At 8:05 p.m. local time Monday, Jan. 22, tragedy struck Masiphumelele Baptist Church in the township of the same name south of Cape Town, South Africa. A regular attendee of the services shot dead Pastor Philip Mokson and injured a young woman attendee before turning the gun on himself and committing suicide. Mokson died at the scene while the young woman remains in serious condition in Groote Schuur Hospital.

Hundreds of community members gathered and kept vigil at the church until early the following day while paramedics did their work and police investigated. Mokson had served at Masiphumelele Baptist Church from its inception 18 years ago.

A well-loved and respected man, Mokson worked to bring peace and justice to the community. He would be found at every community emergency or tragedy, rendering help and assistance. The community often called on him for his intervention during conflicts.

Mokson was actively involved in Living Hope Community Centre, a health-based non-government organization in the area run in conjunction with King of Kings Baptist Church where John Thomas is the senior pastor. He helped start Christian radio station CCFm, a ministry founded with HCJB Global Voice’s help in 1993.

Thomas and Mokson were close friends and colleagues. A press release described Mokson’s killer as “no stranger, but rather a severely depressed man whom members of the community had been attempting to help.”

A memorial service will be held at King of Kings Baptist Centre in nearby Fish Hoek on Saturday, Jan. 27. There will also be a funeral service in Mokson’s hometown of Uitenhage on Saturday, Feb. 3. (Masiphumelele Baptist Church/HCJB Global)

* HCJB Global Voice has worked with local partners to plant local radio ministries in six South African cities: Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Pinetown, Roodepoort and Badplaas. HCJB Global Hands also helps with projects such as the Living Hope Community Center (a ministry of partner King of Kings Baptist Church) near Cape Town.

MANY IRAQI CHRISTIANS WELCOME ARRIVAL OF U.S. TROOP SURGE

Iraqi Christians are anticipating the arrival of thousands of American military forces after President George W. Bush pledged to send 20,000 additional soldiers to join roughly 130,000 troops already in Iraq. Stefan de Groot, who works in Iraq for Netherlands-based Christian rights group Open Doors, said the anarchy in cities such as Baghdad and Mosul has made Christians pessimistic. “Almost nobody sees a future full of roses,” he said. Christians are often caught in the crossfire of Sunni and Shiite Muslim militants as well as other separate criminal groups. “All of these groups have reasons to kidnap and even kill Christians. In most cases the main motive is money as Christians in many cases are belonging to Iraq’s middle class and often have their own businesses,” De Groot explained. He added that Christians are also targeted as they don’t have an armed militia ready to carry out revenge attacks, besides the fact that Muslims want to spread Islam and force Christians out. Despite the bloodshed, Open Doors Netherlands and other groups have reported a growing interest in Christianity in Iraq. (BosNewsLife)

INDIA: ONE VIOLENT ACT PERPETRATED ON CHRISTIANS EVERY 3 DAYS

A recent summary report of violence against Christians in India during 2006 by the Dalit Freedom Network showed the Christian community in the nation averaged one crime against them every third day. The tally of 128 cases reported in the national or international media may actually belie the actual number due to unreported crimes and violence that takes place in inaccessible areas like the state of Madhya Pradesh. The statistics also do not include harassment of Christian schools, colleges, hospitals, churches, mission stations and house churches across India. Christians comprise 2.3 percent of India’s 1.2 billion people, and most of these are concentrated in eight of India’s 30 states. (Dalit Freedom Network/Assist News Service)

YOUTH PRAYER EVENT TO SEND ‘SHOCKWAVE’ AROUND THE WORLD

The old-fashioned prayer meeting is going global by moving to Internet chat rooms, churches and homes worldwide. The 72-hour youth prayer event March 2-4 is being organized by Open Doors’ youth initiative called SHOCKWAVE. The sixth annual event will kick off in New Zealand and work its way around the globe. “Our vision is of a world in which every Christian who is persecuted is prayed for and supported by Christians who are free to worship,” said Jane Huckaby, vice president of program services at Open Doors USA. Last year participating countries included the U.S., U.K., Australia, Netherlands and Brazil. This year’s focus will be on praying for persecuted Christians in Islam-dominated nations. Youth groups and churches can run all-night events or prayer services and tap into Internet resources such as a prayer wall and a blog on the international website. (Christian Newswire)

SALVATION ARMY’S FORMER NATIONAL COMMANDER TO LEAD NAE

The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) has named Todd Bassett, former national commander of the Salvation Army, as its new executive director. “He is well known and respected among evangelicals and the broader religious community of America. I am thrilled to have him join our leadership team,” said NAE President Leith Anderson who replaced Ted Haggard of Colorado Springs, Colo., as president following his resignation last November. Richard Cizik, NAE’s vice president for governmental affairs, added that Bassett brings a “wealth of experience to this new role. We all look forward to working with him. He’s a man of great integrity and spiritual stature.” Bassett will oversee NAE’s administrative, financial and communications functions and help formulate and implement organizational vision and strategy. Cizik also praised Bassett’s leadership in the Salvation Army’s response to Hurricane Katrina and his “special burden for the poor.” Bassett and his wife, Carol, were commissioned as officers in the Salvation Army in 1965 and have served in ministry for nearly 42 years in a variety of appointments. Their assignments have included youth ministry, the School for Officers’ Training and divisional and territorial leadership. They also served for two years at the denomination’s international headquarters in London. Bassett was appointed national commander of the Salvation Army in 2002 and served in that post until April 2006. (Assist News Service)

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