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

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

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

Twenty-two Christians, including many secret converts from Islam to Christianity, have been arrested by Egyptian police and are being "beaten, interrogated and tortured," reported Barnabas Fund, a group that supports persecuted believers. The abuses began when Christians were taken from Alexandria to police stations in the capital city of Cairo as part of a new anti-Christian crackdown that began Tuesday, Oct. 21. Among the first to be arrested were two converts from Islam, Yusuf Samuel Makari Suliman and his wife, Mariam Girgis Makar. The following day, seven others were also arrested and taken to the office of the attorney general. On Thursday, Oct. 23, that number rose to 22 as other "converts and Christians who have tried to assist them were rounded up and arrested in dramatic sweeps by police." Local Christians fear the arrests will continue and that many other converts from Islam who have been living quietly as Christians may also be arrested. Egyptian authorities have not yet reacted to the charges; however, hard-liners say they want to rid the country of all "Western" (Christian) influences in the mainly Islamic country where Christians comprise about 6 percent of the population. Officially, the 22 arrested Christians being charged with "falsifying identification papers," apparently because they changed their Muslim names to Christian names. (Assist News Service)

COLOMBIAN LAWYERS DEFEND CHRISTIANS ON FLIMSY TERRORISM CHARGES

The Association of Christian Lawyers in Colombia is defending a pastor and several lay church leaders arrested by security forces near the city of Sincelejo and jailed on terrorism charges. Deivis Manuel Carrascal, 23, pastor of the AIEC evangelical church in Colosó, was arrested at his home at 5 a.m. Aug. 20. Also arrested were Manuel Monterroza, a Christian school teacher from nearby Chalán, and at least seven other active members of an evangelical church in that village were among the 156 persons arrested in the pre-dawn military sweep. An ex-guerrilla who wore a hood over his head to conceal his identity, reportedly identified the suspects as former comrades in arms. "This man says he trained Deivis to use explosives," explained a spokesperson from the Sincelejo chapter of the Commission for Reconciliation. "But this was supposedly in 1983. At that time my client was only 8 years old!" The defendants stand charged with rebellion against the state and acts of terrorism, crimes punishable by 20 to 30 years in prison. (Compass)

* Together with local partners, HCJB World Radio broadcasts the gospel on FM stations in four Colombian cities. The ministry also continues to air Spanish programs across the country and all of Latin America via shortwave from Quito.

THEFT OF CAR, VIDEO EQUIPMENT DOESN'T HALT MINISTRY IN SLOVENIA

A gospel video ministry in Slovenia was helping to organize a pastors' conference in Croatia last February, and was responsible for the main speaker and the audio/video portion of the conference. The leaders arrived at the conference center early with all their video recording and viewing equipment loaded in their car. After making preparations inside, they went back to the car only to find that it, along with all their equipment, had been stolen. In spite of this, the missionaries were able to share their ministry with the pastors at the conference and still take orders for more than 300 videos. Without a vehicle, however, they would have to cancel their annual summer ministry tour of the churches of former Yugoslavia and would also be unable to move their offices to a new location. As the missionaries began to fast and pray, God provided. A local Christian loaned them his second car so they could make the move to a new office location easily and take their scheduled missionary tour of the Yugoslavian churches. After six months, the stolen car was retrieved. "We have had a fresh experience of how God can help when people get humble and get closer to Him," the leader said. "When we thought it was over, He took us by the hand and led us further. When we thought it was impossible, He made it possible." The ministry produces Christian videos in four languages, Slovenian, Croatian, Serbian and Macedonian. (Missions Insider)

ARMENIAN CHRISTIANS IN IRAQ LAUNCH EVANGELISTIC NEWSPAPER

Amid hardship and killings in Iraq, local Christians are stepping up efforts to preach and spread the good news of Jesus Christ. Armenian Christians recently launched Norayek (New Dawn), an evangelistic newspaper with Bible-related news stories. "We are issuing it in Arabic so that all Iraqis will be able to read it," said editor Raffi Karakashian, one of the newspaper's founders, in a statement. "The Armenian bishop blessed it. I believe one day I'll see Iraqis more open to Christianity." (Assist News Service)

ONGOING PERSECUTION IN INDIA BRINGS OUT BEST IN BELIEVERS

While anti-conversion legislation has been passed in some states of India and ongoing persecution is a growing concern, Dr. Bobby Gupta of HBI Global Partners says the pressure is bringing out the best in Christians. "We're seeing the church respond to persecution by saying, 'If they're getting on our case, we need to give our lives even more to Jesus Christ so that God can do greater things.' Never in the history of missions in India, have people been more responsive to the gospel. More churches are being planted, and young people are giving their lives to the Lord and wanting to do more for Him." HBI is training nationals through the ministry's Bible institute. "The No. 1 need is for us to decentralize," Gupta says. Plans are to establish 10 training centers in the next five years at a cost of $150,000 each. Work already has started on four of the centers. (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio-Australia's new shortwave site Kununurra airs 6.5 hours of daily English programming across South Asia, including India. Two half-hour programs in Urdu, airing Monday through Saturday, went on the air in July, and plans are being made to launch Hindi programs. A radio training center for South Asia has been established in New Delhi. In partnership with FEBA Radio, HCJB World Radio also airs weekly Christian programs to eastern India via shortwave in three languages: Bhojpuri, Chattisgarhi and Mundari.

MYANMAR MINISTRY MEETS ORPHANS' PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL NEEDS

A ministry in Myanmar (formerly Burma) is finding an open door as it meets the needs of hundreds of needy children in the predominantly Buddhist country. One ministry assisted by Christian Aid reaches out to more than 70 orphans who attend government schools in two separate villages. In addition, the ministry assists 27 orphans who live with relatives. Although they are unable to build enough accommodations to care for so many, they managed to open Christian schools in two other villages where there were no government schools and sent in two teachers for the 117 boys enrolled there. The teachers belong to the local Christian church and conduct Sunday school as well as personal evangelism among the children and their families. When they learned that the families had no anti-malaria medicines and that family members were suffering from the disease, they obtained and shared some of the medicines from one of the children's homes. (Missions Insider)

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

Not even the concrete block transmitter building for Christian radio station KSGN in Riverside, Calif., could escape the ravages of Southern California's massive wildfires. On Saturday, Oct. 25, the transmitters for KSGN, FM 89.7, were destroyed in what is known as the "Old Fire" in the San Bernardino Mountains, putting the station off the air around 12:30 p.m. Transmitter buildings in the same area for two other secular radio stations were also destroyed.

"Using temporary borrowed equipment, we are again on the air but at reduced power, and our Internet stream is back up," said Manager Dawn Hibbard. "Repair of the building and replacing the equipment is expected to take several weeks. Please pray for the safety of the crew working on the mountain."

Jon Foreman, KSGN's assistant engineer, said the transmitter building caught fire Saturday morning after hot embers landed on the building's wooden roof. "The roof burned and collapsed," he said. "Everything inside the building was destroyed. The fire was so hot that even an aluminum ladder was vaporized!" The flames destroyed both the main and back-up transmitters and related broadcasting equipment. However, the metal antenna tower and generator are "still in good shape."

The transmitter building and its contents were covered by insurance, but the listener-supported station is appealing for donations to help pay for immediate expenses caused by the fire. Foreman said it is too early to make a damage estimate.

HCJB World Radio has maintained a close relationship with the station, founded in 1958, for many years. "KSGN works in tandem with HCJB World Radio, airing Ron Cline's daily feature, 'Beyond The Call,'" Hibbard says. The station also worked with the ministry to provide fix-tuned radios to listeners in Africa. "Our delight is to extend God's kingdom by sharing the good news and strengthening the body of Christ here in southern California and around the globe together with HCJB World Radio."

The Associated Press reported today that at least 17 deaths were blamed on the fires, 15 in Southern California and two in Mexico. Separate blazes were scattered along an arc from the suburbs northwest of Los Angeles to Ensenada, Mexico, about 60 miles south of the border. At least 1,137 homes have been destroyed in California. More than 512,000 acres of brush, forest and homes -- or about 800 square miles, roughly three-quarters the total area of Rhode Island -- have burned in California. (HCJB World Radio/AP)

GOSPEL MISSIONARY UNION ANNOUNCES NEW NAME, FOCUS

Gospel Missionary Union (GMU) is now Avant Ministries. The 112-year-old missionary-sending agency announced Wednesday, Oct. 22, the renaming of the organization as part of a multi-year revitalization campaign. "GMU is a tradition-rich missionary-sending organization that is currently in the midst of positive transition," said Dr. Paul Nyquist, president of the newly named Avant Ministries. "We are focusing our work on a strategic process of reducing the time it takes to develop new churches for unreached peoples. We sought a memorable name to reflect our forward-thinking approach to church planting, while allowing us freedom to operate in sensitive world settings." The new name was approved unanimously by the board of directors in September. It is supported by a position statement that captures the mission's new priority: short-cycle solutions for a lost world. "We are committed to being a leader in what we have coined 'short-cycle church planting,' seeking to continuously shorten the time needed to develop a mature church," Nyquist said. "With the increasing volatility in the world, mission agencies can no longer assume a long-haul approach to church planting. The door to countries can open and close quickly." Avant Ministries was the first agency to send evangelical missionaries to Mali and Ecuador. Its goals is to establish self-supporting, self-governing, self-propagating churches. Avant means "culturally advanced." (Avant Ministries)

MUSLIM CAPTORS CONTINUE TO HOLD EGYPTIAN CONVERT TO CHRISTIANITY

A 19-year-old Egyptian Coptic Christian woman kidnapped a month ago by Muslims who claim she's converted to Islam is being refused direct access to her Christian family. Nagy Edwar Nagy said his sister disappeared on Sept. 27 sometime after boarding a bus to her aunt's home in El-Maryouteya El-Haram. Ingy Nagy Edwar reportedly is being held against her will by a Muslim couple in the Haram district of Giza near Cairo. State security police officials temporarily detained her father and other male relatives a few days after her disappearance, showing them an alleged declaration of conversion to Islam signed by the girl. That same day, the Giza State Security Directorate held a hearing on the girl's case, producing Ingy herself, dressed in an Islamic veil. "She was not in a normal mood," Nagy stated. At a second hearing on Oct. 18, the girl did not appear, apparently because she was "very sick." Ingy's family is concerned that she may have been given mood-altering drugs. During a telephone conversation with her father she threatened to commit suicide. A third hearing on Ingy's case is set for Saturday, Nov. 1, when her father will press to regain custody of his daughter. Under Egyptian civil law, a daughter under the age of 21 cannot change her religion or marry without the legal permission of her father. (Compass)

HEARINGS RESUME FOR AUSTRALIAN PASTORS ACCUSED OF INCITING HATRED

Hearings resumed Monday, Oct. 27, in a controversial court case against Australian pastors Danny Nalliah and Daniel Scot who could face high fined and up to six months in prison for allegedly inciting hatred towards Muslims. The case is being held at the Civil and Administrative Tribunal in Australia's Victoria state amid concern that lawyers may not have enough time to prepare their defense. "Defense attorneys requested a two-week delay in order to prepare to defend against additional charges, but last week the judge in the case denied their request, and the hearing was scheduled to continue on Monday," reported Voice of the Martyrs. The Islamic Council initiated the court case, saying that the two pastors from the Christian ministry, Catch the Fire, "vilified Muslims" at a seminar on jihad on March 9, 2002. The council contends this violated Victoria's Racial and Religious Toleration Act. Both pastors lectured on the differences between Christianity and Islam and quoted information about Islam directly from the Koran and other recognized Islamic sources. They will not be allowed to argue during their defense whether or not their statements were true, but only on whether or not they "incited hatred against, serious contempt for, or revulsion or severe ridicule" of Muslims. (Assist News Service)

SOUTHERN BAPTISTS NAME AWARD AFTER MARTYRED MISSIONARY

Martha Myers, one of three Southern Baptist missionaries murdered in Yemen in December 2002, has been honored by a new award established in her name by the Southern Baptist Conference's Woman's Missionary Union (WMU). The Dr. Martha Myers Distinction Award will be given annually to an alumnus of the ministry's Girls in Action program for some who "exhibits a missions lifestyle; has dramatically influenced the lives of others through missions, ministry and/or civic duty; and is a good role model for girls." WMU Executive Director Wanda Lee announced the creation of the award during the ministry's annual meeting and missions celebration in Phoenix in June. The first award will be presented at next June's annual meeting. (Baptist Press)

ORDER IN CHAOS PRESENTS MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY IN ZIMBABWE

World Vision's food program in Zimbabwe recently receive a nod of approval from government agencies. The ministry, together with its community partners in Zimbabwe, was "highly commended" by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Southern Africa Famine Emergency Response for its exemplary food distribution model. Some 600,000 Zimbabweans are receiving food aid through the program. During the distribution, families are placed in groups of 10, according to family size. The food is then given to the group members who later share the allocation based on each family's ration. This group distribution model is quicker than handouts to individuals which often results in panic and chaos as villagers scramble for rations. It's also more cost effective and less labor intensive. Last month World Vision held a special workshop to share its distribution methods. The workshop was attended by more than 55 participants from countries across the globe where food aid programs are implemented. The workshop also opened up opportunities to share the gospel. (Mission Network News)

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

An evangelical Christian pastor on his way to a prayer service was assassinated last Friday near the town of San Juan Chamula in Mexico's troubled southern state of Chiapas. Mariano Díaz Méndez, 38, a minister of the indigenous Tzotzil Evangelical Church, was traveling near the village of Botatulán around 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, when heavily armed assailants stopped his automobile. Witnesses said it appeared that Díaz got out of the car and attempted to evade his attackers before they shot him to death. Díaz is the second evangelical pastor to die within two weeks. Sources in Chiapas say that pastor Jairo Solís López was killed in the municipality of Mapastepec on Oct. 17. Since the advent of evangelical Christianity in the Chiapas highlands in the 1960s, caciques (powerful community chieftains) have used violent tactics to discourage its spread in indigenous regions. Scores of evangelicals have died, and hundreds more have suffered injury. Veteran human rights attorney Esdras Alonso expressed fears that the caciques are stepping up attacks against evangelical Christians. (Compass)

INDONESIAN CHRISTIANS FEAR NEW ATTACKS DURING MUSLIM HOLY MONTH

The recent slaughter of Christians in Sulawesi, Indonesia, by Muslim terrorists raises fears that a religious bloodletting may be coming. Jemaah Islamiyah, a terrorist group with ties to al-Qaeda, is said to be regrouping to launch new attacks against believers, reported Voice of the Martyrs' Todd Nettleton. "Apparently there's some tradition among Muslims in Indonesia to use the holy month of Ramadan [that started Sunday, Oct. 26] as a time to attack Christians," he said. "Indonesia is the most populous Muslim nation in the world, and there is a large segment of radical Muslims within Indonesian society." Nettleton expects the Muslim persecution of Christians to continue and urges believers to pray. "As Christians live out their faith and their trust in Jesus Christ amidst these attacks, amidst these difficult times, I think Muslims and others who are watching say, 'What is different about this person? How are they able to function in this situation?' That also opens doors for sharing the gospel." (Mission Network News)

HEARING GIVES JAILED NEPALESE MISSIONARY HOPE FOR SOON RELEASE

Manja Tamang, a native missionary with Gospel for Asia (GFA) in Nepal who has served several years of a 20-year sentence for a crime he says he never committed, has new hope that he will be released next month. On Friday, Oct. 24 Tamang had an all-day hearing before the Supreme Court of Nepal during which much evidence was presented to establish his innocence. A GFA leader in Nepal calls this an "answer to prayer." The final ruling on the case will be announced on Thursday, Nov. 9. GFA urges believers everywhere to continue praying about this case. (Gospel for Asia/Mission Network News)

VISIONARY PASTOR OF CALIFORNIA MEGA-CHURCH DIES AT AGE 49

Dr. Scott Bauer, senior pastor of The Church on the Way with a congregation of 12,000 in Van Nuys, Calif., died on Friday, Oct. 24, two days after suffering an aneurysm at the close the church's midweek prayer meeting. He was 49. Bauer was a champion of multicultural and community endeavors, a bridge-builder whose leadership was instrumental in bringing together on a regular basis key Southern California Christian and Jewish clergy for prayer and fellowship. A prominent leader in the Foursquare denomination, Bauer became senior pastor of The Church on the Way in 1999 after serving as an associate pastor since 1982. Dr. Jack Hayford, the church's founding pastor, has agreed to lead the church during this transition period. Bauer was a multitalented man of vision and passion. Among his many accomplishments, he was board chairman of The King's College and Seminary; supervisor of the denomination's North Valleys district; host of the daily radio broadcast, "Life on the Way"; key developer of Los Angeles Community Builders, Inc., helping to rebuild deteriorating communities and combat juvenile delinquency; and one of the founders of La Iglesia en el Camino, now the largest Spanish language congregation in the U.S. He planned to launch a television program on KDOC in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 2. He also planned to start a Friday-evening "alternative service" for young people between the ages of 18 and 24 in January. He leaves behind his wife, Becky (Hayford's daughter), and three children, Brian, Kyle and Lindsey, as well as his parents. (Assist News Service)

ONE IN 5 SERMONS ADDRESSES NON-CHRISTIANS, SAYS YMCA LEADER

Only one in five sermons is aimed at non-Christians, says Rev. Ulrich Parzany, general secretary of the German YMCA. He is also the main speaker of the European outreach project, ProChrist. In his report to the annual meeting of the YMCA, Parzany said his organization is striving to reach more young people with the gospel than ever before. He pointed out that the number of citizens without church affiliation is higher in the former West Germany (18 million) than in the former communist state of East Germany (12 million). The German YMCA has 260,000 members, making it the biggest Christian youth organization of the country. The 72 delegates meeting in Dassel Oct. 24 unanimously elected the 51-year old Karl-Heinz Stengel as president. He succeeds Hermann Soergel who died April 2, 2002. Stengel said his primary aim is to "contribute to the extension of God's kingdom in the younger generation." (IDEA)

* GRADUATION, SEMINARS, NEW BOOK HIGHLIGHT EDUCATION MINISTRIES

October was a busy month for HCJB World Radio's Education Division in Latin America, highlighted by a graduation, training seminars and the publication of a new book written by missionary Carlos Pinto that was co-published with Compassion International in Ecuador.

On Saturday, Oct. 4, HCJB World Radio's Christian Center of Communications (CCC), a three-year program of higher education, held its 17th graduation ceremony in Quito with eight young Latin Americans receiving diplomas. This was the second class to graduate with diplomas both from the CCC and Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minn. CCC Director Elsi Peńaranda, assisted by Latin America Regional Director Jim Estes, presented each graduate with their diplomas which are recognized by the Ecuadorian government.

Northwestern President Dr. Alan Cureton, in his first visit to the Quito campus, presented the commencement address and handed Northwestern's newest graduates their diplomas. They received associate degrees in broadcasting/electronic media and Bible.

"It was God's plan for you to attend this institution, to graduate, to use you as His tool to reach the lost, to tell others of Christ's love and atonement," Cureton told the Quito Class of 2003. "As you serve God in your vocation, know that He wants you to honor Him in how you conduct yourselves and in how you do your job. God wants our cultures to honor Him through honesty, integrity, character, faithfulness, loyalty, truth, honor and love." As the branch campus continues to develop in the coming years, faculty and student exchanges between the St. Paul and Quito campuses will become part of the program offerings, he said.

Also representing Northwestern at the event were Dr. Timothy Tomlinson, dean of alternative education and HCJB World Radio's newest board member; Dr. Paul Virts, senior vice president for media; Douglas Schroeder, vice president for business and finance/chief financial officer; and Dr. Harold Miller, provost/vice president for academic affairs.

The CCC has been an accredited branch campus of Northwestern since 2001. It offers a three-year college program that trains Latin American students in Christian communication, radio, TV and journalism. The 30 students enrolled come from Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Chile and Germany

. Also visiting from HCJB World Radio in Colorado Springs, Colo. were Dick Jacquin, HCJB World Radio's vice president of support ministries, and Heide Jones, manager of stations relations. She was in Quito to meet with staff and lead a work team of WMBI (Moody) listeners from Chicago.

Jacquin said it was a joy to meet the enthusiastic young graduates who were about to step out into the world of their chosen vocation. "With their education in a Christ-centered communications program, the potential to grow the kingdom of God via the mass media is unlimited," he said. "These young people are aglow with the passion to make this happen." Jacquin added that it was "equally exciting to focus on our partnership with Northwestern and look to the future."

Sept. 29-Oct. 3 the Education Division held its second annual theological conference at the Larson Center in Quito. More than 80 people attended the event that focused on Bible theology. Dr. Juan Stam, originally from the U.S. but nationalized to Costa Rica where he served as missionary for many years, presented workshops on "contextual hermeneutics." Stam, a professor at Evangelical University of the Americas, has authored a number of books and Bible commentaries.

Oct. 3-28 staff members from Apoyo, a training ministry of HCJB World Radio and Leadership Resources International, presented workshops during a three-week training session in Pucallpa, Peru. This was part of a three-year program called TNT (Training National Trainers). Jim and Kathy Jo Estes joined the group during the second week of the workshop. Jim taught courses on church administration and leadership while Kathy Jo led workshops on domestic violence -- its definitions and ways to counteract it -- for wives of church leaders. The workshop comprised a cross-section of evangelical churches, focusing on training church leaders as well as teaching them to train others.

On Tuesday, Oct. 21, Carlos Pinto, education director for the Latin America region, presented his newest book at an unveiling ceremony in the Larson Center. Titled Nuestra Familia: Sus Distintos Momentos (Our Family: Its Different Stages), the book addresses the issue of the mission of the church and the family and its development as a unit through different stages. It is intended as an educational guide for pastors, cell groups and parents.

The 190-page volume, co-published with Compassion International in Ecuador, focuses on the challenges facing Latin American parents and families. It is also a biblical guide with questions for thought and discussion complete with pertinent Scriptures. In Ecuador the book will be used to work with 200 churches that are associated with Compassion. Compassion Peru and Compassion Bolivia also have agreed to use this book for leadership training with children's workers. "The book is part of a larger program with the aim of strengthening Ecuadorian and Latin American families," Pinto said. (HCJB World Radio/Northwestern College)

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

Raging wildfires in Southern California are taking a toll on a number of Christian ministries in the region, especially those based in or near wooded areas. The Wylie Woods Conference Center, a Lutheran facility, was destroyed by the wildfires earlier this week. Big Bear, the synod's other conference center in the San Bernardino Mountains, served as an evacuation site for those fleeing from Wylie Woods. But late Tuesday, Big Bear was ordered evacuated. Although the synod's Pacific Southwest district office in Irvine is not in danger, ashes from fires burning miles away are sometimes in the air, said executive assistant Joy Jones. "Ashes are falling, and the sky is dark," she said. "We're all coughing."

On Wednesday the flames were heading toward Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Lake Arrowhead and nearby Camp Arrowhead, a Lutheran campground, said District President Larry Stoterau. "Right now it's sort of a helpless feeling. Until the fires are over and we can assess the needs, there's not much we can do except offer lots of prayers." District staff have been calling churches and schools in fire-threatened areas, trying to find out how they are faring, but have been met with mostly answering machines and busy signals. Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Poway was untouched, but four of its member families are believed to have lost their homes in the fires. Another four families, members of First Lutheran Church in El Cajon, also may have lost their homes. A family at First Lutheran Church in Fontana lost their home.

Two Baptist churches in San Diego county within the raging wildfires' striking distance stopped Sunday-morning services so members could evacuate and help fire victims. First Baptist Church of Tierrasanta was saved as the fire skirted around it, and First Baptist Church of Mira Mesa saw flames as close as half a mile away. "God intervened," said Wayne Wester, pastor of the Mira Mesa church. Two dozen families of the Mira Mesa congregation, mostly those living in the Scripps Ranch area, were evacuated and are awaiting word on the fate of their homes. The Tierrasanta church held a short prayer service Sunday morning after TV crews in their parking lot were told to get out because the flames had jumped the freeway and were skirting around the facility.

On Saturday flames destroyed the transmitters of Christian station KSGN, FM 89.7, in Riverside, putting the station off the air. Using borrowed equipment, the listener-supported station resumed broadcasting on Tuesday at reduced power. Programs can also be heard via the Internet.

The fires also affected the headquarters of Mission Aviation Fellowship in Redlands which is just a few miles from the fires, said spokesperson Ghislaine Benny. "Our training and evacuation schedule has been delayed," she said. "We're partially grounded. We're able to fly with special permission. Also, seven of our families in Redlands who have had to evacuate." Benny said that if her church is any indication, the fires are forcing Californians to think more about spiritual things. "Last Sunday we had 60 people receive the Lord. It is a rare Sunday where we don't have anyone coming forward. But 60 is a large number. Typically that's seems to be what happens. Humans fall into problems and then they turn to God, and then when everything goes well, they tend to ignore Him."

The Associated Press reported today that 38-year-old fire engineer Steve Rucker became the first firefighter to perish in the Southern California wildfires. He is among 20 people who have died in the week of wildfires that have destroyed more than 2,600 homes and blackened some 660,000 acres. (HCJB World Radio/Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod News/Baptist Press/Mission Network News/AP)

HINDU MOB ATTACKS EVANGELIST IN INDIA FOR 'CONVERTING DALITS'

T.J. Mathew, an evangelist in Siddapuram, Karnataka, in southern India, was again attacked by anti-Christian Hindu fanatics earlier this month. He was returning on his bicycle from a believer's house when some fanatical young people attacked him and beat him severely to the point of unconsciousness. Local believers tried to take him to the nearby hospital, but his attackers prevented this. Then with the help of police, they took him to Siddapura Hospital, but the hospital refused to admit him for treatment. Then they traveled 60 miles to Mysore where he a hospital finally provided treatment. Mathew was expected to return to Siddapura on Tuesday, Oct. 28, to report the incident to the police. The attackers complained to the police, stating that Mathew is converting Dalits (people outside of India's caste system) to Christianity. Despite the persecution, Mathew plans to hold a baptism service Nov. 8 for 10 believers who had converted from Hinduism. An e-mail report from Voice of the Martyrs urges Christians to pray that the "situation will become normal soon and that brother Mathew will regain his full strength." Anti-Christian activities in the majority of Indian states are "on the increase." (Voice of the Martyrs)

FLOODING IN NORTHERN INDIA HINDERS MISSIONARY EFFORTS

No sooner had the drought in northern India ended when heavy rains led to flooding in the states of Assam and Bihar in recent weeks, says Mission India's David DeGroot says. "In Assam, 14 of the students in one of our classes died of diseases after one of the floods, and 40 more were extremely sick. One of our church planters also perished in the Assam flooding in the last couple of months." DeGroot says Christians have an incredible opportunity to minister to the millions who have been affected. "In rural areas in India, there's kind of a hopeless feeling that permeates so many of the people, especially the outcaste tribal people. Christians have come in with the message of hope. They work very effectively in disaster areas." (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio-Australia's new shortwave site Kununurra airs 6.5 hours of daily English programming across South Asia, including India. Two half-hour programs in Urdu, airing Monday through Saturday, went on the air in July, and plans are being made to launch Hindi programs. A radio training center for South Asia has been established in New Delhi. In partnership with FEBA Radio, HCJB World Radio also airs weekly Christian programs to eastern India via shortwave in three languages: Bhojpuri, Chattisgarhi and Mundari.

EXPLOSION OUTSIDE RED CROSS IN BAGHDAD ALSO DAMAGES CHURCH

A powerful explosion outside the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Oct. 27, also blew out most of the windows of the Baghdad Seventh-day Adventist Church just 660 feet away. "Our office staff were already at work in the building when the bomb went off at around 8:30 a.m.," said Basim Fargo, secretary treasurer of the church in Iraq in a telephone conversation a few hours after the blast. Blinds on some of the windows shielded staff from serious injuries as the glass shattered. Doors and windows on the side facing the Red Cross headquarters, as well as the front entrance of the church, sustained the heaviest damage. Some internal doorframes were also dislodged from the walls by the force of the blast. "Until today, our church [completed in 1962] had remained unscathed by the Iran-Iraq war and the two Gulf wars," said Fargo. Christians in Iraq face constant obstacles as the nation works to rebuild after more than a decade of war and sanctions. Simply going to church can be an ordeal -- passing security checkpoints, enduring laborious searches, and putting up with road closures, increasing commutes by up to two hours. (Adventist News Network)

PERSECUTED CHURCH LEADERS ENCOURAGE 700 ATTENDEES AT CONFERENCE

"Together we can do the job," was the message sounded by 72 leaders of indigenous missions who came from 31 countries to speak at Christian Aid Mission's Gateways International Conference on Indigenous Missions in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Oct. 16-18. All reported progress in church planting and evangelization in even the most difficult fields. They sought to inform and unify Christians around the remaining task of world evangelization. The theme of the first-ever such event, marking 50 years of Christian Aid's ministry was, "Hear their hearts, see their world." The 700 people attending the meeting had ample opportunity to do just that. Gabrial Barau of Missionary Crusaders Ministry in Nigeria, for example, told how his ministry established more than 30 churches among unreached people groups in eastern Nigeria despite pressure from Muslims in the country. In another example, Setan Lee shared how he escaped certain death from the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia by calling on the "God of the universe" seconds before he was to be executed. After finding Christ in a refugee camp, he was able to come to America. He returned to his native Cambodia in 1990 and began preaching the gospel of reconciliation in Christ. Now nearly half of his 68 gospel workers are former Khmer Rouge fighters. (Missions Insider)

BRAZILIAN CHURCHES FIND SUCCESS REACHING NEW NEIGHBORHOODS

Stephen Lonetti, president of White Fields Inc., said he was impressed by the passion of the Brazilian churches for missions after a recent trip to South America. "When they see a new suburb develop, they immediately go in and buy up three lots," Lonetti says. "Then they begin to evangelize the area and start home groups. When the home groups become large enough, then a church is built on a lot along with the pastor's home. As the church grows, they expand and use the third lot for parking." Lonetti says Brazil is becoming a sending nation for missions. White Fields helps local churches where needed to send missionaries to other countries. (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio broadcasts the gospel in Portuguese to Brazil via shortwave from Quito, Ecuador, and maintains a world office and radio studios in Curitiba. Portuguese programs, which have been on the air continuously since 1947, generate more listener letters than any language service at Radio Station HCJB in Ecuador. The ministry's Portuguese programs also air on local radio stations across Brazil.

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