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Today’s News Headlines:

PERSECUTION INCREASES IN SRI LANKA AS BUDDHIST NATIONALISM EXPANDS DOZENS OF LISTENERS CALL IN TO FEBC STATION IN MOSCOW CHRISTIANS WORLDWIDE FOCUS ON MUSLIMS DURING ISLAMIC HOLY MONTH CHRISTMAS STOCKING PROJECT TO REACH NEEDY CHILDREN IN RUSSIA MINISTRY AIMS TO DISTRIBUTE 250,000 SOLAR-POWERED RADIOS IN HAITI * LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE IN CHILE HELPS UNIFY MAPUCHE INDIAN CHURCHES

Today’s News Stories:

PERSECUTION INCREASES IN SRI LANKA AS BUDDHIST NATIONALISM EXPANDS In recent years Sri Lanka has seen the rise of an increasingly aggressive Buddhist nationalism, complete with disinformation, discrimination and violent persecution. The movement gained momentum during 2001, especially after Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake suggested there was a conspiracy against Buddhism in Sri Lanka, and urged young men to enter the priesthood in order to “protect the religion.” Buddhist leaders have been lobbying the government to ban conversions to Christianity. The Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka pointed to three recent examples of persecution. On Sunday, Sept. 15, an independent church in Padukka, a predominantly Buddhist area south of Colombo, was attacked by a mob led by a Buddhist monk. More than 30 believers were gathered for Sunday-morning worship when a monk from a nearby temple barged in with a mob of about 100 people. The monk began assaulting pastor Shun Turin with his umbrella and struck him in the head with wooden chair. Then the mob overran the church, attacking the congregation with chairs, window bars, and iron rods removed from the church drum set. The church building was demolished. On Oct. 18 pastor Stephen Yogarajah from Bethlehem Church Chilaw was returning from a prayer meeting in Karukupana village with his wife and 11-year-old son when more than 10 hooded men with masks blocked the road and started attacking the vehicle with bars, poles and clubs. Yogarajah suffered injuries to his hand and head, his wife has a fractured arm, and the son suffered head injuries requiring stitches. On Oct. 13 the Assembly of God worship center in Weerawilla was destroyed by an unidentified group who set fire to the worship hall and to a believer’s home nearby. (World Evangelical Alliance)

DOZENS OF LISTENERS CALL IN TO FEBC STATION IN MOSCOW Dozens of phone calls flooded into Far East Broadcasting Co. Russian Ministries’ Moscow station, (AM 963) on Tuesday, Oct. 29, as best-selling Christian author Philip Yancey visited the facility to answer listener’s questions about suffering. Yancey is well known in Russia, partly because of his books, “Where Is God When It Hurts” and “Disappointment With God,” which FEBC Russian Ministries assisted in translating and publishing in a single volume. This was a timely subject as Russians are asking the same questions that Yancey explores in his books, especially since the tragic hostage situation in a Moscow theater. “Philip answered questions such as, ‘Where was God when helpless hostages were sitting in the theater?'” explained Rudi Wiens, director for FEBC Russian Ministries. “He turned people’s attention to what we must do in tough situations that we encounter. The interview continued for more than an hour, and there was a mountain of questions for Philip.” A week earlier, Yancey’s books were distributed at FEBC’s first listener rally in Moscow. The gathering attracted more than 1,200 listeners, giving them an opportunity to meet their favorite broadcasters and learn more about the ministry. (FEBC)

CHRISTIANS WORLDWIDE FOCUS ON MUSLIMS DURING ISLAMIC HOLY MONTH More than 20 million Christians around the world are focusing their prayers on Muslims during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan which falls on Nov. 6-Dec. 5 this year. Since 1993 an initiative called 30 Days Muslim Prayer Focus has encouraged thousands of churches, ministries and small groups to join in prayer throughout this annual event. Many Christians have commented on how much they have learned about Islam and how their negative attitudes about Muslims have been changed as they read about and prayed for Muslims. Prayer guides for adults and for children are available to help believers pray specifically for Muslims during Ramadan. For information visit http://www.30-days.net. (Ripe for Harvest 201)

CHRISTMAS STOCKING PROJECT TO REACH NEEDY CHILDREN IN RUSSIA Alaska-based SOAR International Ministries will again bring Christian cheer to needy Russian children, but instead of shipping in shoeboxes full of gifts, the organization has partnered with Russian Inland Mission to launch a project called “Stuff a Stocking.” “In the past seven years we have worked in Russia with shoebox gifts for Christmas,” explains SOAR Director Richard Page. “In Russia, however, importing the shoebox gifts has become increasingly more complicated, time consuming and expensive.” Through Stuff a Stocking, donors are giving money to purchase Christmas stockings and their contents within Russia. “I wish you could have seen the excitement in the eyes of the children during our pilot project earlier this year,” Page says. “The project has also earned the enthusiastic approval of Russian officials as purchasing these gifts in Russian will help boost the Russian economy.”

The stockings will be packed with hygiene items, school supplies, clothing, candy, toys and a fresh item such as an apple or orange. Stockings will also include a personalized gospel insert with a message and photos from the donor along with a pamphlet telling the Christmas story. “It’s also our goal to provide each child with a Russian children’s Bible,” Page says. SOAR began its ministry in the Chukotka region of the Russian Far East across the Bering Strait from Alaska, flying in ministry teams and humanitarian aid. However, the ministry has since expanded to western Russia with work teams ministering primarily to orphans. Teams also minister through vacation Bible schools, camp programs, gospel clowning, evangelistic meetings and outreaches to widows and youth. SOAR also flies in doctors, dentists and other medical professionals who minister to children and adults in remote areas. For details visit http://www.soarinternational.org or call 1-888-388-7627. (SOAR International Ministries)

MINISTRY AIMS TO DISTRIBUTE 250,000 SOLAR-POWERED RADIOS IN HAITI “Voodoo is Haiti’s only hope,” reported the Associated Press in an article that encapsulates much of the feeling there. At a time of deepening poverty and despair, many in Haiti see only one way out. Men for Missions’ Wayne King, however, is determined to fight the occult’s influence with the gospel. “Voodoo in the country has been going on for 200 years, and it has been renewed with fervor as the time has been approaching for rededication of that country. If we can Haiti with the gospel before the end of the year 2004, we can be a factor in reaching that country for Jesus Christ,” King says. “We’re doing that through solar-powered radios that are fix-tuned to Christian radio station 4VEH. Our goal is to distribute 250,000 solar-powered radios to the people of a country where 70 percent of the people are illiterate. If they are going to hear the good news, it will have to be through the spoken word.” (Mission Network News) * * * * * * * * * * * * * James A. Ferrier

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