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Today’s Headlines:

GUNMEN INJURE 2 INDONESIAN YOUTHS SINGING CHRISTMAS CAROLS TURKMENISTAN’S HARSH NEW RELIGION LAW THREATENS CHURCHES JORDAN’S COURTS STALL JUSTICE FOR CHRISTIAN WIDOW MINISTRY EXPANDS WORK IN IRAQ DESPITE CONTINUING VIOLENCE INTERNATIONAL RADIO OUTREACH LAUNCHES FARSI BROADCASTS TO IRAN POLL: RELIGION CRUCIAL TO CASTING VOTES IN U.S. ELECTION IN 2004

Today’s News Stories:

GUNMEN INJURE 2 INDONESIAN YOUTHS SINGING CHRISTMAS CAROLS Two unidentified gunmen shot at six Indonesian youths the evening of Friday, Dec. 5, as they sang Christmas carols on the street. Two were wounded, renewing fears of terrorist acts against Christians. The attack occurred at 8:15 p.m. in the eastern Indonesian city of Poso as six Christian youths sat playing a guitar and singing Christmas carols in front of the Indonesian Christian Church. In Indonesia, Christmas is celebrated the whole month of December, and these youths wanted to express their faith and unity in Christ. Two men on a motorcycle armed with a military-style pistol shot at the youths six times from a distance of about six feet and sped off. The bullets hit one youth, Hidayat Guru, 20, in the wrist and another, Fifien Rumapar, 16, in the calf as the youths dove for cover. They were treated at the hospital and released into the care of their families. After weeks of increasing violence and the circulation of pamphlets calling for the extermination of Christians “whenever and wherever you find them,” the government has increased security, promising to crack down on anyone with weapons, while sending in extra troops to guard 46 locations where attacks were thought probable. This brought a feeling of increased security to the Christian community, and the youths felt they were safe singing Christmas carols in front of the church. In response to the attack, authorities will send an additional 500 troops to Poso. (Missions Insider)

TURKMENISTAN’S HARSH NEW RELIGION LAW THREATENS CHURCHES Police in Turkmenistan raided a Baptist service on Sunday, Nov. 30, warning church members that they would face severe punishments if they continue to worship without state registration. This is believed to be the first time Turkmenistan’s harsh new religion law has been used since it came into force on Nov. 10. It outlaws all unregistered religious activity while a criminal code amendment prescribes penalties for breaking the law of up to a year of “corrective labor.” Following the raid, police took all those present at the service, including children, to the police station. They were accused of breaking the new religion law and warned that they would be fined 10 times the minimum wage. Authorities threatened to take away the four children of one of the Baptist women and place them in a children’s home. Officials allow only Sunni Muslim and Russian Orthodox communities to register. Marie-Jose van Rie, human rights officer at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe office in Ashgabad, said it’s too early to say if the situation for religious minorities had worsened since the adoption of the new law. “The fact is, police raids on unregistered communities were happening before the new law was adopted,” she said. “But I think that in future, under the new law, the situation of religious minorities will become even worse.” (Forum 18 News Service)

* HCJB World Radio works in partnership with Back to the Bible to air Christian Turkmen programs. Twice-weekly broadcasts began airing from an undisclosed site outside of Turkmenistan in 2001 and moved to daily programming earlier this year.

JORDAN’S COURTS STALL JUSTICE FOR CHRISTIAN WIDOW A Christian mother fighting for legal custody of her two children admitted this week that she has little hope that Jordan’s judicial system will rule in her favor. “Everyone is giving me promises,” said Siham Qandah. “But no one is really doing anything. I’m only counting on God and all the prayers of His people.” The past 10 weeks have been particularly discouraging to Qandah who has watched numerous scheduled court hearings postponed in both Amman and Irbid. When her children’s Muslim guardian failed to appear at the last hearing set for Nov. 23, the judge ordered another continuance. “I hardly expect him to show up this next time either,” Qandah said. Concerned members of the U.S. Congress have reportedly addressed inquiries to King Abdullah II about the case, and Prince Mired bin Raed has discussed it with the monarch. The prince stressed last week, however, that it remains “quite difficult” for anyone in the royal family to intercede with the court. “We do not want to be accused of tampering with the judiciary,” he said. (Compass)

MINISTRY EXPANDS WORK IN IRAQ DESPITE CONTINUING VIOLENCE While some humanitarian organizations are leaving Iraq due to continued violence and unrest, Open Doors with Brother Andrew continues to make progress with its efforts to help needy Iraqi Christians. The ministry addresses both spiritual and physical needs as Iraqi Christians prepare to celebrate Christmas minus the tyrannical rule of Saddam Hussein, but uncertain about the future. Open Doors is distributing 50,000 Christian coloring books as a special Christmas gift to the children in Iraq. Early next year Bible stories for children will be printed and distributed and Sunday school teachers will be trained. Many youth workers have received felt boards to help show children the truths of God’s Word. Also, various Christian books and materials directed at teenagers are being printed and will be handed out early next year. Devotional materials for adults are also being selected and will be distributed in 2004. A Christian praise team from Egypt will hold concerts in Iraqi churches during the Christmas holidays and next spring. In addition, Open Doors is supporting Christian bookstores with thousands of books, cassettes and videos and a resource center in Baghdad that will open early next year. Open Doors USA President Carl Moeller says the sentiment among Iraqis is more positive than immediately after the war. “People are trying to resume normal life, although frequent bomb attacks and other violence limit the scope of these positive developments,” he says. “Christians are happy with their new freedoms. People can freely attend churches, and in some cases the number of visitors has tripled.” (Open Doors USA)

INTERNATIONAL RADIO OUTREACH LAUNCHES FARSI BROADCASTS TO IRAN A Christian radio ministry has started weekly Farsi broadcasts to a country that’s hard to reach with the gospel. A ministry called Leading the Way with Dr. Michael Youssef is bringing encouragement to the country’s Farsi-speaking people. “The program is specifically for Iran,” says ministry spokesman Yesdi Bhada. “We want to provide this opportunity to the people to be able to get the Word, and then let the Holy Spirit do His job, to get them to listen and to bring in the harvest.” Bhada is praying that many Iranians respond to God’s saving grace and for additional funding to expand the outreach. “Right now it’s being transmitted only one time a week. We’re planning on expanding this program. In March or so we will go to two times a week.” Leading the Way now broadcasts in five languages. (Mission Network News)

* 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.

POLL: RELIGION CRUCIAL TO CASTING VOTES IN U.S. ELECTION IN 2004 Nearly two-thirds of American voters say their religious beliefs will be an important factor when it comes time to cast their votes for president next year, according to a new Gallup Poll. Sixty-four percent of registered voters say their “personal religious beliefs and faith” will help shape their vote for president, while 36 percent say it will not. Pollsters detected a “gender gap” between women and men — 44 percent of women said faith would be extremely or very important, compared to only 33 percent of men. Rev. Albert Winseman, religion and values editor for Gallup’s Tuesday Briefing report, said the gap presents opportunities and challenges for both parties. “The challenge for the Democratic candidate — whoever that may be — will be to make a real connection between personal faith and public life, something that most of the Democratic candidates have not yet done,” he said. President George W. Bush, who has been open about his evangelical Christian faith, may have an advantage in areas that are traditional Republican territory — rural areas and suburbs. Only 30 percent of urban voters said religion will dictate their votes, compared to 41 percent of suburban voters and 46 percent of rural voters. (Religion Today/Religion News Service)

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