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Today’s Headlines:

CHINA TIGHTENS CONTROL ON RELIGION AS ARRESTS ESCALATE

WORLD VISION REOPENS CLINICS IN LIBERIA AFTER YEARS OF CIVIL WAR

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD AIMS TO COLLECT 7 MILLION SHOEBOX GIFTS

AMERICAN, NATIONAL DOCTORS MINISTER TOGETHER IN GHANA

FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY PLANS LONG-TERM SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR SUDAN

2,300 TURN TO CHRIST AT FRANKLIN GRAHAM CRUSADE IN EASTERN CANADA

Today’s News Stories:

CHINA TIGHTENS CONTROL ON RELIGION AS ARRESTS ESCALATE A series of arrests and raids in China during September and October indicate that a new crackdown is underway against Christians even as the government professed its willingness to liberalize its policies on religion. Well-known evangelical leader Cai Zhuohua was among those arrested and reportedly faces an extremely harsh sentence because of his role in house church leadership and religious literature distribution. Chinese officials had recently declared new changes in religious policy, but evidence has since emerged that the regime issued three internal directives in August calling for “much tighter control of religion.” A Chinese-language magazine reported that the new directives aim to suppress the conversion of Communist Party members, the growth of religion and religious organizations across the country, and the increase of religious activity on university campuses. A document issued by the Community Party calls for a specific crackdown on the “rampant” growth of religious believers in 11 provinces: Guangdong, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Beijing, Fujian, Zhejiang, Hunan, Hubei, Hebei, Henan and Chongqing. (Compass)

WORLD VISION REOPENS CLINICS IN LIBERIA AFTER YEARS OF CIVIL WAR As hundreds of Liberian refugees are heading back to their homes in the aftermath of war that left the country in shambles, World Vision Liberia, with the help of UNICEF and World Vision Canada, has reopened nine of the 10 clinics it closed down two years ago. The closures were due to the fighting between rebels and the government of former President Charles Taylor. As teams help restore health and nutritional services to remote villages, they are representing the hands and feet of Christ to the communities they assist. With the nine newly opened clinics, there are now 14 similar facilities located in and around the Liberian capital of Monrovia. (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio works in partnership with ELWA, a ministry founded by SIM in Monrovia in 1954, to air the gospel across the country and West Africa. The radio station was destroyed twice by civil war, first in 1990 and again in 1996. ELWA most recently 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 entire region. ELWA broadcasts the gospel in 10 languages and plans to add more as resources become available.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD AIMS TO COLLECT 7 MILLION SHOEBOX GIFTS Churches across the U.S. are taking part in Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest international Christmas project. Millions of shoeboxes filled with gift items are being collected this month at drop-off locations across the nation and distributed to needy children worldwide. Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse — the ministry that oversees this annual holiday outreach — is making a specific request this year. “Pray for the child that’s going to get this box. I want each of these children to come to know that there’s a God in heaven who loves them, cares for them, and who’s provided a way for them to be with Him one day,” Graham said. In addition to small gifts for children, each of the boxes will carry a tract describing God’s plan of salvation. The Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes are being collected this week at more than 1,800 drop-off sites in all 50 states. Samaritan’s Purse projects that more than 7 million of the shoeboxes will be delivered this year. (Religion Today/AgapePress)

AMERICAN, NATIONAL DOCTORS MINISTER TOGETHER IN GHANA Oasis International is coordinating doctors from America and within Ghana to provide medical care to some of the country’s neediest people, says ministry spokesperson Nancy Hudson. “We’ve done some eye clinics in the city of Accra, and we’ve also done some clinics for children and families in some of the smaller towns — places where their healthcare isn’t maybe as efficient as in the city.” The ministry provides medical supplies at low costs, but the outreach isn’t just about saving people money. “We go over with the love of God,” Hudson says. “This gives us an opportunity to invite [patients] to the training center or to the local churches. It’s a great opportunity to share and be salt in the world.” Staff members teach Bible lessons and work with local partners to ensure that people receive both medical and spiritual care.” (Mission Network News)

FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY PLANS LONG-TERM SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR SUDAN In western Sudan’s war-torn Darfur region, Food for the Hungry is part of a massive relief effort helping displaced families. The ministry is partnering with other humanitarian groups to work in three remote villages in Darfur. Food for the Hungry President Ben Homan spoke recently from Sudan, “The displacement of people in Darfur is at a crisis point,” he said. “Food for the Hungry is here to offer hope and help to the people who have lost their homes and their livelihoods, who have been victims of incredible human rights violations in this land.” The organization is supporting long-term programs for the rehabilitation of the people of Sudan, including digging wells, providing medical care and rebuilding agriculture. But, Homan says, “It will be a long time before the people of Darfur will feel secure enough to get back into their fields and their villages, so that remains another crucial thing as we look to the future.” (Mission Network News)

2,300 TURN TO CHRIST AT FRANKLIN GRAHAM CRUSADE IN CANADA More than 2,300 turned to Christ at the Canadian East Coast Festival with Franklin Graham when he preached for three nights at the same hockey arena where his father, Billy Graham, spoke in 1979. Total attendance at the crusade in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Oct. 15-17, was more than 30,000. Another 3,000 watched via live satellite TV in Sydney on remote Cape Breton Island. (News Bytes/Worldwide Photos)

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