Zprávy HCJB 14.5.2007

	Stovky lidí se sešly v Keni k modlitbám za eritrejské křesťany.
	Stovky křesťanů z celého světa se v neděli 13. května shromáždily v Nairobi v Keni, aby se zúčastnily Prvního národního dne modliteb za Eritreu, zemi v severovýchodní Africe, kde je asi 2000 křesťanů zadržováno a v mnoha případech mučeno pro svou víru. Shromáždění organizovalo Eritrejské evangelikální bratrstvo Afriky a Středního Východu ve snaze upozornit na trpící věřící. Spolu s eritrejskými věřícími se zúčastnili křesťané z Keni, USA a Etiopie a také mesiánští Židé, z nichž jeden přicestoval z Izraele „s poselstvím povzbuzení a požehnání pro pronásledované eritrejské křesťany.“ Podle zprávy Christian Solidarity Worldwide shromáždění začalo odpoledne a skončilo pozdě večer jen proto,. že „místo se na noc uzavírá.“ Shromáždění bylo neseno „mocnými prorockými vyznáními, pohledy a viděními spolu s prosbami a chválami.“ Mnoho účastníků odešlo z Eritrey, aby unikli těžkému pronásledování, které pokračuje v neztenčené míře od roku 2002, kdy vláda vyhlásila uzavření všech kostelů a sborů kromě pravoslavných, katolických a luteránských a kdy začala ve stoupajících počtech týrat zadržené křesťany. Zdroj: BosNewsLife, Religion Today *HCJB Global Voice pracuje s místními partnery na instalaci osmi rozhlasových vysílačů v sedmi městech severní Keni.
	Všechny zprávy v angličtině.
	HUNDREDS GATHER IN KENYA TO PRAY FOR ERITREAN CHRISTIANS Sources: BosNewsLife, Religion Today Hundreds of Christians from around the world gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, Sunday, May 13, to participate in the first National Day of Prayer for Eritrea, a country in northeastern Africa where about 2,000 Christians are detained and in many cases tortured for their faith. The meeting was organized by the Eritrean Evangelical Fellowship in Africa and the Middle East in an effort to focus on “suffering” believers. In addition to Eritrean believers, participants included Kenyan, American and Ethiopian Christians as well as Messianic Jews, one of whom had traveled from Israel “with a message of encouragement and blessing for persecuted Eritrean Christians.” The meeting started in the afternoon and ended in the late evening only because the venue “had to close for the night,” reported Christian Solidarity Worldwide. “It was marked by powerful prophetic declarations, insights and visions alongside intercession and praise.” Many of the attendees had fled Eritrea to escape the severe persecution that has continued unabated since 2002 when the government decreed the closure of all churches that were not Orthodox, Catholic or Lutheran and began to harass detain Christians in increasing numbers. * HCJB Global Voice has worked with local partners to install eight radio outlets in seven cities of Kenya. PAKISTANI CHURCHES RECEIVE THREATENING LETTERS FROM MUSLIMS Sources: WorldWide Religious News, BosNewsLife, Associated Press Christians in northwestern Pakistan have received threatening letters warning them to shut their churches and convert to Islam before Thursday, May 17. The handwritten letters were delivered to two churches and several Christians’ homes in the town of Charsadda. The letters did not reveal what the consequences would be faced if they did not comply. Police are investigating who sent the unsigned notes amid reports about how religious extremists are trying to impose Taliban-style social strictures across an expanding area of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. “The ultimatum has further aggravated the sense of insecurity and fear among the Christians of Charsadda,” said Shahbaz Bhatti, chairman of the advocacy group, All Pakistan Minorities Alliance. Christians are “spending their day and night in fear and many are thinking to vacate the area due to threats and possible attacks,” Bhatti said. Other recent examples of Islamic extremism are bombings of music stores (including two reported blasts in Charsadda last week), threats to barbers who shave customers’ beards, and pressure for the closure of schools for girls. PROMINENT GERMAN BISHOP APPLIES FOR DIVORCE FROM HUSBAND Source: Assist News Service Margot Kaessmann, the most prominent female bishop in Germany, has applied for divorce from her husband, Eckhard. The 48-year-old leader of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Hanover informed the church senate Thursday, May 10, “with deep regret” of her decision and offered to suspend her duties. The senate of the church with 3 million members declared that the church leadership had heard the news with deep concern and would stand by the bishop and continue to assist her. The Kaessmanns have been married for 26 years and have four daughters ranging from 15 to 24 years of age. In 1999 Margot was elected as bishop of Hanover. She is known internationally for her involvement in the ecumenical movement and is a member of the leadership of the Protestant churches in Germany. Although other bishops and regional bishops have divorced and remarried, Margot is the first German clergy to seek a divorce while in office as bishop. U.S. HISPANIC INTEREST IN JOINING EVANGELICAL CHURCHES RISES Sources: Evangelical News, Baptist Press Two Southern Baptist Hispanic leaders see evidence of a spiritual hunger and high receptivity to the gospel among Hispanics in a recent study by the Pew Research Center. Bob Sena, director of the field services team in the North American Mission Board’s church planting group, said the fact that 23 percent of Hispanics now identify with either evangelical or Protestant churches “indicates that Hispanics are now more receptive to the gospel message than ever before in the history of this country.” Southern Baptists planted 1,592 Hispanic churches in the past five years. Daniel Sanchez, professor of missions and director of the Scarborough Institute for Church Planting and Growth at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, agreed that the study confirms a deep spiritual hunger among Hispanics in the U.S. “They are searching for an experience that connects them more closely to God than they find in their traditional forms of worship,” Sanchez said of the trend away from traditional Catholicism toward charismatic worship among Hispanics. * FORMER HCJB GLOBAL-CANADA DIRECTOR CRAIG COOK DIES AT 70 Source: HCJB Global Former HCJB Global-Canada Director Craig Cook of Mississauga, Ontario, died of cancer Thursday, May 10, after 38 years of missionary service. He was 70, leaving behind his wife of nearly 29 years, Dorothy, and a 26-year-old daughter, Terri. Craig’s parents, Ed and Dorothy Cook, SIM missionaries to Nigeria, were on home leave when Craig was born in Toronto on March 9, 1937. As a baby, Craig and his older brother, Ed, returned to Nigeria with their parents. Craig’s father died when Craig was just a year old. His mother continued to serve in Jos, Nigeria, until the boys were school age when she settled them at SIM’s Gowan Home in Collingwood, Ontario. Their mother returned alone to Nigeria where she died four years later. As a young child Craig gave his heart to Jesus. Without a father or mother, he learned to trust God for his every need and developed a simple, practical approach to life. He accepted the reality that God had called his parents home to heaven at a young age and considered it as an impetus to be found faithful and worthy to be ready to meet his Lord at any stage in life. Through his school years, Craig excelled at sports and music. By the end of high school he had won the Canadian national high jump championship and earned his Associateship with the Royal Conservatory of Music (ARCT) degree in piano. Following three years at Toronto Bible College (now Tyndale University College), graduating in 1959, Craig studied at the University of Toronto, completing a bachelor’s degree in music and a teacher’s diploma in 1963. During these years Craig met and was challenged by HCJB Global co-founder Clarence Jones. He responded to God’s call, arriving at Radio Station HCJB in Quito, Ecuador, in 1969 to serve in the music and radio ministries. Leadership and administration, however, soon became his primary focus. Craig was asked to move to the mission’s international headquarters in Miami, Fla., serving in a number of areas including North American director, executive director and senior vice president. Among his many accomplishments, Craig found it especially rewarding to be involved in the expansion of HCJB Global’s hydroelectric plant in Ecuador and the establishment of the HCJB Global Technology Center in Elkhart, Ind. Craig was also an HCJB Global board member for 26 years. When Craig was 41 he met Dorothy Vine, an x-ray technologist from New Zealand serving at Hospital Vozandes-Quito. They were married in Ecuador in 1978 and lived in Miami where their daughter, Terri, was born. The family moved to Canada in 1982 where Craig served as HCJB Global-Canada’s director for 20 years. After stepping down in 2002 he continued to serve in missions through his involvement with SIM Canada before retiring in 2006. “Craig was passionate in his conviction that the extraordinary tool of radio is a most effective way of reaching people worldwide with the gospel,” said Dorothy. “He will be remembered for his cheerful and positive spirit. Always a gentleman, he was consistently gracious and considerate, equally at home and in public. Although capable and accomplished he had a humble, unassuming way and was never happier than when he was helping someone else.” When asked several years ago about his most satisfying experience as a missionary, Craig replied, “To see the work of the mission grow and mature under God’s direction in so many areas worldwide. It’s an awesome responsibility when we realize the potential to represent Christ to the world.” Craig’s life verse was Psalm 16:8, “I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved.” A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 16, at Portico Church in Mississauga, Ontario. © Copyright 2007 - HCJB Global - Colorado Springs, CO USA

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