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Christians breathe a sigh of relief in India. India (MNN)–We begin today in India, where the conviction of 13 Hindu extremists in connection with a missionary murder raises concern. Dave DeGroot is with Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Mission India[1] . He points to a Monday attempt to provoke hostilities against believers. “The police immediately arrested one of the Dara Singh associates who was trying to incite a riot in the same district in which the murders occurred. It appeared that the police were clamping down on this person, trying to avoid public outcry.” DeGroot urges prayer for Christians. Hindu nationalist sympathies could turn the convicted man into a martyr, his cause, into nationalism. “There’s a potential of this thing being immediately politicized. That’s the fear. There are simmering, hot pockets of potential violence all over the country, it wouldn’t necessarily be in Orissa. But, this thing could touch off powder kegs across the country, in Gujarat or other places, and everyday that goes by without violence, we’re thankful.” Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5190

Korea counts the cost of Maemi. Korea (MNN)–Elsewhere, South Korea continues to count the cost of Typhoon “Maemi”. The storm system slammed into the country’s main port, leaving billions of dollars in damages. World Vision[2] Korea teams delivered 825 relief kits to typhoon-affected households in an area of severely damaged seashore villages in the southern area. Nearly four thousand additional kits are bound for other typhoon victims. The relief effort, done in the name of Christ, was conducted in partnership with churches and World Vision Korea. Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5189

Increasing costs are causing problems for mission agencies. USA (MNN) — Mission agencies around the world are facing incredible financial needs and it’s starting to affect ministry. Vice President of operations at OC International[3] Harold Howell says while donations have been about the same, cost are climbing. “In the last two years we’ve had close to doubling our costs that we have to pay for medical and benefits, life insurance and those types of things. The overall package has almost doubled in the course of two years. Those kind of changes, we don’t see any end in sight, but yet we have to guarantee our people a certain level of support out on the field.” Howell says the run-away costs have other implications. “We’ve been able to get our people in the field in about the same rate of time that we have in the past. The problem is we can’t support all the ministry objectives they want to do in the field once they get there because the money’s not there to support them.” Pray that many will consider supporting groups financially to make up the difference. Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5191

A new animated story of the life of Christ could have huge implications for closed country evangelism. USA (MMN) — Meanwhile, a new 3D animated film on the life of Christ is close to being completed. It’s Book of Hope International’s four-million dollar “God Man” project. Book of Hope’s Rob Hoskins says “God Man” could be the key to reaching young people in countries like China. “Although we are only able to get a small number of printed Books of Hope into the country of China, what we’ll be able to do with God Man on compact video disc is to literally show it to millions and there are 420-million school aged children in China. So, this will be able to show the story of Jesus in the latest and most relevant way possible.” Hoskins says they still need to raise 800-thousand dollars which will allow them to hit that very important end of the year deadline. “If we don’t hit the end of the year, it’ll make it very difficult for us to get this on any type network television at Easter time for the U-S. And then of course, to roll it out in the other languages will be another budget factor for next year as we release it around the world.” Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5192

IBS, Salvation Army encourage 3,000 firefighters in Canada. Canada (MNN)–And, due to one of Canada’s worst fire seasons, the International Bible Society[4] is responding. IBS has shipped 3,000 copies of Answering the Call, a specially designed New Testament for firefighters, to Abbotsford, British Columbia. The Scripture portions are meant to encourage workers battling 850 forest fires in the area. The New Testaments will be distributed by staff and volunteers of the Salvation Army manning Emergency Response Units and Disaster Relief Units. Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5188

[1] http://www.gospelcom.net/media/group.php?agencyAb=MNI [2] http://www.gospelcom.net/media/group.php?agencyAb=WVI [3] http://www.gospelcom.net/media/group.php?agencyAb=OCI [4] http://www.gospelcom.net/media/group.php?agencyAb=IBS ———————————————————————

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