V sobotu 15 dubna pak muslimové napadli koptické křesťany, kteří v Alexandrii klidně kráčeli v pohřebním průvodu. Křesťané protestovali proti oficiálním úředním prohlášením o útocích.

Ve veřejném vyhlášení z téhož dne Alexandrijská církevní rada a Alexandrijská rada laiků vyslovily politování nad oficiálním stanoviskem egyptských úřadů o útocích a označily ho za „klamné“ a postrádající „jasnost.“ - Egyptští představitelé označili útoky za dílo „nepříčetných osob“ a „extrémistů.“

Podle Associated Press v neděli 16. dubna násilí opět vypuklo krátce po ukončení bohoslužby v Chrámu všech svatých, jednom ze tří, na které bylo útočeno již v pátek. Asi 2000 členný dav kordon policie oddělil od vchodu do kostela poté, co jej opustilo asi 200 jiných mužů nesoucích kříže, hole a mačety.

Koptičtí křesťané si stěžují, že vláda nečiní dost pro jejich ochranu. Jedna účastnice bohoslužeb, Nadja Lofti řekla BBC: „My do mešit vkročit nesmíme a zabíjet je také nesmíme, zatímco oni do našich kostelů smějí a zabíjet nás také smějí. Kde je policie a vláda?” (Assist News Service/U.S. Newswire/BBC)

On Saturday, April 15, Muslims clashed with Coptic Christians who were peacefully marching along the funeral route in Alexandria. The Christians were protesting official statements made by Egyptian officials regarding the church attacks.

In a public communiqué released the same day, Alexandria Clergy Council and the Alexandria Laymen Council condemned the official statements by Egyptian officials on the attacks as “deceptive” and lacking in “transparency.” Egyptian officials blamed the attacks on a “deranged man” and “extremists.”

On Sunday, April 16, violence erupted shortly after a religious service ended at the Saints Church, one of the three churches attacked on Friday, reported the Associated Press. About 2,000 riot police cordoned off the front of the church after about 200 men left the building carrying crosses, clubs and machetes.

Coptic Christians complained that the government is not doing enough to protect them. One female worshiper, Nadia Lofti, told the BBC, “We cannot enter their mosques and kill them, yet they can come to our churches and kill us. Where are the police and the government?” (Assist News Service/U.S. Newswire/BBC)

OUTREACH BRINGS ‘BOOK OF HOPE’ TO RWANDA’S SCHOOLS, PRISONS

More than 500 Christian volunteers from various countries are distributing God’s Word and taking part in numerous relief activities as one African nation marks a solemn anniversary. The effort is being spearheaded by the Book of Hope ministry and is called “100 Days of Hope.” The outreach coincides with Rwanda’s 100 days of genocide that took place from April 7 to July 15, 1994. During that period an estimated 937,000 Rwandans were slaughtered in a campaign of ethnic violence carried out largely by members of extremist militia groups. International Christian ministries and Christian volunteers from the U.S. and Australia have partnered with local churches in Rwanda in an effort to bring encouragement and healing to the scarred African nation. The books are being distributed to more than 2 million children throughout Rwanda. Participating In addition, Christian ministry leaders and volunteers are working alongside local partners to construct schools, homes and orphanages. They are also distributing humanitarian aid, providing medical assistance and holding women’s ministries, evangelistic outreaches, a church leadership conference and a businessmen’s outreach. (Religion Today)

CHINESE COURT PURSUES CASE AGAINST HOUSE CHURCH LEADER

The court judging Chinese house church leader Zhang Rongliang, acknowledging a lack of evidence and “ambiguous facts,” has submitted the case to the Zhengzhou City Intermediate People’s Court in China, asking for legal advice. The Zhongmu City People’s Court made the request after a two-hour court hearing Thursday, April 6, in which Zhang, charged with falsifying a passport, argued his right for a passport as a Chinese citizen. Zhang denies the accusation that he was behind “attaining passport through cheating” for three of his co-workers. Zhang, 55, was arrested by Henan police on Dec. 1, 2004. (Compass Direct)

PRISONERS IN PAKISTANI JAIL TORTURED FOR HOLDING BIBLE STUDY

On Friday, April 7, Christian prisoners at the central jail in Sahiwal, Pakistan, gathered for prayer and Bible study. Muslim prisoners passing by began to make derogatory comments when two of the jail staff approached. A local source reported that the two prison staff joined in the attack of four prisoners, Chand Munawer, Ijaz Gulzar, Riaz Gulzar and Pervaiz Rehmat. They stripped the Christians of their clothing and tortured them. The four were then put in solitary confinement. The source added that reports of similar abuse in the Kasur and Lahore prisons are not uncommon. (Voice of the Martyrs)

‘SCHOOL WITHOUT WALLS’ TRAINS NEW CHURCH LEADERS IN RUSSIA

Ongoing changes in government throughout the former Soviet Union have had a significant impact on the spiritual climate there, says Sergey Rakhuba of Russian Ministries. A program called School Without Walls is motivating and equipping church leaders for Russia. This generation is more educated and technically equipped, said Rakhuba.

“We have to be on the cutting edge of ministry to continue to be relevant in order to be able to communicate the gospel to this young generation,” Rakhuba said. He believes equipping new leaders is crucial to the future of the church in Russia. “We have to train young generation leaders -- those who are not stuck with the traditional ideas, who are not poisoned with legalism, and who are open to take new tools and new ideas and continue spreading the gospel, the same truth, the same Bible, but using different vehicles getting to the young generation in Russia.”

Rakhuba added that the program is called School Without Walls because it doesn’t take place in a traditional setting with a permanent building. Rather, training teams travel to the students in more than 30 locations. The outreach is also more “flexible” than a traditional school and could also involve online classes in the future as resources become available. (Mission Network News/Russian Ministries)

* HCJB World Radio reaches across Russia with a variety of radio ministries. The mission began sending gospel broadcasts across the country via shortwave in 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 nationwide. In 2000 HCJB World Radio helped launch New Life Radio, the first Christian Russian satellite radio network. More than 63 downlinks have been placed in more than 42 cities across Russia and neighboring countries.

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