Ukraine Church hit by explosion
An 80-year-old woman has died after an explosion at an Orthodox Christian church in southern Ukraine which injured at least eight other people, officials say. The blast in the city of Zaporizhzhya is believed to have been caused by a homemade explosive device. It is not clear who is behind the explosion. It came towards the end of a visit to Ukraine by the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill I which has attracted protests by right-wing nationalists. Thousands of Orthodox believers gathered in the Ukrainian capital to celebrate the historic ‘Baptism of old Russia’. Modern Kiev is the place where the Christianity started in this part of the world. Back in 988, Prince Vladimir took the first bunch of pagans into the Dnepr River in Ukraine and baptized them to become the Orthodox Christians. The whole Christianization process took several centuries, but Kiev is still considered to be the cradle of Orthodox Christianity in this part of Europe. Pray: for the believers in Ukraine and against the enemy that is stirring up dissention. (Ps.64:1) More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10123640
Dagestan: Pastor in Russian Republic Killed
A pastor in the Russian republic of Dagestan known for founding the biggest Protestant church in the region and for successfully reaching out to Muslims has been killed by unidentified gunmen, local authorities have confirmed. Artur Suleimanov, 49, pastor of Hosanna Christian Church in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, was shot on the evening of July 15 while leaving his church building. The identity of the shooters remains unclear, but in the weeks leading up to the killing, Dagestan media broadcast calls for people to take measures against Suleimanov because he was too ‘active’ and converted ethnic Muslims. Suleimanov founded Hosanna Christian Church in Makhachkala in 1994. It started out as a small prayer group, but now with 1,000 members it is the largest Protestant church in the Northern Caucus region. According to a letter Suleimanov wrote to Compass several years ago, 80 percent of the congregation is made up of former Muslims. Pray: for the continued growth of the Church in Dagestan and protection of the believers. (Ps.5:11) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/Dagestan1/23303/
Dagestan: Pastor in Russian Republic Killed
A pastor in the Russian republic of Dagestan known for founding the biggest Protestant church in the region and for successfully reaching out to Muslims has been killed by unidentified gunmen, local authorities have confirmed. Artur Suleimanov, 49, pastor of Hosanna Christian Church in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, was shot on the evening of July 15 while leaving his church building. The identity of the shooters remains unclear, but in the weeks leading up to the killing, Dagestan media broadcast calls for people to take measures against Suleimanov because he was too ‘active’ and converted ethnic Muslims. Suleimanov founded Hosanna Christian Church in Makhachkala in 1994. It started out as a small prayer group, but now with 1,000 members it is the largest Protestant church in the Northern Caucus region. According to a letter Suleimanov wrote to Compass several years ago, 80 percent of the congregation is made up of former Muslims. Pray: for the continued growth of the Church in Dagestan and protection of the believers. (Ps.5:11) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/Dagestan1/23303/
University volunteers leave for Mongolia
The Catholic University of Korea has sent a 90-strong staff-student medical team to treat people in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar. The team, which includes students majoring in various fields such as internal medicine, obstetrics, paediatrics and radiology, will provide medical and social services from July 25 until Aug. 4. The team will also build or repair houses, and offer educational activities for poor people in regions near the capital. During a July 24 departure ceremony, University President Father Johan Pahk Yeong-sik encouraged participants to take the opportunity to think deeply about sharing their lives and practicing the school’s ideals of truth, love and service. ‘The service you will provide will be a fundamental indicator to assist you in choosing your way in life,’ Father Pahk counselled. The university has, since 1997, dispatched similar teams to ‘Third World’ locations during summer vacation each year. That year, the school first sent a team to Papua New Guinea. Praise: God for this initiative and pray that many will be blessed. (1Cor.12:5) More: http://www.ucanews.com/2010/07/28/university-volunteers-leave-for-mongolia/
University volunteers leave for Mongolia
The Catholic University of Korea has sent a 90-strong staff-student medical team to treat people in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar. The team, which includes students majoring in various fields such as internal medicine, obstetrics, paediatrics and radiology, will provide medical and social services from July 25 until Aug. 4. The team will also build or repair houses, and offer educational activities for poor people in regions near the capital. During a July 24 departure ceremony, University President Father Johan Pahk Yeong-sik encouraged participants to take the opportunity to think deeply about sharing their lives and practicing the school’s ideals of truth, love and service. ‘The service you will provide will be a fundamental indicator to assist you in choosing your way in life,’ Father Pahk counselled. The university has, since 1997, dispatched similar teams to ‘Third World’ locations during summer vacation each year. That year, the school first sent a team to Papua New Guinea. Praise: God for this initiative and pray that many will be blessed. (1Cor.12:5) More: http://www.ucanews.com/2010/07/28/university-volunteers-leave-for-mongolia/
Lebanon’s ruling party asks Muslims to protect Christians
The head of a Sunni political movement in Lebanon has expressed concern over the decline of Christians in the region allegedly due to growing Shiite influence. Ahmad Hariri, secretary-general of the Lebanese Future Movement, urged Muslims in Lebanon to ‘nurture Christian presence’ in the region, saying it was an ‘Arab and Islamic responsibility as much as it is a Christian one’. According to The Jerusalem Post, Hariri is extremely worried about the repercussions of Christian emigration from some Middle East countries. While Christians used to be a majority in Lebanon, the country has recently witnessed decline due to emigration and the increase in Muslims. Greg Mussleman, of Christian advocacy group Voice of the Martyrs, said the announcement is good for Christians in the Middle East. ‘Whether we'll see that spreading to other countries like Iraq and Afghanistan? That may never happen,’ he said. Praise: God and pray that Christians in Lebanon will be stronger in their faith, have the desire to grow, and be more outspoken about their faith. (Ac.4:29
Lebanon’s ruling party asks Muslims to protect Christians
The head of a Sunni political movement in Lebanon has expressed concern over the decline of Christians in the region allegedly due to growing Shiite influence. Ahmad Hariri, secretary-general of the Lebanese Future Movement, urged Muslims in Lebanon to ‘nurture Christian presence’ in the region, saying it was an ‘Arab and Islamic responsibility as much as it is a Christian one’. According to The Jerusalem Post, Hariri is extremely worried about the repercussions of Christian emigration from some Middle East countries. While Christians used to be a majority in Lebanon, the country has recently witnessed decline due to emigration and the increase in Muslims. Greg Mussleman, of Christian advocacy group Voice of the Martyrs, said the announcement is good for Christians in the Middle East. ‘Whether we'll see that spreading to other countries like Iraq and Afghanistan? That may never happen,’ he said. Praise: God and pray that Christians in Lebanon will be stronger in their faith, have the desire to grow, and be more outspoken about their faith. (Ac.4:29
Myanmar: Crimes against humanity
Over 600 villagers fled as soldiers shelled their village with mortar rounds before burning it to the ground on 23 July, (50 homes a school and a church were destroyed). Refugees joined 300 others from the neighbouring area in fear of attack, leaving possessions behind, escaping with what food they could carry as they sort refuge in the jungle. It is the rainy season and they need shelter, food, medicine and security. Lack of clean water and disease-carrying jungle insects are of particular concern. Hundreds more are fleeing towards the Thai-Burma border, some are seeking refuge in Thailand. The Burmese Army and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (allied to the dictatorship) are preparing a new offensive against ethnic Karen civilians in Eastern Burma in the run-up to the sham elections expected at the end of the year. Pray: for the Lord to show Christians how to pray to topple demonic forces over Myanmar. (Is.60:15,-6) More: http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?t=press&id=1017&search=
India: Christians play dead to survive
Two evangelists said they survived an attack in Madhya Pradesh on July 20th by playing dead when six Hindu extremists surrounded them and severely beat them. The assailants accused Mahindra Kharoley 20, and 30-year-old Munshi Prasaad Bahey of ‘forced conversion.’ The two evangelists were cycling home following a prayer meeting 25 kilometres (15 miles) away when the attackers on motorbikes with their faces covered attacked them at around 10pm. The assailants did not wait for them to respond to the charges of forced conversion before they began hitting and kicking them. ‘We lay motionless and pretended to be dead to escape their fury after they had beaten us about 20 minutes,’ Bahey added, ‘If we had not done so, they would have killed us.’ One of the attackers called another by name, saying, ‘Mahesh, stop hitting them, they are already dead, let’s get out of here.’ Pray: for all hidden and corrupt activity in Hindu fundamentalism to be destroyed and replaced by a widespread Christian revival. (Act.2:17,21) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/india/23231/
USA: Does Christian charity reach 'Illegals'?
The state of Arizona has passed harsh anti-illegal immigration laws, including one that requires police to demand a person’s legal papers if there is reason to believe the person is in the United States illegally. The state government hopes that these laws will stem the flow of illegal Mexican immigrants across the Mexico-Arizona border. However, the targeting of ‘illegal aliens’ confronts Christian churches with their own moral dilemma because hostility to ‘sojourners’ runs counter to the teachings of Jesus, as Baptist minister Howard Bess argues in his essay (see link). Christian churches in Arizona of every kind – Roman Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Pentecostal, liberal and conservative – offer services to people in need and seldom ask about immigration status. Typically, the churches provide services with a full knowledge that some recipients are in the US illegally. Thousands of helper/Christian people are thereby aiding and abetting law-breakers which, Bess argues, easily become a part of our Christian responsibility. Pray: that a humane and Christian resolution will be revealed to Arizona’s policy-makers. (Ps.37:11)