SIMULTANEOUS ATTACKS ON 2 INDONESIAN CHURCHES INJURE 3 PEOPLE

WORLD RELIEF LAUNCHES HIV/AIDS AWARENESS PROGRAM FOR YOUTH

TYPHOONS DELAY BIBLE TRANSLATION PROJECTS IN PHILIPPINES

JORDANIAN COURT AGAIN POSTPONES CHILD CUSTODY VERDICT

SURVEY FINDS RELIGIOUS DIVIDE BETWEEN EUROPE AND U.S.

* 8,500 ATTEND HCJB WORLD RADIO’S 40TH ANNUAL QUITO DAY CONCERTS

Today’s News Stories:

SIMULTANEOUS ATTACKS ON 2 INDONESIAN CHURCHES INJURE 3 PEOPLE Assailants simultaneously attacked two churches in the town of Palu, Central Sulawesi, in eastern Indonesia during church services the night of Sunday Dec. 12, injuring at least three people. A bomb exploded at Emanuel church in downtown Palu in the early evening. At the same time, gunmen opened fire on the congregation of the Anugerah church in the southern part of the city. Government officials criticized local police for not doing their job and immediately ordered tighter security during the Christmas season for churches in at-risk areas. Drive-by killers have murdered at least five Christians and wounded several others in Central Sulawesi this year. So far, police have failed to apprehend any suspects. (Compass)

WORLD RELIEF LAUNCHES HIV/AIDS AWARENESS PROGRAM FOR YOUTH With 37.8 million adults and children living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, World Relief is launching an initiative called “Shine Your Light.” The program is a way for youth groups to raise awareness and money for AIDS prevention and care in developing countries while learning about the benefits of practicing sexual purity in their own lives. While funds are being raised for AIDS education, youth will have the opportunity to discuss issues relating to peer pressure and understanding their sexuality. Participants will also have access to accurate facts and statistics about AIDS as well numerous resources developed by World Relief. Shine Your Light incorporates Bible studies, testimonies and a comedic short film as well as leader and participant guides to help facilitate honest discussion. The money raised from the program supports World Relief’s AIDS outreach in Rwanda, Mozambique, Malawi, Haiti, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Cambodia and China. “Mobilizing For Life,” another of World Relief’s HIV/AIDS awareness programs, helps churches respond to the AIDS crisis with care and compassion using three major strategies. They include preventing the spread of AIDS by promoting healthy patterns of family life and sexual practice; mobilizing and equipping churches to bring care and hope to persons and families affected by the disease; and enabling patients and their families to live with dignity. (World Relief)

TYPHOONS DELAY BIBLE TRANSLATION PROJECTS IN PHILIPPINES An extensive operation is under way to provide food and other essentials to the thousands of people hit hard by this year’s typhoon season in the Philippines. In the last four typhoons alone, more than 1,800 people have been killed or are missing on the northern island of Luzon. The storms haven’t only affected the general population, but missionaries. Tom Headland of Wycliffe Bible Translators says translation projects in the worst-hit areas have been delayed by weeks or months. “It doesn’t stop the projects completely because they still try to work, but you’ve got to stop and rebuild your house.” An average of 22 typhoons hit the Philippines each year. The storms also have an impact on evangelism, Headland says. “There are probably 30 language projects going on in Luzon. All of those areas are affected to one degree or another by every typhoon that comes through. Every time they come through [they cause] delays and cut off logistic support.” (Mission Network News)

JORDANIAN COURT AGAIN POSTPONES CHILD CUSTODY VERDICT An Islamic court in Jordan has postponed until Jan. 10 a final verdict on Christian widow Siham Qandah’s legal battle to prevent a Muslim guardian from taking custody of her two minor children. This is the second postponement within the past three weeks on the drawn-out lawsuit. Qandah said she did not know why her lawyers had asked for the delay, although as far as she knew, the courts still did not have any address or direct contact information for the guardian, Abdullah al-Muhtadi. He had refused to attend a previous hearing on Nov. 23 despite a summons from the Al-Abdali Sharia Court in Amman requiring his presence. Instead, al-Muhtadi sent word to the judge that he feared for his life if he came to the court. “I do not know what he is trying to accomplish since this is a lie,” said one of Qandah’s friends. Al-Muhtadi is Qandah’s estranged brother who converted to Islam as a teenager. Qandah has appealed to King Abdullah II and Queen Rania for a just resolution of her case. (Compass)

SURVEY FINDS RELIGIOUS DIVIDE BETWEEN EUROPE AND U.S. The U.S. and Europe are far apart when it comes to religion. This is one of the results of a recent Wall Street Journey survey conducted by Germany-based GfK Custom Research Worldwide with 21,000 people in 21 countries. While 86 percent of all U.S. citizens believe in a creator God, this only applies to 80 percent of the population in Eastern Europe and 70 percent of those in Western Europe. Overall, women are more likely to believe in God than men are. In Western Europe, for instance, three in four women are convinced that God exists, but only two in three men. Just 32 percent of the population in the Czech Republic believes in a higher being, and 42 percent in Sweden and Denmark. On average, three in four interviewees said that they belong to an organized religion. Religious affiliation is particularly strong in Romania (97 percent), Turkey (95 percent) and Greece (89 percent). Secularism runs high in the Netherlands where just 53 percent of the population is affiliated with a church or religious community. In Belgium and Germany four in 10 interviewees said that they do not adhere to a religious faith. There are also significant differences in worship patterns between Eastern and Western Europe. While 40 percent of those religiously affiliated in Central and Eastern Europe go to church at least once a week, Poland heads the list with 60 percent. Only 25 percent of all West Europeans worship at least weekly. (IDEA)

* 8,500 ATTEND HCJB WORLD RADIO’S 40th ANNUAL QUITO DAY CONCERTS HCJB World Radio’s Vozandes Choir and Orchestra held its 40th annual Quito Day concerts at the Ecuadorian House of Culture in Quito Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 4-5, with more than 8,500 people attending the free performances. The choir also sang at three malls in Quito — El Jard ­n, El Recreo and Quicentro. This year’s guest artists included Canadian violinist Trevor Dick and his 5th String Blvd. band as well as the Symphonic Youth Orchestra of Ecuador. Every attendee received a gospel tract and was given a telephone number to call for spiritual counseling. Jos © “Chema” Reinoso, HCJB World Radio’s associate director of the Latin America region, also presented a clear gospel message to all in attendance. The concert featured traditional Christmas music along with selections to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of Quito on Dec. 6. The folkloric songs honored the city and its people. The choir, directed by Michio Ozaki, comprised more than 70 people, including foreign missionaries, Ecuadorians and visitors. The concerts were presented by HCJB World Radio and cosponsored by the Ecuadorian House of Culture, the Anderson Foundation and HCJB World Radio’s Hospital Vozandes-Quito. (HCJB World Radio)

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