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(Iraq)–Our newscast begins today in post-war Iraq, where officials are trying to reverse the damage from three weeks of war and the month of looting that followed. Faced with the effects of a12 year regime, the people are starved for hope. SAT-7’s[1] Debbie Brink. “Satellite broadcasts are the only source of uncensored information in the region. So, it’s very important for people to have a satellite dish. Under Saddam, it was illegal. But now that there’s freedom to have it, they’re buying it rapidly and they are watching.” In the post-war state, Brink says they took a hit from the struggling global economies. For SAT-7, it’s an issue of prayer. “One of the things that you could pray for are the finances that we need to keep broadcasting. We’ve had to cut down a little bit of our broadcast in the last couple of months, on one satellite, from seven days to four days per week. We really want to get that back up to seven days and be able to reach all of our viewers.”

(Mozambique)–Elsewhere, World Vision’s[2] Mozambique Relief team says there is a staple maize crop failure somewhere between 80-95-percent. For some communities this is the third year of a poor or partly failed crop. As their team mobilizes response, World Vision reports the need for assistance is critical, in many cases what food store there is may run out in August. Staffers believe that through their help, they represent Jesus Christ to the suffering Mozambiquans.

(Haiti)–The number of malnutrition and neglect cases at Food For The Poor’s[3] pediatric hospital in Haiti has risen steadily since last year. With fewer jobs, an unstable economy and higher food prices, poor parents can’t take care of their children. Food For The Poor’s Robin Mahfood says the influx of such cases severely taxes the hospital’s resources. “These clinics frequently find themselves facing unexpected situations, like emergency surgery and care of children like Moses.” ‘Moses’ is an infant left for dead in the streets of Haiti. A passerby brought the injured baby to the clinic where staff reached out. Mahfood says this encompasses their mission. “The Bible tells us our heavenly Father will not abandon us in our hour of need. He knows when the smallest of sparrows falls to the ground. Surely, on that chilled, grayish morning, when Moses cried out for help, God heard that tiny sparrow fall, and rescued him.”

(Ghana)–Next, the need for clean drinking water continues to provide an open door for sharing the Gospel message. Living Water International’s[4] Allen Fulton says they are responding to the massive need in West Africa. “We are not only able to give the water to drink but we’re also able to give the best living water that there is and that’s to be able to present the Gospel. It’s like an open door when we say we’d like to drill you a water-well but we would also like to tell you something that is even more fulfilling than a glass of water.” Living Water reaches many communities in Ghana, but it’s not enough. Fulton explains the scope of what needs to be done. “We’ve drilled about 28 completed projects here and we’ve only been able to touch the lives of maybe 14-thousand people and we’re looking at 7.2 million people that are without good water and probably over 90 percent of the 7.2 I’d say, need to be reached for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” West Africa is in its rainy season now, so team members must bide their time waiting for better conditions and supplies before proceeding.

(Laos)–And, despite the difficulties faced by believers in some parts of Laos, ministry developments are keeping pace with community response. World Help[5] reports that partners in Thailand and Laos are trusting God to fund the construction of a new training center and church in a Northeast Thai village. They are trying to raise 59-thousand dollars to finish the construction project. They also need support for workers and staff members. Please pray that God will meet their needs.

[1] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=SAT7 [2] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=WVI [3] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=FFP [4] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=LWI [5] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=WHP ———————————————————————

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