Missions Catalyst

Missions Catalyst News Briefs 05.16.18

1. WORLD: Celebrate Cultural Diversity Day
2. PAKISTAN: Top Judge to Hear Asia Bibi’s Appeal
3. INDONESIA: Family Launches Suicide Attacks
4. BURKINA FASO: Patriarch Banned from Village, Comes to Christ
5. WEST AFRICA: “God, We Need Rain Today”

This edition includes several stories from Africa—now, for the first time, home to more Christians than any other continent. Full infographic from Gordon-Conwell’s Center for the Study of Global Christianity looks at the global status of Christianity in 2018.

Source: Wycliffe Bible Translators, May 10, 2018

Did you know that May 21 is World Day of Cultural Diversity? It’s a day set aside to celebrate and appreciate the beauty of cultural diversity around the world.

God made all of us and he loves us all so much—no matter where we live or what language we speak! Teach your kids the importance of valuing diversity—and all God’s children around the world—with these fun ideas on experiencing another culture right from your own community (PDF).

» Full story. Want to start celebrating cultural diversity in your kitchen? Download Wycliffe’s new international cookbook for kids. When you sign up, you’ll also get their monthly email with free activities and lessons for kids.

» Also read Saying Yes First, the story of one Texas church transformed into a multicultural community (AG News). Encouraging. This issue of News Briefs ends with another story from the Assemblies of God. See below.

Source: World Watch Monitor, April 26, 2018

Pakistan’s chief justice says he will decide, “soon,” the fate of Aasiya Noreen, a Christian woman whose 2009 conviction on blasphemy charges has fixated world attention on the country’s treatment of religious minorities.

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar told Noreen’s lawyer, Saif-ul-Malook, on April 21 that he would hear the woman’s appeal. Noreen, popularly known as Asia Bibi, has been imprisoned since 2009.

“Be ready, Saif-ul-Malook. I am going to fix your case soon and I myself will preside over the bench,” the Catholic news service UCAN reported Nisar as saying.

“Bibi’s family and everyone else who understands her ordeal [is] ecstatic at the news that her appeal will be heard soon,” Malook told UCAN. According to Pakistan Today, the Chief Justice also said that all criminal appeals before the Supreme Court will be decided by July. The report did not explicitly mention Noreen’s case, but it is a criminal matter.

Noreen, a Catholic mother of five children, was arrested for allegedly making derogatory comments about Islam’s prophet, Muhammad, during an argument with a Muslim woman. She has been in prison ever since and was sentenced to death for blasphemy a year later.

» See full story with links and pictures.

» Grieved about levels of religious conflict in today’s world? Read Four Simple Ways to Love your Muslim Friends this Ramadan (Crescent Project).

Source: Open Doors, May 13, 2018

As we [were celebrating] Mother’s Day in the US, it’s almost unconscionable to think about a mother who would prepare a suicide bomb—alongside her two young daughters (aged 9 and 12)—and detonate the bomb inside a church. And a father who would drive a truck bomb in front of a church and do the same—and direct his young sons to suit up in suicide vests on motorcycles to attack yet another church.

But this is what happened in Indonesia on Sunday.

Three bombs exploded across three churches in Indonesia’s Surabaya, capital of East Java province, on Sunday morning (May 13) while Christians gathered to worship.

At least ten people were killed in the attack—including worshippers, a suicide bomber, and several police officers. Over 40 others were injured.

CNN reported that the attacks were planned and executed by one family—including a husband, wife, and four children. The investigation reported that the family was involved in a terrorist group with ties to ISIS.

The explosions took place at a Catholic church (Santa Maria), a Protestant church (GKI Diponegoro), and a Pentecostal church (GPPS). CNN also reported that the blasts occurred one after another between 7:30 and 8 a.m. Three other explosives were later found at two of the church premises but were successfully defused by the bomb squad.

» Read full story. Note that later reports say the youngest daughter of this family, who survived, was eight years old, not nine.

» For more context and local commentary, see Indonesia on Maximum Security Alert Following a String of Explosions in East Java (Global Voices). Also read a more encouraging story from Indonesia, about a Christian worker now serving there. God began planting seeds for gospel ministry in her heart when she was younger than these children (Weave).

Source: Christian Aid, April 26, 2018

A six-year-old girl had mysteriously died and Bwaba tribal leaders [performed] a divination ritual to determine what had provoked local spirits to commit such an outrage. A shadow fell on [90-year-old] Adama [whom] they accused of employing witchcraft to bring a deadly disease on the girl.

The traditions of the animist village called for him to be expelled for two years to verify his guilt; if he managed to survive in the wilds, he would be declared innocent and could return.

For more than a month he managed to survive on leaves and grass along with meat that a daring granddaughter snuck to him, and for shelter, he’d attached a blanket to tree branches. But the solitude, the elements and the psychological trauma soon took their toll. Gaunt and broken, he was cursing some rocks when indigenous missionaries spied him.

“He learned about the love of God… and decided to follow that God of love who gave his life for the salvation of humanity,” the [ministry] director said. “All our missionary training centers were praying God would completely restore his dignity. Two months later, the villagers discovered the real reasons for the death of the girl, and that it had nothing to do with him.”

Village leaders admitted they were mistaken in putting blind trust in occult practices and invited Adama to return. He began leading a house church, and three village leaders put their faith in Christ.

“They were baptized four months ago,” the director said. “The leaders of the village decided to abandon the divination practices, which had made so many victims. Now four families, including the family of the village chief, praise the Lord.”

» Full story with picture.

» You might want to take a look at a photo essay about animism in nearby Ghana, Power in the Blood: Animal Sacrifice in West Africa (International Mission Board). The images are compelling and not too graphic.

Source: AG News, May 2, 2018

Every weekend that I am able, I visit my friend’s farm, buried deep in the West African brush. This simple place is the perfect place to build our relationship. Each time we are together, I intentionally move our conversation closer to the gospel. It’s not easy, though, because my friend and I do not speak the same language. I speak English and he speaks the African language of our target unreached people group. I am trying hard to learn his language and am getting better every week.

My goal one particular week was to pray next to him. He is Muslim and prays five times a day. This time, as he was getting ready to pray, I asked him if I could pray with him. He said yes. So, while he went through all his motions, I stood next to him in a very respectful form that he would recognize as prayer and then proceeded to pray (in his language) just loud enough for him to hear the words, “Our Heavenly Father… In the name of Jesus the Messiah. Amen.”

Later that day my friend and I visited a neighboring village. It was miles further into the bush with no electricity, no running water, and no paved roads to get there. While we were there, we sat with the village chief for some time. My friend and the chief were enjoying the visit; I listened in as much as I could but was essentially lost in the flow of conversation.

Soon though, the village chief said, “We need rain badly.” My Muslim friend pointed to me and announced, “He can pray to God.” So, the village chief proceeded to ask me to pray for rain—in his language—and for it to rain today. Despite the obvious pressure of being asked to pray for immediate rain in a language I barely know, that is what I did. My friend, the chief, and others listening all seemed grateful for my prayer.

As we returned to the farm, I prayed all the way. “God, we need rain today!” I kept praying for rain while I was at the farm. I looked to the sky and saw clouds. I prayed again, “God, we need more clouds up there. We need rain today!” Later, I heard thunder and started to get very excited. Then came more thunder, and then came the rain—lots and lots of rain! Thank God for his goodness! I can’t wait to visit that village again soon.

» Read full story.

» Heading to Africa? Check out Acclimated to Africa: Cultural Competence for Westerners (SIL). It looks helpful.