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Today’s News Headlines:

MINISTRIES BRING HOPE TO LIBERIANS AS POLITICAL SITUATION INTENSIFIES GROUP URGES CANADA SUPREME COURT TO CONSIDER MARRIAGE DEFINITION PRESSURE ON BELARUS CHRISTIANS REMINISCENT OF COMMUNIST ERA CHURCH OPENS CHILDREN’S CENTER IN LATVIA WITH GOVERNMENT’S HELP CHRISTIAN TV PROGRAM FOR IRANIAN YOUTHS GOES ON THE AIR 14 COME TO CHRIST IN OUTREACH TO MUSLIM REGION OF MOZAMBIQUE

Today’s News Stories:

MINISTRIES BRING HOPE TO LIBERIANS AS POLITICAL SITUATION INTENSIFIES Liberian President Charles Taylor said he has accepted a Nigerian offer for asylum, but he warned that chaos could break out if he steps down before peacekeepers arrive, reported Reuters. In a joint press conference with South African President Thabo Mbeki earlier today, U.S. President George W. Bush reiterated his position that Taylor should step down. Mbeki said at the press conference, “The United States will cooperate with the African troops, so we are not saying that this is a burden that just falls on the United States. It really ought to principally fall on us as Africans. Of course we need a lot of support.” Taylor is accused of fueling war in West Africa and is wanted by a war crimes court in Sierra Leone.

World Vision’s Eleanor Monbiot describes an air of resignation in Liberia. “The people do not believe that Charles Taylor will go quite so easily. They have been calling on an international stabilization force to come in for 18 months. They feel quite abandoned by the international community. But they do have amazing resilience, and if calm is brought to the city and to the country, they will very quickly be able to restore their livelihoods.” Monbiot says World Vision teams are working hard to meet the mounting physical needs in Liberia, but not to the detriment of spiritual needs. “We believe that in everything that we do, we witness to Christ. So, if we are giving out food, by our very actions we are witnesses. In emergency response it is not always possible to [witness openly]. But we do work alongside churches.” (Reuters/Mission Network News)

* While the political situation in Liberia intensifies, all remains calm at ELWA, a Christian station founded by SIM in Monrovia in 1954. Lee Sonius, HCJB World Radio’s regional director for Sub-Saharan Africa, says the station is “still on the on the air, but the big problem continues to be getting diesel fuel for the generator.” HCJB World Radio works in partnership with SIM and Liberian believers to operate ELWA. Staff members at the station and the ELWA hospital are committed to maintaining their operations as long as possible. The station was destroyed twice by civil war, first in 1990 and again in 1996. ELWA went back on the air in 1997 with a small FM transmitter. Then in 2000 HCJB World Radio provided a low-power shortwave transmitter, again enabling the station to cover the region. ELWA broadcasts the gospel in 10 languages and plans to add more as resources become available.

GROUP URGES CANADA SUPREME COURT TO CONSIDER MARRIAGE DEFINITION The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) together with its coalition partners announced on Monday, July 7, that the Interfaith Coalition on Marriage and the Family will seek Leave to Appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada in the Halpern vs. Canada case concerning the redefinition of marriage. “We believe the Ontario Court of Appeal decision is deeply flawed and must face the scrutiny of the country’s highest court,” said Bruce Clemenger, President of the EFC. “We are dismayed that the Ontario Court of Appeal would declare that heterosexual marriage, an institution which has served humankind for millennia, is unconstitutional, discriminatory and, by implication, contrary to Canadian values.” The Interfaith Coalition on Marriage includes the EFC, the Catholic Civil Rights League, the Islamic Society of North America and the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops. “We are asking the Supreme Court to reconsider the decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal and examine whether a pre-existing social, cultural and religious institution can be deemed unconstitutional” said Clemenger. “Despite the existence of bills of rights in most western countries, no court in the world outside of Canada has ruled that the recognition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman violates human rights norms.” (Evangelical Fellowship of Canada)

PRESSURE ON BELARUS CHRISTIANS REMINISCENT OF COMMUNIST ERA A new agreement between the Orthodox Church and the government of Belarus is making evangelism difficult, says Anita Deyneka of Russian Ministries. Christian workers are concerned because the agreement is designed to fight against what the government calls “pseudo-religious structures.” Deyneka says Christians are being fined for evangelistic work. “This is very much a flashback and reminiscent of what was so tragic for Christians there, and I’m sure that’s how it seems to them. When I hear of this happening it brings back so many memories of what it was like in the Soviet Union under the communists.” Despite the problems the church is growing, and Deyneka urges people to pray. “Pray for wisdom for the ongoing growth of the church. And, pray for God’s intervention in protecting the religious liberties that are so important for Christians.” (Mission Network News)

CHURCH OPENS CHILDREN’S CENTER IN LATVIA WITH GOVERNMENT’S HELP The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Latvian village of Zilaiskalns has opened a children’s center with help from the local government. On Saturday, June 28, a renovated apartment was dedicated in the village with the goal of serving young people left unattended by parents during the course of a workday. The government offered financial help after church member Lidija Mitrofanova opened her own home for the children, providing classes and a meal. Her resources were strained as 20 young people showed up daily, prompting both commendation from the village and the effort to open up more space for her program. “I supported the establishment of a children’s center,” said Vija Nesterenkova, chairwoman of the local village government. Paul Tompkins, youth and family ministries department director of the church’s Trans-European region, added, “The unique thing that we see here today is that the Adventist Church is cooperating with the local government in this village in caring for children. It’s inspiring to see what they are doing.” (Adventist News Network)

CHRISTIAN TV PROGRAM FOR IRANIAN YOUTHS GOES ON THE AIR Iranian Christian Broadcasting (ICB) launched a TV program for young people this week called, “Youth Caf © Net.” It airs on the SAT-7 television network and can also be seen on the Internet. “We’re very excited about this new project,” says the program’s executive producer. “It’s a high-tech ministry that combines the power of the Internet with the impact of TV.” Hosted by a man and a women in their 20s, the show discusses philosophical and spiritual questions and use of the Internet as a tool to search for answers. Viewers can also log on to a website (http://www.kalamekhoda.com) to look up topics presented during the program. “We think this will help viewers better understand the life and teachings of Jesus.” The fast-paced program also program features videos and interviews with church leaders. The program airs Thursday and Saturday evenings and Friday mornings. ICB is an independent television service for the Christians of Iran. More than 200,000 Farsi-speaking Christians live in or near Iran. (Assist News Service)

* HCJB World Radio, in cooperation with FEBA Radio, broadcasts weekly Christian programs to Iran via shortwave in the Luri language. There are less than 100 known believers among the 4 million Luri speakers.

14 COME TO CHRIST IN OUTREACH TO MUSLIM REGION OF MOZAMBIQUE Open-air evangelistic events and seminars in the East African country of Mozambique are resulting in changed lives. A Mission Aviation Fellowship pilot recently flew a Norwegian evangelist to a small coastal town in Mozambique where he conducted training seminars for local pastors and open-air meetings for area residents. As a result, 14 people in the predominantly Islamic region came to Christ. Members of churches in Mozambique are working to disciple the new believers. (Mission Network News)

FREE WORLD WALL MAP: Full-color, 22-inch by 34-inch world wall map. To order, e-mail your name and mailing address to or visit http://www.hcjb.org.

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