We begin today’s newscast in the Balkans where American Christians there are
wondering if the arrest of an American soldier will affect their work. The U-S
Army Sergeant has been charged in the death of an 11-year-old Albanian girl in
Kosovo. Joel Samy is President of World Hope and lives in the region. He’s
optimistic. “As we touch base with a number of the Christian organizations on the field
here, they also convey the unsettling aspect of this news. They continue to work
day-by-day feeding, providing hope, sharing the Gospel with those in need. And,
specifically helping the ethnic Albanians in their resettlement program.” Samy believes
the incident won’t have a direct impact on their work. “We certainly know that
incidents like this cause great concern. However, the ethnic Albanian people look at
the whole process in seeing that the Americans are here risking their lives to provide
peace and stability and this certainly will have a ripple affect in the community.”
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Next, with the peace talks with Syria at a standstill, the work of repatriating
Jews to their homeland continues. Christians For Israel’s David Sudlow says
even though there have been talks of Israel giving up more land to Syria, those talks
haven’t done anything to affect their Exobus Project. “The immigration from the former
Soviet Union to Israel is up. In fact, our latest report is that we can not meet all the
requests of those who want to leave for Israel.” According to Sudlow, because the
Jewish people have been so mistreated, it opens doors to share the Gospel with them
as they return. “We do have a God given mandate at this time. I believe that with all my
heart that we’re called to come along side the Jewish people and to stand with God’s
Biblical promises for them. To assist them, to help them where ever we can. And, it’s
the cup of cold water in Jesus name that really touches their hearts.”
Reuters is reporting that religious unrest continues to spread throughout
Indonesia’s riot-torn islands. Violence has reached southern Sulawesi, where a mob
of 200 Muslims attacked six Christians. Meanwhile, some leading Muslims have urged
a holy war against Christians in the Moluccas, known also as the spice islands. Please
continue to pray for believers and evangelistic work in this country. Many missionaries
report that despite the trouble, the church remains alive and vibrant.
Meanwhile, Southern Baptist missionaries are encouraged by a report showing
their effectiveness in overseas missions. The International Mission Board’s
annual statistical report for last year showed that with the help of their partners, more
than 360 thousand new Christians were baptized. Record growth was also seen in new
churches and church memberships. Team members continue their commitment to share
with the world the good news of Jesus Christ.
Next, tomorrow is the anniversary of the Roe versus Wade decision. That’s the
decision that legalized abortion in the United States. Bethany Christian Services, a
Michigan based adoption and crisis pregnancy agency, is helping to point mothers to
be to the Savior. Linda VanderKuyl (vander-KY-uhl) is a crisis pregnancy counselor.
“We’re very empathetic. She’s in a crisis. She needs assurance that there is hope she is
going to get through this. She doesn’t need to make decisions in panic. There’s plenty
of time for making a decision, whatever she decides is going to affect her for the rest of
her life.” VanderKuyl says they use these special times to share the Gospel with these
hurting ladies. “There’s many opportunities when a woman is faced with a crisis like
this. We may pray with her at the hospital or varied different points. The birth mothers
that come here are from all different walks of life.” According to VanderKuyl some of
them do come to Christ.
Topping today’s newscast, anti-Christian sentiment has been building in India
for several months, and Hindu zealots have reportedly been spreading rumors
about Christianity to the tribes people in hopes of inspiring intimidation.
However, Dayspring International’s John Gilman says there has been an interesting
turn of events. “Persecution in India is not going to go away for some time because of
the ruling party, but it’s caused the church to come together. In November, 150
Christian leaders gathered together in a historic meeting with a commitment to the
uniqueness of Christ and loyalty to the Scriptures as a result of this wave of
persecution.” Gilman this means there is a new field for ministry. “It’s a spiritual
movement-it’s what we would classically describe as a great move of the Holy Spirit
sweeping the nation of India as the people of God embrace their communities and their
states and their nation.”
Next, we go to Russia where the dust from the latest change in the government
appears to be settling down. Global Advance’s David Shibley says it appears the
country will continue to be open to evangelical work, however: “I believe that our days
of opportunity may be limited in Russia. Consequently, it is all the more important that
we provide the training and the resources necessary for Russian pastors and church
leaders themselves to continue advancing the Gospel and continue fulfilling the Great
Commission in Russia if the Western evangelical presence has to leave.” Shibley says
the Frontline Shepherd’s conference takes place at the end of January and early
February. “Many times, these pastors come tremendously discouraged, and these are
times of great vision casting-it’s a time to recharge-it’s a time to refocus the vision of the
Lord for the lives and ministries, and also it’s a time to look toward the harvest.”
Open Doors is reporting the 15 Filipino Christians who were recently arrested
in Saudi Arabia are still being detained by local authorities. Five of those arrested
during the home worship service were children and some feel that interrogators are
using them as hostages, to force their parents to reveal details about their meetings. The
15 are not allowed visitors until the investigation has been completed. Although the
raided church service was being held in private, the size and mixed crowd may have
contributed to the arrests.
Meanwhile, officials with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board are
looking for some 13-hundred volunteers for evangelistic meetings in Asia.
IMB’s Mark Kelly says this request for volunteers is unusual. “It will stretch southern
Baptist to provide that many volunteers for one project. We had more than 25,000
volunteers go out total for 1999. That’s a record number and a tremendous growth in
recent years in the number of volunteers. But, 1,000 volunteers for one project is really
going to be quite a challenge.” 300 volunteers are needed for meetings in Japan
beginning June 21st while in South Korea one-thousand are needed on November 1st.
Kelly says Christians need to pray. “We want to pray for God to call out the volunteers
that are needed for these projects. We certainly want to pray that he’ll be preparing the
hearts in both Japan and Korea for the outreaches that are going to be conducted
there. Preparing believers in both of those countries.”
We begin today in Venezuela where churches are responding to new
opportunities for ministry in the wake of the devastating landslides and damages
that left at least 30-thousand dead and more than 150-thousand people
homeless. Latin America Mission’s Ken MacHarg reports. “Local churches are
continuing to provide services in the affected area even though some of them were
damaged or destroyed. Venezuelan Christians are exploring church planting
opportunities that will surface in light of government plans to relocate whole
communities. LAM missionary Charles Fuller says that the churches need prayer for
wisdom and favor with the authorities so they can minister. He says that the nation has
been greatly affected by the tragedy and that people are more open to the Gospel. For
Mission Network News, I’m Ken MacHarg.”
