In This Issue: Stories of God at work in Kenya, North Korea, and more
- ARABIAN PENINSULA: In Prison
- KENYA: Refugees See Jesus as One of Them
- NORTH KOREA: Reasons to Pray Now
- NIGERIA: Defense or Retaliation?
- SIERRA LEONE: Women with Disabilities Reach across Africa
- USA: Christian Group Donates $100,000 to Muslim Food Pantries
Missions Catalyst is a free, weekly electronic digest of mission news and resources designed to inspire and equip Christians worldwide for global ministry. Use it to fuel your prayers, find tips and opportunities, and stay in touch with how God is building his kingdom all over the world. Please forward it freely!
What happened to 2011? We don’t typically rank top stories but we ran our annual headline edition January 1.
ARABIAN PENINSULA: In Prison
Source: Praying through the Arabian Peninsula, December 28, 2011
God is sovereign and has plans for his glory more than what we would ask. We have prayed before for “Abu Nasser,” a local pastor, that he might be released from prison and returned to his family. However, the final decision on his case at the end of last month left him in prison. While there he has been put in a position in charge of other inmates. In that role he sometimes has to testify for or against them.
It reminds us of Joseph of old. Perhaps God is causing him to grow in dealing with others – sometimes guilty men, sometimes those needing loving support. Pray that he will be given righteous discernment, wisdom, and judgment. Pray that he will be protected from embittered men. Pray that his role will lead to vindication of his fairness. Pray that his family will be well cared for and that he will be released in God’s perfect timing. It is expected that he will be in prison about nine more months.
>> Full story.
KENYA: Refugees See Jesus as One of Them
Source: ENInews, December 27, 2011
In the Dadaab refugee complex in northern Kenya, the concept of Jesus as a refugee is gaining relevance.
Pastor Ancent Muisyo of the Dadaab International Worship Center said church leaders were encouraging refugees from conflict and famine in the Horn of Africa to be hopeful, even as the government on December 21 issued a security alert for churches across the country. The center brings together members from 50 Christian denominations, including Anglicans, Presbyterians, and Baptists.
“The people in Dadaab need to hear words of hope at this time, because they have fled war and insecurity. Their experiences are similar to the flight of baby Jesus into exile over fears of persecution,” said Muisyo, who remained in the camp to minister to aid workers and refugee churches. “As we celebrate, we will be encouraging them that God has not forgotten them and a time of restoration is coming.”
>> Full story.
>> Editor’s note: Please also lift up the vulnerable Christians of Gaza, among whom one Christian leader says the “number one disease” is worry (Associated Baptist Press).
NORTH KOREA: Reasons to Pray Now
Source: Pat Noble
On the day it was announced that Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Il had died, our friends at 24-7 shared their list of ten reasons why praying for the new North Korean leader could be the most important thing you’ll do today.
For more prayer points and testimonies, see OMF UK’s North Korea blog and a seven-minute video from the Prayer Initiative for North Korea (YouTube; warning, contains images of unimaginable suffering).
NIGERIA: Defense or Retaliation?
Source: Open Doors, December 31, 2011
An early morning suicide bomb attack by Islamic extremist group Boko Haram that left at least 45 people dead and 73 others injured has turned the ruins in Madalla, Niger state, into a national mourning site.
Earlier in the week, Christian Association of Nigeria president Ayo Oritsejafor called for Christians to defend themselves.
During a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan on [December 28], Oritsejafor reportedly maintained that the attack on the church was a declaration of war on Christians and the country by Muslims and urged the government to prevent future occurrences lest they force Christians to take defensive action.
Speaking outside the church building today, Oritsejafor said that while he still does not encourage retaliation, “The consensus is that the Christian community nationwide will be left with no other option than to respond appropriately if there are any further attacks on our members, churches, and property.”
>> Full story.
>> Read more stories about Nigeria (Compass Direct) and find links and insights on the conflict from Carmen McCain.
SIERRA LEONE: Women with Disabilities Reach across Africa
Source: Women of Hope International press release, December 16, 2011
In Makeni, Sierra Leone, voices joined together in a song of thanksgiving as, one by one, disabled women and small children shuffled up to the front of a gathering hall in order to put a few small coins into a cardboard box. This group of women, primarily dependent upon begging for their income, learned about the devastating drought that has killed tens of thousands in Somalia and decided to combine their limited resources to contribute to the relief effort.
Women with disabilities in Sierra Leone are not only faced with the difficulty of dealing with their physical limitations, but also the stigma associated with disability that often leaves them ostracized from their community. People with disabilities are viewed as devils, demons, or half-human, relegating many of the women to begging or selling their bodies in order to support their families.
The decision to support those suffering in the Horn of Africa was made after staff from a local Christian humanitarian organization presented some information about the famine that has left over 4 million people with limited access to basic human necessities.
>> Full story.
USA: Christian Group Donates $100,000 to Muslim Food Pantries
Source: The Christian Post, December 21, 2011
A pair of New York food pantries run by a small Muslim charity recently received a large and much needed donation from a Christian organization on Monday.
The Muslim Women’s Institute for Research and Development, which has operated the food pantries since 1997, got a US$100,000 donation from the Collegiate Church Corporation.
This monetary gift successfully saved the organization from having to close down its two food pantries, located in the New York City communities of Highbridge and Parkchester.
“We have worked with the Collegiate Church Corporation in the past,” said MWIRD executive director and founder Nurah Amat’ullah, who said her organization was not surprised by the source of the donation. “The size of the grant was the surprise.”
The donation by the CCC will cover the cost of their operations into March 31, 2012, and also will allow its small employee workforce to be paid for the first time since Memorial Day.
>> Full story.
Pat Noble has been the “news sleuth” for Missions Catalyst since 2004. In addition to churning out the news, she is working to create a SWARM (Serving World A Regional Mobilizers) in Northern New York using the NorthernChristian.org website. You can connect with her at www.whatsoeverthings.com