Zbylí rukojmí v Súdánu propuštěni. Všichni tři dosud zadržovaní pracovníci World Vision - dva Němci a jeden Keňan - propuštěni. Viz zpráva z minulého týdne.

Etiopský pastor zabit davem členů pravoslavné církve. K vraždě evangelikálního pastora došlo v jeho domu několik hodin poté, co požádal o policejní ochranu.

Křesťanský satelitní televizní kanál v jazyce Farsi. Televizní kanál SAT-7 zaměřující se na Střední Východ začal vysílat v jazyce Farsi do Íránu a Afghánistánu.

Gunmen attacked the Murree Christian School in Pakistan at about noon today (Aug. 5). The attackers fired shots indiscriminately after walking into the school compound. The dead were identified as security guards and staff. No students were among the dead. At least three others were wounded. As many as five attackers then fled on motorcycles and on foot into the nearby woods. The school, established in 1956, trains children of missionaries in Pakistan and neighboring countries. Almost 150 students attend the school, many of them children of missionaries from foreign countries, including the U.S. "This latest attack on Christians in Pakistan is further indication of the volatility of this nation and extremists' response to faiths other than Islam," said Open Doors President Terry Madison. "Understandably, Christians in Pakistan are nervous and concerned. This most recent attack should be a motivator for all Christians in America to pray for our beleaguered brothers and sisters in Pakistan." (Assist News Service)

REMAINING WORLD VISION HOSTAGES SET FREE IN SUDAN

All three kidnapped aid workers from World Vision have been freed in southern Sudan. The first of three hostages, a German, was released on Aug. 1, while a second German and a Kenyan were released and flown out to Kenya two days later. The three had been abducted July 29 by a rebel splinter group in the village of Waat. Kenyan World Vision worker Charles Kibbe, 46, was killed when armed rebels first stormed a prison in the village of Waat, then ambushed the nearby World Vision camp and took the development workers hostage. (Evangelical News Agency IDEA)

VIETNAMESE LISTENERS REPORT INCREASING GOVERNMENT THREATS

Hmong listeners to Christian programs from Far East Broadcasting Co. (FEBC) are giving explicit reports about the severe persecution that they are experiencing. One Hmong listener in Vietnam sent a cassette with this message: "At this time we don't know why our government has sent soldiers and policemen to guard all of the Christian villages. It seems as if we are criminals or are preparing to do something against the government. They watch every one of us very closely. We cannot hold church meetings any more. These officials have also come to check every Christian home and check for Bibles, hymnbooks and other literature. If they find anything, it will be burned." Christian households that do not display "spirit signs" are fined the equivalent of US$10 (more than a month's salary for many area residents), and Christians can be jailed with no questions asked. "Because of these difficult times, many of our church leaders have sold their homes, their land, livestock and have moved to the south," says the listener. "This alternative is very hard, because it takes four days to relocate to the south, and the journey is across hard terrain. The biggest heartache is leaving our homes behind." (FEBC)

ETHIOPIAN PASTOR KILLED BY MOB FROM ORTHODOX CHURCH

A mob of Orthodox Church members led by priests recently attacked and killed an evangelical Christian pastor in his home in the town of Merawi in northwestern Ethiopia. The pastor, named Dantew, was fatally injured just hours after he had asked for police protection for his church's new property and its members. Dantew, a teacher, was the leading elder in Merawi's Full Gospel Church. The problems began last May when authorities allocated land to the congregation for a church compound. But when the congregation started to fence their new property on July 15, local Orthodox Church leaders reacted violently, and an angry mob tore down the fence. The next evening priests from the Mecha Wored Orthodox Church incited a larger mob to attack the compound, dismantling the fence, damaging the facilities and forcing the workers to flee to their homes. Then the mob attacked Dantew and his family in their home, and he died from his injuries on July 18. (Compass)

* Staff members at HCJB World Radio-Australia's studios record Oromo language programs that are aired to 28 million speakers in Ethiopia and Kenya via shortwave by partner FEBA Radio.

SALVATION OF SOME COLOMBIAN REBEL LEADERS UPSETS GUERRILLAS

The ongoing drug war in Colombia has created warlords, rebels and countless victims. Escalating violence against Christians has prompted some concern among mission agencies. Evangelical Free Church Mission's Tim McIntosh says the recent trouble may be the result of several rebel leaders' turning to Christ. "As the rebel leaders have come into contact with churches and have threatened them, the Christians have shared the gospel with them, and a number of them have come to the Lord. That's not very pleasing to the FARC rebels, so what they've done is they have targeted Christian leaders throughout the country." McIntosh says the Evangelical Free Church doesn't have a direct ministry in Colombia, but it helps support believers. "My perspective is that they (Christians) are handling the situation very well. . . . The conflict in Colombia has been going on for 40 years, so although it's difficult, it's something that they've learned to handle, I think, quite well." (Mission Network News)

CHRISTIAN SATELLITE TV CHANNEL TO LAUNCH FARSI PROGRAM

SAT-7, a Christian satellite television channel that reaches viewers across the Middle East and North Africa in the Arabic language, will begin Christian programming in Farsi to Iran and Afghanistan. Farsi is the primary language of Iran and is also spoken in parts of Afghanistan and surrounding countries. SAT-7, a partnership of some 30 agencies, has worked with Iranian Christian Broadcasters to produce a pilot program in Farsi with regular broadcasts expected to begin in September. "This is magazine-format production that includes a variety of appealing elements for the culture of the Iranian region," said SAT-7 spokesman J.B. Kump. "Included are music video segments, a soap opera, man-on-the street interviews on spiritual topics, movie reviews, documentaries and a teaching segments -- all with biblical content designed to appeal to Christians and non-Christians." (Assist News Service)

* HCJB World Radio reaches across North Africa, the Middle East and Europe with Christian Arabic programming aired via shortwave, local radio and satellite. The Radio Al Mahabba (Radio Love) Arabic satellite network, operated with partner Arab World Ministries, has been airing 24-hour-a-day programming since last December. This region has the world's highest concentration of personal satellite dishes.

FREE BOOKLET: Order your own copy of HCJB World Radio's new 20-page booklet, "God Keeps Opening Doors," by e-mailing your name and mailing address to doors@hcjb.org. You'll also receive a free bookmark.

Nová internetová stránka povzbuzuje věřící, aby se tázali Písma. Back to the Bible nabízí novou www stránku BibleDiscoveryCenter.org , která má křesťany povzbudit k hlubšímu studiu Božího Slova.

In the early-morning hours of Sunday, Aug. 4, in the seaside village of Matako in eastern Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province, jihad terrorists struck this Christian community. The attack began at 3:30 a.m. with cries of "Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!" as the sleepy night burst into a blaze of fire, bullets and bombs. The attack came from two directions. Some of the terrorists entered through the middle of the village having come down jungle pathways from the mountains while others landed on the beach in speedboats. An estimated 80 to 100 men took part in the onslaught. At least five persons were injured and seven are missing, a newspaper reported Monday. The terrorists also burned down a church and dozens of houses An officer at the military station in the nearest town of Poso, about 1,000 miles northeast of Jakarta, confirmed the attack but refused to provide details. He said the attack surprised local authorities because Muslims and Christians in Matako were living in peace even before the warring factions signed a peace agreement in December. (International Christian Concern/AP)

POLICE SEEKING KILLERS OF 6 PERSONS SHOT AT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Pakistani police are searching for masked men who shot six persons to death with AK-47 assault rifles and injured at least three others at a Christian school in Pakistan on Monday. Police said it's too soon to say who was behind the shooting. At least four gunmen burst into the compound of a school for children of foreign missionaries near the town of Murree. Two security guards, a cook, a carpenter and a receptionist were among those killed in the attack at Murree Christian School, said Director Russell Morton. None of the 146 children of missionaries from countries including the U.S., Great Britain, Canada, Germany and New Zealand, were hurt, but a Filipino woman who was visiting her son was shot in the hand. The attack began around noon as at least four gunmen entered the school complex and opened fire indiscriminately. After shooting the security guards, they went past the main school office. The headmaster heard the shooting and went to investigate but was forced to retreat to the office and close the main door. However, one person was shot through the office window. The gunmen then crossed the main play area which normally would have been full of children, but it was raining so the children were in their classrooms. The school, founded in 1956 to provide education for the children of expatriate Christian workers, may have been seen as both a Western and Christian target. (Reuters/Barnabas Fund)

CHRISTIAN AGENCIES LAUNCH NETWORK TO HELP PERSECUTED GROUPS

Religious persecution is on the increase worldwide, reports the latest edition of the World Christian Encyclopedia with more Christian martyrs in the 20th century than in the entire previous 19 centuries. Support for persecuted religious minorities around the world has received new impetus this month following the inauguration of a strategic new network of U.K. Christian agencies called the Christian Forum in Support of Persecuted Religious Minorities Worldwide. The group was launched at a London conference July 20 that attracted nearly 200 participants. Agencies backing the group come from a range of mission and human rights groups. For details visit www.sufferingandhope.org. (Assist News Service)

REVIVAL FIRES KINDLED IN VANUATU

When evangelist Bill Newman and his associates, Darin Browne and Pat Morgan, returned to the southwestern Pacific island of Vanuatu last month after 10 years, they found an open acceptance, prepared hearts and God's blessings. The meetings were held in Santo Unity Park, July 8-10, and Port Vila Independence Park, July 12-14. "Their commitment to evangelism challenged me to the core," said Newman. "So many lives were transformed by the power of Christ." When he issued an appeal to make the home and family life the basis of their community, it was the prime minister and his wife who led the congregation in responding, declaring openly their commitment and determination to put Christ first. "Night by night scores of men, women, young people and children committed their lives to the Lord. What a joy to see precious lives responding to the gospel," he said. "Vanuatu is a nation won by blood. So many early missionaries sacrificed their lives to win this land for the Savior. I stood over the graves of four precious Samoan evangelists who first brought the gospel to Vanuatu." (Bill Newman International)

NEW WEBSITE ENCOURAGES BELIEVERS TO GET BACK TO THE BIBLE

A radio ministry has launched a website (BibleDiscoveryCenter.org) designed to encourage people to read and study the Scriptures. Back to the Bible's Woodrow Kroll says the website is helping people discover the Bible for themselves. "It is giving them the tools to know how to take God's Word, open it every day like I do every day, and find what is in there. Mine the wealth of gold that comes out of His Word. . . . It's probably the most exciting thing we've done in several years." Barna research indicates that many people who claim to know Christ aren't reading the Bible. Kroll says that's why evangelism isn't flourishing in American churches today. "Until we get our minds full of God's Word, we really don't have anything to tell as disciples." (Mission Network News)

SURVEY: ONE-THIRD OF ENGLISH CLERGY DOUBT JESUS' RESURRECTION

One-third of Church of England clergy don't believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, Reuters reports. Results from a recent survey were published in British newspapers last Wednesday. Only half of the 2,000 clergy questioned believed in the virgin birth, indicated the survey conducted by the British organization, Cost of Conscience. Seventy-five percent of those surveyed accepted the principle of the Trinity -- the belief that God is a union of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. "There are clearly two churches operating in the Church of England: the believing church and the disbelieving church, and that is a scandal," said Rev. Robbie Low of Cost of Conscience. (Religion Today)

FREE BOOKLET: Order your own copy of HCJB World Radio's new 20-page booklet, "God Keeps Opening Doors," by e-mailing your name and mailing address to doors@hcjb.org. You'll also receive a free bookmark.

Moldavští poslanci volají po rovnosti v přístupu k náboženským společnostem. Některé církve mají ve Moldávii ztížené postavení a to by se mělo změnit.

Místnímu baptistickému sboru v Rusku se nepodařilo získat registraci. Stalo se ve východoruském přístavním městě Vanino. Sbor založil misionář Dan Pollard. Prezident Putin při své návštěvě USA řekl při rozhlasovém interview, aby mu byly podobné věci hlášeny, a že je vyřídí ke spokojenosti. Nicméně půl roku po odeslání dopisu jeho kanceláři se nestalo nic.

While Chinese leaders talk of reform, Chinese Christians continue to suffer persecution under the country's "evil cult" law. For example, in April 2001 the government branded the unregistered South China Church (SCC) an evil cult and intensified its persecution of believers. The SCC comprises about 50,000 Christians meeting in house churches across 10 provinces of China. Xiqiu Fu, co-editor of the publication, "Religion and National Security in China: Secret documents from China's security sector" (released in February 2002), says that since the crackdown on the SCC began, five members have been sentenced to death, and more than 200 church leaders have been arrested and handed prison sentences ranging from one year to life. More than 500 of SCC's full-time evangelists have lost their homes and other property, and thousands of ordinary believers have been beaten, detained and fined. Fu says the trials of those Christians charged with various crimes are often closed to the media and all outsiders. Gong Shengliang, 47, the founder and leader of the SCC, is one of those on death row for the sake of the gospel. (Religious Liberty Prayer List)

MOLDOVAN PARLIAMENTARIANS CALL FOR RELIGIOUS EQUALITY

Members of Moldova's parliament say that religious equality must become a reality in this eastern European country. They made their comments during a visit Aug. 1 to the Seventh-day Adventist Church world headquarters in Silver Spring, Md. "As members of the European Council, we must not only respect the regulations of the council, but treat all religions as equal in our country," said Stefan Secareanu, a member of the Moldova's Committee for Human Rights and National Minorities. A guest of the U.S. State Department, Secareanu and three colleagues are in the U.S. to observe and learn about minority and human rights issues. In the past the Adventist Church has experienced difficulty in registering new congregations in Moldova's Pridnestrovye region. The church has also faced problems renting facilities for religious activities, and has not been permitted to advertise religious programs through the media. (Adventist News Network)

LOCAL BAPTIST CHURCH IN RUSSIA FAILS TO GAIN RE-REGISTRATION

The independent Baptist church in the eastern Russian port city of Vanino is still without re-registration, says missionary Dan Pollard who founded the church. Pollard himself has been denied a visa to enter Russia since April 1999 despite a number of local court decisions in his favor. The latest court hearing in the long-running legal battle to have the church re-registered was due on July 15 but was again postponed. Last November Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a radio interview during his visit to the U.S., said in response to a listener's question about discrimination against Western Protestant missionaries that his job was to "create an environment where it will be possible to profess religions freely," and encouraged anyone experiencing problems in this area to write to his office. Pollard said that both he and his church wrote to Putin six months ago, but so far there has been "no response whatsoever." (Keston News Service)

MOBILE TENT MINISTRY REACHES HUNDREDS IN CENTRAL ASIA

This evangelistic team takes the word "tentmaker" seriously in their outreach. Bible Mission International's Mark Reimschisel says, in fact, it's an operative term in the organization's summer camp program in Central Asia. "We've come up with a low-cost effective way to reach kids, and that's by using some mobile tent sets that we've been purchasing in the region. We're going to be able to have anywhere between 100 and 200 kids in each of these seven mobile tent sets that we have traveling around the region." Each camp is set up by area townspeople. Reimschisel says the success of this program relates to the parents' memories of summer camp. "Everyone goes to summer camp, so when we talk about having a Christian summer camp, people know that their children are going to go there, and they will be taught about God. It gives us good opportunities to talk with parents and with the children, and there in the camps they are exposed to the gospel." (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio is bringing words of hope and encouragement to people across Central Asia via radio. Together with local partners, Christian broadcasts go out in Dari, Hazaragi, Pashto, Turkmen, Tajik, Southern Uzbek and Uzbek. These include all five major languages spoken in Afghanistan.

WORK TEAMS HELP BUILD CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS IN LATIN AMERICA

Christian school organizers are using hammers and saws along with books and pencils in an effort to reach the lost. Worldwide Christian Schools (WCS) is utilizing teams called HANDS -- Helping Another Nation Develop Schools -- to build schools, says WCS spokesman Steven Guerink. "Essentially these teams go to developing countries, quite frequently in Latin America, where we help local leaders build Christian schools." Guerink says that effort opens doors to share the gospel. "It's missions, as we put it, on the cutting edge. It's easier to reach a child for Christ when they're open and their hearts are pliable. When people get to be adults, it is so much more difficult to reach them for Christ." HANDS teams need some training in construction skills and are made up of church, school and community groups. Teams are in Belize, Honduras and Nicaragua this summer. (Mission Network News)

FREE BOOKLET: Order your own copy of HCJB World Radio's new 20-page booklet, "God Keeps Opening Doors," by e-mailing your name and mailing address to doors@hcjb.org. You'll also receive a free bookmark.

Erupce sopky na Papua-Nová Guinea si možná vynutí evakuaci misijního zařízení. Misijní stanice New Tribes Mission v Hoskinsu je ohrožena sopečným popelem z blízkého vulkánu Mount Pago. Činnost misie zatím pokračuje.

Křesťanské vysílání v Paštúnštině povzbuzuje rostoucí církev v Afghánistánu. Radio IBRA, misijní zařízení Švédského letničního hnutí, dostává „mnoho zajímavých reakcí“ na vysílání v paštúnštině pro Aghánistán.

V Moskvě bude druhý evangelijní kostel. První je baptistický postavený ještě před rokem 1917, druhý s kapacitou asi 300 míst bude postaven na okraji města.

An attack by Muslim jihad forces on the 65,000 Christians in the eastern Indonesian town of Tentena appears imminent as armed men have gathered less than four miles from the community. Residents of nearby Ranoncu Bridge have heard repeated gunshots and bomb blasts as the militant Laskar Jihad forces near the town. The bridge is the last line of defense preventing Laskar Jihad forces from advancing toward Tentena. It was at this place on Nov. 18, 2001, that Christians and the military were engaged in an intense six-hour battle that successfully prevented the advance of Laskar Jihad forces against Tentena. Since January 2002 a government military post has been installed near the bridge, but a military officer said today that they cannot do anything for now but to "just wait for the attack and orders from their superiors." (International Christian Concern)

DROUGHT, FOOD SHORTAGES IN ETHIOPIA COULD AFFECT MILLIONS

Nearly 4 million Ethiopians are facing severe food shortages caused by an ongoing drought, reported Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Seasonal rains that normally fall in the country between February and May failed to materialize, and the annual June rains are late in coming. "We need to move quickly to provide food aid, particularly for nursing mothers, children and the elderly who are the most vulnerable in situations like this," said Anne Bousquet of CRS in Ethiopia. Located in eastern Africa, Ethiopia is a landlocked country that is heavily dependent on agriculture. Weather disturbances such as the current drought could potentially cripple the country's already shaky economy. (Assist News Service)

5 MEN ARRESTED ON CHARGES OF DISTRIBUTING TRACTS IN MALDIVES

Five men were arrested on July 15 for placing leaflets "disseminating religious propaganda of the Christian religion" on the roads of Male, the largest city in the Maldives, reports a local weekly newspaper. "The printed material contained various information about that religion, such as the benefits or advantages of following that religion," said police Maj. Latheef. One of the men was caught "red-handed," and police say they all confessed. Maldives claims to be 100-percent Muslim and denies the existence of any non-Muslims in this tiny nation, made up of almost 1,200 islands southwest of India. (Voice of the Martyrs)

VOLCANO MAY FORCE EVACUATION OF FACILITY IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA

In Papua New Guinea, Mount Pago, just 10 miles from the New Tribes Mission (NTM) center in Hoskins, has been erupting for two days. So far the greatest danger is volcanic ash. NTM workers have organized and are ready to evacuate to a town 26 miles away from the volcano if necessary. However, at this point, all ministries are continuing. (Mission Network News)

* Staff members from the HCJB World Radio Engineering Center in Elkhart, Ind., are working with partners in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, to design and build a satellite radio network with at least 32 outlets planned. The first outlet went on the air in Port Moresby in January. Together with Wycliffe Bible Translators, HCJB World Radio also helped plant a Christian FM radio station in Kitai in 1996.

PASHTO BROADCASTS ENCOURAGE GROWING CHURCH IN AFGHANISTAN

IBRA Radio, the Swedish Pentecostal movement's radio ministry, has been receiving a "lot of interesting responses" to its Pashto programs that air to Afghanistan. "Even mullahs write to us expressing their interest, and some have received Christ," said an IBRA spokesman. "One of our regional directors met with the team personally in April and was most encouraged from what they told us in terms of letters and contacts." Some Islamic sources in Pakistan claim that as many as 300,000 Afghans have converted to Christianity, but the spokesman disputes this number as propaganda. "But as far as I can understand, there are at least 20,000 believers right now in Afghanistan," he said. (Assist News Service)

* HCJB World Radio is bringing words of hope and encouragement to people across Central Asia via radio. Together with partners, Christian broadcasts go out in Dari, Hazaragi, Pashto, Turkmen, Tajik, Southern Uzbek and Uzbek. These include all five major languages spoken in Afghanistan.

MOSCOW TO GET SECOND EVANGELICAL CHURCH

Among Moscow's 11 million population gather some 500 to 600 evangelical groups. While there are many Russian Orthodox Church buildings, the only actual evangelical church building in the entire city was one built by the Baptists before the 1917 revolution. Now, thanks to the creeping sprawl of the megalopolis, another evangelical church building will stand as a testimony to the evangelical faith in Moscow. Several years ago authorities granted permission to an evangelical group to construct a church building just outside the city limits. Since that time, the city limits have moved outward, incorporating the site of the new church. The congregation is struggling to complete the construction. The new church is expected to have a capacity of 300 when completed. (Christian Aid Mission)

FREE BOOKLET: Order your own copy of HCJB World Radio's new 20-page booklet, "God Keeps Opening Doors," by e-mailing your name and mailing address to doors@hcjb.org. You'll also receive a free bookmark.

Kolumbijští povstalci zavraždili pastora a jeho syna. Blíže neznámi vrazi z Revolučních ozbrojených sil Kolumbie (FARC) přepadli na cestě domů reverenda Adelmo Cabreru Polanco a jeho dospělého syna a oba je zavraždili. Pastor byl význačným členem Missionary Alliance Church ve městě Puerto Rico. Zůstala po něm vdova a pět dětí. Jde o součást plánovitého vraždění těch, kdo neuposlechli výzvu povstalců význačným osobám k rezignaci na veřejný život.

Pomocné skupiny slouží ubohým Uganďanům a nelekají se ani výhrůžek povstalců. Tzv. Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) vyhrožuje pomocným organizacím a nutí je, aby opustily oblast. Týká se to např. Food for the Hungry. LRA unáší děti a mladíky, aby z nich udělali nové bojovníky. Další podrobnosti v naší zprávě z 24.7.2002.

17.000 mladých Britů se spojilo v modlitbě. Modlitební shromáždění za duchovní obnovu národa se konalo 13. července na stadionu v Readingu v Anglii. Viz www.thecallengland.com .

Three nurses were killed and more than 20 other people were injured in a grenade attack on a Christian hospital in Taxila, near Islamabad, Pakistan, earlier today. One of the assailants was also killed in the attack, apparently having blown himself up. The attack took place at about 7:45 a.m. (local time) as staff members were leaving the hospital chapel. There were three attackers who are believed to be Islamic extremists, possibly with links to al-Qaeda. Having managed to escape from Afghanistan, the activists are now thought to be targeting Western and non-Muslim interests in Pakistan. The Taxila hospital does receive support from western Christian sources. It specializes in treating eye diseases common among poor Pakistanis. This latest attack comes less than a week after six people were killed when Islamic extremists attacked Pakistan's Murree Christian School. Although the school has mainly foreign pupils and staff, all six of those killed were local Pakistanis. Local police say the perpetrators of this attack later blew themselves up after escaping from a police checkpoint in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir. Before committing suicide, they warned of future attacks against Americans and non-Muslims. (Barnabas Fund)

COLOMBIAN GUERRILLAS ASSASSINATE ALLIANCE PASTOR AND HIS SON

On Saturday, Aug 3, unidentified assassins from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) ambushed and killed Rev. Adelmo Cabrera Polanco and his adult son, Luis Carlos, as the two were returning to their home. Cabrera, pastor of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church in the town of Puerto Rico for the past 18 years, left a widow and five children. Until recently he served as president of the municipal council. Last month FARC rebels demanded that all local government leaders resign their posts or face retaliation. Apparently the motive for his murder was his government position, although he had resigned. At least four evangelical pastors have died violently in the San Vicente del Caguán area since late February when peace talks between FARC and the Colombian government broke down. (Compass)

AID GROUPS REACH OUT TO POOR UGANDANS DESPITE REBEL THREATS

Threats from a rebel group in northern Uganda called the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) have put many aid groups on edge. Rebels have threatened attacks on aid groups if they don't leave the area. Food for the Hungry's Keith Wright says many families have been victimized by the LRA which abducts children and youth to "recruit" new fighters. "Several thousand children have been abducted over the years," he says. "We've been working in northern Uganda with child development programs and child sponsorship because the area has tremendous needs. Last week, unfortunately, two of our sponsored children were abducted." Wright says the turmoil has resulted in more than 500,000 displaced people. "We see our role as working with churches so that they can perform the role that God has for them in their country . . . helping them to reach out in their communities and make a difference. So we partner with churches in every community where we work." (Mission Network News)

17,000 BRITISH YOUNG PEOPLE GATHER FOR PRAYER

More than 17,000 mainly young Christians gathered in a stadium in Reading, England, July 13 to pray that God would change their nation, says Roland Worton of Prayer for the Nations which organized the event. "One of the speakers was Lou Engle, a youth minister and conference speaker from Pasadena, Calif. He spoke of a prophetic calling in 1997 when God showed him how he called young [Americans] to Washington, D.C., for a day of prayer and fasting. After 400,000 youths gathered in Washington last September to commit themselves before God to bring change in the nation, Christians in England now gathered for a similar event. Some 15,000 of the young people stood up to declare that they would abstain from drug consumption and premarital sex -- not because someone told them to, but because they have an intimate relationship with God and are hungry for the freedom for which Jesus died. For details visit www.TheCallEngland.com. (Friday Fax)

SURVEY SHOWS FALLING COMMITMENT TO CHURCHES IN GREAT BRITAIN

A survey by the Baptist Union of Great Britain has revealed that almost half the population in the nation attends church at least once a year (not including weddings, baptisms and funerals). Nine percent said they attended church once a week, 10 percent once a month, another 10 percent once a quarter, and 12 percent once a year. Just 3 percent said they attended more than once a week. The survey also underscored the difficulties faced by those who attend church only occasionally. About 18 percent said that they had reservations about the kind of welcome they received at church. "When people come across the threshold it is important that we make them feel welcome," said Nick Lear, a Baptist Union mission adviser. "There's always room for improvement." While attendance at Baptist churches has been increasing, most other denominations are losing support. Lear added that leaders in all denominations have noticed a pattern where people are "less willing to make a commitment." (Episcopal News Service)

4 MORE INDIAN GROUPS GET SCRIPTURE PORTIONS IN LOCAL LANGUAGES

Scriptures continue to be translated into some of India's secondary languages as a result of the work by India Bible Translators (IBT). Workers recently keyed in Gospel of Mark translations in the Irula and Bodoporja languages into their old computer. The Irula translation was published and dedicated in May. About 50,000 people speak this language. IBT also recently translated and published the entire New Testament in the Baguda and Sourashtra languages. (Christian Aid Mission)

FREE BOOKLET: Order your own copy of HCJB World Radio's new 20-page booklet, "God Keeps Opening Doors," by e-mailing your name and mailing address to doors@hcjb.org. You'll also receive a free bookmark.