In This Issue: Nepal’s New Constitution, Christian Choir in China, and More
- NEPAL: Group Seeks to Restore Hinduism as State Religion
- CHINA: Christian Choir Wins Gold
- SOMALIA: Underground Church Leader Executed
- SUDAN: American and Dinka Cattlemen Connect
- INDONESIA: Construction of Two Churches Stopped
- THAILAND: Children See Power of Prayer
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!
World News Briefs, edited by Pat Noble, are published twice a month.
NEPAL: Group Seeks to Restore Hinduism as State Religion
Source: Ecumenical News International, March 10, 2010
The group Christian Solidarity Worldwide has warned that Nepal’s new constitution, which will go into effect in May, may not allow people to convert from one religion to another.
Kalidas Dahal, a Hindu who claims to have supernatural powers, on March 1 began a 9-day prayer meeting aiming to show the coalition government the public support Hinduism still enjoys in Nepal. Besides ministers and lawmakers, the deposed king, Gyanendra Shah, also attended.
Once the only Hindu kingdom in the world, Nepal was declared a secular state by its parliament in 2006 and the monarchy was abolished two years later to punish the king for seizing power. Now, with a new constitution due in May, Hindu groups are pressuring the government to reinstate Hinduism as the state religion.
>> Full story.
>> For more, read Threat of Return to Hindu State in Nepal Looms (The Christian Post).
CHINA: Christian Choir Wins Gold
Source: Joel News International, #724, March 23, 2010
Newspaper China Daily reports that a Christian choir from the poor Xiaoshuijing Miao minority village in Yunnan province, China, is on its way to conquer the nation. The choir was formed 70 years ago when the villagers received the gospel. The missionaries built schools and a medical clinic, and taught the people hymns that helped them to stand firm during the “cultural revolution” (1966-1976), when all Bibles were burned and church services were banned. Today, of the 447 villagers, some 80 percent are Christians.
When a government official accidentally heard the village choir perform, he was astonished by the farmers’ professional singing skills and encouraged them to participate in a chorus festival. Their amazing skills and selected sophisticated pieces won them the gold medal. They began to compete in other national competitions, letting the outside world learn about their pure and reverent singing, as well as their unconventional Christianity. “Winning prizes doesn’t make sense to us,” says Long Guangyuan, the choir’s conductor. “As Christians, we take each performance as preaching the gospel. As long as we can sing, we feel quite satisfied.”
>> Read more good news: A Time to Celebrate in China. For the first time in the history of the East Lisu people of Yunnan Province in China, they have the Word of God in their own “heart language” (ASSIST News).
SOMALIA: Underground Church Leader Executed
Source: Mission Network News, March 25, 2010
Earlier [in March], underground church leader Madobe Abdi escaped an attempted kidnapping in Somalia. Compass Direct News reports Islamic militants caught up with him March 15 and murdered him. What made his death more alarming is that Abdi was an orphan raised as a Christian rather than a convert from Islam.
Islamic militants have hunted leaders of the underground church movement as a means of discouraging others from responding to the gospel.
Islam is Somalia’s national religion. Although the Transitional Federal Charter grants religious freedom, President Ahmed has embraced a version of sharia (Islamic) law that mandates the death penalty for those who leave Islam.
Pray for encouragement and strength for the Christians remaining in Somalia as well as for those who have been forced to leave their homes. Ask God to provide for and protect them. Pray that they will continue to grow in their faith in Christ.
>> Full story.
SUDAN: American and Dinka Cattlemen Connect
Source: Baptist Press, April 5, 2010
Taking laminated photos from their backpacks, four volunteers from Oakland Baptist Church in Corinth, Mississippi – Danny Turner, Kenneth Brawner, Jay Mitchell, and Billy Taylor – show some prized cows to the Dinka herders.
The volunteers, covered in smoke and ash from burning dung to keep mosquitoes and other bugs away, have flown halfway around the world to share Christ with these cattle keepers and teach them about HIV/AIDS prevention. Cows are at the center of life for the Dinka, an animistic, spirit-worshiping people group of nearly 3 million.
After all the cows are tethered to stakes so they won’t wander away during the night, some of the herders gather at the volunteers’ campsite. And as the volunteers talk, the cattle herders listen intently.
>> Full story.
>> Also read about and pray for the Sudan elections April 11-13 (BBC News).
INDONESIA: Construction of Two Churches Stopped
Source: The Christian Post, March 26, 2010
An Islamic mob stopped construction of Santa Maria Immaculata Catholic Church in Citra Garden, West Jakarta, earlier this month even as government officials in Yasmin Park, Bogor, West Java, halted work on an Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) building.
On March 12, the same day GKI faced closure from government officials, protesters led by the United Islam Forum (FUIB) blockaded the entrance to Citra Garden, demanding that construction of the Catholic church building there cease.
The building permit was posted in plain view, but the Islamic protesters said they felt that not all citizens had agreed to allow the building.
>> Full story.
>> In contrast, read this story of southern Sudan – Muslims Building a Church? (Zogby International).
THAILAND: Children See Power of Prayer
Source: Mission Network News, March 26, 2010
On Friday, March 19, Vision Beyond Borders’ Thailand contact indicated the Children’s Home of Thailand learned of forest fires burning nearby and heading right for the orphanage. Their contact said the center had just finished building new dorms, a kitchen, canteen, church, and bathrooms.
The workers sent out urgent prayer requests by e-mail and then moved the children to the top of a hill for safety. At the top of the hill, a staff member encouraged the kids to start worshiping and praying to God. Though Thailand is in the midst of their dry season, they trusted God to send rain.
The fires quickly approached, but just before the orphanage was surrounded, they heard thunder. Less than an hour later it began sprinkling, then pouring, until the fires were extinguished.
>> Read the full story here (Vision Beyond Borders).
MISSION EVENTS
The Enemy God Film Screening (Columbia, SC, USA). April 27. Sponsored by 10X Productions.
Bible Storying Training (Orlando, FL, USA). May 10 to 14. Sponsored by Campus Crusade for Christ.
Tentmaking Business as Mission Course (Bergen, Norway). May 12 to 16. Provided by Global Opportunities.
Becoming Better Partners in the Global Village (Lombard, IL, USA). Conference for mission agencies and local churches, sponsored by the Coalition on the Support of Indigenous Ministries (COSIM).
Tentmaking Business as Mission Course (Victoria, BC, Canada). July 1 to 4. Provided by Global Opportunities.
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