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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><channel><title>Mission Network News Headlines</title><link>http://www.mnnonline.org/news/?input_4=Worldwide&input_6=05/01/2024&input_5=Specific+Date</link><language>en</language><description>News Worth Listening To</description><item><title>War and famine threaten Sudan; Scripture offers hope</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/war-and-famine-threaten-sudan-scripture-offers-hope/</link><description><![CDATA[Sudan (MNN) -- <a href="https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/sudan-politics-hunger-aid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Famine haunts</strong></span></a> millions in Sudan as rebel forces <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20240430-us-warns-of-impending-large-scale-massacre-in-capital-of-sudan-s-north-darfur" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>prepare to move</strong></span></a> on the last capital in Darfur that’s not under their control. There is so little food in parts of Sudan that people are taking extreme measures to survive. In one refugee camp, they eat dirt; in another, leaves. John*, an <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unfoldingword/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unfoldingWord</a></strong></span> partner, says militants <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/un-describes-sudan-as-one-of-the-worst-humanitarian-disasters-in-recent-memory/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>routinely rob</strong></span></a> the aid trucks carrying life-saving supplies to millions in need. Furthermore, sexual predators take advantage of the war by <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/04/1149041" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>seeking vulnerable victims</strong></span></a> among the displaced. “There’s persecution on several levels, whether it’s ethnic-, gender-based, or religious-based. Under the guise of Islam, they say they are doing a good thing; they are removing the influence of infidels from the culture,” John says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“So much evil happens in the world under the guise of a religion.”</strong></p></blockquote>War erupted in Sudan <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/believers-suffer-amid-sudan-clashes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a year ago</a></strong></span> between the Islamist Sudanese army and the rebel group RSF, creating the world’s largest displacement crisis. <em><strong>God’s Word holds a glimmer of hope for Sudan’s minority Christians.</strong></em> “I was reading <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+timothy+1&version=NKJV" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>2 Timothy 1</strong></span></a> this morning; it says, ‘But God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind,’” John says. “Those three things threaten almost every other major religion in the world.” <div id="attachment_208169" style="width: 365px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/UW_quote-sudan.jpg"><img class="wp-image-208169" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/UW_quote-sudan-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="355" height="200" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Graphic courtesy of unfoldingWord)</p></div> With help from unfoldingWord, Sudanese Christians are translating Scripture into minority languages. <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sudan-bible-translators-lead-unreached-people-groups-to-christ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>More about that here.</strong></span></a> The goal is to make God’s Word accessible in Sudan’s minority languages and fuel church-planting efforts among unreached people groups or UPGs. In several refugee camps, believers introduce hurting people to the Prince of Peace. “It’s not therapy, but it is identifying what trauma looks like, allowing the person to tell their story, validate that story, and then give them God’s truth – He can release you from the spirit of fear; He can replace bitterness that will grip your life forever with love,” John says. Bible studies and discipleship begin among formerly unreached people groups as individuals meet the Messiah and accept Him as Lord and Savior. Pray this Gospel growth continues in Sudanese refugee camps. <a href="https://donorbox.org/open-the-gates-sudan-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Consider partnering with unfoldingWord and John’s organization here.</strong></span></a> Equipping the Sudanese Arabic church network through John’s organization will create great capacity for Bible translation, enabling 131 people groups in Sudan to have God’s Word in their heart language. <em><strong>*Pseudonym</strong></em> <em>Header and story images courtesy of unfoldingWord.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2024 05:00:41 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/war-and-famine-threaten-sudan-scripture-offers-hope/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/UW_pray-for-sudan-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>MENA Leadership Center trains thousands by building capacity at executive level</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/mena-leadership-center-trains-thousands-by-building-capacity-at-executive-level/</link><description><![CDATA[Middle East/North Africa (MNN) -- Where do you start if you want to reach the entire Middle East/North Africa region for Christ? If you’re <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mena-leadership-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The MENA Leadership Center</a></strong></span>, you begin with hundreds of ministry leaders currently at work in the MENA region. Instead of teaching Gospel workers how to fill leadership positions, MLC works with believers currently in a leadership role. These leaders already have “boots on the ground,” MLC’s Fadi Sharaiha says. “We are empowering them so that we will have a much larger impact. Whatever they are learning, they are applying in their ministries,” Sharaiha says. Executives must often expand their knowledge in various fields, from persecution to HR to strategic planning. MLC connects Christian leaders in every workshop with a subject matter expert or SME. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://menaleadershipcenter.com/en/programs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span> <div id="attachment_194466" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/MLC_jordan-quote.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-194466" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/MLC_jordan-quote-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">“The training inspired me to new approaches to ministry... I began to implement the material, combining both the passion and skills for a more significant impact in God’s kingdom. Thank you for the abundant, precious resources you left in our hands.” - Key Ministry Leader from Jordan<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of MLC)</p></div> Using a format fit for adult learning, leaders in MLC workshops are “meeting and learning from each other” about a particular topic, Sharaiha explains. “The SME, or the subject matter expert, facilitates the whole learning process.” During one MLC workshop, believers learned how to develop online training courses. The “trickle-down effect” of training leaders at an executive level was phenomenal. “We trained maybe 60 or 70 different people from 20 ministries in the MENA,” Sharaiha says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Those ministries took the materials and produced around 100 training programs with around 15,000 people being trained online.”</strong></p></blockquote>Another popular workshop originated during the pandemic. “In Digital Church, we have trained 150 people in the last three years,” Sharaiha says. “Today, [there is an] online presence for different ministries and churches, and we have around 102,000 people benefiting from this.” MLC workshops are usually reserved for leaders in senior or executive positions. “It is important that we can work with the right people rather than building the capacity of people who are not going to lead in those ministries,” Sharaiha says. If you want to invest strategically in the MENA region, <a href="https://menaleadershipcenter.com/en/donate" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>consider partnering with the MENA Leadership Center.</strong></span></a> “Please pray that we have the right SMEs - subject matter experts - for our teams. Please pray that those ministries and churches in the Middle East and North Africa will be rooted in Christ,” Sharaiha requests. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/man-in-white-long-sleeve-shirt-standing-on-sidewalk-during-daytime-4Q1nmy151TY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Levi Meir Clancy/Unsplash</a>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2024 05:00:23 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/mena-leadership-center-trains-thousands-by-building-capacity-at-executive-level/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/levi-meir-clancy-4Q1nmy151TY-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>How to reach the forgotten people behind bars</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-to-reach-the-forgotten-people-behind-bars/</link><description><![CDATA[USA (MNN) -- Did you know the majority of men and women in prison never get one visitor, letter, or phone call? In fact, in the state of Michigan where Crossroads Prison Ministries is based, 70% of prisoners get no contact from the outside world. <strong>Doug Cupery, director of church mobilization at Crossroads, says, "They are forgotten people. They're our forgotten community members. Yes, they have caused us harm. But for us as the Church, what does that mean? What does it mean when we are to speak about mercy and when we speak about grace?"</strong> <div id="attachment_194549" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-194549" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Phillip-Arcenaue-Illustration-01-01-300x188.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="188" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Image courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He refers to the Apostle Paul’s words in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2013%3A3&version=ESV" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Hebrews 13:3a</span></strong></a>, <em>"Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them."</em></span> Cupery says, "I really look at that word remember. It's really more than just thinking about it. It's when we have that proximate. When we are in proximity to those who are incarcerated, we have a much different viewpoint on it. We have more of a personal touch with that." With <a href="https://cpministries.org/mentor/become-a-mentor-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Crossroads’ mail-in Bible studies</span></strong></a>, connecting with prisoners is as easy as writing a letter!<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"When we write the incarcerated — that forgotten person who is a father, who's a son, who's a grandparent, who's a brother or sister — [we show] they are important to us and they are not forgotten."</strong></p></blockquote><strong>Cupery has also released a book titled <a href="https://cpministries.org/iseeyou" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">I See You: Remembering the Incarcerated Through a Living Letter</span></a>, compiled with guidance from Crossroads on ministering God’s love to prisoners<em>.</em></strong> <div id="attachment_208044" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-medium wp-image-208044" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PHOTO-DougC.3jdh-11.21.23-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Doug Cupery with his new book, I See You. (Photo courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries)</p></div> He says, "The book overall helps individuals understand where this person may have been before they went to prison, and then what they are navigating every day. So how do you intersect with that from a biblical perspective? There are stories [and] there are writing tips!" Pray for men and women in prison to know that God has not forgotten them and Jesus Christ died for them. Then, consider ways the Lord may be calling you to reach neglected and abandoned prisoners who need Gospel hope. <a href="https://cpministries.org/mentor/become-a-mentor-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Learn more about becoming a Crossroads mentor here.</span></strong></a> <em>Header photo courtesy of Ehsan Habashi/Unsplash.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2024 05:00:38 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-to-reach-the-forgotten-people-behind-bars/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ehsan-habashi-WxwDIuzHQxA-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Egyptian Christians attacked by Islamic extremists</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/egyptian-christians-attacked-by-islamic-extremists/</link><description><![CDATA[Egypt (MNN) -- In the run-up to the May 5 Orthodox Easter celebrations, <a href="https://www.persecution.org/2024/04/24/islamic-extremists-set-fire-to-homes-in-southern-egypt-prevent-christians-from-fleeing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>extremists attacked</strong></span></a> a Christian village in Upper Egypt and set fire to several homes and a new church building. Many Christians received threats from extremists over the construction of a new church building in Al-Fawakher, Minya. Although they appealed to the police for help, none came. Then, on Tuesday night, April 23, militants burned the new construction and many Christian homes in the village. Abna Makarios, Archbishop of Minya, alerted authorities. Riadh Jaballah, a spokesperson for <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-canada/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The Voice of the Martyrs Canada</strong></span></a>, says, "Egyptian security force(s) received a report about a dangerous wildfire near the construction site of a new church. Many Copts have been subjected to attacks, (including) their homes being burned and being prevented from leaving." The area is where approximately one-third of the country's Christians live. The village itself is home to roughly 3,000 families. <div id="attachment_208141" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/833px-Minya_in_Egypt.svg_.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-208141" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/833px-Minya_in_Egypt.svg_-300x277.png" alt="" width="300" height="277" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The Minya governorate in Upper Egypt.<br />(Wikimedia Commons)</p></div> <em><strong>Despite a warning, nobody was there to stop the attack.</strong></em> However, in the aftermath, Jaballah says, "The instigators of the attack on the population were arrested, and the damages were recorded. This attack was to create sedition and division between Muslims and Christians. This is not new, especially coinciding with their Easter." While discouraging, the response from the community was not one of violence. Instead, "Always, they forgive their enemy, their killer, and persecutor. So always, this is the reaction of the Christian, because it's biblical. It's not about us. This is what we believe; this is our faith." Because many of the Christians in the area also live side-by-side with Muslim neighbors, they don't want to sabotage those relationships. Jaballah says the response of believers says a lot about the Jesus they follow. "They won't enter in(to) conflict with the neighborhood, especially Muslims. Always, they react with peace, with love, and forgiveness." Although Open Doors ranks Egypt as the <a href="https://www.opendoorsuk.org/persecution/world-watch-list/egypt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>38th most dangerous country</strong></span></a> in the world to be a Christian, Jaballah says there is room for the Gospel. He tells church leaders in Egypt:<h4><em>"You need, as Christian(s), to stand up about our faith, to face our reality. We are here, part of this country, and by law, our Constitution, they gave us the freedom to share our faith."</em></h4>He encourages them to embrace the paradox of persecution. "Our Lord (taught) us: 'they're going to kill us; they're going to persecute us'. We're aware of that. We need to go. And we need to share. If we (give in to) fear, we're going to lose our faith." The April 23, 2024, attack is just one incident. History has proven that Easter gatherings in Egypt are prime targets for extremists to send a message. In 2017, twin attacks hit church gatherings at St. George's Church in Tanta and St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria. Those attacks are recent enough in light of Tuesday's violence to send waves of concern as this Coptic Easter celebration approaches. Jaballah says there are four things we can do as the body of Christ. We need: "...to encourage each other; to be aware about our situation; to share the information and to pray. We are believers--it doesn't matter (about) your denomination. We need to stand up together." <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/orange-and-yellow-flame-illustration-fzfDRXUya-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Max Kukurudziak/Unsplash</a>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 30 Apr 2024 05:00:41 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/egyptian-christians-attacked-by-islamic-extremists/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/max-kukurudziak-fzfDRXUya-s-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Manipur still a guerilla war zone</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/manipur-still-a-guerilla-war-zone/</link><description><![CDATA[India (MNN) -- We're nearing the one-year anniversary <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/21/manipur-india-why-is-there-conflict-and-how-is-the-government-responding" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">since violence broke out in Manipur</span></strong></a>, India. It began as ethnic clashes over economic benefits between the Meitei and minority Kuki people. But soon, the clashes spiraled into violent attacks targeting tribal Kukis — most of whom are Christian. In early May 2023, Meitei extremists in Manipur burned 250 churches, and over 160 people died in the conflict. <strong>Today, Manipur still looks like a guerrilla war zone.</strong> Regan Miller with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mission-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Mission India</span></strong></a> shares, "We actually had a ministry partner go to Manipur recently to get an update, and he shared with us his quote:<blockquote><p style="text-align: left; padding-left: 30px;"><em>‘My heart is heavy as I heard some stories directly from the victims. Even now, many are on the road with illegal weapons. I saw them walking around. I was asked not to go into some villages, as many bullet sounds were heard. One person said in his village every night there are sounds of bomb blasts.’</em></p></blockquote><div id="attachment_203845" style="width: 255px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-203845" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/A-Timeline-Of-Our-History-2019-Persecution-Ranking-Increases-600x735-245x300.jpg" alt="" width="245" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Mission India)</p></div> "It's just crazy to think that this was front of mind for a lot of us that were supporting India a year ago. Now, there's so many other things taking place that it can be easy to forget, and in actuality, our prayers are still needed so much." <strong>More than 60,000 tribal Christians are displaced and can’t return to their villages for fear of attack.</strong> Even though schools in Manipur eventually re-opened, many parents still won’t send their children back to school. "There are Christian families that are hesitant to send their kids to school because they don't know if it's safe," says Miller. "So that can really disrupt everyday life and affects kids’ education. It just means there's a ripple effect over a long period of time." <strong>As we approach the one-year anniversary, pray for an end to the violence in Manipur and for persecuted Christians to represent Jesus.</strong> Header photo courtesy of]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 30 Apr 2024 05:00:50 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/manipur-still-a-guerilla-war-zone/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/348631918_832173887745057_3978837398276730352_n-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Easter is coming for the Eastern Orthodox Church</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sundays-coming-for-the-eastern-orthodox-church/</link><description><![CDATA[International (MNN) -- Are you celebrating Easter this Sunday? If so, you must be part of the Eastern Orthodox Church, which is in the middle of Holy Week. The difference in date comes from two calendars systems. The Eastern Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar created by Julius Caesar in the first century BC. However, most Western countries follow the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gregorian-calendar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Gregorian calendar</b></a></span>, which was introduced more than 400 years ago as a reform of the Julian Calendar.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <div id="attachment_207920" style="width: 250px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-207920 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/mateusz-butkiewicz-ZhylWw5PDZg-unsplash-240x300.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/black-cross-on-top-of-building-ZhylWw5PDZg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mateusz Butkiewicz via Unsplash</a></span>.)</p></div> Regardless of the historical details behind this difference in Easter dates, this week is another moment the global Church can stand together. “It's such an important time to be praying for our brothers and sisters in parts of the world where the celebrations are still going on,” says Denise Godwin with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/international-media-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>International Media Ministries</b></a></span> (IMM).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> The West has celebrated Easter already, but Godwin encourages you to “<strong>continue to remember our brothers and sisters</strong> who are either in a country that's Muslim, and they're trying to live out their faith in great distress, or the Orthodox countries. You think of Russia, Armenia, Greece, (places) that are having a lot of stress, culturally.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Godwin says that even among cultures that don’t widely honor Easter, it’s still a time where many people think twice as the holy day comes.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Another spiritually significant fact in 2024 was that Easter in most Western countries (March 31) and Ramadan for Muslims (March 10-April 9) overlapped. They don’t always do so. Now that you know, would you take this moment to pray?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Whatever differences we can have amongst the different traditions inside Christianity, it's important to encourage one another, build one another up and stand together for the cross of Jesus Christ and the truth of that,” Godwin says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p></blockquote>IMM uses media to bring the hope of Christ to Europe, Eurasia, Africa and the Middle East. You can learn more about them and their cross-cultural, multi-lingual resources <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://imm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>here</b></a></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <em>Header photo is a stock image courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-red-eggs-sitting-on-top-of-a-wooden-table-u0fJzaOrXp4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ch P/Unsplash</a></span>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 30 Apr 2024 05:00:21 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sundays-coming-for-the-eastern-orthodox-church/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ch-p-u0fJzaOrXp4-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Terrorist influence growing in Niger as US military departs</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/terrorist-influence-growing-in-niger-as-us-military-departs/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">Niger (MNN) – It's like a nasty breakup.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Last week, <a href="https://www.persecution.org/2024/04/23/u-s-withdraws-from-niger-amid-ongoing-terror-threats/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Niger</span></strong></a> politely asked the U.S. to pack up and leave. The U.S. has been in Niger since 2002, assisting with the regional counterterrorism efforts. Even before the locks are changed, Russia's presence can be felt.</span> <strong>Todd Nettleton, a spokesman for <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Voice of the Martyrs USA (VOM)</span></a>, describes it this way: "The U.S. is leaving, but Russian military advisors are arriving in Tunisia. [Niger] has told the U.S., 'We don't want to work with you anymore.' They've also told the Russians, 'We would like to work with you.'"</strong> <div id="attachment_208119" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-medium wp-image-208119" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-26-at-10-39-54-niger-Google-Search-300x214.png" alt="" width="300" height="214" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Niger map (Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The initial security partnership grew to include more than 1,000 U.S. troops in the country and the development of a drone base used to combat terrorist threats in the region. Niger shares a long border with Nigeria, where the presence of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram, along with militant Fulani herdsmen, threatens civilians, including Christians and moderate Muslims. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Along another border shared with Mali, the presence of Al Qaeda and ISIS looms through local militias. The terror groups seem to be aligned, which could mean two of the world's most dangerous terrorist organizations are joining forces.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Nettleton says, "I think they are counting on the Russian military advisors to help with that process of addressing the terrorism problem, which again, is how this military junta took power was by saying not enough is being done about terrorism: 'We're going to have to step in and take charge to address that issue.'"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Although Niger ranks 70th on the <a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Open Doors World Watch List</span></strong></a> - a ranking of the top 50 countries in the world where Christians face the most persecution - that could change.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Islamic militants have been growing in influence in Niger, leading to a rise in attacks on vulnerable churches and Christian schools. Last year's military coup didn't improve the stability situation in areas under militant control. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">However, according to VOM leaders in West Africa, the junta has not cracked down against Christians. Nettleton explains the Church is essentially the same as it was before the junta took power.</span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"There was a lot of concern when the junta took power. There were even some people making noise, 'Hey, now we can enact Sharia law now that we can become a more Islamic country.' So far, they haven't put feet to those ideas." </strong></p></blockquote><div id="attachment_204303" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-204303" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/alek-burley-lkaEuSvyIsk-unsplash-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Alek Burley/Unsplash)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The changing scenario and the U.S. withdrawal have opened the eyes of the Church in Niger.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Nettleton urges you to keep praying for your brothers and sisters in Niger. "We can pray for the country. We can pray especially for our brothers and sisters who are there. Frankly, we can thank the Lord for this good news. This...hasn't been as bad as it could have been, or maybe even as it was expected to be after the coup." </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Pray for new believers. In Niger, apostates are those who leave Islam.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"One of the places persecution comes from in Niger is family members; it is often in a Muslim family. If someone comes to faith, 'you're not part of our family anymore. You can't live here anymore. You can't work here anymore.'"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Pray for those new believers that the Lord will encourage them. Pray for the Church to be able to come alongside them because, in that situation, "You've lost your family. The Church becomes your family; I pray that the Church will step up to do that and to help these brothers and sisters who are giving up a great deal to follow Christ."</span> <em>Header photo of Niger flag, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 29 Apr 2024 05:00:56 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/terrorist-influence-growing-in-niger-as-us-military-departs/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/nigerflag-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>DOOR International releasing sign language training resources in Summer 2024</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/door-international-releasing-sign-language-training-resources-in-summer-2024/</link><description><![CDATA[USA (MNN) -- While some churches focus on reaching their neighborhoods for Christ, others team up with missions organizations to reach entire people groups. Believers work together to fulfill the Great Commission, identifying needs and supplying resources to finish the task. “As we get closer and closer to that moment when Jesus comes back, we want to do everything we can to see as many people as we can worshiping the Lord with us,” <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/door-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>DOOR International</strong></span></a>’s Rob Myers says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Deaf communities have long been denied access to the Gospel, and now is the time to see the Great Commission happen within these communities.”</strong></p></blockquote>DOOR International teaches Deaf Christian leaders how to share the Gospel, disciple others, plant churches, and translate God’s Word. <a href="https://doorinternational.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>More about that here.</strong></span></a> “In each of those areas, we’re developing resources that help train, empower, and equip local leaders,” Myers says. DOOR released its sign language Bible translation resources <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sign-language-translation-tool-sltt-streamlines-bible-translation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last year</a></strong></span>. Today, they’ve almost completed evangelism and discipleship resources in several sign languages. Those videos will be available in the first part of Summer 2024. <div id="attachment_203241" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/DOOR_training-session.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-203241" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/DOOR_training-session-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">DOOR’s Translation Resources Development team finished developing how-to videos for translation teams. Now, they are passing on their knowledge and experience to the brand new 2-by-2 Resources Development team.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of DOOR International)</p></div> Better yet, “We’re making sure that content is released through Creative Commons open licensing so other people can use it and then make it available to their communities with no license restrictions.” <a href="https://doorinternational.org/news-updates" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Join DOOR’s newsletter list here</strong></span></a> and be the first to know when the new resources are ready. Pray for the Deaf every day by <a href="https://doorinternational.org/pray" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>downloading DOOR’s monthly prayer calendar.</strong></span></a> “If you have a heart for the Great Commission, we would love for you to come alongside the work that DOOR and other Deaf ministries are doing through prayer,” Myers says. “The Deaf community has faced more barriers than almost any other people group that’s out there.” <em>Header and story images courtesy of DOOR International.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 29 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/door-international-releasing-sign-language-training-resources-in-summer-2024/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/DOOR_unequipped-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Wycliffe Associates equips Bible translation in Indonesia</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/wycliffe-associates-equips-bible-translation-in-indonesia/</link><description><![CDATA[USA (MNN) — <span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><a href="https://wycliffeassociates.org/">Wycliffe Associates</a></strong>, an international Bible translation organization, <strong><a href="https://wycliffeassociates.org/press-releases/wycliffe-associates-bringing-bible-translation-technology-to-indigenous-translators-lacking-internet-access/">equips Indonesian</a></strong> and Southeast Asian Christians with training and equipment to translate the Bible into more than 35 language groups. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mark Stedman, the Vice President of Technology at Wycliffe Associates speaks to the importance of empowering people globally to translate the Bible into their heart language. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“The story of Wycliffe Associates is the story of Church ownership of Bible translation,” Stedman says. “We come from a perspective that says the Church, the global Church, the very people who need Scripture, should be in the driver's seat of Bible translation for their people.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">This is where Wycliffe’s Bible Translation Acceleration Kits (BTAK) come into play. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Each BTAK, a group of software and hardware translation resources, is bundled together to meet the specific needs of the country, location, and people group doing the Bible translation. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“That's copyright unencumbered source texts to translate from, quite a few translation resources to help them translate accurately and effectively, and then check those translations,” Stedman says. “Then all the hardware and the technical support that they need to engage those tools in the process of Bible translation.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Wycliffe Associates is also available to support, encourage, and disciple these translators.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In some more remote locations, like many islands in <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/wycliffe-associates-helps-30-new-bibles-translations/">Indonesia</a></strong>, Internet access isn’t readily available. In those cases, the BTAKs include small <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/wycliffe-usa-uses-spacex-satellites-to-accelerate-bible-translation/">satellite</a></strong> modems allowing translators to connect the kit to a satellite and reach the internet. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">As technology advances, Wycliffe is cautiously optimistic about the role that tools like artificial intelligence can play in Bible translation. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“You know, we are fully committed to God's people doing the work of Bible translation and having that sense of ownership,” Stedman says. “The first thing we think about with AI is not taking away the blessing that comes onto a group of people who are doing the work of Bible translation.”</span> Translators can use AI tools to draft Old Testament translations using completed and accurate New Testament translations. But that raises a question; how do translators ensure these translations are accurate? <span style="font-weight: 400;">“The short answer is 'We don't,'” Stedman said. “We, as the staff of Wycliffe Associates, are not capable of checking a Bible translation done in a language that we don't speak. So then the question becomes, well, how is it done? And the answer is we train the Bible translators to check their work. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Wycliffe trains these translators to engage with their communities and equips them with tools to check their own work or partner with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/local-church-leads-bible-translation-efforts-in-madagascar/"><strong>local church</strong></a> communities to check the work. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Along the way, every volunteer who engages with the Scripture translation grows in understanding and knowledge of the Bible. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Stedman encourages committing to prayer for those engaging with Bible translation around the world. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Be aware that not all the world has scripture and that if you have benefited from reading your Bible, we want the same thing for people overseas,” Stedman says. “You can commit to spending a part of your daily prayer time asking the Lord to help these translation groups to do their work well, to help them be successful, help them overcome a spirit of discouragement if they get discouraged.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Visit <strong><a href="https://wycliffeassociates.org/">WycliffeAssociates.org</a> </strong>to learn more about how you can pray for these translators, <strong><a href="https://wycliffeassociates.org/volunteer/">volunteer</a></strong> for the organization, or donate funds to help in the creation of new Scripture translations.</span> <em>Header photo courtesy of <a href="https://wycliffeassociates.org/projects/bible-translation-acceleration-kits-btaks/">WycliffeAssociates.org. </a></em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 29 Apr 2024 05:00:32 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/wycliffe-associates-equips-bible-translation-in-indonesia/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BTAK-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>In Iran, no one perceived as a Western ally is safe</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/in-iran-no-one-perceived-as-a-western-ally-is-safe/</link><description><![CDATA[Iran (MNN) — Iran is intensifying crackdowns on anything perceived as “Western.” <strong>On April 13 – the same day Tehran launched drone attacks on Israel – the regime also announced a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/apr/24/iranian-women-violently-dragged-from-streets-by-police-amid-hijab-crackdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">new campaign</span></a> called <em>Noor</em>, or “light” in Persian. The campaign increases efforts by the morality police to punish women not wearing hijab in public.</strong> <div id="attachment_188011" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-188011" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hispahan_Persian_girl1_2-300x287.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="287" /><p class="wp-caption-text">The header photo shows an Iranian woman. (Photo courtesy of TruedynamicPhoto, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)</p></div> Iranian women who’ve been arrested without head coverings say they are physically and verbally assaulted — accused of loving the West and loving America. Iranian Christians are also ostracized and treated with suspicion for ties to the West. <strong>An <a href="https://articleeighteen.com/reports/14516/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">annual report</span></a> released by Article18 in February shows a similar number of Christians were arrested in 2023 from previous years. However, fewer Iranian Christians in 2023 were willing to allow their faces and names to be publicized due to growing fears of backlash.</strong> Joe Willey with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/sat-7/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">SAT-7</span></strong></a>, a Christian satellite television broadcaster in the Middle East and North Africa, says they recently heard from one Iranian Christian viewer who was denied a job opportunity.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"He had applied for a job with an excellent salary. But he also had to write his religion and he wrote Christian/Protestant.... But the owner sadly just said, ‘If you were not a Christian, then with your experience, your capabilities, you would go into management in the IT department. You'd get an excellent salary. But we do not employ Christians.’"</strong></p></blockquote>SAT-7 PARS' television programs in Farsi are challenging the narrative on Christians in Iran. By broadcasting via satellite and utilizing social media, they can reach across closed borders and connect with Iranians who might otherwise never hear the Gospel. <div id="attachment_208110" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-medium wp-image-208110" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-25-141152-300x154.png" alt="" width="300" height="154" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of SAT-7 PARS)</p></div> <strong>Willey says, "SAT-7 exposes people who are <em>not</em> Christians to Christians and Christian theology, Christian thought. How do Christians act? Why do Christians say what they say?</strong> <strong>"So it is a tool to make the Gospel available, to make God's love visible to people who may have preconceived notions about Christians."</strong> To believers around the world, Willey says we can be encouraged by the example of persecuted Iranian believers. "There are those in Iran, there are those in the Middle East who are certainly firm and strong in their face — that they would say, 'No, I am a Christian,' even if it means not getting a job, not having an opportunity that would be a benefit; but also in more extreme cases, physical harm and worse." Please pray for women and other marginalized minorities in Iran to know their worth in Christ! Ask God to give local believers wisdom and boldness as they share their faith. <a href="https://www.sat7usa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Learn more about SAT-7 here.</span></strong></a> <em>Header photo courtesy of Zahra Amiri/Unsplash.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Apr 2024 05:00:17 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/in-iran-no-one-perceived-as-a-western-ally-is-safe/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/zahra-amiri-WVDV6wECOUY-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Is your church “glocal”?</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/is-your-church-glocal/</link><description><![CDATA[USA (MNN) -- You may be familiar with “local church” and “parachurch” concepts, or maybe your denomination is divided into local, regional, and national divisions. Either way, Georges Houssney of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/horizons-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Horizons International</strong></span></a> says it’s every Christian’s mandate to fulfill the Great Commission. “Every church is ‘glocal’ – global and local at the same time. Every church has to have the Great Commission on their shoulders and not only send some money to missions but be involved,” Houssney says. <div id="attachment_208061" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/pexels-helena-lopes-933964.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-208061" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/pexels-helena-lopes-933964-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Helena Lopez/Pexels)</p></div> Christ’s final instructions, as recorded in <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+28%3A16-20&version=NKJV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matthew 28</a></strong></span>, are not optional. Additionally, the call is not limited to a people group or location God has placed on your heart. “[The] Great Commission is about calling the world into the sheep pen. It used to be just Jews, then it spread over to the Greeks and then all over the world,” Houssney says. “He says, ‘I have other sheep. You go and get them because they must come and join the Church.’” <em><strong>So, what can YOU do today?</strong></em> “In one city in the US, you’ll find people from every nation, tribe, and language,” Houssney says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We should not just pray for them. We should reach out to them.”</strong></p></blockquote><a href="https://www.horizonsinternational.org/opportunities" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Learn how to share the Gospel with Muslim neighbors or coworkers here.</strong></span></a> Ask the Lord to help you move outside your comfort zone and to view the people around you with eternity in mind. “Why don’t we look across the street and see the Asians, Africans, Arabs, and Middle Easterners not as an invasion of our country but as God’s strategy to bring the Gospel to those people?” Houssney suggests. “Every individual is a missionary. It’s not about going overseas a million miles or a thousand miles away. It starts where you are, but God may also graduate you into the world.” <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of </em><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-people-in-the-market-place-757436/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>NIC LAW/Pexels.</em></a>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Apr 2024 05:00:06 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/is-your-church-glocal/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/pexels-nic-law-757436-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>“JESUS” film set to take on new animated format in 2025</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/jesus-film-set-to-take-on-new-animated-format-in-2025/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">USA (MNN) -- The iconic and record-breaking "</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">JESUS</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">" film is set to hit theatres worldwide in a new animated format in December 2025, hoping to target a younger generation engaging in new forms of media. </span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">JESUS</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (2025)" was <strong><a href="https://www.jesusfilm.org/blog/announcing-jesus-2025/">announced</a></strong> in November, 2023 as the newest undertaking from the <strong><a href="https://www.jesusfilm.org/">Jesus Film Project</a></strong>, sharing the story of the life of Jesus as found in Luke.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“There are quite a few reasons to go animated with the Jesus film, but one of them is just, with the way that the world is today, in the age of the world, we want to have a way that we can have an impact with those who are engaging in media in new ways,” Chris Deckert with the Jesus Film Project said. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The chosen format for <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/record-breaking-jesus-film-project-unveils-new-innovative-animated-film-jesus-2025-in-washington-d-c/">"</a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">JESUS</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (2025)" is animation, a type of media that connects people of all ages and speaks to a younger generation. With the average global age being just 30 years old, Deckert sees the importance of engaging with this next generation and communicating about who Jesus is. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The original "</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">JESUS</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> film broke records as the most translated film of all time, available in over<strong> <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/jesus-film-project-celebrates-2100th-translation/">2,100 languages</a></strong>. The creators of "</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">JESUS</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (2025)" intend for this animated version to use the same audio from current translations, making it accessible to just as many people groups. </span> <div id="attachment_208027" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-medium wp-image-208027" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Earth-as-it-is-in-Heaven-300x139.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="139" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Scene from new animated film highlights the Scripture passage "On Earth as it is in Heaven". Photo courtesy of Jesusfilm.org</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“For every new language that we work on, we're going to be doing the traditional Jesus film classically,” Deckert said. “All the translations will be the same. We work with our Bible translators and get straight from the Gospel of Luke most of what we have in the film. So as we translate that, we put it into the Jesus film, but all those lines then will be dropped into an animated version.” </span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">JESUS</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (2025)" will first be released in English, and shown in theatres in the United States. From there, the film will be dubbed into the top 100 <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/jesus-film-project-helps-to-reach-the-unreached/">world languages.</a></strong> The Jesus Film Project will then continue to process the film into other languages as quickly as possible. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The animated version is currently in the process of production. Deckert says it’ll be more than a year and half before it is ready to be released. In the meantime, the organization is working on fundraising and making sure that the work they’re doing is accurate. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“And so the production team, the people they’re working with, who have professional experience in animation, come from different areas that they've had such great quality, and they're bringing that into this project,” Deckert said. “But we want to ensure that this is really high quality, and that it'll be an engaging story that people connect with not only in the U.S., but in the couple thousand other languages around the world.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Those interested in keeping up with the development of the project can visit <strong><a href="https://asj.jesusfilm.org/">Jesus.film</a></strong> or download the <strong><a href="https://www.jesusfilm.org/dev/nda/grants/jesus-film-project-branded-jf/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8pKxBhD_ARIsAPrG45mHSznyggHcN7P2uir01upPoBlv9laR0pBKGmZ7e1pkUbjswfWOzucaAozKEALw_wcB">Jesus Film Insider app</a></strong>. On another app, Jesus Film, the film is available for download for free in the 2,100 languages it is translated into. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Deckert recalls a time he was able to use the app share the film with his Kenyan cab driver in the driver’s tribe’s language. The driver downloaded the film to share it with his family and realized that his own cousin was the one narrating in their language. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“So just watching God bring people together with the Gospel and connecting it to them is so easy when you can share it in their own language from anywhere in the world,” Deckert said. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Visit <a href="https://asj.jesusfilm.org/"><strong>Jesus.film</strong></a> for more information on this project. </span> <em>Header image courtesy of <a href="https://asj.jesusfilm.org/press/">Jesusfilm.org</a></em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Apr 2024 05:00:09 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/jesus-film-set-to-take-on-new-animated-format-in-2025/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jesus-Reveal-1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Decades of East Africa unrest create a Bible translator diaspora</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/decades-of-east-africa-unrest-create-a-bible-translator-diaspora/</link><description><![CDATA[Eritrea (MNN) — Eritrea and Ethiopia’s relationship is complex. In 2018, these two nations ended <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2018/5/6/ethiopia-eritrea-conflict-20-years-on-brothers-still-at-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>twenty years of conflict</b></a></span>, which is estimated to have killed a hundred thousand people and displaced one million.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Then, only two years later, Eritrea fought alongside Ethiopia against a paramilitary group in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/africa-south-ethiopia-african-union-70fb0d185aaccb668b2fabb4f6e45b9f"><b>That war ended in 2022</b></a></span>, but in December of last year <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-ethiopia-government-eritrea-business-50d9739687f39efb780273884f12b890" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Eritrean troops were still present in Tigray</b></a></span>. In the past two weeks, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/ethiopia/ethiopia-flash-update-1-displacement-north-wello-and-wag-hamra-zones-amhara-region-19-april-2024?_gl=1*i852*_ga*MTEzNDEzMDMyOC4xNzEzNjAyODQ5*_ga_E60ZNX2F68*MTcxMzc3NjExNC4zLjAuMTcxMzc3NjExNC42MC4wLjA." target="_blank" rel="noopener">unrest has flared up again</a></strong></span> in Tigray, displacing nearly 29,000 people. Even as concerns for the region’s long-term stability rise, an Eritrean Bible translation team is at work own people: the Kunama of Eritrea. “They (the Kunama) have for decades experienced hardship through civil war in their country,” says Meg Hunt with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/wycliffe-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Wycliffe USA</b></a></span>. “Many of them have migrated to neighboring countries — and then actually several of them have come to North America as part of their refugee experience.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <div id="attachment_208095" style="width: 419px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-208095" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Population_displacement_due_to_Tigray_conflict-300x232.jpg" alt="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Population_displacement_due_to_Tigray_conflict.jpg Wikimedia Commons, stock photo, Tigray, Ethiopia, Eritrea " width="409" height="316" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Population displacement due to Tigray conflict, 12 January 2021 (Photo courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Population_displacement_due_to_Tigray_conflict.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USAID via Wikimedia Commons</a></span>)</p></div> Kunama translation teams live Ethiopia and North America. Together, they feel the effects of the regional tensions.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “For the team that is translating the Old Testament (in Ethiopia), they are being targeted by the local government, so it's been hard for them to continue to feel safe in that environment,” Hunt says. “Although they have resettled into different cities (in Ethiopia), in more rural areas refugees experience fear of being relocated to refugee camps back in Northern Ethiopia where there is still unrest.” For the North America team, who is working on the New Testament, their pressures are less dangerous but still real. “It's actually pretty incredible that it's entirely volunteer-based in North America. The challenges for them are really that they're balancing a lot. They've got a lot of things of care for their own families, their day jobs. But again, they're so committed to translating God's Word,” Hunt says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “One of the things that is really unique about the translation is that because they are a diaspora team, working together across multiple time zones and continents, keeping in step with one another is an opportunity and a challenge that they have." <a href="https://www.wycliffe.org/blog/posts/translating-across-continents" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Meet this dedicated Bible translation team here</strong></span></a>. Several books of the Bible have already gone through community testing — one of the final steps before they go to print or audio publishing. The books are Ruth, Jonah, Haggai, Matthew and Galatians. You can be part of this Bible translation project spanning the globe through your prayers and your partnership. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wycliffe.org/blog/posts/translating-across-continents" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Learn more and sign up for prayer updates here.</strong></a></span> “Pray for the safety of these Kunama team members, especially those in Ethiopia. Pray for the just energy and stamina to continue this work,” Hunt says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <em>Header photo of internally displaced persons in Tigray, April 2021 courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112526739" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rastakwere via Wikimedia Commons</a></span> (CC BY-SA 4.0)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 25 Apr 2024 05:00:12 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/decades-of-east-africa-unrest-create-a-bible-translator-diaspora/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1080px-Internally_displaced_people_in_Shire_Tigray_April_2021_17-1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>PTEE calls North African Christians back to theological roots</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/ptee-calls-north-african-christians-back-to-theological-roots/</link><description><![CDATA[North Africa (MNN) -- North Africa was a thriving center of theological thought in the early centuries of Christianity. Today, the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/ptee/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Program for Theological Education by Extension</a></strong></span>, or PTEE, seeks to bring North African Christians back to their historic roots. “When I say ‘North Africa,’ I’m mostly referring to places like Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia,” says a PTEE leader we’ll call Daniel. “In all of these countries, the majority is not Christianity. Some of these countries might have low thousands, some low hundreds of local believers in Christ.” <div id="attachment_208004" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PTEE_morocco.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-208004" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PTEE_morocco-300x209.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="209" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of PTEE)</p></div> In Morrocco, believers <a href="https://www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide/morocco/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>meet in secret</strong></span></a> because of the severe persecution. However, the Christian population is growing, and young local leaders are emerging in multiple cities. <em><strong>Theological training takes a holistic approach in this country.</strong> </em>“Christians from any background can set up businesses that help people. As part of one of these businesses, we can host PTEE classes,” Daniel says. “The model would be that students are also trained in business and can go and set up their own business centers with accompanying PTEE classes.” PTEE sought to begin work here several months ago when “somebody in Morocco invited [us] to come. He wants us to help him set up a study center there to train him and other believers who can then train others,” Daniel says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The needs there seem particularly pronounced; a lot of Christians are struggling.”</strong></p></blockquote>PTEE trains Christian leaders across the Arabic-speaking world. <a href="https://ptee.org/eng/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>More about that here.</strong></span></a> Ask the Lord to empower and encourage Christ-followers throughout North Africa. Pray that training from PTEE will help believers grow closer to Jesus. “Believers in these regions have suffered so much and are still facing a lot of persecution,” Daniel says. “People are quite cautious and can be slow to trust one another, so please pray for healthy relationships between local believers within and across these countries.” <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of </em><a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/morocco-africa-donkey-transport-4737032/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Michal/Pixabay.</em></a>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 25 Apr 2024 05:00:12 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/ptee-calls-north-african-christians-back-to-theological-roots/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/morocco-4737032_1920-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Set Free: Spiritual warfare facing Christians in the US</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/set-free-spiritual-warfare-facing-christians-in-the-us/</link><description><![CDATA[USA (MNN) – The enemy uses many tactics to distract God’s people. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/set-free-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Set Free Ministries</a></strong></span> offers hope and help to untangle Christians in the US from sin.<h2><strong>What Burdens Christians in the US?</strong></h2>Dean Vander Mey with Set Free says, “Probably the number one issue that we see weekly, actually daily, at Set Free is unresolved hurt, pain, and anger stored, unexpressed, and pushed down. A lot of people call that depression – and it's really things that have not been talked about. They have not been brought into the light. So, what we do is we don't know what to do with them, and then we pack them away. And that's some of the heavy weights that burden us.” <div id="attachment_208089" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-208089" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/depression-2912424_1280-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Image by Małgorzata Tomczak on Pixabay)</p></div> As of May 2023, 29% of the population <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/505745/depression-rates-reach-new-highs.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Gallup</strong> </span></a>surveyed reported a diagnosis of depression at some point in their lifetime. This percentage was up almost ten percent since 2015. With depression on the rise, it is no wonder that Set Free is seeing this burden within the body of Christ on a regular basis.<blockquote>Vander Mey explains, “The enemy uses sin that has been done against us. Then that person [carries] that sin – not knowing what to do with it, and they just carry it. They don't know how to process that and they don't know how to forgive that. So that weighs them down, and then entangles them.”</blockquote>Unfortunately, the church is under attack in more than one way. Vander Mey explains that in addition to unresolved anger leading to depression, they also see many people struggling with pornography. “One of the other things that's really dogging the USA is the horrors of porn addiction. It's one of the other things that's really affecting the youth and even the rest of the church body. The statistics are frightening.” Vander Mey harkens back to <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+5-7&version=NIV" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Proverbs 5-7</strong></span></a> with its stern warnings against adultery. The New Testament takes this even further in the sermon on the mount when Jesus speaks against lust in <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+5&version=NIV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matthew 5:27-30</a></strong></span>. He says, “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” The consequences of giving in to lust in both passages of Scripture are dire.<h2><strong>Steps to Healing</strong></h2>In the midst of these problems Set Free steps in. They give Christians a framework for processing sin issues and coming before God in repentance. <div id="attachment_208088" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-medium wp-image-208088" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/people-1492052_1280-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Image courtesy of 1388843 on Pixabay)</p></div> Vander Mey says, “We're in pretty tough shape across the USA. And churches oftentimes don't deal with the core issues like this that need to be resolved to really help their sheep who are hurting. And so that's what we do here – is we help we help them get set free.” Set Free offers Freedom Appointments where individuals are counseled through a seven-step process to confront their sins and repent. Their offshoot, “Walking Free,” continues this process through focused discipleship. If you are struggling with unresolved spiritual issues you can get help through the team at Set Free. Register for a Freedom Appointment <a href="https://setfreemin.org/freedom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>here</strong></span></a>. Set Free provides their complimentary appointments to anyone who needs it. If you would like to support their ministry so they can continue to reach more people, <a href="https://setfreemin.org/give/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">click here</span></strong></a>. <em>Image courtesy of reenablackon Pixabay</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 25 Apr 2024 05:00:59 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/set-free-spiritual-warfare-facing-christians-in-the-us/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/prayer-1308663_1280-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>“God is still moving” amid Sudan’s chaos, says Gospel worker</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/god-is-still-moving-amid-sudans-chaos-says-gospel-worker/</link><description><![CDATA[Sudan (MNN) -- The impact of Sudan’s civil war on religious communities is a cause for concern, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. The USCIRF details attacks on religious leaders and churches <a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/releases-statements/uscirf-sounds-alarm-attacks-against-religious-communities-sudan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>in a new report.</strong></span></a> “Pastors are being killed. Churches are being bombed, occupied, and claimed for one or the other side. Individuals continue to know persecution as well as Christians within the refugee community,” says John*, an <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unfoldingword/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>unfoldingWord</strong></span></a> partner focused on Sudan. <a href="https://international.la-croix.com/religion/christian-minorities-are-more-than-collateral-damage-in-sudans-civil-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>More than 150 churches</strong></span></a> have been destroyed since the war began, the USCIRF report notes. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://morningstarnews.org/2024/04/militants-detain-church-leader-in-sudan-demand-ransom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Two weeks ago</a></strong></span>, paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intercepted a senior church leader as he was traveling in northern Sudan and demanded ransom for his release. Two generals have been fighting for control of Sudan <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/will-sudans-tension-turn-into-conflict/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>since last April.</strong></span></a> Although the war is not outwardly religious, “Whenever the war is over, and whichever one of them is in charge, they don’t want the Church to have any significant presence in their society and culture,” John says. <em><strong>Believers may have lost their churches and homes in this senseless war, but they are not losing hope.</strong></em> “As people hear the Word of God in Sudanese, Arabic, in one location, in one week, 200 people came to know the Lord,” John says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“God is moving in the midst of this (war), and Satan has been defeated heart by heart as people come to know the truth.”</strong></p></blockquote><a href="https://donorbox.org/open-the-gates-sudan-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Support translation efforts in Sudan here through unfoldingWord</strong></span></a>. Pray that people will come to know the Lord as church planters introduce Muslim refugees to God’s Word in their heart language. “We’re partners with unfoldingWord, and we’re in the process of translating the Word of God into 11 unreached people group languages,” John says. “Among some tribes where there have been no believers, we’re seeing dozens coming to the Lord; there are weekly baptisms.” <em><strong>*Pseudonym</strong> </em> <em>Header image is a representative photo depicting an outline of the country of Sudan overlaid by a Sudanese map and national emblem. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_map_of_Sudan_(with_emblem).png" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 24 Apr 2024 05:00:33 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/god-is-still-moving-amid-sudans-chaos-says-gospel-worker/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Flag_map_of_Sudan_with_emblem-180x180.png" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Satellite TV making airwaves in Iran with the gospel</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/satellite-tv-making-airwaves-in-iran-with-the-gospel/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">Iran (MNN) — It’s not too surprising to hear that the government of Iran holds a high degree of control on the internet within the country. But do you know how this positively impacts the spread of the gospel?</span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>In Iran, the government can not only limit or shut down the internet, but also track peoples’ use of it. Because of this, more and more Iranians are turning to satellite TV, which cannot be stopped or monitored. </strong></p></blockquote><div id="attachment_203959" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-203959" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/TI_media-story-pic-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Transform Iran)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s a trend that ministries such as </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/transform-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Transform Iran</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> are making the most of for Christ. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“They're not necessarily looking for Jesus at this point,” says Lana Silk with Transform Iran. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“They take to the satellite airwaves to find material from the West that they can listen to that is different to the rhetoric that they hear at home — and that is where we want them to find Jesus.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There’s an interesting contrast here. In 2016, Iranian officials </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/7/24/iran-destroys-100000-depraving-satellite-dishes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>confiscated 100,000 satellite dishes</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, declaring that the corrupting influence of satellite TV led to marriage troubles, addiction and poor education for children. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Today, however, Transform Iran hears testimonies from people who were caught in those same struggles. But in these accounts, people on the brink of suicide, or trapped in addiction, depression or broken relationships discovered the help they needed. </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They find the message of Jesus through the TV, and it gives them hope, it gives them a better way, and then through that they can contact us — and we give them safe ways to do that. Then we can minister to them in-person and disciple them,” Silk says.</strong></p></blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We have really increased our investment into program creation, to make sure that we're delivering fresh, current quality programs that the people of Iran will want to watch, will engage with and be blessed by.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In addition to recently finishing a series on history, politics and heritage of Iran, they have also focused on children’s programming. Silk says that in Iran there are eight to 10 million children between the ages of five and 12. They are the future of Iran. </span> <div id="attachment_205636" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-205636" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/TI-media_story-image-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Transform Iran)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We would love you to pray for us for protection on all the people involved in the frontline producing these programs, because we see time and again, as people take offensive in spiritual battle, their health is attacked, their families are attacked,” Silk says. </span> <strong>There is also a practical way you can reach Iran with the gospel: by partnering to support their next programs.</strong> “Our regular programming costs $800 for one 30-minute episode, $900 for children’s programs,” Silk says. “That’s everything from conception to production, to all the talent to recording, post production, editing. All in one, that's $800-900 will get you a program.” <span style="font-weight: 400;">Click to learn more about </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://transformiran.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Transform Iran’s</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> ministry in radio, television and social media.</span> <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/children-tv-child-television-home-403582/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mojzagrebinfo/Pixabay</a>.</span></em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 24 Apr 2024 05:00:12 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/satellite-tv-making-airwaves-in-iran-with-the-gospel/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/children-403582_1280-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Save the date: May 19 is the International Day for the Unreached</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/save-the-date-may-19-is-the-international-day-for-the-unreached/</link><description><![CDATA[International (MNN) -- Reaching the world for Jesus is a big task, but that’s precisely the job Christ left us to do before He ascended to heaven. His instructions in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A16-20&version=NKJV" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Matthew 28</strong></span></a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A44-49&version=NKJV" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Luke 24</strong></span></a>, and <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+16%3A14+-+18&version=NKJV" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Mark 16</strong></span></a> are commonly known as the Great Commission. Unfortunately, “So few people understand what the Great Commission is all about,” says Jeff McLinden, Executive Director of the <a href="https://alliancefortheunreached.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Alliance for the Unreached.</strong></span></a> “It’s difficult in our culture because there’s so many distractions.” <a href="https://www.barna.com/research/half-churchgoers-not-heard-great-commission/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>A 2018 poll</strong></span></a> found that less than half of all churchgoers in the United States know about the Great Commission. The Alliance for the Unreached is a coalition of like-minded ministries focused on reversing this trend and serving the world’s unreached people groups. “We’re focusing on those people who have no access to the Gospel at all,” McLinden says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Our purpose is to help reawaken an interest in and a pursuit of the Great Commission.”</strong></p></blockquote>This global vision has many applications, and it can be challenging to keep everyone moving in the same direction. So, the Alliance came up with a rallying cry that’s easy to remember and share. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/a-third-of-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“‘A Third of Us’</a></strong></span> is the message we’ve developed to help people engage with Great Commission ministry,” McLinden says. “A third of the world’s population is without Christ. Not only are they without Christ, they also don’t have any access to engage with the Gospel.” <div id="attachment_208073" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IDU_story-pic.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-208073" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IDU_story-pic-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Graphic courtesy of A Third of Us)</p></div> The Alliance observes the International Day for the Unreached on Pentecost Sunday each year. <a href="https://alliancefortheunreached.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Go here for details</strong></span></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>,</strong></span> and save the date! The International Day for the Unreached is coming up on May 19, and your participation is critical. “We want to see unreached peoples of the world have the opportunity to make a decision for Jesus Christ; 7,400 (people) groups around the world have never had that opportunity,” McLinden says. <em>Header and story graphics courtesy of A Third of Us.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 24 Apr 2024 05:00:16 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/save-the-date-may-19-is-the-international-day-for-the-unreached/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ATOU_header-great-commission-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Indonesia’s Mount Ruang still on volcano alert</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/indonesias-mount-ruang-still-on-volcano-alert/</link><description><![CDATA[Indonesia (MNN) -- Mount Ruang is keeping Indonesia’s Disaster Management Agency on alert. The volcano on the northern part of Sulawesi Island has had at least eight large-to-medium eruptions over the last week. On Wednesday, authorities issued the highest-level alert for active volcanic activity. Bruce Allen with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">FMI</span></strong></a> says, "Authorities are concerned that the volcano [...] will collapse into the sea. And if people have seen photos of glaciers in Alaska, calving and just dropping into the water, you can imagine what happens if a mountain [collapses] that's 2,500 feet tall. So there's a tsunami alert because that could trigger tsunamis." Around 11,000 people are in the affected area of northern Sulawesi Island and nearby islands. At least 3,000 people have evacuated, and authorities are helping more flee the area. Evacuation efforts were hampered by the closure of an international airport in Manado due to heavy falling ash. However, the <a href="https://www.pahomepage.com/news/international/ap-airport-near-volcano-reopens-as-indonesia-lowers-eruption-alert-level/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">airport was re-opened</span></strong></a> on Monday after authorities downgraded the volcano alert level to a three. <div id="attachment_208048" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-208048" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Ruang_volcano-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Mount Ruang, Indonesia (Photo courtesy of Suratman/Volcanological Survey of Indonesia/Wikimedia Commons)</p></div> <strong>"I've been on erupting volcanoes in Indonesia. It's necessary to evacuate because this hot ash with the lava burns everything. The poison gases can kill, and then the threat of a tsunami is very severe," explains Allen.</strong> "It's not just for the island where Mount Ruang is located. Another island could face the severest impact, Tagulandang. It's only separated by about a half mile of water from North Sulawesi, the island where Mount Ruang is. So if there is a tsunami, all the water getting pushed out because of the volcano would just hit that coast." FMI works with Christian ministry partners in Indonesia for evangelism, church planting, and discipleship. Allen says none of their partners are in the area on volcano alert. <strong>Please pray both for people fleeing the threat of disaster and for local Christians in areas receiving evacuees. Pray for opportunities for the Indonesian Church to show Christ’s comfort.</strong> Allen shares, "I've been on a volcano while it's erupting, and I was able to see how the majority population is just thinking of themselves. It's the Christians who reach out and make sure the people are being fed [and] have water, things like that. So pray that people would encounter Jesus through the actions of Christians at this time." <div id="attachment_176271" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-medium wp-image-176271" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/bibles-distribution-01-300x221.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="221" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Bible distribution in Indonesia, July 2019. (Photo courtesy of FMI)</p></div> Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation. Having a widespread Church community and ministry work is important so when disasters occur, Christians are there to offer relief and Gospel hope. Allen says, "I have a dozen church planters waiting for support in Indonesia, and if we can support these church planters and come alongside them and empower them, we're going to have impact in the world's largest Muslim-majority nation where most of us would never get to travel or have engagement with people. But we can stand alongside others who are already there."<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://forgottenmissionaries.org/our-fields/#Indonesia" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Click here to support FMI church planters in Indonesia.</span></strong></a></p> <em>Header photo of Mount Ruang courtesy of Devicanatasya/Wikimedia Commons.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 23 Apr 2024 05:00:09 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/indonesias-mount-ruang-still-on-volcano-alert/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Ruang_Island_Tagulandang_Island_North_Celebes-e1713805441710-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Christians face increasing hardship in Syria</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-face-increasing-hardship-in-syria/</link><description><![CDATA[Syria (MNN) -- The United States is responsible for alleged human rights abuses in Syria, Amnesty International asserts. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-islamic-state-detainees-rights-d59f6feb6081efd9501753317039734d" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>A recent report</strong></span></a> claims that because the U.S. set up camps for Islamic State detainees, it is responsible for thousands of people within the camps. The camps are only one of Syria’s many woes. Samuel* with Redemptive Stories says, “So many people have just closed their eyes to what’s taking place and the horrific realities [in Syria] because there are other more pressing needs [like] Gaza, Ukraine – things that are higher up on the headline list.” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disasters/syria-humanitarian-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nearly 17 million people</a> </strong></span>will need humanitarian aid to survive in 2024, up from 15.3 million last year. “The whole country continues to subsist on the generosity of people outside the country,” Samuel says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Syria is a mess in and of itself; the economic situation only worsens. More issues create more difficulty for Christians to stay.”</strong></p></blockquote>Before war broke out in 2011, extreme poverty was virtually nonexistent in Syria. Today, over half of all Syrians live in extreme poverty, while 90 percent are below the poverty line. <div id="attachment_172667" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screenshot_prayercast-syria-4.png"><img class="wp-image-172667 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screenshot_prayercast-syria-4-300x169.png" alt="prayercast syria 4" width="300" height="169" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Screenshot of Prayercast: Syria)</p></div> “Many families are sending the young men to other countries where they can procure work and send money to help either the elderly or the young back in Syria,” Samuel says. Ask the Lord to have mercy on Syria. Pray that people receive help for today and hope for tomorrow. “The suffering of 20 million people in that space continues to motivate our hearts to ask God to intervene,” Samuel says. Pray also “that we would see people experience healing and restoration in a right relationship with God as they become disciples of Jesus Christ. [Pray] that our brothers and sisters [in Syria] communicate the hope of Jesus with those around them.” <em><strong>*Pseudonym</strong> </em> <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of </em><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/boy-sitting-in-broken-car-6929741/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Ahmed akacha/Pexels.</em></a>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 23 Apr 2024 05:00:26 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-face-increasing-hardship-in-syria/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/pexels-ahmed-akacha-6929741-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>On Eagles Wings Leadership Center: from despair to discipleship</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/on-eagles-wings-leadership-center-from-despair-to-discipleship/</link><description><![CDATA[USA (MNN) -- ‘Safe’ and ‘Seen’--these are two words used over and over by students to describe the atmosphere of the new On Eagles’ Wings (OEW) Leadership Center, dedicated on Saturday, April 20. The Center sits on 75 acres in North Western Arkansas and provides a nine-month ‘gap’ year program, exclusively for Native young people. The experience equips these young people for a future that makes a difference as a messenger of Hope to Native people. Tracking the journey to the unveiling of the center is a path that took 30 years to trek. Leadership at Hutchcraft Ministries, the parent ministry of On Eagles’ Wings, noticed a pattern among the Native Youth participating in the OEW movement. OEW’s mission is to disciple and equip committed Native leaders to be lifetime Jesus-followers, prepared with the skills and strategies needed to be messengers of hope to Indigenous and worldwide communities. The mission was being carried out, but frequently, these young leaders didn’t feel equipped for the next stage of life: adulthood. The backgrounds of many Native youth didn’t include life skills. Many Native youth working in the On Eagles’ Wings ministry could share their Hope stories but were inexperienced in other avenues of ministry, evangelism, and discipleship. Many didn’t know how to budget their money; others felt unready for college. <em><strong>They needed a launch pad.</strong> </em>Statistics on the reservations for Native young people are grim. Substance abuse, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, and suicide all exist at epidemic rates. It’s so desperate among the First Nation Youth that they are ‘young people with no dreams’, says Ron Hutchcraft, founder of Hutchcraft Ministries. The challenges they face to survive to adulthood are unlike any other people group in North America. They are deep-rooted and endemic. <div id="attachment_208054" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/oewleadershipcenter.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-208054" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/oewleadershipcenter-300x210.png" alt="" width="300" height="210" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">On Eagles Wings Leadership Center<br />(Photo courtesy of Hutchcraft Ministries)</p></div> Add to that the lack of resources among First Nation communities, and not only do people feel isolated and ignored, they feel voiceless. OEW restores that voice as each team member found HOPE through a personal relationship with Jesus. They then share that hope with others as they visit reservations and share their life experiences and new identities in Christ with others. The student body at the OEW Leadership Center is developing community with others who share their likeness, stories, and background. They are taught how to ‘life’ with others who share their history. The Center is filled with rustic elements that are subtle reminders of that, from the giant stone fireplace in a gathering place to the 50s-styled coffee shop, Suzie Q, named after Hutchcraft’s wife, it’s more than an aesthetic. Every room has a function in the holistic approach. There’s a studio for the creative arts: music, beading, painting. Students often work on their life maps, artistic reminders of their past, present, and future selves. There’s a gym and regular workout schedules to keep their bodies as healthy as their hearts and minds. Each class helps them build rhythms of life that can be replicated elsewhere...and that’s how hope spreads. Ron Hutchcraft defines hope this way: “Hope is a defiant confidence beyond what is seen that redemptive change is on the way.” From despair to discipleship, hope has a name, and its name is Jesus. <em>Header and story images courtesy of Hutchcraft Ministries/On Eagles' Wings. </em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 23 Apr 2024 05:00:55 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/on-eagles-wings-leadership-center-from-despair-to-discipleship/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_0452-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Can Iran’s economy survive a war with Israel?</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/can-irans-economy-survive-a-war-with-israel/</link><description><![CDATA[Iran (MNN) — Iran and Israel dance dangerously close to the edge of war, trading attacks and threats. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/israel-gaza-hamas-war/?id=108860743" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The U.S. confirmed</a></strong></span> Israel’s drone strike against an Iranian air base on Friday morning, while Iranian media downplayed damages and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-missiles-hit-site-iran-abc-news-reports-2024-04-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>cited “infiltrators” instead of Israel</strong></span></a> as the primary instigators. This weekend’s attack follows Iran’s first-ever direct assault on Israel <a href="https://apnews.com/live/israel-iran-drone-attack-live-updates" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>on Saturday, April 13</strong></span></a>. The following day, senior U.S. officials said it was apparent Iran’s attack on Israel intended to cause significant damage and death. The latest tiff between sworn enemies Iran and Israel began <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iran-and-israel-trade-threats-amid-escalating-tensions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>earlier this month</strong></span></a> when a targeted Israeli strike killed senior military leaders at an Iranian embassy in Syria. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/iran-israel-tensions-can-irans-economy-handle-a-war/a-68862368" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>analysts wonder</strong></span></a> if Iran’s economy can hold up to a prolonged battle, citing pressure imposed by Western sanctions and <a href="https://www.iranintl.com/en/202404154043" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>sky-high inflation.</strong></span></a> “On social media, people are complaining about prices skyrocketing,” <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart4iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Heart4Iran</strong></span></a>’s Nazanin Baghestani says. “Since <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iran-retaliates-israel-weighs-response-and-allies-fear-regional-war/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Friday (April 12)</a></strong></span>, everything has doubled and tripled [in price.] Basic groceries, such as eggs, they (Iranian people) cannot buy [because] it’s so expensive.”<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Fear and anxiety constantly plague Iran’s people, fueled by government oppression and deceit.</strong></p></blockquote>“They (Iranian officials) are making the people afraid and quiet by arresting them, harassing them,” Baghestani says. As a result, “People are on edge 24/7, and they’re scared. The spirit of fear is so bad it just doesn’t let them function,” she continues. <div id="attachment_194351" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/H4I_woman-praying.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-194351" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/H4I_woman-praying-300x212.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="212" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)</p></div> “Once that (fear) is gone, they can breathe, and it’s very important for us to disciple them and make sure they are strong to withstand all the storms they face inside the country.” Heart4Iran connects Iranians with the hope of Christ through a 24-7 call center and social media. <a href="https://heart4iran.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>More about that here.</strong></span></a> “Praise God; the message of Christ is always hopeful and peaceful. The goal of the Gospel is peace, and we introduce them to the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ,” Baghestani says. Please pray that the current tensions between Iran and Israel will not escalate into regional war. Ask the Lord to show mercy on the Iranian people. “Only God can intervene [to stop the war,] no politician. Let’s pray that God will intervene and this war will stop, this regime will give in and free the people,” Baghestani says. <em>Header image depicts 10,000 Iranian rials, which are equivalent to .24 USD, as of April 19, 2024. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:10000_Rials_banknote_of_the_Islamic_Republic_of_Iran.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 05:00:10 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/can-irans-economy-survive-a-war-with-israel/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/10000_Rials_banknote_of_the_Islamic_Republic_of_Iran-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Access to God’s Word getting harder in China</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/access-to-gods-word-getting-harder-in-china/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">China (MNN) — Amid increasing difficulties, Christians in China need multiple ways to access God’s Word. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“You hear good news, and you hear bad news. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some people say, 'Well, you can get the Bible about anytime you want. Then others will say, ‘We've struggled to be able to find the Bible online,’” says </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kurt</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Rovenstine with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/bibles-for-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bibles for China</a></strong></span>. </span> <div id="attachment_176051" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-176051 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/IMG_0440-300x269.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="269" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Bibles for China)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But a recent gathering with Chinese pastors left him with this word: </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Their take is that it's becoming increasingly more difficult to be able to access Scriptures online.” </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Print or digital copies that can be secured and accessed offline are becoming more and more necessary. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Restrictions of websites, the permissions that are sometimes difficult to get, and all of the things that are happening in China make it so much more important to have that Bible that you can tuck under your pillow,” Rovenstine says. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The work that <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://biblesforchina.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bibles for China</a></strong></span> does is entirely legal within the nation. They have ongoing distribution plans for 2024 and avenues to carry them out. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We want to pursue that as aggressively as we can, because we don't know how long this door is going to stay open,” Rovenstine says.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But the work is hard. They need the prayer support of the Church as their network of partners engages in critical Kingdom work. </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Whether you live in the West or in Europe, or in the Far East or the Middle East, the enemy is at work against the truth of Scripture and the truth of the one true God,” Rovenstine says. </strong></p></blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We need to pray for those who are on the frontlines. We need to pray for those who are supporting the work that we do and other missionary organizations do -- for those who are seeking and who are lost and who are hurting.”</span> <em>Header photo courtesy of Bibles for China. </em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 05:00:53 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/access-to-gods-word-getting-harder-in-china/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/39013002_1920846481306645_1404542009024184320_o-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Kenya Hope relies on the Lord to fill leadership gaps</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/kenya-hope-relies-on-the-lord-to-fill-leadership-gaps/</link><description><![CDATA[Kenya (MNN) -- Seasons of grief often lead us to trust the Lord in new ways. <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/kenya-hope/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Kenya Hope</strong></span></a> and its communities are learning to wait on the Lord amidst hardship and loss. Last fall, the Kenya Hope team experienced its highest high and lowest low in a four-week span. First, “Our fiscal year ended September 30, and it was a banner year,” Kenya Hope’s U.S. Director Steve Holman says. “It was the best year we’ve ever had financially in ministry initiatives and new opportunities.” Then, <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/kenya-hope-mourns-three-in-fatal-car-accident/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>at the end of October</strong></span></a>, a car accident tragically claimed the lives of executive directors Dave and Joy Mueller, as well as Holman’s daughter, Julie. The unexpected losses sent shockwaves throughout U.S. and Kenyan communities connected to Kenya Hope. “Dave and Joy poured their hearts and all their physical and spiritual strength into the Kenya Hope ministry, and they’re suddenly gone,” Holman says. <div id="attachment_207941" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/KEN_joy-mueller-quote.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207941" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/KEN_joy-mueller-quote-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Kenya Hope)</p></div> In a moment, everything changed. Now, no one was at the helm to oversee Kenya Hope’s initiatives. “Unexpectedly, it caused us to raise certain Kenyans to a higher level of responsibility,” Holman says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Some of the things that Dave and Joy hoped to put in the hands of Kenyans, now God said, ‘It’s time!’”</strong></p></blockquote>Please keep Kenya Hope and its communities in your prayers. “I’d like to be able to announce that we have appointed an Executive Director, but we have not,” Holman says. “It takes quite a bit of time to get a handle on what we have and where we’re going.” <em><strong>Know someone who might fit the need?</strong></em> <a href="https://www.kenyahope.org/contact-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Connect with Kenya Hope here.</strong></span></a> “My dream candidate would be veteran missionaries in their 40s with a proven track record of good leadership and cross-cultural skills. And, if it’s not too much, Lord, someone who speaks Swahili already,” Holman says. <em>Header and story images courtesy of Kenya Hope.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 05:00:24 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/kenya-hope-relies-on-the-lord-to-fill-leadership-gaps/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/david-and-joy-mueller-grandville-mi-obituary-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Iranians disenchanted with their government feel “forgotten by the West”</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iranians-disenchanted-with-their-government-feel-forgotten-by-the-west/</link><description><![CDATA[Iran (MNN) -- Last weekend's attack by Iran on Israeli soil may have some of the most significant political ramifications this year. As Israel seeks a Sunni-Israeli alliance against Iran and its Shia proxies, many are still asking questions. Why did Iran directly attack Israel for the first time in its history? With support for Israel wavering from its allies, wouldn't a direct attack from Iran re-bolster the world's support for Israel? How was a direct attack in Iran's best interest?<h3><strong>Escalating conflict abroad</strong></h3><div id="attachment_207983" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207983" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/khashayar-kouchpeydeh-eSOST-WeOqo-unsplash-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Tehran, Iran (Photo courtesy of Khashayar Kouchpeydeh/Unsplash)</p></div> Lana Silk, CEO of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/transform-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Transform Iran</span></strong></a>, says, "Iran is in a difficult situation because, as you say, they can't be seen to have 'all bark and no bite.' So they can't just keep throwing all these threats out there and not following through." The lead-up to Iran's attack has been a tit-for-tat process of escalation. Prior to October 7, Israel had a ceasefire with Hamas and was preparing to sign a peace deal with the Sunni government of Saudi Arabia. Then on October 7, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/10/26/1208866508/irans-foreign-minister-on-the-hamas-attack-and-the-war-that-has-followed" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Iran provided support</span></strong></a> for the terror attack by Hamas that killed over 1,200 Israelis and took around 240 hostage. Iran has continued to add fuel to the fire of war in the Holy Land through its Shia proxies in Yemen and Lebanon. Israel sent a message to Iran by <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">striking</span></strong></a> the Iranian consulate in Syria on April 1st, killing two Iranian generals and five officers. Following the Iranian consulate strike, Tehran vowed to retaliate — which led to Iran sending hundreds of <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-04-14-24/h_a21adaecbd0c6c6594a95d1af39524ae" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">drones and missiles</span></strong></a> at Israel, most of which were shot down. Now, Israel says they cannot let a direct attack like this from Iran go unpunished.<h3><strong>Escalating conflict at home</strong></h3>Meanwhile, all is not well at home in Iran. First, an ongoing <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/u-s-expects-imminent-iran-retaliation-and-significant-attack-on-israel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">power struggle</span></strong></a> between the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the ayatollahs makes for uncomfortable bedmates when they have to turn and deal with wars abroad. "That's certainly what the atmosphere is in Iran today — that maybe there's some infighting going on. And, of course, that has other implications," Silk says. <div id="attachment_203235" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-medium wp-image-203235" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/TI_story-image-200x300.jpeg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Transform Iran)</p></div> Then there's the Iranian people, the majority of whom feel disenfranchised by their own government and are struggling to make ends meet. Tehran received significant criticism for entering 2024 <a href="https://www.iranintl.com/en/202404083848" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">without an official budget</span></strong></a> or fiscal plan. This year also marks the end of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's first term in office. "Economically, it's a very difficult climate. There's already been a lot of uncertainty now with this 'budget, no budget' question. I mean, they're having to throw something together. They're not committing the right money to the right places. They're spending money in war. "So the people of Iran continue to pay. They're struggling for jobs. They're struggling for affordable housing and food. Poverty is high. The people are not being looked after and they're stuck.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"They feel completely trapped in the world that they live in right now. As far as they're concerned, they are forgotten by the West because all the West sees is their regime with all the negative things at play that the regime is involved in. So then the West must hate us."</strong></p></blockquote>Silk says there are many in Iran who are not pleased with their government's actions on the global stage. Many are even questioning the validity of Islam itself, although it is incredibly dangerous to do so in Iran where Islam is the state religion.<h3><strong>Seeking Truth</strong></h3>These silent doubters are seeking spiritual truth. This is where Transform Iran's ministry steps in with the transcending hope and truth of the Gospel. <div id="attachment_203616" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-203616" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/TI_story-image-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Transform Iran is passionate about leadership development. The Church in Iran is growing fast.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of Transform Iran)</p></div> Transform Iran uses television, radio, and social media to reach Iranians with the Good News about Jesus. No matter the circumstances, Christ offers comfort and hope. The people of Iran need to know. "The best thing that we can do for the people of Iran today is to let them know that we see them, and we care!" says Silk. "It would be so helpful for us all to be using the power of social media to be talking about the people of Iran, sharing posts that highlight the needs of the people of Iran, let them know that they are seen, that we love them, we care for them. "Let's be praying. Let's be fueling what God is doing. Let's be inviting the Holy Spirit to be visiting people in their dreams, in their doorways, in visions.... That is a powerful thing that we can be doing. If we do that, then we will have helped the people of Iran." <a href="https://transformiran.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Learn more about Transform Iran's ministry here.</span></strong></a> <em>Header photo courtesy of Steven Su/Unsplash.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 19 Apr 2024 05:00:08 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iranians-disenchanted-with-their-government-feel-forgotten-by-the-west/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/steven-su-sjFWv9FnU2Y-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>This Sunday a grim anniversary for Sri Lankan believers</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/this-sunday-a-grim-anniversary-for-sri-lankan-believers/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">Sri Lanka (MNN) — Five years ago this Sunday, suicide bombers linked to Islamic terrorists carried out </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/21/protest-in-sri-lanka-on-fourth-anniversary-of-easter-bombings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>a deadly series of attacks</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in Sri Lanka. Bombings at <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2019/4/22/in-pictures-sri-lanka-easter-sunday-bombings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">t<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>hree churches and three hotels</strong></span></a> killed 269 people and wounded more than 500 others. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>It also happened to be Easter, making it an especially pointed attack.</strong> Christians are a minority in Sri Lanka, making up 1.7 million, or 7.7%, of the population (source:<a href="https://joshuaproject.net/countries/CE" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Joshua Project</strong></span></a>).</span> <div id="attachment_173644" style="width: 231px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class=" wp-image-173644" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Wikipedia_Sri-Lanka-bombings-183x300.png" alt="" width="221" height="360" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Screenshot)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In the years since then, the government has largely met </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/21/protest-in-sri-lanka-on-fourth-anniversary-of-easter-bombings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>calls for thorough investigation</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> with inaction and silence. A trial of suspects in the bombing </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/12/sri-lanka-resumes-trials-over-2019-easter-sunday-bombings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>began in late 2021</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> but to date no one has been convicted or punished for the killings. Many people gather each year to protest this silence.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Greg Yoder with </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-world-outreach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Christian World Outreach</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (CWO) says, “<strong>It is a time to remember.</strong> Being a believer is not not necessarily a safe thing. It's a battle, and I think that's part of what was going on (in Sri Lanka).”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The gospel continues to be opposed in Sri Lanka, but Christians are resilient.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“There’s been physical attacks on Christians, (people) attacking them if they do open a church, if they do any kind of evangelism," Yoder says.</span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“But what's impressed me is the desire (of) those who know the Lord to not let any of that deter them from sharing the gospel, and especially discipling others — helping them grow in their faith so that they can share the gospel with others.”</strong></p></blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since 2021, the CWO team serve kids and families by offering education programs and meeting tangible needs. (</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://cwomissions.org/srilanka/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Learn more here.</b></a></span><a href="https://cwomissions.org/srilanka/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>)</b></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They do their work with sensitivity to the culture, in order to build relationships where they can then share the gospel. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We've had parents of some of our children in the after-school program (whose) concern was, ‘You're going to make our children believe the way you do.’ We've reassured them, ‘No, but we use Bible stories to help the kids learn to read,’” Yoder says. </span> <div id="attachment_205624" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-medium wp-image-205624" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-31-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Ministry in Sri Lanka. (Photo courtesy of Christian World Outreach)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“So they're relieved by that, but then that opens the door because they want to hear, <strong>'Why do you want to love us? Why do you want to help our kids, if you're not going to push the gospel on it?'</strong> It just opens that door, and so people are willing to listen in the ministries that we do there.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Now that you know more, will you pray? </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Pray for the believers in Sri Lanka as they openly share the Gospel, as our staff there disciple others to grow in their faith so that they can share the gospel with others, share the love of Christ,” Yoder says.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Pray also for those still grieving for the people who were killed in 2019. Ask God to bring His perfect justice to those responsible for the attacks. </span> <em>Header photo of Sri Lanka is a representative stock photo courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-cross-on-top-of-a-rock-with-a-sky-background-tSVDmjaGibg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vinnath Satharasinghe via Unsplash</a></span>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 19 Apr 2024 05:00:03 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/this-sunday-a-grim-anniversary-for-sri-lankan-believers/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/vinnath-satharasinghe-tSVDmjaGibg-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>The Lighthouse spotlights marijuana dangers</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-lighthouse-spotlights-marijuana-dangers/</link><description><![CDATA[USA (MNN) -- Nearly half of the 50 states in America have legalized recreational weed in recent years, and five more <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2024/01/04/where-is-cannabis-legal-a-guide-to-all-50-states/?sh=7e0f761773e0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">could vote to do so</a></strong></span> in November. <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/the-lighthouse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The Lighthouse</strong></span></a>’s Brandon Bower says even if cannabis is legal in your state, that doesn’t make it safe to consume. “Picture this: you’ve got a drug dealer cutting up their cocaine on a table, packaging it, and then they’re cutting up their weed on the same table,” Bower says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“People are dying from cross-contamination; we’re seeing so much fentanyl in the marijuana here in Indiana it’s crazy.”</strong></p></blockquote>Noting that today’s marijuana is <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cannabis-induced-psychosis-psychiatrist-what-to-know/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>more potent</strong></span></a> than in previous eras, Bower adds, “It is not safe to smoke marijuana any longer.” Bower and other leaders at The Lighthouse speak from experience. One of the young men previously enrolled in The Lighthouse’s <a href="https://biblicalliferecoverycenter.com/anchored-30-day-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>residential recovery program</strong></span></a> “had some major brain damage because whatever was in the weed that he smoked fried his brain,” Bower says. “Here was a young, 27-year-old kid who had all of life in front of them, and because of the choice to smoke some weed that was cross-contaminated, he’s going to not be mentally the same for the rest of his life. It’s just really scary what’s happening.”<h2>Recreational weed: risky business</h2>Approximately <a href="https://www.samhsa.gov/marijuana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>one in ten people</strong></span></a> who use marijuana will become addicted. When people start using marijuana before the age of 18, the addiction rate rises to one in six. <div id="attachment_207934" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/gras-grun-iCHacuW8BcI-unsplash.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207934" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/gras-grun-iCHacuW8BcI-unsplash-300x240.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="240" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of GRAS GRÜN/Unsplash)</p></div> Cannabis use is also linked to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0047235220302361" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>violent behavior</strong></span></a>. A 2012 paper in the U.S. Journal of Interpersonal Violence found that marijuana use was associated with a doubling of domestic violence. Furthermore, the first four states to legalize marijuana for recreational use <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6461328/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>saw violent crimes skyrocket</strong></span></a> in the two years following authorization:<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><em>Combined, those four states had about 450 murders and 30,300 aggravated assaults in 2013. In 2017, they had almost 620 murders and 38,000 aggravated assaults—an increase far greater than the national average.</em></p>Then, there are the mental health risks. <a href="https://mhanational.org/risky-business-marijuana-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Studies link</strong></span></a> marijuana use to depression, anxiety, suicide planning, and psychotic episodes. In Colorado, one of the first states to legalize recreational cannabis, “it is creating an absolute mess in the mental health field; the social service agencies are overwhelmed,” Bower says. Despite the known risks, <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/cannabis-downsides-mental-illness-heart-disease" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>roughly 18 percent</strong></span></a> of Americans used cannabis last year. “Almost everyone that comes into The Lighthouse has a marijuana addiction, along with whatever else is going on,” Bower says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It is unbelievable how many people think that because God created it, it’s okay to smoke.”</strong></p></blockquote><em><strong>Christ can and does break the powerful chains of addiction.</strong> </em>If you’re looking for a biblical approach to addiction recovery, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://biblicalliferecoverycenter.com/contact-us/our-contact-info/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">connect with The Lighthouse here.</a></strong></span> “Getting help with any addictive substance is a wise move, and The Lighthouse wants to help you with that,” Bower says. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of </em><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-person-rolling-cannabis-into-a-joint-7928140/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Kampus Production/Pexels.</em></a>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 19 Apr 2024 05:00:09 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-lighthouse-spotlights-marijuana-dangers/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/pexels-kampus-production-7928140-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>India’s election kicks off tomorrow: How will it affect Christians?</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/indias-election-kicks-off-tomorrow-how-will-it-affect-christians/</link><description><![CDATA[India (MNN) -- Tomorrow kicks off a gargantuan exercise of democracy: India’s general election. There are nearly 970 million eligible Indian voters. The polls open tomorrow and the process will take 44 days in multiple phases across the country. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is campaigning for a third consecutive, five-year term. Voters will also elect lower parliament house members. <strong>The outcome of this election will impact India’s politics, culture, and Christian ministries. Unfortunately, <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/world-overlooks-india-persecution/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Christian persecution in India has risen</span></a> over the last several years under the current political system.</strong> No matter the election’s outcome, Rev. Jason Woolford, President of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-resources-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Mission Cry</span></strong></a>, says Indian Christians will remain faithful to the Gospel.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"We're thankful for partnerships that we have there – partnerships where they're willing to risk their livelihood and even possibly imprisonment by understanding the importance of the Word of God because it's the only thing that's going to deliver."</strong></p></blockquote><div id="attachment_203782" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-203782" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/359778865_649826383846474_6782407524501641425_n-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Mission Cry shipment of Bibles and Christian books to India. (Photo courtesy of Mission Cry)</p></div> In fact, you can pray for a Mission Cry shipment currently en route to resource a seminary in eastern India. Woolford says, "This new seminary will be filled with Bibles and Christian books – seminary materials – instantly after the shipment that will be arriving over the next couple of months." Pray for a growing Gospel impact in India. You can help by supporting the Mission Cry container headed there now! "For us to send a container filled with half a million dollars worth of free Bibles and Christian books, it cost us $11,000," says Woolford. "That's all it costs to send half a million dollars worth of free Bibles and Christian books where they're freely distributed and given to our Mission Cry partners on the other end." <a href="https://missioncry.com/donation-form/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Click here to donate to Mission Cry.</span></strong></a> Also, ask the Lord to grant Indians wisdom as they head to the polls over the next several weeks. <em>Header photo of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2024 05:00:09 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/indias-election-kicks-off-tomorrow-how-will-it-affect-christians/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Narendra_Modi_Official-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Climate change and the Church</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/climate-change-and-the-church/</link><description><![CDATA[Middle East/North Africa (MNN) – What happens when the desert gets even hotter? The cause of climate change is controversial, but its impact means even the Middle East and North Africa are getting hotter. Fadi Sharaiha of MENA Leadership Center says that as temperatures rise and weather patterns change, ecosystems and cultures suffer. Sharaiha says there are four different categories of culture affecting climate change in the Middle East and North Africa.<ol> <li><strong>Water scarcity:</strong> “The Middle East is known as the most water-stressed region in the whole world,” Sharaiha says. Rising temperatures cause higher evaporation rates, making water sources more scarce. Communities that rely on those water sources could face conflict or economic problems.</li> <li><strong>Extreme heat waves:</strong> In the summer, temperatures can jump above 122 degrees Fahrenheit. These heat waves can cause heat-related illness and death rates to rise as well.</li> <li><strong>Desertification:</strong> Best described as extreme drought, desertification can change the land that was once used as farmland into barren, cracked deserts. This means economies that rely on agriculture face collapse, and food shortages threaten to follow in the wake of these droughts.</li> <li><strong>Sea level rise:</strong> Some communities thrive off of the sea. However, bodies of water such as the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Arab Gulf, and Persian Gulf are rising. This throws off ecosystems reliant on these seas and endangers communities built on their shores.</li></ol>“Regardless of whether this is a natural cycle or this is a man-made one, this is what is happening,” Sharaiha says. “This is what we are facing right now.” So what should the Church’s response be? Sharaiha says the Church needs to watch crises like these and be proactive in responding to them. “If we have cities disappearing, then people are going to go somewhere else,” Sharaiha says. “We need to have the churches being prepared [on] how to handle refugees, food security issues, [and] wars.” MENA Leadership Center helps communities prepare to meet some of these concerns. They have courses on working with refugees, strategic problem-solving, and Gospel-focused innovation. “We are training leaders on how to use the digital church and how to do discipleship programs for that,” Sharaiha says. “There are opportunities for the Church to shine and to serve the community and thus bring more people to the kingdom of God.” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://menaleadershipcenter.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more about the MENA Leadership Center here.</a></strong></span> And pray. “Pray for the Middle East. Pray for the Church to be ready to take its own position and role in terms of being light and salt to the world.” <em>Header photo courtesy of Unsplash.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2024 05:00:44 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/climate-change-and-the-church/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/simon-maisch-te8vIciszAk-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Set Free: What is spiritual freedom ministry?</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/set-free-what-is-spiritual-freedom-ministry/</link><description><![CDATA[USA (MNN) – The Bible is full of joyful calls to freedom. However, living in a sinful world with imperfect bodies can make it challenging to feel free in Christ. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/set-free-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Set Free Ministries</a></strong></span> helps Christians walk in the liberty Jesus offers through spiritual freedom ministry.<h2>What is Spiritual Freedom?</h2>Set Free grounds their understanding of spiritual freedom in Scripture. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2012&version=ESV">Hebrews 12:1-2a</a></strong></span> offers insight into Biblical freedom. It says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…” Dean Vander Mey with Set Free says, “What we do is, we help people get untangled from the issues of life and the sin that can so easily entangle us, just with everyday life. So freedom ministry is, ‘Let's make sure we run with perseverance with no entanglements and no heavy burdens, no heavy weights.’” In short spiritual freedom is the ability to pursue God without the hindrance of sin. <div id="attachment_207971" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207971" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/woman-5561498_1280-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Image courtesy of Martín Alfonso Sierra Ospino from Pixabay)</p></div> Set Free knows that for people to freely focus on Jesus and pursue life in Him, Christians need to be spiritually fit. When people are not seeking Christ wholeheartedly, sins like anger, pornography, depression, bitterness and others can entangle them and not only hinder their relationships with God, but manifest in other ways as wellphysically and mentally. “We see that happening all the time here at Set Free, where people are coming in here psychologically confused, and they're coming in with physical issues,” Vander Mey explains. “And it's because of unresolved spiritual things that have not been uncovered or dealt with. Our goal at Set Free is to see the captives set free.”<h2>How Does Spiritual Freedom Ministry Work?</h2>The ministry format is simple. The process begins with a Freedom Appointment. In the appointment counselors read the Bible with people and call them to repentance using a seven-step framework. After the meeting, people are encouraged to seek discipleship. “God has not changed. He's going to call us to repentance and to walk in truth. And that's really the message of Jesus. ‘Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.’ That's the message of John the Baptist. ‘Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.’ So nothing has changed. Why would we change it? If we walk in truth, the truth will set us free. But in order to do that, we're going to have to do some repentance.” Once people have repented then they need to really study the Word of God. Vander Mey says, “You can be as free as you want to be. ‘If you abide in my word, … you will know the truth and the truth will set you free’ [<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%208%3A31-32&version=ESV" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>John 8:31-32</strong></span></a>]. That's a big if. That's a really big if because most people are not in the Word of God. And how can you behave in a way you do not know? You can't.”<h2>How Do I Get Help Experiencing Spiritual Freedom?</h2>The joy of spiritual freedom is available for all Christians, but sometimes it can be helpful to have someone provide guidance. Set Free offers Freedom Appointments for anyone, free of charge. Simply submit a questionnaire on their website <a href="https://setfreemin.org/freedom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>here</strong></span></a>. If you want to help others find this joy in Christ, you can help support Set Free Ministries <a href="https://setfreemin.org/give/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>here</strong></span></a>. <em>Header Image courtesy of Pexels on <a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/man-silhouette-beach-sunset-dusk-1835195/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Pixabay</strong></span></a>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2024 05:00:04 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/set-free-what-is-spiritual-freedom-ministry/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/man-1835195_1280-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Haiti’s new transitional council will appoint the next prime minister</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/haitis-new-transitional-council-will-appoint-next-prime-minister/</link><description><![CDATA[Haiti (MNN) -- Haiti has established a new transitional council responsible for choosing the country’s next leadership. The current Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced last month he would resign once the council is formed and appoints a new prime minister and electoral cabinet.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>A decree from Haiti’s official state journal says a new prime minister named by the transitional council's nine members should be inaugurated no later than February 7, 2026. Until then, the council will operate certain presidential powers.</strong></p></blockquote><div id="attachment_207283" style="width: 243px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207283" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Ariel_Henry_July_2023-233x300.jpg" alt="Wikimedia Commons, Ariel Henry" width="233" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)</p></div> This could be a move towards future stability in the crippled country where gangs control 80% of the capital, Port-au-Prince. The gang violence has also shut down the city's international airport and seaport, disrupting food supply chains. When asked about the transitional council, Greg Yoder, President of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-world-outreach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Christian World Outreach</span></strong></a>, says, "I guess I'm not sure what that means for the future. It seems to be a positive step. We just have to wait and see what's going to happen. It doesn't seem like it's going to make any change quickly, but we can hope that this will be the start of some positive things." <strong>What you may not know behind the national headlines is that the Gospel is still changing hearts in Haiti.</strong><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>CWO’s church partners outside of Port-au-Prince report that with every church service, more and more people are giving their lives to Christ.</strong></p></blockquote>Yoder says, "One man in particular, his father was a high voodoo priest, and when he died, it was expected that he (the son) would take over that and he rejected it. Now, he’s a leader in one of the churches. So, you know, God is working in people's lives even though it seems really bad there.... It can seem like a hopeless situation, but there is hope in God." Pray for God’s peace across Haiti. Please pray also for the transitional council members to exercise wisdom and discernment as they seek new leadership for the country. "We ask listeners to pray that God will intervene [and] that somehow He will do a work that we can't even imagine," asks Yoder. "We're praying that this council might be the solution and that at some point, their order will be restored so people can get back to living the lives that they had before." <a href="https://cwomissions.org/haiti/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Learn more about CWO's ministry in Haiti.</span></strong></a> <em>Header photo of a Port-au-Prince suburb, courtesy of Reynaldo Mirault/Unsplash.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2024 05:00:23 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/haitis-new-transitional-council-will-appoint-next-prime-minister/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/reynaldo-mirault-U3Sdt2phkmA-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Why should global crises matter to the average Christian?</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/why-should-global-crises-matter-to-the-average-christian/</link><description><![CDATA[International (MNN) -- From <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/ukraine-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Russia’s war on Ukraine</strong></span></a> to the <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/israel-and-gaza/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Israel-Hamas war</strong></span></a> to <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/tag/sudan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Sudan’s civil war</strong></span></a>, the headlines are full of one global crisis after another. It’s easy to sit back, passively receive the latest news, and form opinions about current events like these. But is that how Jesus wants His people to respond? “A lot of people have opinions about whether Russia is right, or Ukraine or Hamas or Israel. But as Christians, we cannot sit back without a heart of compassion for those suffering on all sides,” Georges Houssney with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/horizons-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Horizons International</a></strong></span> says. “Whether it’s Russians who are dying, or Ukrainians, or Sudanese, Muslims, or Hindus, we must have a heart of compassion.” Christians should be aware of current events and Gospel opportunities so that they can turn compassion into action, he explains. “Every Christian needs to have a heart of compassion as they watch the news and not take sides from a political perspective,” Houssney says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“When Jesus looked at the crowds, He had compassion on them. With compassion comes a desire to save people from darkness, sin, violence, [and] hatred.”</strong></p></blockquote>Making a difference without “picking sides” and maintaining your Christian identity is possible. <div id="attachment_165038" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/summer2go-A-Tour-2017-354.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-165038" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/summer2go-A-Tour-2017-354-300x200.jpg" alt="(Photo Courtesy of Global Outreach Day)" width="300" height="200" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Courtesy of Global Outreach Day)</p></div> “My goal in ministry is not to take sides but to minister to both sides,” Houssney says. “Jews need Jesus, Muslims need Jesus, and even nominal Christians need Jesus. That’s my approach.” <em><strong>There’s a lot of need in our world today.</strong></em> The Lord will reveal where and how He wants you to serve. He only asks for a willing heart. “I heard a pastor once say that every soul without Christ is a mission field, and every soul in Christ is a missionary,” Houssney says. Ask the Lord to help you see the world through His eyes. Then, keep first things first. Instead of commenting on the latest political developments, watch for opportunities to share your faith. “From a spiritual perspective, all of these things are happening because Satan wants to destroy, kill, and steal, as Jesus told us,” Houssney says. “We need to go back to the basics of the Christian message, which says God loves you and He will give you eternal life if you accept Jesus, His Son, as an atonement for your sin.” <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/man-reading-newspaper-PPmr3NDxhsM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eepeng Cheong/Unsplash</a>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2024 05:00:14 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/why-should-global-crises-matter-to-the-average-christian/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/eepeng-cheong-PPmr3NDxhsM-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Movement Day unites Lebanon’s Christians for a shared mission</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/movement-day-unites-lebanons-christians-for-a-shared-mission/</link><description><![CDATA[Lebanon (MNN) — Lebanon is poised to be a strategic spiritual influence in the Middle East. Approximately one-third of the country identifies as Christian, and the laws safeguard religious freedom and equality. Many Christian groups in Lebanon have made progress sharing the Gospel among local Lebanese, Syrian refugees, and Palestinians. But so far, they have worked independently. The country’s first ever Movement Day recently mobilized Christian leaders for greater impact together. Hunter Williamson of <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/lsesd/">Thimar-LSESD</a></strong> says, “This was a one-day conference that brought together more than 100 local Christian leaders from various sectors, including business media, NGOs, and churches."<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"The idea behind the event was to create a venue for local leaders to meet and collaborate in order to promote the Gospel throughout Lebanon. And it was also aimed at fostering unity.”</strong></p></blockquote>Movement Day is an initiative that has traveled around the world to connect local Christian leaders and help them start Gospel movements in their area. <strong><a href="https://global.movement.org/">Learn more here.</a></strong> The conference in Beirut was organized by Thimar-LSESD, Heart For Lebanon, and other ministries. The Supreme Council of Evangelical Community in Syria and Lebanon helped with facilitation of the event. Speakers at the event emphasized the need to overcome group divisions and pursue a shared vision. During the day, representatives from more than 20 Christian NGOs met together for the first time and began planning how to better support each other moving forward. <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJquuFN4hHM">Watch a video summary here.</a></strong><h4>Hope at a critical time<img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-207950" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Thimar_MovementDay2-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></h4>The conference has come at a time when Lebanon finds itself in desperate need for hope and peace<strong>. </strong>Conflict continues between Israel and Hezbollah on the southern border. Civil war in Syria to the north and east has driven an estimated <strong><a href="https://www.unhcr.org/lb/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2024/03/At-a-glance-2024.pdf">1.5 million refugees into Lebanon</a>.</strong> Meanwhile, more than half of Lebanese people live below the poverty line due to compounded crises. "All of these sort of initiatives and outcomes to find ways to better promote the gospel, to better provide hope to people, that is just so critical at this time," Williamson says. Leaders left with plans for collaboration between churches and NGOs as well as a network for pastors. They have already set the date for another Movement Day next year and begun working towards a Movement Youth Day. "One of the big ones was the creation of the Christian Businessmen Association," Williamson says. "And this will provide various forms of support and resources to business leaders." Read more about the key results of Movement Day and next steps on <strong><a href="https://www.lsesd.org/a-movement-began-in-beirut-on-14-february-2024/">Thimar’s website</a></strong>. Pray for Christian leaders in Lebanon to work together for the Gospel. <em>Photos from Movement Day in Lebanon courtesy of Thimar-LSESD.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2024 05:00:34 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/movement-day-unites-lebanons-christians-for-a-shared-mission/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Thimar_MovementDay1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Iran retaliates, Israel weighs response, and allies fear regional war</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iran-retaliates-israel-weighs-response-and-allies-fear-regional-war/</link><description><![CDATA[Iran (MNN) -- Israel and Iran square off as Western allies urge restraint. Iran’s assault on Saturday was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-hamas-latest-04-15-2024-05ca1ac2780defa8a1a0345754708512" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>the first time</strong></span></a> the Islamic Republic directly attacked Israel since the regime’s formation in 1979. According to an Israeli military spokesman, nearly all of the missiles and drones were intercepted. “Iran attacked Israel [with] full force, about 300 missiles, intending for a mass casualty. Fortunately, that did not happen, but this was the first time they fired from inside Iran,” <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart4iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Heart4Iran</strong></span></a>’s Nazanin Baghestani says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They were [previously] using the neighbors and using Hezbollah (to attack Israel), but for this one, they wanted to show that ‘We can do it.’”</strong></p></blockquote>Although Israel defended itself against Iran’s assault with help from Western and Arab allies, “on the local news inside the country, they were saying that the attack was very successful,” Baghestani says. “[Officials said,] ‘We intended to harm Israel and America, and we have succeeded,’ so, all positive.” The U.S. and other Western nations say they will <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/iran-attack-live-updates-rcna147781" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>not back Israe</strong></span>l</a> if it escalates the conflict by retaliation. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/europe-joins-us-urging-restraint-by-israel-after-iranian-attack-2024-04-15/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Reuters,</a> </strong></span>Israel’s war cabinet “favored retaliation but was divided over the timing and scale of any such response.” <div id="attachment_203862" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/H4I_pray-for-iran.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-203862" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/H4I_pray-for-iran-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Denis Oliveira/Heart4Iran)</p></div> <em><strong>Meanwhile, Iran’s people are fighting a new battle against the regime.</strong> </em>Knowing the people oppose their leadership, “the government kept people busy so they could do their attack” on Israel, Baghestani says. “Morality police [were] arresting women that had bad (‘improper’) hijabs. They would take these ladies to unknown places. This happened on Friday, and on Saturday, [Iran launched] all the missile attacks.” Heart4Iran offers the hope of Christ to anxious and fearful Iranians through a 24-7 call center and social media. <a href="https://heart4iran.com/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>More about that here.</strong></span></a> “The spirit of fear is so bad, and it just doesn’t let them function inside the country. Once that is gone, they can breathe,” Baghestani says. “It’s very important for us to continue with them, to disciple them, and make sure that they are strong enough to withstand all the storms they face inside the country.” <a href="https://raisedonors.com/heart4iran/tgive" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Help Heart4Iran keep this important work going.</strong></span></a> Pray the current tensions between Iran and Israel will not escalate into regional war. <em>Header image is a representative photo courtesy of <a href="https://pixabay.com/illustrations/military-fighter-plane-military-war-8684849/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Angelo Scarcella/Pixabay</a>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 16 Apr 2024 05:00:50 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iran-retaliates-israel-weighs-response-and-allies-fear-regional-war/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/military-fighter-8684849_1280-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>TeachBeyond considering how AI could help further reveal God to students</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/teachbeyond-considering-how-ai-could-help-further-reveal-god-to-students/</link><description><![CDATA[International (MNN) — In the world of education,<a href="https://edsource.org/2024/we-must-be-proactive-in-guiding-the-influence-of-artificial-intelligence-on-education/708898" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>AI is a strong tool whose impact is rising</strong></span></a>. But is it a tool for service, or is it a tool for cheating? David Durance with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/teachbeyond/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeachBeyond</a></strong></span> says the answer is yes to both.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “Fundamentally, we want to be committed to this idea of our educational environments pointing people to Christ. So if we start with that premise, the question then doesn't become whether AI is bad or good. But it's saying ‘What part of this can be used to further reveal to our students the fullness of God's creation, His redemptive work around us?’” Durance says educators today are much more comfortable with the presence of AI than they would have been five years ago.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “After going through a pandemic where we had to really rip up the playbook, start over and figure out how to deliver education, now when we see AI, I think our schools and our teachers are not shocked,” he says. <div id="attachment_172590" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-172590" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/48405462_10157249592559505_5555126068039385088_o-300x192.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="192" /><p class="wp-caption-text">TeachBeyond has served in 64 countries around the world. (Photo courtesy of TeachBeyond via Facebook)</p></div><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It's much more (like) ‘Okay, this is the next wave of change that we didn't anticipate. It's certainly a challenge. But we want to really press into that and figure out how we can “harness" this to deliver the objectives we're trying to do in the classroom.’"<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p></blockquote>Durance says the missional aspect about this situation isn’t actually about AI itself. It’s about teaching students how to evaluate what the world offers us, doing that from a Christian worldview. How can you respond to the onset of AI? The first thing is simple: <strong>take a deep breath. </strong> “Let's give ourselves time — time to understand this, time to work through the issues and figure out how we can best use this,” Durance says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Second, <strong>be informed.</strong> Durance tells us, “Especially if you're a parent raising kids, you want to get ahead of this so you understand what your kids are experiencing and what they can do with this — and actually become even comfortable with it (yourself).” Finally, <strong>pray for leaders</strong> who are already speaking into the flood of questions surrounding AI.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “There is obviously going to be some sort of legislative work coming around AI and what it can and should not do. We see that battle already beginning,” Durance says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Interested in learning more about TeachBeyond? You can connect with them on social media or at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://teachbeyond.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">teachbeyond.org</a></strong></span>. <em>Header photo courtesy of TeachBeyond.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 16 Apr 2024 05:00:35 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/teachbeyond-considering-how-ai-could-help-further-reveal-god-to-students/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/hallway-180x180.png" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Ron Hutchcraft Ministries dedicates Native ministry launchpad this Friday</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/ron-hutchcraft-ministries-dedicates-native-ministry-launchpad-this-friday/</link><description><![CDATA[USA (MNN) -- There’s a big celebration coming up this Friday in Harrison, Arkansas. On Eagles Wings, the Native outreach of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/ron-hutchcraft-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Ron Hutchcraft Ministries,</strong></span></a> is dedicating its brand-new Leadership Center to the Lord on Friday. “We are about to have a dedication weekend, not so much about a building but a God who built the building,” Ron Hutchcraft of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries says. “It truly is a miracle in the Ozarks. It is so much more than a building.” <div id="attachment_207904" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/RHM_oewlc-students2.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207904" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/RHM_oewlc-students2-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of On Eagles Wings/RHM)</p></div> The center is a literal dream come true. “What has been in our hearts for 30 years is to have a discipleship center where we can intensively disciple them (Native believers) in a gap year program, and prepare them for a lifetime of living for Jesus among their people,” Hutchcraft says. This ministry resource couldn’t have come at a better time. Native American “people are living with tremendous loss, youth suicide and addiction, missing and murdered women 10 times that of any other women in America, a lot of pain, a lot of grieving. And nobody knows that it's there” because Native tragedies are rarely in the news, Hutchcraft notes.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“This (building) is a statement that God has never forgotten the first people of this land. They are seen by God; they are loved by God.”</strong></p></blockquote>The first of its kind, On Eagles Wings’ Leadership Center is a training hub for Native American Christian youth. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://oewlc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span> “It's a beautiful facility. It is a place to build community with an incredible huge fireplace in the center room, different kinds of classrooms, plus a workout room, game room, and creative room where they can do Native beadwork, practice instruments, [or] do artwork,” Hutchcraft says. A nine-month gap-year program equips Native young people to bring the hope of Jesus to their communities. If you’re a Native young person looking to make a difference for Christ, <a href="https://oewlc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>learn more and submit an application here.</strong></span></a> “This dedication weekend is a celebration of Jesus opening a new era for the First People of our land,” Hutchcraft says. “Pray that the young people being launched from here as leaders for their people might be part of the spark for that great move of God.” <em><strong>Your help makes it all possible</strong></em>. <a href="https://hutchcraft.com/on-eagles-wings/get-involved" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Help empower young Native leaders to bring hope to Native America!</strong></span></a> <em>Header and story images courtesy of On Eagles Wings/Ron Hutchcraft Ministries.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 16 Apr 2024 05:00:20 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/ron-hutchcraft-ministries-dedicates-native-ministry-launchpad-this-friday/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/RHM_OEWLC-students-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Anti-Syrian sentiment spikes in Lebanon</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/anti-syrian-sentiment-spikes-in-lebanon/</link><description><![CDATA[Lebanon (MNN) -- Tensions and violence peak in Lebanon as Syrian gang members recently killed a Lebanese politician, causing a spike in <a href="https://www.syriahr.com/en/330653/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>anti-Syrian sentiment.</strong></span></a> The <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240409-lebanon-minister-vows-tighter-grip-on-syrians-after-killing-of-party-official" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Lebanese army says</strong></span></a> Syrian gang members hijacked the politician’s car, killed him, and took his body to Syria. Pierre Houssney of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/horizons-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Horizons International</strong></span></a> says Lebanese anger is spilling into the streets. “A lot of Lebanese are taking justice into their own hands and starting to be like vigilantes,” Houssney says. “We’ve had guys go out on the streets with loudspeakers and issue general threats to Syrians that they need to leave their homes and go back to Syria.” Furthermore, because the politician belonged to an ethnically Christian political party, “Every day, there have been instances of Syrians out in the streets being accosted by ethnic Christians beating them and threatening them,” Houssney says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It grieves my heart when we see people who are bearing the name of Christ beating these Syrians. It feels like they’re pushing them further away from the Gospel.”</strong></p></blockquote>The situation directly impacts Syrian Gospel workers at Horizons’ facilities. <div id="attachment_198361" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Horizons_story-photo.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-198361" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Horizons_story-photo-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Horizons workers visit with children at a refugee camp.<br />(Photo courtesy of Horizons International)</p></div> “You take for granted that people can come into the office [or] go to their place of ministry, whether it’s one of our ministry centers or our school for refugee kids. All of those things have had to shut down,” Houssney says. “The Syrians can’t show up because it’s just too dangerous for them to be on the streets in certain neighborhoods.” Pray for calm in the streets of Lebanon, and pray Syrian Gospel workers can walk safely in public again. “It’s likely, based on the past, to calm down after a few days, and life goes on as usual until the next time these tensions peak,” Houssney says. <a href="https://www.horizonsinternational.org/horizons-lebanon" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Learn how Horizons International proclaims Christ and equips disciples through its ministry in Beirut, Lebanon.</strong></span></a> <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of </em><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/child-holding-a-flag-of-syria-10629485/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Ahmed akacha/Pexels.</em></a>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 15 Apr 2024 05:00:55 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/anti-syrian-sentiment-spikes-in-lebanon/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/pexels-ahmed-akacha-10629485-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Refugees find hope in Christ as Sudan war marks first anniversary</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/refugees-find-hope-in-christ-as-sudan-war-marks-first-anniversary/</link><description><![CDATA[Sudan (MNN) -- <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/will-sudans-tension-turn-into-conflict/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>One year ago today</strong></span></a>, a civil war began between Sudan’s military junta and rebel forces. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/tag/sudan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">See our full coverage here.</a></strong></span> <a href="https://www.rescue.org/article/war-sudan-over-8-million-people-displaced" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>More than eight million</strong></span></a> Sudanese have been uprooted in the country since then, and at least two million have crossed into neighboring countries. Unknown tens of thousands have died in the conflict, with countless genocide victims <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/masalit-encounter-gospel-despite-darfur-slaughter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">buried in mass graves.</a></strong></span> “The burden on East Africa is becoming almost untenable,” says John*, an <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unfoldingword/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>unfoldingWord</strong></span></a> partner focused on Sudan. “Chad is one of the top 10 poorest countries in the world; South Sudan is <em><strong>THE</strong> </em>poorest country, and that’s where refugees are going.” Church planters trained by John’s organization meet refugees in several border camps. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/church-planters-lead-trauma-healing-in-sudan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a> </strong></span>Believers see God turn horrific trauma into something good for these refugees. “[Refugees have] the desperation of having lost everything and being separated from the normal day-to-day life and just living in constant need. Your soul is so thirsty for any hope, and God is reaping a harvest,” John says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Many are coming to Christ because, in their desperation, they’re calling out for help. And in their sleep, God is meeting them. It’s a vision of Jesus, a vision of a man in white.”</strong></p></blockquote>Church planters introduce refugees to the hope of Christ through biblical trauma healing. <a href="https://greater-reach-inc.networkforgood.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Here’s how you can support that work.</strong></span></a> “It’s a simple African way of explaining ‘This is what trauma looks like. This is how it can affect the way you think and the way you feel.’ We have them tell their story, validate it, pray for them, and give them the truth of the Word of God that offers hope,” John explains. “We’re not able to put a country in therapy, but there were 100 people that our team [recently took] through trauma healing. They came to Christ; within two days, there were 200.” Ask the Lord to provide food for refugees <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/04/1148491" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>facing famine</strong></span></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>.</strong></span> Pray they will find the Bread of Life by connecting with church planters. *Pseudonym <em>Header image is a graphic courtesy of unfoldingWord.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 15 Apr 2024 05:00:12 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/refugees-find-hope-in-christ-as-sudan-war-marks-first-anniversary/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/UW_prayer-requests-sudan-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Christ’s love frees us from cycles of hatred and despair</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christs-love-frees-us-from-cycles-of-hatred-and-despair/</link><description><![CDATA[Lebanon (MNN) — Galatians 3:28 says that all Christians are one in Christ Jesus, unified above ethnic and social labels. That’s the principle <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart for Lebanon</a> </strong></span>stands on in the deeply divided Middle East.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “The question you want to ask (is), ‘How can you get people on a Sunday morning to sit in one room and worship Jesus Christ?’" says says Elio Constantine with Heart for Lebanon. "(Keep) in mind that these people have been programmed and brainwashed for centuries and centuries that from a human perspective, they should be enemies." <div id="attachment_172604" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-172604 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/h4lmarch2019-300x154.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="154" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy Heart for Lebanon)</p></div> Heart for Lebanon’s Middle East Center for Justice and Missions advocates for biblical responses to injustice, for the glory of God. They want people to discover how to break these cycles of violence and hatred. “The answer is easier said than done: It's through Christ and Christ alone,” Constantine says. “How do we do that? Through unconditional love, patience, grace, and mercy.” Their team goes out and befriends families from different ethnic backgrounds in Lebanon — whether Syrian, Kurdish, Lebanese and others. They spend countless hours visiting, offering prayer, giving aid and showing true friendship.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Their love has led to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/injustice-runs-deep-in-lebanon-whats-the-biblical-justice-viewpoint/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hearts opening to the gospel and two diverse churches</a> </strong></span>gathering.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> These principles of love are Christ-centered. Constantine says they can be applied anywhere in the world. <div id="attachment_180328" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-medium wp-image-180328" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/h4lrefugees2017-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy Heart For Lebanon)</p></div> “That's what The Middle East Center for Justice and Missions is here to advocate for.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We're here to show the picture, to show our experience, what we have done in Lebanon, how we — now, God never tells us any indicator of success — but what our hard work has yielded,” Constantine says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <strong>Would you take this unfolding story into your own heart?</strong> Consider who you perceive as an enemy, or who you have been taught is your enemy. Then, <strong>commit yourself to obey Christ</strong> and show your "enemies" the same love He has given you. (See <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+5%3A11-21&version=ESV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2 Corinthians 5:11-21</a> </strong></span>about this "ministry of reconciliation.") “That is the only way to move past and break the cycle of hatred and despair that we've been living in globally,” says Constantine. “Anywhere on planet Earth, the answer is simple. But the work is much harder. We need to have the intention and the discipline to show love unconditionally to anyone we meet along the road.” <em>Header photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 15 Apr 2024 05:00:42 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christs-love-frees-us-from-cycles-of-hatred-and-despair/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/HFL_story-image-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>U.S. expects imminent Iran retaliation and “significant attack on Israel”</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/u-s-expects-imminent-iran-retaliation-and-significant-attack-on-israel/</link><description><![CDATA[Iran (MNN) -- U.S. intelligence <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-believes-iran-attack-israel-coming-days-potential/story?id=109099898" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warns lawmakers</a></strong></span> of Iran’s retaliation against Israel, which could take shape in the coming days. One official says Iran could strike Israel directly, while another points to Israeli diplomatic facilities as potential targets. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed to punish Israel for <a href="https://www.iranintl.com/en/202404118676" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>last week’s attack in Syria</strong></span></a>, which killed two top Revolutionary Guard commanders. <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/transform-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Transform Iran</strong></span></a>’s Lana Silk says, “I don’t see that it’s really in Iran’s interest right now to be engaging Israel in all-out war. Because if Israel and Iran get into a direct fight now, then naturally, the world is going to support Israel.” Israel is becoming isolated in global politics because of recent events in Gaza, she continues. “Iran would find it in their interest to allow that situation to play out rather than find Israel rallying the troops and everyone coming together with Iran as a common enemy,” Silk says. <div id="attachment_207875" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Ali_khamenei_in_January_2021.jpg"><img class="wp-image-207875" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Ali_khamenei_in_January_2021-202x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="445" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">In a Wednesday sermon, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed to punish Israel for last week’s attack in Syria, which killed two top Revolutionary Guard commanders.<br />(Wikimedia Commons)</p></div> Iran already faces a crumbling economy and division within its ranks. “The ayatollahs created the Revolutionary Guard, but now the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has become a threat, potentially, to the ayatollahs; maybe even more than Israel or America,” Silk says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“There is a rumor circulating in Iran today that it’s the ayatollahs or their cronies that have been giving up intelligence for the locations of some of these high-ranking Revolutionary Guard generals to slightly weaken that organization.”</strong></p></blockquote><em><strong>We can’t fix Iran, but we know the God who holds this country in His hands.</strong> </em>Let’s ask Him to have mercy on the Iranian people. “We must be praying. Our prayers are powerful; the Word of God tells us that,” Silk says. “Let’s be constantly thinking, ‘Lord, I want to see the people of Iran saved, I want them to find hope in You.’” Stay up-to-date on what God is doing in Iran by <a href="https://transformiran.com/newsletter-sign-up/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>signing up for Transform Iran's monthly newsletter here.</strong></span></a> <em>Header image depicts ominous shadows over Iran’s capital city, Tehran. (Photo courtesy of <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/person-in-black-and-red-plaid-hoodie-1FixQdw5gns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amir Housseini/Unsplash</a>)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Apr 2024 05:00:06 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/u-s-expects-imminent-iran-retaliation-and-significant-attack-on-israel/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/amir-hosseini-1FixQdw5gns-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Hope remains even as crises around the globe threaten kids’ educations</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-remains-even-as-crises-around-the-globe-threaten-kids-educations/</link><description><![CDATA[International/Haiti (MNN) — Headlines today show conflict on almost every continent. As war and unrest <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.unhcr.org/us/global-trends" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>touch millions of children and their families</b></a></span>, immediate results are clear to see — death, displacement and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.ipcinfo.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>food insecurity</b></a></span>, to name a few. But there is another long-term consequence that isn’t always so quickly seen, though it is just as devastating: <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/how-do-war-conflict-impact-education/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>loss of education</b></a></span>. David Durance with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/teachbeyond/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>TeachBeyond</b></a></span> says, “As they go through this initial crisis, what we have found is that education stops. Usually, it's that three- to six-month period where the triage of essential needs — in other words, food and water, and shelter — are starting or trying to be met. <div id="attachment_167762" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-167762 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/children-at-gateways-300x179.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="179" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of TeachBeyond)</p></div> “Then the question is, ‘What do we do now that we're in this situation?’ It's that phase two where education becomes a major question.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> TeachBeyond steps in as people reach out for insight and resources.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “That (phase two) is where we start responding and start thinking about how we can start delivering education that is timely, relevant and able to actually deliver on what is needed in that context,” Durance says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <div id="attachment_178816" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="wp-image-178816 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/71043134_10157999693144505_3523696946092965888_o-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Koshe/Korah, Ethiopia (Photo courtesy of TeachBeyond)</p></div> Education is a major intervention to prevent the cycle of purposelessness and violence across a generation and nation.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“God redeems the world, often through education. This is one of the ways that he does (what) we call ‘big T transformation’ — in other words, becoming all that God intends," Durance says. </strong></p></blockquote>“You go to countries where the education system has been broken for a whole generation, and that next wave of youth — guess what? They're following in their parents' footsteps. The violence is perpetuated, the hatred is perpetuated and the jobs aren't there. Here we are, many, many years later, still suffering in places like Syria and in countries in Central Africa. We're praying against that in Haiti and Ukraine, but we're seeing some of that happen, and we're so concerned about this.” <strong>You can be a part of this redemption with TeachBeyond by praying and taking action.</strong> “We're just one of many missions, but missions like TeachBeyond are actively prepared to deliver education in some of these contexts that we've been talking about,” Durance says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “God can redeem this (global situation) as people respond in prayer and then look for ways to be involved. That can be everything from using your skills — if you're an administrator, an educator or whatever God's put on your heart — or funding some of the people that go respond to these things. It's not hopeless, that's my point.” <a href="https://teachbeyond.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Connect with TeachBeyond</span></b></a> on social media or their website to be informed on how you can pray. Learn how you can GO with TeachBeyond <a href="https://teachbeyond.org/go"><b>here</b></a>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <em>Header photo is a representative stock image taken in a refugee camp in Iraq, courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-people-standing-next-to-each-other-hCYF_PVySW0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonathan Ramalho/Unsplash</a></span>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Apr 2024 05:00:31 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-remains-even-as-crises-around-the-globe-threaten-kids-educations/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/small-_-jonathan-ramalho-hCYF_PVySW0-unsplash-copy-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>AMG helps drought-stricken Kenya recover with water filters and wells</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/amg-helps-drought-stricken-kenya-recover-with-water-filters-and-wells/</link><description><![CDATA[Kenya (MNN) — Are you thirsty? Chances are you can get a cup of water in a few moments. But <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>more than two billion people around the world</b></a></span> don’t have regular access to safe water, according to data the World Health Organization (WHO) compiled from 2022.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> (Learn more about WHO's definition of “safely managed drinking water services” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>here</b></a></span>.)</span> Kenya is among many countries whose <a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-world-water-day-12b11dd6acbdd4d84a96f486a5c708f2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">people struggle find enough water to live</span></b></a>. “Don't we just take clean water for granted?” says Brian Dennett with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/amg-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>AMG International</b></a></span>. “Our national leader (in Kenya) shared stories of people they work with that travel 12 miles in a day just to fetch water for cooking and drinking. Talk about how precious that water is with the amount of labor it takes to get it.” <div id="attachment_89863" style="width: 302px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-89863" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/AMG_India-drinking-water-07-22-13-292x300.jpg" alt="" width="292" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Photo is of a bore well AMG installed in India to help fight extreme heat. (Image courtesy AMG India)</p></div> Multiple years of low rainfalls in the Horn of Africa led to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2023/12/15/adapting-in-the-face-of-climate-change-in-rural-kenya" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>a terrible drought</b></a> </span>in 2020–2023. Losses of livestock, crops and natural water sources were devastating. Then, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2023/12/27/natural-disasters-that-plagued-the-world-in-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>heavy rainfalls and floods</b></a></span> in late 2023 brought a different kind of destruction. It’s going to take a long time to recover, and in the meantime, help is needed.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “In many countries like Kenya, we provide water filter systems. We've done hundreds of borewells just in the last several years. Like everything we do, we include the gospel,” says Dennett.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> The next time you turn on a faucet, would you pray for thirsty people in the world? Pray that ministries like AMG would be able to be the hands and feet of Jesus, offering physical water and the true spiritual water that Jesus is.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> You can <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amginternational.org/project/AMG-Ministries-in-Kenya" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>partner with AMG</b></a></span> to do this very thing. A gift of $60 covers one filter that can work for around seven years. Or you can give toward a borehole well, which costs as little as $3,000.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “We've actually targeted five villages that are in desperate need of clean water. We're going to be building wells in each of those five villages. Then in other parts (of the world), we want to be able to continue providing hundreds, maybe thousands of water filters,” Dennet says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <em>(Header photo is a representative stock image taken in Kenya in 2023, courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-small-child-standing-in-a-dirt-field-next-to-a-fence-OvKHanXCrOQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evans Dims via Unsplash</a></span>.)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Apr 2024 05:00:29 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/amg-helps-drought-stricken-kenya-recover-with-water-filters-and-wells/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/evans-dims-OvKHanXCrOQ-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Iran and Israel trade threats amid escalating tensions</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iran-and-israel-trade-threats-amid-escalating-tensions/</link><description><![CDATA[Syria (MNN) -- Sworn enemies Israel and Iran trade threats amid escalating tensions Iran’s supreme leader says Israel <a href="https://ca.news.yahoo.com/irans-khamenei-says-israel-must-053135277.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>must be punished</strong></span></a> for its assault on the Iranian embassy in Syria. In return, Israel’s foreign minister <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/04/10/israel-threatens-strike-iran-directly-if-iran-launches-attack-its-territory.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>vows to strike Iran</strong></span></a> directly if the Islamic Republic targets Israel from its territory. Samuel* with Redemptive Stories says the latest tiff began after an Israeli attack <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/israel-threatens-direct-attack-iran-tehran-launches-strike-territory" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>on Friday</strong></span></a>. <div id="attachment_126313" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/E3P_Pray-for-Syria.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-126313" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/E3P_Pray-for-Syria-300x260.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="260" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Graphic cred: E3 Partners)</p></div> “There was a bombing that Israel perpetrated on [the Iranian] embassy in Syria… to kill a high-ranking official in the Revolutionary Guard who happened to be there visiting,” he says. “It was a target opportunity that, from what I understand from reading various reports, the U.S. was unaware of. The U.S. military is <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-high-alert-against-iran-threat-after-israeli-strike-syria-2024-04-05/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>on full alert</strong></span></a> in the region, expecting some retaliation from Iran.” As usual, Syria and its people are stuck in the middle of a proxy war between Iran and Israel. “It’s just more of the chaos they’ve been living through the past 12 years,” Samuel says. “The chaos has looked different at different seasons; there was open war, COVID, economic sanctions, an earthquake, plus constant incursions by the IDF [and] by Iran.” <em><strong>Believers are committed to staying in Syria, and the Lord is at work.</strong></em> “Our brothers and sisters there, keep pressing on. They keep walking [by] faith,” Samuel says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“God is doing amazing things among the Druze, among the Kurdish people in the north; it’s quite powerful.”</strong></p></blockquote>You can help Gospel workers survive another week. <a href="https://www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide/syria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Connect with The Voice of the Martyrs USA to learn how.</strong></span></a> “The only way to survive is by the help of others from the outside. There is not enough income within the bounds of Syria to provide a month’s worth of meals for a family,” Samuel notes. <em><strong>*Pseudonym</strong> </em> <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of ErikaWittlieb/Pixabay.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:00:24 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iran-and-israel-trade-threats-amid-escalating-tensions/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/syria-1034467_1920-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Bibles reach Mandarin-speaking communities in Russia</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bibles-reach-mandarin-speaking-communities-in-russia/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">China (MNN) — They made it! </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bibles for China has received word about 50,000 Mandarin Bibles meant for seekers and believers in Russia. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Kurt Rovenstine with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/bibles-for-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bibles for China</a></strong></span> explains, “There’s actually quite a large Chinese population (in Russia). They kind of live together within Moscow, but also along the border up above in extreme northeastern China.”</span> <div id="attachment_198027" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-198027" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/BFC_bibles-for-russia-300x280.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="280" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Bibles in another shipment that were distributed to Chinese who live in Russia along the China border. <br />(Photo courtesy of Bibles for China)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2022 the team was ready with a partner organization to distribute the Bibles to Chinese people living in Russia. But then the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out and plans had to change. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Rather than keep the Bibles in a warehouse indefinitely, they </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/50000-bibles-released-to-chinese-churches-in-moscow/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released them to Chinese churches in the Moscow area</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for use in training and evangelism. Then they waited. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">More than a year later, they have received word that all 50,000 Bibles were distributed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Just in the last few months, the last of those (50,000) were all distributed. That was very, very much an encouragement to the work that we do, and a reminder that, that God is good, you know, when we step out on faith.” Rovenstine says.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Those Bibles are in the hands of people who at least have the opportunity to read them and to discover the truth that they contain. That was very much an encouragement to the work that we do, and a reminder that God is good. When we step out on faith, and even when it seems as if there are roadblocks before us, God opens doors and gets the truth out to those who want to read it,” Rovenstine says.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Praise God for His living Word, and pray for more open doors for <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://biblesforchina.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bibles for China</a></strong></span> to reach Mandarin-speaking families.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“T</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">he power of the Word of God is amazing. God is not going to let that truth go away simply because the world is opposed to it. When God's people walk in obedience, He opens doors for us to do the work that we do,” Rovenstine says.</span> <em>Header photo courtesy of Bibles for China via Facebook. </em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:00:16 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bibles-reach-mandarin-speaking-communities-in-russia/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BFC-Facebook-post-photo-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Summer course studies peace in the Holy Land</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/summer-course-studies-peace-in-the-holy-land/</link><description><![CDATA[Palestine (MNN) – Negotiations between Israel and Hamas <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/3/gaza-ceasefire-talks-stall-on-return-of-displaced-army-withdrawal">show little progress towards a ceasefire</a> in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages. Israel refuses to allow displaced residents to return to their homes, and Hamas will not release Israeli hostages until all its demands are met. Another difficulty is deciding how many Palestinian prisoners Israel will release in exchange for each Israeli hostage. Neither party takes responsibility for the ongoing stalemate. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hamas-says-gaza-truce-talks-remain-deadlocked-despite-reports-progress-2024-04-08/">Learn more here.</a> Meanwhile, the war in Gaza has entered its sixth month. Just one hour away, the reports of death and destruction have taken a toll on Bethlehem. Andrew Bush with the Bethlehem Institute of Peace and Justice says the war weighs heavy on those in the West Bank even as they carry on with daily life. More roads have recently reopened for travel between Bethlehem and Israel, including the main checkpoint to enter Jerusalem. Thousands of people could not go to their jobs for months and were out of work, leading to economic hardship. Palestinian businesses that depend on tourism have also struggled if not already closed. <div id="attachment_207851" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-207851 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BIPJ_2-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Students in the BIPJ summer intensive course drink tea from a local vendor.</p></div> The Bethlehem Institute of Peace and Justice, a program of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/bethlehem-bible-college/">Bethlehem Bible College</a>, has continued in its mission despite the challenges. In May, the institute will welcome students to visit and learn more about peace and justice in the Holy Land for its third annual summer intensive course. “The Summer Intensive is a two-week residential program here in Bethlehem,” says Bush, “which allows students to interact with Palestinian peacemakers and Jewish Israeli peacemakers.” The short program begins May 13 and can be taken for academic credit. Students stay in the guesthouse of Bethlehem Bible College. Each day starts with devotions and continues with lectures, discussions, and field studies. The summer intensive will look a little different this year because of the region’s current dynamics. Read about the experience of students last summer <a href="https://bipj.org/the-summer-intensive-in-peacemaking-and-justice-changes-lives/">here</a>. Bush says, “We've had to make adjustments in our program, which includes visiting sites around the West Bank.” Learn more about the course and apply by April 15 at <a href="https://bipj.org/summer-may-intensive-in-bethlehem/">BIPJ.org</a>.<h4>Resources to Grow Understanding and Unity</h4>For those who are unable to travel to Bethlehem, the institute also offers online semester courses for credit and free lectures open to all. Even some churches have taken a five-session course available called “Apocalypse, Empire, and Palestine” by J. Nelson Kraybill. The varied resources grow students’ understanding of Palestinians and modern Israel. “We feel it's very important that Christians have a clearer picture of what's going on here,” says Bush.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Humanity needs to be rescued here. And people need to see each other as human beings.”</strong></p></blockquote>He encourages Christians to explore the institute’s resources and listen to other points of view with an open mind. “When you dehumanize the other, you dehumanize yourself,” says Bush. “And so for the sake of Israel, for the sake of the Gazan people, for the sake of all Palestinians, we hope people will pray for this war to end.” <em>Photos used courtesy of the Bethlehem Institute of Peace and Justice.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:00:39 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/summer-course-studies-peace-in-the-holy-land/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BIPJ_1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Haiti: temporary government awaits signatures, God’s work continues</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/haiti-temporary-government-awaits-signatures-gods-work-continues/</link><description><![CDATA[Haiti (MNN) -- Haitian leaders <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20240408-haiti-finalises-deal-to-form-transitional-council-in-bid-to-end-gang-chaos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">finalize a deal</a></strong></span> for a temporary government, establishing a nine-member council that will pave the way for presidential elections by early 2026. However, outgoing authorities must approve details before the council can act. Meanwhile, rulers in Port-au-Prince <a href="https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-04-04/Haiti-extends-state-of-emergency-law-in-western-province-for-one-month-1swlSqHi6cw/p.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>extended a state of emergency</strong></span></a> until May 3. Partners in Haiti tell Helen Williams of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/world-missionary-press/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>World Missionary Press</strong></span></a>, “The entire country is pretty much shut down. Prices on everything from food to gasoline are climbing. Food is becoming increasingly scarce; no one is working because of the violence.” One partner shut down its offices in the capitol, but staff continue to help vulnerable kids in their neighborhoods. “It is an unbelievably dangerous area, and yet, these children are still coming when they can,” Williams says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The ministry is still working; they’re going to keep helping the kids to know God.”</strong></p></blockquote><div id="attachment_195433" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/WMP_Haiti-kids.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-195433" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/WMP_Haiti-kids-300x232.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="232" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Haitian students read WMP Scripture booklets.<br />(Photo courtesy World Missionary Press)</p></div> World Missionary Press sent a 40-foot container to these partners, and it was being cleared through customs when fighting broke out in the capital in early January. Four months later, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wmpress/posts/pfbid022cV8xbwT4mhHio6Axs3FJvczc4KKa95mkFZyeurrpjUP8G5yJw4r6FYfebZrWNdul" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>it’s still there.</strong></span></a> “You can’t get it cleared, and you can’t get it from the port to the location where it’s going to be housed and used,” Williams says. Pray for an immediate end to the gang wars and violence in Haiti. Pray that Christians can somehow get the WMP container out of customs to distribute and use the material inside. “There’s half a million booklets on that container, just so much material that could be doing such a positive work in hearts at a time when people have nothing else to lean on,” Williams says. “Pray over His Word and the protection of it. We believe we’re to prepare it, and the delivery is up to Him. We saw God work marvelously with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/russian-pastors-finally-receive-scripture-booklets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>the Russia container</strong></span></a>, and we believe He will do the same with this.” <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 10 Apr 2024 05:00:31 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/haiti-temporary-government-awaits-signatures-gods-work-continues/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/792px-Flag_map_of_Haiti.svg_-180x180.png" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Churches grow despite uncertainty in Ukraine</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/churches-grow-despite-uncertainty-in-ukraine/</link><description><![CDATA[Ukraine (MNN) -- Ukraine and Russia blame each other for <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-ukraine-tried-strike-nuclear-power-plant-again-with-drone-2024-04-08/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drone attacks on Sunday</a></strong></span> targeting Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. Meanwhile, House Republicans <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/08/mike-johnson-speaker-congress-ukraine-marjorie-taylor-greene/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>threaten to oust</strong></span></a> Speaker Mike Johnson unless he includes U.S. border security measures in a Ukraine aid package passed by the Senate. As President Zelensky <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/08/europe/ukraine-lose-war-us-congress-zelensky-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>warns of</strong></span></a> diminishing supplies, bickering in the U.S. Congress does little to ease Ukrainian fears. “From the perspective of your average Ukrainian citizen, it’s a sense of anxiety, futility, [and] frustration. They hear the air raid sirens almost every night; this war has become normal,” <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Slavic Gospel Association</strong></span></a>’s Eric Mock says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“I’ve even seen aid workers during an artillery assault; you can hear the explosions in the background, and they don’t even flinch.”</strong></p></blockquote><div id="attachment_207842" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/240223-SGA-Ukraine-War-Stories-2_8-Social-Post-1-WordPress-Preview-460x460-v1-1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207842" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/240223-SGA-Ukraine-War-Stories-2_8-Social-Post-1-WordPress-Preview-460x460-v1-1-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Memorials are a common sight in war-torn Ukraine.<br />(Photo courtesy of SGA)</p></div> Ukrainians may be used to war but still want it to end. During his latest visit, Mock received a hand-drawn picture of a little girl sitting under an umbrella with sunflowers around her. “Her umbrella had the Stars and Stripes, the American flag over it, and up in the sky was a barrage of missiles coming. She felt it was America that would protect her from the assault of missiles. This is from an 11-year-old girl,” Mock explains. <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/true-toll-war-ukraine-measured-bodies-man-brings-108835835" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Over a half-million Ukrainian soldiers</strong></span></a> have been killed or injured in the past two years. <em><strong>And yet, hope remains.</strong> </em>“In the middle of the war, Ukraine is still the ‘Bible Belt,’” Mock says. “Churches are growing. Aid centers are becoming churches. And communities that have been foreign to the Gospel are coming to faith. That’s why SGA has been unwavering in serving these churches to raise up future leaders.” Ask the Lord to raise up more Gospel workers during this difficult time of war. <a href="https://www.sga.org/pray-for-the-people-suffering-in-ukraine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Find more ways to pray for suffering Ukrainians here.</strong></span></a> <em>Header and story images courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 10 Apr 2024 05:00:22 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/churches-grow-despite-uncertainty-in-ukraine/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Pray-for-the-people-suffering-in-Ukraine-2-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Bible translators affected by war and displacement need wisdom</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bible-translators-affected-by-war-and-displacement-need-wisdom/</link><description><![CDATA[International (MNN) — Western cultures place a high value on productivity and being good stewards of time, resources and energy. But for many Christians in the world today, survival sometimes has to put ministry values like these on hold. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/spoken-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spoken Worldwide</a></strong></span>’s oral Bible translation teams in Sudan, Myanmar and Nigeria have felt this challenge keenly. “All these places are where there's high probability of persecution, logistical challenges,” Ed Weaver with Spoken Worldwide says, “whether in Myanmar, for example, (where) the internet has been shut down by the government; in Nigeria, where you've got <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bible-translators-press-on-despite-terrorism-in-nigeria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">kidnappings</a></strong></span>, and uncertainty and fear that runs unchecked among Christian leaders; and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/oral-bible-translators-in-sudan-keep-working-even-as-war-displaces/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the war in Sudan that's caused the diaspora</a></strong></span>.” Weaver says their U.S.-based staff is working on how to best support their partners, whose hearts are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/amid-crises-next-steps-for-sudans-bible-translators-uncertain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to share the gospel</a>.</strong></span> But it’s a time of danger and displacement that calls for God’s wisdom. <div id="attachment_160342" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-160342" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/SWW_people-300x300.png" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Spoken Worldwide)</p></div> "We can as Westerners kind of dissociate from the risk and say, ‘Well, we've got a project to accomplish,’” Weaver says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><b>“Or, we can come at this with a very compassionate heart and say, ‘Look, you've got to take care of your family, <em>and</em> we have work to do. How do we get it done?’”</b></p></blockquote>They have found that if they can help a team member protect his or her family, that eventually leads to a place where they can reestablish ministry connections.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “We really are being called, in watching these events transpire around the world, (to) say, ‘Okay, God, where are You at work in this? Can I focus on that, not my specific ‘need,' but on what You're doing?’” Weaver says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> As several <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://spoken.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spoken Worldwide</a></strong></span> ministry projects are put on pause, there are no clear-cut solutions. Would you pray for these brothers and sisters caught in war and unrest? Learn more below.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <em><strong>SUDAN</strong></em><ul> <li><em>For Sudanese that have had to flee their country, pray for peaceful transition. Pray for quick resolution of any necessary paperwork for them to be established as official refugees in these particular countries.</em></li></ul><em><strong>MYANMAR</strong></em><ul> <li><em>Some of Spoken Worldwide's teams in Myanmar are staying put despite dangers. Pray for their protection, safety, and courage from the Holy Spirit. Pray that they will be able to share recordings of Scripture with their friends and neighbors.</em></li></ul><em><strong>NIGERIA</strong></em><ul> <li><em>Pray for courage and wisdom as Nigerian believers ask questions like, “Lord, how long do I hold fast here in my village? Is there a point where I do need to move? And if I go, where do I go? How can I continue to reach back into this region after I've resettled in a new place?"</em></li></ul> <em>Header photo is a representative stock image courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/prayer-africa-people-of-uganda-2454429/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nambasi via Pixabay</a></span>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 10 Apr 2024 05:00:51 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bible-translators-affected-by-war-and-displacement-need-wisdom/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Prayer-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Five years of drought taking their toll on East Africa</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/five-years-of-drought-taking-their-toll-on-east-africa/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">Horn of Africa (MNN) — Years of drought have brought </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disasters/horn-of-africa-hunger-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>a deepening food security crisis to the Horn of Africa</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">.</span> Millions of people across Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia have experienced repeated crop failures and loss of livestock. They aren't alone in the world: nations such as <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/zimbabwe-mnangagwa-drought-disaster-famine-91905891189eb9eb491e7e40a335d53e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zimbabwe</a></span></strong> and Morocco and other parts of the world also <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-world-water-day-12b11dd6acbdd4d84a96f486a5c708f2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">face the increasing pressure of drought</a></strong></span>. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The global authority on food security levels has projected that in Somalia alone, 1.5 million children under the age of five </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/details-map/en/c/1156564/?iso3=SOM" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>will experience acute malnutrition</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> between August 2023 and July 2024. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“T</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">here are so many families that have left their homes, and now they're scattering all over looking for any assistance that can come their way,” says Peter Macharia with</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/world-concern/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>World Concern</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span> <div id="attachment_187422" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-187422 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/RSSO20BayaanDF409-scr-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Woman collects water from a protected water well. (Photo, caption by Daryl Finley/World Concern)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“M</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">ost of those families are dependent on rains, and they have no choices. Women have to move miles and miles to access clean water.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">World Concern seeks to serve the unique needs of the communities in which it operates. In the Horn of Africa, the food and water crisis dominates. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We do water trucking, finding water that is clean in a well that we have built or others have built and we truck that water to villages that have no clean water,” Macharia says. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">World Concern also provides cash vouchers for food, nutritional supplements for children and nursing women, and de-worming medicines, among other helps. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We have also been working on permanent solutions like digging wells, constructing water dams to harvest rainwater, and those kind of things. So our desire is not just to help (alleviate) the suffering, but also to have a permanent solution to the problems that people face,” Macharia says. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Pray for those who are suffering deeply from the effects of drought. Ask God to bring rain. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jeremiah 14:22 says, “Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are you not he, O Lord our God? We set our hope on you, for you do all these things.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I really encourage (listeners and readers) to be prayerful, and when they see things that are happening, let them see them as as happening to their brothers and sisters,” Macharia says.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Pray that </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://worldconcern.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>World Concern</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and local believers will be able to serve the physical and spiritual needs of many in the Horn of Africa. </span> <em>Header photo courtesy of Peter Caton for World Concern.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 09 Apr 2024 05:00:05 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/five-years-of-drought-taking-their-toll-on-east-africa/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/WC_Somilaland22_day3__1088-low-res-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Injustice runs deep in Lebanon — what’s the biblical justice viewpoint?</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/injustice-runs-deep-in-lebanon-whats-the-biblical-justice-viewpoint/</link><description><![CDATA[Lebanon (MNN) — An Israeli strike <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-kills-hezbollah-field-commander-lebanon-un-urges-halt-fighting-2024-04-08/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killed a Hezbollah field commander</a></strong></span> in southern Lebanon on Monday. This tit-for-tat fire between Israel and the Lebanese terrorist group is just one piece in the increasingly fractured Middle East. “Lebanon and the region is a place where injustice rules, if I may say. It's been like that for years and decades and centuries. The cycle of violence, the cycle of hatred, the cycle of despair, is never-ending,”<b> </b>says Elio Constantine with Heart for Lebanon. “The only solution to break the cycle is through Christ, and Christ alone.” Heart for Lebanon believes that when our relationship with God our Creator is broken, it creates a playground for the devil to bring injustice to the world. But there is a biblical solution.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“If we want to talk about how to deal with this injustice, and how to approach it from a biblical justice point of view, the simple answer is ‘Restore our relationship with God,’” Constantine says.</strong></p></blockquote>Heart for Lebanon builds trusting relationships with families from diverse ethnicities and faiths. “We work with traditional Christian backgrounds, with Muslim backgrounds, with Lebanese families, with Syrian families, with Kurdish families — all these families that have been preconditioned to hate each other and be scared of each other,” Constantine says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <div id="attachment_193195" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-193195" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/HFL_story-image-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Heart for Lebanon’s focus on holistic, relational, and unconditional ministry allows believers to reach and engage Syrian refugees in a relationship.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)</p></div> The team <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-key-to-effective-ministry-in-lebanon-is-relationship/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shows them God’s love</a></strong></span>, which opens the way for many heart-level questions.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “When these questions start to be answered from Scripture, it all starts making sense to them that ‘We have been taught that we're enemies, but really, we're not. The enemy is making us believe that we're enemies,’” Constantine says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “All that work has led to <strong>two beautiful worship gatherings, turned to churches</strong> in the south of Lebanon and the Beqaa. On Sunday morning, you will see that mosaic of different people really just being one.” Praise God for growing unity in these two churches. <strong>Would you pray for more heart transformation like this in the Middle East? Pray that God will use Heart for Lebanon to spread His love and reconciliation to many people in the region. </strong> <em>Header photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 09 Apr 2024 05:00:18 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/injustice-runs-deep-in-lebanon-whats-the-biblical-justice-viewpoint/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/HFL_family-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>JESUS: A Deaf Missions Film debuts to rave reviews</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/jesus-a-deaf-missions-film-debuts-to-rave-reviews/</link><description><![CDATA[USA (MNN) -- A brand-new feature-length film about the life of Christ <a href="https://sites.google.com/jamathis.com/deafmissionsconference2024/homemenu?authuser=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>debuted last week</strong></span></a> for select audiences in the United States. “There have been many films about Jesus produced over the years,” Rob Myers of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/door-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>DOOR International</strong></span></a> says. “All of them are connected in some way to spoken language. For those of us who are Hearing, that’s what we’re typically used to.” So, what’s unique about the newest Jesus movie? “All of the content is in American Sign Language,” Myers says. “All the actors who had signing parts in front of the camera were Deaf, including Jesus.” The film brought Scripture to life for Deaf audiences at the premiere. “The response from the audience has been amazing,” Myers says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Even Deaf people who’ve been Christians for years [say] how much that movie has impacted them, and how they have a different understanding because they can see, wow, God truly does understand my sign language.”</strong></p></blockquote><a href="https://www.deafmissions.com/jesus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>JESUS: A Deaf Missions Film</strong></span></em></a> will be released in select theaters nationwide starting in June. “We’re excited [to see] how God is going to take this movie and use it within the U.S. context and how it may impact Deaf people internationally,” Myers says. <div id="attachment_207826" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Deaf-Missions_jesus.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207826" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Deaf-Missions_jesus-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Deaf Missions)</p></div> Filming in ASL posed a few challenges. “Think about Jesus on the cross. He said some things, but how will He sign them if his arms are pinned down on the cross?” Myers asks. Yet the Lord showed Deaf filmmakers how to overcome every obstacle. “I’ll leave that as a teaser. You’ll see how Deaf Missions solved that issue when it (the film) is released in June,” Myers says. <em><strong>Only two percent of the world’s 70 million Deaf people know and follow Christ.</strong> </em>Pray that many Deaf will turn to the Lord for salvation after seeing <em>JESUS: A Deaf Missions Film</em>. Pray Deaf Christians will be ready to share the Gospel with those learning about Jesus for the first time. “Here at the conference where the movie has been premiered, [Deaf Missions is] having several workshops for Deaf Christian leaders across the U.S. about how to use the film for evangelism, Bible study, and discipleship purposes,” Myers says. “As they release the film, they’ve made Bible studies and other resources available.” <em>Header and story images courtesy of Deaf Missions.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 09 Apr 2024 05:00:40 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/jesus-a-deaf-missions-film-debuts-to-rave-reviews/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Deaf-Missions_jesus-and-disciples-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Ukraine lowers draft age, pulling more men from pulpits to fight</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/ukraine-lowers-draft-age-pulling-more-men-from-pulpits-to-fight/</link><description><![CDATA[Ukraine (MNN) -- Ukraine lowers its draft age from 27 years old to 25 in an attempt to increase the number of men available to fight Russia’s invasion. Men can now be drafted into military service at 25, but they won’t be sent into combat until their 27th birthday. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/02/europe/zelensky-signs-conscription-law-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>As explained here,</strong></span></a> Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bill into law lowering the draft age to 25 and leaving the mobilization age at 27. However, the Ukrainian Parliament is also considering a bill that would lower the mobilization age to 25. “The grinding years of this war have taken many young lives; over a half million soldiers killed or seriously injured,” Eric Mock with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Slavic Gospel Association</a></strong></span> says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They (Ukrainians) can’t [protect] their country without gathering more people.”</strong></p></blockquote>The decision is costly, in more ways than one. First, “By lowering the age from 27 to 25, you’re now cutting into the young workforce,” Mock explains. “By fighting the good fight to defend their country, they (Ukrainian leaders) may also be causing serious injury to their economy. They’re bringing forward young men and women who might otherwise be the future leaders and producers” of goods and services, he adds. <div id="attachment_207794" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SGA_pastor-vlad.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207794" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SGA_pastor-vlad-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">A Russian drone hit SGA-supported Pastor Vlad’s van while he was evacuating the elderly in an embattled city in Ukraine. Praise God for His protection and ask Him to guide the hands of the surgeon who will operate on Vlad’s leg, which was badly injured.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of SGA)</p></div> Due to the ongoing war, churches in Ukraine also face a shortage of men to shepherd their flocks. <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/ukraine-churches-and-military-seek-to-fill-gaps-as-war-wearies-nation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Approximately one-third</strong></span></a> of pastors and church leaders either left the country or currently serve as military chaplains. SGA is helping partner churches train 1,000 missionary pastors to fill the gaps, but “if you start seeing an increase of men fighting on the front line, that dream of 1,000 men to care for these churches is nothing more than imagination,” Mock says. <em><strong>Now that you know, how will you respond?</strong> </em>First, “We need to pray to the Lord to raise workers for the harvest,” Mock says. “Secondly, we need to ask ourselves, how do we help those workers in the harvest? That’s where SGA is involved.” <a href="https://www.sga.org/donation/2403-compassion-ministry/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Help Gospel workers share the hope of Christ in war-torn Ukraine.</strong></span></a> <em>Header and story images courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 08 Apr 2024 05:00:09 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/ukraine-lowers-draft-age-pulling-more-men-from-pulpits-to-fight/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SGA_pastor-in-church2-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Truth will tell, despite suppression of the press</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/truth-will-tell-despite-suppression-of-the-press/</link><description><![CDATA[International (MNN) — There have been a slew of attacks recently around the world on <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://monitoring.bbc.co.uk/product/b0001c7m" target="_blank" rel="noopener">journalists and freedom of the press</a></strong></span>. From <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-meduza-attacks-media-freedom/32858055.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported cyberattacks</a></strong></span> on media outlets, to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://cpj.org/2024/03/pakistani-journalist-jam-saghir-ahmed-lar-shot-dead-in-punjab/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outright killings</a></strong></span> of journalists, it’s a trend for you to be praying into.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Denise Godwin with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/international-media-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Media Ministries</a></strong></span> (IMM) says this level of resistance to truth isn't new, especially from governments. "We've seen that all through history in different times and places, as we've had different means of delivering information," she says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“But I think it's so important to recognize that while there's these challenges to free speech, there's still other ways to get truth into different cultures.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p></blockquote><div id="attachment_184310" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-184310" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/untitled-0431Web-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">IMM creates media to reach Europe, Eurasia, Africa and the Middle East with the hope of Jesus. (Photo courtesy of International Media Ministries)</p></div> One of those ways is storytelling, which IMM has used for years to spread the gospel. Godwin says stories point people to truth and inspire critical thinking — what they believe and why they believe it. “It could be a docudrama, or a dramatized Bible story, or a short social media conversation starter. These are moments that story can get behind a line that maybe a straight-up journalist story about corruption can’t." The Church can help fight global resistance to truth by raising awareness. Learn about recent abuses <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://monitoring.bbc.co.uk/product/b0001c7m" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong></span> or at <a href="https://cpj.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>cpj.org</strong></span></a> (Committee to Protect Journalists). “God calls us to stand up for the poor and the widows and to stand up for justice,” Godwin says. “Most of us aren't going to have much opportunity to speak into the closing down of a channel. But we can repost something about a journalist being killed in a country that is restricting the opportunities of free speech." Also, pray!<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Pray for truth to be available, that the Holy Spirit would be at work. There (are) just so many parts of the world where the spiritual battle is real and intense," Godwin says. </strong></p></blockquote>“It’s really important that we find a way to get salt and light and truth in the gospel into more places. What a privilege to be part of that." <a href="http://imm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Learn more here about IMM’s media ministries in Europe, Eurasia, Africa and the Middle East. </strong></span></a> <em>Header photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/selective-focus-photography-of-people-sitting-on-chairs-while-writing-on-notebooks-Hb6uWq0i4MI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Climate Reality Project/Unsplash</a></span>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 08 Apr 2024 05:00:02 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/truth-will-tell-despite-suppression-of-the-press/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/the-climate-reality-project-Hb6uWq0i4MI-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Keys for Kids and Good News Nepal reach unreached mountain village</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/keys-for-kids-and-good-news-nepal-reach-unreached-mountain-village/</link><description><![CDATA[Nepal (MNN) -- Imagine growing up in the heart of the Himalayas. Visitors are an extreme rarity because your tiny village is only accessible by air. Few people can read, so tradition and legend dominate your thought pattern. This is life in Mugu, Nepal. “If you were to ask these people who Jesus is, many of them would say, ‘I don’t know. Who is his father, or where does he live?’” <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/keys-kids/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Keys for Kids</strong></span></a>’ Greg Yoder says. Keys for Kids’ partners, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/churches-and-christians-attacked-in-nepal-gospel-work-continues/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Good News Nepal</a></strong></span>, recently supplied dozens of audio Bibles to a handful of Christians in the region. “It’s in the northwest center of Nepal, very hard to reach. There’s just one little airstrip that they (Good News Nepal) fly into, and then they walk to the little village,” Yoder says. “The Mugu region happens to have a church there, but they didn’t have any resources.” As the Good News Nepal team visited with a handful of Mugu villagers, “they were able to provide Storytellers to kids and teenagers,” Yoder continues.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Now, the kids have something that they can not only know who Jesus is, but they can grow in their faith.”</strong></p></blockquote>Storytellers are solar-powered MP3 players with hours of Keys for Kids stories on them and a dramatized audio Bible in Nepali. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.keysforkids.org/Storyteller" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span> <div id="attachment_207787" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1280px-Man_at_murma_village.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207787" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1280px-Man_at_murma_village-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Wikimedia Commons)</p></div> Even though these units were given to young people, they’re reaching the whole family. “Moms and dads are finally learning about God’s Word through the Storytellers because many of them can’t read,” Yoder says. <em><strong>Now that you know, will you pray?</strong></em> “We can’t do anything without prayer partners,” Yoder says. “Pray that God will provide the resources we need and safety for our partners on the ground, Good News Nepal. On top of that, you can support us. These units are not cheap. They’re about $35 each” to produce, Yoder adds. <a href="https://www.keysforkids.org/Get-Involved/Donate1#" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Help Keys for Kids reach the next generation here.</strong></span></a> <em>Header image depicts a father and his children on the rooftop of their home in the Mugu district, Nepal. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Village_rooftop_at_murma_village.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 08 Apr 2024 05:00:21 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/keys-for-kids-and-good-news-nepal-reach-unreached-mountain-village/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1280px-Village_rooftop_at_murma_village-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Taiwan remarkably prepared, rescue efforts underway</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/taiwan-remarkably-prepared-rescue-efforts-underway/</link><description><![CDATA[Taiwan (MNN) — The 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Taiwan Wednesday has killed at least 10 people and injured more than 1,000. Taiwan has <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-earthquake-explainer-hualien-8c3de7d63c964ae460424aa7e52581a2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a long history of quakes</a></strong></span>. Since the 7.7-magnitude earthquake in 1999 that left thousands dead, Taiwan instituted stronger building codes and improved its emergency response teams. This time, the death toll is low, but rescue efforts are urgent. Taiwan’s National Fire Association said Thursday <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.cnn.com/asia/live-news/taiwan-earthquake-hualien-04-04-23-hnk-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 700 people remain stranded</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <div id="attachment_207782" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-207782 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/04.03_副總統前往花蓮瞭解災害情形及救援進度_-_53629524420-300x200.jpg" alt="Wikimedia Commons, Taiwan earthquake April 3, 2024, stock photo, Creative Commons" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(April 3 earthquake damage at National Hualien Girls' Senior High School. Official Photo by Shufu Liu / Office of the President courtesy of 總統府 via Wikimedia Commons: https://rb.gy/xbeqcy)</p></div> Joe Handley with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/asian-access/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A3</a></strong></span> says, “<b>“</b>Taiwan is one of those countries that's well prepared for a disaster like this. However, this was the largest quake they've had in over 25 years.” Relief work will continue for months ahead. More than 100 <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.cnn.com/asia/live-news/taiwan-earthquake-hualien-04-04-23-hnk-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">buildings have been damaged</a></strong></span> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-68721352" target="_blank" rel="noopener">many landslides</a></strong></span> have impacted the eastern side of the island. “The churches I know are actively engaging with what's happening. You know, in moments like this, Jesus shines,” Handley says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “The church in Taiwan is robust in many ways. (It) has had a strong presence in the country and has been very missionary-oriented for years.” Handley asks the global Church to consider the long-term as we respond to this disaster. “Right now you do have the immediate response needs that are happening. I encourage people to give now; give to those opportunities that they see to help the local church rally around their own people,” he says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “Pray for the local churches, and then think long-term. Don't think just ‘now and then out.’ Think long-term: What impact does God have planned for Taiwan?” A3 works to disciple and resource Christian leaders in the countries in which it serves. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://a3leaders.org/projects/2037-double-your-gift-to-equip-generations-of-servant-leaders-across-the-globe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn how you can partner with them here</a></strong></span> for the long-term strengthening of the Church around the globe.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <em>Header image is an Official Photo by Shufu Liu / Office of the President, courtesy of 總統府 via Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons: https://rb.gy/hboi2o.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 05 Apr 2024 05:00:31 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/taiwan-remarkably-prepared-rescue-efforts-underway/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1080px-04.03_副總統前往花蓮瞭解災害情形及救援進度_-_53629405369-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>God’s at work in Gaza, despite horrific headlines</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gods-at-work-in-gaza-despite-horrific-headlines/</link><description><![CDATA[Gaza (MNN) -- Israel sparked international outrage <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-04-02-2024-9bdf66771b62af37d85a2800f71c0e6c" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>this week</strong></span></a> when its airstrikes killed seven World Central Kitchen workers in Gaza. When it was struck, the World Kitchen team had just delivered 100 tons of food aid at a distribution warehouse. Other aid groups have temporarily paused deliveries in Gaza, saying it’s no longer safe to offer help. <div id="attachment_207774" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WCK_7-killed-in-gaza.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207774" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WCK_7-killed-in-gaza-300x158.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="158" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of World Central Kitchen via Facebook)</p></div> “The accidental attack against the aid workers is tragic; it’s just heartbreaking,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/uncharted-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uncharted Ministries</a></strong></span>’ Tom Doyle says. “We know what they go through to get aid to the people because we’ve done those things at Uncharted. It’s hard to get through the Hamas blockade.” Celebrity chef Jose Andres, World Central Kitchen founder, says Israel’s military <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/chef-jose-andres-says-israel-targeted-his-aid-workers-systematically-car-by-car-2024-04-03/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">intentionally targeted</a></strong></span> the aid convoy – a claim Israel denies. “Israel has been explaining, they’re doing full disclosure. I certainly think it was not in their best interest to do this on purpose, of course, but they will be blamed for it like it was on purpose,” Doyle says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Uncharted partners with believers on both sides of the war, and they see God at work – despite the horrific scenes in the headlines.</strong></p></blockquote>“We’re seeing people [becoming bold] in their faith,” Doyle says. For example, “some of the Muslim background believers that we work with in Gaza -- the hatred is pushed aside; they’re able to follow Jesus and live their life for Him amid a horrible situation.” <a href="https://unchartedministries.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Learn more about Uncharted’s work here.</strong></span></a> The Israel-Hamas war is “a difficult situation,” Doyle continues. “Whatever side people fall on, we can agree on this – we need to pray. We need to pray for the Palestinians who are suffering through this and for the Israelis who are suffering as hostages.” Pray also for the hostages’ “families, now six months not knowing if their sons or daughters are alive or dead. Pray for the families of the aid workers [who] gave their lives to serve the people [who] are in misery right now.” <em>Header image depicts 2023 damages inflicted during the war in Gaza. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gaza_war_damage_2023.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 05 Apr 2024 05:00:05 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gods-at-work-in-gaza-despite-horrific-headlines/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Gaza_war_damage_2023-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Amid crises, next steps for Sudan’s Bible translators uncertain</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/amid-crises-next-steps-for-sudans-bible-translators-uncertain/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">Sudan (MNN) — </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">April 15 marks one year since conflict erupted between Sudan’s military and the RSF paramilitary group in Sudan. </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1147287#:~:text=The%20UN%20agency%20announced%20earlier,is%20closing%20in%20on%20them." target="_blank" rel="noopener">More than 8 million people have been displaced</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> within and outside of the country, according to UN reports. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Last Friday, the global authority on food security levels </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/sudan-needs-immediate-action-hunger-avert-widespread-death-un-backed-report-says-2024-03-29/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called for “immediate action” to prevent death and further crises in Sudan</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">.</span> They reported in December that 5 million Sudanese were facing catastrophic hunger levels. That number has surely gone up in the months since then, though war has prevented further updates to the report.</span> <div id="attachment_207717" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-207717 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/960px-Refugees_queue_for_water_in_the_Jamam_camp_South_Sudan_7118597209-300x225.jpg" alt="Wikimedia Commons, Sudanese refugees, South Sudan Jamam camp" width="300" height="225" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Photo of Sudanese refugees in South Sudan, 2012 courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Refugees_queue_for_water_in_the_Jamam_camp,_South_Sudan_(7118597209).jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DFID - UK Department for International Development/Wikimedia Commons</a></span>.</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/spoken-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Spoken Worldwide</strong></span></a> is one of many organizations whose team in Sudan has been impacted by the war. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ed Weaver, president of </span>Spoken Worldwide,<span style="font-weight: 400;"> says their </span>oral Bible translation team<span style="font-weight: 400;"> has largely been scattered to Egypt, South Sudan and Uganda. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s been crazy to try to figure out, ‘Okay, where is everybody? What are they doing? What's their personal situation?’” Weaver says.</span> The field leader for all of Sudan, a man we'll call Saeed, has himself been on the run from the war the past year. He and his family have hiked by foot or traveled by bus, lorry, and even boat to escape danger. “He lived in Omdurman. He moved to Madani. The war followed him to Madani; he moved to another village. The war followed him there,” Weaver says. <span style="font-weight: 400;">After escaping to South Sudan, Saeed and his family finally made it to Uganda. They are trying to resettle and send their children to school again after a year’s interruption. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Weaver asks us to pray for rest and healing for Saeed's family from the trauma they have experienced. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He's (going to) have his own story to tell, his own ability to relate to the (refugee) people that are already there."</span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Then, pray for wisdom for next steps. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/oral-bible-translators-in-sudan-keep-working-even-as-war-displaces/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Like other Bible translators, </a></span><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/oral-bible-translators-in-sudan-keep-working-even-as-war-displaces/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Saeed </strong></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/oral-bible-translators-in-sudan-keep-working-even-as-war-displaces/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is deeply committed to the work of bringing God’s Word to his people, despite all challenges.</a></span></strong></p></blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We want him to certainly take care of first things first, so be praying for that. But then (pray for) creativity on his part of saying, ‘Okay, Lord, what do you want me to do now? How does this ministry get recreated?’” Weaver says. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">As </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://spoken.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spoken Worldwide</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> reformats some of their work in Sudan, Weaver says much of it will be among displaced people in refugee camps across Africa. </span><a href="https://spoken.org/oral-bible-translation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Learn more about their oral Bible translation teams here.</strong></span> </span></a> <em>Header photo is a representative stock image of Sudan courtesy of <a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/sudan-africa-migrants-refugees-2324778/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">combonianos_brasil/Pixabay</a>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 05 Apr 2024 05:00:45 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/amid-crises-next-steps-for-sudans-bible-translators-uncertain/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/sudan-g83a1e2544_1920-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Taiwan quake triggers tsunami, Okinawa evacuates</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/taiwan-quake-triggers-tsunami-okinawa-evacuates/</link><description><![CDATA[Japan (MNN) -- The search for survivors <a href="https://www.cnn.com/asia/live-news/taiwan-earthquake-hualien-tsunami-warning-hnk-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>continues today</strong></span></a> in Taiwan. The strongest earthquake <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-earthquake-tsunami-f086aac0c3082036d1ca77c01828fb28" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in 25 years</a></strong></span> hit Taiwan yesterday during the morning rush hour, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/tsunami-warning-issued-after-earthquake-off-southwestern-japan-nhk-2024-04-03/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">triggering tsunami warnings</a></strong></span> as far away as southern Japan. “We didn’t feel strong shake; however, we receive warnings through our smartphones, and then almost [immediately] the community loudspeaker announces the recorded tsunami warning to move to a higher place,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/asian-access/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A3</a></strong></span>’s Takeshi Takazawa says. “After the warning, the tsunami started to hit some of the smaller islands closer to Taiwan.” Thankfully, no deaths were recorded in Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture as communities heeded the evacuation orders. A “tsunami warning is not like crying wolf. It’s a serious business,” Takazawa says. “The big earthquake in 1995 in the Kobe area shook up Japanese people. Then, <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/triple-threat-hangs-over-response-teams-in-japan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>in 2011,</strong></span></a> we experienced a triple disaster with tsunami, and many people lost their lives.” Wednesday’s earthquake affected communities in several regions in Taiwan. Pray that Christian leaders can deliver help and hope in the name of Jesus. “Jesus is in control of everything, even this quake or tsunami. In the midst of that, God’s care, love, and protection are there,” Takazawa says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“God is way more powerful than this.”</strong></p></blockquote>As believers meet needs, pray they will have opportunities to tell people about the Lord’s soon coming. “Jesus left words for us about <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+24%3A3+-+31&version=NKJV" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>‘the beginning of the end,</strong></span></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>’</strong></span>” Takazawa says. “These things (natural disasters) will happen more and more, but that’s not the end. “Something way bigger, way more drastic will happen in the future, and we must be prepared. Our hearts, spirit, life, and community need to be prepared for more.” <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of </em><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/white-and-blue-ocean-waves-0QEG_xOoY7Y" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Matt Paul Catalano/Unsplash.</em></a>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 04 Apr 2024 05:00:54 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/taiwan-quake-triggers-tsunami-okinawa-evacuates/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/matt-paul-catalano-0QEG_xOoY7Y-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Should Christians turn off the news?</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/should-christians-turn-off-the-news/</link><description><![CDATA[International (MNN) – Ukraine continues to fend off invasion. The warzone in Gaza is spilling into neighboring nations. Extremist groups reign terror on Nigeria, gangs and warlords control Nigeria, and terrorists target civilians in Moscow. The headlines gracing global newsfeeds are somber. It would be easy to turn off the news, but that’s not the call of the Church. Edward Graham of <a href="https://www.samaritanspurse.org/"><strong>Samaritan’s Purse</strong></a> says these stories should urge Christians to prayer and action. “God calls us to run to the sound of the guns, go to the fire, and help those in need,” Graham says. This starts with meeting immediate needs - food, water, shelter, transportation, and medical help. “We can have a hospital anywhere in the world in 36 hours as long as we have approvals. We have our own aircraft, hospitals, and doctors.” But practical needs are only a start. “The most important part of the story of the Good Samaritan is that the innkeeper was paid a debt,” Graham says. “The man said,’ If this doesn't cover it, I'll be back and take care of the rest.’ Well, the debt is the blood of Jesus Christ. That's why we go.” It’s not an easy or safe task, and Samaritan’s Purse’s work in Gaza in a perfect example of that. “We have to be careful in Gaza with our team or safety in the work that we do, but we're loving and serving on both sides of conflicts,” Graham says. “We do it all the time. Armenia, Azerbaijan - we were on both sides of the conflict there. You name the war, we've been trying to be on both sides if they allow access.” But they’re also training people to serve in countries where things are safer. The goal is to provide chances for Christians to come alongside the brokenhearted in every part of the world. It doesn’t matter what skills those Christians bring to the table: “We train our staff and our team and how to respond.” Maybe this is speaking to you. If you’re interested, Samaritan’s Purse can find a place for you in the mission field. “God will take the resources that you have; you just need to be bold enough to get out of the boat,” Graham says. “Too many Christians would be like the other disciples sitting in the boat. I need Peters who at least will take that step of faith and want to be part of a miracle and get out of the boat. He gets a bad rep for sinking, but he's the only one that got off the boat.” <a href="https://www.samaritanspurse.org/#"><strong>Reach out to Samaritan’s Purse</strong></a> here if any of this sounds like something in which you’d like to be involved. Even if you don’t go, pray for the Church as it serves the brokenhearted in the darkest and most desperate parts of the world. <em>Headline courtesy of Samaritan's Purse.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 04 Apr 2024 05:30:26 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/should-christians-turn-off-the-news/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1745UG-K-049-Uganda-Sudan-refugeesYIP2017-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>God answers “yes” to prayers for Mission Cry shipment to Liberia</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/god-answers-yes-to-prayers-for-mission-cry-shipment-to-liberia/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">Liberia (MNN) — They made it! </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Last November we shared <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/surprise-encounter-brings-two-ministries-together-for-gods-glory/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a story of a surprise encounter between Mission Cry and a music ministry</a></strong></span>. They discovered they could partner to bring the gospel to Liberia through two very different means: books and musical instruments. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">That story left off with a Mission Cry shipping container packed full of these resources, waiting to be sponsored and shipped.</span> <div id="attachment_207707" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207707" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/fa78e0a7-b6f5-4f01-b001-f5bb020f53f3-225x300.jpg" alt="Mission Cry, Liberia, distribution" width="225" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Photo of Liberia shipment distribution courtesy of Mission Cry.</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Jason Woolford with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-resources-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mission Cry</a></strong></span> shares the good news that the container has arrived safely with no delays in port. </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Now, not only do people have medical equipment, not only do they have musical instruments, but they have the only thing that doesn't return void, and that is the word of God,” Woolford says.</strong></p></blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can watch the video of kids and families receiving the musical instruments by clicking here: "<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Thank-You-Mission-Cry.mp4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thank You Mission Cry</a></strong></span>." Woolford says distribution of the Mission Cry Bibles and books has already started to churches, prisons, and Bible schools.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Pray for protection for the Mission Cry team, their families, and on-the-ground partners. Their work spreading God’s Word comes under direct spiritual warfare. </span> <b>“</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">The very real devil hates what we're doing. We're sending the Word of God, God Himself through the Bible, to people around the world who could have never got one or afforded it,” Woolford says.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In some places around the world, distributing Bibles can cost a person their life, their business, their safety. (<a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pakistani-missionarys-arms-broken-for-distributing-bibles/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Read one story from Pakistan last year</strong></span></a>.)</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, consider partnering with Mission Cry in this critical work. Woolford shares that they have three containers ready to go, fully packed. All they need are sponsors to send them overseas. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We can send a container filled with half a million dollars’ worth of free Bibles and Christian books for $11,000,” Woolford says. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Click to learn how you can prayerfully partner with Mission Cry to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://missioncry.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">equip the Church around the world</a>.</strong></span> </span> <em>Header photo of Liberia shipment distribution courtesy of Mission Cry.</em> <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Thank-You-Mission-Cry.mp4">Thank You Mission Cry</a>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 04 Apr 2024 05:00:43 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/god-answers-yes-to-prayers-for-mission-cry-shipment-to-liberia/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/30610c88-0eda-4476-9079-b2811b2ee58c-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Russia attacks Ukrainian infrastructure; military aid trickles in</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/russia-attacks-ukrainian-infrastructure-military-aid-trickles-in/</link><description><![CDATA[Ukraine (MNN) -- Ukraine will receive new missiles and hundreds of armored vehicles as part of a <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/france-military-aid-ukraine-armored-vehicles-air-defense-missiles-russia-1885516" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>new batch of military aid</strong></span></a> from France as $60 billion from the U.S. languishes in Congress. Ukraine’s president <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/zelenskiy-says-without-us-aid-ukraine-forces-will-have-retreat-2024-03-29/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on Friday</a></strong></span> that his forces would have to retreat without the promised U.S. military aid. Lawmakers aren’t expected to vote on a revised Ukraine aid package <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/speaker-johnson-house-will-move-ukraine-aid-when-congress-back" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>until April 9</strong></span></a>, when the Senate and House return from a two-week recess. Meanwhile, Russia <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-energy-infrastructure-de446fa5182eb4b1480783b402b01d9b" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>continues its relentless assault</strong></span></a> on key Ukrainian infrastructure. Russian forces have been attacking Ukrainian power stations on an <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraines-energy-system-far-collapse-despite-weeks-russian-strikes-2024-04-01/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">almost daily basis</a></strong></span> since March 22, leading to blackouts throughout the country. <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/trans-world-radio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>TWR</strong></span></a>’s Alenka Stephenson says Ukrainians are weary after two years of war. “People are exposed to danger daily. Our colleagues [are] in touch with those people and living it with them,” Stephenson says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Everybody on the team knows somebody who either died in the war or was raped or tortured.”</strong></p></blockquote>TWR and its partners <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://twr.org/story/strength-to-continue-in-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently hosted a retreat</a></strong></span> for Ukraine team members and their families. The ride from a bordering European country into western Ukraine was a sobering experience. “It was very peaceful, but as we were driving through the towns and villages, you could see the flags in the cemeteries,” Stephenson says. “Each flag [represented] one fallen soldier. There were [only] a couple of cemeteries we passed by that didn’t have a flag, and we went through many towns and villages.” <div id="attachment_207738" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/group-photo.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207738" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/group-photo-300x225.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of TWR)</p></div> Along with a much-needed break from the warzone, TWR leaders gave Ukrainian team members an inside look at TWR’s global media ministry. “This was their first vacation in two years since the war started. It was in a mountain area resort, where they could switch off for a few days and be recharged,” Stephenson says. “Not only a few leaders from the team were able to meet us, but we could meet all the staff, including their families.” <em><strong>Now that you know, what will you do?</strong> </em>“Every single member I talked to [said], ‘Just pray for us for strength to continue to encourage others and to bring [the] Gospel to those that are so lost and hopeless,’” Stephenson says. You can also tangibly help the Ukraine media team by financially supporting their work through <a href="https://twr.org/project/ukraine-russia-crisis-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>TWR’s Ukraine-Russia Crisis Fund.</strong></span></a> <em>Header image depicts flags at a cemetery in western Ukraine. Header and story images courtesy of TWR.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 03 Apr 2024 05:00:14 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/russia-attacks-ukrainian-infrastructure-military-aid-trickles-in/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/cemetery-flags-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Government pressure calls for creativity among Algeria’s believers</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/government-pressure-calls-for-creativity-among-algerias-believers/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">Algeria (MNN) — The president of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/algeria-president-sets-presidential-election-sept-7-2024-03-21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>announced on March 21</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that the nation’s next presidential election will be held September 7. Since 2019, the year Tebboune’s term in office began, Algeria’s government has pressured and </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/only-eight-churches-remain-open-in-algeria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>shut down</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> more than forty churches. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet Algeria’s capital-C Church is far from crushed. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“God's churches are human beings, and they cannot be shut down,” says Yernathen*, a North African leader serving with </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/asian-access/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>A3</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span> <div id="attachment_207507" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207507" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/northafrica-2024-800x800-1-300x300.jpg" alt="A3, formerly Asian Access, North Africa" width="300" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Graphic courtesy of A3)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“They (the government) cannot prevent the Holy Spirit to work in people's hearts. People are continuing to come to the Lord. Families and (a) number of our leaders are bringing people into fellowships in the homes in different places,” Yernathen says. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He admits that most of the church buildings have been closed. For people who consider a building the only way to have church gatherings, this leaves them with little to no options. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But there is a plan B, in which Yernathen says “just like the Acts of the Apostles, they have to meet wherever they find peace.” Sometimes that means private homes, and sometimes that means </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-christians-avoid-detection-in-algeria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>out in forests where there is greater freedom</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The fact that churches have even received the government’s attention is encouraging to Yernathen in </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://joshuaproject.net/countries/AG" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>a country that is 97% Muslim</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“To see the church, the Body of Christ, getting to a point where it disturbed the government and the government has to make a decision to see how they can regulate that, that means a lot. That means God is working,” he says. </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“There is a persecution, there is an oppression. But that joy that is overflowing covers the multitude of those persecution(s). It has furthered the kingdom of God, no matter how they persecuted the church.”</strong></p></blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yernathen asks for prayer for Algeria’s leaders </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/algerian-church-perseveres-underground-and-under-pressure/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>facing immense pressure</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> from the government and families. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He also invites the Church of the West to share insights and experiences for the struggles Algerian churches are dealing with. Those challenges include how to best counsel abused women as well as help Christians from Muslim backgrounds walk with the Lord despite the pressure of their culture. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://a3leaders.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>A3</strong></span></a> is working to equip North African leaders <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-christian-leaders-in-restricted-nations-are-looking-for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with mentorship and resources for godly leadership</a></strong></span>. Would you prayerfully consider partnering with them? </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://a3leaders.org/projects/1948-how-could-closing-20-churches-improve-disciplemaking" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Learn more here</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span> <b><i>*Pseudonym</i></b> <em>Header photo is a representative stock image in Algeria courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/man-in-gray-zip-up-jacket-sitting-on-brown-rock-during-daytime-sKIJ6nIN1SQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nasro Azaizia/Unsplash</a></span>. </em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 03 Apr 2024 05:00:35 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/government-pressure-calls-for-creativity-among-algerias-believers/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/nasro-azaizia-sKIJ6nIN1SQ-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Mission India debuts Pentecost Prayer Guide</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/mission-india-debuts-pentecost-prayer-guide/</link><description><![CDATA[India (MNN) -- India is full of people like Rafas. “Not only was he committed to his idols, but he was against Jesus,” Regan Miller with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mission-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Mission India</strong></span></a> says. “He stood against Christian pastors and all the work that they did.” Rafas was so committed to his idol worship that “he wouldn’t cut his hair or mustache because he considered it an offering to his gods. So, [he had] long hair, really long mustache,” she adds. The Lord hears your prayers for people like Rafas. “People like our listeners [and readers] are praying for people like Rafas, and because of those prayers, a church planter named Sobrato went to Rafas’s village and held a prayer group,” Miller says. ‘This time, when he saw a Christian meeting taking place – instead of opposing it – Rafas joined.” <div id="attachment_207753" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rafazs-Haircut.jpg"><img class="wp-image-207753 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rafazs-Haircut-300x202.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="202" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Rafaz's haircut (Photo courtesy of Mission India)</p></div> Rafas heard the Gospel at the prayer meeting. <em><strong>He gave his life to Christ, and everything changed.</strong> </em>“As a sign of receiving Christ and leaving his idols, Rafas cut his hair and mustache,” Miller says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The Holy Spirit can reach people we cannot physically reach.”</strong></p></blockquote>Praise God for this transformation, and don’t stop praying for those who still need access to the Gospel. Mission India <a href="https://missionindia.org/pentecost-prayer-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>offers a prayer guide</strong></span></a> focused on the ten days leading to Pentecost Sunday. “Pentecost Sunday lines right up on the same day as the International Day for the Unreached this year on May 19,” Miller says. “What a perfect time to invite the Holy Spirit to work in unreached people groups! India is the most unreached nation in the world; there are thousands of unreached people groups.” Mission India selected the timing of their prayer guide with a specific intention. “Ascension Day, when Jesus ascended back into heaven, was 10 days before Pentecost Sunday. And during that time of waiting, the apostles prayed,” Miller says. “That’s what we’re looking forward to this year, is celebrating and recognizing that time of waiting by inviting people into prayer with us.” <em>Header and story images courtesy of Mission India.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 03 Apr 2024 05:00:26 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/mission-india-debuts-pentecost-prayer-guide/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/MNI_pentecost-prayer-guide1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Haiti’s downward spiral continues, but ministry doors stay open</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/haitis-spiral-downward-continues-but-ministry-doors-stay-open/</link><description><![CDATA[Haiti (MNN) -- Haiti’s transitional presidential council <a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-transitional-council-democracy-violence-12e9e4f31400dd09c127038ee0fe0c3b" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>released its first statement Wednesday</strong></span></a>, sharing hopes that it will soon choose a new prime minister.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The council promised to restore “public and democratic order” in Haiti. Meanwhile, the country’s downward spiral continues. UN authorities report that approximately 1.64 million people in Haiti <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1147991" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>experience emergency levels of acute food insecurity</strong></span></a>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> But there is still hope. Greg Yoder with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-world-outreach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Christian World Outreach</strong> </span></a>(CWO) says,<strong> “Believers still trust that God will intervene, and they're praying for that.”</strong> Although gangs control <a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-gang-violence-starvation-unicef-council-c28c26d1a851c4dc8cd49604735a82ee" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>around 80% of Port-au-Prince</strong></span></a>, CWO is still on the ground. Their center opens its doors to children remaining in the city.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> More than 33,000 people are estimated to have <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-violence-migration-south-gangs-port-au-prince-6fb506a228a7fd0bb897f61efc2a3cf2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fled Port-au-Prince within a two-week period</a></strong>.</span> Yoder says their program hasn’t seen an increase in the number of kids coming in.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> "The increase is with the cost of food," he says. "The cost of us feeding the kids has gone up." <div id="attachment_202363" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-202363" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/11425061_1074022435960361_881513482980671839_n-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo of women's vocational training courtesy of Christian World Outreach)</p></div> The CWO center has also continued offering vocational training for women.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“When the ladies can get there, they get there. The Haitian people are resilient. They will do anything, you know, these ladies, to get their education that they want, this vocational training. It's amazing to see,” Yoder says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p></blockquote>Pray that Christians will clearly show God’s love as they meet peoples’ physical needs and share the gospel with them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “They're very receptive. That's one of the things with the feeding program — we’re still sharing the Bible with the kids. With the Feminine Training Center, they have their daily devotions before class and their chapel once a week,” Yoder says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> CWO is accepting funds for relief in Haiti. They look for ways to help Haitians, whether by providing food or by helping them relocate. <a href="https://cwomissions.org/haiti/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Learn more about that here.</strong></a> <em>Header photo of Haitian children getting meals courtesy of Christian World Outreach.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 02 Apr 2024 05:00:49 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/haitis-spiral-downward-continues-but-ministry-doors-stay-open/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/338273068_714687247106950_4721887378625663042_n-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Lebanon border conflict heightens need</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/lebanon-border-conflict-heightens-need/</link><description><![CDATA[Lebanon (MNN) -- <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-latest-03-28-2024-c43bdd345c5e1cddbe158195a6409f00" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Over a dozen people</strong></span></a> have died so far in the latest pick-up of <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/idf-hezbollah-exchange-kills-several-in-lebanon-israel/a-68686759" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>cross-border shelling</strong></span></a> between Israel and Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has been launching rockets toward Israel since October 8; Israel’s tit-for-tat response in the months following has displaced over 120,000 people. “In parallel to all the conflict, there has been a lot of diplomatic shuttling between many capitals in the Middle East. The U.S. and other nations have been trying to broker some kind of talk,” <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Heart for Lebanon</strong></span></a>’s Camille Melki says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“My prayer is that it would not only end this conflict but also [bring] an end to a more than 100-year-old conflict between the Arabs and Israel.”</strong></p></blockquote>For now, Heart for Lebanon continues its outreach to thousands of displaced families. “What motivates us to care for people in need is the compassionate heart of Jesus Christ,” Melki says. <div id="attachment_198285" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/HFL_header-image.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-198285" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/HFL_header-image-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Family Care is about helping families in Lebanon meet their basic needs while also helping them meet Jesus, in very real and practical ways.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)</p></div> “The basic food package we distribute monthly is the centerpiece of our work, but we have also provided significant help with winterization, and now [we] are looking at every opportunity to provide educational support.” <em><strong>Every distribution is a Gospel opportunity.</strong></em> Pray for open and receptive hearts. “We cannot forget that everything that happens in the Middle East is religiously driven,” Melki says. “People wonder, ‘Where is God in all this mess?’ and are asking questions. [This] allows us to show them the love of Jesus Christ.” <em>Header graphic describes Heart for Lebanon's 2023 response to the crisis in southern Lebanon. (Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 02 Apr 2024 05:00:41 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/lebanon-border-conflict-heightens-need/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/HFL_care-packages-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>How JESUS (2025) will reach a new generation</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-the-church-can-help-jesus-2025-reach-a-new-generation/</link><description><![CDATA[International (MNN) -- The <i>JESUS</i> film of 1979 is the most-watched film in the world. Now, it’s being recreated for the next generation. “The way that animation is taking shape today, it becomes a new opportunity to bring a new generation and new families around the world into the story of Jesus, into his life and testimony through the animation, art medium,” says Geoff Peters with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/the-jesus-film-project/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Jesus Film Project</b></a></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> The team's industry-leading animators are working with biblical theologians and archaeologists to create a historically rich and immersive work of art. They're using an animation and game-making program called Unreal Engine to allow people to put on virtual reality goggles and step into every scene.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <div id="attachment_205788" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-205788" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/be8puoTR-300x170.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="170" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Image courtesy of Jesus Film Project)</p></div> “We're talking about the next jump of technology that allows people to experience the gospel in a way never before possible,” Peters says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>This reimagining of the original 1979 film will largely use the same voiceovers and script with slight tweaking. This will allow translators to rapididly work the project into the more than 2,000 languages that <i>JESUS</i> (1979) has already been dubbed into.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p></blockquote><strong>Another critical part of <i>JESUS</i> (2025) is distribution.</strong> Peters says on-the-ground teams around the world are already brainstorming distribution and practical ministry plans ahead of the projected December 2025 release.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> "Because it's not just about a film. This is a ministry tool that happens to be a film. And so being able to make those connections to, once someone sees the film, what's the follow-up? What's the next step? A lot of those logistics need to come together beautifully,” Peters says. <div id="attachment_205786" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-medium wp-image-205786" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/B0tzQUH6-300x139.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="139" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Image courtesy of Jesus Film Project)</p></div><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>This is where you come in. Between now and December 2025, Jesus Film Project wants to hear from ministry leaders, church leaders, or anyone who is working with the Body of Christ in any part of the world.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p></blockquote>They are specifically looking for insights on how the film can be crafted in the right way or ultimately distributed in the right way <strong>to reach as many people as possible.</strong> "Our biggest goal in this film process, we want to mobilize millions who can reach billions. We want this to be a ministry tool that the body of Christ can take, use, and get behind,” Peters says. <em><strong>Connect with Jesus Film Project to share any insights you may have by visiting <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://asj.jesusfilm.org/connect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asj.jesusfilm.org/connect</a>.</span> Download their free Insider App to receive regular updates, behind-the-scenes images, and ways to pray, as the global momentum grows.</strong></em> <em>Header image courtesy of Jesus Film Project. </em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 02 Apr 2024 05:00:50 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-the-church-can-help-jesus-2025-reach-a-new-generation/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/nL9q4i8y-180x180.jpeg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>What does ISIS-allegiant group in Mozambique want?</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-does-isis-allegiant-group-in-mozambique-want/</link><description><![CDATA[Mozambique (MNN) -- <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-islamic-state-africa-27c309f74a92429a9ef72d2811956efb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Islamic terrorists</a></strong></span> continue to rampage in northern Mozambique. UN authorities report that there are <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mozambique-cabo-delgado-displaced-people-united-nations-grandi-1cffb9549ea03eaa8a593eb9f2c71048" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>more than 780,000 displaced people</strong></span></a>, most of whom have been uprooted in the past seven years of insurgent attacks within the country. But since January an increase of violence forced at least 80,000 more from their homes. (<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/islamic-state-associates-put-cabo-delgado-back-in-the-headlines/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More on that here.</a></strong></span>) Todd Nettleton with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Voice of the Martyrs USA</strong></span></a> says, “The terrorist group that is active in northern Mozambique did pledge allegiance, as they say, to ISIS, which really established what their motivations were. They want to have an Islamic caliphate or an Islamic nation in northern Mozambique.” <div id="attachment_187120" style="width: 209px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-187120" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/398px-Cabo_Delgado_in_Mozambique.svg_-199x300.png" alt="" width="199" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Map of Mozambique. The area with the most violence is shown in red.<br />(Photo by Profoss, CC 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons)</p></div> In addition to facing <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.unhcr.org/africa/news/stories/displaced-people-mozambique-s-cabo-delgado-plead-peace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">widespread displacement</a></strong></span>, Christians are being specifically sought out and killed. One of VOM’s partners was on one such bus that was stopped at a checkpoint manned by the terrorists.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “They asked the driver, ‘Do you have any Christians on the bus?’ The driver said ‘No, all my passengers are Muslims.’ He then apparently handed them a little bit of money to get through the checkpoint," Nettleton says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“If you stand up for your faith, if you say ‘I am a Christian. I will not become a Muslim,’ your life is in danger, just riding a bus.”</strong></p></blockquote>But the brutality has been largely underreported, except as it affects Mozambique’s oil production. “When pastors are being targeted, when Christians are being killed, that seems less important to the media, than the flow of oil," Nettleton says. <strong><a href="https://www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide/mozambique/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">You can help Christians in Mozambique through VOM USA here</a>. </strong>Pray for the pastors and laypeople who have chosen to remain even though it means risking death.<b></b> “They are suffering greatly. There are pastors who are continuing in ministry, in spite of the danger in spite of the risk, but that is certainly not what this ISIS group wants to have happen," Nettleton says. <em>Header photo of believers in Mozambique courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs USA.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 01 Apr 2024 05:00:30 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-does-isis-allegiant-group-in-mozambique-want/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/VOM_moz-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Before freedom comes, help flood Iran with the Gospel</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/before-freedom-comes-help-flood-iran-with-the-gospel/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">Iran (MNN) — You might think of Iran as a nation closed off to the gospel, but it’s actually in a unique moment in history where the good news of Jesus can have massive reach. Here’s what you need to know. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Iran’s role on the world stage today has had ominous overtones. Lana Silk with </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/transform-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transform Iran</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> acknowledges, "Iran has made it very clear their agenda is to wipe out Israel.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But a closer look shows a growing rift between the government of Iran and the people of Iran. Young people have called for the end to the regime which their parents and grandparents once welcomed into power. </span> <div id="attachment_205824" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-205824" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/TI-baptizing-new-converts-iran-300x224.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="224" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Baptizing an Iranian believer.<br />(Photo courtesy of Transform Iran)</p></div> <b>“It will take something much bigger than what we're seeing now to dethrone that regime," Silk says.</b> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But Silk believes that Iran will one day be a free country, and that it will happen within our lifetimes. The Church must be ready. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“That (one-day freedom of Iran) is what drives us every day as a ministry,” she says. “In an environment in which people are silenced and controlled, they are fighting and looking for water in a desert, if you will. We know that Jesus is the source of that life that they're looking for — and they're finding Him. </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“But come a day when Iran is open and every version of untruth will be available to them freely, then we have a different fight on our hands.”</strong></p></blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400;">It will be the spiritual battle of the West, where Silk says there is “a buffet of life's choices and options, and people can pick and choose and pick it up and drop it as they want.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There are 88 million people in Iran, and </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://transformiran.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transform Iran</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">’s mission is to spread the gospel to each one of them — literate, illiterate, Persian Farsi speaking, ethnic minorities in their own languages, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">everyone</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Your prayers matter in this massive opportunity.</strong> Ask God to lead Iranians to Jesus when they look for answers. Pray for wisdom, effectiveness, equipping, resources and protection for ministries like Transform Iran and others who are spreading the gospel in the nation. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Let’s pray that God's will happens,” Silk says. “We don't know how things are going to play out. But God is sovereign. The Word tells us that He steers the hearts of kings like the course of water, like rivers.”</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://transformiran.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more about the ministries of Transform Iran here.</a></strong></span> <br style="font-weight: 400;" /><br style="font-weight: 400;" /> <em>Header photo is a representative stock image taken in Tehran, Iran, courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-woman-standing-next-to-a-white-sail-boat-mK-AUTwxQN4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Omid Mozzafari/Unsplash</a></span>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 01 Apr 2024 05:00:35 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/before-freedom-comes-help-flood-iran-with-the-gospel/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/omid-mozaffari-mK-AUTwxQN4-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>OneWay summer program prepares young adults for long-term ministry</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/oneway-summer-program-prepares-young-adults-for-long-term-ministry/</link><description><![CDATA[United States (MNN) – In Matthew chapter 9, Jesus told the disciples to pray for God to send more workers for the harvest, but how can the next generation prepare for ministry? How do they learn what it means to follow Jesus and make disciples? What do they do to discover and develop their skills, talents, and gifts? Where can they find their unique role in God’s plan? Hannah Thompson of <a href="http://owm.org">OneWay Ministries</a> says discipleship and practical experience in ministry are critical. OneWay offers both through service opportunities for young adults during the summer and the full year. “OneWay’s young adult ministry exists to be able to help awaken and inspire young people to fall more in love with Jesus and know how they can practically serve Him and use their gifts in the Kingdom,” says Thompson. <div id="attachment_207695" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207695" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/owm-summer-23-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Graphic courtesy of OneWay Ministries.</p></div> According to <a href="https://www.barna.com/research/teens-and-jesus/">a study by the Barna Group</a>, about 32% of teens in the U.S. identify as committed Christians who follow Jesus. Meanwhile, only 17% of young adults 18-22 years old say the same. <a href="https://www.americansurveycenter.org/research/generation-z-future-of-faith/">Other studies</a> report that Gen Z is more likely to be religiously unaffiliated than previous generations. Among young adults who left the religion they were raised in, about 3 out of 4 no longer identified with their childhood religion by 18 years old. “Providing opportunities not just to teach the things of the Lord, but to actually take and activate the hands of young people is critical in forming the next generation of the church,” says Thompson.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The practical opportunities of discipleship in ministry-based programs can help bridge that gap in raising the next generation.”</strong></p></blockquote>Young adults <a href="https://www.owm.org/post/lighting-a-fire-for-christ">have expressed significant growth</a> during the OneWay summer program and often continue on to further ministry opportunities. Former intern Kate Sperry said, “I went into this internship not having a clue of what I wanted to do, but by the end of the summer God opened my eyes to how He wants to use the gifts and abilities I have to build His kingdom!“ One participant of the ministry’s summer program said she had little concern for the Great Commission before the experience. She said she was unaware of the needs for the Gospel in the world. By the end of her time with OneWay, God gave her a heart for the unreached and redirected her life. Thompson says, “As a result of how the Lord moved and worked and grew her through her time at OneWay and developing her skills, she is now in a position where she's entering a ministry full time, able to work directly as a missions advocate for unreached people groups in the 1040 window.” Applications are open until May 15 for the summer program. Opportunities include a range of fields, such as creative media, digital evangelism, and administration. Participants will work and live in community for 10 weeks, from May 25 to August 3. The program is also offering a new track this summer for local high school students who want to gain ministry experience. <a href="https://www.owm.org/youngadults">Apply here.</a> “If you know a young person in your life that you think might be in a position where they can be mobilized and activated for ministry and would benefit from strong community, discipleship, and ministry experience, send them our way,” says Thompson. Other ways the Body of Christ can support the young adult ministry are through prayer, sponsorships, and mentorship. Pray for God to help the summer program succeed in its mission. May God raise up the young adults to grow in faith and service for the Kingdom. Thompson says, “We really covet prayer that God would help us not only to run a program, but more specifically, that he would move and work in the hearts of people and change their lives for the sake of eternity this summer.” Contact OneWay Ministries for more information about how to support the young adults as a sponsor or mentor. “Young people truly are craving the mentorship and investment of the older men and women of God in their lives,” says Thompson. “I would encourage and exhort the men and women of God around the world, if there's young people in your local church or your ministry area that are around you, to consider prayerfully investing in them and know that it genuinely makes a huge difference and marks their lives in an eternal way.” Learn more about the OneWay Young Adult ministry and summer program at <a href="https://www.owm.org/youngadults">owm.org/youngadults</a>. <blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’” Matthew 9:37-38</strong></p></blockquote> <em>Photos courtesy of OneWay Ministries.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 01 Apr 2024 05:00:26 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/oneway-summer-program-prepares-young-adults-for-long-term-ministry/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/image-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Christians face more challenges as elections approach in India</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-face-more-challenges-as-elections-approach-in-india/</link><description><![CDATA[India (MNN) -- Religious freedom advocates <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/releases-statements/uscirf-raises-alarm-over-indias-exclusionary-citizenship-amendment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sound the alarm</a></strong></span> as India begins implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act or CAA. The CAA establishes a religious requirement for asylum seekers in India. It fast-tracks the process for some faiths but excludes others, specifically Muslims. <a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2020%20Legislation%20Factsheet%20-%20India_0_0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>More about that here.</strong></span></a> John Pudaite with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/bibles-for-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Bibles For The World</strong></span></a> says advocates were concerned “that it (the law) could be extended beyond the Muslims to anyone who is non-Hindu.” For example, Muslims aren’t the only ones fleeing persecution from Myanmar’s military junta. “We’re seeing an influx of refugees from Myanmar who are of Christian background,” Pudaite says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The fear is in some of those bordering [states], the government will force the implementation of the CAA, and it would be used against Christians.”</strong></p></blockquote><a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/india-begins-deporting-first-group-of-myanmar-refugees-who-fled-2021-coup-/7520486.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Earlier this month</strong></span></a>, India began deporting refugees who fled Myanmar after the 2021 coup. The CAA isn’t the only threat to Christ-followers in India. Pudaite says human rights watchdogs documented over 600 acts of violence against believers and churches in 2023. “That’s more than one and a half incidents a day. We have seen the persecution and oppression of Christians just continuously on the rise,” Pudaite says. Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP are <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Asia-Insight/India-opposition-fights-for-relevance-versus-Modi-election-juggernaut" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>forecast to win</strong></span></a> India’s upcoming elections, slated to begin on April 19 and lasting six weeks. Ask the Lord to strengthen believers and help them persevere through whatever comes next. <div id="attachment_207675" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/BFTW_bible-dist-to-relief-camps.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207675" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/BFTW_bible-dist-to-relief-camps-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">This picture was recently taken at a relief camp in Manipur. Life has not returned to normal for many living there.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of Bibles For The World)</p></div> “It seems like everywhere we turn, there’s another issue or another law being passed that could be used against the religious minorities. Christians, of course, are facing the brunt of this,” Pudaite says. Please continue praying for Bibles For The World and Christian communities in Manipur. “We have seen the radicalized Hindu majority attacking the Christian tribals in our state. This has now been going on for ten and a half months unabated; attacks on the villages continue,” Pudaite says. “It (violence) is done in collusion with the state government, also from the same BJP party. We don’t see any intervention from the national government.” <em>Header and story images courtesy of Bibles For The World.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 29 Mar 2024 05:00:46 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-face-more-challenges-as-elections-approach-in-india/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/bftw-woman-women-singing-praise-worship-asian-indian-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Why baptism isn’t an easy choice in Bangladesh</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/why-baptism-isnt-an-easy-choice-in-bangladesh/</link><description><![CDATA[Bangladesh (MNN) -- Did you know Bangladesh has the world’s third-largest Muslim population? Although less than one percent of the population knows Christ, <a href="https://www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide/bangladesh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>millions of Bangladeshis</strong></span></a> are learning about the Bible through media outreaches. Gospel growth is not without resistance. Islamist groups, communities, and local leaders persecute Christians. “Bangladesh sits at <a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/bangladesh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>spot #26 on the World Watch List</strong></span></a> of the 50 worst places in the world to live as a Christian due to persecution,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FMI</a></strong></span>’s Bruce Allen says. “In the past ten years, Bangladesh’s score has gotten progressively worse.” FMI develops partnerships with national disciple-makers where minority Christians are impoverished or persecuted. <a href="https://forgottenmissionaries.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>More about that here.</strong></span></a> In Bangladesh, “Christians often gather in small house churches due to the risk of attack,” Allen says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Bangladeshi believers are often accused of betraying their community – ‘You’re an infidel, you’re apostate.’”</strong></p></blockquote>Understandably, new Christians often hesitate to be baptized due to family and social pressures. Pray against the power of fear in the lives of new believers from non-Christian backgrounds. An FMI-supported pastor is preparing eight new believers to be baptized this year. “Pray that God gives power and perseverance to Christian converts in Bangladesh,” Allen requests. “Those churches take seriously the fact that they are to reflect Jesus’s purposes and His values to their community. They’re engaged in evangelism to their neighbors, putting them in the crosshairs for further persecution.” <em>Header and story images courtesy of FMI.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 29 Mar 2024 05:00:06 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/why-baptism-isnt-an-easy-choice-in-bangladesh/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2023-home-page-01-bangladesh-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Lebanese and Syrian children hear the Easter story through special outreach</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/lebanese-and-syrian-children-hear-the-easter-story-through-special-outreach/</link><description><![CDATA[Lebanon/Syria (MNN) – Israel has expanded its attacks against Hezbollah, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-airstrikes-target-damascus-countryside-syria-says-2024-03-19/">striking targets in Syria</a>. Meanwhile in Lebanon, at least 90,000 people have been displaced by missiles since October. But Lebanese Christians still look forward to Easter this weekend, says Hunter Williamson of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/lsesd/">Thimar-LSESD</a>. He says, “Whether it's in southern Lebanon or somewhere else, the war is not going to stop Easter celebrations.” <div id="attachment_207667" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-207667 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/thimar_christmas1-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Children received gifts at Christmas events in December 2024. Photo courtesy of Thimar-LSESD.</p></div> Thimar has hosted special Christmas events for a decade, but for the first time, the Lebanese organization has planned something similar for Easter. The organization will partner with local churches in both Lebanon and Syria to reach families in their communities. “Thimar is going to help host Easter events at 20 churches in Lebanon, and 13 churches in Syria,” says Williamson. The events will host over 4,000 local children in total. The children will receive chocolate and a traditional Arab dessert called maamoul. They will also receive the story of Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection. Williamson says, “These Christian resources are going to be booklets which will emphasize the resurrection story, to help children remember what Christ did for them and all of us.” About one-third of the total population in Lebanon identifies as Christian, while in Syria, Christians are roughly six percent of the population. Thimar invites believers to pray for the churches reaching their communities this weekend, “praying that this will be an incredible opportunity for children to hear about what Christ did for them, that they’ll hear the real story of Easter,” says Williamson. You can support future outreaches in Lebanon and Syria by <a href="https://www.lsesd.org/donate/">donating to Thimar-LSESD</a>. <em>Photos courtesy of Thimar-LSESD.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 29 Mar 2024 05:00:28 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/lebanese-and-syrian-children-hear-the-easter-story-through-special-outreach/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/thimar_christmas3-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Russian soldiers discover audio Bibles on fallen Ukrainians</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/russian-soldiers-discover-audio-bibles-on-fallen-ukrainians/</link><description><![CDATA[Russia (MNN) -- Sources close to the Kremlin <a href="https://www.kyivpost.com/post/30096" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>suggest that</strong></span></a> Russian President Vladimir Putin is weighing two potential options to end the war in Ukraine. He may push west until Russian forces capture Kyiv or a closer goal like retaking Kharkiv. Either way, the war is not ending soon. Yet, the Lord accomplishes His purposes amid what the devil intends for evil. <a href="https://megavoice.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>MegaVoice</strong></span></a>’s Darrell Templeton says, “God’s Word is powerful and will never return void. Our mission is to provide soldiers on both sides [and] the Church on both sides with the Word of God.” Church partners in Russia tell MegaVoice surprising news. “We have testimonies from Russian soldiers that found audio Bibles on the Ukrainian soldiers they captured or killed. One Russian soldier said that the Ukrainian soldiers [with audio Bibles] seem not afraid to die,” Templeton says. “He said that they are ‘zombified’ because they are hearing something on these devices, and he says, ‘They believe it. I’ve been listening, and I’m starting to believe it, too.’” <div id="attachment_207656" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MGV_ukraine.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207656" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MGV_ukraine-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">MegaVoice partners with churches on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war.<br />(Photo courtesy of MegaVoice)</p></div> Pray that soldiers who find audio Bibles will accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Pray MegaVoice can keep church partners supplied with audio Bibles. “The Bible says that there will be wars and rumors of wars, and we are living in those days,” Templeton says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We want to be busy making sure that everyone everywhere will be able to hear and understand the Good News in their language.”</strong></p></blockquote> <em>Header image is a map of the Russian invasion of Ukraine from Feb. 24, 2022 to March 15, 2024. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2022_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine.svg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 28 Mar 2024 05:00:47 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/russian-soldiers-discover-audio-bibles-on-fallen-ukrainians/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine_2022-2024-180x180.png" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Iraqi believers offer healing to former Islamic State captives</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iraqi-believers-offer-healing-to-former-islamic-state-captives/</link><description><![CDATA[Iraq (MNN) -- A Yazidi woman kidnapped during the Islamic State’s reign of terror a decade ago was <a href="https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/020320242" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>recently reunited</strong></span></a> with her family in Iraq. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)’s all-women force liberated Kovan Aidi Khourto from al-Hol. This notorious camp houses tens of thousands of ISIS families and supporters in Syria. Samuel* with Redemptive Stories says their partners in Iraqi Kurdistan offer trauma healing to former Yazidi captives. One day, a Gospel worker saw a woman enter with sorrow etched on every feature. <div id="attachment_207603" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/895px-Persecution_of_Yazidis_by_the_Islamic_State.jpg"><img class="wp-image-207603" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/895px-Persecution_of_Yazidis_by_the_Islamic_State-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="402" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Collage depicting the persecution of Yazidis by the Islamic State.<br />(Wikimedia Commons)</p></div> The worker asked if she could pray for the new class member. “The woman who was praying for her saw a vision. And in this vision, she saw the young lady cutting herself,” Samuel says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“She stopped praying and began to tell her (the Yazidi woman) what she saw, and [the woman said], ‘How did you know that? No one knows about me hurting myself.’”</strong></p></blockquote>This Yazidi woman – another Islamic State sex slave – shared her painful story with the Gospel worker who prayed for her. Nearly 50 different men raped her during her time in captivity. The worker introduced her to the Great Physician and his Gospel hope. “Through that process, this woman was able to find healing in Jesus Christ,” Samuel says. “She became a believer and is now sharing with others in her community.” Pray that Redemptive Stories and its partners can continue their vital work among Yazidi survivors. <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iraqi-politicians-push-for-idp-camp-closures/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Politicians threaten</strong></span></a> to shut down all the camps housing displaced Yazidi communities in Kurdistan and force these families to relocate. “A lot of women found healing through trauma healing care, through dreams and visions, and ultimately through Jesus Christ,” Samuel says. Pray believers from a Yazidi background will grow in Christ and become bold witnesses. “Pray for them to keep pressing on amid persecution,” Samuel requests. “One of the young believers – his father was killed for speaking out against the Yazidi religion.” <em><strong>*Pseudonym</strong></em> <em>Header image depicts Yazidi women in traditional clothing. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yazidi_Girl_tradicional_clothes.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 28 Mar 2024 05:00:34 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iraqi-believers-offer-healing-to-former-islamic-state-captives/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Yazidi_Girl_tradicional_clothes-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Children’s Bibles for the Chinese diaspora</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/childrens-bibles-for-the-chinese-diaspora/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">North America (MNN) — It is illegal to evangelize children in China, but when Chinese families move to other countries of the world, opportunity suddenly opens wide for the gospel to reach them. How can the global Church meet the children on its proverbial doorstep?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Kurt Rovenstine with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/bibles-for-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bibles for China</a></strong></span> says they are funding and distributing a special resource for kids, printed by a ministry partner. <strong>It’s the Egermeier Children’s Bible in Mandarin.</strong></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’re excited about that aspect of the diaspora ministry and praying hard that God used it to reach some children that know nothing of the gospel, know nothing of the work of Christ and what He's done to bring them into relationship with Him,” Rovenstine says.</span> <div id="attachment_123938" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-123938 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/BFC_novembertrip-300x205.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="205" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of Bibles for China</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">These Bibles are meant to reach the whole family. <strong>BFC hopes to have them printed and ready to distribute by mid-summer through their existing network of partners in Canada and the U. S.</strong></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Ironically, (this network is) some of the house church pastors that have left China who are now just jumping right back into it,” Rovenstine says. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">For now, North America will be the primary focus of this outreach. Rovenstine says they want the books to be given with care as intentional evangelistic tools. </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We want it to be, ‘Here's a piece of literature that will help transform your life.’ We’re working on those connections and looking for those connections,” he says. </strong></p></blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400;">That said, if you live or work among the Chinese diaspora in North America, Bibles for China would love to talk with you. Connect with them at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://biblesforchina.org/contact/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biblesforchina.org/contact</a>.</strong></span></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, join in praying that Mandarin-speaking children who receive these Bibles will be open to the gospel of truth. Pray that North American Christians who encounter the Chinese diaspora will show them the love of Jesus. </span> <br style="font-weight: 400;" /><br style="font-weight: 400;" /> <em>Header photo is a representative stock image courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-holding-a-child-walking-in-the-pathway-8SwpPqFeoR4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sue Zeng/Unsplash</a></span>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 28 Mar 2024 05:00:36 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/childrens-bibles-for-the-chinese-diaspora/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/smaller-sue-zeng-8SwpPqFeoR4-unsplash-copy-180x180.jpeg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>U. N. report spotlights human rights violations in Iran</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/u-n-report-spotlights-human-rights-violations-in-iran/</link><description><![CDATA[Iran (MNN) — This month a U. N. fact-finding mission shared <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/03/iran-institutional-discrimination-against-women-and-girls-enabled-human?sub-site=HRC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a report on human rights violations in Iran</a></strong></span> linked to the protests that began after the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022. The report is a grim list that includes “extra-judicial and unlawful killings and murder, unnecessary and disproportionate use of force, arbitrary deprivation of liberty, torture, rape, enforced disappearances, and gender persecution.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> It marks <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/iran-un-exposes-crimes-committed-against-protesters/a-68615821" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the first time that the term “crimes against humanity” has appeared in an official report on the government of Iran</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> But Nazanin with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart4iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart4Iran</a></strong></span> says even this report won’t change anything in the nation. “They (Iran’s government) already know they are violating the human rights. But the Iranian government is not hiding anything, and they don't care what the media says. They don't consider the West as a threat to them.” <div id="attachment_198629" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-198629 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/H4A_header-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)</p></div> She affirms that Christians are targeted by the government, especially Muslim background believers.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>People regularly phone Heart4Iran’s 24/7 call center and choke out their sometimes horrific experiences. Some post on social media despite the possible consequences of sharing their stories.</strong></p></blockquote>In an effort to protect callers, Heart4Iran discourages them from sharing all the details of their experiences. If the call is being monitored by the government, it’s possible the people will be punished again in some way. They point people to trust God even in intense suffering, and pray with them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Nazanin asks the Church to take action for Persian people living under a government that uses fear and control.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <strong>“One thing: be a voice for them. Second, pray. Pray for their protection,” she says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong> “Go to your city, go to your leaders, your people. Tell them what's going on. Go to social media — put up pictures, just retell the stories that you hear.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Finally, Nazanin wants you to know that Iranians are not like what their government portrays.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <strong>“They have so much potential. They're so good, so kind, so hospitable. They need our help, (those) that are outside that can do something. They can't. They're stuck. Every time there is a protest, every time there's an uprising, they're shut down," she says. </strong> Connect with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://heart4iran.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart4Iran</a></strong></span> on Facebook, Instagram, X and other online channels. <em>Header photo courtesy of Closeup Foundation via Heart4Iran. </em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 27 Mar 2024 05:00:52 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/u-n-report-spotlights-human-rights-violations-in-iran/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/H4I_Iran-story-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Church re-registration law in Belarus raises concerns</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/church-re-registration-law-in-belarus-raises-concerns/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">Belarus (MNN) — Churches in Belarus are under pressure today, but not for the first time. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In early January, Belarus’s </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/belarus-lukashenko-religion-repression-dissent-58428374005dd0da383fbac7ad2c5d57" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>President Alexander Lukashenko signed into effect a new law</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) swiftly called out as “a setback to religious freedom in Belarus.” </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The law essentially requires all churches to reregister with the government to be an approved religious organization. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/releases-statements/uscirf-troubled-new-religion-law-belarus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Read more of USCIRF's reported concerns here.</b></a></span></span> <div id="attachment_184935" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-184935" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/117641069_3083534171695852_4112166908272388784_o-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><p class="wp-caption-text">SGA works with churches in Belarus, equipping them to proclaim Christ as King. (Photo courtesy of SGA)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“As we have seen in various places across the former Soviet countries, this can be used to shut churches down, if for whatever reason they apply for reregistration and they don't get it,” Joel Griffith with Slavic Gospel Association says.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“When the Soviet Union first broke apart and the Communist rule came to an end, it was such a unique time in history. You had an awful lot of freedom that broke out, not just across Russia, but Belarus, Kazakhstan, (and) the other Central Asian countries.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">After a number of years went by, Griffiths says they began to see “retrenching" happening in various countries. Church restrictions slowly began to crop up again. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I would say even in the last five to 10 years in various places that pressure on the churches (has) really ratcheted up,” he says.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Thus far, SGA’s church partners in Belarus have been able to minister without too much interference, although Griffith says they have to be careful. </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/belarusian-pastors-share-unique-perspective-on-new-religious-restrictions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Even so, these pastors are not fazed by this latest piece of legislation</span></a> — they have gone through much worse challenges before. </strong><strong>But they are prayerful, and you can join them in this.</strong></p></blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The prayer (of) the churches in Belarus is that they will be able to go through this re-registration process and be able to continue to function,” Griffith says.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We certainly need to continue to lift them up in prayer as they navigate this and seek God's wisdom.”</span> <a href="https://www.sga.org/countries/belarus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Learn more about SGA’s ministry in Belarus to help inform your prayers.</span> </b></a> <em>Header photo of church in Belarus is a representative stock photo courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-white-church-with-a-red-steeple-in-a-field-6S-km4N8awk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daniil Yakochovik/Unsplash</a></span>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 27 Mar 2024 05:00:45 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/church-re-registration-law-in-belarus-raises-concerns/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/smaller-daniil-yakovchik-6S-km4N8awk-unsplash-copy-180x180.jpeg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Witch doctor turns to Christ — “I saw them burn up”</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/witch-doctor-turns-to-christ-i-saw-them-burn-up/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">Pakistan (MNN) — When Unknown Nations gospel workers entered a slum in Pakistan, a prominent witch doctor thought he was ready for them. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“These (slums) are places where people are living amongst the trash. These are people groups most of (whom) have never heard the gospel before, and they're controlled by witch doctors,” says Greg Kelley with <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unknown-nations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unknown Nations</a></span></strong>. Human trafficking and human sacrifice are also horrible realities there.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“When the Bible says that our battle is <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=eph+6%3A12&version=ESV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not against flesh and blood</a></span></strong>, but against the principalities, that is a literal statement in the Bible, and that is real and active in Pakistan.” </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The witch doctor summoned two powerful demons to harm the Christians, but things didn’t go as he expected. <strong>He later shared with the Christians, “I saw them burn up.”</strong></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The man asked them what they had done to make this happen. </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We said, ‘Sir, we didn't do anything. But the reason that those demons were burned up is because of Jesus and the power of God.’ So we shared the gospel with him, and this guy gave his life to Christ,” Kelley says. </strong></p></blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400;">The man immediately turned away from witchcraft. He has begun to learn God’s Word and be discipled by local Christian leaders <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.unknownnations.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unknown Nations</a></span></strong> partners with, who take action immediately in situations like this. </span> <div id="attachment_207627" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207627" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/haseeb-ali-xRR5vbb2YLo-unsplash-300x169.jpg" alt="Unsplash, stock photo, Pakistan slum" width="300" height="169" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Photo of slum in Karachi, Pakistan courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-people-walking-down-a-dirty-street-xRR5vbb2YLo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Haseeb Ali/Unsplash</a></span>.</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">This spiritual 180 has angered the people the man was leading. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“He's absolutely in danger. I mean, these places are very dark. Any place where there's human sacrificing going on, the disregard for human life is just, it's unimaginable,” Kelley says. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray for this new brother in Christ, that the trappings of his old life will have no hold on him whatsoever.</span> <strong>“Pray that (he) continues to keep his heart open to the Lord. Pray that he has the courage to be able to step away from those (former, evil relationships) and into his new, healthy relationships,” Kelley says. </strong> <br style="font-weight: 400;" /><br style="font-weight: 400;" /> <em>Header photo is a representative stock image of a man in Pakistan courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a class="N2odk RZQOk eziW_ KHq0c Byk7y KHq0c" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-silhouette-of-a-man-fD3W67ibDVY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Syed Muazzam Ali Taqi/Unsplash</a></span>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 27 Mar 2024 05:00:34 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/witch-doctor-turns-to-christ-i-saw-them-burn-up/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/syed-muazzam-ali-taqi-fD3W67ibDVY-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Churches respond following terror attack at Moscow concert</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/churches-respond-following-terror-attack-at-moscow-concert/</link><description><![CDATA[Russia (MNN) -- Churches in Russia share Christ’s compassion following the deadliest terror attack on Russian soil in two decades. Gunmen turned the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow into a slaughterhouse <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/shooting-blast-reported-concert-hall-near-moscow-agencies-2024-03-22/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on Friday evening</a></strong></span>, killing at least 137 people and wounding 182. As news of the attack spread through the country, church leaders’ “response was to pray for the families, to reach them with the comfort that only God can provide, and to be resolute in advancing the Gospel,” <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Slavic Gospel Association</strong></span></a>’s Eric Mock says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Most of the people I’ve talked to were reminded of the fragility of life and the need to be walking ever faithful one moment at a time before the Lord.”</strong></p></blockquote><div id="attachment_207639" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Crocus_City_Hall_attack_memorial_in_Kazan.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207639" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Crocus_City_Hall_attack_memorial_in_Kazan-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Crocus City Hall attack memorial in Kazan.<br />(Wikimedia Commons)</p></div> The Islamic State branch in Afghanistan, or ISIS-K, claimed the attack. Both <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/moscow-concert-hall-attack-what-do-we-know-so-far/a-68651325" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>American</strong></span></a> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/macron-it-would-be-cynical-counterproductive-russia-pin-moscow-attack-ukraine-2024-03-25/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">French</a></strong></span> intelligence agencies confirm that the statement is true. France increased its national security level to the highest level <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-raises-terror-alert-warning-highest-level-2024-03-24/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>on Sunday.</strong></span></a> “We live in a changing world, where it seems that the value of a single life has fallen dramatically, and there’s no greater need than now for the Gospel; no greater need for the churches to rise up and extend the message of hope in the middle of the chaos,” Mock says. SGA serves evangelical churches in Russia through <a href="https://www.sga.org/the-lord-filled-the-church-house-with-children/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>missionary pastor sponsorship</strong></span></a>, biblical, church-based training, and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.sga.org/when-god-opens-doors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">children’s ministry</a></strong></span>. <a href="https://www.sga.org/countries/russia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>More about that here.</strong></span></a> Pray believers will seize every opportunity to make Christ known. “Pray for the churches in Russia [to] be bold and faithful and that they will continue to hold forth the Gospel. Pray for peace in people's hearts in the middle of an increasingly warring world,” Mock requests. <em>Header image depicts Russian Crocus City Hall amphitheater interiors, a day after the terrorist attack on 22 March 2024. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crocus_City_Hall_amphitheater_after_terrorist_attack_(2024).jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 26 Mar 2024 05:00:55 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/churches-respond-following-terror-attack-at-moscow-concert/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Crocus_City_Hall_amphitheater_after_terrorist_attack_2024-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Pakistan: why blasphemy charges are often rooted in ignorance</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pakistan-why-blasphemy-charges-are-often-rooted-in-ignorance/</link><description><![CDATA[Pakistan (MNN) -- At least 600 prisoners are facing capital punishment in Pakistan right now because they’ve been accused of blasphemy. “You can blame anybody and accuse anybody in Pakistan of blasphemy. It has become a norm, not only with Christians but Muslims as well,” <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>FMI</strong></span></a>’s Nehemiah says. “It’s very easy because you don’t need any evidence.” <div id="attachment_124863" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/FMI_Pakistan-women-at-church-11-17-14.jpg"><img class="wp-image-124863 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/FMI_Pakistan-women-at-church-11-17-14-300x177.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="177" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of FMI)</p></div> You don’t even have to be accurate in your accusation to level blasphemy charges at someone. For example, a mob called for a woman’s life <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christian-shopkeeper-protects-muslim-woman-from-violent-mob/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>a few weeks ago</strong></span></a> because they thought her clothing was blasphemous. “The word in Arabic on her shirt was ‘halwa.’ This Arabic word means ‘sweet’ or ‘nice,’” Nehemiah explains. A 30-second conversation could have clarified the crowd’s confusion. Instead, the mob called for her death. “Muslim people in Pakistan do not understand the difference between Arabic and Urdu because the script is the same, but the dialogue is different,” Nehemiah says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Because they do not understand, they think everything written in Arabic is [from the] Quran, which is untrue.”</strong></p></blockquote>The Quran is written and read in Arabic, but Urdu is the heart language of most Pakistanis. “The irony in Pakistan is that the literacy rate is very minimal. Fanatic people [will] attack anybody, but they don’t have the basic understanding even of their own religion,” Nehemiah says. For example, “<a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/after-pakistani-mob-torched-32-churches-christians-fear-more-attacks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>a few months ago</strong></span></a>, more than 30 churches were burned down in one day based on blasphemy. There was no proof that any Christian committed blasphemy.” Pray the Church in Pakistan will continue to flourish and grow despite persecution. <a href="https://forgottenmissionaries.org/donate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Support church planters in Pakistan through FMI here.</strong></span></a> <em>Header and story images courtesy of FMI.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 26 Mar 2024 05:00:36 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pakistan-why-blasphemy-charges-are-often-rooted-in-ignorance/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/FMI_pakistan-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Children’s discipleship materials for “building the church of tomorrow”</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/childrens-discipleship-materials-for-building-the-church-of-tomorrow/</link><description><![CDATA[International (MNN) -- Today's children are tomorrow's Church. But while there are many resources in the U.S. to disciple children, that’s not true in other parts of the world.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Denise Godwin with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/international-media-ministries/">International Media Ministries</a></strong></span> (IMM) tells us, “(Children are) being bombarded by mixed messages about who they are, what the world is made of, even what is good and what is evil.” IMM uses media to bring the hope of Christ to Europe, Eurasia, Africa, and the Middle East. They recently surveyed media organizations and churches in those regions, asking what needs they had.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The answer they kept hearing was “discipleship for children.”</strong></p></blockquote><div id="attachment_207503" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207503" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/erika-giraud-4EFeD-VTgu4-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="stock, children, Unsplash" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Representative photo courtesy of Erika Girard/Unsplash</p></div> Godwin says there is a greater need than people in the U.S. may realize for “pieces that either can be incorporated into other shows, or programs for children in-person or in a refugee camp, and give them values and Bible verses and things to build their character.” <strong>IMM has begun a 3D animation project on a three-year creation timeline.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong> “In the meantime, we realized we have an opportunity in-house to do some smaller pieces in 2D, and start giving extra tools to meet the needs of children in the Middle East, North Africa, and, interestingly, Europe, where the values are really changing,” Godwin says. Those projects should be completed by the end of 2024.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “They're always going to have that in their heart, that Bible verse they memorized when they were six. They’re going to have a crisis when they're 26, and it's going to come back. So we are building the church of tomorrow. We are building faith in the future,” Godwin says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “It may be 20 years, it may be 25 years. You may not realize how much that pays off. But it's essential to do that, for the future of the church for the future of faith.” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://imm.edu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IMM</a></strong></span> needs your support in prayer as they prepare to impact the next generation for Jesus, which the enemy does not want to happen. Pray for the 3D project as the team develops the storyline, imagery, and technical skills needed for the process.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It's an important time to pray over the younger children, over the media that's going into their lives, over their education, and different contexts," Godwin says.</strong></p></blockquote>"We need to pray for wisdom for the parents as well, because they're also bombarded. I think we're in a pretty intense time in history right now." <em>Header photo courtesy of <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/two-babies-and-woman-sitting-on-sofa-while-holding-baby-and-watching-on-tablet-UH-xs-FizTk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alexander Dummer/Unsplash</a>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 26 Mar 2024 05:00:51 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/childrens-discipleship-materials-for-building-the-church-of-tomorrow/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/alexander-dummer-UH-xs-FizTk-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>U. N. resolution calling for Gaza cease-fire fails to pass council, and famine is imminent</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/u-n-resolution-calling-for-gaza-cease-fire-fails-to-pass-council-and-famine-is-imminent/</link><description><![CDATA[Palestine (MNN) — Nearly a third of <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-18-2024-eefc526aec97821fe5f1e845801a6640" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Gaza’s residents face extreme lack of food and acute malnutrition</span>,</b></a> according to a report last Monday from the international community’s authority on determining food insecurity levels. Famine could strike anytime in northern Gaza between now and May.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> This led to a vote on Friday by the United Nations Security Council on <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-us-vote-gaza-ceasefire-resolution-f6453803b3eacc9fbaa2ce5a025e2a94" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>a resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza</b></a></span>. But like several previous resolutions, this <a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-us-vote-gaza-ceasefire-resolution-f6453803b3eacc9fbaa2ce5a025e2a94" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">one failed to pass in the fifteen-member council</span></b></a>. Food isn’t the only thing scarce in Gaza. Darrel Templeton with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://megavoice.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>MegaVoice</b></a></span> says their audio Bibles ministry has had to stop, despite their many years of partnerships in the region. <div id="attachment_207181" style="width: 151px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207181" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/MV-Envoy-3-MV-Charcoal-Front-7-141x300.png" alt="" width="141" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo of audio Bible unit courtesy of MegaVoice)</p></div> “Right now, even though the requests are coming in, we just have not been able to provide the audio Bibles that are requested — because of the war, because of the blockades, because nothing is getting in or out,” he says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “As soon as those doors open, we pray that we will have enough to be able to provide for the Palestinian believers and the Palestinian seekers.” As the situation in Gaza becomes even more grim, you can do something that will touch all those suffering.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “The Scripture teaches us to pray for the peace of Israel, and so that is first and foremost what we need to do is pray for the peace of the land,” Templeton says, referring to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20122&version=NIV" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Psalm 122:6</b></a></span>. “Real and full peace only comes with the Prince of Peace. So that is the ultimate answer for the Palestinian people, as well as the Jewish people as well as anyone around the world.” See last week's two-part story on the war from the perspective of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/palestinian-christians-spot-silver-lining-to-gaza-war/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Christians in Palestine</b></a></span> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/israelis-seek-answers-amid-pain-of-war/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Christians in Israel</b></a></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <em>Header photo: U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules conducts an airdrop of humanitarian assistance over Gaza, Mar. 2, 2024. Photo courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:U.S._Central_Command_airdrops_38,000_MREs_over_Gaza_(8266209).jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a></span>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 25 Mar 2024 05:00:15 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/u-n-resolution-calling-for-gaza-cease-fire-fails-to-pass-council-and-famine-is-imminent/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1082px-U.S._Central_Command_airdrops_38000_MREs_over_Gaza_8266209-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Waiting for a new government, Haiti’s chaos deepens</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/waiting-for-a-new-government-haitis-chaos-deepens/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">Haiti (MNN) — Haiti waits for a transitional presidential council to lead the country toward a more stable future. But in the meantime, chaos deepens in the day-to-day lives of Haitians. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Last week, gang members attacked suburbs of the capital city, Port-au-Prince, </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-gangs-petionville-attack-violence-af4c9ffc2f94c58c6e8f3de4b289014a" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>killing and looting homes</b></a></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">without check. More than <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-violence-migration-south-gangs-port-au-prince-6fb506a228a7fd0bb897f61efc2a3cf2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">33,000 people have fled the city</a></strong></span> in the past two weeks, a report from the U.N. International Organization for Migration says. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But wherever they go, Haitians can’t avoid the crisis the nation is facing. Experts say around </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/famine-gaza-haiti-starvation-malnutrition-hunger-16215137be084e51849c41a83335119d" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>1.4 million Haitians are on the brink of famine</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I have never seen Haiti like this before,” says Roseline DeHart of </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/for-haiti-with-love/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>For Haiti With Love</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, who has been involved in ministry in the nation for more than forty years.</span> <div id="attachment_207580" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207580" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/reynaldo-mirault-U3Sdt2phkmA-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="stock, Unsplash, Haiti" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Photo from 2020 of Pétion-Ville, one of the suburbs of Port-au-Prince where gangs carried out attacks last week. Photo courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/aerial-view-of-city-during-daytime-U3Sdt2phkmA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reynaldo Mirault/Unsplash</a></span>.</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We're all holding our breath to see what's going to happen. We can only pray and hope that it gets better, because I don't think it can get any worse.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://www.forhaitiwithlove.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>For Haiti</strong></span></a> operates a clinic in the rural Cap-Haitien area. They are pointing the discouraged and hopeless to the God who is in control and is good even in the midst of the nation's deteriorating state.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">DeHart says, “We are still doing what we can for the people. We're gonna be there until we can’t, until God tell us, ‘It's time to close down.’”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Like the rest of the country, the clinic has no supplies coming in. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Haiti needs a change. Pray that it does change,” DeHart says. At the same time, she wants others to know there is more to Haiti than the grim headlines. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“The people are beautiful, the country is beautiful. But evil has taken over right now. What (you’re) seeing on TV on the news, that's not all Haiti. That's just a bad part — you know, there's evil everywhere.”</span> <b><i>Would you pray for Haiti each day this week? </i></b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pray for revival, that people will turn to the Lord and find hope. Pray that gangs will stop attacking people and that the transitional presidential council will be able to effectively lead for the good of the nation. </span> <em>Header photo courtesy of For Haiti With Love.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 25 Mar 2024 05:00:28 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/waiting-for-a-new-government-haitis-chaos-deepens/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/FHWL-header-180x180.png" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Modern day slavery in Pakistan offers opportunity for evangelism</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/modern-day-slavery-in-pakistan-offers-opportunity-for-evangelism/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400">Pakistan (MNN) — The economy in Pakistan is heavily built on a form of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/modern-day-slavery-its-a-worldwide-problem-that-impacts-us-all/">modern day slavery</a>: brick kilns, an industry that is explorative and widely accepted in the country, but also offers an opportunity for evangelism. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400">Nearly every commercial and residential building in Pakistan is built of bricks made in over 14,000 brick kilns scattered across the country. These kilns are operated by <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/in-pakistan-millions-of-slaves-are-forced-to-work-brick-kilns/">4.5 million enslaved people</a>. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400">Greg Kelley with </span><a href="https://www.unknownnations.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400">Unknown Nations</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400"> says that often what happens is that vulnerable people will be exploited by slave owners offering to pay their bills for them and their families. In exchange, the whole family becomes bonded to the brick kiln owner. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400">“And in many instances, I mean, we've met people that have been in these kilns for 20 and 30 years,” Kelley said. “So once they get into the brick kilns, they literally never come out.”</span> <div id="attachment_207551" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207551" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/brick-kiln-300x200.jpg" alt="tall spire of brick kiln in mountains" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Brick kiln workers often never leave. Photo courtesy of <a class="new" title="User:Arsalanashraff71 (page does not exist)" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Arsalanashraff71&action=edit&redlink=1">Arsalanashraff71</a> via Wikimedia Commons.</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400">Though technically illegal, politicians in Pakistan frequently succumb to bribery and ignore criminal activity happening in these kilns including organ harvesting and trafficking children of kiln workers. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400">Kelley believes that since this type of indentured servitude has been part of the culture in Pakistan for so long, it has become widely accepted. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400">“But I think that it's the lowest caste, most vulnerable people who don't have any influence,” Kelley said. “And so, you know, nobody cares about that. So they're the ones who will suffer the most.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400">However, for Kelley and his team, these brick kilns offer an opportunity for ministry. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400">By paying the owners of the kiln around $2,500, they can essentially buy the freedom of the workers for a day, allowing their team access to provide a meal, a time of rest, and the Gospel message to the kiln workers. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400">Kelley describes these days as holidays for the kiln workers. Since many of these people work every day from around five in the morning to six at night, they never have a complete day off.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400">“So it's a real celebration when they do get their time off,” Kelley said. “And when we come in, we share the Gospel always. So many of these slaves, because they suffer so much, their hearts are wide open to the message of hope.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400">Every time this happens, people come to Christ. Even more, recently kiln <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pakistani-brick-kiln-owner-invites-wmi-to-visit-slaves/">owners</a> – a traditionally Muslim group – have increasingly been giving their lives to Christ. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400">Transformation happens when these owners come to know Christ, changing their behavior and setting slaves free. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400">“But that's the evidence and the impact of the Gospel,” Kelley said. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400">From this, the kilns then offer an opportunity to establish churches. With kiln workers sharing close quarters and gathering together regularly, new believers naturally worship together, pray together, and create disciples of other kiln workers, aided by the audio Bibles Kelley’s team leaves them with. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400">In many communities in Pakistan, Islamic forces often impose <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pakistan-6-year-old-christian-boy-beaten-by-muslim-teacher-for-blasphemy/">anti-conversion laws</a> on Christians. However, inside brick kilns, Kelley has seen success in discipleship due to the close-knit communities built there. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400">“Jesus said to care for the least of these,” Kelley said. “And it's hard to think of the slaves in the brick kilns of Pakistan as being nothing other than the least of these, but these people are precious in the sight of Jesus. We need to be praying for them, lifting them up, many of them we haven't been able to get to yet...are suffering just terribly.” </span> <span style="font-weight: 400">Kelley calls for prayers for Pakistani Christians to be raised up to go into the brick kiln mission field and be mobilized to create disciples from these enslaved people. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400">Though a harsh mission field, Kelley prays that God will send more people into these places to share the good news of the Gospel. </span> <em>Header photo courtesy of <a title="User:Dolon Prova" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Dolon_Prova">Dolon Prova</a> via Wikimedia Commons. </em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 25 Mar 2024 05:00:14 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/modern-day-slavery-in-pakistan-offers-opportunity-for-evangelism/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/brick-kiln-2-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>UN describes Sudan as “one of the worst humanitarian disasters in recent memory”</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/un-describes-sudan-as-one-of-the-worst-humanitarian-disasters-in-recent-memory/</link><description><![CDATA[Sudan (MNN) -- The upcoming rainy season <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1147497" target="_blank" rel="noopener">casts another woe</a></strong></span> upon Sudan, a North African nation already dealing with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sudanese-christians-introduce-desperate-people-to-jesus-as-war-rages-on/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>civil war</strong></span></a> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-food-security-outlook-february-september-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">famine</a></strong></span>. The United Nations <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/4923596-un-sudan-among-worst-humanitarian-disasters-recent-memory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">describes Sudan as</a></strong></span> “one of the worst humanitarian disasters in recent memory.” John*, an <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unfoldingword/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>unfoldingWord</strong></span></a> partner, says things are only expected to worsen during the rainy season because “flooding is always an issue; you won’t have access when the rains come.” <div id="attachment_195573" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/UW_Sudan.jpg"><img class="wp-image-195573" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/UW_Sudan.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="304" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of unfoldingWord)</p></div> International aid groups already struggle to reach those in need. “Aid inside of Sudan is not so much hindered by the weather but by the fact that the convoys are raided and [opposing parties take food] to feed their armies,” John explains. <a href="https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/sudansituation?_gl=1*1gcurrg*_rup_ga*MTE5MjM3ODQ2NC4xNzExMDI5MTk3*_rup_ga_EVDQTJ4LMY*MTcxMTAyOTE5Ny4xLjEuMTcxMTAyOTI2Mi42MC4wLjA.*_ga*MTE5MjM3ODQ2NC4xNzExMDI5MTk3*_ga_N9CH61RTNK*MTcxMTAyOTE5Ny4xLjEuMTcxMTAyOTI2Mi4wLjAuMA..#_ga=2.108058242.1857428047.1711029197-1192378464.1711029197" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Over eight million people</strong></span></a> have been displaced by the civil war that began a year ago. Approximately two million have crossed into neighboring countries like South Sudan, where John’s organization is <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sudan-muslim-refugees-persecute-christian-refugees/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">building a trauma healing center</a></strong></span> for Sudanese refugees. The rainy season poses a challenge here, too. “Roads that can make [it] through that kind of weather are almost non-existent in South Sudan,” John says. Partners on the ground recently sent John a photo of the main thoroughfare used to enter and leave their village. “There was a road [and now] it’s just water,” John says. <em><strong>Despite the constant challenges, Sudanese believers keep working to introduce Sudanese Muslim refugees to Christ.</strong> </em>Will you pray for them? “They can function and keep going because everyone involved grew up in war. In Sudan and South Sudan, there has been nothing but war for decades. If it wasn’t a political war within those two countries, it was tribal war,” John says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They’re motivated by a deep love for their country and their people, and that love is not just patriotism – it’s the love of God on their heart for their people.”</strong></p></blockquote>Ask the Lord to strengthen Sudanese church planters and <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sudan-bible-translators-lead-unreached-people-groups-to-christ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Bible translators</strong></span></a> so they can endure the present tribulations. Pray each believer will keep their eyes firmly fixed on Christ and not the surrounding circumstances. <em><strong>*Pseudonym</strong> </em> <em>Header image is a screengrab courtesy of <a href="https://prayercast.com/prayer-topic/sudan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Prayercast | Sudan.</strong></span></a></em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 22 Mar 2024 05:00:09 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/un-describes-sudan-as-one-of-the-worst-humanitarian-disasters-in-recent-memory/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Sudanese_Arab-2-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>How to pray for Muslims during Ramadan</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-to-pray-for-muslims-during-ramadan/</link><description><![CDATA[International (<a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/operation-mobilization/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>OM</strong></span></a>/MNN) -- Islam is the second largest religion globally, with over 1.9 billion followers and almost a quarter of the world's population. Ramadan, a time of prayer and reflection for Muslims, has just started and will last until April 9. Julyan, an OM leader, offers one point when confronted with comments like this from Christians, "When we look at the Muslim world, it seems unshakeable, and Muslims seem so hard to reach with the gospel. There are so few believers from a Muslim background, and those few have such a difficult time because of persecution. Surely praying for Muslims to come to faith in Jesus is a waste of time!" <div id="attachment_207569" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/omappdemo-new.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-207569" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/omappdemo-new.png" alt="" width="300" height="594" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">You can use the OM Prayer Reach app (for Apple and Android) to pray for people groups in Muslim-dominant countries.<br />(Photo courtesy of OM USA)</p></div> He says, "These are lies to stop us praying! The truth is that our God is a mighty God, and he is powerfully working in the Muslim world today." For many years, Jesus' followers have faithfully prayed for their Muslim neighbors to discover the love and hope offered by Jesus alone, and God is answering those prayers. <strong>Abdallah,</strong> a doctor living in Egypt, wanted to become a follower of Jesus. Still, he could not openly confess his new faith: his wife came from a devout Muslim family, and his children were students at Al Azhar University, which trains Muslim missionaries. Abdallah was moved to faith by a neighbor who, despite being poorly treated by others, never lost his temper and lived out Christ's love as he helped others. Those actions inspired Abdallah to ask how his neighbor could be so different from others he knew. During Ramadan, we invite you to pray with us for God to open the eyes and hearts of Muslims worldwide. God can use you to be the neighbor someone is searching for. Who is your Abdallah?<h3>A couple of prayer points:</h3><ul> <li>Pray for Muslim women to have opportunities to thrive and be safe. May they be given strength during their trials of inequality and injustice.</li> <li>Pray for Muslims worldwide who go on their Hajj pilgrimage that they may encounter the reality and salvation of Jesus along their journey.</li></ul><h3>Here are a couple of ways to pray specifically for people groups in Muslim-dominant countries:</h3><ul> <li>You can use the <a href="https://www.om.org/int/inspiration/prayer-reach-app" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>OM Prayer Reach app</strong></span></a> (for Apple and Android) or</li> <li>You can join the global prayer movement with Prayercast through the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://prayercast.com/topic-category/love-muslims/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">'Love Muslims' campaign</a>.</strong></span></li></ul> <em>Header and story images courtesy of Operation Mobilization USA. </em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 22 Mar 2024 05:00:56 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-to-pray-for-muslims-during-ramadan/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/OM-ladies-wall-photo--180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Clean water and Living Water needed in rural Kenya</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/clean-water-and-living-water-needed-in-rural-kenya/</link><description><![CDATA[Kenya (MNN) -- Today is <a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/water-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>World Water Day</strong></span></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>,</strong></span> designed by the United Nations to raise awareness of the global need for clean drinking water. Roughly half of the world’s population experiences severe water scarcity for at least part of the year. <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/kenya-hope/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Kenya Hope</strong></span></a>’s Steve Holman says in remote Kenya, “They have to depend on the rains – or lack thereof – and go great distances, sometimes two or three miles down to the rivers, and bring back in plastic jugs what is pretty horrific stuff.” <div id="attachment_207540" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KEN_clean-water-story-image.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207540" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KEN_clean-water-story-image-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Kenya Hope)</p></div> Kenya Hope installs community water systems to help alleviate the need. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.kenyahope.org/water-projects/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span> Each system “includes a deep well, an electric pump powered by solar panels, a way to store it, and distribution points,” Holman says. “As many as 300 families could come to this water spot; we put this valuable resource inside the Hope Center.” <em><strong>By meeting urgent physical needs, Kenya Hope gains an opportunity to speak into people’s lives long-term.</strong></em> Believers discuss the most important relationship anyone could have – a saving covenant with Christ. “Nationally, Kenya has widely accepted Christianity, but in Maasai land, they're still steeped in the ancient tribal ways, and there's still a lot of oppression,” Holman says. Occasionally, sharing the Gospel looks like “placing audio Bibles in the hands of people that missed the opportunity to learn to read,” Holman says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Sometimes, up to 300 people can watch the JESUS film, and then our pastors can go back again and again to home after home and teach the Gospel that way.”</strong></p></blockquote>Providing a reliable and affordable source of fresh water is the single most life-changing thing that Kenya Hope can do, apart from preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. <a href="https://secure.usaepay.com/pay/onkt6jx2nvn3qfkw8/MHmNxyzK" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Help Kenya Hope install more water systems here.</strong></span></a> Pray for wisdom and discernment as Kenya Hope seeks to fill leadership voids and make future plans. Kenya Hope lost its executive directors, Dave and Joy Mueller, as well as Holman’s daughter, Julie, in a tragic car accident <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/kenya-hope-mourns-three-in-fatal-car-accident/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>last October.</strong></span></a> “God's people have been generous, and we have funding for several more wells. Our challenge right now is determining the most strategic locations,” Holman says. “We'll never run out of community settlements that need and deserve a water system like this. But we want to put the resources in places where we also have an opportunity to build a long-lasting ministry.” <em>Header image depicts late executive director Dave Mueller with Kenyan youth and a newly-installed water system. (Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=721090743389481&set=pb.100064656859965.-2207520000&type=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kenya Hope</a>) </em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 22 Mar 2024 05:00:59 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/clean-water-and-living-water-needed-in-rural-kenya/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KEN_clean-water-story-header-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Israelis seek answers amid pain of war</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/israelis-seek-answers-amid-pain-of-war/</link><description><![CDATA[Israel (MNN) -- Israeli forces raided the al-Shifa hospital in northern Gaza <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/19/world/middleeast/al-shifa-hospital-gaza.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this week</a></strong></span>, killing dozens and taking <a href="https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel-at-war/artc-al-shifa-hospital-raid-idf-says-90-terrorists-eliminated-over-300-questioned" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>over 160 suspected terrorists</strong></span></a> back to Israel for interrogation. In our continued look at the <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/israel-and-gaza/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Israel-Hamas war</strong></span></a> from a Christian perspective, believers from a Jewish background tell Tom Doyle of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/uncharted-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uncharted Ministries</a></strong></span>, “It’s still chaos in Israel because of Hamas in the south and Hezbollah in the north, the terrorist groups that are still attacking.” <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/palestinian-christians-spot-silver-lining-to-gaza-war/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>See yesterday’s story about the Palestinian Christian perspective.</strong></span></a> <div id="attachment_207565" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Nir_Oz_by_Yael_Yolovitch_YY9.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207565" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Nir_Oz_by_Yael_Yolovitch_YY9-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">A home in Kibbutz Nir Oz after the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel. In the October 7, 2023 surprise attack on the Gaza border communities, Hamas either killed, injured or abducted about one quarter of the 400 residents of Kibbutz Nir Oz.<br />(Wikimedia Commons)</p></div> The Israel-Hamas war began <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-suffer-on-both-sides-of-israel-hamas-war/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>five months ago</strong></span></a> when Hamas militants raided Jewish communities in southern Gaza. At least 1,200 people lost their lives, while Hamas took roughly 250 hostages. They’re still holding at least 100 people captive today. “There’s a lot of upheaval to the Jewish community,” Doyle says. “There is so much trauma; marriages need counseling, and children need counseling. So many of them even saw their parents die, and now they’re with an aunt or an uncle.” Meanwhile, hope remains but is fading quickly for the hostages who remain alive today. “There are still nine Americans in Gaza who are hostages. We’re not hearing anything about them; pray for the hostages to be released,” Doyle requests. Pray the Lord will accomplish His will and purposes through this evil situation. “In one of the most horrific trials Israel’s ever been through, some good has come out of it,” Doyle says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Many [Jewish people] are believing in God and even turning to Jesus as Savior and asking questions. As sad as this situation was, God’s working, and both sides are more open to faith in Christ.”</strong></p></blockquote>This openness is significant because “many Jews in Israel – because of the Holocaust, terrorist attacks over the decades, and all the wars – have abandoned a belief that there is a God. We would hear this often from Jews: ‘I cannot believe there is a God. During the Holocaust, we cried out to Him; where was He?’” Doyle continues. “But through this October 7 [attack], former agnostics and atheists are talking about God. They see their very survival as a testimony that there is a God.” Along with prayer, consider taking further action. “Go on a trip with us,” Doyle suggests. “We’re doing goodwill trips where we reach out in Israel to Jewish people to Palestinian people, show them that we love them and are concerned about them.” <a href="https://unchartedministries.com/uncharted/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Contact the Uncharted team here to learn more.</strong></span></a> <em>Header image depicts the hand marks of Israeli citizens murdered by immolation during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Disaster_Victim_Identification_after_2023_Hamas_attack_on_Israel_(ZAKA178)..JPG" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>) </em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 21 Mar 2024 05:00:54 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/israelis-seek-answers-amid-pain-of-war/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Disaster_Victim_Identification_after_2023_Hamas_attack_on_Israel_ZAKA178.-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Should Christians be neutral about Israel/Palestine?</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/should-christians-be-neutral-about-israel-palestine/</link><description><![CDATA[Israel (MNN) – Conversations about the conflict between Israel and Palestine are laden with political tensions. Violence has triggered debates and arguments across the globe. The only thing everyone can agree on is that they disagree. The Church hasn’t avoided the discussion. Some Christians insist that taking one nation’s side over the other is the distinctly Christian perspective. Yet these perspectives often conflict. And maybe taking sides is off the mark altogether. SAT-7’s Rami al Halaseh says Christians should start by aligning their perspectives with God. “Our vision is making God's love visible,” he says. “That's our duty, and that's why we are there. We want to make God's love visible.” Media covering the crisis is often polarizing, and it leads to distinctly un-Christlike hatred and disdain. The Christian position, al Halaseh argues, is one of humility, emphatic prayer, and biblical justice. “God is able to bring justice to all of the suffering,” al Halaseh says. “Our focus is to say ‘God is with you, Emmanuel,’ in the midst of the situation.” The Church can still contribute to the conversation, al Halaseh says, but she should consider who she holds up to the world. “We give voice to the Church because we remind the Church of the power of prayer,” he says. “I would encourage everyone to speak up and say, ‘This has to stop.’ When we say ceasefire, we're not saying necessarily that we're standing with one party against the other [...] we're saying, ‘What would God do? What would Jesus do? What is God doing right now?’” When God sees His beloved children doing violence to one another, His reaction is to weep. Al Halaseh suggests that perhaps, this should be our reaction too. After all, no political solution will prevent all harm between these groups, let alone account for the loss people in the region have already suffered. Al Halaseh is not advocating neutrality. He says a Christian position of peace is in direct opposition to the world's ways. “As Christians, if we watch what's happening and we're happy about it or just neutral about it, then there's something wrong with our faith. Jesus says, ‘That's not my spirit.’ The spirit of Jesus would weep and would bring us to our knees. That's our role.” So how do we pray? al Halaseh makes four suggestions:<ol> <li>Pray for <strong>God’s mercy</strong> in the region</li> <li>Ask God to <strong>protect</strong> the ministries, churches, and Christians trapped within the region</li> <li>Pray that generosity would meet the <strong>humanitarian needs</strong> in the area</li> <li>Pray that <strong>the Gospel</strong> would infiltrate every home, heart, and mind in Israel, Palestine, and beyond.</li></ol><a href="https://www.sat7usa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Learn more about SAT-7’s work right here.</strong></span></a> <em>Header photo courtesy of Unsplash</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 21 Mar 2024 05:00:51 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/should-christians-be-neutral-about-israel-palestine/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/brett-wharton-p635u_xaxhU-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Change a life like Jamia’s through summer Bible Club</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/change-a-life-like-jamias-through-summer-bible-club/</link><description><![CDATA[India (MNN) — When school finishes for the summer, many children in India don’t have another place to go while their parents work. During this time when so many things can go wrong, Mission India’s 10-Day Children’s Bible Club steps in to give kids a safe, exciting environment where they can learn about Jesus.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Regan Miller with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mission-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Mission India</b></a></span> tells us, “The kids are drawn to the Bible club because it's fun, it's engaging. It's not like sitting down in a class.” Miller says Bible club is like Vacation Bible School to the extreme, since it goes for 10 full days over the course of two weeks, morning to evening. Children learn fun Bible-based skits, Bible stories, and songs with motions and dance moves to it, and more. “We partner with local Christians who are in India and from the area to run these 10-Day Bible clubs. That's especially exciting because that means after the 10-Day Bible club ends, that leader is still a part of the community and able to pour into those kids lives for the long term,” Miller says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>While persecution is a serious issue in India, Bible clubs are often an exception. A community may not welcome a church, but they see the good that a Bible club does in keeping kids out of trouble in the summer.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p></blockquote>“Even if they're against Christianity, a lot of times they'll allow the Bible club to run and not oppose it, because they see the good that it's doing,” Miller says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <div id="attachment_207494" style="width: 180px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207494" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Jamia-170x300.jpg" alt="Mission India, Jamia" width="170" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo of Jamia courtesy of Mission India)</p></div> <strong>Jamia is one girl whose life was turned around through Bible club.</strong> She was largely shunned by her community because of an eye condition she has. When she learned about Jesus for the first time in her life, she blossomed into a bright, confident girl with a heart for serving others. “When Jesus came into her [Jamia’s] life, it changed her confidence. It changed the way she viewed herself. It changed what potential she saw in her own life. It changed her family life, changed everything,” Miller says. “We're so excited about how much something can change a child when they hear about Jesus over the course of 10 days.” (<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://missionindia.org/you-showed-a-rejected-child-her-worth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Read more of Jamia’s story here.</b></a></span>)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> You can join Mission India in reaching more children like Jamia this summer through their <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://missionindia.org/matching-challenge/?referral=MNN2403" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>special matching challenge</b></a>.</span> From now until April 30, gifts will be doubled up to $250,000. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><b>The incredible thing is that it costs only $1 for a child to be part of a </b><a href="https://missionindia.org/10-day-childrens-bible-clubs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">10-Day Bible Club</span></strong>.</a></p></blockquote>“We're excited to open up the invitation for people to reach out to more kids like Jamia so that they can have this awesome summer experience with Jesus,” Miller says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <a href="https://missionindia.org/matching-challenge/?referral=MNN2403" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Visit Mission India’s website to join the matching challenge here.</span></b></a> <em>Header photo courtesy of Mission India. </em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 21 Mar 2024 05:00:55 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/change-a-life-like-jamias-through-summer-bible-club/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/405108444_772307924922932_5176660590786382777_n-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Palestinian Christians spot silver lining to Gaza war</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/palestinian-christians-spot-silver-lining-to-gaza-war/</link><description><![CDATA[Gaza (MNN) -- Today, we begin a special two-part look at the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/israel-and-gaza/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israel-Hamas war</a></strong></span> from a Christian perspective. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/uncharted-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uncharted Ministries</a></strong></span> partners with believers on both sides of the conflict. Co-founder Tom Doyle says Palestinian Christians are suffering in Gaza. “They’re just not getting the food; maybe little bits, but hardly anything,” Doyle says. “Even though Israel is sending the trucks in, Hamas is taking them over, and sadly, they’re (Hamas) getting all the food. People aren’t getting much.” <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-18-2024-eefc526aec97821fe5f1e845801a6640" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The U.N. says</strong></span></a> famine is “imminent” in Gaza, where <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/famine-looms-gaza-how-will-world-know-it-has-arrived-2024-03-05/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>over one million people</strong></span></a> face “catastrophic hunger.” Multiple countries send food into the Strip through alternative methods, including <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/13/1237616100/israel-hamas-war-gaza-aid-un-food-ships" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>airdrops</strong></span></a> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-15-2024-d4e2f9ed525914233e4cf16c217f5248" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sea routes</a>.</strong></span> “Gaza is very tightly confined. Pray that they (Palestinian Christians) survive; that they get food [and] water,” Doyle says. “Uncharted has been privileged to send in both through some of the ministries we work with, and thankfully, it did get in.” <em><strong>Believers see a silver lining to the war raging around them.</strong></em> “The terrorist groups that have caused so many problems for their own people [are leading] Muslims to look elsewhere,” Doyle notes.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“There is a new openness to the Gospel [among] Muslims that are tired of the wars, they’re tired of the revenge, the killings.”</strong></p></blockquote><a href="https://app.aplos.com/aws/give/UnchartedMinistries/israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>You can support Palestinian and Jewish believers during the war through Uncharted.</strong></span></a> Above all else, pray. Pray for peace and an end to the war. Pray believers will have opportunities to share the hope of Christ with Muslims searching for truth. “We have not seen Palestinian believers in Gaza with hatred toward Israel. I think the Gospel rises above that,” Doyle says. <em>Header photo depicts an Israeli pastor and a Palestinian missionary praying over the Gaza Strip from Israel. They love each other as brothers in Christ and they love both people groups. (Photo, caption courtesy of Uncharted Ministries)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 20 Mar 2024 05:00:03 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/palestinian-christians-spot-silver-lining-to-gaza-war/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/UCM_cover_israel_palestinian-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Ukraine churches and military seek to fill gaps as war wearies nation</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/ukraine-churches-and-military-seek-to-fill-gaps-as-war-wearies-nation/</link><description><![CDATA[Ukraine (MNN) -- Low on manpower and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-war-strategy-dig-in-soldiers-hope-/32860368.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ammunition</a></strong></span>, Ukraine tries desperately to fill its ranks. Ukraine’s parliament is <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/15/ukraine-village-mobilized-men-war/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">debating a bill</a></strong></span> to expand the draft pool, partly by lowering the eligibility age from 27 to 25. The war is taking a heavy toll on ministry in Ukraine. According to the Russian Baptist Union, “15 percent of the pastors have left the country with their families, and another 15 percent are working either as chaplains or have been enlisted to fight on the front lines,” <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Slavic Gospel Association</strong></span></a>’s Eric Mock says. “As much as 30 percent of the pastors, church leaders, [and] ministry leaders are fighting or were displaced.” Mock is flying into Ukraine this week to speak at a national conference. He will be speaking to war-weary congregations about the indivisible Church. “There’s an effort to raise 1,000 missionary pastors, something they believe will take seven to 10 years to accomplish. It’s a gargantuan task; we’ve begun training in multiple regions,” Mock says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They recognize they can’t do it alone. It takes God’s Church from shore to shore and from every group on the planet to work together side by side for the sake of the Gospel.”</strong></p></blockquote><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.sga.org/ukraine-updates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Help Ukrainian churches and sign up for regular updates through SGA here</a></strong></span>. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out more workers. “Ukraine was and continues to be the Bible Belt, with more churches per capita than almost any nation on that continent. They have been raised up for such a time as this,” Mock says. “Please pray that God raises additional leaders ready to shepherd and guide the flock.” <em>Header and story images courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 20 Mar 2024 05:00:56 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/ukraine-churches-and-military-seek-to-fill-gaps-as-war-wearies-nation/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SGA_Ukraine-church-service-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>JESUS Film Project celebrates 2,100th translation</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/jesus-film-project-celebrates-2100th-translation/</link><description><![CDATA[Ecuador (MNN) -- <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/the-jesus-film-project/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The JESUS Film Project</strong></span></a> celebrates its 2,100th translation of the JESUS Film. This historic translation brings the Gospel to life in the Waorani tribe’s language from Ecuador. You may recognize the Waorani tribe; their spearing party killed five American Christian missionaries back <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.persecution.com/stories/stories-of-christian-martyrs-jim-elliot-pete-fleming-ed-mccully-nate-saint-roger-youderian/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in 1956</a>.</strong></span> “We were requested about a year ago to do the Waorani language,” says Chris Deckert, JFP’s Language Studios Director. “They've been in the spotlight of missions for many, many years after what happened with Jim Elliot and Nate Saint.” Redemption comes full circle on multiple fronts. First, the Waorani warrior who killed Nate Saint – Mincaye – later came to Christ. <div id="attachment_207528" style="width: 185px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/JFP_waorani-story-pic.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207528" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/JFP_waorani-story-pic-175x300.png" alt="" width="175" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Deckert poses for a photo with Mincaye’s grandson.<br />(Photo courtesy of The JESUS Film Project)</p></div> “I got to meet his three grandsons, and his older grandson helped translate the Gospel into Waorani at the end of the film premiere.” Members of the same tribe who martyred five missionaries decades ago are now preparing to introduce their neighboring tribes to Christ. After premiering the JESUS Film last weekend, JFP staff equipped Waorani believers to be local missionaries. “Twenty of the local leaders receive training on how to show the JESUS Film with a tablet so they could go from village to village on a weekly basis,” Deckert says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Now, using new tools in the Waorani language, “they can go through Bible studies and understand more about who Jesus is from the Gospel of Luke.”</strong></p></blockquote>It’s illegal for Western missionaries to share Christ with certain Amazonian tribes, but the Waorani have full access. Pray they will yield to the Lord’s calling and direction. “They asked for prayer for God to give them strength and vision to present the Gospel and reach out beyond their own tribe to other tribes,” Deckert says. “They now have been resourced to go out and share the Gospel [with] other language groups of the Amazon jungle.” <em>Header and story images courtesy of The JESUS Film Project.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 20 Mar 2024 05:00:05 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/jesus-film-project-celebrates-2100th-translation/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/JFP_Waorani-premiere-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Churches in Russia “resourceful” and persevering in politically charged times</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/churches-in-russia-resourceful-and-persevering-in-politically-charged-times/</link><description><![CDATA[Russia (MNN) — On Sunday, Russia’s President <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-presidential-vote-starts-final-day-with-accusations-kyiv-sabotage-2024-03-17/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vladimir Putin won a fifth term in office</a></strong></span> after nationwide elections that have received mixed international attention.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Joel Griffith with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Slavic Gospel Association</a></strong></span> (SGA) affirms that during this season there has been a significant crackdown on any opposition to the government, as well as freedom of speech.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “In terms of the churches, what they've tried to do is really focus on their ministries as much as possible,” Griffith says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <div id="attachment_207516" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207516" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2008-0108-010-003-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association.</p></div> SGA comes alongside local churches in their ministries. Russian believers have a history of perseverance under pressure, and God has a history of preserving the Church in Russia. “The churches continue on as discreetly as necessary to be able to not only continue their worship (and) their normal ministries, but also to send missionary pastors out to proclaim the gospel,” Griffith says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> For example, there are areas within Russia where the gospel has not yet fully penetrated, such as in the Arctic Circle and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.sga.org/people-in-remote-areas/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Far East Russia</a></strong></span>. Believers are praying for continued open doors to reach these regions with the hope of Christ.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “If things continue to tighten up in Russia, I have no doubt in my mind that they’re resourceful people, and they will find a way to continue to obey the Lord, share the love of Christ and the gospel going on,” Griffith says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Griffith asks for prayer for an end to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/ukraine-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the war in Ukraine</a></strong></span>, which has caused <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-troops-killed-zelenskyy-675f53437aaf56a4d990736e85af57c4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">enormous bloodshed on both sides</a>.</strong></span> “Pray for the pastors, the missionary pastors, the children's workers, the regional pastors across Russia, that they would be able to walk through this situation with wisdom, be able to function and continue to share the gospel with wisdom,” he says. Finally, pray for world leaders, including your own.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “Scripture tells us to pray for our leaders, that we could peaceably live and function in the times where God (has) planted us,” Griffith says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <em>Header photo courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 19 Mar 2024 05:00:46 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/churches-in-russia-resourceful-and-persevering-in-politically-charged-times/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2007-1007-014-001-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Iran’s “fatherless and fearless” GenZ poised for Gospel ignition</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/irans-fatherless-and-fearless-genz-poised-for-gospel-ignition/</link><description><![CDATA[Iran (MNN) — It’s not as hard to change the world as you might think.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> The nation of Iran is an unprecedented, exciting field for the gospel to advance. As young Iranians reject Islam, their awakening to who Jesus Christ is could change the entire Middle East.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Let’s take a closer look at the young generation in Iran, the unique challenges of reaching them, and how you can be part of making history.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><h3><b>CONTEXT: A YOUNG AND RESTLESS GEN-Z</b></h3>Dr. Hormoz Shariat with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://iranalive.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iran Alive</a> </strong></span>says there are three subcultures within Iran. There is the Islamic Revolution generation (over 50), a middle generation (30 to 50), and the young generation (under 30). <div id="attachment_207345" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="wp-image-207345 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/amir-hosseini-TvsKqeORBl4-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="stock, Unsplash, youth, young men, back, beach" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Representative photo courtesy of Amir Hosseini via Unsplash.</p></div> <strong>Shariat calls these Milennials and Gen Z-ers “the generation of the fatherless and fearless.” They are the ones Iran Alive’s ministries especially focus on.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong> “Fatherless means they have nobody over them who cares for them. Anybody older than them, they don’t care about them,” Shariat says. “They have (been) raised in a society that doesn't care for them. There’s a unity among them. Nobody cares for them, but they care for each other.” He calls them fearless because "they're free from the spirit of Islam. (The) spirit of Islam is fear, control by fear. So they're not afraid of government, they’re not afraid of Allah. They have no fear.” Shariat continues, “They have lost everything. They have no hope for the future, so they don't have even fear of death, many of them. They said, ‘We are dead anyway.’” This fearless hopelessness is what Shariat says made so many young people willing to come out on the streets in protests in 2023, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-arrested-pardons-mahsa-amini-ae3c45c6bcc883900ff1b1e83f85df95" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even when many of them were being killed or arrested.</a></strong></span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Although the protests were squelched and people went home, Shariat believes the people of Iran are active, especially the young generation. “Something is brewing and it will come out at the right time.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “But now they're wise. They say, 'Why should they give my life for nothing? I'm ready to give my life for <i>something</i>.'”<h3><b>CHALLENGE: BURNED BY RELIGION</b></h3>The young people in Iran may be searching for something to live for, but they are also wary. To them, clergy and religion are the problem.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <div id="attachment_174642" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-174642 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/cellphone-chairs-coffee-1568342-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Stock photo by mentatdgt from Pexels)</p></div> Shariat says a growing number of young people in Iran have concluded, “I don't want God. I don’t want any religion. Religions all are bad. They all have been used by human being to oppress other people. Christianity is the same as Islam.” “It's our job to tell them, ‘No, it's not. It's different!’” Shariat says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Once young people realize that the God of the Bible loves mankind and is forgiving and kind and so much more, the gospel resonates deeply within them, Shariat says. “The last six months has been an explosion of salvation of young people in our ministry."<h3><b>CALL: HOW THE GLOBAL CHURCH NEEDS TO RESPOND</b></h3>Your prayers can make a difference in God’s movement in Iran.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> But instead of praying first for young people in Iran, Shariat asks that you would pray for <i>yourself. </i> <strong>“Pray that the Church (in the West) will see this historical opportunity, that we can change the direction of a nation for eternity and once Iran is saved, the whole Middle East and even the whole world will be impacted,” he says.</strong> Then, pray for <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://iranalive.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iran Alive</a></strong></span>’s faithful ministry in evangelism, Bible distribution and much more. Pray that they will make the most of every possible opportunity at this critical time to transform the nation.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <em>Header photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/silhouette-photo-of-people-tysecUm5HJA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Papaioannou Kostas/Unsplash</a>.</span></em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 19 Mar 2024 05:00:46 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/irans-fatherless-and-fearless-genz-poised-for-gospel-ignition/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/smaller-papaioannou-kostas-tysecUm5HJA-unsplash-copy-180x180.jpeg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>God’s love reaches and transforms Lebanon’s next generation</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gods-love-reaches-and-transforms-lebanons-next-generation/</link><description><![CDATA[Lebanon (MNN) — As conflict between Israel and Hezbollah drags on across Lebanon's southern border, the spiritual landscape of the nation is transforming as one family, one child at a time grasps who God is.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Camille Melki with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart for Lebanon</a></strong></span> says, “Christ's compassionate heart leads us to love on and care for unconditionally without any discrimination to all the people who God puts in our way.” Kurds, Arabs, Lebanese, Syrian refugees, local internally displaced persons, and impoverished local farmers receive the friendship of Heart for Lebanon.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> The needs truly are massive. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/uprooted-by-war-lebanese-yearn-home-ramadan-2024-03-14/#:~:text=More%20than%2090%2C000%20people%20have,the%20border%20in%20northern%20Israel." target="_blank" rel="noopener">More than 90,000 people in Lebanon have been displaced</a></strong></span> since the Israel-Hamas conflict began last October.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “We have a tall order ahead of us as the needs are overwhelming. But more important than that is that we focus on attending to the spiritual loss as much as we are attending to the physical loss,” says Melki.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> The Heart for Lebanon team goes out regularly <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-key-to-effective-ministry-in-lebanon-is-relationship/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to visit and build relationships with families</a> </strong></span>as Christians. Melki says that rather than argue over politics and religions with these people, “what’s important is to move every conversation into a Jesus conversation.” <div id="attachment_204377" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-204377" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/296964151_5758865860790198_634369763217682236_n-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Muhammad is a student at one of Heart for Lebanon’s programs. In the afternoon, he turns teacher and shares with his friends and family in a refugee camp what he learned that morning.<br />(Representative photo courtesy of Heart For Lebanon)</p></div> When people realize God’s unconditional love, Melki says the first change that happens is they<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>start to accept others with whom they don’t see eye to eye. This is a huge shift.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “Arguments in the Middle East are not words arguments, they're not fistfights: they’re wars. For us to change that, we need to have a calmer, a kinder, a more caring individual,” Melki says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> With that in mind, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://heartforlebanon.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart for Lebanon</a> </strong></span>is deliberate in what it teaches the next generation. The ministry has the privilege of serving 1,300 children in multiple locations in Lebanon with programs and schools that are formative on a spiritual level.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “We build character formation programs in every lesson. We have ten biblical traits, such as forgiveness, such as love of others, such as generosity, such as accepting people of different faith,” Melki says. “In those biblical character traits, we're raising a new generation, a generation that does not revert to anger, to hatred, to revenge, but rather reverts to love, forgiveness and acceptance.” Pray for the gospel to launch in Lebanon like never before. Pray for individuals to be radically transformed by God’s love for them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “Those kids are are not only learning biblical truth, but they are teaching that biblical truth to others. That's transformation. That's when Christ is alive and active in the lives of young kids. They become disciplers of others,” says Melki.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <em>Header photo of Syrian refugee children courtesy of Heart for Lebanon. </em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 19 Mar 2024 05:00:41 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gods-love-reaches-and-transforms-lebanons-next-generation/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/HFL_header-image-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Sudanese Christians introduce desperate people to Jesus as war rages on</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sudanese-christians-introduce-desperate-people-to-jesus-as-war-rages-on/</link><description><![CDATA[Sudan (MNN) -- Sudan’s army <a href="https://sudantribune.com/article283224/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>retakes control</strong></span></a> of the national radio and TV headquarters, lifting a communications blackout imposed by rebel forces <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/sudanese-left-dark-by-rsf-imposed-telecoms-blackout-2024-02-12/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in February.</a></strong></span> “In conflicts and war anywhere in the world, opposing armies see the possession of prime media outlets as [having] the upper hand. If [media outlets are] functioning, then they eliminate the enemy’s message and propagate their message,” says John*, an <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unfoldingword/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>unfoldingWord</strong></span></a> partner focused on Sudan. “The last I heard, the TV wasn’t working in Khartoum, but having possession of it is, to them, extremely valuable.” Lifting the blackout allowed <a href="https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/soup-kitchens-in-sudan-capital-resume-activities-thanks-to-huge-efforts-of-volunteers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>one Sudanese Muslim group</strong></span></a> to reopen its community soup kitchens, providing one meal daily for Muslims breaking their Ramadan fast in Khartoum. Ramadan is also an essential time for the Sudanese army to control the media because “both sides believe in jihad, which is a holy war,” John explains.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“If both sides say that the other side is wrong and are infidels, then [each] can present their side as having a holy purpose, and it makes victory at all costs noble.”</strong></p></blockquote>The war is nowhere near being over, but John and his organization – which we cannot name for security purposes – remain committed to their work in Sudan. By empowering local Gospel workers, they’re introducing desperate people to the hope of Christ. <div id="attachment_207471" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/UW_sudanese-students.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207471" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/UW_sudanese-students-300x198.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="198" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of unfoldingWord)</p></div> <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sudan-war-this-is-not-going-to-be-over-soon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Read this previous MNN story</strong></span></a> to learn how John’s organization is helping Sudanese in need. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bible-translation-continues-despite-sudan-war/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn how</a></strong></span> God is moving through church-centric Bible translation. Then, <a href="https://greater-reach-inc.networkforgood.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>consider becoming a financial partner</strong></span></a> to help ease the suffering through tangible methods. “The living out of our faith and being involved in the suffering of the world is every Christian’s responsibility,” John says. “God will lay on your heart what he has planned for you to be involved in, whether it’s just in prayer or prayer and giving, or even in going, sometimes.” <em><strong>*Pseudonym</strong> </em> <em>Header and story images courtesy of unfoldingWord.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 18 Mar 2024 05:00:07 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sudanese-christians-introduce-desperate-people-to-jesus-as-war-rages-on/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/UW_pray-for-sudan-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Beyond a nuclear power: Iran’s potential impact on the world</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iran-is-nuclear-but-it-is-also-a-launchpad-for-the-gospel/</link><description><![CDATA[Iran (MNN) -- Iran may be a rising nuclear threat, but the global Church also needs to recognize the nation's tremendous potential to advance the gospel in the Middle East.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <i>“</i>Iran (is) at the verge of a historical point where they can have a positive impact in the world, or very negative, and maybe both at the same time,” says Dr. Hormoz Shariat with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://iranalive.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iran Alive</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> He says Iran is not shy about <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us-urges-iran-dilute-all-its-near-weapons-grade-uranium-2024-03-06/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">its development of nuclear weapons</a></strong></span>, but at the same time, an amazing thing is happening as Iranians turn away from Islam and open to the gospel. “The Iranian believers, (when) they come to Christ, they naturally develop a love for God, a love for people and — are you ready to hear that? — a love for nations! Can you believe it?” Shariat says. “They say ‘We have a heart for Arabs, we have a heart for Hindus, we have a heart for the Jews. I want to go to Jerusalem and share the gospel with the Jews.’ That's a God-given desire growing in the hearts of persecuted Iranian Christians.” <div id="attachment_207341" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207341" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/pexels-lara-jameson-8828624-300x200.jpg" alt="stock, map, Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of Lara Jameson via Pexels.</p></div><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Pray not just for God to reveal Himself to Iranians through the ministries of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://iranalive.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iran Alive</a></span>, but also pray for the Church in the West to invest in this movement of God.</strong></p></blockquote>“The Church in the West has so much to offer in terms of spiritual experience, church experience, ministry experience, resources, both biblical resources and financial resources. Pray for the Church in the West to wake up and see what God is doing around the world so they can join God,” Shariat says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “God is making history in many nations in the world, and Iran as a nation will be the first Islamic nation that turns to Christ.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <em>Header photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/group-of-people-in-black-walking-pp6HQAeT7rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Mhrezaa/Unsplash</span>.</a> </em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 18 Mar 2024 05:00:06 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iran-is-nuclear-but-it-is-also-a-launchpad-for-the-gospel/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/mhrezaa-pp6HQAeT7rQ-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Stand with North Africa as “partakers of God’s calling”</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/stand-with-north-africa-as-partakers-of-gods-calling/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">North Africa (MNN) -- In 1 Corinthians 12, God’s design for His Church is a multifaceted, beautiful masterpiece that calls for love and intentional one-another care. The Church has many members with different strengths, roles, and needs, so “that its parts should have equal concern for each other” (<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12%3A25&version=NIV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1 Corinthians 12:25 ESV</a></strong></span>). </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Body of Christ as such plays out within single church congregations — and on regional and international scales.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Yernathen* is a North African leader who serves with </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/asian-access/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>A3</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. He tells us, “The (North African) region has been looking for models, especially Christians — they have never had an example or a model of how they build the church.” </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Two years ago, </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/a3-begins-training-christian-leaders-in-north-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>A3 was invited to serve</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> a deep need for mentorship and training among leaders in the Middle East and North Africa. </span> <div id="attachment_207046" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-207046 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/guy-2617866_1280-300x200.jpg" alt="(Photo courtesy of StockSnap on Pixabay.)" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Mentorship can shape a person’s entire ministry. Yernathen shares the story of one young pastor who chose to stay when war broke out in his country. When asked why he didn’t flee, the pastor said, ”I had a mentor in my life who said, 'Keep God's perspective in front of your eyes. Don’t lose sight of God's plan in your life and in your country.'Each time I remember that man, I cannot betray him.” (Representative photo courtesy of StockSnap on Pixabay.)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The invitation came with good reason. God has done amazing things through A3’s leadership development ministry in Asia for decades. (Learn more about A3’s </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/asian-access-takes-new-name-as-ministry-expands-to-the-middle-east-and-beyond/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>intentional learning cohort model here</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.) </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Yernathen says there are sensitive areas in North African cultures where the church could come into conflict with the government or with the established Islamic societies as a whole, in ways that could hinder the expansion of the Church. It requires wisdom and care and trust to be established between churches. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Over the past, we've had several mission organizations coming up with different ideas. Some of it was good, but some of it, unfortunately, was not appropriate for the culture,” Yernathen says. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“A3 comes with the idea of ‘we are one.’ Because they have their experience in different places in Asia, I think they have the sensitivity of fixing those problems, even before they emerge, because we address them before we have to go through them again. So the discipline of putting the principles of faith, the principles of being together, helps us to grow.” </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Already leaders within Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania and Egypt are being built up through the initiative — and it’s not stopping there. Yernathen says these individuals are inviting leaders in other countries such as Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire to join their groups.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“It seems like it's expanding naturally without having to push it or without having to put it an agenda or an emphasis or one region or the other,” he says. </span> <div id="attachment_207507" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="wp-image-207507 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/northafrica-2024-800x800-1-300x300.jpg" alt="A3, formerly Asian Access, North Africa" width="300" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Graphic courtesy of A3)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He says the entire movement can be traced back to the faithful, visionary leadership of one North African man, who is now with the Lord. </span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“(He) challenged us [African leaders] to get together, because there is much more we could do together than just if we stayed each one by himself. </strong></p></blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400;">God is truly building up His Church in North Africa through life-giving relationships. Would you prayerfully stand behind this movement as well? Ask God to point you to an African nation or people group that you will pray for and strategically invest in. </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://a3leaders.org/participate" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>One way to do that is through A3</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“It's God's Kingdom, to which God has brought us together as one body of Christ to fulfill His command in all nations that He's sent us to,” Yernathen says.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“So I'm not looking at churches in the West as a separated from this journey, but as partakers of God's calling in their lives to enhance our ministry, and to give us the ability to serve effectively.”</span> <b><i>*Pseudonym</i></b> <br style="font-weight: 400;" /><br style="font-weight: 400;" /> <em>Header is a representative stock photo courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/close-up-photo-of-earth-globe-v6kii3H5CcU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Artem Beliaikin/Unsplash</a></span>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 18 Mar 2024 05:00:12 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/stand-with-north-africa-as-partakers-of-gods-calling/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/artem-beliaikin-v6kii3H5CcU-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>War in southern Lebanon risks food crisis</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/war-in-southern-lebanon-risks-food-crisis/</link><description><![CDATA[Lebanon (MNN) -- Lebanon is <a href="https://www.albawaba.com/news/lebanon-file-complaint-against-israel-un-security-council-1557555" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>filing a complaint</strong></span></a> with the UN Security Council regarding Israel’s attacks this week in southern Lebanon, claiming they “targeted residential areas.” Israeli drone and air strikes killed a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/13/world/middleeast/israel-kills-hamas-leader-lebanon.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">senior Hamas official</a></strong></span> near Tyre and a <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/lebanon/2024/03/13/hamas-hadi-mustafa-killed-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Hezbollah facility</strong></span></a> in the Bekaa Valley. Living conditions near the border <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/palestine-israel/2024/03/01/grim-reality-of-war-grips-lebanese-border-towns-near-front-line/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are deteriorating</a></strong></span>, and the war is also ruining Lebanon’s <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/economy/2024/02/26/lebanon-faces-25bn-in-damages-as-israeli-attacks-degrade-farmland/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agricultural sector</a></strong></span>. “A lot of the rockets being shelled at Lebanon have white phosphate, and this ruins the soil for a long, long time,” <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Heart for Lebanon</strong></span></a>’s Camille Melki explains.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Farmers not only are dealing with [today’s] problem of not being able to plant and harvest their crops but also the potential loss of several seasons because of that white phosphate.”</strong></p></blockquote>Heart for Lebanon operates between Tyre and Sidon and in the Bekaa Valley. “We are located strategically to properly care for the families who have fled the recent conflict,” Melki says. “Since October, Heart for Lebanon added 500 new families to our distribution list in southern Lebanon.” <div id="attachment_207462" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/HFL_care-package.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207462" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/HFL_care-package-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">“It starts with a food package, but that’s not our end goal. That’s just the beginning of a journey from despair to hope.”<br />(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)</p></div> Heart for Lebanon teams provide emotional and spiritual care to those affected by war, along with food and clothing. “It starts with a food package, but that’s not our end goal,” Melki says. “That’s just the beginning of a journey from despair to hope.” Heart for Lebanon teams can speak hope into people’s lives by meeting tangible needs. “Food packages go a long way because they’re feeding the hungry and our way of showing Christ’s love. They are our opportunity to answer that question, ‘Why do we care?’” Melki says. “[We can] lead them into a relationship of trust with our staff first, and then eventually invite them to our Bible study groups and discipleship classes.” <a href="https://heartforlebanon.org/invest-once" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Help Heart for Lebanon continue this vital work here.</strong></span></a> “Every family that we serve receives a food parcel worth $45. Maybe it’s nothing for a family in the West, but $45 is a lifeline for families struggling so much here,” Melki says. <em><strong>Most importantly, pray.</strong> </em>“We don’t take prayer lightly at all,” Melki says. “The dangers, challenges, and worries are so real that we need every person in the kingdom of God to lift us in prayers for safety, wisdom, and discernment.” <em>Header and story images courtesy of Heart for Lebanon.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 15 Mar 2024 05:00:09 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/war-in-southern-lebanon-risks-food-crisis/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/HFL_food-crisis-header-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Church asking “the God of peace” to reach Israelis who are losing hope</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/church-asking-the-god-of-peace-to-reach-israelis-who-are-losing-hope/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">Israel (MNN) — “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” says Psalm 122:6. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Peace is still far away from the Middle East. But that doesn’t keep the Church from laying plans for sharing Christ. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Pastor Israel Pochtar of the Beit Hallel Congregation in the city of Ashdod says the church has planned an outreach trip to Beersheba at an undisclosed date later this month to reach people impacted by the war, which is now past its five-month mark.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Three hundred Israelis were taking to the south,” Pochtar says. “Pray for these people, 300 non-believers who will come to hear the gospel.” </span> <div id="attachment_205135" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-205135" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/392822473_712956264196271_4162466193741866270_n-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">War relief action teams delivering much-needed day to day essentials to soldiers at the Israeli army bases in the south of Israel. (Photo courtesy of Beit Hallel Congregation)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Beit Hallel Congregation’s ongoing ministries is to help resettle Jews returning to Israel from other parts of the world — an immigration movement called the <em>a</em></span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">liyah. </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">More than 44,000 people, mostly Jewish, are </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/israel/"><b>estimated to have immigrated to Israel</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> from January to November of 2023.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Generally speaking, people who come from Eastern Europe, they're mostly not religious and they are more open for the gospel. They are kind of disconnected from their families, starting new life in Israel. It really cause(s) them to be more open,” Pochtar says.</span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We’re praying that the Holy Spirit will reveal Yeshua, Jesus, and many of them will be touched.” </strong></p></blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400;">He says that the war and violence are taking a toll on the hearts of Israelis. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“People (are) losing their hope, losing their faith. Many people (are) just lost in all these conflicts. So gospel is the answer, (the) love of God, love of Jesus and all the prophetic messages that preparing us for such an hour. Pray for (the) Prince of Peace, God of peace, God of </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">shalom</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to come and visit Israel. It's very important,” Pochtar says. </span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.beithallel-israel.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Click here to learn more about Beit Hallel Congregation’s ministry.</b></a></span> <br style="font-weight: 400;" /><br style="font-weight: 400;" /> <em>Header image is a representative stock image of Jerusalem, Israel courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/people-walking-on-pathway-cZ9JhgVLFnw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dave Herring/Unsplash</a></span>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 15 Mar 2024 05:00:47 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/church-asking-the-god-of-peace-to-reach-israelis-who-are-losing-hope/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/dave-herring-cZ9JhgVLFnw-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>When God winks at His people</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/when-god-winks-at-his-people/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">Middle East/North Africa (MNN) — In </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans15%3A5&version=NIV" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Romans 15:5</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Paul refers to “the God who gives endurance and encouragement.” </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Denise Godwin with </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/international-media-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>International Media Ministries</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (IMM) shares one example of what she describes as “God winks.” </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“So often, each of us has something that we feel passionate about, or we feel called to do in our lives. Yet there are obstacles and challenges, and it's easy to get discouraged over things that seem too big or too hard, or a calling that is just wearing us down,” Godwin says. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“It's good to rejoice and recognize when God gives you a wink.”</span> <strong>IMM is filming the story of Esther to reach the Persian world. Recently, they needed incense burner stands with a unique, historical design. </strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“In the research [process], the art director found that there are these very specific incense burners that are in front of the king so that Esther or anyone else does not approach beyond that without permission, without risk of death. These are things that you can actually find in the sculpted reliefs in Iran.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The art director wanted authentic and accuracy, but he could not find the right stands for the incense burners. </span> <div id="attachment_173755" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-medium wp-image-173755" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/18278626_10155791809660839_4759519246959147952_o-300x165.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="165" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of International Media Ministries via Facebook)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We have a budget, but sometimes if you can't find the object at all, money isn't always the thing that makes everything perfect,” Godwin says. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The art director finally told the Lord, “It’s just not happening. I can’t think of any other way.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“The next day, he saw some people pulling furniture out of their yard, and they were throwing away a table that had the exact shape legs of these incense burners,” Godwin says.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“He was so excited. He just stopped and asked them, ‘Is this really going in the trash?’ They said, ‘Sure. Do you want it?’ He reworked these into really beautiful, beautiful stands — you can imagine these belong in front of a throne.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The story only got better when the incense burners arrived in the mail and fit the top of the stands perfectly, as if they had been designed that way.</span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It was just beautiful to see how God would say, ‘I see this project, I have called you to do Esther. And I am going to supply your needs.’ We're going to be counting on that a lot over the next 18 months as we continue to move forward on that project.” </strong></p></blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pray that Esther will draw many in the Persian world to the gospel. (</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://imm.edu/esther" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>More on that here.</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">) </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Be on the lookout for how the Lord may be telling </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">you</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> today that He sees you.</span> <br style="font-weight: 400;" /><br style="font-weight: 400;" /> <em>Header image of Esther: Queen of Hope courtesy of International Media Ministries.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 15 Mar 2024 05:00:29 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/when-god-winks-at-his-people/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/DAY4LegacyReclaimed-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Malaysia high court strikes down state-level Sharia laws</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/malaysia-high-court-strikes-down-state-level-sharia-laws/</link><description><![CDATA[Malaysia (MNN) -- Malaysia’s top court <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-international/ap-malaysias-top-court-invalidates-sharia-state-laws-provoking-islamist-backlash/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>recently struck down</strong></span></a> over a dozen Shariah-based state laws, saying they infringed on federal authority. Islamist leaders decried the decision, saying it would “undermine” religious courts. “It seems not so much that they are overturning Sharia law, but the states can’t pass their own version of Sharia law,” Todd Nettleton with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The Voice of the Martyrs USA</strong></span></a> says. “The state that passed these (controversial) laws [said,] ‘We want to enforce these laws the way we see them in our part of the country,’ and the federal government is saying, ‘No, you’re not allowed to do that; you’re not allowed to set your own separate standards.’” <div id="attachment_205905" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/mkjr_-ru6Mp7W_UlI-unsplash.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-205905" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/mkjr_-ru6Mp7W_UlI-unsplash-300x172.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="172" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Malaysia flag (Photo courtesy of Mkjr/Unsplash)</p></div> Instead, the top court solidified the presence of Islamic law in Malaysia by ruling that “Sharia law is established for the whole country, and it is the federal courts that will enforce that, not the states,” Nettleton adds. Believers from a Muslim background are called apostates under Sharia law. Unfortunately, “it doesn’t seem like this ruling is going to change the situation on the ground for a Muslim convert,” Nettleton says. “At the same time, it’s not going to make it worse for an ethnically Chinese Christian or someone from one of those minority groups seen as a Christian to start with.” While Christianity is not illegal in Malaysia, Christians are marginalized by the ruling Muslim ethnic group. <a href="https://www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide/malaysia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>More about that here.</strong></span></a> It is illegal for ethnic Malays to convert to Christianity because they are all considered Muslim under Malaysian law. “One of the ways we can pray is for the Gospel to spread among ethnic Malay people,” Nettleton says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Yes, it’s illegal. Yes, it’s difficult. But we can pray that our brothers and sisters in Malaysia will have access to the Good News.”</strong></p></blockquote> <em>Header image depicts the main entrance of the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KualaLumpurCourtsComplex-Malaysia-20091126.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 14 Mar 2024 05:00:49 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/malaysia-high-court-strikes-down-state-level-sharia-laws/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KualaLumpurCourtsComplex-Malaysia-20091126-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Christian shopkeeper protects Muslim woman from violent mob</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christian-shopkeeper-protects-muslim-woman-from-violent-mob/</link><description><![CDATA[Pakistan (MNN) -- Do you remember hearing about the woman in Pakistan who was harassed by a mob because of her dress <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68399822" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a few weeks ago</a></strong></span>? “The woman was walking through the bazaar with her husband when a Muslim man noticed the Arabic calligraphy and began following the couple,” <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>FMI</strong></span></a>’s Nehemiah reminds us. The Muslim man accused the woman of blasphemy, which riled up the surrounding crowd. “This bazaar has more than 500 small shops, and it's overcrowded,” Nehemiah says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Everybody wanted to kill this woman; [one] person even claimed that he was going to shoot this woman down.”</strong></p></blockquote>Here’s the part that <em><strong>didn’t</strong></em> make the international headlines: Johnson Tariq, a Christian shop owner, risked his safety to shelter the woman and her husband. <div id="attachment_207422" style="width: 185px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Photo1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207422" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Photo1-175x300.jpg" alt="" width="175" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The Muslim woman watches in horror as Johnson Tariq and his employees protect her from a violent mob.<br />(Photo courtesy of FMI)</p></div> “[This] Christian man took the bold move to secure the woman within his shop and gave refuge to this Muslim woman who was about to [be] killed by this Muslim violent mob,” Nehemiah says. “Meanwhile, two Christian salesmen who work with this Christian shopkeeper formed a human chain attempting to calm the approaching mob that sought to breach the shop; [they even threatened] arson.” Tariq and his employees kept the woman safe in Tariq’s food shop until police arrived and calmed the crowd, securing the safe release of the woman and her husband. Actions like these can easily turn into Gospel opportunities. Pray believers in Pakistan will be bold in sharing Jesus with their Muslim neighbors. “Please pray for these Muslim brothers and sisters. That is our mission ground,” Nehemiah says. “This is where FMI is serving [so] that these people can see the light of Jesus Christ and they will know who is the real Savior.” <a href="https://forgottenmissionaries.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Learn more about FMI’s work here.</strong></span></a> <em>Header image depicts a typical outdoor bazaar in Pakistan. (Photo courtesy of <a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/bazaar-market-shopping-weekly-6794102/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arman Sabir/Pixabay</a>)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 14 Mar 2024 05:00:58 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christian-shopkeeper-protects-muslim-woman-from-violent-mob/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bazaar-6794102_1920-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Offering peace in a culture of survival</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/offering-peace-in-a-culture-of-survival/</link><description><![CDATA[Lebanon (MNN) -- As the consequences of war continue to ravage Lebanon, its people live in survival mode. <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/triumphant-mercy-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Triumphant Mercy Lebanon</strong></span></a> addresses immediate concerns while helping people look beyond the physical to their soul’s needs. Lebanese people have been living day-to-day for years. From their <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Lebanese-Civil-War" target="_blank" rel="noopener">civil war</a></strong></span> that ended in 1990 to continued <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/civil-war-concerns-rise-in-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>clashes with Israel</strong></span></a> and spillover from the Syrian civil war, many Lebanese don’t have the luxury of making plans. They cannot rely on many processes that others take for granted.<blockquote>Nuna with Triumphant Mercy Lebanon says, “Everything is short-term. In people's lives, they live day-to-day… They don't know if tomorrow we will have a war. They don't know if tomorrow we will have a shortage of fuel, shortage of foods, there will be no flour (that happened before). Suddenly, we don't have flour. Suddenly, we don't have fuel. Suddenly, something happens. So, this is how we live.”</blockquote><h2>Coping with the Exhaustion</h2>Living without any long-term stability is difficult physically and mentally. This exhaustion affects everyone, not just leadership in ministries. Whatever your job, the constant concern about the next day is tiring. <div id="attachment_207444" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207444" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bible-7092020_1280-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Image by Steve Haselden from Pixabay)</p></div> Nuna says that to combat the heavy mental loads, she takes breaks from thinking about ministry or even just regular future planning for her own life and steps back to read, pray, and enter a time of thinking about the Lord rather than daily life. She encourages others to do the same. TM Lebanon implements this strategy of dealing with the trauma and burn-out extends not only to their workers but to their beneficiaries as well. “Every day, we also send a devotional. We have hundreds on WhatsApp groups and every day, we send a devotional so that they will have at least 5-10 minutes of just listening to a devotion. They need to stop thinking about the immediate need.”<h2>Searching for True Peace</h2>Nuna emphasizes that this strategy is some of the most practical care they give. Whatever troubles come, the state of people’s souls is most pressing. There is no lasting peace without a relationship with God.<blockquote>“He is our peace. He is not just a God of peace, He is our peace,” Nuna states. “If we don't have a peace inside, whatever happens around us, we will never have peace because there is no peace outside. You will have troubles and you will have problems with people and you will have enmities and you will have all this. So really, it's really praying that people will find a place of refuge in the midst of trouble and in the midst of hardship.”</blockquote>This truth applies to everyone, in any situation. Whether you are facing the harsh realities of war, family hardships, health concerns, or any other thing, peace only comes through Christ. Please pray that the peace of Jesus would invade the hearts and minds of TM Lebanon and those they work among. “We need the light of Jesus. We need the hope of Jesus to just come and just go into all these places of darkness and culture. This is our job – but this is also the Spirit's job. It’s more than our job. He does that. He's the one who can light up that spirit in them… We need Jesus – Jesus’s peace, Jesus's light to light up our world so that we become lights.” If you want to support the work of Triumphant Mercy Lebanon, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://portal.trustbridgeglobal.com/public/donate?id=38625a04aa9c26b5943caf178fce1e80d7436012">click here</a></strong></span>. ]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 14 Mar 2024 05:00:47 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/offering-peace-in-a-culture-of-survival/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/TM-Lebanon-e1710378013921-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Haiti PM resigns; country descends further into chaos</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/haiti-pm-resigns-country-descends-further-into-chaos/</link><description><![CDATA[Haiti (MNN) -- Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haitian-leader-says-he-will-quit-after-transitional-council-formed-gang-violence-2024-03-12/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announces his resignation</a></strong></span> as life in Haiti becomes <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/surge-of-gang-violence-sends-haiti-deeper-into-chaos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even more chaotic</a></strong></span> and unpredictable. Gang violence uprooted <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1147457" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>more than 15,000 Haitians</strong></span></a> last week. Kate Michel with Radio 4VEH, a <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/trans-world-radio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Trans World Radio</strong></span></a> partner, says, “Over the last few weeks and days, especially, tensions have been getting worse in Haiti as gang leaders have been calling for the resignation of the prime minister.” Regional leaders call for a transitionary council to appoint Henry’s temporary replacement and organize elections, but the ‘who’s’ and ‘when’s’ of these arrangements remain unclear. Gang leaders <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-68541349" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>are now pushing</strong></span></a> to be part of any power-sharing deal. <div id="attachment_207416" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/4VEH_haiti-story-pic.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207416" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/4VEH_haiti-story-pic-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Radio 4VEH)</p></div> “There’s a lot of chaos in Port au Prince, and people have been suffering from it. The gangs have gained a lot of control over the last couple of years; the police don’t have much authority,” Michel says. The fact “that the Prime Minister has agreed to resign is a whisper of change. But much more needs to be done for law and order to be re-established, for people to go about their lives safely and freely and take care of their families.” Based in northern Haiti, 4VEH continues to broadcast the hope of Christ into Haiti’s despair. “We are continuing to ask people to pray for Haiti. This is a long and complicated situation; the headlines can’t cover all the issues,” Michel says. “We’re thankful for the relative calm that we’ve experienced in Cap Haitiën where 4Veh is based,” she continues.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We’ve been able to stay on the air every day, broadcasting the Gospel, helping people understand that God is still on the throne and sovereign.”</strong></p></blockquote>Thousands have fled the ongoing violence in Port au Prince, adding pressure to remote communities like Cap Haitiën. Their arrival “puts extra pressure on people struggling to survive there. Then, some people are turning up with no family connections, needing to start building their lives from scratch,” Michel says. “There are a lot of needs all over the country.” <em><strong>Consider adding Haiti to your daily prayer list.</strong> </em>“Pray that this new transition will be peaceful; that the gangs will give control to those in authority who can lead Haiti well,” Michel requests. Ask the Lord to intervene and bring peace as only He can. “He’s got a plan and a purpose, not just for Haiti the country, but for every Haitian,” Michel says. “Keep praying and standing by and expressing concern and love for friends in Haiti.” <em>Header and story images courtesy of Radio 4VEH.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 13 Mar 2024 05:00:31 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/haiti-pm-resigns-country-descends-further-into-chaos/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/4VEH_haiti-header-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Persecutions, elections, and hunger for Gospel hope in Iran</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/persecutions-elections-and-hunger-for-gospel-hope-in-iran/</link><description><![CDATA[Iran (MNN) — God is bringing gospel hope to Iran, even in the unrest and conflicts Iran is involved in on a world stage.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Still, life is hard for Iranians, especially Christians. As the good news of Jesus spreads, so too do new persecutions.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Peter Smith, a representative for the Persian-speaking world, says the number of arrests of Christians has gone up in the past several months.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “People who thought were safe in their groups are no longer safe. When they go out the door, they're fearful that somebody will be looking for them to arrest them,” he says. It doesn’t look like the pressure will lift anytime soon. Iran’s <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-parliamentary-election-results-low-turnout-845fabad51eb26bf7fef8087c030f8f8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 1 elections have given hard-line officials continued power</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Smith says that although <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-security-forces-detain-mahsa-aminis-father-anniversary-her-death-rights-2023-09-16/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protests are not happening now like they were last year</a></strong></span>, “there still is the thought that ‘The government is not the answer. We need something else. So what is it?’” <div id="attachment_207326" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207326" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/pouya-hajiebrahimi-yOGGj7aXagw-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="stock, Unsplash, Iran" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Representative stock photo courtesy of Pouya Hajiebrahimi via Unsplash</p></div> It is none other than the eternal life Jesus gives.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “If you want to boil it down to one word, it would be hope. People see that there is hope in the gospel,” Smith says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The simplest and most powerful thing you can do for Iran is pray. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p></blockquote>“For those who have been arrested, pray that they can be a testimony and light in the prisons that they're in,” Smith says. For young Iranians searching for something to live for, pray for dreams and visions of Christ that would draw them to Him. Finally, pray for Christian resources to reach kids.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “There’s a large population of single-parent families inside the country. For these young mothers who need something to help train that second generation of believers, pray that the resources that are available to them can get to them so that as their children begin to understand who Jesus is, at an early age they'll say yes to Him,” Smith says. Expect great things in Iran. God has always been “the One enthroned in heaven” (Psalm 2:4 ESV), and He is building a people of His own in Iran. <em>Header photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-in-black-and-white-plaid-dress-shirt-standing-near-body-of-water-during-daytime-Xs3h-YG8dbk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amir Hosseini/Unsplash</a></span>. </em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 13 Mar 2024 05:00:09 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/persecutions-elections-and-hunger-for-gospel-hope-in-iran/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/smaller-amir-hosseini-Xs3h-YG8dbk-unsplash-copy-180x180.jpeg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>World Missionary Press, Mission Cry send Bibles and resources to Honduras inmates</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/world-missionary-press-mission-cry-send-bibles-and-resources-to-honduras-inmates/</link><description><![CDATA[Honduras (MNN) -- Prisoners in Honduras are receiving God’s Word today thanks to a collaborative effort between missionaries and ministries based in the United States. Helen Williams of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/world-missionary-press/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>World Missionary Press</strong></span></a> says the journey began when a new missionary asked WMP for Spanish Bibles. “‘World Missionary Press doesn't print Bibles,’ I told him, ‘but we have Bible studies and material,’” Williams says. “He said, ‘Okay, that's wonderful! Can you provide it?’ and he sends us a list of 100 copies each of our Bible studies and some other material.” WMP teamed up with a distributor in Honduras to supply the missionary with the items he requested. Praise God for this quick collaboration and for recent prison changes leading to Gospel opportunities. “They got a new superintendent at this prison, and he's a believer so he made it mandatory that the prisoners attend a Gospel service,” Williams says. The story doesn’t stop there. Williams reached out to another MNN partner for further teamwork. “I also contacted <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-resources-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Mission Cry</strong></span></a> and said, 'I've got prisoners in Honduras that need Bibles, can you help?' And Mission Cry said, 'You bet!'” Williams says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They provided 350 Bibles free for these prisoners in Honduras. That's how the Lord works.”</strong></p></blockquote><em><strong>How can God use you?</strong> </em>Seek the Lord for further direction, and consider <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.wmpress.org/donate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">partnering financially</a></strong></span> with World Missionary Press. Most importantly, cover the work in Honduras in prayer. “Pray for fruit; pray for people to come to know the Lord who might not otherwise have access to His Word. Pray for those responding, that they would grow and become established in their faith,” Williams requests. “We just need to pray that the fruit that comes from it (prison outreach) would be fruit that remains and changes a nation.” <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of </em><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/rear-view-of-a-silhouette-man-in-window-143580/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Donald Tong/Pexels.</em></a>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 13 Mar 2024 05:00:17 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/world-missionary-press-mission-cry-send-bibles-and-resources-to-honduras-inmates/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/pexels-donald-tong-143580-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Hope remains despite tragic losses in Ukraine</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-remains-despite-tragic-losses-in-ukraine/</link><description><![CDATA[Ukraine (MNN) -- According to The Institute for the Study of War, <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/residents-flee-eastern-ukraine-as-russian-troops-advance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Russia’s rapid advance</strong></span></a> in eastern Ukraine <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-war-map-russian-offensive-stalling-avdiivka-1877838" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>appears to be slowing</strong></span></a> as Ukraine establishes new defense lines. Nonetheless, serious concerns remain about Ukraine’s position following two years of full-scale war. “They’re running out of munitions, they’re running out of men on the front line, and I think it’s very difficult,” <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Slavic Gospel Association</strong></span></a>’s Eric Mock says. “The military is fatigued; the environment that they’re fighting in is absolutely terrible. This is mimicking things we read about in history during World War One.” <div id="attachment_207400" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SGA_ukraine-send-help.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207400" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SGA_ukraine-send-help-300x157.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="157" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">When you give toward SGA-supported Compassion Ministry, you can help churches reach out with food, hygiene supplies, and the hope of the Gospel.<br />(Photo courtesy of SGA)</p></div> The fog of war clouds casualty statistics. <a href="https://www.euronews.com/2024/03/03/russia-likely-suffered-at-least-355000-casualties-in-ukraine-war-uk-mod" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Last week</strong></span></a>, the U.K. Ministry of Defense claimed over 355,000 Russian personnel had been killed and wounded in the Ukraine war, but it’s unclear how the MoD came up with that figure. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68397525" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Two weeks ago</a></strong></span>, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed during Russia’s full-scale invasion, but for security purposes, he would not give the number of wounded. <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/russia-ukraine-losses-casualties-tanks-death-toll-anniversary-1864726" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>In August 2023</strong></span></a>, U.S. officials said around 500,000 were killed or wounded on both sides, with 70,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed and up to 120,000 wounded. Believers are not immune from the despair and loss of war. For example, “a young woman and her little son were hit [by] a drone in Odessa,” Mock says. “She was just a wonderful, godly woman who sang in the choir; she’s the daughter of an SGA-supported missionary, and the funeral was this week.” <em><strong>Yet, hope remains.</strong></em> “Even in the middle of the despair, we’ve seen a revival; churches are overflowing with people looking for answers,” Mock says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Pastors had told me how difficult it was to reach people even with outreach events. Now, people are flooding into churches asking questions, hearing the Gospel, and coming to faith.”</strong></p></blockquote><a href="https://www.sga.org/ukraine-updates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>You can help suffering Ukrainians through SGA here.</strong></span></a> “SGA provided, since the war began, over 24 million meals, and we know that the Gospel has gone out to over a million people,” Mock says. “In the middle of what is becoming one of the most tragic times in history for Ukraine is an amazing Gospel opportunity where people are coming to faith. Even the ones (Ukrainians) spread throughout Europe are planting churches!” <em>Header image depicts a shelled church in Selidovo, Ukraine, where civilians are increasingly being targeted in the war. By God’s grace, the pastor had already evacuated. This faithful servant ministers to broken lives and even opened up his home to provide shelter. Now, everything has been lost. (Photo, caption courtesy of SGA)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 12 Mar 2024 05:00:58 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-remains-despite-tragic-losses-in-ukraine/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SGA_ukraine-church-bombed-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Bible translators brave danger in Sudan — “They want their own people to know Jesus”</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bible-translators-brave-danger-in-sudan-they-want-their-own-people-to-know-jesus/</link><description><![CDATA[Sudan (MNN) — As millions in Sudan face <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/millions-sudanese-go-hungry-war-disrupts-food-supply-2024-03-06/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>the risk of the largest hunger crisis in the world</b></a></span>, Bible translators within the country need your prayer support as they press forward in their work.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <a href="https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/sudan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">More than 8 million people have been displaced</span></b></a> since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023 between Sudan’s military and the paramilitary group called Rapid Support Forces. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/tag/Sudan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>See our full coverage here</b></a></span>. Amy, a worker in the Bible translation industry, says the chaos has slowed or stopped altogether much of their work in four Sudanese languages and dialects. <div id="attachment_207352" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207352" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Sudan_Envoy_-_Family-300x199.jpg" alt="Wikimedia Commons, stock, Sudan, family, children, man, Muslim, Islam" width="300" height="199" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Photo of a family in Sudan courtesy of <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sudan_Envoy_-_Family.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sudan Envoy/Wikimedia Commons</a>.</p></div> “But in some cases, now, we've been hearing of the workers returning back to our partner and to the place that they're doing the work, because they know that they can be safely there,” she says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Amy says these partners leading the translation efforts have expertise and experience working in the region. They are prepared to help their returning brothers and sisters work through trauma.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “I think the fact that people are returning to do the work speaks to that. They know that by going there, they're going to be cared for not only to make sure that the work is done, but cared for as a person,” Amy says. Many have lost family, homes and churches and had to flee from everything they have known. At the same time, they are utterly convinced of the value of God’s Word.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “They want their own people to know Jesus in in a way that's meaningful to them. They're committed to doing the work whether that means it's unsafe or scary for them. They want more and more people to come to know Christ.” <b>Amy can’t share the details of their translation projects, but that isn’t an obstacle to our prayers.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b> Ask God to protect the entire team and provide every resource they need. Pray for peace, and for God’s Word to reach Sudan and transform it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Finally, pray for the local partners as they help the returning Sudanese walk through grim wartime realities.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “To deal with the trauma, (encourage) their faith, keep them uplifted and keep them strong during this time is very difficult. So continue to pray that God would minister to their hearts and speak to them through the Holy Spirit, keeping them strong and firm and grounded in their faith,” Amy says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <em>Header photo courtesy of<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/man-in-black-suit-jacket-P48tSXjv5ng" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Abdulaziz Mohammed/Unsplash</span>.</a></em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 12 Mar 2024 05:00:41 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bible-translators-brave-danger-in-sudan-they-want-their-own-people-to-know-jesus/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/abdulaziz-mohammed-P48tSXjv5ng-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Iran Alive: “make the gospel bold” for Iran’s Gen Z</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iran-alive-make-the-gospel-bold-for-irans-gen-z/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">Iran (MNN) — A restless, young generation in Iran is searching for more to live for. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">More than 60 percent of Iran’s population is under the age of 30. In the protests of the past two years, young Iranians have shown a decided shift in their mindset. They are no longer looking for hope or help from political authority, as did the generation under the Islamic Republic of Iran founded in 1979. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">To Iranian youth, the government </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">is</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> religion. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“The system, the politics, the government is based on and grounded in the Islamic practices. So when when we refer to politics and democracy, they (young people) immediately think of religion,” says Lily Meschi with </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://iranalive.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Iran Alive Ministries</b></a></span>. <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Anything that sounds or smells like religion, they're rejecting.”</span> <div id="attachment_207326" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-207326 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/pouya-hajiebrahimi-yOGGj7aXagw-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="stock, Unsplash, Iran" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Representative stock photo courtesy of Pouya Hajiebrahimi via Unsplash</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Meschi says this is a historic time for Iran. “Because the new generation — Millennials and Gen Zs — are fed up with the religious rhetorics and anything that is like religion. As a result, they are open to new ideas, to New Age spiritualities, including even the gospel of Christ.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Meschi wants the young people of Iran to know that Jesus said in John 10:10 that He came that people might have abundant life. But while Iranians are desperate for this freedom that can only be found in Christ, they do not recognize Him. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“They think of Christianity just as another religion. We want to sort of wipe off and remove from their mindset and help them have that shift in their mindset of not seeing Christianity yet as another religion.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Iran Alive offers 24/7 programming through satellite TV to help Iranians understand that Christianity is a relationship-based faith. They use social media and other channels to engage a tech-savvy generation, offering discipleship, Christian community and God’s Word through various means. </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://iranalive.org/stories/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Read stories of impact here</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“This is an urgent time for all of us Christians to rise up and to really make the message of Christ, make the gospel bold in Iran and among Iranians, so that we could have an amplified voice among all the other spiritualities that are being offered to Iranians,” Meschi says. </strong></p></blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can be part of this through your prayers and support. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Historically, it only takes one generation for the Christianity movement to be completely wiped off,” Meschi says. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Join in praying for older Christians to faithfully and effectively train leaders of a new generation. Pray that these young people would “truly make this movement of God among Iranians move forward, and keep the momentum going even stronger than the past generation.”</span> <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-standing-on-grass-field-pAe621Q1S9s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MohammadHosein Mohebbi/Unsplash</a></span>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 12 Mar 2024 05:00:50 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iran-alive-make-the-gospel-bold-for-irans-gen-z/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/mohammadhosein-mohebbi-pAe621Q1S9s-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Islamic State associates put Cabo Delgado back in the headlines</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/islamic-state-associates-put-cabo-delgado-back-in-the-headlines/</link><description><![CDATA[Mozambique (MNN) -- At least 80,000 people – <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/terror-and-security/mozambique-militant-violence-christians-cabo-delgado-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mostly Christians</a></strong></span> – have been driven from their homes as terrorist violence returns to northern Mozambique. Despite relative calm last year and the disbursement of peacekeeping troops from Rwanda, Islamic State associates are once again ravaging the Cabo Delgado region. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68477274" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Over 70 kids are still missing</a></strong></span> following recent attacks; some fear the children are now in Islamic State training camps. The same location made global headlines in <a href="https://www.voaafrica.com/a/totalenergies-sued-over-2021-terror-attack-in-mozambique/7304350.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>spring 2021</strong></span></a> when Islamist militants killed dozens of people in an attack on Palma. <div id="attachment_207361" style="width: 392px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/VOM_pray-for-moz.jpg"><img class="wp-image-207361" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/VOM_pray-for-moz-300x157.jpg" alt="" width="382" height="200" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Graphic courtesy of VOM USA)</p></div> “There have been 11 churches burned in the last couple of weeks in northern Mozambique; you have pastors whose lives are being threatened,” Todd Nettleton with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The Voice of the Martyrs USA</strong></span></a> says. Wars in Ukraine and Gaza overshadow Mozambique in the global headlines, leaving recent events largely unnoticed. “You have terrorists stopping buses at checkpoints and going passenger by passenger [to ask,] ‘Are you a Christian or a Muslim?’ and executing those who are Christians and refuse to accept Islam on the spot,” Nettleton says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“People being pulled off of buses and beheaded – that seems like that would get the world’s attention. But for whatever reason, it doesn’t seem to have done so.”</strong></p></blockquote><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide/mozambique/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Help persecuted Christians in Mozambique through VOM USA here</a>.</strong></span> <em><strong>Most importantly, pray.</strong></em> “I hope our [readers] will pray for God’s protection, pray for encouragement, pray for that sense of calling to be so deep and so strong that they know exactly what the Lord is asking them to do,” Nettleton says. “It would make a lot of sense from an earthly perspective to flee, to go someplace safer. Yet we know God is calling some of them to stay there.” <em>Header and story images courtesy of VOM USA.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 11 Mar 2024 05:00:23 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/islamic-state-associates-put-cabo-delgado-back-in-the-headlines/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/VOM_moz-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>How God is moving among the Yazidi</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-god-is-moving-among-the-yazidi/</link><description><![CDATA[Iraq (MNN) -- Secretary of State Anthony Blinken reiterated U.S. support of justice for the Yazidi people <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.rudaw.net/english/world/060320241" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a recent meeting</a></strong></span> with Yazidi advocate, Islamic State survivor, and Nobel laureate Nadia Murad. Abducted by ISIS during the group’s genocide against Yazidis in 2014, Murad has been fighting to hold the terrorists accountable for their crimes. She is also working together with the Kurdistan Region Presidency to ensure the safe return of survivors to the Yazidi heartland of Shingal. Numerous Yazidis have encountered the Gospel since being driven from their homeland by the Islamic State <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-yazidis-needs-unite-them/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>in 2014</strong></span></a>. Today, the Yazidis’ “openness [to the Gospel] can be debated, but one thing that has been very clear is that God is doing some amazing things,” says Samuel* with Redemptive Stories. For example, “the Yazidi speak their own version of Kurdish,” he explains. “One of our partners has a Facebook page that is putting out Christian content in that language, but made by believers from a Yazidi background.” Sometimes, these partners will meet with Yazidi families face-to-face in secret.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“This family will say, ‘Hey, have you seen this page? It’s amazing. They’re talking about this Jesus that is peaceful and loves us.’ All the while, they (believers) know they’re messaging this person from behind the scenes.”</strong></p></blockquote>The Islamic State is not as powerful as it used to be in Iraq, but they’re still around. Secrecy protects believers and the Yazidis from persecution. Pray the Lord will continue calling the Yazidis to His side. “Pray for the Yazidis; pray for our brothers and sisters doing amazing work among the Yazidi. Some churches are being planted,” Samuel says. Pray Yazidis will encounter the God of the Bible through a dream or vision if they have no access to a believer who can tell them about Jesus. “They believe in the spirit world; they believe that God would speak to them potentially through a vision or a dream,” Samuel says. <em><strong>*Pseudonym</strong> </em> <em>Header image depicts a Yazidi religious leader at his home in Babera village near Duhok, Iraq. (Photo, caption courtesy of <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/man-in-white-thobe-wearing-white-taqiyah-UyE-ibnip98" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Levi Meir Clancy/Unsplash</a>)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 11 Mar 2024 05:00:34 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-god-is-moving-among-the-yazidi/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/levi-meir-clancy-UyE-ibnip98-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Hope for those struggling with alcohol addiction</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-for-those-struggling-with-alcohol-addiction/</link><description><![CDATA[<strong> </strong>USA (MNN) -- Every year more than <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-topics/alcohol-facts-and-statistics/alcohol-related-emergencies-and-deaths-united-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">140,000 people die</a></strong></span> due to excessive alcohol use. This makes it one of the leading preventable causes of death in the United States. Brandon Bower with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/the-lighthouse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The Lighthouse</strong></span></a> says that alcohol abuse may rank so high because of its normalization, especially social drinking. “If you look at a lot of kids cartoons these days, you will find alcohol-related things all throughout. Alcohol is normalized on TV and in movies. It makes sense that there's struggles in the community with alcohol addiction, because of the normalization of this.”<h2>Physical and Mental Concerns of Alcohol</h2>Bower notes that not all alcohol use is sinful or due to an addiction. However, Scripture condemns drunkenness in many places, such as <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2013%3A13&version=NIV" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Romans 13:13</strong></span></a>. He says people must be wise as they interact with a substance that has the potential to cause long-term problems and addiction. <div id="attachment_207391" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207391" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/beer-2607172_1280-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Image courtesy of StockSnap on Pixabay)</p></div> Beyond issues like blood poisoning and organ damage, overconsumption of alcohol is a leading factor in many suicides. Alcohol use disorder is involved in about<a href="https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-topics/alcohol-facts-and-statistics/alcohol-related-emergencies-and-deaths-united-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong> 25% of all deaths by suicide</strong></span></a> and ranks as the second most common mental disorder of those who die by suicide. However, alcohol addiction is treatable!<h2>A Different Kind of Program</h2>The Lighthouse offers Biblical addiction programs for a variety of addictions, including alcohol. Bower says, “Whatever you're addicted to has become the love of your life when Jesus was designed to be that love. So if we can replace alcohol with a deep love for Jesus, we don't need to go back to our alcoholic tendencies anymore. But when we when we stop loving God as much as He deserves, that's when these other things slip in.” This approach to addiction treatment has helped restore lives again and again. Bower says he recently saw a graduate named Harold who said he’d been to 20 different rehab programs before coming to The Lighthouse. Nothing had worked. However, with the missing link of faith in Christ Harold is experiencing restoration in his own life as well as with his previously estranged family. The restoration is incredible and yet, it took Harold 20 different programs before he discovered what he was missing: Jesus.<h2>Freedom in Christ</h2>“There are very few Biblical addiction programs, residential programs across the US,” Bower says. “So we're up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, by Michigan. We have a church in Florida that's sending us people all the time. They just sent us their fifth guy to come to our program, because we're the closest Biblical program to them that has open beds.” Bower encourages people who struggle with alcohol addiction to reach out to them. Restoration is possible through Christ! Their phone number is 260-255-6413 and their website is <a href="https://biblicalliferecoverycenter.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>biblicalliferecoverycenter.com</strong></span></a>. Whether someone is ready to apply for a program slot or just needs prayer, they can find information, encouragement, and <a href="https://biblicalliferecoverycenter.com/contact-us/submit-prayer-request/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>people to pray for them</strong></span></a> with The Lighthouse. If you want to support this ministry, <a href="https://biblicalliferecoverycenter.com/donate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>click here</strong></span></a>. <em>Header image courtesy of jarmoluk on <a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/man-alcohol-hangover-428392/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pixabay</a>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 11 Mar 2024 05:00:24 -0400</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-for-those-struggling-with-alcohol-addiction/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/man-428392_1280-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Residents flee eastern Ukraine as Russian troops advance</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/residents-flee-eastern-ukraine-as-russian-troops-advance/</link><description><![CDATA[Ukraine (MNN) -- A senior <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/senior-russian-officer-warns-ukraine-conflict-could-escalate-into-full-scale-war-2024-03-07/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Russian officer warns</strong></span></a> that the Ukraine conflict could spread into Europe as Russian troops advance <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68493215" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in eastern Ukraine</a></strong></span>. Ukraine says its forces are “holding on,” but Russian troops are now attacking five areas along the 700-mile front line. Those who stayed as long as possible in places like Donetsk are now boarding trains to flee as Russian troops inch closer. Darrel Templeton with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://megavoice.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MegaVoice</a></strong></span> says, “The conflict seems to be escalating; Russia is doubling down, and a lot of the support has pulled away from Ukraine and is going to other situations around the world.” Anxiety is tangible as families mourn their losses and fear what the future may hold. “According to the statistics and what our people are telling, virtually every family in Ukraine is, at most, one step away from the devastation,” Templeton says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They are dealing with extreme PTSD at times; they have lost their whole family or their whole city. To speak into their lives at this time with God’s Word is crucial.”</strong></p></blockquote>MegaVoice church partners throughout Ukraine have refused to leave. They’re distributing audio Bibles to everyone who asks, and the demand is constantly rising. Each audio Bible “has a flashlight. It’s solar-powered, and it has God’s word and trauma healing courses,” Templeton says. Pray that the peace of Christ will comfort hearts on both sides of this war. There are believers in both Ukraine and Russia, and each must have “internal peace with God before we can have peace with each other,” Templeton notes. <em>Header image depicts residential buildings in Kurakhove city (Donetsk region of Ukraine) after the Russian bombing on 3 March 2024. Regional administrations report 16 injured people and at least 15 damaged residential buildings. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Destructions_in_Kurakhove_after_bombing,_2024-03-03_(12).jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 08 Mar 2024 05:00:31 -0500</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/residents-flee-eastern-ukraine-as-russian-troops-advance/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Destructions_in_Kurakhove_after_bombing_2024-03-03_12-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Heart4Iran equips Iran’s emerging leaders</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/heart4iran-equips-irans-emerging-leaders/</link><description><![CDATA[Iran (MNN) -- Minorities press on despite an increasingly dangerous atmosphere in Iran. A <a href="https://ca.news.yahoo.com/iran-executions-rise-sharply-834-151251718.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>new report</strong></span></a> from Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) and France’s Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM) says executions surged for the second year in a row in Iran as authorities targeted protestors involved in the ‘Women. Life. Freedom.’ movement. Official sources noted 125 executions in 2023, but the report lists at least 834 executions – <a href="https://www.euronews.com/2024/03/05/iran-ramps-up-executions-as-western-countries-divert-focus-towards-gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>a 43 percent increase</strong></span></a> since 2022 and the second-highest number of state-sanctioned killings since records began. At least 22 of those who died last year were women, the report says, the highest number since 2013. <em><strong>Yet those surrendered to Christ do not fear death.</strong></em> “The vast underground church movement inside Iran is primarily led by women. They have left Islam and become Christian,” Mike* with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart4iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Heart4Iran</strong></span></a> says. Heart4Iran recently gathered these young Iranian Christ-followers and their male counterparts for a leadership development discussion. “God has given these younger believers such amazing tools to contribute to Iranian society,” Mike says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“These are people who are saying, ‘I matter; I can change the destiny of my nation, and I am brave enough to stand in the gap.’”</strong></p></blockquote>Many young believers tell Heart4Iran that their unique giftings don’t have a place in the local church. “When a young Muslim becomes a Christian, their zeal for Christ translates to an innate desire to serve the Lord. Most often, [young people say,] ‘The only way I can be an effective Christian leader is to be a pastor or serve within the church building,’” Mike says. <div id="attachment_198344" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/H4I_cover-image.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-198344" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/H4I_cover-image-300x257.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="257" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)</p></div> “That model is not a holistic model for the growth of a Christian movement within the context of a society and a nation. God is raising Christian believers leading from the context of the marketplace,” he continues. “Defining a leader goes beyond the church context. The survival of the Church and Christian movement in Iran depends on Christian leaders within the marketplace.” Heart4Iran is helping young leaders finetune and develop their skills and passions, enabling them to serve God through vocation. The first way you can help is also the easiest and most important. “Please pray for the younger, emerging leaders to understand that to be an effective, efficient leader does not mean that you have to serve in the church only,” Mike requests. “Pray [Heart4Iran can] train enough leaders organically so they would stay inside their own countries and have an impact through their skills and love for the Lord.” <em><strong>*Name withheld for security purposes.</strong> </em> <em>Header image depicts a snapshot from the emerging leaders' conference hosted by Heart4Iran. Faces blurred for security purposes. (Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)</em>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 08 Mar 2024 05:00:38 -0500</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/heart4iran-equips-irans-emerging-leaders/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/H4I-emerging-leaders-1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Keys for Kids launches Mandarin project</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/keys-for-kids-launches-mandarin-project/</link><description><![CDATA[Asia (MNN) -- Mandarin is the heart language of more than one billion people worldwide. Soon, millions of kids and young adults who use Mandarin at home will have access to the Gospel, thanks to <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/keys-kids/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Keys for Kids.</strong></span></a> Executive Director Greg Yoder says, “We’re in the midst of a campaign to get Keys for Kids and Unlocked into the Chinese language. It’s all being contextualized, and it’s going to be something that isn’t available [right now.]” <a href="https://www.keysforkids.org/chinese" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Learn more here.</strong></span></a> Keys for Kids is also working on faith-based audio drama programs and developing resources for children’s camps, like Vacation Bible School. “Some of those have already been done, and we’re super excited about the response,” Yoder says. While mainland China holds the most Mandarin speakers, <a href="https://goeastmandarin.com/which-countries-speak-mandarin-chinese/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>other hotspots include</strong></span></a> the United States and Canada, with three million and 450,000 Mandarin users, respectively. That’s precisely where Keys for Kids is heading first.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We want to reach out to North American Chinese churches and provide a resource for first-generation Christians.”</strong></p></blockquote>A lot of work is left to do, and it comes with a hefty price tag. <div id="attachment_207297" style="width: 232px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/AsianGirlWithKeysForKidsZoomed-email.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207297" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/AsianGirlWithKeysForKidsZoomed-email-222x300.jpg" alt="" width="222" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Keys for Kids)</p></div> “We have about a half year of audio production for the Keys for Kids [devotional], and then we need to start completely on the Unlocked teen devotional,” Yoder says. “We need about $50,000 to begin this process.” <a href="https://www.keysforkids.org/chinese" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Your gift is doubled through a matching grant here.</strong></span></a> Most importantly, pray. “We know that Satan hates the work that we’re doing, especially when we talk about youth,” Yoder says. “Secondly, we’re asking people to give generously. Somebody has stepped to the plate and will match each dollar up to $25,000; we’re about halfway there.” <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of </em><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/little-boy-in-a-traditional-chinese-shirt-holding-an-ornament-7364219/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Angela Roma/Pexels.</em></a>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 08 Mar 2024 05:00:24 -0500</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/keys-for-kids-launches-mandarin-project/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/pexels-angela-roma-7364219-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Myanmar mandates draft; young people flee</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/myanmar-mandates-draft-young-people-flee/</link><description><![CDATA[Myanmar (MNN) – Myanmar declares martial law in <a href="https://bnnbreaking.com/conflict-defence/military/myanmar-declares-martial-law-in-shan-state-regional-turmoil-and-global-responses" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>five new cities</strong></span></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>,</strong></span> bringing the total to 61 cities nationwide since 2021. Brian Dennett with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/amg-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>AMG International</strong></span></a> says, “As much as 60 percent of the country has been recaptured by resistance groups so the military really is desperate.” <a href="https://www.fides.org/en/news/74798-ASIA_MYANMAR_Martial_law_in_61_municipalities_Radio_Veritas_source_of_hope" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Analysts say</strong></span></a> the military junta imposes martial law in areas under rebel control, signaling the new battle zones it hopes to re-conquer. “We've been praying for an end to everything, and it just seems to keep getting worse,” Dennett says. “Since the start of the coup, thousands have been killed, as many as three million have been displaced, and today, the fighting rages on.” Meanwhile, a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68345291" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mandatory draft</a></strong></span> imposed in late February has millions of young people on the move. “What's happened in the last several days is like a mass exodus,” Dennett says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Young people are trying desperately to escape the country, [queuing in] long lines in immigration trying to get visas legally, and then others are just crossing the borders anywhere they can to get out.”</strong></p></blockquote><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/amnesty-myanmar-junta-has-likely-committed-war-crimes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>After the 2021 coup</strong></span></a>, AMG partners started a hostel for unaccompanied children who cross the border into a neighboring country. <div id="attachment_207314" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/AMG_thailand-hostel.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207314" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/AMG_thailand-hostel-300x200.png" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of AMG International)</p></div> “Many of these children are alone; some of them are orphans of the conflict; they have needed food, clothing, education, and a lot of love,” Dennett says. Now, the hostel is out of room. Expansion plans are underway, but AMG needs your help to reach its goal. <em><strong>Every contribution, whether large or small, makes a significant difference in creating a secure, safe, and nurturing environment for these children.</strong></em> A gift of $50 could provide essential items such as bedding and hygiene items. A gift of $150 could provide furnishings for the rooms. <a href="https://amginternational.org/project/light-asean-hostel-expansion" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Help AMG International expand its Light ASEAN Hostel here.</strong></span></a> Pray AMG can reach more vulnerable kids with the hope of Christ. “Everything we do is done with an eye on sharing Jesus, so the Gospel is being clearly presented to all of these kids,” Dennett says. <em>Header and story images courtesy of AMG International. </em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 07 Mar 2024 05:00:35 -0500</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/myanmar-mandates-draft-young-people-flee/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AMG_thailand-myanmar-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Nigerian extremists repay Christian hospitality with murder</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/nigerian-extremists-repay-christian-hospitality-with-murder/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">Nigeria (MNN) – The brutal persecution of Nigerian Christians continues. As violence builds and people lose their lives because of their relationships with Jesus, the Church in Nigeria urges the rest of the world to keep listening to their cries.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Extremist groups like Boko Haram and the Fulani herdsmen push for extremist Sharia - a fundamentalist version of Islam characterized by an unwavering demand to follow the Quran - to become the law of Nigeria. That would mean more than 200 million Nigerians would be forced to follow Sharia, even though </span><a href="https://www.thearda.com/world-religion/national-profiles?u=166c"><b>Christians make up nearly half of the country’s population</b></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In an </span><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/750mCq9Jb0jNlx1Hb7Ip9G?si=UJzrzjznQmSFlbJ-t-3lWA"><b>interview</b></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> with Greg Musselman of </span><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-canada/"><b>Voice of the Martyrs Canada</b></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Mark Lipdo of </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Stefanosfoundation/"><b>Stefanos Foundation</b></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> said “We the Christians have raised our voices against the demand for Sharia, and we have also called the international community to look at that.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But even if they can’t get Sharia implemented across Nigeria, these militant groups will still leave their mark on Nigeria. According to some victims who have encountered these groups, “They come in successions. Some come in front [and] carry firearms, and they shoot sporadically, scaring people. They are followed by those who carry machetes, whoever they come across, they hunt them down. They make sure that they kill them brutally so that they scare people away from those communities.”</span> <div id="attachment_207305" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207305" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/ng-praying-vomc-lg-300x158.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="158" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Nigerian believers pray for intervention (Photo courtesy of VOM Canada)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">What’s devastating is that Christians who are now being hunted know these extremists. Many Christians have even invited them into their homes. Many of these groups started as wandering nomads who moved from place to place. In some communities, Christians provided these nomads with food or places to stay. “These people have enjoyed the hospitality of the Christians over the years,” Lipdo says. “All of a sudden, these people you have known as good people are supposed to be living with you in your favor, they’re now behaving like your masters, making demands, and attacking and killing you.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">What’s more, officials seem uninterested in intervening. “The government is not treating it as a threat to humanity,” Lipdo says. “We are expected to live with people that arise at any time and do such havoc. This is the plight of the Christians here.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">So what does a Christ-like reaction look like? According to Lipdo, the response needs to be one of love. “We continue to love even to our death, hoping that the government administration we depend on will somehow solve this problem,” Lipdo says. “We don't have an option, but to love. As Christians, once you stop being a Christian, or stop loving somebody, you're becoming worse than what you profess.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Support </span><a href="https://store.vomcanada.org/category/donations"><b>Voice of the Martyrs Canada here</b></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span> <em>Header photo courtesy of Unsplash.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 07 Mar 2024 05:00:44 -0500</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/nigerian-extremists-repay-christian-hospitality-with-murder/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/muhammad-taha-ibrahim-5L2Css9TWlw-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>From overlooked to chosen: Deaf leaders attend 24:14 conference</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/from-overlooked-to-chosen-deaf-leaders-attend-2414-conference/</link><description><![CDATA[International (MNN) -- Global Deaf ministry <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/door-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>DOOR International</strong></span></a> celebrates a first-time invitation to the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://2414now.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent 24:14 conference</a></strong></span> in Nairobi, Kenya. The annual conference gathers leaders from global church-planting networks to collaborate and strategize. “24:14 was founded around Matthew 24:14, which talks about how the Gospel will be preached throughout all the world, to every people group and every ‘ethnae,’ and then the end will come,” DOOR International’s Rob Myers says. “This was the first time that 24:14 had Deaf leaders attend. They (Deaf leaders) had the opportunity to learn standard terms, what things are successful and work well, and also get to share what they’ve seen work incredibly well in these spaces.” The event provided a meaningful experience to DOOR’s leaders and Deaf Christians in general. <div id="attachment_207308" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/DOOR_deaf-leadership-quote.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207308" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/DOOR_deaf-leadership-quote-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">“I never thought that Deaf people could become pastors or leaders,” said *Joseph, a young Deaf believer from *Slibar.<br />“I realized that God had given us gifts just like He had given hearing people. The ability to access His Word and to fellowship with believers in my language has been life-changing.”<br />*Pseudonyms<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of DOOR International)</p></div> “The leaders of 24:14 invited Allan Orozco, the director of our evangelism, discipleship, and church planting program, and another Deaf leader to be involved in their global strategy team,” Myers says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“I know a number of Deaf leaders who, in the past, have applied to missions organizations and had been rejected [after] being told, ‘You can’t be a missionary’ or ‘You can’t be a church leader because you’re Deaf.’”</strong></p></blockquote>Pray collaborative church planting efforts between Deaf and Hearing networks will accelerate. Ask the Lord to advance His Gospel among the world’s unreached Deaf communities. “I would call it a significant moment for the Hearing and the Deaf church combined because God created us as a body. God’s given every single one of us specific gifts and callings to support His global mission,” Myers says. <a href="https://doorinternational.org/give-a-gift" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Support Deaf-led ministry efforts here through DOOR International.</strong></span></a> <em>Header and story images courtesy of DOOR International.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 07 Mar 2024 05:00:04 -0500</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/from-overlooked-to-chosen-deaf-leaders-attend-2414-conference/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/DOOR_unequipped-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Surge of gang violence sends Haiti deeper into chaos</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/surge-of-gang-violence-sends-haiti-deeper-into-chaos/</link><description><![CDATA[Haiti (MNN) —<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A brazen surge of coordinated gang violence this past week has plunged Haiti into a new depth of chaos.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Armed gangs led <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2024/03/05/haiti-state-of-emergency-mass-prison-escape/72848218007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>t</strong><strong>wo massive prison breaks</strong></span></a> in and around the capital city of Port-au-Prince over the weekend. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://crisis24.garda.com/alerts/2024/03/haiti-government-issues-state-of-emergency-curfew-throughout-west-department-as-of-early-march-4-update-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The government declared a 72-hour state of emergency starting Sunday night</strong></a></span>, renewable in 72 hour periods. Since then, gangs attempted to take control of Haiti’s international airport and civilians are desperate for safety. <div id="attachment_207283" style="width: 243px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207283" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Ariel_Henry_July_2023-233x300.jpg" alt="Wikimedia Commons, Ariel Henry" width="233" height="300" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Photo of Ariel Henry courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.</p></div> Greg Yoder with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-world-outreach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Christian World Outreach </b></a></span>(CWO) says the chaos is not going to resolve quickly.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “It’s just baffling that that things can get this bad. There's no real leadership, and no infrastructure to be able to take care of getting things back under control,” Yoder says. Prime Minister Ariel Henry was in Kenya at the time, trying to secure a plan for Kenyan forces to help combat Haiti’s crippling gang violence. Yoder says, “Our national director let me know he's heard that gangs are using drones so they know where to move and where they can get around things. They're using technology that maybe the military and police don't necessarily have there.” The director also said, “So far <strong>over 80% of the people living in and around (Port-au-Prince) are displaced</strong>. They have been kicked out of their homes or forced to leave because of the crippling fear of being gunned down, raped, or constrained to become gang members. “No one is secure in the country. Twenty-seven police stations have so far been destroyed or burnt down. People are starving and going through dire suffering.” CWO has a nearly fifty-year history of providing aid, training and care to Haiti along with the gospel. <strong>They are asking for financial assistance to meet the flood of requests for help coming their way. </strong> <div id="attachment_185343" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-medium wp-image-185343" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/hands-2606959_1920-300x180.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="180" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Image is a representative stock photo courtesy of StockSnap/Pixabay)</p></div> “We're there to help with the physical needs and things we can help with here on Earth. But our ultimate goal is to use those opportunities to share the gospel and give a gospel of hope,” Yoder says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“When there's hopelessness, that's when people are willing to hear and listen to the gospel, because it's a gospel of hope.”</strong></p></blockquote><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://cwomissions.org/haiti/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Click here</b></a> </span>to learn how CWO comes alongside the nation of Haiti and how you can partner with them. “Pray for the church leadership not to fear, for protection for them as they continue to just share the gospel in (the) country.” <em>Header photo is a representative stock image from Haiti courtesy of <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-caring-toddlers-fA29oQ0cpcY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TopSphere Media/Unsplash</a>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 06 Mar 2024 05:00:59 -0500</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/surge-of-gang-violence-sends-haiti-deeper-into-chaos/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/topsphere-media-fA29oQ0cpcY-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Heart4Iran introduces Mohabat GPT</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/heart4iran-introduces-mohabat-gpt/</link><description><![CDATA[Iran (MNN) -- After being introduced in late 2022, Chat GPT steadily grew into a go-to source of information on the web. Today, “more younger people are using Chat GPT as a primary search engine than Google,” says Mike* with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart4iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart4Iran Ministries.</a></strong></span> Thanks to <a href="https://mohabat.tv/gpt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Mohabat GPT</strong></span></a>, whenever a Muslim in Iran searches for answers about Christianity, they’ll find a carefully curated set of biblical content. Creators modified the code interacting with external sources in Chat GPT to point to Mohabat GPT servers instead. Mohabat GPT is “a platform that has been gifted to us generously by one of our ministry partners, Al-Hayat Ministries,” Mike says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We anticipate that in reaching the younger audience, especially Millennials and Gen Z’s, [we will] see more success than our conventional multimedia approach.”</strong></p></blockquote>Heart4Iran leaders hope this is the first of many ways AI can advance Gospel outreach in Iran. For example, “bringing the Gospel to Iran usually carries along with it a risk of putting faces and names on TV that may have families in Iran that could get into trouble,” Mike says. However, using an AI-generated avatar to deliver the information instead of a person “creates a great opportunity for us to bring the latest news, updates, and encouragement to a region that otherwise would be difficult to reach.” Pray for wisdom as Heart4Iran leverages Mohabat GPT and develops other AI tools to introduce Iranians to Christ. “These tools can provide a set of unique challenges and can be quite dark at times,” Mike says. “Please pray that we could be intentional and diligent in the biblical approach through the help of the Holy Spirit to bring the Gospel of light to people.” <em><strong>*Name withheld for security purposes.</strong></em> <em>Header image depicts a recent Heart4Iran leadership conference. Faces blurred for security purposes. Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 06 Mar 2024 05:00:21 -0500</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/heart4iran-introduces-mohabat-gpt/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/H4I-emerging-leaders-2-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Spiritual warfare and a just God in Native America</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/spiritual-warfare-and-a-just-god-in-native-america/</link><description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: 400;">USA (MNN) — The past and the present are both full of challenges for Native Americans. Their history is marked with trauma and deep tragedy at the hands of others. But God is bringing hope and a future to the people who have seen much evil.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Weston Francis with </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/ron-hutchcraft-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Ron Hutchcraft Ministries</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is a follower of Christ and a member of the Navajo tribe. He says there is spiritual warfare behind the mistreatment his people have suffered. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I personally believe that the enemy knows that Native America has a voice because of our pasts. In a way, you would see that the enemy would want to take out the best of the best,” Francis says. </span> <div id="attachment_205586" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-205586 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/RHM_native-american-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries)</p></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“A big part of that I believe was the enemy trying to get Native America to hate who Jesus really was, by using people who <em>didn't</em> know who Jesus was. Because if they knew who He really was like, and they knew His teachings — when He talks about to have love, to have mercy to have grace — that should have been more evident than what we see now.”</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Instead, the things we see now include genocide, sexual assault and other evil acts, which Francis says the enemy would love Native people to dwell on. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Today, Native men and women are more than two times as likely as white men and women are to be victims of violence in their lifetimes. (See more</span> statistics like this in <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/249815.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>a 2023 document from the U. S. Department of Justice</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.)</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But in the midst of the brokenness and the very real cries for justice, Francis remembers that God said that judgment belongs to Him (Romans 12:19). </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“That’s (what) my hopes rely on, to know that people are going to answer for the things that they did — in the same way that you and I are going to (answer) for the things that we do,” Francis says. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Francis is part of a growing team of young Native Americans helping to bring the understanding of who Jesus really is into their communities. On Eagles’ Wings is a program that offers intensive discipleship and leadership development to young Native Americans, equipping them to reach out with the “hope stories” to young people just like them who desperately need Christ. </span> <div id="attachment_147601" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="wp-image-147601 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/RHM-on-eagles-wings-team-facebook-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries via Facebook)</p></div> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://hutchcraft.com/on-eagles-wings/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Learn more about the mission of On Eagles’ Wings here</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, but first and foremost join them in prayer. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Pray that young Native Americans would rise up to the calling that God has called them to be. Pray for the leaders that are spearheading this, because we are going to be held accountable and responsible for what we are doing,” Francis says.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He says there is much lament and forgiveness that needs to take place. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“God says in Ephesians 4 to have compassion and be tender hearted, and to ‘forgive as I have forgiven you.’ It’s real easy to ask God for forgiveness. But it's so hard for us to give that same mercy and that same grace to people.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">“When we choose to forgive, when we choose to love and have mercy, that's when we're most like Jesus.”</span> <br style="font-weight: 400;" /><br style="font-weight: 400;" /> <em>Header photo courtesy of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 06 Mar 2024 05:00:49 -0500</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/spiritual-warfare-and-a-just-god-in-native-america/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rhm-on-eagles-wings-shirt-sun-facebook-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Gaza war worries regional leaders as Ramadan approaches</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gaza-war-worries-regional-leaders-as-ramadan-approaches/</link><description><![CDATA[Gaza (MNN) -- Senior U.S. and Israeli leaders <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-kamala-harris-white-house-e86e6f95a0707e290384fcc86367e4fd" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>are meeting</strong></span></a> in Washington this week to discuss the Gaza crisis. The U.S. began humanitarian aid drops <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/airdrops-israel-gaza-palestinians-biden-9e6cfb3a2c7d909ca2a8a2abd25793ca" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this weekend</a></strong></span> in the latest attempt to alleviate suffering. Hamas officials have not agreed to a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68469699" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>temporary ceasefire</strong></span></a> that Israel signed off on, so the war rages on, sending ripple effects throughout the region. “Remember that whatever is happening in Gaza is affecting not only the surrounding countries but also the whole Middle East – Yemen, Dubai, Jordan, Egypt,” Fadi Sharaiha with the <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mena-leadership-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>MENA Leadership Center</strong></span></a> says. “All over the Arab world, people are feeling it.” <div id="attachment_206676" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/soldier-1864294_1920.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-206676" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/soldier-1864294_1920-300x196.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="196" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of ErikaWittlieb/Pixabay)</p></div> The timing of Israel’s potential expansion into Rafah has some Middle Eastern leaders <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/palestine-israel/2024/02/25/gaza-jordan-israel-hamas-truce-deal-latest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>on edge</strong></span></a>. Ramadan – the Islamic month of fasting – <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68334510" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>begins on March 10</strong></span></a>, the same day Israel vows to begin its assault on Rafah. Christians are not immune from the regional tension. “This is also affecting the mental health and the spiritual health of Christian leaders,” Sharaiha says. “Christians are anxious in the region because this is not over yet. The whole thing is a mess, so people are anxious, especially in Lebanon, because they're not sure what is next.” Believers can also fall into the trap of polarization and political argument. “In the thick of it, sometimes we forget who we are. Our DNA is we are peacemakers.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We need to be very, very prayerful that Christian leaders and the Church does not lose focus on the Lord.”</strong></p></blockquote>MLC courses help Christian leaders keep their eyes on Jesus. <a href="https://menaleadershipcenter.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>More about that here.</strong></span></a> MLC offers practical coursework on MENA-relevant topics like “trauma healing, conflict resolution, how to empower Christian leaders to be peacemakers, and religious freedom,” Sharaiha says. Help from believers like you makes it all possible. First, “Please pray for us. Pray for discernment, grace, and wisdom,” Sharaiha requests. Second, consider supporting Christian leaders in the MENA through sponsorship. <a href="https://menaleadershipcenter.com/en/donate" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>More about that here.</strong></span></a> “You can sponsor a leader taking a course or you can sponsor a whole program,” Sharaiha says. “This is a project for individuals, families, and churches, and there is a blessing whenever you are involved.” <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of </em><a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/palestinian-flag-man-smoke-6950483/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Hosny salah/Pixabay.</em></a>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 05 Mar 2024 05:00:02 -0500</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gaza-war-worries-regional-leaders-as-ramadan-approaches/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/palestinian-flag-6950483_1920-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Iraqi politicians push for IDP camp closures</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iraqi-politicians-push-for-idp-camp-closures/</link><description><![CDATA[Iraq (MNN) -- Iraq is pushing to close all IDP or internally displaced persons camps by the end of July. <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iraq-to-close-all-idp-camps-by-july-30/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>More about that here.</strong></span></a> Samuel* of Redemptive Stories says many people affected by this move would’ve gone home sooner if they could, but they cannot because it’s dangerous. “The southern part is still unsafe because the PKK is still there, and there’s fighting. Only about 15 percent of those people have been able to return,” Samuel says. “The majority of the (IDP camp) community is from Sinjar, which is in federal Iraq. About 85 percent of the people from the north part of that have returned home.” Many remaining IDP camp residents belong to the Yazidi people group. “They’re not particularly liked by either side, whether you be Christian or Muslim. They’re looked down upon by all the other groups,” Samuel explains. “Historically, they’ve been reclusive, but ISIS forced them, because of the displacement, into other spaces. Many of the Christians and Yazidis that were affected by ISIS fled into Iraqi Kurdistan.” <em><strong>Restoring the pre-ISIS status quo in Iraq is a top political priority.</strong></em> “A lot of politicians ran on this kind of platform: ‘We want to put everybody back where they belong. We’re past what happened with ISIS, and our country is stable and secure,’” Samuel says. “They now want to enact that platform, and that’s why they’re trying to press into Kurdistan to have these IDP camps closed.” Pray that Christian ministries will gain new opportunities to establish Gospel work among Yazidi communities. Ask the Holy Spirit to soften hearts on both sides of the ethnic divide. “The human heart hates what it doesn’t understand,” Samuel notes. <em><strong>*Pseudonym</strong></em> <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/serious-ethnic-girl-with-rope-4959227/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ahmed akacha/Pexels</a>.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 05 Mar 2024 05:00:07 -0500</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iraqi-politicians-push-for-idp-camp-closures/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/pexels-ahmed-akacha-4959227-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>The key to effective ministry in Lebanon is relationship</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-key-to-effective-ministry-in-lebanon-is-relationship/</link><description><![CDATA[<p dir="ltr">Lebanon (MNN) — Work in ministry long enough, and you’ll learn that the big-picture vision you are pursuing happens not in your tasks but in the relationships you have with those you serve.</p><p dir="ltr">That’s the key to <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/&source=gmail&ust=1709676028217000&usg=AOvVaw1HzFhm_M_Qbn1gDrhtRnam"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Heart for Lebanon</strong></span></a>’s effective ministry, says Bachir Sarkis with Heart for Lebanon: relationships.</p><p dir="ltr">Heart for Lebanon’s team of staff and volunteers starts each day at 8:15 a.m., dividing out lists of families to visit whom they have connected with, and determining what rooms of their ministry center will host the week’s busy schedule of Bible study groups.</p> <div id="attachment_206971" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="size-medium wp-image-206971" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/HFL_family-care-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Along with food kits and winterization supplies, Heart for Lebanon introduces people to the love and hope of Christ.<br />(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)</p></div><p dir="ltr">For their home visits, Sarkis says four to five groups of staff will connect with at least 30 households every day, if not more. They have the long-term welfare of people in view.</p><p dir="ltr">“When we build relationship(s), we are building trust with people. We are winning the hearts of people, we are winning the love of people,” says Sarkis.</p> <blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><strong>“When we promise them that we have distribution next month, (or that) we will help this family at this date, they find that we are working on time. So we do what we say, and people are touched through how we treat them, because they see through our team all respect, love and care.”</strong></p></blockquote><p dir="ltr">Syrian Sunni (Muslim) families, Syrian Christian families, Iraqis families and those of other nationalities that live in Lebanon alike receive Heart for Lebanon’s friendship.</p><p dir="ltr">The team provides humanitarian aid with respect for Kurdish families too, many of whom are looked down on by Lebanese families as farmers. These families feel the difference.</p><p dir="ltr">“They say, ‘You are totally different. We were taking (a) bad picture about Christianity, and now you're changing everything,’” Sarkis says.</p> <div id="attachment_198286" style="width: 231px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class=" wp-image-198286" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/HFL_story-image-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="221" height="221" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Jesus showed us how to care for people - by spending time with them, acknowledging them, hearing them.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)</p></div><p dir="ltr">Syrian Christian families as well as Lebanese Christian families both may know the basics of the Bible, Sarkis says, that Jesus is the Savior who died on the cross. But they don’t necessarily have a personal relationship with Jesus or know how to accept Jesus as Savior. So the Heart for Lebanon team helps them toward that understanding.</p> <blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Sarkis tells us, “Through the visits that we are doing, we (get) the opportunity to win some of the people that we visit to Christ. It's not easy to win someone to Christ. It takes time, it needs patience.”</strong></p></blockquote><p dir="ltr">Heart for Lebanon strives to help people grow as disciples of Christ. They work alongside the Church with their multiple discipleship programs, learning programs, relief work and more.</p><p dir="ltr">Sarkis asks for prayer for the peace of Lebanon, as Israel and Hezbollah exchange fire over the southern border of the country.</p><p dir="ltr">“We pray for stability in the political situation, because any political earthquake, I'll call it— (if) any political problem in Lebanon or any war might be expanded, (it) might affect all our work.”</p><p dir="ltr">He says a rocket strike in late February struck very close enough to their center in the South to send shrapnel through the walls and windows, and they had to stop all their operations in the region.</p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://heartforlebanon.org/stories/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://heartforlebanon.org/stories/&source=gmail&ust=1709676028217000&usg=AOvVaw1nda9TLytv5VUOVRhEvSXh"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Learn more about Heart for Lebanon’s disciple-making ministry here</strong></span>.</a></p><p dir="ltr"></p><p dir="ltr"></p><p dir="ltr"></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Header photo is a representative stock image courtesy of <strong><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-couple-of-men-looking-at-a-building-KWKvvPdAC_Y" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Masjid MABA/Pixabay</a>.</strong></em></p>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 05 Mar 2024 05:00:19 -0500</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-key-to-effective-ministry-in-lebanon-is-relationship/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/smaller-masjid-maba-KWKvvPdAC_Y-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Christians wary of upcoming elections in India</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-wary-of-upcoming-elections-in-india/</link><description><![CDATA[India (MNN) -- <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The Voice of the Martyrs USA</strong></span></a> reclassifies India amid <a href="https://www.persecution.org/2024/02/29/in-india-zoo-official-and-google-ai-assistant-raise-hindu-nationalist-furor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>escalating religious tensions.</strong></span></a> “We have changed India’s status from ‘hostile area’ to ‘restricted nation’ for the first time in 20+ years that we have been putting out our global prayer map,” VOM USA’s Todd Nettleton says. “This is particularly significant as we approach <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/modi-predicts-370-seat-win-for-bjp-in-upcoming-election/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>national elections</strong></span></a> in April and May.” <div id="attachment_116234" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Flickr_Modi-addressing-crowd-courtesy-personal-feed-04-03-14.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-116234" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Flickr_Modi-addressing-crowd-courtesy-personal-feed-04-03-14-300x180.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="180" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Narendra Modi addressing crowd in 2014.<br />(Image taken from Narendra Modi's personal feed on Flickr)</p></div> Typically, VOM classifies “countries where Christians are persecuted as either hostile areas or restricted nations,” Nettleton explains. “In ‘hostile areas,’ the government at least pays lip service to religious freedom. But there is persecution from a terrorist group or family members or some other source. In a ‘restricted nation,’ the government is driving persecution in that country.” With Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm, India has steadily declined in democratic and religious freedom in the past ten years. Hindu nationalism spread like wildfire in the same period. “The Hindu nationalist ideology that Prime Minister Modi grew up in and espouses and has stocked his government ministries with – that’s what’s driving the persecution of our brothers and sisters,” Nettleton says.<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The government is the driving force behind the persecution of the Church.”</strong></p></blockquote>Hindu nationalists seek to purify India by getting rid of religious minorities. State-level anti-conversion laws and reconversion ceremonies have become increasingly common. <a href="https://www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide/india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>More about that here.</strong></span></a> “Prime Minister Modi wants a third term; he wants five more years to enact these ideologies,” Nettleton says. “Christians in India look at that and say, ‘We know what’s happened in the first ten years under Prime Minister Modi; what will happen in the next five?” <a href="https://www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide/india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Partner with VOM here</strong></span></a> to stand alongside persecuted Christians in India. <em><strong>Most importantly, pray.</strong> </em>Pray believers in India will have courage and perseverance. “Let’s pray against a sense of discouragement,” Nettleton requests. “It’s easy to look at the government and what has happened in the last ten years and be discouraged because Christians don’t have as many rights as they did [before.] Pray that the Lord will be with them.” <em>Header image courtesy of VOM USA.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 04 Mar 2024 05:00:10 -0500</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-wary-of-upcoming-elections-in-india/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/VOM_india-header-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item><item><title>Lebanese ministry demonstrates the Gospel during border conflict</title><link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/lebanese-ministry-demonstrates-the-gospel-during-border-conflict/</link><description><![CDATA[Lebanon (MNN) -- Hezbollah says it would consider <strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hezbollah-signals-it-will-cease-fire-when-israel-stops-attacking-gaza-2024-02-29/">a ceasefire on Lebanon’s border</a></strong> if Israel stops military operations in Gaza. Since October, rockets have driven over 80,000 Lebanese away from the border. At least 42 civilians in Lebanon have died, including <strong><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2024/02/29/1233878458/photos-lebanon-israel-conflict-civilians-killed">a 5-year-old girl</a></strong> on February 21. Christian organizations such as <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/lsesd/">Thimar-LSESD</a></strong> quickly mobilized to help the displaced. <strong><a href="https://www.lsesd.org/merath/">MERATH</a>,</strong> a ministry of Thimar, provided emergency aid for food, blankets, winter clothing, and hygiene products. Thimar’s Hunter Williamson says, “Thimar remains ready to respond to further needs if things escalate.” Before the conflict, daily survival was already a challenge for many Lebanese, including Christians. <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/why-young-people-are-leaving-lebanon-and-how-one-ministry-supports-those-who-stay/">More than 80% of Lebanon’s population lived in poverty</a></strong> due to numerous crises. “There are Christians in southern Lebanon, and across the country as a whole who are either caught in the crossfire whose lives have been upended by this conflict, or who otherwise in some way or another are being greatly affected by this war,” Williamson says. In addition to MERATH, Thimar has five more ministries that work together to serve the many needs of Lebanon. Williamson says Thimar supports local Christians while also showing the love of Christ to others. “Thimar aims for a holistic ministry approach. And in short, that means that Thimar doesn't just want to proclaim the Gospel, but it wants to demonstrate it as well,” says Williamson. <strong>Get a free prayer guide from Thimar <a href="https://www.lsesd.org/sheltered-prayer-guide/">here</a>.</strong> “People can pray for Lebanon and the Middle East as a whole that there'll be peace, and they can also donate and partner with Thimar through its <strong><a href="https://www.lsesd.org/donate/">website</a></strong>.” <em>Header photo courtesy of MERATH on Facebook.</em>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 04 Mar 2024 05:00:51 -0500</pubDate><guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/lebanese-ministry-demonstrates-the-gospel-during-border-conflict/</guid><enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/merath_emergencyaid-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" /></item></channel></rss> 
