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Personál Operation Mobilization v Turecku nedávno zveřejnil v novinách číslo „modlitebního telefonu“ a rozeslal ho na vizitkách, kde vyzývá k zavolání ty, kteří potřebují modlitbu. „Je o to skutečný zájem,“ řekl mluvčí organizace. „Volající, který se jmenoval Sukru, například volal, aby nám poděkoval za film „Ježíš“, který jsme mu poslali. Vzrušeně nám líčil, že se mu zdálo o andělovi, který mu přinesl jídlo. Připomněli jsme mu verš z Nového zákona, který říká, „Nejen chlebem živ jest člověk, ale každým slovem, které vychází z Božích úst.“ (Operation Mobilization News) |
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ANTI-CONVERSION BILL IN BANGLADESH COULD HURT OUTREACH
Christians are concerned about a national strike that has crippled the
economy in Bangladesh, a predominately Muslim nation, but they're equally
concerned about a proposed anti-conversion bill. Gospel for Asia President
K.P. Yohannan said the bill is similar to those that are passing in India.
"If this present government continues with their agenda to bring about this
anti-conversion bill, surely Gospel for Asia along with any other group will
have a difficult time," he said. "We're praying that God will intervene with
this situation." Yohannan reported that while the bill hasn't passed yet,
the climate has had an impact on their work in Bangladesh. "We have seen
increased persecution. Quite a few of our brothers have been beaten and
abused, and one was kidnapped, although he's serving God elsewhere in the
country. Nevertheless," he continued, "as we pray and cry out to God, I
believe we will see more people come to know the Lord. We have 75 strong
missionaries in the country and two Bible colleges. By the grace of God we
have seen 42 new churches planted in the last 12 months." (Mission Network
News)
CONJOINED TWINS OF EVANGELICAL COUPLE IN GERMANY TO BE SEPARATED
An evangelical couple in Germany is facing a life-and-death-situation with
their two 8-month-old daughters, Lea and Tabea. The girls are conjoined
twins, grown together at their skulls. An American specialist will attempt
to separate the two children this summer. For reasons of faith, abortion was
never an option for the parents, Nelly and Peter, reported journalist Frank
Ochmann in an interview for "IDEA Television," a news program broadcast on
the digital channel, Bible TV. A major German magazine has published an
exclusive story and set up a fund to help finance the complicated operation.
Parents Nelly and Peter are ethnic Germans from Russia living in western
Germany. They prefer to remain anonymous because they want to avoid undue
publicity. The twins are immobile because they are grown together at a
180-degree angle. The parents belong to a Mennonite church, which supports
them in prayer and other practical ways. The American surgeon, Ben Carson of
Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., will attempt to separate the
children. Carson is a specialist in pediatric brain surgery and has
experience in separating conjoined twins. The cost of the operation will run
into hundreds of thousands of dollars. (Religious Media Agency)
SUDANESE CHRISTIANS RECEIVE BOOST FROM ARABIC TV BROADCASTS
"When I first saw SAT-7 at a friend's house I fell to my knees and thanked
God for the broadcasts. I couldn't believe I was seeing Christian TV in
Arabic in my city!" These were the words of a church leader in Khartoum,
Sudan. While news about the decades-long civil war that has killed or
displaced millions has been prevalent in the Sudanese media for so long,
little has been heard about how some Christians in this troubled country are
being blessed. SAT-7, the 24-hour Christian Arabic satellite service that
reaches across the North Africa/Middle East region, has received numerous
positive comments from viewers. In Sudan, Islam predominates in the north of
the country, while in the south the majority of the people are Christians or
followers of traditional religions. Despite being such a poor country, about
10 percent of households have satellite dishes, and people in northern Sudan
can view SAT-7's broadcasts. Due to the fighting, millions of Sudanese
refugees live in Egypt where the All Saints Anglican Cathedral in Cairo
ministers to more than 20,000 Sudanese refugees. At the church's request,
SAT-7 has set up a satellite dish in a center where a large number of these
Sudanese gather each day. (Assist News Service)
CASSETTES USED TO BRING GOSPEL TO ISOLATED UGANDAN TRIBE
The Ik people of northern Uganda are in a struggle for their lives and
identity as a people group. For years they were misunderstood and suffered a
type of genocide that comes about from apathy. The culture and the language
of the tribe was at the edge of being forgotten, when missionaries made a
second visit. The groups found a family-oriented communal structure along
with many promising elements that paved the way for the new Ik project.
Audio Scripture Ministries' teams recently began a new distribution project
to the Ik people in the remote areas of Uganda. The tribes are isolated and
still without a written language of their own, although some younger Ik are
learning to become literate in English in the few village schools. Despite
the high illiteracy rates, teams are bringing TapeTalk2 players, the Gospel
of John on cassette and various other items for meeting needs. The
translation of larger Scripture portions continues indirectly with
translators working in the U.S. and a national helper in Uganda. (Mission
Network News)
* HCJB World Radio, together with the Evangelical Churches of Kampala and
FEBA Radio, broadcasts the gospel locally in Uganda on two FM transmitters.
HCJB World Radio also worked with Jesus Focus Ministries to put a 500-watt
FM station on the air in Masaka. Programs air in English and Luganda.
NATIONALS CONTINUE TAKING LEADERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS
"Nationals are taking ownership in the Great Commission," says Doctor David
Shibley, president and founder of Global Advance, an organization that's
empowering church leaders in global evangelism, discipleship and church
planting. Shibley says that doesn't mean western workers are off the hook.
"I believe Christians in the West have a role to play and that there will
always be a need for Western missionaries. Those whom we send should see
that our agenda now is something like a junior partner. You'll have to take
the Great Commission out of my Bible for me to believe that we in the west
are somehow exempted from going." Shibley says prayer should be a part of
every Christian's arsenal. "I believe that the great intercessory prayer
movement that we're involved in here in the U.S. should wrap its arms around
the world. And, as we do, I believe that the Lord will certainly honor our
prayers." (Mission Network News)
'PRAYER TELEPHONE' ATTRACTS GROWING INTEREST IN TURKEY
The Operation Mobilization staff in Turkey recently published the number of
a "prayer telephone" in newspapers and distributed it on business cards,
inviting people to call if they needed prayer. "It's in real demand," a
ministry spokesperson reported. "A caller named Sukru, for example, called
to thank us for the 'Jesus' film we sent him. Excited, he told us he'd
[dreamed that an angel brought him something to eat]. We told him about the
verse in the New Testament which says, 'Man lives not from bread alone, but
from every word which comes from the mouth of God.'" (Operation Mobilization
News) |