastation among the people. As a result, Reuters is reporting that the states have been ordered by the government this week to stop pursuing the implementation of the strict Islamic Sharia law. Legislators, ministers and governors have been sent to their home regions to explain the agreement. The violence began when Christians began demonstrating against Sharia and revenge attacks followed.
