Category: News Briefs

Source: Joel News International, May 21, 2015

A missionary from Canada reports about a recent trip to Kazakhstan:

“We are working with two expressions of community. The first is the house of peace, or house church as expressed by Jesus in Luke 10, and the other our friends in Central Asia have called houses of mercy. A house of mercy is a community where people off the street, out of prison, out of addiction [or] out of prostitution can live for as long as they desire. The only basic rule is to contribute to the community as they are able. The healing program? Worship and work in relationship.

“Friends wanted to have a house of mercy but could not find appropriate rental accommodation and, if they did, the owners would not rent to them for such a purpose. So four years ago they rented a disused Soviet-era bath house (banya).

“A few years ago a [Muslim cleric] well known in Kazakhstan became a follower of Jesus through reading the Koran. He is fearless in sharing his testimony and began to lead others to become followers of Jesus. He met our friends in Kazakhstan and loves how they are doing community. He shared the story of the house of mercy in the banya within his circles of influence and two secret Muslim-background followers of Jesus blessed our team with two large houses and two cars. Each house is home to a community of about 15 people.

“We could not have purchased or rented two houses for our friends in Kazakhstan even if we had wanted to, but they made the step to rent whatever they could and make a start, and God provided! One of the characteristics of all movements that multiply is that the primary resources in people and finance are in the harvest.”

» Thanks to Joel News for sharing this story. See also the original source.

Source: IRIN News, May 29, 2015

A spike in violence in northern Mali has driven the number of people displaced in the country above 100,000, many of them urgently needing food, water, and shelter as time runs out before the rainy season begins.

The situation is worst in the northern Timbuktu region, where an estimated 23,000 people have been driven from their homes in only a few days, fleeing a marked upsurge in attacks by rebel coalitions and government-controlled militias.

Many key players were absent from a peace signing ceremony in the capital Bamako on May 15 that had been trumpeted as a solution to years of conflict involving the Malian government, the militias, Islamist groups, and Tuareg rebels.

The fighting in northern Mali, which has seen a resurrection of attacks on civilians and humanitarian workers, persists despite several truces, preliminary peace deals, and increased engagement from the international community.

» Read full story.

» Learn about Mali’s annual music Festival in the Desert, now silenced by local conflict. Readers may also be interested in the new film Timbuktu. Read about it in The Guardian. I also strongly encourage you to read a review by Stephen Davies. Thanks for praying for Mali!

Source: CBN News, June 1, 2015

A giant cross is rising in a place where Christians often suffer persecution for their faith: Karachi, Pakistan.

The 140-foot cross stands at the entrance of a Christian cemetery in the center of the city. It’s being built by Parvez Henry Gill, a Pakistani businessman who said the idea came to him in a dream.

“I want to show the world the Christian community in Pakistan has religious freedom,” Gill said.

While some have criticized the cross, Gill said he “leaves that to God.”

» Read full story or watch video clip.

» Read also 140 Foot Cross in Pakistan: Practical or Novelty? (Mission Network News) and People of the Cross (Voice of the Martyrs). On another note, read about the removal of crosses in China (Christianity Today).

Source: ASSIST News Service, May 22, 2015

Unlike Mother Teresa, who came from poverty and took a vow of poverty, Mama Maggie came from wealth. And during an encounter when she was a successful marketing executive, connected with a child in the garbage slums—a famous district of Cairo that has been mostly neglected.

She eventually gave up her marketing career and started a ministry called Stephen’s Children.

“Many times when the kids are asked what do you want to do when you grow up, they’ve really never thought that far in advance. And some of the kids, can you believe, have never been called by their name by anyone,” [author Marty] Makary said.

Mama Maggie’s ministry teaches the children a trade like shoe and clothing manufacturing—marketable skills for earning money and serving others, whether in the garbage slums, or elsewhere.

Makary said they’re not talking about getting out of the garbage district.

“They’re talking about serving the garbage district. And sure enough, a good number of the full time staff were kids in the ministry themselves, have graduated and want to give back,” he explained. “I’ve met doctors in the clinics over there and they’re working for almost no money.”

» Read full story. Note that seven of the 21 Egyptian Christians killed by ISIS in Libya last February were involved with Mama Maggie’s ministry. See Makary’s book, Mama Maggie: The Untold Story of One Woman’s Mission to Love the Forgotten Children of Egypt’s Garbage Slums.

» See also Retirees Volunteer, Impact World for Christ (IMB Commission Stories).

Source: GodReports, May 19, 2015

“Alice” grew up in Eritrea, then spent almost 20 years in the United States. But she answered a call to go back to her people and share the Good News of Jesus Christ and lead Bible studies.

When Alice attempted to leave Eritrea in 2009, authorities arrested her at the airport. All her possessions were confiscated and she was thrown into prison. There were no charges filed, no lawyers, no trial, just an indefinite prison sentence, according to International Christian Concern (ICC).

“It was as if she had just disappeared,” noted Troy Augustine with ICC.

Alice’s family did not know her specific location for five years. Her mother spent many tearful nights, wondering if her youngest daughter was still alive.

In the prison, Alice witnessed boldly for her faith. Through Alice’s influence, Muslim inmates turned to Christ in their darkest hour as they faced abuse.

It is estimated that 1,200 to 3,000 people in Eritrea are currently in jail for their faith, the majority of whom are evangelical Christians. Because of these abuses, Eritrea has been called the “North Korea of Africa.”

» Read full story.

» Also read Not All of Eritrea Marks an Anniversary of Freedom (Mission Network News

In this issue: Glimpses of the Global Church

1. HAITI: Time to Send Out Missionaries
2. SOUTHEAST ASIA: Calling Hispanics to Change the World
3. IRAN: Actor Transformed by the Gospel
4. NEPAL: Miriam Refuses to Stop Praying
5. SYRIA: “We Are Going Through a Terrible Moment”

Dear Readers,

My all-time favorite prayer for the nations is from Psalm 24: “Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.” You may also recognize it from Handel’s Messiah. I was delighted to find that the same prayer is being sung by Pakistanis. Enjoy this upbeat version in Hindi/Urdu, Punjabi Zabor 24:7-10.

Don’t forget that this week you have the chance to join millions who are praying this Global Day of Prayer, Pentecost Sunday, May 24. As you consider how to pray, may I again commend to you the resource World in Prayer? I noticed that they often give praises for “good news” as well as lift up the “bad news” before God. The May 8 edition of World News This Week in Prayer is a great example.

Also this week, Christian Solidarity Worldwide has asked for prayer for China. Watch this two-minute video and access more resources.

William Carey famously said, “To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and an open map.” Wouldn’t he love to see the maps we have now? Here are some I bet he would have used (all from Flowing Data):

• Map of Most Common Race (US counties)
• Disaster Risk Indices Estimate Impact on People
• Self Printing a Wall-Sized World Map

A recent Lausanne Global Analysis challenges our ideas about data:

“What is happening in mission statistics is wonderful for prayer and for mobilization. By and large, what is missing are actionable data. To obtain data that informs on-the-ground ministry, another step is needed,” says the report, adding that  for national churches and mission organizations to use data in developing and implementing their strategies, the information needs to be reliable, recent, detailed, and reportable.

“The way to do this is to change from gathering statistics for missionaries to gathering data for a nation: national church statistics. An outsider perspective has to be changed to an insider perspective. That is the major challenge facing missionary statistics today.”

I hope you’ll read the whole article. Meanwhile, some insider perspectives; today’s newsbriefs highlight stories of laborers for the kingdom whom God is raising up from all over: a Haitian missionary, Hispanic mobilizer, Iranian evangelist, Nepali intercessor, and an Assyrian advocate. Thanks for standing with them in prayer.

Blessings,
Pat

Source: OM News, May 7, 2015

Pastor Marc had a vision to mobilize the Haitian church into missions, and now his prayers are becoming a reality. Six Haitians have joined OM full-time this year, and OM has a vision is to send even more, especially to French-speaking North Africa.

Ruth is a nurse with a passion for HIV and AIDS awareness and prevention. She is also a new OM missionary from Haiti who is raising support to travel to schools and communities around Haiti providing education to those who are still greatly affected by stigmas and lack of knowledge. HIV and AIDS is a big problem in Haiti and is on the rise.

“I wanted to go to people and teach them more about HIV and AIDS and also about Jesus,” Ruth said. “I want to go all over Haiti, I want to go school to school, mountain to mountain… I really like that, and I wanted to be a nurse-missionary!”

There are many Haitians who are excited about missions and want to make a difference yet struggle to raise the funds necessary. But they persevere, determined to overcome the many challenges to serve in whatever way God calls.

» Read full story.

» Note: Former receiving nations that now send workers may avoid making the mistakes of those who came to them. Watch this humorous Cautionary Tale (Helping Without Hurting in Short-Term Missions).

Source: IMB Commission Stories, April 30, 2015

Hispanic followers of Christ are ready to change the world, declares singer Coalo Zamorano, one of the top contemporary Christian musicians in the Spanish-speaking world.

That’s the message—and the title—of Zamorano’s new music video (Cambia el Mundo), produced in partnership with IMB. The video, shot in a part of Southeast Asia mostly untouched by the gospel of Jesus Christ, invites Hispanics to “open your hands, your heart… change the world, change the world today.”

“The next missionary movement is going to come from the Hispanic community,” said Zamorano, 42, an internationally renowned singer, composer, producer, and Latin Grammy winner.

“I think that God is already calling many people in the Hispanic world to bring the gospel… We must go, we must be brave and believe in God because he is going to open doors.”

» Read full story and watch video.

Source: Iran Alive Ministries, May 14, 2015

A movie actor named Arash [called] our counseling center. Arash described himself as “a money-loving and angry man who would do anything to acquire riches.” Arash went on to explain that his greed and anger cost him his friends [and] his career and ultimately left him depressed and despondent.

While flipping through the channels on his satellite TV one evening, Arash stumbled across our network. After several hours of listening to God’s Word, Arash came to understand that Jesus had a different purpose for his life.

In his living room, in front of his TV, Arash asked Christ into his heart and trusted him to forgive him of his sins and transform his life.

After a short period of time, Arash noticed that his greed was replaced with compassion and his anger with joy. Cautiously optimistic, he re-launched his acting career and has found it to be a great source of peace and a platform for sharing Christ with others.

» Read full story. You might also appreciate, from the same source, Jesus Visits Iranian Prisoner in His Dream and Sets Him Free!

Source: IMB Commission Stories, May 6, 2015

Miriam awoke from her Saturday nap on April 25 with a start. Since she was up, the elderly woman decided to start her daily noon prayer 15 minutes early.

The prayer was made up of the normal requests—asking God to give her husband health; watching over her adult son; tidbits from people requesting her intercession; and asking for her neighbors and her country of Nepal to know Jesus… [then] a loud noise cracked throughout the brick home.

“I thought it was a car,” the toothless woman said with a giggle one week after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake. “But then the house started shaking and everyone was screaming, ‘EARTHQUAKE! EARTHQUAKE!’”

Her husband came to get her out of the second-story bedroom, but she refused to move. She refused to stop praying. She knew that she, a leper with no fingers or legs, could do more good by praying to God for her country’s protection than going outside to safety. Her husband only argued once, then sat on the floor and joined her.

» Full story includes pictures, prayer points, and a brief video.

» Also check out this amazing collection of infographics on Nepal (Pinterest/GMI).