Malaysia Embroiled in Another Conversion Court Battle

Malaysia is engaged in yet another conversion court battle, with the country’s high court deciding whether the Christian widower of a Malaysian woman has the legal right to stop Islamic authorities from burying her in accordance with Muslim rites.The judges in the court have to decide whether Wong Sau Lan, 53, converted to Islam before she died. The conversion claim made by the Islamic Council is being contested by her husband, Ngiam Tee Kong, who had received a notice from the council that she converted to Islam on Christmas Eve.The case is the latest in the string of cases brought before the court that tests the strength of the Malaysian Constitution in defending religious freedom for minority groups.Last year, Lina Joy, one of Malaysia’s best known Christians, lost a six-year battle with the government over its refusal to remove Islam from her national identity card even though she converted to Christianity.In his judgment against Joy, Federal Court Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim had stated [[[[that individuals “cannot simply convert from one religion to another (at the whim and fancy of the individual)” even though religious freedom is protected by the constitution.]]]](1)The National Evangelical Christian Fellowship of Malaysia had condemned the court decision and claimed that it was retreating in the face of ”relentless onslaught” on their position.

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080104/30728_Malaysia_Embroiled_in_Another_Conversion_Court_Battle.htm

PS:(1)I have news for Mr.Halim....YES PEOPLE CAN CONVERT THAT EASY...!!!!Thta's how much muslims regard about freedom....There is no liberty or freedom in Islam,but the enslavery of the soul.....

As in the days of Noah...

Riot-Hit Indian Christians Still Hiding in Jungles:Seven teenaged Christian schoolgirls missing

Several Christian families in a violence-stricken area of India’s Orissa state are hiding in nearby jungles while seven teenage girls are reportedly missing.Since Christmas Eve, mobs led by Hindu activists have attacked Christians in the Kandhamal district, reportedly killing nine people and damaged 60 churches, according to the latest official report from the state government. At least 100,000 Christians reside in the 650,000-person district.Many Christian families are reportedly afraid to return to their homes due to fear of violence. Meanwhile, 142 homeless families are taking shelter at the relief camps set up in Baliguda, Orissa.The administration has urged all homeless victims of the communal violence to return to their villages.Those reportedly missing include seven ninth grade Christian girls. A boarding school informed police about the missing students on Saturday, said Satyenbrata Sahu, a divisional commissioner."We suspect they have run away out of fear," he told The Associated Press, also reporting that police were searching for the girls.All Christian institutions in the area, including a convent and seminary, were attacked. Rioters also targeted two church-run hostels and high schools as well as a few shops managed by Christians in the small town of Bamunigam.According to Dadini, a victim of the violence, several families that fled Barkhama were hiding in the jungles within a range of six to seven kilometers from Baliguda.Ludinga Digal, who had reached the Baliguda camp, had no news of his son and daughter-in-law. Digal said the people hiding in the jungle and hills were living without proper food and water since Dec. 25.Tejeswar Nayak, a college lecturer, meanwhile alleged that he was getting threatening calls from unidentified persons because he had given shelter to pastors and the priests of ransacked churches and Christian establishments at Baliguda. Miscreants continued their threats to burn up his house as well.Fr. Laxmikant Pradhan, parish priest of a ransacked Baliguda church, wondered how the victims of police and administrative negligence could return in a few days.
More patrolling sought
The local people reportedly want more patrolling by armed policemen. But Suresh Kumar Panda, Kalahandi’s additional superintendent of police who is now camping at Baliguda, said it might not be possible to increase patrolling in the area now.Many other families are believed to be hiding elsewhere.This past Sunday, more than 1,000 Christians held protest in the capital urging the government to punish the attackers and protect the Christian community in the state.Orissa is the only Indian state that has a law requiring people to obtain police permission before they change their religion. The law was intended to counter missionary work.

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080105/30745_Riot-Hit_Indian_Christians_Still_Hiding_in_Jungles.htm

As in the days of Noah....

Mission Aviation Fellowship Suspends Flights in Kenya

Mission Aviation Fellowship’s team in Kenya has suspended flights because of the dangers posed by the violence that has been rocking the country for nearly a week.The faith-based ministry said that the serious turmoil had brought non-stop requests for help from people desperate to flee deadly clashes between police and anti-government protesters over the disputed December 27 presidential election and accusations. Opposition leader Raila Odinga accuses President Mwai Kibaki of rigging the votes in favor of Kibaki’s re-election.In western Kenya, at least 70,000 people have been displaced by the violence, according to the Kenyan Red Cross.Before Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) suspended flights on Thursday, its pilots flew to the region to evacuate Kenyan locals threatened by the angry protesters, as well as missionaries who were no longer safe in their homes.MAF’s country director in Kenya, Bernard Terlouw, said, “The stories we heard were very, very sad.”“This morning I saw trucks with riot police on Ngong road. Right now as I write one can see smoke rising from Kibera and from the Ngong road area we hear the sounds of shots. We can only pray that someone or something intervenes,” he added.MAF said that the suspension of flights was temporary and that it planned to resume flying again on Monday. In the meantime, ministry staff remain in their homes.Thousands have headed to Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, to escape the Rift Valley area, where machete-wielding youths have burned down homes and, in some cases, entire villages. In Nairobi, police have set up barricades at the major roundabouts into the city and halted traffic.Around 300 people have been killed in the violence, the worst of which was the torching of a Kenyan Assemblies of God church in Kiambaa, outside Eldoret, on Tuesday by a mob that killed more than 30 people.A pastor at the church, Jackson Nyanga, told BBC that many of the people were beaten before the building was set on fire. According to Reuters, the victims were locked inside by the mob.

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080104/30737.htm

As in the days of Noah....

Regulators' assault plan puts church in crosshairs:Proposal considers taxes, fees, restrictions on numbers, sizes

A regulatory plan being considered by a Toronto suburb would put churches in the crosshairs of an assault that would include dramatically higher taxes and fees as well as restrictions on the sizes and numbers of worship centers.A series of reports by the No Apologies website featuring WND columnist Tristan Emmanuel has revealed the stunning proposals in Brampton that one source confirmed would be used in multiple cities should the Brampton effort prove successful.WND already has reported how many Biblical standards of behavior are under attack by the "bastardized courts" of Canada, where activists who claim they have "hurt feelings" are demanding – and getting – penalties imposed against those who oppose the homosexual lifestyle.That description of the courts, also known as the provincial and national Human Rights Commissions, comes from the Canada Family Action Coalition, which is warning that the United States is not far from having similar assaults on traditional family values.Now comes the report from the site launched by Emmanuel, the founder and president of the ECP Centre – Equipping Christians for the Public-Square as well as the host of "No Apologies," a weekly web-radio show "dedicated to illustrating the absurdity of political correctness.""One person who's involved … has told us at NoApologies.ca that Brampton is considered a test scenario for dozens of other municipalities in Canada, and that if the tax changes can be pushed through there, other cities are almost sure to follow," the report said.
Among the changes being reviewed:
*A plan to subject all "non-worship" space owned by religious groups to property taxes. This "non-worship" space would include offices, kitchens, nurseries, fellowship halls, parking lots, restrooms, etc. Not even the sanctuary would all be exempt: only the area "where the congregation sits/stands/gathers for actual worship."
*A new definition of "places of worship" to eliminate current provisions allowing church properties to be used for day care centers or soup kitchens.
*New limits for start-up churches, who would be allowed to rent only 3,000 square feet of industrial space for a maximum of three years before being required to buy property.
*A limit allowing only one "place of worship" for every 10,000 residents.
*A stratospheric rise in fees for things like zoning and variance issues. One church reportedly had to pay Brampton $400,000 for the paperwork required to build a new sanctuary.
*Ban religious meetings in homes if they involve more than 20 people, children included.
No Apologies reports that churches and other religious organizations are assembling a response to the proposals outlined in a city study, and a city council vote is scheduled later in January.A spokeswoman for the city told WND that the study has been launched into a "development charge bylaw," but it isn't yet completed, and doesn't even have a schedule for completion. "No recommendations have been made," she said.Al Siebring, the editor for the website, wrote in a commentary when he first heard of the plan, he thought it had to be an urban legend.But he said someone "with a bit of sympathy for the churches" leaked a copy of the still-unreleased plan that includes parts "that read like they could have been written in Stalinist Russia.""There are some really egregious rights violations potentially going on here, " he said, listing freedom of association, freedom of conscience, and "that little thing" called freedom of religion."For someone who grew up reading authors like [Voice of the Martyrs founder] Richard Wurmbrand and [Open Doors founder] Brother Andrew, the parallels to the old Soviet Union and its satellites are striking. The notion of a 'knock on the door' in the middle of a prayer meeting is so counter to everything we have understood to be fundamental to the notion of 'freedom of religion' as to be almost unthinkable," he wrote.The one good thing about the plan, he said, is that the application of new taxes, fees and limits would be on all "religious" facilities, including temples, mosques, ashrams and chapels."Which is why a coalition of 'faith groups' has been formed … to fight this," he said.Pastor Kevin Begley is the head of the new Brampton Faith Coalition, and indicated the details truly are horrific. He cited the new "plans" for new churches.
"If you want to use a rec centre or a school, you can't get that every week because it's not available," Begley told the website. "(But) if you rent a space in an industrial unit, the draft document recommends that it must be under 3,000 square feet, and you're only allowed in that area for three years. Well, 3,000 square feet - and that includes your offices, your sanctuary, your lobby, your children's or youth (ministries), whatever you want to do - you have 3,000 square feet which is ... about half the size of a gymnasium. And you're only allowed there for three years. After three years, you must have the money in the bank to go out and purchase (your own land and building). That's just not realistic. Land in our city right now is running about a million dollars an acre."

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59538

As in the days of Noah....

Afghan clerics warn Karzai against missionaries

KABUL-Afghanistan's Islamic council has told President Hamid Karzai [[[[to stop foreign aid groups from converting locals to Christianity and also demanded the reintroduction of public executions.]]]]The council, an influential group but without binding authority, is made up of Islamic clergy and ulema (scholars) from various parts of Afghanistan and made the warning in a statement during a meeting with Karzai on Friday.The ulema have always played a crucial role in Muslim Afghanistan and have been behind a series of revolts against past governments.But since the ousting of Taliban's radical Islamic administration by U.S.-led troops in 2001, Afghanistan has seen an unprecedented period of freedoms.[[[[[["The council is concerned about the activities of some ... missionary and atheistic organs and considers such acts against Islamic sharia (law), the constitution, and political stability," said a copy of the statement obtained by Reuters."If not prevented, God forbid, catastrophe will emerge, which will not only destabilize the country, but the region and the world."Quoting what he said were reliable sources, Ahmad Ali Jebrayeli, a member of the council and also a member of parliament, said unnamed Christian missionaries had offices in Kabul and in the provinces to convert Afghans." Some NGOs are encouraging them (to convert), give them books (Bibles) and promise to send them abroad," he told Reuters on Saturday.]]]]]]
STRONG CHRISTIAN LINKS
[[[[Numerous foreign aid groups and charities operating in Afghanistan have strong direct or indirect links to Christian organizations, but they insist they are not proselytizing.Some 23 South Korean missionaries, were kidnapped by the Taliban last year and, amongst other things, accused of trying to convert Muslims. Two of the group were murdered before the rest, almost all women, were freed following a complex secret deal.The conversion and spiriting out of an Afghan Christian convert following the intervention of several Western leaders and Pope Benedict in 2006 also sparked a series of protests locally.]]]]{{{Strict interpretations of Islam as practiced in Afghanistan treat conversions as apostasy, which is punishable by death.}}}The council also urged Karzai to stop local TV stations from airing Indian soap operas and movies-enormously popular in Afghanistan-which they said showed obscenities and scenes which threatened the morality of society.[[The council also demanded a return to public executions for murderers as well as a crackdown against graft.]]The Taliban, leading an insurgency against Karzai's government and foreign troops, used to publicly execute those convicted of capital crimes-usually on Fridays after midday prayers.While Afghanistan still has the death penalty on its books, it has been rarely been carried out since the Taliban's fall and never in public.Karzai instructed various government departments to address the demands of the council, but stopped short of committing to change, Jebrayeli said."If he fails to listen to the Ulema, people will further distance themselves from the government and there will be more pessimism and instability," he said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080105/wl_nm/afghan_religion_dc

As in the days of Noah....

Parents race to escape before court takes kids:Government lawsuit seeks state custody of children

A homeschooling family is trying to arrange an escape from Germany before authorities can complete a court action that would give the state custody of their five children, according to a pro-family advocacy organization.The case involves Klaus and Evelyn Landahl, who have been living in Altensteig with their five children under the age of 13, including four who are school age, according to officials at Netzwerk-Bildungsfreiheit.And this case is just one of two where the parents are arranging to move out of Germany in order to provide what they consider the best schooling opportunities for their children, according to the U.S.-based Home School Legal Defense Association.The second family was identified as Dagmar and Tilman Neubronner, who have had an ongoing battle with local authorities over the education of their children, but now have confirmed plans to leave Germany and give up residency there.The urgent court action, however, targeted the Landahl family, according to Netzwerk-Bildungsfreiheit.Officials there said the father already is in England, but the mother, Evelyn, remains behind in Germany because one of her children is being treated in a hospital."They have deregistered children and wife in Germany, but nevertheless the mayor of Altensteig, the town where the Landahls lived, has filed a lawsuit with the local family court to take custody of the children away from the Landahls," an organization spokesman said."As the mayor knows that the family wants to leave Germany and that they have deregistered, his attempt is that the family court takes custody away in a so-called … (preliminary warrant) which means that custody can be taken away without a hearing [for] the parents," he said. "The final decision of the court can be pronounced later, but its intention is to prevent the parents from leaving the country with the children."He said in this case, authorities are seeking to deprive the parents of their right to make decisions about their children's schooling as well as their right "to determine the place of abode."He compared the actions of the German government to those more usually associated with the old East Germany or Soviet Union in that "not only parental rights are limited more and more, also the right to choose where you want to live is restricted."Reports said the family already had rented an apartment abroad and begun the process of moving, but then were served with a legal notice of the lawsuit regarding custody.The HSLDA, which has been active in other cases of German families falling victim to government enforcement of that nation's Hitler-era ban on homeschooling, said the policy "is in stark contrast to all other democratic and free societies that embrace homeschooling and recognize that parents have the primary responsibility and inalienable right to direct the upbringing and education of their children."The organization called it "tragic" that German families "must choose between living in their homeland and homeschooling their children.""Such behavior should not be tolerated by the rest of the free world and we call on governments and private citizens to take action to tell Germany that such policies are an embarrassment to them and must be changed," the group's statement said.The update on the Neubronner case, currently pending in Bremen, came from the family itself. "We are leaving Germany for now, and our children and my husband Tilman have already given up their permanent residence in Germany," said a note from Dagmar Neubronner. "I will maintain my permanent residence in Bremen because I am the bearer of our small publishing house…""Fortunately, we have been invited to several places in Europe. That is why our new life will start with a very long journey to see all those places and meet supporting friends and families," she wrote. "Nevertheless, it is hard to leave everything behind, especially our tomcat (a neighbor will take care of him), our relatives and friends and choirs and music ensembles and sports teams, our house and garden – our town and our country."An enclosed note from the family's lawyer said, surprisingly, the German Federal Constitutional Court recently granted the family's appeal.The family had sued because members were denied legal aid in their contest against an administrative court over penalties that the government was imposing for their homeschooling. The request for legal aid had been rejected because authorities ruled the "prospect of success [was] too small."While that decision has been overturned, the family still chose to leave Germany because of continuing threats from the "federal minister of education" to impose penalties adding up to $10,000, plus "further coercives."The government already had searched the home for items that could be sold to pay the penalties, and had shut down the family's access to bank accounts."Only jail and loss of custody are left" as potential penalties, their lawyer concluded."The Neubronners have decided that the risk to their family is too great to remaining Germany," HSLDA said. "The family will leave Germany to protect their children from the threat of being taken away from the family and so that they can continue to homeschool."Government officials repeatedly have expressed a determination to stamp out "parallel societies" and that includes homeschooling.German officials also have targeted an American family of Baptist missionaries for deportation because they belong to a group that refuses "to give their children over to the state school system."And a teenager, Melissa Busekros, eventually was returned to her family months after German authorities took her from her home and forcibly detained her in a psychiatric facility for being homeschooled.WND has reported further on other families facing fines, frozen bank accounts and court-ordered state custody of their children for resisting Germany's mandatory public school requirements, which by government admission are assigned to counter "the rise of parallel societies that are based on religion or motivated by different world views.""Even the United Nations has called on Germany to reform the way it treats homeschoolers. We appeal to the German people and German leadership to do what is right and to protect rather than attack families who choose to homeschool their children," the HSDLA has noted.In the case involving Melissa Busekros, a German appeals court ultimately ordered legal custody of the teenager who was taken from her home by a police squad and detained in a psychiatric hospital in 2007 for being homeschooled be returned to her family because she no longer is in danger.The lower court's ruling had ordered police officers to take Melissa – then 15 – from her home, if necessary by force, and place her in a mental institution for a variety of evaluations. She was kept in custody from early February until April, when she turned 16 and under German law was subject to different laws.At that point she simply walked away from the foster home where she had been required to stay and returned home.Wolfgang Drautz, consul general for the Federal Republic of Germany, has commented on the issue on a blog, noting the government "has a legitimate interest in countering the rise of parallel societies that are based on religion or motivated by different world views and in integrating minorities into the population as a whole."Drautz said homeschool students' test results may be as good as for those in school, but "school teaches not only knowledge but also social conduct, encourages dialogue among people of different beliefs and cultures, and helps students to become responsible citizens."The German government's defense of its "social" teachings and mandatory public school attendance was clarified during an earlier dispute on which WND reported, when a German family wrote to officials objecting to police officers picking their child up at home and delivering him to a public school."The minister of education does not share your attitudes toward so-called homeschooling, " said a government letter in response. "... You complain about the forced school escort of primary school children by the responsible local police officers. ... In order to avoid this in future, the education authority is in conversation with the affected family in order to look for possibilities to bring the religious convictions of the family into line with the unalterable school attendance requirement."
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59536

As in the days of Noah....

Jesus in Turkey:After 550 years of decline, a bloodied church is being reborn

For the first time in 550 years, Christianity inside Turkey is growing in numbers and influence. But its recent growth comes at a high price: since February 2006, radicalized Muslims have killed five Christians—the kind of cold-blooded martyrdom not seen in decades.
Modern-day Turkey's 73 million citizens, 98 percent of whom are Muslims, are experiencing social and political upheaval. The country is attempting to improve its economic and human-rights record in order to join the European Union. Turkey's relations with the United States are strained as an ally in the war in Iraq, and because of Congress's aborted effort to pass the Armenian genocide resolution. Also, Turkey's border disputes with Greece over land around the Aegean Sea, as well as violent skirmishes with Kurdish rebels on its southern border, keep this nation's formidable military on highest alert.
This is the context in which a handful of Islamic radicals targeted Christians as "enemies of the state" because of their association with Western groups and their alleged support of Kurdish rebels. The five killed within the last two years were:
• Andrea Santoro, a Catholic priest killed in February 2006. A 16-year-old youth shot Santoro as he was praying in the Santa Maria Church in Trabzon, Turkey.
• Hrant Dink, a Turkish-Armenian newspaper editor. In January 2007, a teenager gunned down Dink, who had been convicted of "insulting Turkishness" two years prior.
• The three Malatya martyrs: Necati Aydin, a Turkish pastor; Tilmann Geske, a missions worker from Germany; and Ugur Yuksel, a new Christian convert from Islam. In April 2007, young radicals feigning curiosity about Christianity killed the three men by slitting their throats at a Christian publishing house in southeastern Turkey. Their survivors include five children, two widows, and a fiancée.
In November, a Turkish court set a trial date for the five suspects involved in the Malatya killings for early January. Police are calling for life imprisonment and said all five suspects have confessed to the murders. The suspects accused the Christians of "forcing local girls into prostitution" and of praising the violence of rebel Kurds. (About 30,000 people have died since the 1980s in rebel-related violence.) Meanwhile, the Alliance of Protestant Churches in Turkey is calling Turkish congregations to pray and fast every Thursday for the next several weeks in preparation for the trial.
Isa Karatas of the Alliance of Protestant Churches in Turkey told Compass Direct News, "It is clear from these statements of the suspects that there is some group of powerful influence behind them. These people want to portray Turkey's Protestants as enemies of the nation."
"At the same time," he added, "because honor is such an important concept in our culture, they are trying to accuse us of having weak morals, so that they can find a justification for their murders."
Few nations have as rich a Christian history as Turkey. This is where Paul founded some of the earliest churches, including the church at Ephesus. Seven churches in this region were addressed in the Book of Revelation. Those in the early monastic movement found the caves of Cappadocia a near-perfect place to live out lives of prayer. Constantinople, now the city of Istanbul, became the capital of the Roman Empire just as it was being Christianized, and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople has been the leader of worldwide Orthodoxy for centuries.
But Christianity came under Islamic rule in Turkey in 1453 and steadily declined for centuries; the last 100 years have been the worst. In 1900, the Christian population was 22 percent. Now most experts estimate that there are fewer than 200,000 Christians nationwide, comprising less than 0.3 percent of the population.
next page...

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/january/12.25.html

As in the days of Noah....

Pakistan postpones elections; ministry weighs in

Pakistan-Stabilizing a volatile ally is a major concern in US-Pakistan relations.The chaos triggered by Benazir Bhutto's death led to the postponement of the parliamentary elections to February 18.There was concern that an election too soon would benefit the two main opposition parties: the Pakistan Peoples Party and the pro-government Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam. Additional logistics and security issues forced the decision to a head.Evangelist Sammy Tippit says they have partners working there. We asked if the upheaval was hurting ministry. "It's affected the church, only in the sense of the general population. There are some real concerns that our particular friends have, because of the work that they are doing. So many people coming to Christ are not from a Christian background, and that has caused them great concern." For Tippit, the concern is personal.In 2005, extremists kidnapped and murdered Babar Shamoun, the man who had been translating Tippit's evangelistic and discipleship messages into the Pashtun language.Shamoun had been translating for several Christian ministries in addition to STM, and he was an active pastor in the Christian community. His assistant, Daniel Emanuel, was also killed.Instability in the region has often led to a surge of nationalist thinking, which could be dangerous for believers. Christians have often been associated with the West.Tippit says, of the church in Pakistan, "When they tell us to be praying for them, we know that that's a serious thing, that they really need us to be praying for them because we have seen friends who have been killed and murdered because of their work in reaching the non-Christian population." While evangelism is difficult, Tippit says it's not impossible. "We've had broadcasts into Iran, Pakistan, India and that whole region of the world. So there are ways for them to hear the Gospel, and we need to just pray that the seed would be planted in fertile soil. I believe that soil is made fertile as we pray for people."Tippit is looking into another visit into Pakistan this year as part of the follow-up of some earlier work.Pray that the situation would settle down enough for the discipleship and encouragement to be scheduled. Pray, too, for those involved in evangelistic work, that they would be bold in their faith.
http://www.mnnonline.org/article/10746

As in the days of Noah...

Kenya's riots impact church

Kenya-Next, Assist News Service is reporting 30 people burned to death inside a church on New Year's Day. They were seeking refuge in the Assemblies of God church from a post-election riot in Eldoret, in western Kenya.The violence seems to be escalating into a tribal warfare between the Kikuyu and the Luo. The death toll from four days of clashes has passed 300. Most of the victims were members of the Kikuyu tribe to which newly re-elected President Mwai Kibaki belongs.According to a Reuters report, thousands have taken refuge in churches and police stations across Eldoret town, prompting a humanitarian crisis as food and water run short. However, with the attack on the church, some were leaving, fearing that even the church could no longer keep them safe.Police estimate that roughly 75,000 Kenyans have fled their homes. Some have fled into the neighboring countries of Uganda and Tanzania.Please pray for the safety of those who are acting as the hands and feet of Christ during this uncertain time. Pray that hearts would respond to the peace of Christ.
http://www.mnnonline.org/article/10749

As in the days of Noah...

Kenya violence is affecting ministry

Kenya-A dispute over last week's presidential voting in Kenya has triggered the worst urban clashes in 25 years and displaced tens of thousands of people in the process. President Mwai Kibaki's(picture left) narrow re-election victory and his swearing in on Sunday sparked violence across the country. Much of it was along tribal lines, with tit-for-tat killings and arson attacks.World Gospel Mission has work in Kenya. Speaking from Kenya, WGM's Regional Director for Africa Terry Duncan says, "All of our people have had to remain calm where they are in their homes. No one is traveling because travel has been pretty much blocked for everyone because of security, and some major roads are not even allowed on."This is unusual for Kenya, says Duncan. "This has been an example to many of the African nations. And democracy has been preached and taught and pretty much demonstrated here. And we would hope that would continue. It's just at a very fragile time right now for us."Duncan says almost every major city has had violence reported throughout the country. Even if the violence spreads, he says, "We have the national church, which means that the church work that we have started will continue even we would have to leave. But they have been affected by this probably even more that we have as expatriates."According to Duncan, the displaced are having difficulties."Relief agencies are here, but they cannot get to those that have been affected-communities that have been displaced. Several thousand people's homes have been destroyed."[[[[[He's asking Christians around the world to pray. "Pray that the church would be strong. Pray for those who are displaced at this time-those who have had their homes burned down. Food is in short supply. Pray for the people of Kenya that God will somehow bring a quick end to what has taken place in just a few days here."During times of uncertainty, there are many opportunities to share the truth of the Gospel. Pray that believers would be bold in their witness.]]]]]

http://www.mnnonline.org/article/10748

As in the days of Noah....

9 dead in attacks by Hindu gangs:90 churches, 600 homes torched during violence

Nine people are dead and dozens of churches and hundreds of Christians' homes have been torched during a surge of Hindu violence in India, according to reports from organizations working there.Compass Direct News reports that the deaths and damage have been reported since Christmas Eve, when members of the extremist World Hindu Council launched their assaults on the faithful belonging to Christianity."Orissa state's Kandhamal district remains tense 10 days after the series of anti-Christian attacks began, and thousands of Christians whose houses have been burned down are facing hunger and fear," the Compass Direct report said. Pastor Victor John, who was in the region during the attacks, said federal Indian troops have been deployed, but there still remain tensions and worries.The nation's Human Rights Commission this week reported nine deaths from the attacks, close to 90 churches burned, about 600 homes either torched or vandalized, and about 5,000 people forced to flee.Swami Laxmananda Saraswati, a leader of the World Hindu Council (VHP), told local reporters that the violence was triggered by Hindus who converted to Christianity.While John Dayal, general secretary of the All India Christian Council, told Compass the death toll remained unconfirmed, there appeared to be a number of such cases."Many people, including young women, are still reported missing," Dayal told Compaass Direct. "We have no accounting, and neither do we know if the police have tried to search for them. Christians have been arrested, we learn, but there is no official word on it.
"Troublemakers seem to have a free hand in the entire district," he said.One of difficulties, he said, is that the government forces have prevented church groups from sending teams into the area of the attacks to assess damage and offer assistance.The violence apparently erupted first in Kandhamal as members of the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in one small village were preparing for their Christmas celebration.A Hindu mob, upset with Christianity's beliefs and the apparent choice by some Hindus to follow Christianity, attacked the Christians and their shops, the Compass Direct agency reported.The blame, the report said, rests with Saraswati, who has opposed Christians and their work in India for more than a decade."It was Saraswati who instigated the mob to attack us," one Christian villager told Compass Direct on condition of anonymity. "Later, Christians learned that Saraswati was coming to launch more attacks. Sections of Christians tried to stop him on the way, which resulted in a clash between the two groups, following which the VHP claimed that their leader was hurt and announced that now Christians would be attacked as revenge."The series of attacks earlier prompted Christians to stage a rally to demand government intervention to halt violence against members of the minority religion. The recent rally in Delhi drew an estimated 1,000 Christians and was organized by the All India Christian Council.A message was delivered to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after officials met with Union Home Minister Shivraj V. Patil, as well as the head of the National Commission for Minorities.However, Compass Direct also reported that the very officials who are supposed to be keeping order sometimes apparently have contributed to the problems. Local police officers in Bangalore recently arrested and harassed five workers from the Indian Church of Christ, the report said."One man holding a video camera slapped me on the face while focusing the camera on us, while others held us by our collars," Shaijus Philip told Compass. "A huge guy kept hitting and punching us, using abusive language against Christianity, the church and us. They caught hold of three more brothers who were there and called the police, falsely accusing us of various crimes."The Christians were jailed five days, while their attackers went free, the report said."The Christians were arrested for hurting religious sentiments of Hindus," an officer in a police station said."The police, who are supposed to protect all citizens from criminal assaults, are often found to be conniving with the ruling government to organize religion-related violence or harass the victims hoping to get bribes," a spokesman for the Christian Legal Association told Compass.In just one incident alone, a mob estimated at 25 Hindu extremists attacked a troupe of Christians who had been putting on a play, cutting off one man's finger and seriously injuring several others.Earlier, Hindu extremists were accused of disrupting a prayer meeting, attacking a pastor and filing false charges of forcible conversion against the church leader in Virajpet town, Kodagu district, in Karnataka.
Another gang of Hindu extremists attacked a prayer meeting, pelting the building being used with stones and beating up Christians.And the violence continues. According to Assist News Service, seven Christian church members were beaten on New Year's Day, with two members admitted to a government hospital for treatment."More than 200 believers … were praying … when about 25 radicals entered the church with metal rods, knives and started to mercilessly attack on the peaceful worshippers," the report said."Our leaders in Orissa and media reports both indicate that attacks on Christians were not spontaneous but preplanned by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other Hindutva groups. Also, the state government misled the people of India by making repeated statements that the situation was under control. It is tragic. Orissa burned while politicians talked," said Dr. Joseph D'souza, president of the All India Christian Council and international president of the Dalit Freedom Network."Hindutva leaders say the violence is a response to conversions by Christian missionaries," said Udit Raj, national chairman of the All India Confederation. "But this is a lie. Christian missionaries are targeted by Hindutva and upper cast forces because Christians truly provide education and social upliftment…"Singh has responded with an announcement of a plan for compensation for Christian victims of the riots and attacks. According to the Global Council of Indian Christians, he's proposed a payment of about $2,400 U.S. for the next of kin for the victims, and about $240 U.S. for those whose homes were damaged.According to Gospel for Asia, another Christian ministry working in India, the violence has amounted to a virtual terror campaign against Christians."This violence against believers in Orissa breaks my heart," said K.P. Yohannan, founder and president of GFA."This is the same state where missionary Graham Staines and his two sons were martyred. The believers know they will face opposition, but this outburst of persecution at Christmas time is especially disturbing."GFA said a project on which its missionaries had worked in Orissa was destroyed, and its missionary leader Matish Junni attacked."The mob beat Matish and shaved his head. Then they mockingly paraded him around the village, shouting slurs against him and other Christians," the report said. "They also forced Matish to go to their religious temples. When the mob finally released him, they warned him not to continue the construction."WND recently reported when religious radicals threatened to burn a Christian church's pastor and his family, and the church building was vandalized with a Hindu "Om" symbol.Just weeks earlier, another church leader in India was attacked, beaten and kicked for being Christian.Even within the United States, there have been attacks, although verbal instead of physical.As WND reported, the Hindu American Foundation has attacked Christian organizations ranging from the Southern Baptists' missions board and Gospel for Asia to Olive Tree Ministries, which aims to teach Christians about their beliefs."The proliferation of websites promoting religious hatred is an unfortunate consequence of the universality of access to the Internet," said Vinay Vallabh, the lead author of a report that attacked the Christian groups for their expression of their beliefs."We must vigorously identify, condemn and counter those who use the Internet to espouse chauvinism and bigotry over the principles of pluralism and tolerance," Vallabh said.
Vallabh's report, called "Hyperlink to Hinduphobia: Online Hatred, Extremism and Bigotry Against Hindus," expresses his hope that Internet Service Providers will start censoring Christian postings of their beliefs, "a necessary step as we continue our balancing act between free speech and licentious speech that leads to violence in the electronic age."
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59504

As in the days of Noah....

Ministry founder: U.S. Christians 'absolutely not prepared' for persecution

The founder of Gospel for Asia says while persecution is increasing worldwide for Christians, he believes it will soon impact believers in America-and K.P. Yohannan says they need to get ready for it.Persecution against Christians is increasing worldwide, especially in countries such as India, where attacks on churches and Christians by Hindu extremists have increased dramatically.In fact, when missionaries graduate from Gospel for Asia (GFA) Bible colleges, they are told to expect persecution-and perhaps even death-for spreading the gospel.According to GFA founder K.P. Yohannan, Christians in those countries expect such treatment and are prepared when the tough times come.But he believes Christians in America will soon be faced with persecution as well-and he is fearful that many are not ready."The great falling-away from faith could be worst here in America because people are absolutely not prepared to face suffering or persecution-because we cannot imagine a gospel with the cross and the suffering in it," says Yohannan."Yet the Bible teaches very strong about it. So as the Word of God says: He who has ears, let him hear."The ministry leader is convinced that prosperity has caused many Christians in America to focus on material possessions instead of surrendering all to Christ.The result, he says, is that American Christians have become "very naïve" in thinking that real persecution will never come their way."These are warning signs," he exclaims."God is telling us that we need to prepare our lives. And preachers going around saying that revival is coming, and everything is okay, and all these things? I think that people are being set up for huge disaster and denying their faith when they face problems."It is estimated that more than 16,000 Christians are martyred worldwide each year for their faith.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/12/ministry_founder_us_christians.php

As in the days of Noah....

Christians mark somber holiday season in Gaza

Gaza-A senior Hamas militant is suspected of torturing and killing the manager of a Christian bookstore in the Gaza Strip who was found dead last month. That's an alarming development, says Open Doors USA's Carl Moeller, because Hamas has previously provided a certain degree of protection for the Christian community."The most disappointing aspect of this discovery is that not only is this a Hamas person who committed this crime, apparently, but also that despite the assurances right after the murder that they had nothing to do with it, they haven't distanced themselves from him and in fact have sent him on a pilgrimage to Mecca."Rami Ayyad's murder sent shudders through the tightly-knit community. Christmas found a low-profile celebration in the region, the observance suppressed by fears of violence.The concern over Hamas' alleged involvement is confirmed by Moeller. The person thought responsible for the attack is Ashraf Abu Layla, the central Gaza chief of Hamas' so-called military wing.Ayyad, a Baptist, was accused by Gaza-based Islamic groups of engaging in missionary activities. His bookstore, owned by the Palestinian Bible Society, was firebombed in April.SAT-7's Terry Ascott says it's no wonder that believers feel like they're under siege."Pray for the Bible Society director and all the Bible Society staff throughout the Palestinian territories, that they wouldn't be discouraged by this. Pray that the Word of God would continue to be made available throughout the territories.We have a strong partnership with the Bible Society, and we very much see what we do as complimenting their work, by taking Scripture to satellite television."That means ministry continues, although the other impact of this, he explains, is the disruption of ministry. "The killing of the bookstore owner who's associated with the Bible Society has led actually to all the related staff to that shop being evacuated from Gaza. There's just one person left who could not yet receive permission from the Israeli authorities to cross out of Gaza."Open Doors' Moeller says Christians are asking prayer for boldness. "Believers who continue to promote their faith evangelistically, despite their commitment to the general welfare of Gaza, and their commitment to the people of Gaza to serve them, that there will be increasing threat against their existence in Gaza as a result of this."There are estimates that up to 70% of the Christian community plan to leave at the earliest opportunity. Pray for the staff of the Bible Society.There is already a remnant church in Gaza; pray for the safety of those who remain, that their faith will speak loudly.
http://www.mnnonline.org/article/10740

As in the days of Noah....

Slain missionaries mourned in Turkey

Turkey-The Turkish Interior Ministry has opened a judicial investigation into accusations against state prosecutors in Malatya for mishandling the case involving the torture and murder of three Christians in the southeastern city last April.Five men are expected to return to court January 14, accused of murdering three Christian workers in central Turkey. The defendants face life sentences for tying up, torturing and slitting the throats of Necati Aydin, 35, Ugur Yuksel, 32, and German national Tilmann Geske, 46, on April 18 at the Malatya-based Christian publishing house they ran.At stake is Turkey's willingness to tackle persecution. Voice of the Martyrs Canada's Glenn Penner explains:"If the killers are allowed to simply get away with lesser charges, or it's seen that these murders were somehow justified on the basis that these Christians were involved in missionary activity, then Turkish Christians are certainly going to feel that they're not equal members of society, and that their religious activities are going to continue to be under threat."Despite the government reforms to facilitate joining the European Union, there is no indication of increasing religious freedom.While the Turkish constitution includes freedom of religion, worship services are only permitted in "buildings created for this purpose," and officials have restricted the construction of buildings for minority religions.In other cases, those who dare to profess Christ face harassment, threats and prison.Evangelism is difficult.However, Penner says, "The church is continuing to move forward, and Christians are continuing to witness. But of course, it does cause some anxiety. There have been a number of attacks on evangelicals in the last two years, and they're wanting to know, 'Will our government stand up for us? Will they defend us? Or will they allow us to be shot, killed and attacked with impunity?' "Yet, even in the face of these horrible events, Christians are recognizing opportunities to talk about their faith in ways they haven't been able to previously, says Johan Candelin who heads the Religious Liberty Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance. Candelin says there's a deep national sense of confusion in Turkey today. What's added to their confusion, says Candelin, is the television interviews of the widows."The widows came out on national television and said, 'We will stay in Turkey. We love Turkey.' And, 'I have forgiven the killers because Jesus has forgiven me.' That has been a strong, strong testimony to the nation of 70 million Muslims. "Many Muslims have come out in support of the Christians who were killed. However, Candelin says, not all. "There are also strong nationalistic groups in Turkey that see the Christians, especially the missionary work they do, as something that will split the Turkish nation."The World Evangelical Alliance has a three-pronged approach to this crisis.They're trying to get all sides talking and put rumors to rest. Candelin also says a letter has been sent to the Prime Minister. "We have asked him to come out with a statement that missionary activity done by Protestants is not bad for the nation, but good."The WEA is also doing something for the families. "We have also started a love gift collection for the five children of two of the martyrs who were killed. We're trying to get love gifts together so these children can go to school."Pray for opportunities for Christians in Turkey to share the truth of Christ.

http://www.mnnonline.org/article/10738

As in the days of Noah....

Turmoil faces Pakistan in the wake of assassination

Pakistan-Officials in Pakistan are considering a delay in the January 8 parliamentary elections following the assassination of Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto last week.Her death sparked waves of violence and unrest, causing authorities to worry that local governments would not be ready for electoral duties.There are also concerns that the strong emotional reaction to the assassination would skew results.Next to President Pervez Musharraf, Bhutto was the best-known political figure in the country, serving two terms as prime minister between 1988 and 1996. She was respected in the West for her liberal outlook and determination to combat the spread of Islamic extremism.Such extremism has been the bane to evangelistic work in Pakistan. Open Doors supports the evangelical church in Pakistan, which numbers about 2 percent. Minister-at-large for the ministry Paul Estabrooks wonders, "Is he (Musharraf) going to impose martial law because of the violence which could result, or will he allow the elections to go ahead?"Although Al Qaeda is denying its involvement, Estabrooks thinks differently. "She really believed that it was extremist Muslims that were out to kill her. That was her personal belief. I don't think she was a paranoid person, so I think there was something to her beliefs on this."Bhutto's death is one more ingredient in the de-stabilizing formula that allows such extremist groups room to grow. Because of that,Estabrooks predicts the immediate future doesn't look good for the country or for Christians."I think there's going to be some turmoil for quite some time over this, and of course in the past Christians have often been the object of anger of the dominantly Muslim society there."While Christians must be careful, Estabrooks is hoping that "out of this crisis, which seems to be so terrible, that God will give opportunities for our Christian brothers and sisters to share their faith with their community, both at a public statement level and in an individual one-on-one."Pakistan is not the only country being affected by the uproar. Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Mission India's Dave Stravers says of the effect on India, that "Christians are complaining that some of the national officials that do protect them from local Hindu extremists, their attention is diverted, and they're not willing to get involved in another aspect of religious violence because of this fear that Muslim/Hindu animosity might break out in the country."His comments refer to the Christmas week violence against believers in Orissa state.There have been unconfirmed reports of Christians being killed in those attacks. At least a dozen church buildings have been destroyed and numerous meetings broken up.The All-India Christian Council asked for better protection against the continued attacks.Christians were told that a government visit to Orissa was planned in order to set up procedures that would protect Christians from attack. Now, in the wake of the assassination, religious fervor is being stoked to frenzy. There are concerns that the Muslim/Hindu conflicts will explode along Pakistan's borders with India.Whenever sectarian violence flares, Stravers says, minorities-in this case, Christians-bear the brunt."Stability definitely enhances the Gospel, so I'm praying for the peace of Pakistan, and I'm praying of the peace of India, and I'm praying that whatever evil elements in the country that are seeking to use these political events for their own ends, that God will frustrate them."
http://www.mnnonline.org/article/10742

As in the days of Noah....

India's persecution of Christians continues to grow

USA-In the last few years, persecution against Christians in India has been on the increase. Anti-Christian sentiment is at an all-time high. Unfortunately, one leader in India doesn't expect that to change in 2008.Founder and President of Gospel for Asia KP Yohannan says 2007 has been a very violent year for believers. "There has not been any single week during this year that we didn't have to report that some missionary was beaten up and abused or was in the hospital. (We've even seen) some of our sisters being abused and beaten up," which isn't typical there, says Yohannan.Why is this happening? According to Yohannan, Matthew 10 says this type of persecution is inevitable. "Jesus promised this was going to happen. More people are coming to Christ, and we'll see a greater amount of persecution. Satan knows his time is very short, and therefore he will intensify persecution. "While Yohannan is praying that persecution subsides, GFA is not ignoring the problem.He says they're training Bible college and seminary graduates to be prepared for persecution."When the graduation takes place, many of the students are going out knowing that some of them are going to face severe persecution.One of the most common things we are hearing is that when they finish their training, many of them get beaten up and face difficulties for preaching the Gospel."According to Yohannan, the training has helped."Not one missionary so far ever said to us, 'I'm going back home, I don't want to face this.' Rather, they're saying that they will continue to go forward preaching the Gospel."Out of that growth, an increasing number of Bible school students are taking an oath to give it ALL for the Gospel. However, resources to help these new graduates aren't affordable by most. That's why Bible Pathway is helping.Bible Pathway's Al Joslyn says his organization will be helping a specific Bible Institute."In early Spring, one Bible Institution over in Northern India is going to be graduating over 1,000 students.These students are young pastors who will be going into highly-persecuted areas. And they will be starting churches and witnessing for Christ there."Bible Pathway has been asked to send Bibles and Bible Pathway Commentaries to them. However, Joslyn says, "Unfortunately the shipping cost is upwards of $10,000. So we're looking for alternative ways of shipping so we can get them there in time to equip these young people to go out and win the world for Christ in their area."Another group is clashing with the government over rights.Tribal farmers, known as the Gujjars, want affirmative action rights.Recent clashes killed more than 20 as the Gujjars in the state of Rajasthan seek rights given to other low castes of India's society which would provide them opportunities for education and jobs.Operation Mobilization works in India with national believers. OM's Peter Dance says the elected Hindu government in Rajasthan promised these rights in their bid to win the election, only to renege on that promise.Their demands are being met with opposition from other tribes. The Meenas oppose the granting of tribal status to the Gujjars fearing they will lose their own quotas for education and jobs. The two sides clashed in eastern Rajasthan as the Meenas tried to break the blockade.Dalit Hindus also have these affirmative action rights, but they lose those rights if they convert to Christianity.Many believe this could further anger the upper castes of India's society. According to Dance, conversion to Christianity angers nationalistic Hindus."Part of our mandate is to support and encourage these new believers. Discipleship training is part of that. And in a lot of cases, we're standing beside them financially because they've left their job, and some of these pastors have several of these church communities scattered around their local area."Pray that many more people will turn to Christ.Pray for boldness for those sharing the Gospel. And, pray that those attacking these believers will come to Christ.
http://www.mnnonline.org/article/10739

As in the days of Noah....

Kenya church fire kills 50 who fled mob

NAIROBI, Kenya - A mob torched a church sheltering hundreds of Kenyans fleeing election violence on Tuesday, killing as many as 50 people as the convulsion of bloodshed continued after the disputed vote that gave the president a second term.President Mwai Kibaki said political parties should meet immediately and publicly call for calm after rioting killed at least 263 people in what had been east Africa's most stable and prosperous democracy.The church fire in Eldoret, some 185 miles from the capital, killed at least 50 people, said a Red Cross volunteer who counted the bodies and helped the wounded.The European Union and the United States have refused to congratulate Kibaki. The EU and four top Kenyan elections officials have called for an independent inquiry."There was a huge mob; they attacked the church," said a witness, who asked that his name not be used for fear of reprisals. "We counted 15 to 20 bodies."Two police officers, who were not authorized to speak to the media, confirmed that several people burned to death.In Britain, Prime Minister Gordon Brown urged talks between Kibaki, sworn into office for a second five-year term, and opposition leader Raila Odinga."The violence must be brought to an end," he said Tuesday in London.Allegations of rigging were fueled by the fact that the opposition won most of the parliamentary seats in Thursday's vote, as well as unexplained delays in vote tallying and anomalies that included a 115 percent turnout in one constituency.Opposition leaders set the stage for more turmoil by calling for a million people to rally Thursday against Kibaki, who had been trailing Odinga in early election results and opinion polls before pulling ahead.The government banned the demonstration but opposition leaders said they would forge ahead.The bloodshed has exposed tribal resentments that have long festered in Kenya, where Kibaki's Kikuyu people-Kenya's largest ethnic group-are accused of turning their dominance of politics and business to the detriment of others. Odinga is from the Luo tribe.Anne Njoki, a 28-year-old Kikuyu, said she fled her home in the slums after she saw Kikuyus being attacked and their homes looted. She was camped out near a military base with her sister, 3-year-old nephew and 7-year-old niece."They have taken our beds, blankets, even spoons," she said of the looters. The children hadn't eaten for days, she said.Kenya's Red Cross said gangs were even checking on the tribal affiliations of aid workers trying to help the injured.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080101/ap_on_re_af/kenya_elections
PS:Dear friends and visitors....Im truly sorry that the first post of this 2008 is this one depicting so muhc violence in Kenya...but I think it's a reminder for us all that satan knows he has little time before the coming of the Lord and he is unleashing all his hellish hatred and violence against the church wherever they are and trying to take as many millions as possible to the pits of hell where his place is....
Please remember the PERSECUTED CHURCH this year and daily pray and give to help our brothers and sisters all over the world that are hurt and suffering because of just being christians.....
God is Faithful....
May God bless you
In His Love


As in the days of Noah....

Gaza Christians Observe Somber Christmas after Murder

Christmas in the Gaza Strip is quiet if not utterly dreary this year as droves of frightened Christians flee the territory after the recent murder of a prominent Christian leader by unidentified extremists.Palestinian Christians gather during the Christmas Mass at the Deir Al Latin Catholic Church in Gaza City,Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2007. Gaza's tiny Christian community is keeping a low profile this Christmas, traumatized by the killing of a prominent activist in the wake of Hamas' takeover of the coastal territory.Few Christmas trees or decorations are on display in Gaza’s tiny Christian community, including in churches. Christians – who were once well-respected and influential citizens in Gaza – are now hastily selling properties to resettle in the West Bank, or quietly huddled in empty churches to observe what should be one of the most joyous Christian holidays.“We have a very sad Christmas,” said Essam Farah, acting pastor of Gaza’s Baptist Church, which has canceled its annual children’s party because of the grim atmosphere, according to The Associated Press.The Baptist Church had only 10 people attend the regular weekly prayer service on Sunday – down from an average of 70. There was also no Christmas tree visible.Moreover, the church’s full-time pastor, his family and 12 employees from a related Christian bookstore have relocated to the West Bank, which is under the control of a pro-West government.Hundreds of Christians hope to travel to Bethlehem in the West Bank this Christmas and many don’t plan to return to Gaza.The strip’s community of 3,000 Christians has not recovered from the death of 32-year-old Rami Ayyad, the manager of Gaza’s only Christian bookstore, who was brutally killed and then discarded on the streets of Gaza in early October.Ayyad was a member of the Baptist church and had received regular death threats from Muslim extremists angry over what they perceived to be his missionary activity. The bookstore was also firebombed six months before Ayyad’s death.Gaza is overwhelmingly Muslim and fear of persecution has risen since the Muslim fundamentalist group, Hamas, took over the territory in June. The United States and Israel considers Hamas a terrorist group.Although Hamas has promised to protect Christians in Gaza, persecution has increased in the territory. Moreover, a high level Hamas leader is accused of being behind Ayyad’s murder, although no action has been taken to prosecute him.In addition to persecution, Israel’s heavy economic sanctions compounded with continuous violence in Gaza have forced many believers to abandon their homeland.“In previous years we didn’t see this rate of migration,” said the Rev. Manuel Musallem, head of Gaza’s Roman Catholic Church, according to AP. “Now, exit is not on individual basis. Whole families are leaving, selling their cars, homes and all their properties.”Gaza Christians are using their travel permits to leave the territory and then plan to remain as illegal residents in the West Bank.There are about 75,000 Palestinian Christians but only about 3,000, mostly Greek Orthodox, living among Gaza’s 1.5 million population of Muslims. Ibrahim Ayyad, brother of murdered Rami Ayyad, estimates that up to 70 percent of the Christians in Gaza would leave if given the opportunity, according to Mission Network News.

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20071224/30631_Gaza_Christians_Observe_Somber_Christmas_after_Murder.htm

As in the days of Noah....

North Korea Sets Up Fake Underground Churches to Expose Christians

The North Korean government is reportedly setting up fake underground churches and disguising national security agents as defectors to expose Christians, reported a North Korea-focused online news agency.The Daily NK, established by long-time activists who have been working to change North Korea, claims that a portion of underground churches existing in North Korea are disguised churches controlled by North Korea’s National Security Agency.“The fact that North Korea government formed a fake underground church with National Security Agency agents was revealed as the truth,” an inside source told the Daily NK.According to the source, NSA agents disguise themselves as defectors and approach Korean church organizations based in China to receive Bibles and money. After they receive funds by claiming to church organizations that they are engaging in mission activities, they start up secret churches beginning with NSA agents and then concentrate their efforts to arrest real secret churches connected with China.The Daily NK’s inside source said they verified this fact with an NSA-related member. Among NSA agents, the operation is an open secret.The fake underground church is receiving funds from Korean churches that do not know the reality of the situation, the inside source claimed.If the Korean church is not stricter about the security regarding the underground church support project and underground church member circumstances then they will fill up the stomachs of NSA agents and cause damage to the underground church, the source added.North Korea, one of the most repressive regimes in the world, has been criticized for the systemic, widespread and serious violations of human rights that reportedly take place in the country as well as the government's refusal to cooperate with the U.N. human rights commissioner or special investigator.The communist state has also been criticized for its all pervasive and severe restrictions on freedom of expression, religion, assembly and movement, its imposition of the death penalty for political reasons, the detention of thousands in prison camps, the punishment and torture of border-crossers, and the maltreatment of people with disabilities.North Korea is ranked by the international ministry Open Doors as the world’s worst persecutor of Christians.

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20071225/30629_Report%3A_North_Korea_Sets_Up_Fake_Underground_Churches_to_Expose_Christians.htm

As in the days of Noah....

Christmas Riots Continue in Orissa

Violence against Christians in the Indian state of Orissa continued for a third day Thursday even as hundreds of armed police patrolled parts of eastern India.A bus set on fire by protestors goes up in flames at Baliguda in Phulbani district in Orissa state, India, Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2007. Hundreds of armed police patrolled parts of eastern India on Thursday, enforcing a curfew that left the region tense but quiet after two days of attacks on Christians and churches by Hindu extremists.According to unconfirmed reports by the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), at least 2,000 believers have been injured and about 20 churches damaged since the violence initially broke out Christmas eve. "The believers in Orissa had their worst ever Christmas," lamented GCIC.On Monday, a mob allegedly led by activists affiliated with the Viśva Hindū Pariṣad (World Hindu Council) had reportedly killed at least two and damaged 12 churches in the Kandhamal district, where at least 100,000 of 650,000-person population are reportedly Christian. All Catholic institutions in the area, including a convent and seminary, were attacked. Rioters also targeted two church-run hostels and high schools as well as a few shops managed by Christians in the small town of Bamunigam.
”A series of well-planned attacks on innocent Christians and their leaders have completely shocked us,” reported Fr. Babu Joseph, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, “and we are deeply pained at a time when we are celebrating peace and harmony of Christmas.”“These attacks on Christians on the day of Christmas seem to suggest a planned effort to disturb communal peace by some misguided and anti-social elements,” he added.”What is more worrying and disheartening to note is the manner in which the unruly mob went on rampaging in villages where Christians were preparing to celebrate Christmas with a near total impunity.”Police had said they had deployed hundreds of armed officers to the area, restoring calm after hard-line Hindus initially marred Christmas celebrations in Orissa state.However, Radhakant Nayak, a member of the Indian parliament's upper house and a Christian leader in the area, said there was no evidence that forces were on the ground."The state government has been saying they have sent forces, but on the ground we are hearing there is no force.The situation is still tense," he told the CNN-IBN news channel.Orissa state has been notorious for its anti-Christian activities, noted K.P. Yohannan, president and founder of the missions group Gospel for Asia,"This is one of the most anti-Christian states in the sense of persecution, and over 12 churches were demolished by the anti-Christian communities,” he said. “They beat up quite a few missionaries, and they continue to create more difficulties for the church at large."
Yohannan reported that one GFA church had been burned down amid the latest violence and that it happened in the presence of police.“The police could not do anything because there were too many that were attacking the church building,” he stated. “Then one of our missionaries was caught; they shaved his head and marched him to the temple, and they forced him to kneel down before the [Hindu] deities. And of course they beat him up."In response to the clashes, Christian leaders on Thursday called for the prime minister’s intervention in Orissa when they met him in the morning.“We have asked the prime minister to intervene in the matter and bring the criminals to justice,” said Madhu Chandra, secretary of the All India Christian Council, adding that memorandums would also be submitted to National Human Rights Commission and National Minority Commission.Political parties have also condemned the violence unleashed against Christians in Orissa, demanding immediate security measures to control the situation.
Chief Minister of Orissa Naveen Patnaik reviewed the situation at a top-level meeting and again appealed to people to maintain communal harmony.India is overwhelmingly Hindu but officially secular. Religious minorities, such as Christians, who account for 2.3 percent of the country's 1.1. billion people, and Muslims, who make up 13.4 percent, often coexist peacefully. Some have risen to the highest levels of government and business.But throughout India's history, both communities have faced repeated attacks from hard-line Hindus, with violence against Christians often directed at foreign missionaries and converts from Hinduism.Hindu right-wing groups have often accused Christian missionaries of luring poor and uneducated tribal people to convert to Christianity with money and promises of jobs, education and healthcare.Orissa is the only Indian state that has a law requiring people to obtain police permission before they change their religion. The law was intended to counter missionary work.

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20071227/30653_Christmas_Riots_Continue_in_Orissa.htm

As in the days of Noah....

World Vision offices in Sri Lanka attacked

Sri Lanka-Sri Lankan police confirm reports of an unidentified assailant who lobbed a hand grenade at World Vision's Sri Lanka office in Batticaloa on December 21 at around 7:30 pm.According to WV staff, the resulting explosion damaged three vehicles and the office building, but thankfully, none of the staff was injured because no one was in the office at the time.Police are investigating the attack, but so far, they have no motive, suspects or arrests. Little else has been revealed in the investigation.Concerned over the safety and security of its staff and property, WV's Head Office has alerted the appropriate officials in the Sri Lankan government.World Vision has been working in the Asia-Pacific region for some time. Their staff was crucial in organizing a response following the tsunami, the landslides and now, helping with the Internally Displaced Persons fleeing the civil war.This means sometimes advocating for and with children; in other places it is as simple as giving a child a satchel and some books and helping them go to school, or it might mean assisting families to help them stabilize against the backdrop of war.The WV staff continues to partner with children and their communities, talking to governments and the UN, and working with other agencies and faith groups to combat the complex problems that affect children.As World Vision's team works with children, families, and communities to overcome poverty and injustice, pray for their safety as they continue to reach out as the hands and feet of Christ.
http://www.mnnonline.org/article/10722

As in the days of Noah....

CURE breaks ground for hospital despite security risks

West Bank-It's taken a while longer than expected, but CURE International broke ground for their new state-of-the-art teaching hospital in Bethlehem.They plan to start building in the early part of 2008. It generally takes 12 to 14 months to complete such a project. During the building phase, they will send in medical teams to do some work and assess the needs as they go in order to fine-tune the hospital so it meets the specific needs of the area.In its completion, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim doctors will work side-by-side to treat children with complex medical needs. "There is nothing like that in Bethlehem or in the West Bank at all," said Scott Harrison. The four surgical needs they will focus on are orthopedic, neurological, reconstructive cardiac surgery, and plastic surgery for facial deformities and burn victims.As far as security, Harrison said, "The first thing we have to expect is that it's going to be changing rapidly; sometimes for the better, and unfortunately, sometimes for the worse.We've been trying to get the hospital up and running for three years now, and just in that time, Hamas has won an election." If control of the area were to change, it would be very difficult for them to work there since Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization."That's a risk that comes with hospitals in various parts of the world, and the people that volunteer to go there are well aware of it. We try to mitigate that risk, but at the end of the day, if someone's willing to commit suicide themselves in the process of destroying others, it's been very difficult avoiding assassination," said Harrison. However, the opportunities for sharing the Gospel are many. Harrison said, "We find that these people are very receptive to working with us and re-appraising what Christianity is when we offer to pray with them for the health of their children. And then, in a very non-confrontational, culturally-sensitive way, demonstrate to them what the message of Christ was."Harrison said there is more and more a need for the recognition of the importance of the individual in breaking stereotypes to create peace, especially between jihadists and the West."We have, as individual citizens of the world, an obligation to do what we can to change that. And as is often the case, it may be, ultimately, collectively, all of us working to be more effective than what government treaties and others can do."
http://www.mnnonline.org/article/10729

As in the days of Noah....