A nursing school in northern Nigeria’s Sokoto state was closed down Monday, Feb. 13, following the suspected kidnapping of a Christian student by Islamic militants on Friday, Feb. 10. The extremists had accused Ladi Mohammed -- a female student of the School of Nursing and Midwifery -- of blasphemy against the Islamic prophet Mohammed. “For this reason the militants -- who threatened to cut off her head -- hunted and kidnapped her after she had fled from the school,” said John Usman, a Christian student at the institution. School authorities closed the school to avert potential religious conflict. The institution had had already expelled Ladi last week for allegedly making a “misguided and derogatory statement against Islam.” Sokoto is one of 12 northern Nigerian states that have implemented the Islamic legal system, sharia. In the six years since adopting sharia, Gov. Atahiru Bafarawa has Islamized all public policies, creating room for what analysts call a rise in Islamic fundamentalism. (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 with radio ministries in six cities with more in the planning stages.

MISSION OUTREACH CONTINUES IN HAITI AMID POST-ELECTION TENSIONS

Haiti is turmoil waiting for a catalyst. In the days since national elections on Tuesday, Feb. 7, where 63 percent of the public turned out to vote, instability looms as the count continues. Violent protests and fraud accusations are adding to the volatile mix.

Former Haitian President Rene Preval claims that massive fraud prevented him from winning a first-round victory in last week’s elections. He has 48.7 percent of the vote with 90 percent counted. If he fails to win a majority, a runoff election featuring the top two vote getters will be held on March 19.

The situation complicates travel and outreach, said Bill Evans of Men for Missions, the layman’s voice of OMS International. “The work still continues,” he said. “[But] we’re very cautious about how we interact and where we go.”

Evans urges prayer during the coming days of transition. Amid the threatened instability, the team is focused on sharing the peace of Christ, including broadcasts from Christian station 4VEH. “Of course, 4VEH has always endeavored to not be a political station,” Evans said. “What they do is offer a message of peace.” (Mission Network News/Reuters)

* Staff members from the HCJB World Radio Engineering Center in Elkhart, Ind., are working with OMS International to establish a satellite radio network based at 4VEH outside the city of Cap-Haitien that will deliver programs to FM stations nationwide. Downlinks have been installed in Tortue Island, Pignon and Beaumont, and at least two more are planned. HCJB World Radio also helped partner World Gospel Mission with a small station in Port-au-Prince.

CHINESE SECURITY AGENTS KEEP CLOSE EYE ON CHRISTIAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST

China Aid Association (CAA) learned that the freedom of a prominent Christian rights activist continues to be restricted by Chinese security agents even after his release from a two-year prison term. Xu Yonghai, a former psychiatric doctor at Beijing Pingan Hospital, has been under surveillance since his release from a prison in Hangzhou in China’s Zhejiang province on Sunday, Jan. 29. Xu told the CAA that before his release, Chinese security agents installed three video cameras in front of his apartment in order to monitor his activities. Officials also failed to return his identification cards. Xu’s wife, Li Shanna, refused to sign a form demanding she report her husband’s activities to the Chinese authorities. Xu was arrested in Beijing along with two others in November 2003 because of their role in documenting the destruction of churches and the persecution of Chinese Christians. Both Xu and his wife lost their hospital jobs after his arrest. (Evangelical News/Christian Newswire/China Aid Association)

MISSION AGENCIES JOIN LOCAL CHURCHES IN OLYMPIC GAMES OUTREACH

The 2006 Winter Olympics are well under way in Turin, Italy, where thousands of people from around the globe have gathered to watch the top athletes compete. Many who are gathering are searching for the truth that can only be found in Christ, and believers are reaching out with God’s Word. Greater Europe Mission (GEM), for example, has a team of eight helping a local congregation reach out to the lost in Turin by using music and the “More than Gold” Olympic outreach material. GEM’s Freddie Harris says the local church has produced several tracts, and the people in charge are doing what they can to make contact with people. “Turin is the second largest city for the occult in the world,” he said. “I feel like we could get some spiritual attacks while we’re here because Satan is not happy that we’re here. The Bible says to go into all the world and preach the gospel. There are almost 190 countries represented in the Olympics right now. And of course, spectators come from all over the world to see them. It’s like the world is coming to us and we’re preaching the gospel to the world just being here in Turin.” (Mission Network News)

CMDA INITIATIVE URGES DOCTORS TO GIVE 4% OF RESOURCES TO THE POOR

The Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA), the largest faith-based organization of Christian doctors in the U.S., announced an initiative Monday, Feb. 13, encouraging doctors to give of their time and resources to help the poor. “We are pleased to be introducing the ‘Four-Percent Solution’ program to doctors around the country,” said Dr. Al Weir who directs the CMDA’s campus and community ministries as well as the international medical education outreach. “We’re asking doctors to consider committing to specific strategies to use God’s blessings to them in a way that blesses someone far less fortunate,” he explained. “A doctor may choose to spend two weeks a year -- about 4 percent of the year -- in overseas mission work that directly impacts the healthcare, housing, job skills or nutrition of the poor. Other doctors may consider . . . accepting one uninsured patient out of every 25 patients -- 4 percent of the patients they see. Yet others may choose to volunteer about eight hours a month in a healthcare clinic for the poor . . . or supplement their local church giving by contributing 4 percent of their net profits to the poor through their church or another Christian ministry.” (Assist News Service)

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