*Tato a další zprávy jsou v originální anglické verzi zde.

*Tato a další zprávy jsou v originální anglické verzi zde.

*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).

FARMS International is launching a partnership with the Evangelical Friends Church in Kigali, Rwanda -- a poor country in central Africa that continues to recover from genocide a decade ago while facing possible war with neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. It's a pilot project with six churches in the city involving small business loans to families in those churches, explains ministry spokesman Nathan McLaughlin. "They are going to [start] a number of businesses that will allow them to alleviate the heavy poverty," he said. "And through tithing to their churches, they'll be able to become independent and take the gospel to the country of Rwanda through their own means and their own support." McLaughlin added that this is one step toward lasting peace in a country that continues to feel the aftereffects of civil war. "There has been a big push by the international Christian church to really help bring political stability and economic stability to that country," he said. Working through local churches, FARMS provides loans and technical support for income generating projects and spiritual training for families. (Mission Network News)

TIBETAN REFUGEES IN NEPAL FIND CHRIST IN FACE OF PERSECUTION

When Chinese communists invaded Tibet in the 1950s, thousands of people fled to the neighboring countries of Nepal and India where native missionaries began the difficult task of sharing the gospel with them. Years of Buddhist tradition formed the Tibetans into tight-knit communities with a strong distrust of outsiders and those who convert to Christianity face persecution by their own relatives. Along with internal opposition, Tibetan Christians and missionaries face trouble from Maoist insurgent fighters in Nepal. Despite such obstacles, native missionaries are seeing their work among Tibetan refugees begin to bear fruit as relationships are developed. In communities where there were only a small number of believers four years ago, missionaries report that people are coming to Christ each month, and many Tibetans are being trained to reach their own people for Christ. Indigenous ministries are now conducting missionary training programs for scores of Tibetan Christians each year. (Christian Aid Mission)

650,000 VIEW 'JESUS' FILM VIA SOUTH AFRICAN MAN'S EFFORTS

A South African Christian's burden to reach his native country has resulted in more than 650,000 people hearing the message of Christ since 1990. Using an old projector and portable generator, Jan Schlebusch, who works for an engineering firm, travels the roads of South Africa as well as neighboring countries of Namibia and Botswana to show the "Jesus" film. "I have shown the film approximately 700 times, and approximately 650,000 people attended the showings [since 1990]," he wrote in a Dec. 2 report. Schlebusch has shown the film in 11 languages, including Afrikaans, English, Portuguese and several local dialects. He said that every night he doesn't show the film he has trouble sleeping, because he knows that when he shows it, someone will come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior. Before each showing, Schlebusch asks local pastors to follow up those who respond, personally paying for their time and services. (Mission Network News/Jesus Film Project)

GOSPEL REACHES FORMER KHMER ROUGE STRONGHOLD IN CAMBODIA

New hope has come to the Anlong Veng area of Cambodia, once infamous as the last stronghold of communist dictator Pol Pot and his feared Khmer Rouge soldiers. One indigenous ministry that sent a team of missionaries and church planters to Anlong Veng has established seven churches as well as a home and school for orphaned children. Many of those coming to Christ in the area are former officers of the once-feared Khmer Rouge. The leader of the ministry, once a prisoner of the Khmer Rouge, reported, "The churches of Anlong Veng are committed to expanding God's territory among former communist comrades." Two formerly feared military leaders, Gen. Tith and Col. Ung Khorn, are now believers, serving the Lord as missionaries and pastors. Christians who once suffered the brunt of Khmer Rouge cruelty are embracing former officers and actively showing them the way to salvation. (Christian Aid Mission)

CHILDREN'S BIBLE CLUBS IN INDIA EXPERIENCE RAPID GROWTH

The growth of children's Bible clubs throughout India is cause for celebration, says John DeVries of Mission India based in Grand Rapids, Mich. The ministry's main strategy is to support indigenous church workers. "We have about 750 national Indian missions that we work with and we train their members to do a two-week Bible club program for children and then a follow-up program -- kind of an after-school club program." DeVries says the mission recently took some visitors to a village near Hyderabad to see the progress of one of the children's Bible club ministries. "The demand for the children's Bible club and the ongoing after school club was so great, that the families of the village had decided to limit themselves to only one child per family. They were sort of 'rationing' themselves out because we didn't have facilities, and the mission we partnered with didn't have room for them." (Mission Network News)

* HCJB WORLD RADIO-UK USES PRIZE MONEY TO PROMOTE CHRISTMAS EVENTS

Christian churches in West Yorkshire are running an advertising campaign on local commercial radio stations for the first time this Christmas through an effort spearheaded by HCJB World Radio-UK. Pulse (FM) and Pulse Classic Gold (AM) are airing three commercial announcements for two weeks starting today. The purpose of the ads is to challenge listeners in West Yorkshire to "ask Jesus for something else this Christmas -- go to your local Christian church." The ads also mention a website (differentchristmas.com) where listeners can find out about special Christmas events and services being held at churches in their area. The advertising campaign was funded with Ł3,500 (US$6,791) in prize money that HCJB World Radio-UK won in October for one of ministry's special Easter productions. "We are excited to be able serve the churches in this way," said HCJB World Radio-UK Program Director Colin Lowther, who also presents Pulse Classic Gold's award-winning Sunday breakfast show. "It will be great if just one extra person visits a Christmas service this December as a result of hearing the ads." (HCJB World Radio)

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

Thousands of Christians have taken to the streets of Ukraine, concerned about the future of religious freedom after the country's Supreme Court invalidated the recent presidential run-off election results. The court has ordered a second run-off election for Sunday, Dec. 26, after mass demonstrations protesting the victory claimed by pro-Moscow Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich against West-leaning Viktor Yushchenko in a campaign that election observers said was rigged by the government. "A large part of what's at stake here is the future of Christianity in this part of the world," said HOPE International President Paul Marty who lives in Ukraine "If the election goes toward the pro-Russian candidate, then a lot of the policies of the country are going to follow. And, he's publicly stated that the only church he would recognize would be the Russian Orthodox Church and would not tolerate others." HOPE International runs children's Bible clubs and provides micro-enterprise loans for small businesses. Marty says the election crisis has made people more open to the gospel. "The clients that take small loans from us are very open when we share our faith with them. And the response in our children's Bible clubs, especially in the rural areas, is phenomenal." (Mission Network News/The Washington Post)

3,000 DISPLACED AS BURMESE ARMY ATTACKS 10 CHRISTIAN VILLAGES

Two Burmese Army battalions attacked 10 villages in the mostly Christian northern Karen state in Myanmar (Burma) Tuesday, Nov. 30, displacing about 3,000 people. The villages, each with 300 to 500 people, are along the Yaw Law River Valley. The villagers fled and are hiding in the jungle where they struggle for medical care, food, shelter and security. The attacks were part of three clashes between the Burmese Army battalions and the Karen National Liberation Army that took place Nov. 28-30. An estimated 1 million people are living as internally displaced persons inside Myanmar. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

DUTCH HOSPITAL REPORTS EUTHANIZING TERMINALLY ILL INFANTS

A recent study revealed that 8 percent of all infants who die in the Netherlands annually were killed by Dutch doctors. A hospital in the Netherlands reportedly released proposed guidelines for killing terminally ill newborns, then announced it had already started carrying out what are being termed as euthanasia or "mercy killings." In light of these revelations, a leading pro-life advocate says Americans should worry that U.S. hospitals could soon be doing what is already being done in Amsterdam -- killing newborn babies for convenience. "We call it merciful and we call it euthanasia, and we call it a lot of things," said Judie Brown of the American Life League. "But we never call it murder. In fact, in the Netherlands, what doctors are doing is intentionally killing innocent babies once they are born because they are 'defective.'" The last time this kind of infanticide was being carried out was in Nazi Germany in the 1930s, she said. (AgapePress)

HINDU EXTREMISTS IN EASTERN INDIA STEP UP PRESSURE ON BELIEVERS

A "reconversion" campaign launched by extremist Hindus in eastern India's Orissa state aimed at forcing tribal Christians to renounce their faith and return to Hinduism has given rise to active opposition of the gospel. Some district authorities have begun using the controversial Orissa Freedom of Religion Act which prohibits the "use of force or inducement or fraudulent means" to convert someone from one religion to another, to attempt to inhibit Christian ministry. While Christians bear the brunt of the law's enforcement, most Hindu groups, including those trying to coerce tribal people to return to Hinduism, are free to do as they please in certain districts. In the midst of their frustrations with the government, some Christians are facing attacks by Hindu extremists. In one area, a church building was recently ransacked and homes of Christian families destroyed. Some believers face persecution from their own families and communities. In one Orissa village, at least seven Christians who had converted from Hinduism were forced from their homes. They were allowed to return to the village after six months, yet they are still denied basic necessities such as water from the well or employment. (Christian Aid Mission)

NIGERIAN POLITICIANS BLAME VIOLENCE ON 'RELIGIOUS EXCLUSIVISM'

Christian leaders from northern Nigeria attending a two-day peace conference in the city of Kaduna blamed the politics of religious exclusiveness for the incessant violence that has claimed more than 53,000 lives in the past four years. "When governments resort to blatant favoritism and divisive strategies . . . religion becomes a ready tool for murder and killings," said Archbishop Peter Jatau, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna. The November conference drew together Muslim and Christian political leaders from 19 states to explore ways of curtailing religious conflict in northern Nigeria. "History will not forgive us if we walk out of this hall without finding lasting solutions to these problems," Nigerian Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar told the delegates. Nevertheless, the conference ended with no major policy statement or political thrust aimed at ending Muslim-Christian religious clashes. (Compass)

* HCJB World Radio, together with partners In Touch Ministries, SIM and the Evangelical Church of West Africa, began airing weekly half-hour programs to Nigeria in the Igbo language in 2000. In 2003 weekly broadcasts were added in two additional languages, Yoruba and Hausa. HCJB World Radio also has helped plant radio ministries in five cities with more in the planning stages.

4 RADIO STATIONS AWARDED TO CHRISTIAN GROUP IN ROMANIA

Little Samaritan Mission, which is already operating a number of radio stations in Romania, was recently awarded four more. Little Samaritan's Florin Pindicblaj says the stations were available at auction, and Christians in Romania are excited about adding the new frequencies and being able to share the gospel in more areas. "That was the last time these frequencies were available because Romania will join the European Union completely by 2007," he said. "God blessed us, and we received four super stations." Pindicblaj says these outlets come to the area as an answer to prayer for local believers who had prayed and fasted for two years, asking God to bring them Christian programming. He said at least one of the new stations could go on the air as early as January. (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio broadcasts the gospel locally in seven Romanian cities via partner ministry Radio Voice of the Gospel. The network is a cooperative effort with the Evangelical Alliance of Romania and the Romanian Missionary Society.

*Tato a další zprávy jsou v originální anglické verzi zde.

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

Wu Pei-jen, 29, a member of Pa-ter Presbyterian Church in southern Taiwan's Kaohsiung county, was killed in a car accident the evening of Sunday, Dec. 5, while serving as a short-term volunteer in Thailand. Also seriously injured in the crash were another church member, Chiou Chi-ming, and the resident missionary, Rev. Wang Jen-nae. The three were returning from a service project in a mountainous area near Chiang-mai when the accident occurred. Pei-jen, the first and only Christian in her immediate family, was on a two-month mission to Thailand, and planned to return home at the end of December. Chi-ming suffered internal injuries and was expected to remain in intensive care for a week. Jen-nae returned home after undergoing surgery. (Taiwan Church News)

INDIGENOUS MINISTRY TAKES GOSPEL TO IRAQI REFUGEES IN SYRIA

War has caused tens of thousands of Iraqis to flee to neighboring Syria. Native missionaries are seizing the opportunity to reach these mostly Muslim refugees with physical aid and spiritual truth. Syria first officially opened its borders to Iraqi refugees in 2003. By the end of that year, an estimated 40,000 Iraqis had streamed into Syria, and thousands more have continued to come since. Though some have been sent back, many stayed and are trying to make lives for themselves. Yet most families are in great poverty, with no access to medical care or education. One indigenous ministry is reaching out to these refugees as missionaries now work among 1,000 Iraqi refugee families in Syria, meeting basic needs while sharing Christ. They provide food and schooling for children of refugees. A clinic also gives medical care to those who cannot afford it. Many Muslim refugees have been drawn to the Lord through this ministry. Regular Christian meetings in refugee communities are well attended. Thousands of Arabic Bibles have been distributed. In addition to Iraqi refugees, the missionaries work among the Sudanese, many of whom have fled the decades-long civil war in their native country. Two Sudanese refugees who became Christians went on to attend a six-month Bible training school. (Christian Aid Mission)

ZIMBABWE OUTREACH MOVES AHEAD DESPITE GOVERNMENT CHALLENGES

Christian World Outreach's Onais Tapera says Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's government is causing trouble for the mission which works in pastoral training, leadership development and AIDS orphans in the country. Mugabe's administration is clamping down on help from foreigners, and there are shortages of basic supplies within Zimbabwe. In spite of the difficulties, Tapera says there is a strong link between child outreach and pastoral training. "In our last camp, we had about 60 children and 37 of them received Christ as their personal Savior," he said. "I'm working with one of the local pastors to find ways to disciple these children because where they live, they don't have churches." (Mission Network News)

CHRISTMAS ON THE WAY TO ORPHANS IN FORMER SOVIET UNION

Christians in the former Soviet Union's Commonwealth of Independent States are working to spread the gospel in through a program called, "Christmas for Orphans." Tom MacAdam of Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) estimates that 700,000 orphans live in the region, and many have never heard the gospel. "We're giving [national believers] an opportunity to go into the orphanages and conduct a special evangelistic Christmas programs for the kids," he said. The goal of the program, officially launched by SGA last year, is to "provide each child in the orphanage with a wrapped gift, some Russian language Christian literature or a children's Bible and some warm clothing items." SGA aims to reach 10,000 children in about 50 orphanages this Christmas. MacAdam said the ministry's ultimate desire is to see these children come to Christ. SGA also hopes to open the way for members of the local evangelical churches to visit these children on a regular basis, providing Bible lessons and offering opportunities for them to grow in their faith. (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio reaches across Russia with a variety of radio ministries. The mission has been sending gospel broadcasts across the country via shortwave since 1941, first from Quito, Ecuador, and in recent years from the U.K. In the early 1990s the ministry began "planting" local radio ministries in Russia and now works with partners across the nation. In 2000 HCJB World Radio helped launch New Life Radio, the first Christian Russian radio satellite network. Nearly 50 downlinks have been placed in more than 35 cities in Russia and neighboring countries.

GERMAN PROTESTANT, CATHOLIC CHURCHES CONTINUE TO LOSE GROUND

Church membership in Germany continues to decline, dropping by more than 1 percent in 2003, indicate statistics published by the headquarters of the mainline Protestant churches in Hanover and the Roman Catholic Church in Bonn. The losses are mainly due to the aging population as the number of deaths continues to exceed the number of infant baptisms. But there are also significant numbers of dissatisfied or nominal church members who cancel their membership -- mainly to avoid church tax. In 2003 the Protestant churches suffered membership losses of 1.6 percent, dropping by 375,000 to 25.8 million. The Catholic Church shrunk by 1.1 percent to 26.2 million. In addition to these major churches, Orthodox churches have 1.1 million citizens on their registers. About 900,000 inhabitants belong to evangelical and charismatic churches such as Baptists, Methodists and Pentecostals. About a third of Germany's 82.5 million inhabitants are Protestant and a third are Catholic. The rest belong to other religions or are unaffiliated. Church affiliation has dwindled significantly since the reunification of Germany in 1990. (IDEA)

INTERACTIVE WEB CHURCH REOPENS IN RESPONSE TO DEMAND BY VISITORS

Church of Fools, the world's first 3D online church, has reopened as a place for private prayer and reflection. Visitors to churchoffools.com choose a cartoon "double," then walk around, kneel, pray, shout "hallelujah," play a hymn, hear a sermon or even ring the church bells. However, they will not see -- or be seen by -- other visitors to the church. Initially conceived as a three-month experiment, the fully interactive version of Church of Fools was launched last May and ran until September. "Since our pilot project ended, we have continued the interactive part of the church in 2D -- through conventional chat rooms and bulletin boards," explains project leader Simon Jenkins. "But the demand to reopen the 3D environment has been overwhelming." Jenkins is hopeful that visitors will use the church for personal reflection and prayer. The project, developed by the U.K. web magazine shipoffools.com, attracted tens of thousands of visitors from around the world during its pilot phase -- more than half of them less than 30 years old and 60 percent male. (Churchoffools.com)

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Militants bombed two churches Mosul, Iraq, Tuesday, Dec. 7, wounding three people in a coordinated attack apparently aimed at stirring trouble between religious groups in this ethnically diverse northern city. Deputy provincial Gov. Khasro Gouran said one blast struck a church about 2:30 p.m. in eastern Mosul's Wihda neighborhood, wounding three people. An hour later, gunmen stormed a church in western Mosul, ordering a handful of people outside before bombing it, Gouran said. There were no casualties. Islamic militants have regularly targeted different sectors of Iraq's multiethnic population, including the minority Christians, in a bid to disrupt the U.S.-led reconstruction of the war-scarred country. (WorldWide Religious News/Associated Press)

THREATS MAY FORCE CHRISTIAN ORPHANAGE IN INDIA TO RELOCATE

A Christian orphanage in Baran in the northeastern Indian state of Rajasthan may have to move because of threats from anti-Christians in the area, says Samuel Thomas of Hope Givers International, a ministry that operates 88 orphanages across India. The situation in Baran is so dangerous that Christian workers have faced beatings or even death with some being burned alive. "The anti-Christians were very furious that we would even start a work there [knowing] that it is an anti-Christian environment," Thomas said. "But knowing the history of Hope Givers, that has never stopped us in the past." Despite police protection, tensions in the area recently forced Thomas to temporarily move the children out of the orphanage. "The situation got really bad because they started beating the policemen for protecting the orphanage. Finally, the board made a decision that we needed to bring the children away from there for the time being." But that doesn't mean ministry has ended. When Thomas asked the pastor of a local church if he should relocate, he replied. "For me to live is Christ, but to die is gain. I will not leave this place, I will stay here." Thomas says the ministry has a tremendous impact. "We take care of the children from the street, give them God's love, encourage them in the Lord, and 97 percent of our children are ending up in full-time ministry."(Mission Network News)

CHRISTIANS IN EGYPT PROTEST KIDNAPPING, FORCED CONVERSION

Muslim extremists have reportedly abducted the wife of a Coptic Christian in Egypt and forced her to convert to Islam, prompting demonstrations by thousands of Christian Copts in various parts of the nation. They are criticizing the government's failure to protect them against anti-Christian crimes. Foreign journalists have been barred from the protest areas, the U.S. Copt Association reported. More than 3,000 Coptic demonstrators gathered Dec. 5-6 in Cairo, el-Minia, el-Behara and Assiut provinces to protest what they say is the abduction and forced conversion to Islam of Wafaa Constantine Messiha, the wife of a Coptic priest based in Egypt. Demonstrators charged Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak of being indifferent to Coptic pleas for protection from Muslim-led persecution, and called on the U.S. to immediately intervene. (WorldWide Religious News/WorldNetDaily)

WORLD VISION LAUNCHES MAJOR RELIEF EFFORTS IN DARFUR, SUDAN

World Vision has started major relief efforts in the rebel-controlled areas of western Sudan's Darfur province. Humanitarian aid was previously unable to reach the internally displaced people living in squalid camps there because of inaccessibility. In Darfur more than 1.8 million people have been displaced by the country's war, and many are in urgent need of food and medical attention. The small town of Khor Abeche, about 75 miles north of Nyala, came to life as World Vision teams arrived to start food aid registration and distribute non-food items such as plastic sheeting, buckets, blankets, clothing and soap. People crowded around the World Vision team and cheered as goods were unloaded from trucks. About 25,000 refugees live in Khor Abeche which is controlled by the Sudan Liberation Army. World Vision is distributing food to more than 150,000 people each month and running primary healthcare and supplementary feeding clinics in four camps in Nyala. In addition, World Vision water and sanitation teams are making plans to build latrines in five camps north of Nyala. The organization is working in eight sites in Sudan. Through a partnership with the World Food Program, World Vision is targeting 250,000 people for food distributions in addition to other humanitarian aid efforts. (World Vision)

SECOND STORM THIS YEAR DAMAGES ADVENTIST SCHOOL IN MICRONESIA

For the second time this year a storm has damaged the Seventh-day Adventist school in Yap, Micronesia. Typhoon Nanmadal devastated the Philippines and left hundreds dead, then weakened as it touched down on Micronesia as a tropical storm on Tuesday, Nov. 30. The storm caused only minor damage to crops, homes and buildings, and there were no fatalities, reported The Pacific Daily News. "This typhoon was less severe than the one that devastated the island last April," said Keith Rodman, education director for the Guam Micronesia Mission of the Adventist Church. "This storm only tore off the roof of the kindergarten to third grade building. However, this is a big loss for the school which is already struggling." Last April Typhoon Sudal destroyed three of the schools' seven buildings, causing about $500,000 in damage. The storm also destroyed many of the homes of the island's 8,000 residents. (Adventist News Network)

AZERBAIJANI OFFICIALS BALK AT GIVING CHILDREN CHRISTIAN NAMES

Eighteen-month-old Luka Eyvazov does not officially exist because Azerbaijani authorities refuse to issue a birth certificate for any children with Christian names. Speaking to Forum 18 News Service, a Christian working in the legal field said, "You can call your child 'Communist' or 'Tractor.' Why not a Christian name?" When the parents attempted to register their son's birth, they were told to select an Azerbaijani name instead of naming him Luka (Luke). Other Christians have faced similar problems registering names from the Bible, often taking months and several appeals before the birth certificate is issued. (Voice of the Martyrs)

* HCJB World Radio, in partnership with Hosanna and local partners in Baku, Azerbaijan, has recorded the dramatized Azeri New Testament as part of the Faith Comes by Hearing project. The recordings, completed in 1998, have been made into a series of radio programs.

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

A brutal attack on a Christian book publisher in Ukraine has underscored the high stakes struggle over human rights and religious liberty. On Thursday, Dec. 2, two unidentified men assaulted Stanislav Kasprov, director of the Smirna publishing house, outside company offices in Cherkassy. They beat Kasprov with a bat, leaving him bloodied and barely conscious. Although the attackers remain at large and their motives are unknown, evidence suggests that former operatives of the now-defunct KGB may have perpetrated the assault to dissuade Kasprov from supporting democratic reform. "Stanislav is not a timid person," a friend said. "Whenever he is invited to speak, he clearly tells the Christian people that it's up to them what kind of regime they will get." (Compass)

ARREST OF HINDU LEADER LEADS TO CHARGE OF 'CHRISTIAN CONSPIRACY'

The arrest of one of India's most revered Hindu leaders has led to accusations of a "Christian conspiracy." Jayendra Saraswati was arrested in mid-November and accused of conspiring to murder a temple priest. Hindu nationalist groups immediately launched protests and hunger strikes, saying the arrest was a conspiracy organized by "Christians and Sonia Gandhi" to defame Hinduism -- a charge vehemently denied by Christian groups. Prosecutors say Saraswati admitted to arranging the murder in a "moment of weakness," but devotees believe their leader is innocent. Lal Krishna Advani, chief of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, said he believed Saraswati's arrest would lead to renewed support for the party. (Compass)

GROWING ANGER TOWARD FOREIGNERS IN HOLLAND COULD AFFECT MISSIONS

The recent murder of filmmaker Theo Van Gogh, whose film "Submission" sharply criticized Islam, has angered the Dutch people. That anger has led to questions about the future of open borders in the Netherlands, a country that has gone from a nation of tolerance to one of division, says missionary David Boyd of Baptist Mid-missions. "More and more people are now saying, 'Holland is just full, and we already have enough people who are not integrating. Let's close the borders. Let's force those who are here to integrate into our society and we can't have them trying to take over.' Holland has traditionally been a very tolerant nation, and it's now taking a different direction." Boyd says if the borders are closed, it won't affect religious freedom, but it could affect foreign missionaries. "I have my questions about what it's going to do for missions in the Netherlands, for instance, from the U.S. If a decision is made in parliament that the borders are closed, that will include all foreigners -- Muslim foreigners and Christian foreigners." (Mission Network News)

1,000 CUBAN YOUTHS GATHER TO CELEBRATE OPENING OF LARGE CHURCH

More than 1,000 young people from eastern Cuba met in the newly renovated First Baptist Church of Moa on Sunday, Dec. 5, for a major celebration. They came from seven provinces that make up the Baptist Convention of Eastern Cuba. Elmer Lavastida, pastor of the Second Baptist Church "El Salvador" in Santiago de Cuba, said, "This gathering was a great witness to the community and a perfect opening ceremony for the church with the new sanctuary that seats more than 1,300." The building was finished after a conflict with the government which finally approved the construction. Lavastida said the congregation of more than 800 held 24-hour prayer vigils for several weeks until the legal problems were solved so this was a "festival of joy and thanksgiving." (Baptist World Alliance)

* HCJB World Radio continues to air Spanish programs to Cuba via shortwave from South America. Hundreds of listeners have enrolled in the ministry's Bible Institute of the Air, a Spanish correspondence program incorporating radio broadcasts. In addition, numerous pastors' workshops sponsored by Apoyo, a joint training ministry with Leadership Resources International, have been held in Cuba since the mid-1990s.

DOZENS OF CUSTOMERS FIND SALVATION VIA U.S. BANK'S ADVISORY SERVICE

An unusual bank in the U.S. that emphasizes biblical principles and praying with clients has successfully concluded its first year in business. Riverview Community Bank, about 30 miles northwest of Minneapolis, takes care of more than just its customers' money. Duane Kropuenske, the bank's cofounder, says 69 people have become Christians through the bank's advisory service. "I am a Christian, but in the 30 years in my profession, I had never prayed with customers," he said. Since the bank opened, praying with customers has become something of a hallmark, added cofounder Chuck Ripka. Kropuenske. "People call us to ask if we are the bank which prays with its customers," he said. The two partners founded the bank with the intent of following Christian principles. The idea of praying with customers came when a doctor whose loan came up for renewal asked the bank to pray for the hospital and its staff. (FridayFax/www.die-gemeinde.org)

* 160 DUMP DWELLERS COME TO CHRIST AT CHRISTMAS PARTY IN QUITO

An estimated 2,500 people living in and around the city dump in Quito, Ecuador, attended an annual Christmas party Saturday, Dec. 4, organized by Extreme Response, an international relief agency and an HCJB World Radio partner. Of these, 160 people gave their lives to Christ and asked for a personal visit in their homes. This was the eighth annual Christmas party for Quito's forgotten dump dwellers.

Attendees played games, made crafts and had their photos taken. A concert was also held featuring local Ecuadorian groups, violinist Trevor Dick and the 5th String Blvd. band from Canada. HCJB World Radio Missionary Alex Weir headed up a group of volunteers who shared one-on-one with people in the crowd. This group was sponsored by the Buen Pastor Church in Pifo, home of HCJB World Radio's international transmitter site.

Extreme Response was also involved in three other events in the Quito area. The team served a Christmas meal to residents of the Zambiza dump near Quito on Thursday, Dec. 2. A smaller party took place on Friday, Dec. 3, at another dump called La Bota. More than 100 people there played carnival games, ate a snack and received gift bags. On Sunday, Dec. 5, the group held an outreach in the poor neighborhood of Argelia Alta where more than 2,500 attendees played games, made ornaments, had their pictures taken and received gifts.

Coordinating the events were HCJB World Radio missionaries Jerry and Dawn Carnill who helped found Extreme Response nine years ago. Also helping were more than 400 volunteers, some from as far away as Australia and Alaska, along with HCJB World Radio missionaries and students from the Alliance Academy, Cotopaxi Academy and Covenant Bible College in Quito.

"This has become an annual event where people from the U.S. get to really make a difference in the lives of the poorest of the poor," Jerry said. "They share a Christmas celebration, but in reality they share something much more important -- they share hope. These people are considered throwaways in their own society. There's an incredible impact when we bring them music, games, food and a gift. But what I believe means more in this culture, is having people who have so much more than the dump people do, shaking their hands and throwing them a party."

Together with Extreme Response, HCJB World Radio missionaries have an ongoing ministry of sharing the love of Christ to the poor of Ecuador. (HCJB World Radio)

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