News headlines for February 14th 2003

(South Africa)–We begin today in Sub-Saharan Africa where 13-million children have been orphaned because of HIV/AIDS. Jacqui Bond is with AIDS, Orphans and Street Children, a partner with Teen Missions International[1] . Bond says AOSC is helping Teen Missions reach out to these needy children physically. “We have built five of what we’re calling orphan rescue units. We have 10 members of national staff that have been through the Teen Missions Bible School and their training. And, they reach out to these children. So, the children have somewhere to come to have their basic medical needs met. We also teach them how to garden and grow food for themselves.” According to Bond, they’re also sharing the Gospel with these young people. “We have Sunday school. We have, once a month, a Christian camp. The children will come in and they have like a little vacation Bible school if you like.” Bond says many children are turning to Christ. This weekend they’re holding a barefoot walk-a-thon in Florida to raise money for this program which currently costs 25-hundred-dollars a month.

(India)–Next, Voice of the Martyrs[2] reports that four years after the murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons, the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) claims that none of the suspects are members of the militant Hindu group, Bajrang Dal. Pray that the truth will be found as the trials and investigations continue. Pray too, for Christian workers facing continued opposition from individuals and groups such as Bajrang Dal.

(USA)–Many nonprofit groups are being dealt a double blow by the economy. On the one hand, the sluggish financial picture is hurting their ability to raise money, and at the same time, it is what’s causing the demand for their services to expand. Association of Christian Schools International’s[3] Ken Smitherman says they’ve also felt the pinch. “We’re finding that, in general, giving to our international ministries division has been exactly commensurate with the decline in giving nationwide to charitable organizations. We’re probably off about 25-percent.” Smitherman explains that they are trying to hold to their Christian education commitment in spite of the budget crunch. “What we’ve attempted to do, at least at this point, is to just bring a very significant tightening down, across the board, rather than withdrawing services or specific programs at this point.” Smitherman says if the trend remains unchanged, lack of funds will affect growth and the continuation of some programs.

(USA)–Meanwhile, Habitat For Humanity[4] will honor a former president of the United States by putting up 35 houses in one week in his name. Its all part of the Jimmy Carter Work Project, an annual event designed to provide more then just a quality home. “People think that Habitat is just houses and that’s it. But what I have seen in so many families is that children will do better in school. The parents will often time go back and go more education themselves, or a better paying job or a promotion.” Dina Van Ekris is the Executive Director of Habitat in Calhoun County, Georgia. “It’s just amazing to see that kind of reaction in people. We don’t want people to stay where they are we want them to be able to go and do better and break any cycles that they have grown up in.” This is the 20th year of the program and tens of thousands of volunteers have participated since its inception. The work of Habitat for Humanity is driven to express the love of God by eliminating poverty housing and homelessness worldwide.

(USA)–And, on March 15th, EvangeCube Global Ministries[5] hosts a Strategic Evangelism Training Seminar in Dallas. This is an in-depth exercise on training and teaching the body of Christ to effectively share the Gospel the Evangecube as a tool. Their ten-year goal is to equip 10 million believers, challenging them each to present the Gospel using the EvangeCube to 100 people, to evangelize 1 billion people; and, mobilizing those churches for church planting.

[1] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=TMI [2] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=VOM [3] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=ACSI [4] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=HFHI [5] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=ECI