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Today’s Headlines

MORE EVANGELICALS ARRESTED IN ERITREA FOR WORSHIPING IN HOME VILLAGERS IN INDIA BEATEN FOR BUILDING CHURCH WOMEN ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER IN PERSECUTED CHURCHES ‘YOUTH JAM’ IMPACTS THOUSANDS FOR CHRIST IN AUSTRALIA ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT HONORS MOTHER TERESA U.S. PARAMEDIC FIRED FOR INVITING CO-WORKER TO CHURCH

Today’s News Stories

More Evangelicals Arrested in Eritrea for Worshiping in Home Police in the Eritrean capital of Asmara continued their countrywide crackdown, arresting another 12 evangelical Christians on Sept. 7 while they were meeting in a private house for worship. Nearly all those arrested were described as young people, all members of the Dubre Bethel Church in Asmara. After nine days in custody at a police station in Asmara, the police chief demanded that each of the 12 prisoners sign a commitment to deny their faith in order to be released. When the six women and six men refused, he ordered that all their food rations be withheld. Meanwhile, evangelical church leaders have been unable to learn the fate of 57 young people arrested and locked into metal containers since Aug. 19-20 as punishment for having Bibles with them during their summer military camp at Sawa. At least 230 evangelical Christians are in prison for their faith in Eritrea. Some 12 independent Pentecostal and charismatic denominations which represent 20,000 adherents have been targeted since May 2002 when they were ordered to close their church buildings and stop all meetings for worship, even in private homes. (Compass)

Villagers in India Beaten for Building Church In the village of Sudsudia in the Maurbhanj district of Orissa, India, a mob of 500 people reportedly attacked villagers, beating them, forcing them to beg forgiveness and bow their heads before Hindu deities. A report from the Indo-Asian News Service stated that Baidhar Bindhani was building a church on land he owned with the help of other Christians when tensions flared because local Hindus felt it was too close to a temple — about 600 feet away. Police have been patrolling the village to help prevent further violence. (Voice of the Martyrs)

* HCJB World Radio-Australia’s new shortwave site Kununurra airs 61/2 hours of daily English programming across South Asia, including India. Two half-hour programs in Urdu, airing Monday through Saturday, were added in July, and plans are being made to start Hindi programs. In partnership with FEBA Radio, HCJB World Radio also airs weekly Christian programs to eastern India via shortwave in three languages: Bhojpuri, Chattisgarhi and Mundari.

Women Encourage Each Other in Persecuted Churches Women outnumber men by a large percentage in the persecuted church according to Jane Huckaby, director for ‘Women of the Way’, a ministry of Open Doors USA. “In countries such as Sudan, Indonesia, China, Pakistan and Egypt, women are belittled, abused, and sometimes treated like property.” Huckaby explained their group helps women see they are not without hope. In some countries, “if you are a Christian, and you are a woman, you are the lowest of the low,” she said. “These women do not know that they are vital to their communities. They don’t recognize that they are vital to the church. What ‘Women of the Way’ wants to do is reach out to them, strengthen them and let them know how valued they are by Jesus Christ.” Huckaby said the organization encourages women to rise above difficult circumstances and teaches them that they have a significant role in the church. Women of the Way chapters work to provide Bibles and Bible studies, educate families and supply them with resources to overcome oppressive cultural influences. They counsel and support new believers and teach vocational skills to women so they may provide for themselves and their families. (Mission Network News)

‘Youth Jam’ Impacts Thousands for Christ in Australia At the Entertainment Center in Newcastle, on New South Wales’ central coast Sept. 13, a youth meeting called Hunter Harvest-Youth Jam, in association with Greg Laurie’s Hunter Harvest03 (Sept. 11-14), had an overflow crowd of young people. Many had been invited to come along by fellow high school students and the special SWAT (Students With a Testimony) team of more than 40 youths from Laurie’s home church, Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif. The SWAT team had visited schools and spoken to young people in the streets and shopping malls. Harvest Jam was officially opened by popular Christian musician Steve Grace. The evening program included appearances by the Lads from New Zealand, the American group Switchfoot, and a four-minute segment from the forthcoming film on the life of Christ, “The Passion.” More than 1,000 attendees were counseled during the three nights of the events with a total attendance of 19,900. (Assist News Service)

Albanian Government Honors Mother Teresa The Albanian government agreed Friday, Sept. 12, to declare 2004 “Mother Teresa Year” and also created a national holiday in her honor. Officials said Oct. 19 in Albania would be set aside in memory of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who is of Albanian descent. It is also the day Pope John Paul II has set for beatification of Mother Teresa, the last formal step towards Roman Catholic sainthood. “Mother Teresa was born in Skopje, Macedonia. She grew up here, went to school here, and we are proud of her order, which has become known throughout the world for its humanity,” said Skopje Mayor Risto Penov. Mother Teresa first knew she would work with the poor at the age of 12 while attending a Catholic elementary school. By the age of 18, she became a teacher at a Catholic mission in India’s city of Calcutta. In 1950 she was given permission to start her now world-famous order, Missionaries of Charity, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1979 for her decades of service. She died in September 1997, but her legacy continues as members of her order and volunteers carry on her work in India and around the world. (Assist News Service)

U.S. Paramedic Fired for Inviting Co-Worker to Church A paramedic in Georgia has filed a religious-discrimination lawsuit against her former employer after she was fired for inviting a co-worker to her church. Sherry Lambert sued Memorial Health Inc. earlier this month, claiming they violated federal law. The case stems back from an Oct. 31, 2001, incident, when Lambert invited a colleague to church while on duty. Although the co-worker did not complain about the invitation, company officials terminated Lambert a few weeks later. From 1999 to 2001, Lambert was voted the “Best Paramedic” for Screven county in a poll conducted by a local newspaper. “I’m appalled at the inflexibility and the harshness of the actions taken,” said Mathew Staver, general counsel of Liberty Counsel, who is representing Lambert. (Charisma News Service)

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* * * * * * * * * * * * * James A. Ferrier HCJB World Radio U.S. Ministries Communications Director E-mail: Phone: 1-719-590-9800 Fax: 1-719-590-9801 Web: http://www.hcjb.org http://www.beyondthecall.org * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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