On June 1-2 in Cebu City, Philippines, more than 500 physicians from 20 countries will gather for a conference on spirituality and medicine. The conference will emphasize God as the healer and exchange notes on cases of divine healing through prayer. Real medical data backing the claims will be presented with maladies such as stomach cancer, Celiac disease, infertility, facial burns, quadriplegia, spinal tuberculosis and other incurable diseases. (Assist News Service)

SIGN LANGUAGE VERSION OF JESUS FILM REACHES DEAF CULTURE

The JESUS Film Project is reaching out to a different language group—the deaf. The project has created 10 sign language versions already with more on the way. The visual nature of the film is key to reaching the deaf population. The project’s Doug Sjostedt says, "As with any JESUS Film, we try to do it in the heart language of that people group, and for the deaf, the heart language is signing." Sjostedt sees outreach to the deaf as a cross-cultural ministry no matter what country the outreach takes place. "Even within, a deaf American to another American, it's a completely different culture, and of course those differences are exacerbated overseas because . . . once you are labeled deaf, you could be institutionalized, you are shut away, you may never even get an education." Because of this isolation, many deaf people are more open to the gospel. (Mission Network News)

VIOLENCE TOWARD CHRISTIANS INCREASES IN SRI LANKA

International Christian Concern has reported a sharp increase in the violence toward Christians in Sri Lanka. The National Christian Fellowship of Sri Lanka (NCFSL), representing over 100 indigenous churches, announced alarming attacks on Christian places of worship and anti-minority behavior. A Methodist church at Piliyandala, which Buddhist monk-led agitators forced to close in 2003, had recently reopened on Sunday, April 23, 2006. A police guard on site due to prior threats turned back a group of around 100 people trying to forcibly enter and assault believers. Loud speakers blared anti-Christian slogans from outside and vehicles in the parking area were vandalized and overturned. As the violence grew out of control the congregation attempted to leave. Agitators assaulted two pastors and attempted a sexual assault on a woman. Over 250 churches have been attacked since 2000, often with Buddhist monks agitating the crowds and encouraging hate toward Christians. Other recent attacks took place in the cities of Kesbewa, Panadura and Wellawaya. (Evangelical News)

SUDANESE ‘KIDNAP’ VICTIM REAPPEARS, EPISCOPAL PRIEST STILL HELD

A missing Muslim woman who reportedly wanted to convert to Christianity resurfaced yesterday in the Sudan’s capital, Khartoum. Her disappearance two months ago led to the arrest of an Episcopal priest who was accused of kidnapping the woman. Shirakh Abdallah, 23, turned herself over to police after hearing reports of the priest’s arrest. Abdallah went missing after visiting the priest claiming her father beat her because of an interest in Christianity. Authorities are interrogating the woman. The Episcopal priest is yet to be released. (Compass Direct)

DEATH ROW INTERCESSORS PRAY FOR NEPALESE SHERPA

Death Row Inmates in Louisiana’s Angola prison are making a difference on the other side of the world thanks to a connection set up by Jack Tillery. Tillery, minister of college students and missions at a nearby Baptist church, began leading mission teams into the mountains of Nepal in the late 1990s; about the same time he got involved in prison ministry at Angola. The connection spread to the Christian inmates who began praying. Now when Tillery visits inmates, he commonly finds them face down praying. When asked who he was praying for, one inmate replied, ""I’m prayin’ for the Sherpa, Jack. Prayin’ for the Sherpa!" The Sherpa people of Nepal are world-renowned climbers and guides to Mount Everest and the Himalaya. Before Tillery goes to Nepal, he takes a daily itinerary and photos of his mission team to Angola inmates. They pray daily, by name, for Tillery, his volunteers, Christian workers in Nepal and the Sherpa they are trying to reach. When Jack visited the prison with a missionary to the Sherpa, an inmate commented, "You just go do what you need to do. I got your back. You do the work and I’ll take care of everything else [through prayer]."(Baptist Press)

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