2 MORE CHRISTIAN PRISONERS IN PERU DECLARED INNOCENT BY COURTS

U.S. EMBASSY CANCELS INDIA OFFICIAL’S VISA FOR ROLE IN RELIGIOUS RIOTS

INDIA’S NATIONAL MINORITIES COMMISSION CONCERNS CHRISTIANS

ZAMBIAN PRESIDENT BAPTIZED BEFORE HUNDREDS AT BAPTIST CHURCH

SPRING BREAK MEANS MINISTRY FOR SOME U.S. COLLEGE STUDENTS

CHURCH CRIME STOPPERS TAKE TO FLORIDA’S STREETS AS ‘PARISH POSSE’

Today’s News Stories:

2 MORE CHRISTIAN PRISONERS IN PERU DECLARED INNOCENT BY COURTS Two more Christian prisoners, one of whom has spent 10 years behind bars, have been declared innocent in Peru. The first, Lucio Vilca Galindo, was arrested for the second time in April 1995. He was accused of treason against the state — a crime for which he had already been tried and acquitted. CEAS, a Christian Solidarity Worldwide partner, took up Vilca’s case, and fought for his freedom for the past five years. He was found innocent on Thursday, March 17, and was due to be released the next day. The second person to be released is a Peruvian evangelical pastor Jos © Garc ­a Pe ±a, arrested on Thursday, March 3, in Lima. He was released eight days later by order of Judge Ana V ¡squez. Garc ­a, from Cuzco, was visiting Lima when he was informed that there was a warrant for his arrest and was promptly arrested and imprisoned. This turned out to be a case of mistaken identity as his name, which is fairly common in Peru, apparently appeared on wanted lists for crimes of terrorism issued by courts in the northern cities of Piura and Lambayeque. Garc ­a’s arrest highlights ongoing problems in the Peruvian justice system dating back to the anti-terrorism campaign of former President Alberto Fujimori. More than 12,300 Peruvians, many of them innocent, have warrants out for their arrest. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

* HCJB World Radio, together with local partners, has helped plant Christian radio stations in seven Peruvian cities. Affiliate stations in three cities also carry Spanish programming distributed by ALAS, the ministry’s Latin American satellite radio network. Radio programs in both Spanish and Quechua also air across Peru via shortwave from Quito, Ecuador.

U.S. EMBASSY CANCELS INDIA OFFICIAL’S VISA FOR ROLE IN RELIGIOUS RIOTS The U.S. Department of State announced Friday, March 18, that it would deny a visa to Narendra Modi, chief minister of western India’s Gujarat state, because of his abuse of religious freedoms. In a letter signed by more than 30 human rights and religious freedom advocacy groups sent to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in February, the Institute on Religion and Public Policy urged her to bar Modi from U.S. soil in accordance with the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. “Denying entry into the U.S. of this man whose actions led to the deaths of thousands solely because of their religious beliefs sends an explicit message to oppressive regimes everywhere,” said U.S. Congressman Joseph Pitts. Modi, a leader of India’s main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, called the decision an “insult to India.” He was to be the main guest of the 2005 Annual Convention and Trade Show of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., March 24-26 and had a scheduled speech at Madison Square Garden on March 20. Dave Stravers of Mission India, a ministry based in Grand Rapids, Mich., says the move came because of Modi’s role in the country’s deadly religious riots in 2002. Stravers said he hopes this will encourage believers in India who have faced persecution. “There are many, many secret believers,” he said. “There are people who have put their faith in Christ, but they’re afraid to be baptized because they know what will happen to them and their families. Perhaps this will be an encouragement to people to take more of a public stand when they hear the gospel and believe it.” (Assist News Service/Mission Network News/WorldWide Religious News/Associated Press)

INDIA’S NATIONAL MINORITIES COMMISSION CONCERNS CHRISTIANS A study released in February by India’s National Minorities Commission (NCM) claims the percentage of Christians in northeastern India has risen to “abnormally high” levels. Christian leaders rejected this claim and said the NCM was simply looking for a way to control Christian activity in the region. In recent years Hindu activists have accused the church in the seven northeastern states of numerous “forced conversions,” ignoring the fact that the region has a long history of Christian activity. The All India Christian Council held a conference last week to discuss rising persecution in the region. Christian leaders have also challenged the NCM to drop its sensational claims and concentrate on protecting the rights of Christians. (Compass)

ZAMBIAN PRESIDENT BAPTIZED BEFORE HUNDREDS AT BAPTIST CHURCH The president of Zambia, in acknowledging his faith in Jesus Christ, was baptized recently in a public church service, reported Southern Baptist missionaries. A crowd clapped and cheered as President Levy Mwanawasa rose from the water in an outdoor baptistery behind a Baptist seminary chapel in Lusaka, Zambia’s capital. The event drew hundreds of people, including public officials, leaders and pastors from the area and neighboring countries. On the day of his baptism, Mwanawasa shared his spiritual journey before a packed chapel service. He told listeners he had been “struck” by Jesus — similar to the Apostle Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus. Mwanawasa, a successful lawyer and former vice president, took office in 2002. Respected for his reputation for honesty, he was known as “Mr. Integrity” even by his political opponents before his election. Mwanawasa remembers attending a Baptist school as a boy, but his relationship with Christ began to transform when he started attending Twin Palm Baptist Church in Lusaka in 2003. The president is just one of many spiritual success stories in Zambia. Last year, 116 Baptist churches were started, bringing the total number of churches to 985 — plus 124 mission congregations. Some missionaries believe Mwanawasa’s baptism is an exclamation point on what God is beginning to do in the country. (Religion Today/Baptist Press)

* HCJB World Radio, in cooperation with In Touch Ministries and a local partner, added weekly Bemba programs in 2000. The programs air on Zambia’s Radio One Network, covering the country and much of Malawi, going out via shortwave, AM and FM. In 2003, weekly half-hour programs were added in the Nyanja language.

SPRING BREAK MEANS MINISTRY FOR SOME U.S. COLLEGE STUDENTS For many U.S. college students, spring break is synonymous with beaches, parties and loose living. But InterVarsity Christian Fellowship is providing a wholesome alternative for Christians and non-Christians alike. “We have at least 13 or 14 groups that will be going out in partnership with Habitat for Humanity,” says Evangelism Director Terry Erickson. “They go out for a week and help Habitat build houses.” While service is the main focus of the outreach, Erickson says it’s actually an evangelistic tool. “Each student brings a non-Christian with them. So during the week they spend time building houses, and then at the same time in the evenings we try to give some spiritual input by having groups investigate God. In many cases it’s very helpful for the non-Christians to explore Christianity.” (Mission Network News)

CHURCH CRIME STOPPERS TAKE TO FLORIDA’S STREETS AS ‘PARISH POSSE’ When the small community of Trilby, Fla., started experiencing more crime, parishioners from a local church decided to do their parts and form a security patrol. “They have a lot of poor people around here — people with needs. Because of that, we do have a lot of crime,” said Rev. Juan Garay of Trilby United Methodist Church. Herb Green, choir director and crime stopper, added, “We’re the eyes and ears of the sheriff’s department.” Green leads the security patrol after choir practice. These volunteers don’t carry guns, but they do ride in makeshift police cruisers. Eventually they plan to have a radio system just like the regular police. Trilby’s security patrol does not have the power to arrest anyone, but when they see and hear something suspicious, they pass the information along to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. There are currently 17 members in the patrol. (Assist News Service) * * * * * * * * * * * * * Harold Goerzen HCJB World Radio 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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