While violence continues in Iraq with car bombs killing 50 people and injuring more than 100 in the last week alone, Open Doors remains committed to doing ministry and helping churches in that hostile country. The Open Doors team working in Iraq is comprised entirely of local Christians. "They’re working hard and doing well despite the tumultuous condition of the country," said Mahmud, the ministry’s field coordinator in Iraq. An estimated 600,000 to 800,000 Christians live in the country. Open Doors USA President Carl Moeller urges prayer for the Iraqi Christians facing this dilemma. "They are caught in the middle -- do they stay and risk the lives of their families or do they flee to another country away from their churches and friends? Pray for these brave Christians." (Mission Network News)

30,000 PAIRS OF SHOES GO TO CHILDREN 2 YEARS AFTER BESLAN TRAGEDY

A ministry in the terror-scarred city of Beslan, Russia, is using 30,000 pairs of new shoes to reach out to needy children. Beslan, a city in southern Russia near Chechnya, was the site of the 2004 school siege by terrorists resulting in the deaths of more than 350 people, mostly children. Buckner Orphan Care International is partnering with local workers and volunteers from Russia and the U.S. to deliver new shoes to schools, churches and orphanages in the area in early September, coinciding with the second anniversary of the attack. The group is excited to couple the gospel message with the gift of new shoes to kids who may never have received a new pair of shoes. Buckner’s Amy Norton says, "Being able to walk up with a new pair of shoes, which any child and family needs in that area, just opens the doors for conversation to be able to talk about why those new shoes are being given to them and then sharing the gospel and that’s what it’s all about." (Mission Network News)

42 INJURED AFTER RUMOR SPARKS RIOTS AGAINST CHRISTIANS IN ETHIOPIA

Forty-two people were injured in the eastern Ethiopian city of Jijga Wednesday, May 24, in violent riots attacking Christian homes and businesses. Rumors that a Christian-run restaurant was wrapping food in pages of the Koran sparked riots among Muslim youth. Simultaneous attacks began at Wednesday evening at three different businesses in the strongly Muslim area. In addition, Somali evangelist Hussen Rahafa and two other workers at a Kenyan Christian radio station were arrested. The prisoners are advising local believers no to visit them in jail to avoid further arrests. Even though police have searched their homes and confiscated Bibles and other Christian literature as evidence against the men, they have not been formally charged. In 2005 another evangelist was held for more than a year without being charged. (Voice of the Martyrs)

* Staff members at HCJB World Radio-Australia’s studios record Oromo language programs that air to 28 million speakers in Ethiopia and Kenya via FEBA Radio’s shortwave facilities.

FORMER BAPTIST PRISONER BANNED FROM EXITING TURKMENISTAN

Former Baptist religious prisoner Shageldy Atakov was banned from leaving Turkmenistan without reason on Wednesday, May 24. Atakov, who spent 1998 to 2002 in jail on reportedly concocted charges, was pulled off the plane by the Migration Service before he could fly to Moscow to meet with fellow Baptists. When asked why Atakov was banned from leaving, a Migration Service officer declined to comment on his case saying, "People are only stopped from leaving if they have problems with the government." An increasing number of Turkmen residents are being banned from leaving due to religious beliefs. Travelers recently have reported several people being removed from each flight. Protestants are common victims, but Hare Krishnas and Jehovah’s Witnesses have also been banned. The number of Muslim pilgrims has also been restricted by Turkmenistan’s increasingly isolationist leadership. (Forum 18 News Service)

* HCJB World Radio works in partnership with Back to the Bible to air Christian programs in the Turkmen language. Broadcasts began in 2001 and have been aired daily since 2003.

SURVEY: 45 PERCENT OF U.S. RESIDENTS ‘COMMITTED TO JESUS’

A Family News in Focus report says that 45 percent of Americans say they have a personal commitment to Jesus Christ, have confessed their sins and accepted Christ as their Savior according to the Barna Group. However, survey author George Barna recognizes the faults within the statistics, saying, "What we’re finding is that there’s still a lot of superficiality related to the fact that a lot of people have recognized that the spiritual dimension of their life is important." Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, says according to his "transformational definition of born again," this should have a "huge impact" on people’s lives, reducing rates of divorce, teen pregnancy, crime and use of alcohol and drugs. Barna found that 36 percent of Americans are what he calls "notional Christians" who describe themselves as Christians but do not meet the "born-again definition." (Religion Today)

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