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Gunmen fired on an Islamic girls' school Friday, Oct. 4, shattering windows, injuring a student and sending youngsters running for cover. Hours later two men on a motorcycle tossed grenades at a Christian hospital. Authorities said there was no indication that the attacks were linked. However, Pakistan has been wracked by religious violence in recent years, much of it between rival Sunni and Shiite Muslim sects, but also targeting Christians. A 12-year-old girl was hurt when bullets shattered the windows of the Jamia Mohammadia Binat-ul Islam school in Lahore. The Christian hospital in Bannu, located in a Muslim area in northwestern Pakistan near the Afghan border, suffered only minor damage when two men on a motorcycle tossed grenades at the facility. The attack drew criticism from Christian leaders already angered by deadly assaults on Christians in Pakistan. Todd Nettleton from Voice of the Martyrs said the attacks are further evidence of mounting religious tensions in the country. "The believers are discriminated against and held down in the society there, in the education system, in the employment system. What really creates problems for believers is those who come from a Muslim background. Muslim converts face a lot of difficulties and a lot of persecution." The possibility of a U.S.-led war against Iraq has added to the hostilities against not only Christians, but Westerners. "The risks for Christians in Pakistan who live there every day are far greater than the risks for people who come and go," Nettleton said. "Pray for the believers there will be strengthened and encouraged and that they'll be bold in their witness." (Associated Press/Mission Network News)

NEW TRIAL ORDERED FOR 17 MEMBERS OF UNREGISTERED CHINESE CHURCH

A Chinese court has thrown out the criminal conviction of 17 members of the unregistered South China Church. On Sept. 22 the Hubei Provincial Supreme Court ordered a new trial for the Christians, including pastor Gong Shengliang and journalist Li Ying. Both are among five church members sentenced to death for their involvement in "illegal" church activities. Twelve others received sentences ranging from two years to life. The court said the facts in the trial against the South China Church members were "ambiguous" and the evidence "inadequate." The court went on to say the procedures in the civil trial that led to conviction were illegal. The court sent the case back to the Jingmen City Intermediate People's Court for retrial on Wednesday, Oct. 9. "While we applaud the court's ruling, we are extremely concerned that the case is being sent back to the same court that allowed the ambiguous evidence and illegal procedures the first time around," said Voice of the Martyrs spokesman Gary Lane. "These Christians have received inhumane and horrendous treatment while in prison. Instead of retrial, the 17 defendants should be freed." (Voice of the Martyrs)

BUDDHISTS URGE SRI LANKAN LEADER TO RESCIND VISAS FOR MISSIONARIES

Buddhist leaders and organizations in Sri Lanka are exerting pressure on the prime minister and the government to rescind the visas of Christian missionaries in the country and ban conversions to Christianity. Gospel for Asia reports that Buddhist leaders are also lobbying to keep foreign funds for Christian work from entering the country. The Buddhists say that village monks should be empowered to enforce the proposed laws and punish offenders. Gospel for Asia has planted more than 100 churches and operates two Bible schools in Sri Lanka. Most of the country's 25,000 villages are still without a local church fellowship. (Assist News Service)

THOUSANDS OF GERMANS COMMEMORATE REUNIFICATION WITH PRAYER

Thousands of Christians commemorated the 12th anniversary of the German reunification by praying for their nation. More than 600 believers gathered in the geographical center of the country the eastern German village of Neufrankenroda, on Reunification Day, Thursday, Oct. 3. It was the first time that a church bell rang in the 200-year-old village that has never had a church. The bell was transferred from the village of Doebeln which had been abandoned 20 years ago to make room for a lignite quarry. Other prayer meetings were held in Berlin, Hamburg, Augsburg and Magdeburg. Participants thanked God for reunification and offered prayers for the nearly 4 million unemployed Germans, the 300,000 unborn children killed each year by abortion, and the violent situation in the Holy Land. (IDEA)

CHRISTIAN TV NETWORK IN U.S. TO ADD SATELLITE CHANNEL

Sky Angel will add a Christian channel in the U.S. called Guardian Television Network to its lineup in November. Guardian will be one of 20 television channels and 16 radio channels available nationwide through an 18-inch satellite dish that is available for a monthly subscription fee. Guardian Television Network is a Christian-family channel featuring popular Christian ministries and programs such as Joyce Meyer, James Robison, Greg Laurie, and "The 700 Club" as well as family-oriented game shows and programs such as "Touched by an Angel," "Doc," "Promised Land" and "Ponderosa." (Sky Angel)

'TRUE LOVE WAITS' CAMPAIGN EXPANDS TO INCLUDE PARENTS

"For the first time since the beginning of the True Love Waits campaign, parents will be invited to make a promise to sexual fidelity and purity," says Jimmy Hester, senior director in LifeWay's student ministry publishing. "We know that in many families the issue of purity is not just a teen issue. With the proliferation of pornography and divorce, purity has become an issue for a lot of parents." The commitment for parents states: "Believing that true love is pure, I join [insert student's name] in committing to a lifestyle of purity. I make a commitment to God, myself, my family and my community of faith to abstain from pornography, impure touching and conversations, and sex outside a biblical marriage relationship from this day forward." (Religion Today)

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The southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu passed legislation on the weekend outlawing what it calls "forced religious conversions." Christians convicted of leading Dalits--people outside of the caste system--to Christ could face up to four years in prison, reports Gospel for Asia (GFA) President K.P. Yohannan. "This is nothing but another attempt of the Hindu sect . . . to stop conversions and the Christian work in India," he says. "Now there is a feeling that other states may also seek to now adopt this." While Yohannan is surprised at the new legislation, he's not losing hope. "I believe the persecution and even martyrdom may increase rapidly. But I am convinced that more people will come to know the Lord in the midst of bloodshed and persecution and all the opposition that we will face." Last week a Christian woman in Tamil Nadu was burned alive. Anti-Christians reportedly lashed out at believers from a local church in the remote village where she lived. Elsewhere in Tamil Nadu, a GFA pastor was interrogated this week by local police and falsely accused of damaging an idol near the Believers Church that he pastors. The minister was released unharmed several hours later, but antagonism toward Christians in the area is growing. Meanwhile, a team of women who distribute Bibles in the northeastern state of Chattisgarh are facing ongoing harassment for their evangelistic work. Two of them were recently chased while walking home after conducting an outreach. They escaped unharmed. (Mission Network News/Religion Today)

NEW LAW IN LAOS ACCEPTS EVANGELICAL CHURCHES BUT LIMITS OUTREACH

Worthy News reports that the Lao government passed laws in July that gave official recognition to the Lao Evangelical Churches (LEC). The laws reflect a changing attitude and have both positive and negative effects. On the positive side, believers can breathe easier, knowing that the government has accepted their church. The implication, however, is that every other Christian group is illegal. The new laws allow more freedom for the existing churches to assemble and practice their faith among themselves. The down side is that the same laws restrict outreach activities and bringing new believers into the church. One observer said, "It seems that the new laws are intended to please the international community, but not to ensure the protection of followers of religious faiths." Others believe that the LEC will become similar to the official Protestant church in China. If doctrinal restrictions are not imposed, this could give the LEC freedom to carry on its activities. Whether new churches will be able to be planted is another question that remains unanswered. (Religion Today)

OFFICIALS IN AZERBAIJAN CONTINUE TO HARASS LOCAL PASTOR

A Baptist pastor in Azerbaijan still cannot conduct services in the local church, and Bibles sent to the Baptist church remain in customs because the government refuses to release them. These are some of the findings of Baptist World Alliance (BWA) General Secretary Denton Lotz and Tony Cupit, director of study and research, who visited Azerbaijan Sept. 28-30, meeting with a growing Baptist community that faces continued harassment from the state. Of particular concern is the fate of pastor Sari Mizroev who has been accused of making anti-Muslim statements. He has been banned from conducting worship in a church that he started after God gave him a vision of reaching Azeris for Christ in 1992. He began serving as pastor of the church in 1994. Since then many have become believers. There are 800 baptized believers among the Azerbaijanis in 20 groups, four congregations and some house churches. Most converts are Azeris. In 1999 Mizroev and a deacon were imprisoned for 15 days because of a sermon he preached on fasting that was seen as a slight on the Muslim feast of Ramadan. Mizroev is again in trouble with the authorities and charged with being a "hooligan" and a "traitor" while receiving negative coverage in the media. He has been banned by the authorities from attending his church, attacked in the streets and is under constant surveillance. (Baptist World Alliance)

3 MINISTRIES TO HOST CONFERENCE ON PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS

Three Christian agencies working for the rights of the persecuted church will team up to host the 2002 International Christian Human Rights Conference next month. Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Release International and Premier Christian Radio will jointly present the event called "Let Justice Roll" in London, England, Saturday, Nov. 16. The conference will highlight the persecution of Christians worldwide and challenge churches to respond through prayer and action. Christians from countries such as Myanmar, China, Indonesia, Iran, Nepal, Nigeria and Turkmenistan will share news and personal experience of the persecuted church, together with opportunities to write letters of support to persecuted Christians. Mervyn Thomas, chief executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, said: "Up to 250 million people face persecution, and it is our responsibility in the West to pray, protest and provide for a better future for all of them." Eddie Lyle, executive director of Release International, added: "An estimated 150,000 Christians are killed through persecution every year throughout the world. This issue must be urgently addressed by governments and churches alike." (Assist News Service)

LONGTIME MISSIONARY LEADER AT SIM DIES OF CANCER

SIM missionary Eldon Howard, a longtime leader in mission finance, died on Friday, Oct. 4, after a two-year battle with cancer. Howard and his wife, Liz, began service with SIM (then called Sudan Interior Mission) in Nigeria in 1965. They also served in Ghana, Liberia and the U.S., providing administrative and financial guidance for medical, media and home office ministries. In 1973 he was named SIM's international treasurer and chief financial officer, and in 1991 he was elected as deputy general director, overseeing corporate affairs and finances. He also helped shape SIM's strategic response to the AIDS epidemic worldwide. SIM International Director Jim Plueddemann describes Howard as "one in a million--a man of vision, strategy and heart. He was one of the few people I've known who could see the desired end result and could also plan the necessary action steps to get there." (SIM)

* DOCK WORKERS DISPUTE DELAYS SHIPPING OF TRANSMITTER TO AUSTRALIA

The dock workers labor dispute on the West Coast of the U.S. has held up the shipment of a 100,000-watt shortwave transmitter to HCJB World Radio-Australia's property near the continent's northern coast. The transmitter, designed and built at the ministry's Engineering Center in Elkhart, Ind., is destined for Kununurra near the northern coast of the continent.. "Many of you have prayed about all of the roadblocks that the Australian office has met each step of the way to get a shortwave radio site up and running in Kununurra," said Dave Pasechnik, director of the center. "God has been awesome throughout this five-year process. Now we need His intervention again." A team from Elkhart is in Kununurra to install the antennas and the transmitter as soon as it arrives. The goal is to begin the shortwave broadcasts on Dec. 22, reaching across Asia, the South Pacific and parts of Africa with Christian programs. (HCJB World Radio)

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Seventeen churches in the Indonesian province of Aceh were closed down by local government authorities in September, reports the Barnabas Fund. Authorities gave no reason for these closures that have deprived more than 10,000 Christians of places to meet for worship. One congregation meets outdoors in a palm oil plantation. Christians in Aceh have been under increasing pressure since the implementation of sharia (Islamic law) in March. Although sharia was only supposed to apply to Muslims, Christian women are being forced to conform to Islamic dress codes. Aceh is a predominantly Islamic province. Implementation of sharia was allowed by the national government as part of a special autonomy agreement aimed at countering a violent separatist movement fighting for an independent Islamic state in Aceh. As a result, Christians are facing increasing difficulties and opposition. (Religion Today)

POLICE KEEP EYEWITNESS TO MASSACRE IN PAKISTAN IN PROTECTIVE CUSTODY

One of two eyewitnesses to an execution-style massacre in Karachi Sept. 25 has been placed in "protective custody" for two more weeks by court order, pending security police investigations into the still unsolved attack. On Tuesday a district bench of the Sindh High Court today extended until Oct. 22 police protective custody of 27-year-old Robin Peranditta by Pakistan's Criminal Investigation Agency. Robin Shareef, the other survivor of the shooting which left seven Christians dead, suffered critical wounds and lies unconscious in a Karachi hospital. Peranditta collapsed under police interrogation a few hours after the terrorist attack on the office where he worked as an errand boy and watchman. Peranditta was severely beaten but not shot when the thugs broke into the downtown Karachi offices of the Institute for Peace and Justice, a Christian welfare organization serving the massive port city's poor. Court officials said Peranditta's life is in danger because he saw the murderers. Meanwhile, two more Christian institutions in Pakistan have been targeted by violence since the Karachi attack. On Sunday, Sept. 29, a crude bomb exploded close to the wall of a small interdenominational Christian prayer hall in Baluchistan province. Despite damage to the building's outer wall, no one was wounded in the remote village church in Kohlu where a few people were meeting. On Friday, Oct. 4, two unidentified men on a motorcycle threw a hand grenade at the main entrance of the Christian Mission Hospital in Bannu, just 30 miles from the Afghan border in Pakistan's rugged tribal region. The explosion, which barely missed two police guards who had walked back into the compound minutes before, shattered hospital windows but caused no injuries. (Compass)

FIGHTING IN LIBERIA DEPLETES RESOURCES AT CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL

In Liberia, looting and vandalism following fighting this spring left a Christian hospital's resources depleted. World Vision Liberia reports that the facility was in a recovery period, and in need of help. In response, the agency took medicines and supplies to the Phebe Hospital in Bong County. Given the critical needs of the hospital, the latest assistance was timely, opening up fresh opportunities for World Vision workers to share the gospel. (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio works in partnership with ELWA, a ministry founded by SIM in Monrovia, Liberia, in 1954, to air the gospel across the country and West Africa. The radio station was destroyed twice by civil war, first in 1990 and again in 1996. ELWA went back on the air in 1997 with a small FM transmitter supplied by HCJB World Radio. Then in 2000 HCJB World Radio provided a low-power shortwave transmitter, again enabling the station to reach the region. ELWA broadcasts the gospel in 10 languages and plans to add more as resources become available.

WITNESSING EXPANDS IN CENTRAL ASIA DESPITE REPORTS OF PERSECUTION

While governments across Central Asia deny the existence of "persecution," Christians in the region face continual harassment and oppression by area officials, says Bible Mission International's Mark Reimschisel "We just heard a report out of Uzbekistan where a meeting was broken up," he said. "Persecution is alive and well, but, in the face of that persecution, the believers see all kinds of new opportunities. And we're excited that the young people, specifically, have not backed away from the Christian faith. In fact, they've embraced it even more." Reimschisel says the fire of evangelism has swept this generation of believers in Central Asia. "It seems like whether we're on a bus or in the train stations, or in the market, there's always an opportunity for them to connect with someone with whom they can share the gospel. So we're seeing a whole new generation of young people that are really willing to step up to the plate and take Christ to the nations." (Mission Network News)

* 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.

1 MILLION PEOPLE EXPECTED TO ATTEND EVANGELISTIC EVENT IN INDIA

South Korean-based Manmin Ministries is expecting up to 1 million people to attend a crusade led by Dr. Lee Jae-Rock in the southeastern Indian city of Chennai (formerly known as Madras) Oct. 10-13. This is close to the traditional site of the martyrdom of Thomas, the doubting disciple who is said to be buried at the San Thomé Cathedral in Chennai. Lee is senior pastor of the 75,000-member Manmin Joong-Ang Church based in Seoul. (Assist News Service)

SCOTTISH MINISTRY LAUNCHES 'VIRTUAL CHAPEL' AIMED AT SEEKERS

Light a virtual candle -- but say a real prayer. That's one of the options on www.rejesus.co.uk , a website launched during the Scottish Christian Resources Exhibition in Edinburgh Oct 3-5. "Even for people turned off by the idea of church and organized religion, Jesus of Nazareth still holds a fascination," says Simon Jenkins, one of the site's founders. "The site offers them a chance to explore the person of Jesus by downloading a gospel, watching a movie of His life, even pitting their wits in a pub quiz." Visitors are encouraged to post a prayer in a virtual chapel. Then they click onto a candle and drop it into a candlestick. It will "burn" for 48 hours. (Assist News Service)

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has identified 12 countries as the world's worst violators of religious liberty. A report released Sept. 30 named China, India, Iran, Iraq, Laos, Myanmar (formerly Burma), North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan and Vietnam. The commission, an independent federal agency, is charged under U.S. law with designating countries that are engaged in, or tolerate, "particularly severe violations of religious freedom." Once identified as a "country of particular concern," the law requires the president to take specific actions to oppose these violations. A press release issued by the commission states that "particularly severe violations in China have actually increased in the past year." The Chinese government has intensified its violent campaign of repression against evangelical Christians, Roman Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists and groups such as the Falun Gong which have been labeled as "evil cults." Also singled out for specific mention were India, with severe violence against religious minorities; Pakistan, for failing adequately to protect religious minorities from sectarian violence; Vietnam for its repressive policies toward all religious believers; and Saudi Arabia for its continuing violations. (Adventist News Network)

JORDANIAN CHRISTIAN WIDOW ORDERED TO SURRENDER HER CHILDREN

A Jordanian Christian widow has been ordered to surrender her children to her Muslim brother. Middle East Concern reported that Siham Qandah, 37, was told by the Ministry of Justice on Oct. 7 that she had five days to hand over her daughter, Rawan, 14, and son, Fadi, 12, to her brother, Al Muhtadi. The order came eight months after Jordan's Supreme Court upheld earlier rulings granting legal custody of the children to the brother. Qandah was told that if she failed to comply with this order, the children would be taken by force. The family is threatened with separation because she is bringing them up as Christians rather than Muslims. A lower court ruled that she had proved herself to be "unfit to be a custodian of her children" by "distancing them from Islamic rituals and doctrine." Qandah has registered her children in a Christian school. Her troubles began when she applied through the civil courts for the transfer of her late husband's army pension to her. The sharia court stopped the process, saying her husband had become a Muslim three years before he died in 1994. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

REPORT: AFGHANISTAN MAKES MAJOR STRIDES IN RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

The demise of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan has brightened the prospects for religious freedom in Afghanistan, says John Hanford, the U.S. ambassador-at-large for religious freedom. Citing a U.S. State Department report released Monday, Sept. 30, he said that Afghanistan has shown "significant improvement" in its acceptance of minority religions -- in large part because the war on terrorism rid the country of the Taliban. In the 2001 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, Afghanistan was one of the seven worst nations cited as barriers to the free practice of religion. Less than a year after a new governing body was established, led by Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan has shown improvement in the 2002 report. "We feel there's been marked improvement," Hanford said. "Some of the harsh ways in which the Taliban forced conformity to their rather radical approach to Islam have been addressed across the board." In 2001 Afghanistan was listed along with Myanmar, China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea and Vietnam as countries that used "totalitarian or authoritarian attempts" to control religious beliefs. Afghanistan was the only country removed from that list this year. (Religion Today)

27 LAO CHRISTIANS REFUSE TO DENY CHRIST AFTER WEEKS OF INTERROGATION

A recently received report tells how Christians in Laos are being faithful to Christ despite enormous pressure to deny Him. The report said that Lao authorities detained 27 Christians from villages on June 13. Six were from Somsaad, 14 from Nonsompon, and seven from Pongseema. Another village, Khammahing, is also experiencing difficulties with authorities. While in prison the detainees were sustained by food brought by other believers. They were told that they would be released only if they denied Christ. Yet after 23 days of interrogation, all of them remained faithful, and the Lao police finally let them go. (Christian Aid Mission)

UGANDA REVERSES IDI AMIN'S 'REIGN OF TERROR'

Almost a quarter century after Idi Amin's reign of terror, Uganda is experiencing a spiritual harvest. The pastor of a local megachurch estimates that 92 percent of the country's 24 million people embrace Christianity with more than 75 percent being born again. Robert Kayanja, who leads the Miracle Center Cathedral in the capital city of Kampala, told Charisma magazine that it was "incredible" to see thousands of people lined up for miles walking barefoot through the city to attend church. His church's $7 million, 10,500-seat sanctuary is fills up four times for Sunday services and once on a Friday night service geared to troubled young people. During Amin's eight-year reign, he killed between 300,000 and 500,000 people and left thousands mutilated. He lives in exile in Saudi Arabia. After Amin's demise, other ruthless presidents took his place until 1983 when a spiritual warfare victory helped turn the tide back to the church, Kayanja said. "A witch who challenged me said I would be dead in three days," he said. "Instead, the witch died. They found his body in the middle of the road, his severed head lying on the roadside. His family came and took his body, and they moved away." Miracle Center Cathedral has planted more than 1,000 churches across Uganda. "Twenty-five years ago, 22 percent of the population was Muslim," Kayanja said. "Today, only 6 percent is Muslim." The rate of HIV/AIDS infection in Uganda has also dropped significantly in recent years. (Charisma News Service)

* HCJB World Radio, together with the Evangelical Churches of Kampala and FEBA Radio, broadcasts the gospel locally in Uganda on two FM transmitters. HCJB World Radio also worked with Jesus Focus Ministries to put a 500-watt FM station on the air in Masaka. Programs air in English and Luganda.

STUDY: AMERICANS HAVE 'SMORGASBORD OF BELIEFS'

A study released this week by Barna Research indicates that the views of Americans on most theological issues differ widely from biblical positions. The study covered issues ranging from the reality of the Trinity to sin and salvation. Most adults reject the notions of original sin, the existence of Satan and salvation by God's grace alone. Americans tend to think that the core documents of the world's major faiths, such as the Bible, the Koran and the Book of Mormon, are "different expressions of the same spiritual truths," and that praying to the dead can reap personal benefits. Americans are also nearly as likely to say that Jesus Christ sinned as to believe that He lived a sinless life. (Religion Today)

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„Pocta patří Bohu“, řekl 79letý Roberts. „Tato pocta mne trochu zaskočila.“ Do Quita dorazili spolu se svojí ženou v roce 1949, aby v zařízení HCJB World Radio započal s činností ve prospěch nemocných. Nyní bydlí v Markhamu ve státě Ontario.

Robertsovi šli do Ekvádoru v roce 1949, přestože Paulovi řekli, že v zemi nikdy titul lékaře nezíská. Ale vytrvalostí a tvrdou prací včetně psaní doktorské práce ve španělštině se stal prvním misionářem, který získal titul doktora medicíny na ekvádorské univerzitě - v roce 1951. V Ekvádoru Paul a zdravotní sestra často jezdili do odlehlých oblastí za pacienty. Vzpomíná: „V té době byly silnice samá kočičí hlava. I panamerická dálnice z Quita byla stejná!“

Během prvního roku pobytu Robertsových v Ekvádoru otevřelo HCJB World Radio svou první kliniku v Quitu. Byla zaměřena především na péči o Indiány kmene Quichua. Později Paul významně přispěl k rozjezdu Rimmer Meorial Hospital (nyní Nemocnice Vozandes-Quito), která byla otevřena v roce 1955. Pomáhal při shromažďování finančních prostředků na stavbu nemocnice: celkem 72krát - sedm let po sobě - vystoupil vždy v únoru ve filadelfském rozhlasovém pořadu „Ranní povzbuzení“.

I když Robertsovi pracovali jako misionáři v Ekvádoru jen 11 let, zachovali si k této zemi blízký vztah. Každé dva roky pořádá Paul a skupina ortopedů z Torontské lékařské fakulty (kde Roberts pracoval 27 let) postgraduální kurzy na Ústřední univerzitě v Quitu.

Na tyto kurzy přicházejí ortopedi z celého Ekvádoru a rovněž z Peru. Nejbližší kurz začne nyní 24. listopadu. Na předchozím kurzu v dubnu 2000 udělila Ekvádorská společnost ortopedické a úrazové chirurgie čestné členství. Roberts také 19 let pracoval jako čestný konzul pro ekvádorské ministerstvo zahraničí (1967-1986) na oddělení pasů a víz. Nedávno jej v této funkci znovu potvrdili.

Pro tyto četné zásluhy vyznamenal ekvádorský prezident Robertse v roce 1990 řádem „Rytíř národního řádu za zásluhy o Ekvádor,“ nejvyšším vyznamenáním, které může cizinec v Ekvádoru dostat. „Po dvou letech se mne pan velvyslanec v Kanadě zeptal, co by pro mne ještě mohl udělat,“ říká Paul. „Řekl jsem mu, že bych se rád stal občanem Ekvádoru. Velvyslanec řekl, že to asi nebude možné. Ale za 11 a půl roku se tak přece jen stalo díky dekretu prezidenta.“

As thousands of people flee the bloodiest uprising in the history of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), a U.N. agency warned that a looming humanitarian crisis in the once-stable West African country could destabilize the entire region, reported Associated Press. Aid workers estimate that 150,000 people have been displaced by fierce fighting in the central rebel-held city of Bouake where the government launched an offensive this week to oust insurgents who seized half the country after a failed coup attempt on Sept. 19. Thousands of immigrants are also on the run to avoid deadly ethnic clashes unleashed by the fighting. Most come from impoverished countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali which are likely to face a massive influx of refugees. The frightened residents spoke of heavy explosions, food shortages and gangs of tribal militants who burned some people alive. Dioulas are a largely Muslim, northern-based tribe who complain of being treated as second-class citizens by the largely Christian Baoules who have traditionally dominated the government along with other southern-based tribes.

France has about 1,000 troops in Ivory Coast, its former colony, to protect French and other foreign nationals and to provide logistical support to government forces. Working with U.S. troops, the French have evacuated some 2,500 foreigners from rebel-held areas. Their presence along the main road east from Bouake has indirectly helped secure an exit route for the city's terrified residents. Army spokesman Col. Jules Yao Yao said Thursday that government forces had withdrawn to defensive positions around Bouake to give rebels time to respond to President Laurent Gbagbo's call for talks. Gbagbo said this week he was open to negotiations, but only if the rebels disarm first -- something they show no sign of accepting. A rebel official vowed Thursday to press on with their campaign to push south toward the coastal city of Abidjan.

Chris Marine of Evangelical Baptist Mission says that missionaries were caught off guard by the violence, especially since Ivory Coast had been an oasis of stability in West Africa. "We had no idea this was happening until we woke to gunfire on Sept. 19," he says. "Out of nowhere, without any warning the gunfire started. There was firing over our campus [at the International Christian Academy in Baouke], and there were times of concern with 163 students on campus." Marine was among those evacuated from the compound about a week later. "Pray that the Lord would lay His hand of protection on the school, that it would not be looted so that when the situation is resolved, we can get back in there and open the school back up," he said. "Also pray for the national Christians who are having to live in a very stressful situation." (AP/Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio's regional office for Sub-Saharan Africa is in Abidjan. Fréquence Vie (Frequency Life), a partner FM station in Abidjan operated by SIM and local churches, continues to air programs of hope and encouragement. The station broadcasts 17 hours daily in French and some local languages. Regional Director Lee Sonius and his family returned to Abidjan on Saturday, Oct. 5, following home ministry assignment in the U.S. Missionaries Larry and Linda Burk are back in Abidjan after being evacuated by helicopter from the northern rebel-held city of Korhogo where they were helping to install an antenna for a partner station.

CHINESE COURT LIFTS DEATH SENTENCES FOR CHURCH LEADERS

Leaders of the South China Church have had their sentences reduced after a retrial ordered by the Hubei Province Supreme Court. Four of the church leaders were declared innocent and released immediately. South China Church founder Gong Shengliang and two others were sentenced to life in prison instead of facing execution. Journalist Li Ying, the church's second-in-command and the publisher of an underground church magazine, was sentenced to 15 years in prison along with Bang Kun Gong. In the original trial, Ying was handed a death sentence. During the retrial, the court dropped all "evil cult" charges against the church leaders. The retrial came as Chinese President Jiang Zemin prepares to visit the U.S. later this month. The church leaders have faced harsh treatment in prison with some receiving severe beatings. The court ruled that the prisoners are forbidden to have Bibles, and copies of the Scriptures sent by their families have been confiscated. In addition, they have been forbidden to pray out loud in their cells. Other inmates have been ordered to interrupt their prayers and to report any prayers to prison officers. (Voice of the Martyrs)

SUDAN REOPENS AIRSPACE BUT ESCALATES WAR ON THE SOUTH

The Sudanese government lifted the flight ban into southern Sudan on Sunday, Oct. 6, but it's unclear how many areas are still off limits to aid missions. Meanwhile, a government fighter went down in Sudan recently, but it cannot be confirmed whether it crashed or was shot down. Fighting is escalating in the country as government bombers continue to attack civilian targets, especially in the non-Muslim Western Upper Nile region. The fighting has resulted in a serious food shortage in large areas of Sudan: (International Christian Concern)

REPORT: CUBAN GOVERNMENT REMAINS INTOLERANT OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

The government of Cuban President Fidel Castro continues to restrict Christian activities despite a promise to increase religious freedoms after Pope John Paul's visit in 1998. A State Department report released on Monday says that Cuba's government remains intolerant of religious freedom. The report covered the topic of religious worship in approximately 190 countries, and it found "no change" in Cuba's policies in the past year. "In general, unregistered religious groups in Cuba continued to experience varying degrees of official interference, harassment and repression," the report stated. The report accused the Castro government of sending security agents to spy on those who worship in churches, blocking construction of new churches, and limiting the number of foreign priests allowed into the country. (Religion Today)

1,500 LATIN AMERICAN CHRISTIAN COMMUNICATORS GATHER IN MEXICO

More than 1,500 Christian communicators from across Latin America gathered in Puebla, Mexico, Sept. 24-28, for the 11th annual of COICOM convention. The theme for this strategic event was, "It's Time for the Harvest." The plenary sessions, more than 90 workshops and symposiums challenged participants to mobilize the Christian community to evangelize and saturate cities and countries with the gospel, said organizer Janet Luttrell of Puerto Rico. "Numerous church growth strategies were presented that combine the use of the mass media and the novel use of the small 'Power to Change' stands where people can ask about a personal relationship with God," she said. Among the guest speakers were Pat Robertson, Danilo Montero, Alberto Mottesi, Dante Gebel and Jesús Romero. The convention ended with communicators being challenged to help win their home countries for Christ. Plans are already being made for COICOM 2003 in Guayaquil, Ecuador, next October. (Assist News Service)

* PIONEER MEDICAL MISSIONARY GRANTED ECUADORIAN CITIZENSHIP

Dr. Paul Roberts, a former missionary to Ecuador who pioneered HCJB World Radio's medical ministries, has been granted Ecuadorian citizenship in recognition of his "extraordinary labor" to the country. Alejandro Suárez Pasquel, Ecuador's ambassador to Canada, made the presentation at the Ecuadorian Consulate in Toronto Thursday, Sept. 26, before about 40 of Roberts' family members, friends and local officials. He is the first Canadian to receive this honor.

"To God be the glory," said Roberts, 79, who arrived in Quito with his wife, Barbara, in 1949 to begin HCJB World Radio's healthcare ministries. "I'm a bit taken aback by this honor." They now reside in Markham, Ontario.

The Roberts came to Ecuador in 1949 even though Paul was told he could never get his M.D. in the country. But through persistence and hard work, including writing a thesis in Spanish, he became the first missionary to earn an M.D. from an Ecuadorian university in 1951. After arriving Ecuador, Paul would often travel with a nurse to remote towns and villages to hold medical clinics. "At that time the roads were all cobblestone," he says "Even the Pan-American Highway in Quito was a cobblestone road!"

During the Roberts' first year in Ecuador, HCJB World Radio opened its first medical clinic in Quito, reaching out primarily to Quichua Indians. Paul was later instrumental in starting Rimmer Memorial Hospital (now called Hospital Vozandes-Quito) which opened in 1955. He helped raise funds to build the hospital, speaking 72 times each February for seven consecutive years on a Philadelphia radio program called "Morning Cheer."

Although the Roberts only served as missionaries in Ecuador for 11 years, they have maintained a close relationship with the country. Every two or three years Paul and a team of doctors from the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine (where Roberts worked for 27 years) have taught postgraduate courses on orthopedic surgery at Central University in Quito.

Orthopedic surgeons come from across Ecuador as well as Peru and Colombia for these courses -- the planned to start on Nov. 24. At the last course in April 2000 the Ecuadorian Society of Orthopedics and Trauma made Roberts a full member of the society as a benefactor. He also served as honorary consul for Ecuador's Ministry of External Affairs for 19 years (1967-1986), issuing visas and passports. Recently he was reappointed to this position.

As a result of his many contributions, Ecuador's president decorated Roberts in 1990 as a "Knight Commander in the National Order of Merit in Ecuador," the highest honor that the country can bestow on a foreign civilian. "Two years ago the Ecuadorian ambassador to Canada asked what else they could do for me," Paul says. "I said that I would love to be an Ecuadorian citizen. The ambassador said this might be impossible. But after 11/2 years of paperwork, a presidential decree made it possible." (HCJB World Radio)

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