Meanwhile, evangelical missionaries are making a concerted effort to reach street children with the Gospel in Mexico. Latin America Mission’s Sue Leak says LAM is building what they’re calling The Victory Center, a facility to house and rehabilitate children living on the streets. She explains the need. “We’ve found 5 and 6 year olds that are just all alone, living in the park. They’ve run away. One little boy we found in the park…definitely physically and sexually abused.” Leak hopes this center will enable them to reach these children with the Gospel more quickly. She says the longer a child has been on the streets, the more difficult they are to reach. “A kid that’s been on the street less amount of time is more likely to trust you, more likely to want to believe.” Leak hopes to house a number of homeless girls who she says are extremely vulnerable if they continue living on the streets.
News Archives
Topping the news today, while European leaders want the Milosevic regime out of power, Christian groups are pointing Albanian Kosovars to Christ. Mark Hoekstra is with Audio Scriptures International. He says they just completed the Albanian translation of the New Testament on audiotape. He says it should be a draw for people. ” We got a reader from Albania. He’s one of the theater actors and one of the people that makes the movies and things. It took two weeks to do it. The entire recording has been completed. We just completed it last Friday. It’s now being processed and going to be put on cassette.” According to Hoekstra, Muslims will be the primary target of this audio scripture project. He explains why they put scripture on cassette. “The majority of the people over there don’t read, as so they don’t have access as we readers do to the New Testament. So, unless they have it in audio they actually won’t be able to hear it for themselves.”
Elsewhere, Trans World Radio is getting ready to launch a new project from St. Petersburg, Russia late next month. TWR’s Richard Greene says it’s a breakthrough for the ministry because: “We’re very excited that God has provided a major transmitting site in St. Petersburg to broadcast to the Scandinavian countries of Finland, Sweden and Norway as well as developing new ministries, particularly a teaching ministry through the Bible, to Latvia and Lithuania.” Greene says their old site will close in late January and they’ll begin broadcasting from the new site at that time. He adds that there’s a lot to be thankful for. “We certainly praise the Lord for a tremendous year of ministry. We’re now broadcasting just shy of 150 languages. We’ve increased the number of hours of broadcasting to over 14-hundred hours per week in well over 160 countries around the world.”
Japanese Christians are concerned about recently passed legislative requirements regarding the use of their national flag and anthem. Christian Reformed World Missions reports that the new legislation leans toward nationalism and encourages Shintoism, or worship of the emperor. Christians believe the change may lead people to substitute worship of the emperor with that of Christ. Many also feel that the legislation could lead to restrictions against evangelism and Christian ministry.
Meanwhile, over one-thousand people joined together to celebrate the Centenary of Mukti Church in India. Ramabai Mukti Mission says the four-day celebration included a challenge from the keynote speaker to totally commit to serving Christ and continue building God’s church. Mukti missionaries and evangelists in recent years have planted a number of churches and worship centers and seen many people makes decisions for Christ. Another highlight of the festivities was the dedication of the new Centenary Hall.
We begin today in Indonesia’s East Timor, where violence in the wake of an independence vote has begun to settle down. However, getting things back to normal is another matter. Compassion International’s Maryann Strombitski says: “The infrastructure has been totally ripped apart. They basically have no civil rule of their own right now, fresh food is hard to find, potable water is very hard to come by. Many of our church partners have not been able to return. A few of the children who we were serving have been separated from their parents.” Strombitski asks that Christians pray for their work during this time of change. “Pray that each of these children or parents who have not been able to be reunited as yet that this will be resolved in the next few months. Those who have returned, we continue to let them know that they have the hope and their faith in Christ that He is a constant in all of this [turmoil].”
Next, while a peace accord has been signed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, violence is still plaguing the country. According to reports, hundreds and possibly thousands of Zimbabwean troops are surrounded by rebels and under bombardment in the northeast. Despite the violence, Food For the Hungry’s John Farmer is traveling there today. “We’re going to an area around two towns, Kalimi and Moba. And, we’re going to be distributing seeds and tools to around 80,000 people over the next seven weeks. The area’s just become peaceful enough for people to return. And so, they need some help getting going again.” Farmer says they don’t team up with just anyone, as they’re hoping to further the Great Commission. “We can work through the church, and that’s how we like to work. In the areas that we’ve been working in for the last few years we’ve worked through the church. That’s our preferred method of operation.” Farmer says the new fighting shouldn’t affect their work areas.
The Baptist World Alliance has been invited to hold their year 2001 annual meeting in Beirut. BWA says Lebanon’s President used the invitation to emphasize the religious freedom under the law for different faiths. In area where the religious majority is Muslim, there are 22 churches and 2,000 Baptists practicing their faith. BWA reports there is also a Baptist Seminary that has 55 students from all across the Middle East. As BWA’s work continues to grow, they ask for continued prayer for Lebanon’s peace.
Meanwhile, as the popularity of short-term missionary work increases in the United States, at least one couple is preparing teams to go to the field. George Kibler and his wife will be joining the Christian Retreat Center in Northern Pennsylvania helping with Teens In Missionary Service. He explains how they’re assisting. “The work involved at the camp is, as the teams come in to orient them, to train them, put them through a difficult program to prepare for the difficulties of working in rural subculture types of programs. And, preparing them for witness and help them to share the message with their home congregations when they come back again.” Kibler says participation in short term missions is increasing every year. He’s hoping that through this program many teens will get involved with full time evangelistic activity whether it be at home or abroad. Kibler is staying at D&D Missionary Homes in Florida, while on furlough.
We begin today in India where Christian workers helping in the cyclone-ravaged areas of Orissa state are reporting trouble from radical Hindus. However, Peter Dance of Operation Mobilization says the harassment extends beyond the relief areas. He believes it stems from a threatened upper class. “For thousands of years, the high caste people have ruled the country, and through the missionary work, the lower caste people are being empowered by education, and therefore, the ruling class is beginning to lose its power base and are persecuting because they don’t want to lose their power base.” Dance adds that the body of Christ is heavily involved. “We’re working hand in hand with churches in the U-S to bring aid to these people. We actually have probably 150 people in one particular area, focusing on those (cyclone-damaged) villages to bring the love of Christ, of course, but also what they desperately need. It’s very exciting to be part of what God is doing there.”
