Today’s Headlines:

MICRO-ENTERPRISE ARTISAN CATALOG HELPS PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS

CHINA’S STATE-SANCTIONED PROTESTANT CHURCH DEDICATES NEW STUDIO

NEW ETHIOPIAN ORPHANAGE, SCHOOL HELPS AREA’S POOREST CHILDREN

MISSIONARY, HORSE TRAINER REACHES OUT TO MEXICAN ‘VAQUEROS’

Today’s Top Stories:

The Iranian couple arrested on Tuesday, Sept. 26, was released on bail this morning and reunited with their 6-year-old daughter. Reza “Amir” Montazami and Fereshteh Dibaj expressed their deepest gratitude for all those around the world who were praying for their release. The couple reported that they were treated well by the authorities while in prison. Their release comes one day after Fereshteh was allowed to contact her relatives, alleviating fears that she was injured or killed soon after the arrest. The case against the couple remains open, but formal charges have not been revealed. Authorities have indicated that their arrest was connected with their Christian beliefs and activities. (Pray for Iran/Middle East Concern)

MICRO-ENTERPRISE ARTISAN CATALOG HELPS PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS

Christian Freedom International (CFI), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping persecuted Christians, has announced the released of its 2006-2007 Handcraft Catalog in conjunction with its micro-enterprise program. The catalog features handmade items created by Christian artisans in countries such as Pakistan, Laos, Bangladesh and Indonesia. Items for sale include ethnic clothing, pottery, jewelry and bags. CFI provides artisans with training and materials and then pays them for the crafts that are then shipped and sold in the U.S. The self-help program has allowed poverty-stricken Christians to earn an income for themselves and their families. For more information visit http://www.christianfreedom.org. (Evangelical News)

CHINA’S STATE-SANCTIONED PROTESTANT CHURCH DEDICATES NEW STUDIO

A new audiovisual studio was dedicated in the headquarters building of the Chinese Christian Council/Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) in China. The TSPM is China’s officially sanctioned Protestant church. At a special ceremony, Presbyter Ji Jianhong, the TSPM’s national chairman, joined International Ministry Director Walt Winters and Gunya Na Thalang, general secretary of Asian ministry (both from the Lutheran Laymen’s League) to unveil the studio. “Thank God for this new building,” said President Cao Shengjie. “Thank God for his blessings, particularly in this room for new audio and video works.” The Lutheran Laymen’s League, also know as Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM), produces Christian radio and television programming for broadcast as well as Internet and print communications, dramas, music and printed materials to reach the unchurched in more than 40 countries. LHM’s flagship program, “The Lutheran Hour,” is the world’s longest-running Christian outreach radio program. It airs weekly on more than 800 stations. (http://www.chineseprotestantchurch.org)

NEW ETHIOPIAN ORPHANAGE, SCHOOL HELPS AREA’S POOREST CHILDREN

A new orphanage and school in the northwestern Ethiopian state of Benishangul-Gumuz has accepted 141 of the poorest orphans in the region. The Kamashi Orphanage and School was built in cooperation with Blessing the Children International. Children coming into the orphanage are often malnourished, underweight and often naked. The facilities were designed to provide a school, dining hall, medical clinic, administration and housing to both children and missionaries. “It’s challenging work,” says Mr. Strawn, president of the ministry, “but its so rewarding to see them blossom into the children they were meant to be.” The facilities were designed to house up to 500 orphaned children and could be filled to capacity quickly if the organization had the funding to support the work. Blessing the Children earns all overhead ministry costs through providing printing, consulting and various services so that all donations go directly to helping children. (Christian Newswire)

* Staff members at HCJB World Radio-Australia’s studios record Oromo language programs that air to 28 million speakers in Ethiopia and Kenya via FEBA Radio’s shortwave facilities.

MISSIONARY, HORSE TRAINER REACHES OUT TO MEXICAN ‘VAQUEROS’

Baptist International Mission Board missionary Andy Hill believes there is a “vaquero” (Spanish for cowboy) at the heart of every Mexican man, and he is basing his ministry in the border town of Agua Prieta, Mexico. At first Hill tried to push the idea away. “I thought, ‘Wait a minute. That sounds like too much fun,'” he said. “I was afraid it was too much my idea and not enough God’s.” But Hill observed how few vaqueros are being reached by Christian groups in the area and how important the vaquero culture was. Then Hill’s supervisor, Allen Alexander, posed the question, “Andy, have you ever thought about starting ‘vaquero’ churches in your area?” In the meantime, God was also preparing horse trainer Chip Sugar of Hawley, Texas, to start a part-time ministry reaching lost people through the use of horses. Sugar makes annual trips to Hill’s church, incorporating scriptural principles and the gospel message into his horse training seminars. Now seven “vaqueros” and their families study the Bible and worship regularly with the Hills at the local rodeo grounds. Hill believes it’s the “beginning of a movement of ‘vaquero’ churches that has the potential to spread across Mexico.” (Baptist Press)