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G-8 SUMMIT WRAPS UP WITH HOPES OF BUILDING PEACE IN MIDDLE EAST
Instability in the Middle East dominated the agenda of the G-8 summit in
Georgia last week. Many promises and reforms appear to have support.
However, Glen Hartson, spokesman for an Arabic television ministry called
SAT-7, says the actual practice of peace may be more difficult. "There's
still a lot of skepticism, and I think that is partially because this has
been such a closed area for centuries. To have a power come in now and try
to change what has been in place -- there's just a real hesitation and
question." Hartson says even as the violence mounts, the ministry is
committed to sending out a message of hope through Christ. However, people
within the region are "very hesitant about expressing their faith," he adds.
"Individuals who hear the gospel through SAT-7's unique broadcasting are
somewhat reluctant as well to ask questions or indicate that they're
watching because of the unrest that's going on." (Mission Network News)
IRANIAN PASTOR'S WIFE, TEENAGE CHILDREN RELEASED FROM PRISON
The wife and children of an Iranian pastor were released from jail a week
after their arrest in northern Iran, although he and three other local
church leaders remain imprisoned at an unknown location. Pastor Khosroo
Yusefi's wife, Nasrin, along with their 18-year-old son and 15-year-old
daughter were allowed to return home to Chalous, a town near the Caspian Sea
in Mazanderan province the evening of Sunday, May 30. Two other church
leaders arrested a month earlier on unspecified charges were also released,
sources in Iran confirmed. But the same day, Iranian police arrested another
Protestant church leader in Nowshahr (20 miles from Chalous). He is believed
to be jailed together with Yusefi and two other Christians who were arrested
last month. (Compass)
* HCJB World Radio, in cooperation with FEBA Radio, broadcasts weekly
Christian programs to Iran via shortwave in the Luri language. There are
less than 100 known believers among the 4 million Luri speakers in Iran and
Iraq.
NIGERIAN GOVERNOR DEPOSES CHRISTIAN CHIEF TO END 'RELIGIOUS CRISIS'
Boni Haruna, governor of Nigeria's Adamawa state, took decisive action to
address a "religious crisis" Tuesday, June 8, at Numan that claimed seven
lives and resulted in the destruction of 20 houses and three mosques. Sir
Freddy Soditi Bongo, traditional ruler of the Christian Bachama kingdom, was
deposed from office by Haruna on Friday, June 11. The governor also ordered
the local government council to relocate the controversial mosque that
stands close to the palace of the traditional chief. Haruna reasoned that
since the close proximity of the mosque to the palace has led to bloodshed
and would continue to be a sad memory, it was proper for the government to
announce the relocation of the structure. In compensation to the Hausa
Muslim community, the governor directed the local government in Numan to
provide alternative land within 30 days for construction of a new mosque. In
his verdict, he blamed the chief for complicity in the crisis. He noted that
"mutual suspicion and distrust had become endemic among the religious and
ethnic communities of Numan." (Assist News Service)
HINDU 'DEFENSE ARMY' TO FIGHT CHRISTIAN CONVERSIONS IN INDIA
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu extremist organization in India,
has announced plans to establish a number of "Defense Army" groups in
Chattisgarh, a region in east-central India. In a two-day training session
held for recruits in mid-May, Dilip Singh Judeo, former Minister of Forestry
and Agriculture, encouraged the recruits to "move into the interior parts of
the country to check religious conversions." Christian leaders are concerned
about the development. "We have enough evidence that they are targeting
Christians," said John Dayal, general secretary of the All India Christian
Council. Up to 20,000 Christian members of tribal groups have been forcibly
"reconverted" in a campaign initiated by Judeo in the past five years.
"Local RSS leaders, including Judeo, have gone on record saying their main
target is Christian missionaries," he said. (Compass)
* "The Voice of the Great Southland," the shortwave station operated by HCJB
World Radio-Australia since January 2003, airs more than 59 hours of weekly
Christian programming across South Asia. Programs go out in nine languages:
English, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, Nepali, Tamil, Chattisgarhi, Hmar and
Meeitei. Most of the programming in the Indian languages is produced at HCJB
World Radio's studio in New Delhi. Additional releases from Australia,
primarily in English, reach the South Pacific, Southeast Asia and East Asia.
MASSACRE IN AFGHANISTAN ONLY BUILDS RELIEF WORKERS' RESOLVE
In Afghanistan where "terrorist elements" are being blamed for the massacre
of 11 Chinese reconstruction workers last week, Hope International's Dave
Larson says members of the ministry remain in the country, bringing both
physical and spiritual care needy Iraqis. "We're being a witness through
tangible, concrete acts of love to people who, for the most part, don't yet
know or follow Christ." Violence, says Larson, is borne out of hopelessness.
"That's why it's important for Christians to stay. To give up, pull out and
not do anything perpetuates that cycle. We need to be addressing the root
causes. And, to a certain extent at least, the root causes are poverty --
including spiritual poverty." (Mission Network News)
NEW MAGAZINE TO FOCUS ON MISSION-RELATED ISSUES
Mission-minded Christians will soon have a new resource in Mission Maker
magazine, an annual publication that debuts this September. With information
covering everything from evangelism to child prostitution, Publisher Roger
Peterson of STEMPress hopes the magazine will become a widely read resource
for modern missions. The inaugural issue, distributed by Send the
Light/Authentic Publishing, will be delivered to 135,000 people, including
missionary candidates, mission trainers, college and university candidates,
and church and agency leaders. The purpose of the magazine is to "equip the
global mission community for Great Commission teamwork." Peterson says it
will provide "engaging, useful editorials focused on strategic partnerships,
mission initiatives and other critical global issues" and help readers
"easily locate mission-related resources and services." (Assist News
Service) |
Zprávy HCJB 14.6.2004
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