INTERNATIONAL NEWS 6th November 2006

AUSTRALIAN PRAYER NETWORK NEWSLETTER

* INDIAN CHILD MARRIAGES FLOUT LAW

* LIFE UNDER THE MILITARY REGIME OF BURMA

* MULTI FAITH EXCESSES CAUSE CONTROVERSY IN NEW ZEALAND

* TWENTY FIVE MILLION DIE FROM AIDS IN 25 YEARS

* EDUCATION CRISIS IN LAOS REQUIRES PRAYER

* LIVE PRAYER SHOW RANKED NUMBER ONE ON SECULAR TV

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INDIAN CHILD MARRIAGES FLOUT LAW

Manemma sits forlornly, surrounded by family members, on the floor of their two roomed house. Dressed in a bright red dress and with her hair in plaits, she looks even younger than her 11 years. “When I was getting married, I had no idea what was going on. I was only six and all I knew was that I had to leave home. I cried and cried and said I didn’t want to, but they made me.” When Manemma’s father, Ghandrappa is asked “How could you let such a thing happen to your daughter? he simply shrugs his shoulders and answers in a matter of fact tone, “it’s the way things happen here.” “It’s the tradition,” he says “Girls are married at a very young age, regardless of the age of their husbands, and they’re expected to adjust to the situation.” Tens of thousands of children get married in India every year and, as soon as they reach puberty, they are expected to conceive. According to the census of 2001, 300,000 girls under the age of 15 had given birth, some for the second time. Now, five years later, the number could be as many as half a million.

Child weddings are illegal in India. The Child Marriage Restraint Act passed during British rule in 1929, specified that a girl must be 18 and a boy 21 before they can marry. But, during the spring wedding season, hundreds of mass ceremonies involvingchildren as young as six years old take place. Large, garishly coloured wedding marquees litter the landscape, in full view and in defiance of the law. At a wedding tent in Rajasthan, the women are singing as they carry the brides’ dowries, wrapped in silk carpets towards the grooms’ enclosure. There are several young girls in the brides’ tent including a six year old, dressed doll like in crimson and gold, who stares uncomprehendingly as the event unfolds around her. By the end of the day, the girls will leave their homes forever and move to their husbands’ houses to begin a term of slavery to their mother-in-law and then, once they mature, a life of repeated pregnancies and unremitting childcare if, that is, they survive their first pregnancy.

Meanwhile, at the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad, a 15 year old is rushed into casualty. She is having convulsions and is writhing in pain. “She offers a classic example of what can go wrong if you have a baby too young”, Dr Shailaja says. “She has high blood pressure and, because her body is not yet fully developed, her pelvic passage is too small and the baby will get stuck. We shall have to carry out a Caesarean.”

The girl travelled two hundred kilometres to get to the hospital. She is lucky. The majority of mothers give birth at home and, with similar problems, both mother and baby would die. India has one of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the world and doctors blame early childbirth.

But the children of India are beginning to fight back. 14-year-old Jengri was married at the age of 11 to an alcoholic truck driver more than 20 years older than her. Three days after the wedding, he was killed in a traffic accident. Because the wedding was never registered, she received no compensation. As a widow, albeit 11 years old, it appeared that her life was effectively over until she decided to change from victim to activist.

She now lectures other children and their parents on the perils of early marriages to older men. “Of course, I get scared when I talk to parents but I steel myself, telling myself that I must do it. I tell them my story and I hope that it will change their minds.”She suddenly breaks into a huge smile. “You see, I thought my life was over but now I have a cause and I have a new life.” Jengri is one small voice in a vast country. But it is a beginning. Unless more people speak out, thousands more girls will suffer trauma, rape and the possibility of death in childbirth in the name of time honoured tradition.

Source: Intercessors Network

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LIFE UNDER THE MILITARY REGIME OF BURMA

(Editors note: Burma is also known as Myanmar)

In this special story from inside Burma, Kate McGeown looks at the day-to-day problems facing ordinary people under the country’s repressive military regime.

“I hate my life here. I’m just surviving one day at a time,” a Burmese taxi driver said sadly, as he stopped to pay a bribe at yet another roadside checkpoint. “Everything’s so difficult. Prices keep going up, and there’s too little fuel and electricity. “There are so many restrictions on everything I want to do… and so much corruption,” he said.

For most people in Burma, life under the military government is far from easy. A farm worker is lucky to earn 1,000 kyats ($0.80) a day. Some days he earns half that. “I have enough to buy some poor-quality rice for my family, but not much else,” he said.

What angers many people is that Burma has plentiful natural resources and was once one of the richest countries in South East Asia, before decades of military rule stifled the economy. The situation has got far worse in recent months, because of a government decision to increase the salaries of state employees, in some cases by more than 10 times. “Everyone knew the government couldn’t afford it,” said a Burmese journalist. The result was predictable – locals estimate that prices have gone up by more than 30% since April, making it harder for ordinary people to make ends meet.

Andrew Kirkwood, the director of Save the Children in Burma, said malnutrition was a “serious problem”, with half the children under five in some areas of Burma thought to be chronically malnourished. “In some parts of the country, the situation is as bad as we’ve seen in sub-Saharan Africa,” he said. A man from the western state of Rakhaing said he had even heard reports offarmers selling their babies to child traffickers in exchange for food.

The problems that the Burmese face go much deeper than just a lack of money. There is a huge disparity between those allied to the ruling elite and the rest of the population. For many goods, there is a two-tier pricing system. If you know someone influential, you can buy at the government price. If not, you have to resort to the black market, which is at least twice as expensive. Petrol is one commodity where the black market reigns supreme. An ordinary citizen is only allowed two gallons (nine litres) per day at the government price – and even then, queuing can sometimes take hours. But there always seems to be plenty of petrol at the many black market stands throughout the country. “We’re being robbed,” one man said. This climate of semi-official corruption has become so entrenched that whole swathes of the population earn their living from it. To send a letter, you need to find a friendly “agent” who will make sure it is not pocketed by a postal worker. If you want to avoid paying constant traffic fines, or your child to do well at school, it is vital to know the right people and pay the right price. Burma’s military rulers make their presence felt in other ways, too. Permission needs to be sought for almost every aspect of life.”Everything I do is restricted,” one man said. “Where I go, what I do, who I see… The authorities even have to give permission if I want anyone to stay the night.”

The latest government campaign is an initiative to grow nut trees, not only as a source of bio fuel but also because government fortune-tellers believe they will shore up the military’s power. Groups such as the International Labour Organization claim that the Burmese junta continues to use forced labour for its often ambitious construction projects. Villagers are co-opted as “porters” by the military, many being maimed or killed by landmines as they are made to trek through conflict areas ahead of the soldiers.

Despite living under one of the most draconian regimes in the world, some Burmese people still manage to find time for life’s pleasures. I spoke to a man in his early 20s who, earlier this year, had been using the rare moments of electricity to charge batteries so he could watch the World Cup. Glued to a television screen, it was at least a few precious hours escaping from the chaos around him.

Source: Intercessors Network

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MULTI FAITH EXCESSES CAUSE CONTROVERSY IN NEW ZEALAND

A major rift is developing in the Anglican community in Christchurch, New Zealand, over events at the city’s Cathedral. Conservative and evangelical voices in the church believe the cathedral administration has gone too far in promoting religious diversity, causing offence to many. Late last year the Cathedral hosted an event which included Krishna dancers, a Buddhist prayer and a Muslim imam praying to Allah.

Conservative Anglicans were shocked that their leaders had allowed what they considered to be idolatry. The organization Anglican Mainstream, a network of clergy and laity committed to advocating for orthodox faith and promoting biblical values, sent the Bishop a letter of complaint, signed by many clergy. Bishop David Coles responded by calling a meeting to discuss interfaith dialogue. With inadequate opportunity to discuss real issues, the rift deepened.

Two further issues earlier this year raised the temperature considerably. A statue of Buddha was put up on cathedral land to celebrate International Peace Day – and Buddha’s birthday. It was the sixth time the Dean (and his predecessor) had given permission for church space to be used for what the conservatives called idol worship. This event sparked another letter of complaint to the Dean, calling for an assurance that the Second Commandment would no longer be violated by Cathedral officials.

The third issue was an altar-frontal cloth which contains a Sanskrit text, whose English translation reads: “From the unreal, lead me to the real, From darkness, lead me to the light. From death, lead me to immortality.” This Sanskrit text, found in the ancient Hindu Upanishads, is also used in contemporary Hindu worship. Opponents say it is not focused on Christ, will confuse new converts from Hinduism and is deeply upsetting to much of the diocese.

The Cathedral Chapter has expressed surprise at the passionate outburst of clergy and laity over the three issues. In defence of its actions of encouraging religious diversity in the cathedral, the chapter said: “We are not ‘walking down the road ofrelativism.’ Rather, our involvement with the Buddhist community is part of our ongoing dialogue with people of other faiths.”

On the issue of the altar cloth, the cathedral argues that it has “gospel resonances” and likens it to Paul using the image of the “unknown God.” “We believe the altar cloth attests to the saving power of Christ for all humanity.” Mainstream however questioned why Hindu holy writings which are still used in pagan worship today were chosen ahead of a Bible verse?

The Cathedral chapter has admitted giving permission for the statue of Buddha to be placed on cathedral land, but argued that “it is not part of the consecrated land of the Cathedral.” The chapter’s reason for allowing it was that the Cathedral “represents the spiritual heart and soul of the city for many who are not Anglicans or even Christians … the Square where our land merges into that of the city, and we work in partnership … to enhance the life of our city community.” The Chapter said it was “committed to continuing in offering hospitality and engaging in dialogue with people of other faiths.”

Saying it recognized the need for unity, the chapter said it was “suggesting to the standing committee of the diocese that a representative group be set up to explore this issue and to offer advice in matters of inter-faith dialogue and worship to ministry units when asked”.

Source: Assist News Service

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TWENTY FIVE MILLION DIE FROM AIDS IN 25 YEARS

The world continues to lose an ugly battle to HIV/AIDS that shows no sign of letting up after 25 million people have died aquarter-century into the epidemic.

UNAIDS has released a 630- page report that takes stock of where the world currently stands with nearly 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS. It documents countries’ progress and failures, and projects what must happen to keep some regions from experiencing disaster.

UNAIDS head Peter Piot said “Ultimately, it depends on how the leadership reacts, how the international community will continue to respond and how ready communities are to face the problem”. Piot said the picture is not hopeless, with examples of progress in nearly every part of the world. He said Thailand and Uganda were two of the only previous examples where exploding epidemics were curbed, but a handful of other countries, including Kenya and Zimbabwe, are also starting to show promise.

Epidemics are diversifying, Piot said, with some driven by unprotected sex, others by dirty needles and some a combination of the two overlapping each other. Those trends must be identified and targeted.

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the epicentre of the virus. The overall percentage of adults infected in some of the hardest-hit countries continues to climb, with several rates reaching double digits. The Asia- Pacific region has 8.3 million people living with the virus, the second highest after sub-Saharan Africa.

Churches and Christian organizations have changed their attitude towards HIV/AIDs since the first report on AIDS was published twenty-five years ago. Many churches are now joining the fight against what experts have called ”the worst and deadliest epidemic that humankind has ever experienced.”

Stigma barriers and lack of awareness had churches out of the scene when it came to responding to the epidemic in 1981. AIDS was largely thought of as a “gay plague” or a divine punishment for drug users and those considered by many Christians and conservatives to be living deviant and sinful lifestyles. We believe the Church has a significant role to play.” “I do think more churches are now emphasizing care rather than judgment,” commented Dean Hirsch, president of World Vision International. “We are all sinners and the churches are the best choice to help solve this global ill.”

Source: The Christian Post

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EDUCATION CRISIS IN LAOS REQUIRES PRAYER

The education system in Laos is struggling with minimal resources to cope and keep pace with developmental needs. It’s hard to know where problems should be tackled first. Many teaching graduates refuse to take up remote postings having become accustomed to the comforts of city living. Sometimes, to deal with the problem, the village appoints the best educated local person, or anyone who can be spared, to be the teacher. They themselves may have had only 3 years education.

No government employee earns a living wage, so even if salaries are paid, these people also need to grow their own food or generate income another way. Many ‘trained’ teachers lack the basic skills and knowledge needed, yet they have passed their own secondary schooling and at least three years of teacher training. Many other university graduates accept teaching positionswithout any training, because there are virtually no jobs for graduates in many fields. In schools in Laos, classrooms are often crowded and ill equipped. It is not remarkable if students have to stand because there are insufficient tables and benches. Can you imagine trying to learn in or teach a class of 80 students, with a worn blackboard and a handful of badly printed textbooks? This is just as true in the city as in more remote areas.

Please pray:

Pray for the teachers of Laos – they would be encouraged in their work and influential responsibility even though their pay is often inadequate and their resources often minimal.

Pray for the children and young people of Laos – most of whom do not have opportunity for a good basic education.

Pray for good Lao literature to be developed and made available.

Source: Intercessors Network

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LIVE PRAYER SHOW RANKED NUMBER ONE ON SECULAR TV

It is not your typical Christian television program. The only guests are the viewers who call in. It doesn’t beg for money or sell anything. Live Prayer isn’t about hustling people – it’s about helping them in their time of need.

The Live Prayer show currently airs nightly on major networks in Florida. The call-in show ranks number one for its time slot, and is pulling in a quarter-million viewers each night.

The late-night show commenced in 2003. The program features a businessman and an ex-convict preacher, who pray with and offer advice to callers and viewers. “We’ve done our homework, and this program is primed to attract a massive national audience,” explained Bill Keller, the show host. “We want to be where the lonely, the rejected, and the marginalized congregate. By and large, they are not heading to the church. But our research shows you’ll find them channel surfing on TV late at night.” Next month, Live Prayer with Bill Keller will be carried on the i television network, formerly PAX.

Source: Breaking Christian News

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