ASTANA, Kazakhstan – On March 30, 2018, the Center for the Study of Problems of Religion of the Religious Affairs Department of the West Kazakhstan Region has asked selected churches and religious communities to provide personal information regarding “all underage community members attending your religious association.” The Religious Affairs Department is a division of the… Continue reading Kazakhstan Requests IDs of Christian Youth
Category: News
Jailed and Tortured Missionary Leads Other Prisoners to Christ
KHARTOUM – A four-day visit to Sudan in 2015 by VOM missionary Petr Jasek turned into an unplanned 445-day sojourn in prison after the Czech Christian was arrested on charges of conspiring against the Sudanese government. Jasek, shared his experience last week at the McLean Bible Church in Vienna, Virginia. He told his audience that… Continue reading Jailed and Tortured Missionary Leads Other Prisoners to Christ
Believers Eastern Church Aids Victims of Cyclone Ockhi
Church Members Work to Restore Devastated Indian Coastal Fishing Communities WILLS POINT, Texas – Believers Eastern Church announced the launch of a statewide rehabilitation program for the victims of Cyclone “Ockhi” in the Indian state of Kerala. The cyclone was the most intense originating from the Arabian Sea since 2015 and the first in nearly… Continue reading Believers Eastern Church Aids Victims of Cyclone Ockhi
Kenya Clearing the Way to a Cleaner Country
NAIROBI – Officials in Kenya are serious about cleaning up the country to make it a healthier place. This is especially true in the case of their campaign to become an Open Defecation Free (ODF)region. There are many ways to approach providing more sanitary conditions, but Kenya may be taking a couple of approaches that… Continue reading Kenya Clearing the Way to a Cleaner Country
Will Next Chinese Bible Be the Xi Jinping Version?
BEIJING – The People’s Republic of China released a white paper today entitled, “China’s Policies and Practices on Protecting Freedom of Religious Belief.” A title like that might encourage Christians about the prospects of sharing the Gospel in mainland China. However, this may be a classic example of not judging a white paper by its… Continue reading Will Next Chinese Bible Be the Xi Jinping Version?
20,000 Sanitation Ambassadors to Attend Champaran Satyagraha Celebration
MOTIHARI – Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the featured speaker at the celebration of the close of the centennial celebration of Champaran Satyagraha on April 10 in Motihari. 20,000 Sanitation Ambassadors (Swachhagrahis) are expected to attend. Half of the ambassadors will be from Bihar. The other 10,000 will come as representatives of other states.… Continue reading 20,000 Sanitation Ambassadors to Attend Champaran Satyagraha Celebration
International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
NEW YORK – April 4th is the United Nations’ International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, which provides an opportunity for the world to reflect on both the progress made and the challenges that remain in clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance. The vision of the United Nations is a world free of… Continue reading International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
International Christian Concern Helps Egyptian Widower Rebuild His Life
ALEXANDRIA – A terrorist attack on two Coptic Christian churches on Palm Sunday 2017 left more than 40 people dead and 125 injured. It also made several men, women, and children widows, widowers, and orphans. One of the deceased was Hanan Dreas, a wife and mother of two children ages six and 10. Her husband,… Continue reading International Christian Concern Helps Egyptian Widower Rebuild His Life
Chinese President Removes Presidential Term Limits
Chinese president, Xi Jinping, got rid of term limits, the amount of time a person can spend in office, in the People Republic of China. Once this is in place, the president is able to stay in office as long as he wants. NPR reports, “The move represents a dramatic departure from rules that have… Continue reading Chinese President Removes Presidential Term Limits
Extollo: Changing Lives in Haiti
HAITI – Sherman Balch and his wife Cheryl volunteered to go to Haiti with a group from their church a few months after the 2010 earthquake. That visit became a life-changing experience that led to the founding of Extollo, a Latin word that means “to raise up.” Now Extollo is a life-changing experience for native… Continue reading Extollo: Changing Lives in Haiti
Karnataka First India State to Offer Universal Healthcare
KARNATAKA – Chief Minister of the State of Karnataka introduced the first statewide universal healthcare (UHC) program in India. The first phase of the program was initiated on March 2, 2018. Ultimately, when the program is entirely implemented, over 10 million households, regardless of income, will have some form of access to healthcare. Chief Minister… Continue reading Karnataka First India State to Offer Universal Healthcare
2 Million Free Copies of Gospel Literature Arrive in Argentina
NEW PARIS, Indiana – An entire container load filled with two million gospel booklets, pamphlets, and Gospel literature recently arrived in Argentina. The literature had been requested by an Argentinian pastor. The items had been supplied free of charge to the pastor and his ministry. He told World Missionary Press, the printer and provider, that… Continue reading 2 Million Free Copies of Gospel Literature Arrive in Argentina
Clean Water Is an Issue for 12 of the World’s Major Cities
Several billion people around the world live without sufficient access to clean water. Over one billion people lack water supplies. Another 2.7 billion find water scarce for at least one month of the year. Read Gospel for Asia’s Special Report on The Global Clean Water Crisis here. A 2014 survey of the world’s 500 largest… Continue reading Clean Water Is an Issue for 12 of the World’s Major Cities
Nigerian Girl Refuses to Renounce Christ Remains Captive of Boko Haram
DAPCHI, Nigeria – Leah Sharibu is 15 years old. She is one of more than a hundred Nigerian school girls who are either missing or held in captivity by the Boko Haram. Although the terrorist group, known for kidnapping school girls en masse, agreed to return the girls in exchange for the release of several… Continue reading Nigerian Girl Refuses to Renounce Christ Remains Captive of Boko Haram
BSNL to Observe Good Friday in Meghalaya
SHILLONG, MEGHALAYA – Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is a state-owned telecommunications company with headquarters in New Delhi. It is the 5th-largest provider of mobile telephone provider in India and the largest service providing both fixed and broadband services in the country. Last week, P.G. Nirmal, the general manager of the BSNL telecom district in… Continue reading BSNL to Observe Good Friday in Meghalaya
Child’s Parents Call Surgery to Repair Hole in His Heart “A Miracle”
THIRUVALLA, KERALA, India – Believers Church Medical College Hospital gave new life to a one-year-old Indian boy and restored hope for his anxious parents when the medical staff at Believers Church Medical College Hospital (BCMCH) successfully performed a complex surgical procedure to repair a large hole in the boy’s heart. Aksar’s parents, both day laborers… Continue reading Child’s Parents Call Surgery to Repair Hole in His Heart “A Miracle”
DOOR International to Hold Sign Language Scripture Celebration in Kenya
KENYA – DOOR International and its partners will hold a Sign Language Scripture Celebration on June 9th to commemorate the rendering of Bible passages into four different African national sign languages This is not the first celebration of this kind that DOOR has been able to hold. In 2014, DOOR partners and pastors gathered to… Continue reading DOOR International to Hold Sign Language Scripture Celebration in Kenya
India Is Tackling Tuberculosis
MUMBAI – March 24, 2018, is World Tuberculosis Day. TB is often misunderstood, not only by the public but also in the ability to accurately track. Therefore, myths abound among the populace and statistics are often misleading, even for the experts in the field, including the World Health Organization (WHO). This is especially true of… Continue reading India Is Tackling Tuberculosis
Turkish Prosecutor Demands American Pastor Gets Life in Prison
American pastor Andrew Brunson has been in prison for 18 months in Turkey, accused of ties to an American terrorist. Pastor Brunson had been in Turkey for 20 years before his arrest, in which he was charged with plotting with terrorists for a coup, according to Fox News. He’s also been accused of helping a Kurdish… Continue reading Turkish Prosecutor Demands American Pastor Gets Life in Prison
Christians Concerned About Turkish Presence in Syria
Turkish Army Takes Afrin, Syria from Kurds AFRIN, Syria – Turkish forces have overtaken the Syrian town of Afrin, driving the Kurdish forces out. To most readers in the Western Hemisphere, this news has little relevance. Most us have no idea who’s who or what is where in the conflict in Syria. The situation for… Continue reading Christians Concerned About Turkish Presence in Syria
[Update] Cape Town Defers Day Zero to 2019 – Why?
CAPE TOWN – Officials have deferred what was once considered the impending Day Zero for Cape Town water supplies from July 11th until an undetermined date in 2019. The news has left the public and much of the news media scratching their heads and wondering why. As far as anyone can tell, nothing has changed.… Continue reading [Update] Cape Town Defers Day Zero to 2019 – Why?
Donald Trump’s Profile on New Jewish Temple Coin
Donald Trump with Reuven Rivlin during 2017 visit to Israel JERUSALEM – The nascent Sanhedrin in Israel, in cooperation with Hamikdah Betzion (The Temple in Zion) has minted a new, half-shekel Temple tax coin featuring the profile of United States President Donald Trump. The coin has been minted in celebration of President Trump’s recognition of… Continue reading Donald Trump’s Profile on New Jewish Temple Coin
South African Outbreak of Listeria – Worst in World History – May Be Contained
JOHANNESBURG – According to Times Live, “On Thursday in Johannesburg‚ Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and SADC health ministers and ambassadors held an emergency high-level inter-ministerial meeting to discuss the world’s largest listeriosis outbreak that started in South Africa.” The ominous approach of Day Zero for the Cape Area of the country has reaped much more… Continue reading South African Outbreak of Listeria – Worst in World History – May Be Contained
Kazakh Woman Not Guilty of Illegal Missionary Activity
SHYMKENT, Kazakhstan – A Christian Kazak woman who had been charged with “illegal missionary activity” was acquitted on 13 March by the South Kazakhstan Regional Court. Her illegal activity? Showing another woman how to download a Bible app on her smartphone. The woman for whom she downloaded the app then file a complaint with the… Continue reading Kazakh Woman Not Guilty of Illegal Missionary Activity
India Plans Rehab Program for Human Trafficking Victims
CHENNAI – President Ram Kath Kovind announced that India will begin soon offer vocational training services to more than 500,000 survivors of human trafficking. The program follows an anti-trafficking bill approved by the cabinet on February 28, 2018. Observers expect the bill to be easily passed by parliament. That bill includes measures that deal with… Continue reading India Plans Rehab Program for Human Trafficking Victims
How South Africans Live on Only 50 Liters of Water Per Day
CAPE TOWN –The water crisis in South Africa continues unabated. Officials have declared a state of emergency, but that is, arguably, because of the danger not only to the citizens but also because of the rising and potential damage to the economy. Moody’s, the international credit rating agency, estimates agricultural production in the Western Cape… Continue reading How South Africans Live on Only 50 Liters of Water Per Day
World Water Watch: India Citizens Saving Gottigere Lake
BANGALORE – There is not always something that local citizens can do to remedy the problem of polluted water. However, residents of Bangalore who live alongside Gottigere Lake have banded together to reclaim the polluted water and return the lake to its once-pristine condition. In view of World Water Day on March 22nd, here is… Continue reading World Water Watch: India Citizens Saving Gottigere Lake
2018 Charles W. Colson Conviction and Courage Award Goes to Maggie Gobran
LA MIRADA, California – “Mama” Maggie Gobran was honored on March 14th as the fifth recipient of the Charles W. Colson Courage and Conviction Award. The award was bestowed at the 89th Annual Missions Conference at Biola University. Maggie Gobran set aside a successful career in which she had been on the management team of… Continue reading 2018 Charles W. Colson Conviction and Courage Award Goes to Maggie Gobran
Pakistan Judge Rules Citizens Must Declare Their True Religious Faith
ISLAMABAD – It has been a rule of law that citizens of Pakistan must self-identify their religion on their passports. Now a judge on the Islamabad High Court has extended the rule to greater lengths. In a ruling delivered on Friday, 09 March 2018, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui has ordered that Pakistan citizens must also… Continue reading Pakistan Judge Rules Citizens Must Declare Their True Religious Faith
Instances of Child Marriage Down in India, Up in Sub-Shaharan Africa
WILLS POINT, Texas – “Child marriage is one of the most worrisome problems in Asia. Boys and especially girls, who are supposed to play, learn and live a free life are married off at a very young age, and this not only affects their freedom but also takes a severe physical and mental toll on… Continue reading Instances of Child Marriage Down in India, Up in Sub-Shaharan Africa
“God Jesus Christ” Mosaic Dates to 230 A.D.
HAIFA – A mosaic first discovered by inmates of the Megiddo Prison in 2005 will soon be on display to the public when an archeological park is opened on the former prison site. The mosaic covers the floor of what is thought to have been the prayer hall of a Christian home in 230 A.D.… Continue reading “God Jesus Christ” Mosaic Dates to 230 A.D.
Kerala Water Authority Expediting Improvements to Water Supply
KERALA, India – The ability to access sources of clean water is a global problem. It is day-to-day problem for about 1.9 billion people. It is a problem that can become personal very quickly. From small villages to major metropolitan areas, water authorities also face the issue of how to provide access profitably. Although controlling… Continue reading Kerala Water Authority Expediting Improvements to Water Supply
NGOs Present Proposal to UN on Religious Freedom in Malaysia
GENEVA – A group of five NGOs met with UN officials on 06 March to discuss the recent case of four Malaysian Christians requesting changes on their national identity cards. The federal court in Sarawak refused to rule on their appeal on 26 February (see “Malaysia High Court Dismisses Christians’ Appeal”). The meeting took place… Continue reading NGOs Present Proposal to UN on Religious Freedom in Malaysia
Mohabat TV Receives International Impact Award
NASHVILLE – Mohabat TV, the media arm of Heart4Iran, has received the highly-coveted 2018 International Impact Award from the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) at their annual convention in Nashville, Tennessee. Mohabat TV and Heart4Iran work in collaboration with more than 80 other ministries to spread the Gospel in the Middle East. The satellite TV network… Continue reading Mohabat TV Receives International Impact Award
Bethany Christian Services Honored for Work in Ethiopia
ETHIOPIA – The Consortium of Christian Relief & Development Associations (CCRDA) has awarded Bethany Christian Services for submitting the top “Best Practices” idea for NGO work in Ethiopia. Bethany Christian Services has been operating in the U.S. and around the globe since 1944, “Striving to be the hands and feet of Jesus for children and… Continue reading Bethany Christian Services Honored for Work in Ethiopia
[Update] The Malaysian State of Sarawak to Amend Conversion Laws
Palace of Justice, Putrajaya, Malaysia KUCHING, Sarawak, Malaysia – The recent refusal of the Malaysian Federal Court to hear the appeals of four Christian converts to have their Christian names and religion on their government IDs left the world wondering what the plaintiffs would do. As it turns out, they may on have to wait… Continue reading [Update] The Malaysian State of Sarawak to Amend Conversion Laws
53 Egyptian Churches Receive Full Legal Certification
CAIRO – Egyptian government officials recently granted a “first block” of licenses for 53 churches that had been awaiting approval. Some sources praised the progress of the government in addressing the licensing procedure that was drafted into law in August 2016. Others, primarily representatives of rural churches, decried the government’s lack of acceptable progress. The… Continue reading 53 Egyptian Churches Receive Full Legal Certification
Islands of Peace “Water from the Air” Could Revolutionize Global Access to Clean Water
NEW YORK – With World Water Day approaching (March 22), Islands of Peace announced this morning that it has formed alliances with EcoloBlue and Infinity Concepts that will help to advance the organization’s Water from the Air Project. History has proven that tension, turmoil, conflict, and even war can arise out of a lack of… Continue reading Islands of Peace “Water from the Air” Could Revolutionize Global Access to Clean Water
Second Major Quake Hampers Aid Workers in Papua New Guinea
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea – Prime Minister Peter O’Neill declared a state of emergency on 01 March after the remote highlands of Papua New Guinea were hit by a massive, 7.5 magnitude earthquake on 26 February. Aid workers from Australia, New Zealand, China, Israel, and other countries around the globe have been rushing to… Continue reading Second Major Quake Hampers Aid Workers in Papua New Guinea
GFA Concerned About Widespread Violence Against Women
WILLS POINT, Texas – Gospel for Asia (GFA) has published an authoritative article about the seemingly endless global problem of violence against women. The euphemism of “domestic violence” used in America does not begin to describe the depth of persecution that women suffer in many other countries around the world. For many women, “the greatest… Continue reading GFA Concerned About Widespread Violence Against Women
Syrian Christians Displaced But Helping Others in Need
Syrian Christians are part of one of the oldest churches in the world. They used to be one of the major political forces in Syria , until ISIS started coming after Christians because they believe in an all Islamic state, also known as a Caliphate. BBC explains, “The founder of the Baath Party, which has ruled… Continue reading Syrian Christians Displaced But Helping Others in Need
Sarvajal Builds Clean Water ATMs in India
AHMEDABAD – The United Nations’ World Water Report for 2015 said, “Problems of poverty are, on most occasions, inextricably linked with those of water – its availability, its proximity, its quantity, and its quality.” Piramal Sarvajal is a mission-driven social enterprise dedicated designing, manufacturing and providing clean, safe sources of drinking water for communities across… Continue reading Sarvajal Builds Clean Water ATMs in India
Air India Begins Observing International Women’s Day with All-Female Flight Crew
KOLKATA – Air India has launched a series of events aimed to salute to International Women’s Day. Today, 04 March 2018, the airline announced that it had operated its Kolkata-Dimpur-Kolkata flight with an all-female crew, including flight attendants, pilot, and co-pilot. Captain Akanksha Verma and Captain Satovia Banerjee piloted the Airbus 319 on Flight AI709.… Continue reading Air India Begins Observing International Women’s Day with All-Female Flight Crew
An Emerging and Worrying Trend
KUALA LUMPUR (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The government of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued a statement this week to draw attention to a new form of child exploitation that has been emerging and growing in Southeast Asia. The Australian government announcement “discourages short-term, unskilled volunteering orphanages (overseas).” The problem is not with… Continue reading An Emerging and Worrying Trend
25 Afghans Trust Christ While Watching Satellite TV Broadcast
NICOSIA, Cyprus (28 February 2018) – The vision of SAT-7 International is “to see a growing Church in the Middle East and North Africa, confident in Christian faith and witness, serving the community and contributing to the good of society and culture.” The seeds of the ministry that would become SAT-7 International were sown in… Continue reading 25 Afghans Trust Christ While Watching Satellite TV Broadcast
Billy Kim & Luis Palau Inducted into NRB Hall of Fame
NASHVILLE – Dr. Billy Kim and evangelist Luis Palau were honored at the opening of the National Religious Broadcasters annual convention in Nashville. The two renowned and highly-respected preachers were co-inductees into the NRB Hall of Fame. The two join a list of a veritable “Who’s Who” in Christian broadcasting that includes Ray Ortmund, Chuck… Continue reading Billy Kim & Luis Palau Inducted into NRB Hall of Fame
EU Parliament Grants Pakistan Special Trade Status Despite Human Rights Warnings
BRUSSELS – The European Parliament warned Pakistan last week that the renewal of its favored status trade deal would be dependent upon the government’s release of a woman, Asia Bibi, who has been held on death row on a blasphemy case since 2010. Prior to adjournment, however, the parliament voted to continue to extend economic… Continue reading EU Parliament Grants Pakistan Special Trade Status Despite Human Rights Warnings
Jim Downing, Navigator #6 – 2nd Oldest Pearl Harbor Survivor (1913-2018)
COLORADO SPRINGS – Jim Downing, known as Navigator #6, was one of the first military men led to the Lord by Navigators founder, Dawson Trotman. Downing was on assignment at Pearl Harbor in 1941 when the Japanese attacked six U.S. bases there on Sunday morning, December 7th. Despite fighting raging fires aboard the USS Nevada… Continue reading Jim Downing, Navigator #6 – 2nd Oldest Pearl Harbor Survivor (1913-2018)
Proclaim 18 – NRB Annual Convention February 27 – March 2 in Nashville
NASHVILLE – The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) will hold its 75th Annual International Christian Media Convention this week at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville. The event provides opportunities to engage, edify and equip thousands involved in the broad spectrum of Christian media. The theme of the convention is “Proclaim 18.” The… Continue reading Proclaim 18 – NRB Annual Convention February 27 – March 2 in Nashville
[Update] Malaysia High Court Dismisses Christians’ Appeal
KUCHING, Sarawak, Malaysia – The Malaysian Federal Court failed to rule on an appeal by four Christians who have requested their names and religious faith be changed on their national identification documents. (See “4 Christian Converts in Landmark Case in Malaysia’s Federal Court.”) According to those official IDs, they are “still Muslims on paper.” Malaysia… Continue reading [Update] Malaysia High Court Dismisses Christians’ Appeal