Story number 1 for 17 Aug 2001

(Russia)–Topping the news, Book of Hope is reporting that two Russian church leaders, with a close relationship to BOH’s ministry, remain missing following a violent abduction July 24th. BOH’s John Young says the men were heading up a drug rehabilitation clinic in Izhevsk (ee-ZHEVSK), along with helping a local church. Young speculates that may be why the two were targeted. “There’s a lot of different groups in there that don’t appreciate the Gospel being preached as boldly and as strongly as it is. The church is really having an impact in that city. We don’t even know who took them, or why, at this point. And again, they were directing the drug rehab center.” Young says believers are asking prayer for protection. He adds that persecution has been mounting in recent months. “They’ve had persecution in that city for a long time because of the work that they’re doing there. It’s just a phenomenal work. We just pray that they’re still alive and that they will be returned. They’ve had families killed from a real suspicious fire-they’re an extremely evangelistic church-just an incredible influence in that city.”