KIBERA, KENYA – With a fluctuating population of nearly a million people, Kibera is the largest slum in Kenya and one of the largest in the world. It is home to one of the most unusual churches in the world. The Unhealthy Conditions in Kibera Most families in Kibera live in rented 12’ x 12’…
MISSOURI CITY, TX – There is no doubt about it. There is no place like HOME. It’s especially true for people in seven nations in the Middle East. For them, HOME is an acronym for Health Outreach to the Middle East. Health Outreach to the Middle East is a Christ-centered health organization serving in the…
WILLS POINT, TX – Sunday, January 20, 2019, was Sanctity of Life Sunday, a date initially set aside by President Ronald Reagan to recognize the dignity of unborn children. The original date for Sanctity of Life Sunday was January 22, 1984. It coincided with the calendar date of the decision of the United States Supreme…
PLEASANTVILLE, PA – There’s a mansion just over the hilltop from the place where the first functioning oil well in the United States was drilled. That mansion has been described as “A small country church serving a great big God.” The church is located outside of Pleasantville, Pennsylvania, just down the road a piece from…
NORTH KIVU PROVINCE – Doctors Without Borders has temporarily suspended its operations treating patients for the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo following armed attacks on two of its clinics. The attacks on February 24th and 27th were described by witnesses as brazen and violent. Buildings and vehicles were set ablaze. After…
MURCIA – Fernando Lopez, the president Murcia a region in Spain, was a key spokesperson at the opening ceremony of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance’s annual General Assembly, Idea2019. Citing the phenomenal growth of evangelical churches during the second decade of this century, he said, “You fight to make this region better . . . We…
KOBANI – Open Doors’ most recent World Watch List noted that, although persecution of Christians in the country at large appeared to have diminished, there was “a spike in violence” against Christians perpetrated by ISIS-backed rebels. Expression of Christian faith are strictly prohibited in areas controlled by radical Islamic forces. Countless church buildings have been…
LONDON – Missions Box News featured a story on August 1, 2018, about a “London Man Arrested for Reading the Bible Aloud on Church Property.” News sources around the globe are now reporting the arrest of another street preacher on the streets of London on February 23rd. A video of the arrest has gone viral…
BRENTWOOD, TN – When we list the needs of the underserved, indigenous, and poverty-stricken people around the world, we rarely include one of their greatest yet most visible needs. Healthy teeth. Picture after picture, image after image we see these people smiling through missing teeth – probably for the sake of the camera. Yet, rarely…
PUCALLPA – Misión a Bordo (Mission Aboard) first launched the El Evangelista, a 98-foot long riverboat in 2005. The four-deck ship is berthed in Pucallpa, Peru, on the Ucayali River. But the El Evangelista, as its name may indicate, is no ordinary ship. The vision of the El Evangelista is “to demonstrate God’s heart for…
MANILA – He stood at the podium just as his father and his grandfather had done years ago and proclaimed that “Salvation is not a deed, a ritual or a church. Salvation is a Person, and His name is Jesus. Salvation is not based on good works. There’s nothing you can do to save yourself….
HENAN – Reports continue to stream from China regarding the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and it’s actions to eliminate Christianity from the country. Crosses have been removed from church buildings, churches have been subjected to electronic monitoring whilst others have been closed. The First Commandment has been declared illegal. The Bible is being retranslated to conform…
ORLANDO, FL – Reaching the unreached is a core mission of hundreds of faith-based organizations. Doing so is often a formidable task and requires a steadfast trust that the Lord has not left us to do it alone. He makes a way; He guides along the way; He protects as we walk in the way….
COLORADO SPRINGS – The initial mission of Entrust when it was founded 40 years ago in 1979 was to train Christians behind the Iron Curtain for ministry leadership roles based on the model given by Paul to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2. “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the…
PHOENIX, AZ – Several things make Frontiers unique among foreign missions agencies. One of those is the catalyst that led Greg Livingstone to begin the ministry in 1982. He was already heavily involved in missions, but the agency for which he worked confronted him with, “Greg, you must stop recruiting; we’re full. We’re getting swamped…
SOUTH ASIA – World Leprosy Day was observed on 27 January to raise awareness of the truth about what may be the most misunderstood disease on the planet. Having the disease is compounded by the indignities the infected must suffer. People with leprosy who have obvious deformities are relegated to isolated colonies where they are…
Poverty. You know it when you see it – but, can you define it? A World Perspective Dictionary.com defines poverty as “the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; the condition of being poor.” It defines “poor” as “having little or no money, goods, or other means of…
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) was born 40 years ago when K.P. and Gisela Yohannan felt the call of the Lord on their lives to minister to the people of Asia in His name. Even before His specific calling was clear—and every day thereafter—their commitment has been to walk in the beauty…
The Syrian Civil War has been an epic crisis as the Assad regime attempts to retain its rule whilst ISIS rebels and others seek to wrest control as part of an attempt to establish an Islamic caliphate. About half of the Christian population has disappeared from the country either by death or diaspora. Yet, despite…
EL SALVADOR – In many ways, the San Francisco Gotera prison in El Salvador is like many others in Latin America. Nearly all of the inmates are members of rival gangs including the infamous MS-13. The prison has 1,600 inmates housed in a facility designed to hold 200. Tattoos of skulls, gang logos, and demonic…
JACKSONVILLE, FL – The mission of Go To Nations (GTN) is “To serve as a “mission sending organization” which helps the body of Christ to conduct mission ministry by providing the practical and technical assistance necessary to be effective in the global harvest.” Equipping missionaries, local churches, and international ministries to reach the world with…
KUMBH MELA – The Swacch Bharat Abhiyan or Clean India Mission was launched on October 2nd, 2014 as a major government initiative with the goal of making India ‘clean’ by the same date in 2019. When Prime Minister Modi initiated the campaign, he declared that, “A clean India would be the best tribute India could…
ATLANTA – Dr. Michael Youssef is best known for his 30 years of ministry through Leading the Way broadcasted primarily from the Church of the Apostles which he pastors in Atlanta. The 70-year preacher is leading a new project, Vision 2025, through which he hopes to engage Christians around the world to win 1,000,000 souls…
COLORADO SPRINGS – The Board of the Christian and Missionary Alliance recently published its 2018 Impact Report. The Alliance, founded over 130 years ago by A.B. Simpson, continues to express the love of Jesus Christ by sharing His Gospel with those who have yet to hear the Good News. Dr. John Stumbo, C&MA President describes…
BEIJING – Christians in China are learning what it means to fight against principalities, powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (See Ephesians 6:12) The Chinese government is continuing its concerted efforts to shut down all forms of Christian worship. Missions Box has been publishing news…
JHARKHAND – An Anganwadi[1] worker in Jharkhand recently praised a team from World Vision for its work with Jharkhand health officials to help reduce acute malnutrition in the state. Although the State of Jharkhand contains about 40% of India’s entire mineral reserves, nearly 80% of the people who live there are farmers. It is India’s…
STRASBOURG – The European Court of Human Rights has rendered a judgment against Turkey in the case of Altınkaynak and Others v. Turkey. The court ruled that Turkey had violated the rights of a group of Seventh Day Adventists in 2004 when they attempted to register their religious foundation. Although Turkey ratified the European Convention…
TUCKER, GA – The Ambassadors for Christ ministry began in 1948 as the fruition of the vision of Australian evangelist John Ridley to raise up Christian leaders who would establish churches “to penetrate Australia’s secular society.” Today, the ministry reaches into 22 countries on six continents. As the impact of the ministry, then known as…
ISLAMABAD – Heavy security surrounded the Pakistani high court as the world awaited the judges’ decision on whether to proceed with the appeal against her recent acquittal on blasphemy charges. Paramilitary troops and quick response units deployed in sensitive areas in the capital as radical Muslim had called for protests. Just a few hours ago,…
KINSHASA – When Missions Box News last reported on the outbreak of the Ebola virus on 15 December 2018, the deadly epidemic had already become the second-largest outbreak of the disease in history. At that time, 425 people were known to have contracted the Ebola virus and nearly 250 had perished – double the numbers…
ISLAMABAD – Asia Bibi’s acquittal by the Supreme Court of Pakistan was on October 2018, on charges of blasphemy after being held on death row for eight years. The judges ruled that the prosecution had “categorically failed” to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, that the evidence against her was flimsy, the complainant was not…
DELHI – Officials in India are completing final preparations for the 70th annual Republic Day on Saturday, January 26th. This year’s celebration will also celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, “Father of the Nation.” Wednesday, January 23, 2019, preparations included a full-dress rehearsal for the annual parade at Rajpath. The entire…
LAHORE – Pervaiz Masih, a Pakistani Christian, was arrested in 2015 on charges of blaspheming the Muslim prophet Mohammed. In an unusual turn of events, he was released on bail after serving only 20 days in prison. On January 15th a district court ruled in favor of his acquittal. Pervaiz is an independent contractor who,…
SONORA – Had I not known better, I would have thought that the story I was reading in the Calvary Chapel Magazine was about a ministry in South Asia. Being evangelical is considered turning on one’s own culture and family traditions, and people make fun of those who profess Christ. Many people, especially men and…
In February 2018, Dr. Graham exchanged his earthly rewards for his heavenly rewards, marking the first time since 1955 that he was not included in the annual Gallup poll of American’s most admired men. Sadly, the 2018 poll of the most trusted Americans by occupation also witnessed a continuing decline in the respect afforded to…
DAVOS – Three thousand world leaders are expected to meet at the World Economic Forum in this Swiss community from January 22nd through the 25th. The theme of this year’s forum is “Trust: The world’s currency.” Immediately preceding the event, Oxfam released a 40-page research report entitled “Public Good or Private Wealth.” Oxfam is an…
WILLS POINT, TX The last Sunday in January is set aside to observe World Leprosy Day. Gospel for Asia (GFA) has released a Special Report examining the problem of leprosy. Across the globe, leprosy charities and partners join together to raise awareness of this disease that many people believe to be extinct, when in fact…
PENANG – During the recent testing of lighting fixtures at a residential high-rise under construction in the city of Penang, a local Muslim mufti complained to local authorities because the resulting pattern was in the shape of a cross. The mufti insisted that the authorities investigate why the lights had been arranged as a cross…
CANBERRA – Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison published an open letter this week to “Australians of all faiths.” The catalyst for the letter is the parliamentary debate on freedom of religion versus discrimination against sexual orientation in religious schools and institutions. A Missions Box report published on October 17, 2018, asked the question, “Australia: Can…
GAFFNEY, SC – The closure, censure, and prohibition of churches, whether as congregations or as church buildings has become a regular theme in news from countries around the world. It is reasonable to expect the trend to continue and, eventually, to overflow into the home of the free and the brave. This writer, having once…
SANTA ANA, CA – According to its website, “For over 60 years, Open Doors has worked in the world’s most oppressive countries, empowering Christians who are persecuted for their beliefs. Open Doors equips persecuted Christians in more than 60 countries through programs like Bible & Gospel Development, Women & Children Advancement, and Christian Community Restoration.”…
Contrary to popular belief among many Americans, radio is not a relic of the past. Once again, we are victims of our own isolation and our preoccupation with the ever-emerging technologies that seem to have relegated radio to the recollection of retirees. Then, there is the virtual demise of the once ubiquitous Radio Shack. The…
VIENNA – January 2019 is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. According to the United Nations 2018 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons released this month, human trafficking has “taken on horrific dimensions.” The report, which compiles data from 142 countries, was published in two booklets. The first is typical of the annual report from a global…
MANAGUA – Chosen Children Ministries is a faith-based, non-profit organization focused on reaching families and communities in Nicaragua. Its methodology is unique in that the organization has field staff in two locations within the country through which it utilizes teams of volunteers from evangelical churches, schools, universities, and businesses to expand its outreach. Because Nicaragua…
KAMPALA – Being a pastor is a difficult life at the best of times. Pastors commit to a life of serving the Lord and reaching out to others, often at great personal sacrifice, to help them carry their burdens. Being a pastor in developing countries in Africa has got to be even more difficult, especially…
A Special Report published in February 2018 by Gospel for Asia (GFA) revealed that more than 40 million people around the world are currently living in some form of slavery. The report added that 25 million of those are enslaved in Asia and the Pacific. Seeking Justice and Defending Human Rights Wherever Poverty and Oppression…
NAIROBI – A joint report released last year by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United National Children’s Fund (UNICEF) indicated that the sub-Saharan nation of Kenya is one of the countries facing an urgent need to overcome the problem of open defecation. Nearly 30% of the people in Kenya defecate in the open,…
Modern missions pioneer and advocate, Don Richardson, passed away on December 23, 2018, at the age of 83. In 1952 at the age of 17, the young Canadian from Prince Edward Island gave his life to Jesus Christ at a Youth for Christ rally. In 1962, after graduation from Prairie Bible Institute and Wycliffe Bible…
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” – Colossians 3:16 Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs have always been a part of the Christian life. The Apostle Paul refers…
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the leading cause of death in the world in 2018 claimed the lives of 42 million people. That’s more than the number who died from cancer, malaria, HIV/AIDS, smoking, alcohol, and traffic accidents combined. Worldometers estimates that there was a total of 59 million deaths globally during the…
