As rain hinders relief efforts after the Saturday, May 27, earthquake in Central Java, Indonesia, dozens of Christian organizations around the globe are preparing to send waves of aid to the damaged areas. Indonesian officials report more than 5,700 confirmed dead, tens of thousands injured and more than 130,000 homeless after the 6.3-magnitude quake struck close to the former Javanese royal capital of Yogyakarta. Along with U.N. and International Red Cross aid, World Vision has already arrived on the scene distributing emergency supplies. Other agencies are close behind, including HCJB World Radio which is gearing up for relief efforts in the area. Meanwhile, activity at the nearby erupting volcano, Mount Merapi, is said to have increased, threatening further destruction. (CNN/Action by Christians Together/Reuters/BBC/HCJB World Radio)

* HCJB World Radio has sent three teams overseas in the last year to help local partners with relief efforts. A year ago a team from Ecuador went to Indonesia to help survivors of the December 2004 tsunami, and they stayed an extra week to help victims of an earthquake on Nias Island. Two teams also went to Pakistan last fall following a devastating earthquake in the Kashmir region.

3 RUSSIAN CHURCH MEMBERS DETAINED FOR DISTRIBUTING BIBLES

Officers from the Okryabrsky district Home Affairs office in Russia detained and questioned three members of an Ivanovo church for distributing Bibles after a Christian film shown by the church on Sunday, May 14. Officials accused the church of distributing literature illegally based on a "violation of announcement of dateline." They claim the church neglected to submit the necessary paperwork regarding when the Bibles would be distributed and the publication information. Vladimir Miskevich, senior pastor of the Resurrection Church which organized the meeting, said all relevant papers had been submitted as well as papers confirming the identities of the people who distributed the Bibles. The Home Affairs office has begun an investigation into the facts of the case. "Please, support us in your prayers," pleaded Miskevich. (Assist News Service)

INDIAN ANIMISTS DRIVE CHRISTIAN FAMILY OUT OF TOWN

On Sunday, May 21, animist worshipers in northeastern India’s Jharkhand state pressured a newly converted Christian family in the village of Dubalia to leave their home amid humiliation and intimidation. Santosh Karmali, the 42-year-old father of the family, was forced to sign an agreement forfeiting his family’s land. His wife, Siva Devi, had her head shaved and her face covered with lime powder. Karmali’s parents, cutting all ties to their son, joined the rest of the village in driving the family out of town. The Sarna religion calls for animist practices such as the worship of trees, mountains and rivers. The Central Sarna Committee directs tribal adherents and accused missionaries of bribing the family into converting to Christianity. On Thursday, May 25, near Jharkhand’s state capital, Sarna groups held a ceremony forcing about 24 Christians to "reconvert" to Sarna. Christian leaders said the ceremony contradicted the state’s laws against forcible conversions and religious freedom. (Compass Direct)

U.K. DENIES VISAS FOR 14 METHODIST MINISTERS IN TRAINING

The British Home Office has barred a group of 14 U.S.-trained Methodist ministers from entering the U.K., citing anti-terror laws preventing unqualified religious leaders from entering the country. The U.S. Methodist Church has sent 14 probationary ministers to the U.K. each year for training. They have not been turned away before now. The Immigration and Nationality Directorate ruled that the Methodist trainees fall under 1994 legislation intended to bar unqualified Islamic students from entering the country which states ministers who are not ordained cannot obtain a work visa. Superintendent Methodist Minister Dr. Paul Glass stated, "You could not imagine somebody less like a terrorist than a young American Methodist minister." (WorldWide Religious News/London Times)

GALLUP POLL: 81% OF U.S. RESIDENTS SEE MORALITY DECLINING

An annual Gallup Values and Beliefs survey conducted this month indicates that a record high number of Americans say the country’s moral values are declining. Eighty-one percent of the 1,002 adults polled indicated the nation’s "state of moral values" is getting worse. These numbers indicate a record high percentage since the question was first asked in 2002. This same question asked in 2002 and 2003 indicated that 67 percent of those polled saw morality declining before jumping to 77 percent in both 2004 and 2005. A new low of only 14 percent indicated they believed the state of morality is "excellent" or "good." The survey also included individual questions on moral issues such as abortion, homosexuality and the death penalty. (Baptist Press)

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