11 October 2002 Update From HCJB World Radio

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today’s News Headlines:

AGENCY WARNS OF LOOMING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN C ”TE D’IVOIRE CHINESE COURT LIFTS DEATH SENTENCES FOR CHURCH LEADERS SUDAN REOPENS AIRSPACE BUT ESCALATES WAR ON THE SOUTH REPORT: CUBAN GOVERNMENT REMAINS INTOLERANT OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 1,500 LATIN AMERICAN CHRISTIAN COMMUNICATORS GATHER IN MEXICO * PIONEER MEDICAL MISSIONARY GRANTED ECUADORIAN CITIZENSHIP

Today’s News Stories:

AGENCY WARNS OF LOOMING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN C ”TE D’IVOIRE As thousands of people flee the bloodiest uprising in the history of C ´te d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), a U.N. agency warned that a looming humanitarian crisis in the once-stable West African country could destabilize the entire region, reported Associated Press. Aid workers estimate that 150,000 people have been displaced by fierce fighting in the central rebel-held city of Bouake where the government launched an offensive this week to oust insurgents who seized half the country after a failed coup attempt on Sept. 19. Thousands of immigrants are also on the run to avoid deadly ethnic clashes unleashed by the fighting. Most come from impoverished countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali which are likely to face a massive influx of refugees. The frightened residents spoke of heavy explosions, food shortages and gangs of tribal militants who burned some people alive. Dioulas are a largely Muslim, northern-based tribe who complain of being treated as second-class citizens by the largely Christian Baoules who have traditionally dominated the government along with other southern-based tribes.

France has about 1,000 troops in Ivory Coast, its former colony, to protect French and other foreign nationals and to provide logistical support to government forces. Working with U.S. troops, the French have evacuated some 2,500 foreigners from rebel-held areas. Their presence along the main road east from Bouake has indirectly helped secure an exit route for the city’s terrified residents. Army spokesman Col. Jules Yao Yao said Thursday that government forces had withdrawn to defensive positions around Bouake to give rebels time to respond to President Laurent Gbagbo’s call for talks. Gbagbo said this week he was open to negotiations, but only if the rebels disarm first — something they show no sign of accepting. A rebel official vowed Thursday to press on with their campaign to push south toward the coastal city of Abidjan.

Chris Marine of Evangelical Baptist Mission says that missionaries were caught off guard by the violence, especially since Ivory Coast had been an oasis of stability in West Africa. “We had no idea this was happening until we woke to gunfire on Sept. 19,” he says. “Out of nowhere, without any warning the gunfire started. There was firing over our campus [at the International Christian Academy in Baouke], and there were times of concern with 163 students on campus.” Marine was among those evacuated from the compound about a week later. “Pray that the Lord would lay His hand of protection on the school, that it would not be looted so that when the situation is resolved, we can get back in there and open the school back up,” he said. “Also pray for the national Christians who are having to live in a very stressful situation.” (AP/Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio’s regional office for Sub-Saharan Africa is in Abidjan. Fr ©quence Vie (Frequency Life), a partner FM station in Abidjan operated by SIM and local churches, continues to air programs of hope and encouragement. The station broadcasts 17 hours daily in French and some local languages. Regional Director Lee Sonius and his family returned to Abidjan on Saturday, Oct. 5, following home ministry assignment in the U.S. Missionaries Larry and Linda Burk are back in Abidjan after being evacuated by helicopter from the northern rebel-held city of Korhogo where they were helping to install an antenna for a partner station.

CHINESE COURT LIFTS DEATH SENTENCES FOR CHURCH LEADERS Leaders of the South China Church have had their sentences reduced after a retrial ordered by the Hubei Province Supreme Court. Four of the church leaders were declared innocent and released immediately. South China Church founder Gong Shengliang and two others were sentenced to life in prison instead of facing execution. Journalist Li Ying, the church’s second-in-command and the publisher of an underground church magazine, was sentenced to 15 years in prison along with Bang Kun Gong. In the original trial, Ying was handed a death sentence. During the retrial, the court dropped all “evil cult” charges against the church leaders. The retrial came as Chinese President Jiang Zemin prepares to visit the U.S. later this month. The church leaders have faced harsh treatment in prison with some receiving severe beatings. The court ruled that the prisoners are forbidden to have Bibles, and copies of the Scriptures sent by their families have been confiscated. In addition, they have been forbidden to pray out loud in their cells. Other inmates have been ordered to interrupt their prayers and to report any prayers to prison officers. (Voice of the Martyrs)

SUDAN REOPENS AIRSPACE BUT ESCALATES WAR ON THE SOUTH The Sudanese government lifted the flight ban into southern Sudan on Sunday, Oct. 6, but it’s unclear how many areas are still off limits to aid missions. Meanwhile, a government fighter went down in Sudan recently, but it cannot be confirmed whether it crashed or was shot down. Fighting is escalating in the country as government bombers continue to attack civilian targets, especially in the non-Muslim Western Upper Nile region. The fighting has resulted in a serious food shortage in large areas of Sudan: (International Christian Concern)

REPORT: CUBAN GOVERNMENT REMAINS INTOLERANT OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM The government of Cuban President Fidel Castro continues to restrict Christian activities despite a promise to increase religious freedoms after Pope John Paul’s visit in 1998. A State Department report released on Monday says that Cuba’s government remains intolerant of religious freedom. The report covered the topic of religious worship in approximately 190 countries, and it found “no change” in Cuba’s policies in the past year. “In general, unregistered religious groups in Cuba continued to experience varying degrees of official interference, harassment and repression,” the report stated. The report accused the Castro government of sending security agents to spy on those who worship in churches, blocking construction of new churches, and limiting the number of foreign priests allowed into the country. (Religion Today)

1,500 LATIN AMERICAN CHRISTIAN COMMUNICATORS GATHER IN MEXICO More than 1,500 Christian communicators from across Latin America gathered in Puebla, Mexico, Sept. 24-28, for the 11th annual of COICOM convention. The theme for this strategic event was, “It’s Time for the Harvest.” The plenary sessions, more than 90 workshops and symposiums challenged participants to mobilize the Christian community to evangelize and saturate cities and countries with the gospel, said organizer Janet Luttrell of Puerto Rico. “Numerous church growth strategies were presented that combine the use of the mass media and the novel use of the small ‘Power to Change’ stands where people can ask about a personal relationship with God,” she said. Among the guest speakers were Pat Robertson, Danilo Montero, Alberto Mottesi, Dante Gebel and Jes ºs Romero. The convention ended with communicators being challenged to help win their home countries for Christ. Plans are already being made for COICOM 2003 in Guayaquil, Ecuador, next October. (Assist News Service)

* PIONEER MEDICAL MISSIONARY GRANTED ECUADORIAN CITIZENSHIP Dr. Paul Roberts, a former missionary to Ecuador who pioneered HCJB World Radio’s medical ministries, has been granted Ecuadorian citizenship in recognition of his “extraordinary labor” to the country. Alejandro Su ¡rez Pasquel, Ecuador’s ambassador to Canada, made the presentation at the Ecuadorian Consulate in Toronto Thursday, Sept. 26, before about 40 of Roberts’ family members, friends and local officials. He is the first Canadian to receive this honor.

“To God be the glory,” said Roberts, 79, who arrived in Quito with his wife, Barbara, in 1949 to begin HCJB World Radio’s healthcare ministries. “I’m a bit taken aback by this honor.” They now reside in Markham, Ontario.

The Roberts came to Ecuador in 1949 even though Paul was told he could never get his M.D. in the country. But through persistence and hard work, including writing a thesis in Spanish, he became the first missionary to earn an M.D. from an Ecuadorian university in 1951. After arriving Ecuador, Paul would often travel with a nurse to remote towns and villages to hold medical clinics. “At that time the roads were all cobblestone,” he says “Even the Pan-American Highway in Quito was a cobblestone road!”

During the Roberts’ first year in Ecuador, HCJB World Radio opened its first medical clinic in Quito, reaching out primarily to Quichua Indians. Paul was later instrumental in starting Rimmer Memorial Hospital (now called Hospital Vozandes-Quito) which opened in 1955. He helped raise funds to build the hospital, speaking 72 times each February for seven consecutive years on a Philadelphia radio program called “Morning Cheer.”

Although the Roberts only served as missionaries in Ecuador for 11 years, they have maintained a close relationship with the country. Every two or three years Paul and a team of doctors from the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine (where Roberts worked for 27 years) have taught postgraduate courses on orthopedic surgery at Central University in Quito.

Orthopedic surgeons come from across Ecuador as well as Peru and Colombia for these courses — the planned to start on Nov. 24. At the last course in April 2000 the Ecuadorian Society of Orthopedics and Trauma made Roberts a full member of the society as a benefactor. He also served as honorary consul for Ecuador’s Ministry of External Affairs for 19 years (1967-1986), issuing visas and passports. Recently he was reappointed to this position.

As a result of his many contributions, Ecuador’s president decorated Roberts in 1990 as a “Knight Commander in the National Order of Merit in Ecuador,” the highest honor that the country can bestow on a foreign civilian. “Two years ago the Ecuadorian ambassador to Canada asked what else they could do for me,” Paul says. “I said that I would love to be an Ecuadorian citizen. The ambassador said this might be impossible. But after 11/2 years of paperwork, a presidential decree made it possible.” (HCJB World Radio)

FREE BOOKLET: Order your own copy of HCJB World Radio’s new 20-page booklet, “God Keeps Opening Doors,” by e-mailing your name and mailing address to . You’ll also receive a free bookmark.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 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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