Zprávy HCJB 29.1.2004

 OBČANSKÁ VÁLKA V UGANDĚ BRÁNÍ VE SLUŽBĚ
    Občanská válka v Ugandě, která už trvá 18 let, narušuje duchovní službu v této zemi, říká Janet Phillips z Christian Reformed World Relief Committee. Neustálé potyčky mezi skupinou rebelů LRA (Armáda Pánova odporu) a vládou už vedly k „rozkladu bezpečnostní situace“, řekla. „Kvůli neschopnosti vojenské armády zajistit přiměřenou bezpečnost pro všechny nevládní organizace, které ji požadují, ani náš konvoj, který byl plánován, se neuskutečnil.“ Phillips říká, že pro neustálé boje jsou nuceni se stáhnout. „Velká část našich aktivit, kterých jsme se zúčastňovali, musela být zcela přerušena. A dokonce i ty, které jsme byli schopni dokončit, musely ustat kvůli LRA.“ Neustále roste počet zpráv o únosech, vypálených domech a zlodějích dobytka. (Mission Network News)
 
 V POVÁLEČNÉM AFGHÁNISTANU KVETE PODZEMNÍ CÍRKEV.
   Přes přetrvávající vliv Talibanu se v Afghánistanu po válce rozrůstá podzemní křesťanská církev. Před tálibanským režimem byl Afghánistán jednou z nejméně křesťanskou zemí na světě – bylo zde jen 3000 věřících. Populace byla z 98% muslimská a v zemi bylo 48 000 mešit, ale ani jeden kostel. Po válce se počítalo s návratem asi 600 000 uprchlíků, k velkému překvapení se jich ale vrátilo přes 2 miliony – někteří s tím, co v dobách útěku do ciziny neměli – s vírou v Krista. „Je překvapující, kolik lidí se vydalo po cestě za Pánem v době kdy byli v Pákistánu,“ řekl jeden humanitární pracovník. „Řada z nich přitom prožila nadpřirozená zjevení ve snu, kdy se jim zjevil Ježíš a ukázal jim, že On je pravda. Jiní k víře přišli pomocí sítě pákistánských věřících v odlehlých horských oblastech.“ Je obtížné získat dnes bližší informace o stavu podzemní církve v Afghánistánu, protože v zemi působící zahraniční křesťanští pracovníci se zdráhají poskytovat informace, které by mohly narušit jejich činnost a bezpečnost afghánských věřících. Ale evangelizace je živá - nejen u křesťanských pracovníků, kteří přišli pomáhat při obnově země, ale také mezi samotnými afghánskými věřícími. „Pro Afghánce je nepřirozené nemluvit o Bohu,“ řekl jeden křesťanský pracovník. „Hledají něco nového, protože vidí, že s tím, co dosud vyznávali, se dopředu nedostanou.“ Pro muslima v Afghánistánu je ale stále nesmírně nebezpečné stát se křesťanem – riskuje kulturní a společenské vyhnanství nebo i smrt.

*Tato a další zprávy jsou (pouze v aktuální den) v originální anglické verzi zde.

 
 VŠECHNY ZPRÁVY V ANGLIČTINĚ.
   SRI LANKA BELIEVERS CREDIT PRAYER, SECURITY FOR AVERTING ATTACKS

Christians are crediting prayer and stepped-up security for averting a series of potential attacks on Christians in Sri Lanka on the weekend. "We are happy to report that by the grace of God, nothing untoward occurred on Sunday, although there were some protest gatherings," a source told Christian Aid Mission. "The churches had police personnel on security." Sri Lanka President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga had warned on Jan. 5 that she would deal severely with anyone who attacked Christians. Believers worldwide also joined in prayer after receiving an urgent e-mail appeal. The country has been in an uproar since a Buddhist monk, Soma Thero, died of a heart attack while visiting Russia in mid-December. Rumors spread that Christians had conspired in his death, and rioting marked his Christmas Eve funeral in Sri Lanka. This was followed by attacks on at least 15 Christian churches. There have been 65 attacks on churches in the last year, reported Compass Direct. (Missions Insider)

BIBLE SOCIETY SENDS SCRIPTURES TO 500 VICTIMS OF NIUE CYCLONE

Bible Society NSW announced Jan. 27 that it had arranged for 500 Bibles in the Niue language to be sent to the families affected by the cyclone that devastated the South Pacific island during the first week of January. "While our first concern was for food and shelter for those impacted by cyclone Heta, we also recognized that when people have lost everything -- items like Bibles need to be replaced," said Daniel Willis, chief executive officer of Bible Society NSW. "Through our contacts with Bible Society in Australia we were able to track down Niue language Bibles in New Zealand and have them shipped directly to Niue," he said. Solomone Duru, the South Pacific Bible Society representative, is arranging for the Bibles to be distributed to the families. Niue is a tiny island country about 1,500 miles northeast of New Zealand. (Bible Society NSW)

MINISTRY EMPHASIZES EDUCATION PROGRAMS AS AIDS ESCALATES IN ASIA

"There will be 3 million AIDS orphans in Asia by 2005," said Sharon Hylton, a board member for He Intends Victory, citing AIDS statistics from the United Nations. He Intends Victory is a worldwide outreach of Christian compassion to those affected by AIDS. Hylton, a former high school librarian, lost her husband, Mike, in 1998 due to complications resulting from his hemophiliac condition and HIV contracted through tainted blood products. She recently returned to the U.S. from a tour of Asia with a 16-member team conducting outreach and educational programs in prisons, hospitals, churches and orphanages. "They estimate 500,000 died in 2003 in Asia from AIDS," Hylton said. "Vietnam is starting to face a serious epidemic. Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, and Thailand will be seeing huge increases. If they don't do something it will go the same way as Africa," she said. "We gave them basic AIDS information through interpreters because they have so much misinformation." In Thailand the group visited an orphanage that accepts HIV-infected babies, and the Mike Hylton Home, part of a complex of homes outside of Bangkok that houses 75 AIDS orphans. "These kids cling to you -- they're so active and loving." Hylton says. "In Asia they mainly need education; they're so far behind in their thinking about AIDS. There is a lot of work to be done." (Assist News Service)

UNDERGROUND CHURCH FLOURISHES IN POST-WAR AFGHANISTAN

In spite of the continued influence of the Taliban, an underground Christian movement is growing in post-war Afghanistan. Before the Taliban regime, Afghanistan was one of the least-reached countries in the world with less than 3,000 believers. With a population that is 98 percent Muslim, there were 48,000 mosques and not one church building. Following the war, officials expected about 600,000 of those refugees to return. But to their surprise, more than 2 million have come back -- some are bringing with them what they didn't have when they left -- faith in Christ. "It's surprising how many people found the Lord while they were in Pakistan," said one relief worker. "Many had supernatural dreams where Jesus appeared to them and revealed Himself to be the truth. Others were won to Christ through the network of Pakistani believers in remote, mountainous areas." Information is difficult to obtain about the state of the underground church in Afghanistan today as most foreign Christians working in the country are reluctant to give out information that might compromise their work and the safety of Afghan believers. But evangelism is alive and well -- not only among the Christian workers who have come to help rebuild the country, but also among the Afghan believers themselves. "It's unnatural for Afghans not to talk about God," one Christian worker said. "They are looking for something new, knowing that they cannot go forward with what they had in the past." It's still extremely dangerous for Muslims in Afghanistan to convert to Christianity, risking cultural and political ostracism and even death. (Charisma News Service)

UGANDAN REBELS HAMPER MINISTRIES AS CIVIL WAR CONTINUES

Uganda's 18-year-old war civil war is interfering with ministries in the country, says Janet Phillips of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee. Continued skirmishes involving the rebel group, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), and the government have led to a "deteriorating security situation," she said. "The inability of the military to provide adequate security for all of the different non-governmental organizations that require it, our convoy that was scheduled now didn't take place." Phillips says the constant warfare forced a pullout. "Many of the activities that we've been involved in have had to come to a complete stop, and even some of the things that we've been able to accomplish have been undone because of the LRA." There has been a growing number of security breaches with reports of abductions, burning of houses and cattle thefts. (Mission Network News)

* URBANA ATTENDEES SHOW STRONG INTEREST IN HCJB WORLD RADIO

If reaction to HCJB World Radio's booth at Urbana '03 in Illinois last month is any indication, worldwide missions has a bright future, says computer specialist Juan Cabrera from Colorado Springs, Colo., who led the ministry's six-member team.

"The young people we met at Urbana were excited to serve the Lord and were looking for His direction in their lives," he said. "We got a lot more response than we expected. We spoke with many college-age young people who came to the event specifically to see where the Lord wanted them to serve next. At least 75 percent of those with whom we spoke wanted to go on a short-term mission to explore where they would fit into missions long-term."

More than 19,000 young people flocked to the conference, Dec. 27-31, an event that InterVarsity Christian Fellowship normally holds every three years. "Urbana was a wonderful event that allowed us a one-of-a-kind opportunity to expand our vision and ministry," Cabrera said. "We were able to contact hundreds of people and share our ministry with each one. Many of these people had never heard of HCJB World Radio and what our ministry is all about."

Team members manned the booth from 1 to 6 p.m. daily and gave four presentations on two separate days. They spoke with more than 500 young people and collected the names of 203 persons who were interested in learning more about the ministry and service opportunities.

Cabrera says the response to HCJB World Radio's booth increased significantly when they erected three simple highly visible signs high above the display with the words, "Radio," "Edu" and "Medical." "It's amazing what a difference this made between the first and second days," he said.

Interest in HCJB World Radio's healthcare ministries was especially high, accounting for more than half of those who requested further information. "There were very few medical missions represented at Urbana, and many of the people had questions for Sheila Leech," Cabrera said.

In addition to Cabrera, the HCJB World Radio team included his wife, Londa; World Radio Network Director Glenn Lafitte from McAllen, Texas; Healthcare Director Sheila Leech from Quito, Ecuador; Guest Ministries Director Ruth Shattuck, also from Quito; and Sub-Saharan Africa Director Lee Sonius from Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. (HCJB World Radio)

© Copyright 2004 - HCJB World Radio - Colorado Springs, CO USA - btc@hcjb.org

 

   Zpět  Další zprávy: www.prayer.cz