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Hamid Pourmand, 47, an Assemblies of God pastor in Iran, went on trial last week before a military court in the capital city of Tehran amid international concern he may face execution if convicted of "spreading Christianity" and "deceiving people about his faith." He was arrested along with more than 80 other Christian leaders last September in Karaj, a town about 19 miles west of Tehran, when police raided the denomination's annual general council. All but Pourmand were later released, church sources and human rights watchers said. Before the trial began last week, the European Union lodged a formal protest with Iranian authorities over the arrest and alleged harassment of Pourmand and other members of religious minorities as well as detained journalists and staff members of non-government organizations. An army colonel, he converted from Islam to Christianity nearly 25 years ago. Iranian laws prohibit non-Muslims from serving as military officers. However, Pourmand reportedly declared in court last week that he had documented proof that the army knew he had become a Christian before he was ever given officer rank. He also faces another trial on two separate charges of apostasy and proselytizing. Under Iranian law, apostasy is a capital offense. (BosNewsLife/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 CHRISTIANS FEAR MUSLIM NOMINATIONS WILL ERUPT IN VIOLENCE

Christians in central Nigeria's Kaduna state are concerned that inter-religious violence may erupt again. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said in a statement that Kaduna State Gov. Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed Makarfi put forward six candidates to represent the state at the National Political Reform Conference. Of the six, four were Muslims and two were Christians. The conference, scheduled for later this year, will address the structure of the Nigerian state and help ensure sound political leadership, guaranteeing equal opportunity for all citizens. The issue of relations between ethnic and religious groups will also be addressed. CAN is concerned the apparent Muslim bias in the nominations could stir up religious tensions in a state that is approximately half Muslim and half Christian. CAN also alleged that one of the Muslim candidates, Alhaji Abdullahi Jibril, abducted a Christian girl in Birnin Gwari, resulting in a "serious breach of peace" between Christians and Muslims in that area. A CAN spokesman said it would be hard to convince Christians that there was no hidden agenda to the talks unless the governor changed the nominees to better reflect the state's religious make-up. (Assist News Service)

* 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 with radio ministries in six cities with more in the planning stages.

880 SUDANESE SLAVES LIBERATED, RETURNED TO THEIR HOMELAND

Organizations in Sudan freed 880 Sudanese slaves and returned them to their homeland of northern Bahr El Ghazal in southern Sudan between Jan. 23 and Feb. 2. Of the freed slaves, 607 were assembled in northern Sudanese towns and villages and transported by truck to southern Sudan by the Committee for the Eradication of the Abduction of Women and Children (CEAWC). Arab-Dinka Peace Committees liberated the remaining slaves from Baggara Arab cattle camps. Christian Solidarity International (CSI) is now providing food and survival kits to both groups of freed slaves and is helping local authorities reunite them with their families. Local officials have also appealed to UNICEF and other aid agencies for help with the feeding and rehabilitation of returning slaves. CSI reported that most of the returning slaves suffered "gross abuse" by their Arab Muslim masters. Abuse typically included beatings, death threats, work without pay, forced Islamization and Arabization, and racial and religious slurs. The majority of women and older girls said they were raped or gang-raped while in bondage. (Christian Solidarity International)

EVANGELICAL CHURCHES BECOMING 'POWERFUL FORCE' IN UKRAINE

Christians in Ukraine are pressing forward for a national transformation in the former Soviet republic that has been under Mafia control for more than a decade. Believers recently joined forces to back pro-Western candidate Viktor Yushchenko and the freedoms he promised during his runoff presidential election victory over pro-Moscow candidate Viktor Yanukovych. "What is happening here is an answer to prayer," said Sunday Adelaja, pastor of the 25,000-member Embassy of God Church in Kiev. "It is unbelievable. The Christians are in unity. The Baptists are standing beside the Orthodox people -- which is amazing because the Orthodox hated us before." Religious tensions have been high in Ukraine since the nation gained independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991. Then there were about 250,000 evangelical Christians in a country dominated by nominal Orthodox Church adherents. Today there are more than 3 million evangelicals. "What God is doing in Ukraine is unprecedented," noted Pentecostal theologian Gary Kellner. Yushchenko's victory shows that evangelical churches have become a powerful force in Ukraine. Henry Madava, a Pentecostal from Zimbabwe, said he saw the direct intervention of God in the presidential election. "It used to be that Christians here were passive and intimidated. No more," he said. "Every Christian leader has been in the streets. Now Christians know they have authority." Madava pastors Kiev's second-largest congregation. (Religion Today/Charisma News Service)

CHRISTIANS ON ISLANDS DEVASTATED BY TSUNAMI CLING TO THEIR FAITH

Dozens of churches in India's Andaman and Nicobar islands have either disappeared or been irreparably damaged by the Dec. 26 earthquake/tsunami. But thousands of Nicobarese Christian tribal people are still clinging passionately to their faith. Christians comprise just 2 percent of India's 1 billion people but represent more than one-fifth of the population in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. The tsunami death toll in the island chain is nearly 1,900 with more than 5,000 still missing. In relief camps, hundreds of Nicobarese huddle each morning and evening as pastors conduct prayers in their language. One village chieftain says, "We are now holding tightly to our religion." An Indian Christian relief coordinator says eight pastors were killed, 18 churches have vanished, and 15 more were severely damaged. "We are making plans to rebuild all of them," he said. (AgapePress)

MINISTRY COLLECTS SHOES FOR THOUSANDS OF ORPHANS IN 6 COUNTRIES

Buckner Orphan Care plans to collect thousands of shoes and socks to be delivered to needy children in six countries around the world in this year's Shoes for Orphan Souls program. The ministry encourages donors to join short-term mission trips to visit the children who receive the shoes and "tell them the gospel personally," said Buckner spokesperson Tiffany Taylor. "We're also going to bring much-needed medical supplies and other humanitarian aid. The mission teams have a multi-faceted job when they go into these countries." This year the shoes are scheduled to go to China, Russia, Kenya, Latvia, Romania and Guatemala. In the five years since the program began, Shoes for Orphan Souls has provided shoes to more than 1 million children worldwide. (Mission Network News)

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