A U.S. missionary to Honduras was shot and killed in Guatemala during a roadside robbery March 28. Kentucky native Todd Fields, 41, had been a Christian missionary in Honduras for 13 years. Associated Press reported that Fields was driving a group of high school students to a retreat in neighboring Guatemala when they were intercepted by robbers. Elizabeth Hammons, Fields' mother-in-law, said his van was carrying two other adult missionaries and their children when it was robbed. "Men in a van pulled up alongside their van and tried to get them to stop and tried to run them off the road," Hammons said. Rather than stop, Fields "tried to get away and to run them off the road," she said. The robbers then fatally shot Fields, but left the other two adults and students unharmed after taking them to a secluded area and robbing them. Wes White, director of personnel for Global Outreach, said Fields was beloved by the Honduran people as well as his fellow missionaries, and called his death a "tremendous loss." Fields is survived by his wife, Lynnell, and two daughters, Savannah, 14, and Sophia, 10. (Religion Today)

* HCJB World Radio has worked with local partners to put Christian stations on the air in three Guatemalan cities: Chichicastenango, Guatemala City and Santa Elena. Through ALAS, the ministry's Latin American satellite radio network, 16 AM, FM and shortwave outlets nationwide use Christian Spanish programming from the network.

ARSONISTS LEVEL RURAL CHURCH IN SRI LANKA AS HARASSMENT INTENSIFIES

A small rural church in Sri Lanka's Anuradhapura district continues to face harassment from local Buddhist monks. While the government has stepped in to try to assist, the problems have persisted, including a protest rally against the church on Feb. 16, demanding that the church close. An April 1 report from the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka indicated that the Apostolic Church of Padhavi Siripura was set on fire during the night of March 27, destroying the building. There were no injuries or witnesses. Anuradhapura is a traditional Buddhist stronghold, attracting pilgrims from around the world. Pastor Shantha Kumara Fernando asks people to pray for wisdom, protection and the boldness of those who continue to proclaim the gospel in Sri Lanka's Buddhist strongholds. (Voice of the Martyrs)

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM COMMISSION URGES BUSH TO TAKE STAND AGAINST LAOS

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recently reported that the Laos government continues to be engaged in "particularly severe violations of religious freedom." These include arrests and prolonged detention and imprisonment of members of minorities because of their religious activities. More than 95 percent of the 5.6 million people in Laos are Buddhist. Christians comprise between 1 and 3 percent of the population, including an estimated 50,000 Protestants. The commission has asked President George W. Bush to designate Laos as a "country of particular concern" to make clear U.S. concerns about the continuing abuses of religious freedom in the country. Since January 2001 more than 80 Christians (including a pastor and two lay leaders) have been arrested and detained in Laos because of their faith. Half of these were arrested for engaging in "illegal religious activities." (Baptist World Alliance)

PASTOR CREDITS PRAYER FOR RESCUE OF CAPTURED PRIVATE IN IRAQ

The capture and rescue of Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch has served to bring her hometown closer together and closer to God, a Southern Baptist pastor from the area says. Lynch, whose family lives on the outskirts of Palestine, W.Va., had been listed as a prisoner of war following a firefight near Nasiriyah, Iraq, March 23. But on April 2 military forces launched a nighttime raid to rescue the 19-year-old private. John Watkins, pastor of Southern Baptist Fellowship Church in nearby Elizabeth, said the town has come together during the crisis. Watkins led prayer vigils on the courthouse steps in Elizabeth March 25 -- when she was missing in action -- and again the night that she was found alive. "The most encouragement that I have had through this was seeing that people, in times like this, knew where to turn to get help," he said. "They turned to the Scriptures." The Lynch family has visited Southern Baptist Fellowship Church, Watkins said, adding that his assistant pastor and one of his deacons are related to the family. During the first prayer vigil -- attended by more than 300 people -- he read Psalm 139. Referring to that passage, he affirmed that "God is in control of all things. . . . He knew exactly where she was." Celebrations broke out across the town after word of her rescue arrived. "There were fire trucks running through the town blowing their sirens," he said. "Policemen were doing the same thing. People were driving around this small town honking their horns. They were just thankful." (Baptist Press)

MISSIONARIES WORLDWIDE KEEP VIGILANT AS WAR WITH IRAQ CONTINUES

With the increased potential for anti-Western violence as a result of the military action in Iraq, missionaries are planning contingencies for emergencies, says Steve Westcott who serves with his wife, Tibbi, in Papua New Guinea with New Tribes Mission. "It's made us more aware of the need to keep close tabs on what's going on in the country," he said. "But I would have to say that the gospel continues to go out from strength to strength in Papua New Guinea. We just need to be more aware of what's going on in the country as far as law and order." Westcott said tribal work is challenging, and he urged believers to pray. "Seeing the goal at the end, which is to present the gospel to these people in their own heart language [is a key request]," he said. "Perseverance would be a major one -- just relationships with the people, the cultural issues that come up that we don't totally understand. Ask God for wisdom to know how to deal with those." (Mission Network News)

SWISS-LED TEAM PREPARES TO PLANT THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES IN SUDAN

Bruno Bayer, a member of the Swiss church-planting team Kingdom Ministries, said at a conference in February that plans are being made to establish thousands of churches in the predominantly Islamic northern part of Sudan. Geographically the largest nation in Africa, Sudan has been dragged into poverty by civil war. The nation has been in a state of war for 36 of the past 50 years. Today the people are tired of war -- more than 2 million have been killed, including thousands who have been martyred for their faith. Many Christians recognize that the nation's only hope is to turn to Jesus Christ. The believers have decided to cooperate in planting thousands of new churches despite the ongoing persecution. Networks of small, flexible house churches will play a major role, Bayer said. "It's important to forget about church politics and religious traditions and turn to biblical standards," he said. On the last day of the conference four Muslims came directly from the mosque to the meeting room. They were surprised not only by the Christians' joy and dancing during the worship time, but were gripped by the Holy Spirit during the prayer time and began asking about the gospel. The Swiss Christian leaders also met with Sudanese Vice President Moses Mashar, a professing Christian who prayed with them. "The reports from evangelists and pastors gave us a good impression of what God is doing throughout the nation," said Bayer. "One leader told of his work in a war-damaged city in the south. During a prayer time God showed him that they should bind the 'spirit of suicide' across his city. They obeyed. At just that time a young man wanted to hang himself in his house. Then an invisible hand cut the rope he had tied around his neck. He fell to the ground and ran into the street. God led him to the prayer group where he decided to follow Jesus." (Friday Fax)

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