Missions Catalyst News Briefs 11.2.16
Day: November 2, 2016
USA: Politics and the Persecuted Church
Source: Pat Noble, News Brief Editor
The news is full of persecution stories for the twentieth annual International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church which will be observed on the Sundays before and after the day of the US presidential election.
While the Missions Catalyst approach to content steers us clear of politics, we thought some readers might be interested in Trump or Clinton: How Might Their Policies Affect the Persecuted Church?
The source, INcontext Ministries, does not promote or support either of these candidates, but offers a perspective you may not have considered and reminds us that God’s agendas are bigger than human agendas. I find it refreshing to consider what the winner of this election (or others) might do for the persecuted church rather than what he or she will do for me.
» See also Resources and Mindsets for the Upcoming International Day of Prayer (Mission Network News).
NIGER: American Missionary Kidnapped
Source: World Watch Monitor, October 20, 2016
The kidnap of a pioneering American missionary in Niger is a “terrible tragedy” for the communities he served for 24 years, according to the local mayor. It has also raised security concerns among the country’s missionary community.
Jeff Woodke, 55, who worked for [a branch of] the US-based Youth With a Mission (YWAM), was abducted by unknown assailants late on Friday evening (October 14) from the town of Abalak in northern Niger.
Bilou Mohamed, the mayor of Abalak, told World Watch Monitor the community had “suffered a terrible tragedy” and locals “wept with sorrow, lamenting the loss of a friend” the day after his abduction. He added: “This man has lived among us for years, even in when it has been difficult to accompany vulnerable populations… Everyone knows his goodness.”
Woodke is known in Abalak for his devotion to Niger and its nomadic populations. He runs several development projects among the Tuareg, focusing on farming, health, literacy, primary school education and improving access to drinking water, among other things.
He has spoken internationally on the impact of climate change on nomadic peoples and is a pioneer of “sustainable nomadism”—enabling nomads to maintain their traditional lifestyles in the face of increasingly frequent drought. He is the only American in his team.
Rev. Kagninde added: “Jeff has given everything for the Tuaregs, which raises the question: how did people of malign intent kidnap a man well-known in the community without arousing the suspicion among the local population, especially given that his house is next to that of the mayor of Abalak? The kidnappers must have been outsiders.”
LIBYA: The Day I Met Qaddafi
Source: Global Opportunities Tentmaking Briefs, October 11, 2016
When I was a tentmaker teacher in Libya there was not a whole lot to do for a single man on my days off. The school was far away from major cities, and I seldom met any other foreigners.
My students encouraged me to join them on weekend excursions far into the Sahara, driving with their four-wheel vehicles over massive dunes. We frequently camped at a desert oasis surrounded by palm trees, swimming in warm tepid water and drinking tea late into the night. These were also times for intense faith discussions far away from prying eyes and ears. The oasis was the perfect spot for baptisms.
One evening as the sun was setting I decided to hike to the top of a nearby sand dune. As I sat at the top waiting for the sun to set, a man with flowing robes and with his face mostly covered walked up to me out of nowhere.
He greeted me and asked where I was from. When he heard I was from Canada, he became intrigued and sat down on the sand beside me. His questions poured out in quick succession: How do you like Libya? Are people treating you well? Are you getting enough food? What do Canadians think of Libyans? Why do you come out from the city to this desert?
My reply to the last question was that I enjoy the silence, solitude, [and] clear skies at night that allow me to see the stars so clearly and that this is a good place to think about important things and hear from God.
The man responded by saying, that is why I come out here as well! We had a bonding moment. He was respectful and intriguing but seemed distressed. He earnestly listened to my story of why I was a follower of Isa.
As he stood up to leave, he asked me one final question. Should I give up my quest for nuclear weapons?
YEMEN: Hope and Despair
Source: Arab World Media, October 16, 2016
The BBC recently broadcast a program about starvation in Yemen. In Our World, Starving Yemen, a reporter follows a Yemeni doctor as she visits families with malnourished children. Included is the story of an eighteen-month-old boy who is slowly starving because the only milk his body can digest is no longer available… His mother cries as she tells the doctor, “I’m losing my son and there is nothing I can do about it.”
It’s clear that many children have been dying in Yemen, while for the most part the media has looked away. Most of us know there is an ongoing war, but we know little of its devastating side effects: famine and disease.
While all of this is taking place, another hunger is clearly stirring hearts in Yemen. The Holy Spirit is moving mightily among the people of Yemen. There are no longer any foreign workers, but local believers are active and, of course, the internet is playing a crucial role.
At Arab World Media, we have had a steady stream of Yemenis getting in touch with us this year. In fact, since April there have only been two or three days without contact from at least one Yemeni.
» Read full story .
» See also More than 1,400 Suspected Cholera Cases in Yemen (Al Jazeera). And please be praying for those in two other volatile nations: See Somalia Enters Freefall Following ISIS, al-Shabaab Flurry (Mission Network News) and Ethiopia’s Massive Protests Are Getting Desperate—and Dangerous (VICE News).
GLOBAL: State of the World 2016
Source: Lausanne Movement
“These are tumultuous times. Change in every sphere of life seems to be accelerating. What really is happening in the world? And how does this relate to the staggering scale, complexity, and urgency of the Great Commission?”
In this 32-minute presentation, Jason Mandryk and Molly Wall, editors of Operation World, give insight to key issues in the church, Great Commission, and the world based on their extensive research and encounters around the world.
[It] was given at the third Lausanne Younger Leaders Gathering (YLG2016) held in Jakarta, Indonesia, August 2-10, 2016.
» See full story. You can also download the presentation and the accompanying notes.