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Lao Christians are paying dearly for their faith as authorities continue to crack down on the Christian movement. Lao authorities recently closed four churches and arrested several of their leaders. In the latest incident, two Lao Christian leaders, Mr. Ton, 58, and Mr. Serun, 45, were arrested on Thursday, April 3, a few days after authorities attempted to stop a worship service at the Nong-ing Church on Sunday, March 30. Church leaders persuaded the authorities to let the meeting continue, but they returned on April 3 to make the arrests and reportedly tore down the church building. It is thought the church was targeted because a high-ranking U.S. official visited the congregation earlier this year. The same U.S. representative also visited the church in Kdngkok where he found the worshipers wearing sackcloth to show their suffering under the present regime. Authorities later seized the church building and turned it into a government office. Officials also shut down a church in the Chonburi district of Savannakhet province, and another near the Vietnam border where members of the Bru tribe met. Mr. Koy, the church's leader, and 13 co-leaders and their families were forced from their homes. (Missions Insider)

PAKISTANI CHRISTIAN DIES IN HOSPITAL AFTER BEING ARRESTED, TORTURED

Rehmat Masih, a Christian from Lahore, Pakistan, died on April 1, a month after being arrested on false charges and being tortured by local police. Masih, a staunch believer, was married to Martha Masih and had five children. He worked as a custodian at the Civil Secretariat in Lahore. He was accused, along with another Christian, of stealing 300 law books from his employer. Although there were 10 other Muslim employees with access to the books, only the two Christians were arrested. "My husband was innocent and was arrested only because he was a bold Christian," said Martha. "He was uneducated, and his only means of transportation was a bicycle. Why would he steal 300 books, and how could he transport them on a bicycle?" The two Christians were taken into custody without charges being filed on March 2. After 17 days of illegal detention and torture by authorities in an attempt to pressure them to admit to the theft, Masih's health began to fail. He was then transferred to a hospital where he died on April 1. Family members and fellow Christians, outraged by his persecution and death, protested by bringing his dead body to the same government ministry and demanding justice. Police cordoned off the area and pushed back the protesters. One of Masih's nephews was struck in the head by a police officer during the protest and was also killed. Family members continue to receive death threats from the authorities. (International Christian Concern)

CUBAN CHRISTIAN COULD FACE 25-YEAR JAIL TERM FOR MAKING PROTESTS

The Cuban government is asking that a 25-year prison term to be imposed on Dr. Oscar Elías Biscet for activities related to promoting human rights in the country. His trial started on Monday, April 7. Biscet, 41, was rearrested on Dec. 6, 2002, as he was preparing to meet with other human rights activists and charged with "disorderly conduct." He had been released from prison about a month earlier after serving a three-year sentence for hanging the Cuban flag upside-down to protest the lack of freedom in his country. Last week Cuban authorities raided the home of his wife, Elsa Morejón Hernández, and confiscated personal photos, a fax machine and a personal computer among other items. Biscet founded the Lawton Foundation for Human Rights which promotes the defense of all human rights through non-violent means. More than 80 Cubans were arrested in the last two weeks of March, and their trials also began this week. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

MURDER ATTEMPT FAILS TO DISCOURAGE NATIVE MISSIONARY IN INDIA

A mob of angry men recently beat and nearly strangled a Gospel for Asia (GFA) native missionary called Titus for trying to show a film on the life of Jesus at an unreached village in Jharkhand, India. Then they took away his film equipment. But this didn't stop the gospel from going out. Just days after the incident, Titus bravely returned to retrieve his confiscated film equipment. After several meetings, the village committee agreed to return the equipment unconditionally and in good shape. "The very men who said they wanted to crush Titus into powder are now eager to see the film on the life of Jesus," said a GFA leader. "What an answer to prayer! Now there is no opposition for our work in that village." (Assist News Service)

THOUSANDS OF INDONESIAN CHILDREN ACCEPT CHRIST VIA GOOD NEWS CLUBS

Thousands of Muslim children in Indonesia are coming to Christ through Good News Clubs being conducted by Teen Missions International. Spokesperson Darla Trout said that graduates of the ministry's training center are running more than 200 Good News Clubs. "In January and February alone [total attendance was] around 8,000 children, and about 3,500 of them have received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior." In addition to the children, many curious parents are coming to find out what their children are hearing "so they are being affected to," she said. (Mission Network News)

* HCJB WORLD RADIO AGAIN PLACES NEAR TOP OF BRAZILIAN LISTENERS' POLL

For the second consecutive year, Portuguese-speaking listeners in Brazil have named HCJB World Radio as their second-favorite shortwave station. This came from of an annual survey conducted by the Santa Rita DX Club, Brazil's largest shortwave listening club.

"A Voz dos Andes" (Voice of the Andes) placed second in the category "Best International Station in 2002," sandwiched between first-place winner British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and third-place station NHK Radio Japan. No other Christian shortwave station placed higher than seventh.

"Congratulations to each and every member of the Portuguese Language Service for a job well done," says International Radio Director Curt Cole. "Clearly their attention to the needs of the Portuguese-speaking audience in Brazil is very much appreciated by those who matter most -- the listener!"

Pastor Mario Miki also placed second in the "Best Male Program Host 2002" category; Ingrid Winter was second in "Best Female Program Host 2002" while Eunice Carvajal placed forth in this category.

"In fact, five of the top eight program hosts were from HCJB World Radio," Cole said. "Our Portuguese programs also did well, placing first in the category 'Best DX Program,' and second in the categories 'Best Letterbox Program' and 'Best Journalistic Program.'"

The awards are based on a 2002 survey in which more than 300 Portuguese-speaking listeners responded -- 76 percent of whom were male with a median age of 34. Nearly half listen to shortwave radio every day. Even though this survey was organized by a shortwave listeners' club in Brazil, nearly 60 percent of the respondents were not members of any such club.

Portuguese programs produced at HCJB World Radio's Brazilian studios in Curitiba and in Quito air daily to Brazil via shortwave from Ecuador. The programs attract more listener mail than any other language service at HCJB World Radio. Programs also air on local stations in Brazil and on the Internet. (HCJB World Radio)

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