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Believers celebrate the new government in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka (MNN)–Topping the news, Sri Lanka has a new government. The Freedom Alliance narrowly won parliamentary elections, beating out the Buddhist monks. What’s more, the new president wants to open peace talks with rebels. Gospel For Asia’s[1] KP Yohanon says they are excited about the report because: “The negotiation with the Tamil Tigers will continue, which is the peace process, which means in God’s grace and mercy, there’s a good possibility that finally, after decades of civil war, there may be peace, which will give us freedom to continue to preach the Gospel.” Yohanon says there is an implied blessing to the elections’ results–an answer to prayer. “The very fact that [the] Buddhist political party lost completely will give us some freedom to continue to do the work, even there will be some persecution.” Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5880

AIDS orphans to benefit from a village ministry plan in South Africa. South Africa (MNN)–We turn next to South Africa where AIDS continues to ravage families. As a result, tens of thousands of children are now part of a culture of orphans. Evangelical Baptist Missions'[2] Paul Jackson says they’re responding with a ministry called Bethesda Village. The project is in the first construction phase. However, they’ve run into one major problem. “We are right now fine tuning our strategy. With the drastic fall of the dollar in South Africa, right now, obviously, what we can build budget-wise is significantly less. It’s really lost almost 40-percent of its value in the last year. We’re seeing the village as being an opportunity to take care of the kids who totally fall through the cracks in the system.” EBM hopes to partner with churches and others to share the hope of Christ with the country’s future. “If somehow EBM and Bethesda could come alongside those ministries, provide things that they need in order to take care of kids at that level, we see the opportunity of taking care of, instead of hundreds, probably thousands of kids.” Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5876 [3]

A new ministry is born in India with its roots toward the original outreach in Wales. India (MNN)–In 1910, a Welsh missionary brought the Gospel to northeast India. Nearly a century later, India’s believers are reaching out to revive the church in Wales. Bibles For The World’s[4] Rochunga Pudaite says five thousand believers launched the Billion Bible campaign from Sielmat, the equivalent of Capernaum, in India. “When I told them that less than three-percent of the people in Wales go to church, and that every week there’s at one church being sold because there’s no more attendees, and that the Muslims and the Hindus are buying, people cried and wept.” Pudaite says the Hmar believers were moved with compassion, and determined to send out 100-thousand Bibles by the campaign’s end. “Just the cost of printing and mailing is two days’ salary for the average man in our area. But, I am so happy to say that they’re willing to sacrifice for Jesus Christ. Thousands of Bibles are beginning to go to the land of Wales.” Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5879

Old Testament translations are underway in six East Asian languages. East Asia (MNN)–Meanwhile, Old Testament translations are now underway in six East Asian languages. The World Bible Translation Center[5] is working on the Thai, Nepali, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Myanmar and Korean Old Testaments to meet ministry needs. Pray that these will be ready to go before the end of the year. The Center also plans to print a Vietnamese/English and a Thai/English parallel New Testament this year. Parallel Scripture texts make great evangelistic tools for those learning a second language. Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5878

Preparations are underway for Reno Festival. USA (MNN)–And, counselor training is slated for May 15th, a little over a month before evangelist Luis Palau’s[6] Reno Festival. LPEA teams will need over 3,000 volunteer counselors to help at the festival, which is slated for June 11th and 12th at Rancho San Rafael Park in Nevada. The invitation to accept the Lord will be given multiple times over the two-day event, from the main stage, to the children’s area and the skate park. Please pray for ready hearts and smooth preparations as the event date nears. Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5877

[1] http://mnn.gospelcom.net/media/group.php?agencyAb=GFA [2] http://mnn.gospelcom.net/media/group.php?agencyAb=EBM [3] http://www.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/ramhurl?f=/mnn/interviews/04- 08-04pauljackson.rm [4] http://mnn.gospelcom.net/media/group.php?agencyAb=BFTW [5] http://mnn.gospelcom.net/media/group.php?agencyAb=WBTC [6] http://mnn.gospelcom.net/media/group.php?agencyAb=LPEA

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