In This Issue: Welcoming the Word in Papua New Guinea
- PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Welcoming the Word
- VIETNAM: Hmong Christian Leader Beaten to Death in Police Custody
- BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: A Roma Man’s Dream
- SRI LANKA: Increased Attacks in March
- TAJIKISTAN: Prison as Mission Sending Base
- PAKISTAN: Reconciliation, Restoration, and Caution
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PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Welcoming the Word
Source: Assemblies of God News, March 13, 2013
A song echoed through the wild mountains of Papua New Guinea: “We have the Book of God, and when Jesus comes we will go! Hold onto Jesus – hold onto his eternal life!”
The beautiful words were sung in Mesem, one of the 800 languages spoken across Papua New Guinea, an island nation off the coast of Australia. Samanzing, the largest of the nation’s Mesem villages, lies squarely in the heart of a mountainous jungle at an elevation of nearly 5,600 feet.
When the Bibles arrived in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea’s capital, customs refused to release the containers – forcing the date for the Bibles’ distribution to be changed eight times. At last, the date for the dedication was set for January 27.
People representing five Mesem villages attended. Each group performed traditional dances and brought a special offering. For a full day they celebrated with pageantry, reverence, and joy.
Even in their excitement of finally receiving the long-awaited New Testaments, the Mesem recognize the dedication as the beginning of their journey, not the end. Now that they have the Scriptures, they are responsible to share it with others.
» Full story. Watch this brief clip of the ceremony.
» See also Francis Chan: The Authority of God’s Word (two-minute video from The Seed Company).
VIETNAM: Hmong Christian Leader Beaten to Death in Police Custody
Source: ASSIST News, March 28, 2013
According to a story by Morningstar News, police beat [church elder] Vam Ngaij Vaj around his neck and shoulders and probably electrically shocked him, resulting in his death on March 17.
Hmong churches in the Central Highlands often report harassment by a communist regime that views Christianity as a threat, and the spurious charge of “destroying forest” on their own property was consistent with such harassment.
The husband and wife were transported to a police station in Gia Nghia Town and placed in separate cells, Christian sources said. That night Vaj was savagely beaten and tortured by police. The next day local authorities informed his younger brother that he had died.
Vaj, in his late thirties, was in excellent health, sources said. They added that the killing terrorized the Hmong Christian community. A photo of Vaj’s neck and shoulders showed signs of severe trauma. Those who saw the corpse said they suspected electric shock had been used, consistent with the announced cause of death.
In sending out this news about the murder, Hmong Christian leaders risked their welfare by asking for international intervention in hopes of some justice.
» To learn more about the persecution of Vietnam’s minority Christians, visit The Degar Foundation.
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: A Roma Man’s Dream
Source: OM International, March 28, 2013
The OM Bosnia team met Darmin while distributing Operation Christmas Child boxes at his home in Sarajevo. They noticed he seemed very interested to hear more about Jesus and was spiritually open.
OM workers returned to Darmin’s house to pick up Aldina, a little girl from that household who planned to come to church with the OMers to attend the Christmas program. One week, when the OMers arrived at the house to pick up Aldina, they saw Darmin waiting for them so he could go to church as well. That night at church, special visitors from Serbia shared their testimonies. Darmin and his partner Elmina were very touched by the service and asked afterward if the OMers could pray for them. Darmin smiled, despite the tears in his eyes, and Elmina said during the prayer time she felt her legs were going to give out at any moment. The OM workers set a time to meet and read the Bible with them.
[A few weeks] later Darmin had a dream. In the dream, Jesus came and sat on his couch and talked with him. Darmin told Jesus there had to be more to this life than just problems.
SRI LANKA: Increased Attacks in March
Source: Barnabas Aid, March 27, 2013
A “sudden increase in violence against the Christian community” in Sri Lanka has been reported. Barnabas Aid received news last week of ten anti-Christian incidents in different parts of the country during March. Incidents include a brutal attack on a pastor’s home and the burning down of a church building.
The most violent of them was an attack by Buddhist extremists on Pastor Pradeep Kumara’s house in Katuwana, Weeraketiya, that was used for worship meetings. Pradeep’s wife and children returned as the assailants were damaging the property. They threatened her, and she called both her husband and the police. Four officers arrived but could not control the mob.
The attack went on for three and a half hours; the assailants desisted only once they had forced Pradeep’s wife to promise that there would be no more worship meetings at the house.
It is rare to hear of so many anti-Christian incidents in one month in Sri Lanka. These may indicate a concerted campaign by Buddhists.
» Full story.
» See also Mob Threaten[s] Home of Christian Pastor (Colombo Gazette).
TAJIKISTAN: Prison as Mission Sending Base
Source: Joel News #853, March 21, 2013
The mountainous east of Tajikistan is one of the most unreached areas of the planet. Bordered on the east by China, the south by Afghanistan, the north by the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, and separated from Dushanbe by some of the roughest roads, it truly is a tough place to get to. It is also a tough place to live in, being a cold, high altitude desert and a militarized zone due to drug runners and Islamic militants. But God has a plan!
“Sergey, our team leader in Tajikistan, came to Christ while in prison during the Tajik civil war,” says [Canadian church planting trainer] Steve Hill. “Many died in prison during that time. The brother who led him to Christ had become a follower after an ‘Apostle Paul’ kind of experience. That brother never lived to come out of the prison, but he led many to Christ and saw many dramatic healing miracles. Once Sergey was released, he continued to serve the believers in several prisons. Sometimes he could not go in due to the high bribes demanded by the guards, but he maintains contact through cell phone.
“Some of the brothers in the prison are from remote villages in unreached areas of Tajikistan. Who better to send to those regions? They are from there, have family there, speak the language, and have the testimony of a changed life through Jesus. Sergey seeks to visit them in their home villages to encourage them.”
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PAKISTAN: Reconciliation, Restoration, and Caution
Source: Mission Network News, March 13, 2013
The Christian neighborhood of Joseph Colony in Lahore came under attack [March 9] after a Muslim accused a Christian of blaspheming the Prophet Mohammed.
No one was killed in the attack because police had cleared most of the Christian families from the area. When it was over, the mob had torched over 170 houses, 18 shops, and two churches. Christians protested on Sunday over the lack of protection and the existence of the blasphemy laws that have caused them no end of trouble.
Speaking on a spotty cell phone connection, we reached a Christian from Pakistan involved in ministry there that encourages and equips the local church to face persecution. She explains, “Most of the blasphemy accusations in Pakistan have been false. This one is debatable, and there’s been a lot of speculation on it. We would hope that there would be some further investigation into the blasphemy laws of Pakistan.”
In the aftermath, a committee comprised of bishops, Muslim legal scholars (Ulema), and Christian leaders was established to assist in rebuilding. The Muslim scholars, often connected with the enforcement of Sharia law, condemned the attack [as] an anti-state, anti-humanity, and anti-Islam act of violence [and] setting aside March 15 in the mosques as a Day of Solidarity with the Christian Community. Government officials also pledged to help residents rebuild their homes and offered US$2,000 compensation to each affected family.
» Full story.
» See Pakistan: The Bitter Fruits of a Radicalized Society for some background info on this incident (WEA Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin). For some good news from Pakistan, read about Jesus’ appearance on the “thorny road” (OM International News; Pakistan update is towards the end).
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.