*Nejnovější zprávy v originální anglické verzi jsou vždy zde (klikněte).

A Filipino pastor has been found guilty of "abusing Islam and Christian missionary activity" in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Rev. Fernando Alconga, an ordained minister of the Conservative Baptist Association of the Philippines, received a suspended sentenced of a year in prison, deportation and confiscation of seized materials except the Bible. The probation period is three years. The judgement follows a series of court appearances. The only witness against him, an Egyptian man to whom Alconga had given Christian literature in Arabic in November 2002, testified that he had willingly accepted the materials, knowing what they were. The court asked a panel of Islamic experts to evaluate the materials. They concluded that the materials were "acceptable for private use" but not for distribution to non-Christians. Alconga is a pastor at the Redeemer and King Filipino Church of Ras Al Khaimah in Dubai under the sponsorship of the Evangelical Church in the U.A.E. The case began Nov. 11, 2002, when Alconga handed a package of Christian materials in Arabic to an Egyptian man in a mall car park. The next day he was approached by two men who asked him for Christian materials in Arabic, but he only had materials in other languages (Chinese, Russian, French and Indonesian). He explained that he could get them materials if they wished. Then the men revealed that they were plainclothes policemen and arrested him. Alconga plans to leave Dubai this summer to become the minister of a church in the Philippines. (Middle East Concern)

MALAYSIA DROPS BAN ON IBAN-LANGUAGE BIBLE IN SARAWAK

After a meeting Wednesday, April 23, involving Malaysian Christian leaders and Malaysia's acting prime minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the ban on the Iban-language Bible in Sarawak was lifted. "We are very relieved and happy," said Rev. Wong Kim Kong, secretary general of the Evangelical Christian Fellowship of Malaysia. "It reflects the government's willingness to accommodate others' religious needs and practices with respect and honor." Badawi said the issue in question -- the use of the word Allah Tala for God in the Iban language -- had been resolved and so the ban could be lifted with immediate effect. "When I consulted the Council of Churches, I was told the word had been used by the community as a reference to God for a very long time," he said. "There is no reason to ban it and cause anger among the community." Iban-speaking people comprise 30 percent of the population of Sarawak, and the majority of them are Christians. (World Evangelical Alliance)

VIOLENCE ESCALATES AGAINST ADVENTIST CHURCHES IN SERBIA

The physical condition of Josip Tikvicki, a Seventh-day Adventist pastor, worsened Sunday, April 27, when he "collapsed from pain and stress inflicted on his body," church officials reported in the Serbian capital of Belgrade. Before midnight April 15, Tikvicki was seriously beaten by three assailants in front of his church in Zrenjanin, 40 miles northeast of Belgrade. In the last few weeks, 10 Adventist churches were targeted by what church officials call an "orchestrated campaign against a religious minority" in a predominantly Orthodox country. "It's all done by some religiously motivated militants who are interested in disrupting social peace and religious freedom in our country," said Radisa Antic, president of the Adventist Church in Serbia. On April 27 another Adventist church was vandalized, said the Serbian denomination's president, Radivoj Vladisavljevic. The church in Sivac had "all windows broken by unknown assailants" as unprecedented violence against the denomination in the country continues, he said. "We are targeted and we don't know which church or which one of us is next." Serbian Religious Affairs Minister Vojislav Milovanovic condemned the attack on Tikvicki and promised that the situation will be dealt with. (Adventist News Network)

MINISTRY TRAINS RETURNING REFUGEES TO LEAD CHURCHES IN ANGOLA

Angola is a country that has been torn apart by civil war for nearly three decades, resulting in hundreds of thousands of Angolan refugees who fled to neighboring countries. Now that peace in Angola is a reality, many are preparing to return home. First, though, SIM workers report that the Evangelical Church in Zambia has established more than 20 churches among the refugees and is training them to plant and develop churches when they return to Angola. Bob and Hope Carter will conduct discipleship training courses for key church leaders and pastors during the next three months. These leaders will then be equipped to train lay leaders who can disciple new believers. When the believers are trained, they will hold "Jesus" film evangelistic outreaches in various refugee locations, leading to new congregations. As these believers move back into Angola in the next two years, they will encounter churches that are struggling to survive, having been isolated and deprived for so long. Trained church leaders will bring needed vitality to the church in Angola which has suffered so long. (SIM)

SOUTHERN BAPTISTS PROJECT BUDGET SHORTFALL FOR MISSIONS PROGRAM

The Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board (IMB) is weighing options to deal with an expected shortfall of millions of dollars in its budget of $290 million. "This budget challenge is not due to diminished giving on the part of Southern Baptists," said IMB President Jerry Rankin in a Friday, April 25, announcement. "The challenge is that we allowed our missionary force to grow at a faster rate than giving was increasing. Incremental increases in giving cannot keep up with the amazing growth of the missionary force." Board officials cite two years of missionary appointments exceeding 1,000 and lower resignation rates as reasons for overspending the missionary support budget. Investments also generated less than usual income for the budget due to the stock market's downturn. The final total for an annual offering that helps fund the mission board's efforts is expected on May 31, but projections are that the shortfall could be about $10 million of the $125 million projected in the 2003 budget for that offering. Trustees will meet in early May to discuss options such as restricting staff travel and cancellation of some events. (Religion Today)

* FINAL SHORTWAVE JAPANESE PROGRAM TO AIR FROM QUITO ON MAY 1 After 39 years of faithful Japanese radio ministry, HCJB World Radio missionaries Kazuo and Hisako Ozaki are preparing to air their final program via shortwave from Quito, Ecuador. "Knowing that this would be the last chance to produce a program for shortwave, I planned a special concert on April 11, inviting our Japanese friends in Quito and old friends of HCJB World Radio to thank them and to say goodbye," says Kazuo.

Music recorded during the concert will air on the final Japanese program on Thursday, May 1 -- the anniversary of the station's first Japanese broadcast in 1964. A special QSL (verification) card will be given to those sending in reception reports. The hour-long program can be heard at 1130 UTC (7:30 a.m. EDT) on 15450 kHz.

While regular Japanese programming by shortwave went off the air at the end of 2000, programs resumed four months later via the Internet and a local satellite digital station in Japan. "However, those who used to listen to our voices on shortwave made the request to HCJB World Radio to have us back on the air at least once a year as long as we are in Quito," Kazuo explains. "Due to the popular demand, we joined the staff of 'Saludos Amigos' -- the international friendship program -- and produced our 38th anniversary special last May."

Hiroyuki Hiramatsu, the Japanese ambassador to Ecuador, gave the opening remarks at the concert, attended by more than 100 persons -- most from the Japanese community. "He said that while serving as the ambassador to El Salvador in the 1970s, he was searching for Radio Japan on his shortwave radio, wanting to get news from his homeland. Instead, he stumbled across our Japanese programs," Kazuo said. "That was his first link with Radio Station HCJB."

Before the event began, the ambassador said sadly that he would have to leave early because of a prior commitment. "Two hours later he remained glued to his chair, enjoying every note that was played and every word that was spoken," Kazuo said. After the concert, he invited the Ozakis to his residence for dinner, eager to learn more about their lifetime of ministry and experiences.

Among the musicians performing at the concert were the Ozakis' missionary son, Michio, and his wife, Anne-Marie, along with missionaries Ty Stakes, Eric Brown and Jorge Zambrano. The HCJB World Radio vocal ensemble (Bill and Sandy Emmett, Elaine Childs, Kathy Jo Estes, Charlie Jacobsen and Chuck Howard directed by Lois Vásconez) also took part. In addition, Sandro María Chicaiza played his melancholic pan flute and Eugenia Aizaga, a flutist from Ecuador's National Symphony, delighted the crowd with some traditional Japanese melodies.

A number of Japanese young people gave testimonies -- some still living in Quito and others living abroad -- who were part of the Ozakis' Japanese Sunday school class. They expressed their appreciation for lessons learned that have helped them through life's storms.

Newly appointed Station Manager Curt Cole thanked the Ozakis for their flexibility. "They have taught me several things," he said. "More recently they have taught me about change and being willing to change. After so many years of doing shortwave radio, they were willing to begin broadcasting via the Internet, learning a completely new role in their ministry."

Following the concert, the Ozakis said their work is not yet done and asked for prayer as they prepare to leave Ecuador for Wheaton, Ill., this summer to begin a new ministry. They plan to maintain their relationship with Japanese listeners via webcasting and live chats. (HCJB World Radio)

© Copyright 2003 - HCJB World Radio - Colorado Springs, CO USA - btc@hcjb.org