Today’s Headlines:

RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION SUSPECTED IN MURDER OF UGANDAN PRIEST

NEW TRIBES MISSION BUILDING ‘TRIBAL-LIKE’ AIRSTRIP IN ARIZONA

200+ ATTACKS AGAINST CHRISTIANS IN INDIA DOCUMENTED THIS YEAR

CHAVEZ RE-ELECTION SEEN AS BOTH GOOD, BAD BY MISSIONS

* ALL-FEMALE MEDICAL TEAM MINISTERS IN BOMB-LADEN LEBANON

Today’s Top Stories:

RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION SUSPECTED IN MURDER OF UGANDAN PRIEST

Anglican priest Rev. Godfrey Tabura was killed the evening of Saturday, Nov. 25, by unidentified gunmen while riding home on a motorcycle near Mubende, Uganda. The priest was shot in the chest and died instantly. Police believe the killers used sub-machine gun rifles for the crime. Evidence points to religious persecution as the motive since the assailants fled without stealing anything. Benson Oyo Neyiko, police chief of Uganda’s central region, said, “We don’t think the thugs were looking for money. They never picked anything and even abandoned the motorcycle at the scene, which makes us suspect that the motive was murder.” The killers allegedly followed Tabura as he began heading home. Police launched the investigation quickly, but so far no arrests have been reported. (Assist News Service)

NEW TRIBES MISSION BUILDING ‘TRIBAL-LIKE’ AIRSTRIP IN ARIZONA

New Tribes Mission (NTM) Aviation is working to build a remote airstrip in Arizona, says missionary Jeff Werley. “Our new personnel are getting hands-on experience by building a tribal-like airstrip on a nearby ranch,” he explained. “Once completed it will be used to practice landing in conditions replicating what they might encounter on a remote airstrip.” Missionary Kim Huntting, whose husband, Preston, is helping build the airstrip, said the project is tiring. “They are building it in the mountains to practice challenging strips that they will encounter overseas,” she said. “It has been a lot of work with lots of rock, cactus, a hill in the middle of it, and out in the middle of ‘Timbuktu.'” NTM asks for prayers for continued safety for the ongoing training of its pilots. (Evangelical News/New Tribes Mission)

200+ ATTACKS AGAINST CHRISTIANS IN INDIA DOCUMENTED THIS YEAR

More than 200 attacks against Christians have been logged in India since the beginning of this year. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC)

staged a peaceful gathering on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 2, to raise awareness and to pray for an end to human rights abuses in India.

A GCIC press release emphasized that most victims of religious persecution have been Dalits (sometimes referred to as “untouchables”) and tribal members with the majority of the violence coming from an organization of Hindu fundamentalists called the Sangh Parivar. However, Muslim fundamentalists also are responsible for numerous attacks.

The GCIC drew attention to the murder of Christian Social worker Bashir Tantray in Srinagar who was killed at the end of November by Muslim extremists. After his murder, as a final act of contempt, Tantray was buried in a Muslim cemetery.

On Sunday, Nov. 26, a 60-year old church worker known as Jacob was stabbed in the face, chest and abdomen, killing the man near church grounds in the state capital of southern India’s Tamil Nadu state.

On Friday, Nov. 17, Hindu extremists set fire to a Pentecostal church in Dubbaka village in the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh after pouring gasoline on the church doors.

Other attacks in the formerly safe southern regions included 100 Hindu youths beating four pastors with logs, a destructive attack on a Christian school, accusations of “forced conversions” which disturbed a prayer meeting, and the destruction of a church’s compound wall, furniture and equipment following the beating and hospitalization of four other pastors.

On the positive side, a district court in northern India’s Punjab state has summoned a police official for the severe beating of four Christians on Sept. 25, 2005. Initial complaints by Christians resulted only in a 10-day suspension of the officer. The higher court scheduled the officer’s hearing for next February. (WorldWide Religious News/AsiaNews/Compass Direct/BosNewsLife)

CHAVEZ RE-ELECTION SEEN AS BOTH GOOD, BAD BY MISSIONS

The landslide re-election of controversial Venezuelan President Hugo Ch ¡vez is receiving mixed reactions from the Christian community. While one large mission organization was ordered out of tribal areas last year, Trans World Radio (TWR) has seen its Venezuelan ministry grow. Ch ¡vez’s emphasis on education has led to requirements that radio stations air children’s programming. “Many of these radio stations are ill equipped to provide and produce quality programs for children,” said TWR’s Jim Munger. “We have been able to offer the children’s program, ‘Pedrito el Pulpo’ (Petey the Octopus), for use on regular radio stations.” Ch ¡vez has also required morals-based education in public schools. This allowed TWR to enter public schools using material such as its children’s programs and perform puppet shows that include a gospel invitation. One school presentation saw 25 percent of the students respond to the invitation. While TWR broadcasts from 15 to 20 radio stations within the country, the ministry remains prepared to make a shift if the political situation changes by maintaining a station on the nearby island of Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles. (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio worked with local partners to establish a Christian station in La Morita, Venezuela, in 2000. Partner stations in two additional Venezuelan cities are also affiliated with ALAS, the ministry’s Latin American satellite radio network with 89 outlets in 17 countries.

* ALL-FEMALE MEDICAL TEAM MINISTERS IN BOMB-LADEN LEBANON

After years of satellite and shortwave broadcasting into the North Africa/Middle East Region, HCJB World Radio recently had the opportunity to show God’s love through its healthcare ministry, responding to the aftermath of the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Even as the world’s attention was focused on Lebanon’s political struggles, an HCJB World Radio medical team of six women — five from Ecuador and one from England — found serious medical and spiritual needs in Lebanon when there for two weeks to help alleviate the widespread suffering. In the short medical response trip, the team saw approximately 500 people and provided hope to many more.

HCJB World Radio responded to the need of a partner organization on the ground that asked for non-North American, female doctors. The team was well-positioned to connect with other women and children still suffering from the violence of war.

“We met people who had lost family members in the war, patients who had suffered hearing loss due to the bombs dropped, and some patient’s homes had been damaged or destroyed,” said Sheila, international healthcare coordinator for HCJB World Radio, whose last name could not be revealed for security reasons.

“One day an airplane passed over, very high in the sky, sheer terror overtook the children, who up to that point had been friendly and happy. They looked terrified,” she continued. “It was a shock to us to see the effect of war on these young lives.”

Reuters recently reported that up to 1 million unexploded cluster bombs are still located in Lebanon. At least 22 civilians have been killed and 135 injured by accidentally setting off bombs and landmines since the war ended August 14.

Some 60,000 landmines and cluster bombs had been deactivated since the war — more than were deactivated in Kosovo in a three-year period.

“I feel we were bridge builders as we served in this difficult place,” Sheila added. “Due to the war, most of the people in the surrounding villages had evacuated, including all healthcare personnel. The people who were left behind, as well as the ones who returned early, found themselves with no healthcare, because local health centers were deserted and some had been destroyed.”

Dr. Susan, one of the Ecuadorian physicians, said, “We believe this trip planted a seed to bring people hope. There was a language barrier, but through our behavior, our care, our medical attention, the people saw us and the hope we brought.”

Dr. Stephanie added, “With each person we gave medical attention, we prayed for them. Nobody rejected that. They accepted us. They were very open with us, to the point where some of them said to us, ‘thank you for bringing the light’ in their own language.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer. HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities on which it reports.

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