News Briefs – Page 186 – Missions Catalyst

ZIMBABWE: Son of Witch Doctor Finds Jesus

Source: Godreports, June 5, 2013

In his village in southern Zimbabwe, people still seek help through witch doctors who offer a portal into the darkness of the supernatural realm. But one young man found healing in the arms of Jesus after his father’s gods proved impotent.

Nhamo suffered a painful infection that rendered him unable to move from his bed. He spent many days listlessly, barely able to turn over, yet his father refused modern medical care. “He would not allow me to go to the hospital because he believed he could heal through witchcraft,” he notes.

One day a team came from a neighboring village to show the JESUS Film. When Nhamo’s father and mother left him alone, they warned him not to watch the JESUS movie on the evening it was presented in their village…

» Read the rest of the story or watch a video that tells this man’s story (YouTube).

INDIA: Seven Pastors Hospitalized

Source: Worthy News, June 10, 2013

Twenty Baptist pastors have been attacked by suspected Hindu militants in southeastern India, and several church leaders required hospital treatment for severe injuries, representatives said Friday, June 7.

The All India Christian Council (AICC), which represents churches and mission groups, said the victims were from the Telugu Baptist Church who gathered for their monthly prayer meeting.

About 50 followers of Hindu group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) stormed the gathering, “brutally attacked” the pastors “with sticks and rods causing dreadful injuries,” and verbally abused them, AICC added in a statement seen by BosNewsLife.

The mob also accused the church leaders of forcing people to convert to Christianity, the group said.

Seven of the pastors, identified only as Thimothy, Kumar, Krupaiah, Roberts, Rosaiah, Lazarus, and Thinothy, were rushed to hospital for serious injuries, according to AICC officials.

» Read full story.

» Editor’s note: Want to learn more about the forces behind violent attacks like these? You might find help in the recently published book, Persecuted: The Global Assault on Christians, by Paul Marshall, Lela Gilbert, and Nina Shea.

CAMBODIA: A Killing Fields Survivor Who Learned to Forgive

Source: WEA News, June 4, 2013

As a boy of eleven [Reaksa Himm] watched villagers hack to death his father and brothers and later his mother. Eventually crossing the border to Thailand, Reaksa was sent to Canada. Here World Vision cared for him at one of their refugee centers, [and] Reaksa turned in faith to serve Christ. From there [he] studied, preparing himself for ministry.

However, plaguing his young mind was not only the memory of his family now dead, but feelings of revenge for those who had so devastated his family and life.

“I could tell that something was wrong with me, and underneath the facade I suddenly realized that I needed to forgive totally. Forgiveness is not easy, but if I allowed the big ball of fire to keep burning inside my heart, my life would not be worth living … When I could not forgive, I was actually burying myself into the grave of bitterness, anger, and hatred.”

He returned to the village of Kokpreach and there met with [those who had killed his parents], and taking a Cambodian scarf, tied it around their necks as a symbol of forgiveness. Then he gave them a Cambodian Bible and read from Luke 23:34 (“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”), and in so doing, offered his forgiveness.

» Read full story, also told in the book The Tears of My Soul.

JAPAN: Better Than Pickles

Source: Pioneers Media, June 2013

A Pioneers missionary in Japan writes:

There is a saying in Japanese which means, “We are all different, but all good in our own way.” This philosophy reveals a core attitude of religion in Japan.

Recently I was invited to join a local symposium as a representative of Christianity. I was to speak at a religious session along with a Buddhist priest and a Shinto priest. We shared a casual debate for an audience of 100 people.

As I interacted with these two priests, they reflected similar sentiments about the way the Japanese practice religion.

“I think Buddhism is like a recipe book: you play around with a recipe and create something” one said. “You decide what your soul wants to make. It is your own responsibility what you do with the ingredients.”

Part of the way through the discussion the Buddhist priest said, “I am afraid that about 80 percent of you are probably leaning toward Christianity!” The Shinto priest added, “I also thought he was convincing. It could be because I had had a lot to drink last night, but maybe I will become a believer too! I need to learn from him.”

At one point the Shinto priest expressed his view of the importance of religion: “I don’t think it is necessary to think too deeply about religion. For instance when you sit down to eat a meal, the main course is the rice. You have the side dishes. If you have pickles to go with the meal, it makes everything taste even better, doesn’t it? I think you should think of religion like the pickles. It makes life a little better. If you think of religion as more than that, it will become a burden to you.”

In response, I shared the reason why I came to Japan as a missionary – to share the Good News of a message that changed my life.

“He is so convincing in his speech,” the emcee said laughingly. “I thought the Buddhist would become a Christian!”

» Read full story.

» See the June issue of Encounters Mission Journal for an interesting article about Buddhist understandings of conversion (Redcliffe College, PDF).