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Násilí uvnitř i kolem Iráku zabraňuje mnoha křesťanům v této oblasti, aby se jim dostalo odpovídajícího teologického vyučování, po kterém touží, říká prezident CB International Hanz Finzel. „Z bezpečnostních důvodů nemůžeme podnikat větší akce. Ale věřím, že až se příští rok situace zklidní, pokud Pán dá, začneme jim znovu pomáhat s budováním jejich vlastních biblických škol a seminářů.“ Finzel říká, že lidé na středním východě velmi touží poznat pravdu. „Velké množství lidí je rozčarováno z alternativních náboženských směrů. Říkají – ‚Kdo je ten Ježíš Kristus? a „co nám můžou ti křesťané nabídnout?‘ Myslím, že když k nim přicházíme s humanitární pomocí, je to ten nejlepší základ pro naši evangelizaci.“ Mezitím se World Vision kvůli vraždě ředitele Červeného půlměsíce a jeho ženy, ke které došlo v sobotu 10. dubna, stahuje ze severního Iráku. Novozélandský Worl Vision v reakci na tyto události uzavřel své úřady, ale znovu přehodnotí celou bezpečnostní situaci 18. dubna. Deset členů týmu čeká, jak se vyvine situace v Jordánsku a 67 jich zatím zůstává v Iráku. (Mission Network News)
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HUNDREDS OF VIETNAMESE CHRISTIANS KILLED IN DEMONSTRATIONS
An estimated 400 Montagnard Christians in Vietnam's central highlands were
killed with many more injured in a brutal repression of peaceful
demonstrations Easter weekend. On Saturday, April 10, up to 400,000
Vietnamese Christians from the Degar tribe gathered in several Vietnamese
cities to demonstrate against the government's refusal to allow them to
follow the Christian faith freely. Demonstrators in the cities, including
Buonmathuot, were attacked by soldiers, police and civilians. The Christians
were shot at, beaten with electric batons and bombarded with rocks and
stones. In a statement issued after the demonstrations had begun, the
president of the Montagnard Foundation said that no attempt was made by the
Christians to use violence. He also stated that the Christians are not
seeking independence -- merely the right to worship freely. "Our people
cannot continue suffering this way as the Vietnamese government continues to
arrest, torture and kill our peaceful hill tribe people for being Christians
or for trying to save our ancestral land from being confiscated," he said.
(Barnabas Fund)
CONTINUING VIOLENCE IN IRAQ HINDERS CHRISTIAN OUTREACH
Violence in and around Iraq is preventing many Christians in the region from
receiving theological training they crave, says CB International President
Hanz Finzel. "The security concerns make it very dangerous to ramp up a huge
thing. But I predict next year as things settle down, Lord willing, we will
begin to help them actually build their own Bible colleges and seminaries."
Finzel says people in the Middle East are passionate to know the truth.
"Many are disillusioned with the alternative religions. They're saying, 'Who
is this Jesus Christ, and what do these Christians have to offer?' When we
go in there with humanitarian efforts, I think that's just a fantastic
foundation to the gospel." Meanwhile, World Vision is pulling back in
northern Iraq following the murder of the director of the Red Crescent, an
aid agency in Iraq, and his wife on Saturday, April 10. World Vision New
Zealand closed its offices in response, but will reassess the security
situation on April 18. Ten staff members are waiting out the situation in
Jordan while another 67 Iraqi staff members remain in the country. (Mission
Network News)
HOSTAGES FREED IN ECUADOR JAIL RIOTS, 2 INMATES DEAD
On Tuesday, April 13, Ecuadorian inmates freed hostages whom they had seized
during a weeklong, nationwide uprising to demand improved living conditions,
but two more prisoners were killed in rioting inside the decrepit prisons.
Prisoners freed dozens of hostages, including several journalists and
children whose parents are inmates, to try to advance talks with the
government for a solution to the uprising that broke out nine days ago. But
they refused to cede control of the prisons. Two inmates were killed on
Tuesday in knife fights in Quito's García Moreno prison, a guard told
Reuters. Another inmate died in fighting last week. Prisoners sat perched on
atop the roofs of the nation's prisons, which the government admits are
filled to nearly twice their capacity, in what have become routine protests
for sentence reduction and improved living conditions. Armed police stood
guard outside the prisons in Quito to prevent any escape attempts. The riots
broke out after guards went on strike to demand cash from the central
government for prison upkeep. The government and lawmakers have been in
talks with the inmates since last week, but they have failed to reach an
accord to restore order in the prisons. Inmates want Congress to reduce
sentences to end the protests. On Tuesday the 100-member legislature started
to debate a government proposal to do so. (Reuters)
* The unrest in Ecuador's jails has disrupted an extensive prison ministry
conducted by HCJB World Radio missionaries in both men's and women's prisons
in Ecuador. On Feb. 15, Russ Meehan, a Wycliffe missionary who teaches at
the Alliance Academy, a school for missionary children in Quito, was
abducted during a visitation ministry at the García Moreno Prison. He was
released unharmed three days later.
KEY PORT CITY IN BULGARIA TO GET FIRST CHURCH BUILDING IN 70 YEARS
The city of Burgas is the second-largest port city on Bulgaria's Black Sea
coast, rivaling Varna as the chief export port of Bulgaria. Decades ago a
church in Burgas purchased land to construct a building for their growing
congregation. The city council refused permission. In fact, no evangelical
church had been built in Burgas in 70 years -- well before the communists
came into power. An indigenous missionary supported by Christian Aid Mission
recently came to help this church and used his influence in the city council
to get a positive vote passed. As it turns out, the new head of the city
council is a woman who came to know Christ 10 years ago through the ministry
of this missionary. She was able to steer the council in such a way that an
impressive majority voted to grant a building permit for the church.
(Missions Insider)
MISSIONARY TRANSPORTATION MINISTRY ADDS 3 AIRCRAFT TO FLEET
JAARS, providing transportation services for missionaries with Wycliffe
Bible Translators, announced this week that God has met the ministry's need
of three additional aircraft. "One of them was a helicopter for Papua New
Guinea," said JAARS spokesman David Bothwell. "The other two were new
aircraft needed in one of our programs in the South Pacific. And God has
brought all of those aircraft to be fully funded during this year." He says
transportation service is important to Bible translation work. "Much of the
areas where the Bible translators work that we're supporting are in areas of
the world that are very difficult, if not impossible, to reach. These
aircraft are making it possible to do the work as well as speeding the
work." The helicopter is being retooled and is expected to be in service by
mid-year. The two airplanes will be ready for use by the last half of the
year. The new aircraft bring the JAARS fleet to 37. (Mission Network News)
BIBLE LEAGUE PLACES 650 MILLION SCRIPTURES IN 14 YEARS
The Bible League's worldwide ministry has experienced dynamic growth in the
last 14 years, placing more than 650 million Scriptures with nearly 18
million people who have completed a series of small-group Bible studies.
These Bible studies are being established at a rate of about 4,000 per week.
Following completion of these studies, participants can earn their own New
Testaments and Bibles. Despite impressive Bible study growth, there are
still millions of people around the globe without any Scriptures or
spiritual support. In Africa alone more than 200 million professing
Christians do not have Bibles. An estimated 2 million communities are
without an evangelical church presence. (Bible League)
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Zprávy HCJB 14.4.2004
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