1. Benin: Missionaries Train in Witchcraft Capital 2. Vietnamese Widows, Pastors, Suffer Hardship 3. India: Meiti Christians Overcome Persecution 4. Youth Conference Reaches Many in North India 5. Photo of the Week: When They Preach, People Listen ---------------------------------------------------------------------- These are the contents of today's Missions Insider Report by Christian Aid August 20, 2003 Vol. 4 No. 433 Visit our website at http://www.christianaid.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------- John Lindner, Editor ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: Missions Insider refrains from mentioning names that could make the subjects targets of anti-Christian activity. Names are sometimes mentioned of ministries conducting work commended by authorities or located in areas of greater religious freedom. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Benin: Missionaries Train in Witchcraft Capital Gospel workers training missionaries in Benin, West Africa, told Christian Aid recently that they have experienced growing persecution from witch doctors and magicians. Benin is the original birthplace of voodoo. It is a hotbed of diabolical activity and remains the center of voodoo for the whole world. According to missionaries' reports, politicians from Benin and neighboring West African countries travel to this area seeking the witch doctors' power to lead their nations. People from every walk of life come not only from other parts of Africa, but from all over the world--including Europe and US--to buy satanic power in Benin. The ministry reporting this operates six schools of missions throughout the country. Its gospel workers suffer continuously from spiritual attacks. The ministry leader told Christian Aid, "Our missionaries and their children are always targets. The enemy seeks to destroy us because of the strategic evangelization programs that are bringing people out of darkness to Christ." Witchdoctors often attack missionaries and children through sickness, trying to kill them. The attacks are continual, the warfare is intense, and the obstacles are relentless. But they give missionaries the opportunity to demonstrate the power of Jesus over the power of the devil. This is something the people must see because it shows them they can overcome the witchcraft that controls their lives. Indeed, there is nothing else. Students at the schools of missions are persecuted not only by spiritual attacks but also by the rejection and mistreatment they experience from people around them. Despite these difficulties, the schools continue to send workers for the Lord into places of darkness. This ministry has trained more than 100 students who have gone as missionaries to 16 different ethnic groups. Right now 50 more are waiting for the minimal support it takes to be sent initially: provision for food and house rent for two months, transportation, and schooling for children--$300 sends one family. These students are well-equipped to share the gospel. They are taught first how to read and write, if needed. The second phase of their training is a classroom curriculum of discipleship and missions. Their final phase is a field practical, during which they apply what they have learned. More than 400 have applied for all six schools, all of which are in very inadequate rented facilities. Help is desperately needed to train and send these leaders who desire to do missionary work. As this army of Christ increases in Benin, so does the opposition from satanic forces and those who use them. Please pray for the spiritual and physical protection of missionaries, as well as for the new gospel workers being trained and sent out. For more information on this ministry, write and put MI-433 548-CPM on the subject line. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Vietnamese Widows, Pastors, Suffer Hardship Vietnam's persecution of evangelical Christians has left many widows without support, scores of pastors imprisoned for their faith, and more in great hardship. Christian Aid has received the names of 36 widows who are in dire straits. About 20 of these are from the Koho people group; about a dozen are ethnic Vietnamese, and the rest are from other minority tribes, such as the Ede and Jera. Though their names are kept confidential for security reasons, the situations of several illustrate the plight of all. Mrs. N's husband was shot to death in 1979 because the government said "he worked for an anti-government organization of tribal people." He left behind a congregation of 400 believers. The widow used to serve as a deacon, but now is old with several kinds of sicknesses. She has a hard time walking and doing the visitations. Her children are very poor. The Montagnards, or tribal people, are accused of being traitors to the government because they align with Christianity, a "foreign" religion, which authorities identify with their old enemy, the United States. Mrs. T and her husband began serving the Lord in 1962. In 1978 he was shot to death while working in his field. Ever since, Mrs. T, now 70, has lived in a poor thatch cottage and she does not have money to repair it. Still, she works with the deacons and ministers to the women. Some women are widows simply because of old age and sickness and lack funds for medical treatment. Mrs. K's husband passed away in 1992 after serving the Lord 40 years and building up the local church to 1100 believers. When authorities closed the church building, Mrs. K let believers use her house to meet in for worship. Now she suffers from high blood pressure, backache and dizziness. Mrs. P was born in 1937 and she and her husband began serving the Lord in 1969. He passed away in 1976. Mrs. P now tries to make a living as a farmer, so her income is very low. "Her life is short of everything," says a Vietnamese spokesperson, "and she just keeps praying to God for His mercy and help." She still ministers to the women's group in the church. Mrs. V's husband passed away in 1976 from cancer, leaving her with seven small children in a very small thatch house. She goes into the jungles to find pieces of wood and exchanges them for rice. Last year one of her children died from sickness. She continues to serve with the deacons and cares for the church and the women's group. These and many more true widows live in great hardship and poverty. In addition, certain elderly pastors also suffer from sickness and poverty. Church leaders request prayer on behalf of these veterans of the cross. Persons who wish to contribute to the Vietnamese widows and pastors' fund may write for more information and put MI-433 740-VHM on the subject line, or contribute on line at http://www.christianaid.org and designate their gift for 740-VHM. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. India: Meiti Christians Overcome Persecution One Metei man was beaten and another poisoned by his own parents after they accepted Christ, according to reports received by Christian Aid. The Metei are a poor and marginalized people who dwell mainly in Manipur state of northeastern India and are traditionally Hindu. So those who turn from the religion of their ancestors often face rejection and outright danger. A man was recently attacked in his own room by unknown people and then left for dead. Friends found him unconscious the next morning, in a pool of his own blood. Miraculously, he survived after being taken to the hospital. Another man who became a believer two years ago was poisoned by his own parents. Now he is praising God that his family is seriously thinking about becoming Christians. Despite opposition many Meteis have made the decision to follow Jesus. One native Meitei was leading a life of sin and emptiness, crying out to deaf Hindu gods. He turned to Jesus Christ and was completely healed of alcoholism. Now, he serves God faithfully among his native people. Though he faces resistance, he remains persistent. So far he has won 30 Meteis to the Lord. The believers meet in homes and pray for resources to build a church hall. The Meitei Christians request prayer that they remain strong in the Lord in the face of persecution and reach their brothers and sisters with the gospel. For more information, write and put MI-433 690-FMS on the subject line. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Youth Conference Reaches Many in North India In spite of worries about the scarcity of water and the animosity of neighboring people, the 3rd Annual Youth Bible Conference was held June 2nd-8th in Dehra Dun, ministering to over 100 young people from across North India. The young people gathered to hear the Word of God, pray and fellowship. On the last night, the Lord moved specially at the conference. The speaker emphasized the theme "Jump into the river of God's will and get lost." The leader of the ministry that sponsored the conference said that after the altar call, "no one was found sitting in their seats as all were in the front, some of them weeping so bitterly." The leader also thanked God that there was no opposition from fanatics in the area, an all too common dilemma in northern India, and was grateful that God supplied enough water for the week-long event, since Dehra Dun had been suffering from a drought. The conference is only one aspect of this ministry's outreach to Indian youth. It runs a school for students from preschool to high school, most of whom are Hindu or Sikh. It also operates a school for children of lepers and a hostel for young girls from leper families. The ministry is involved with distributing Christian literature, evangelizing jungle villages, and training pastors. To learn more about this ministry, write and put MI-433 652-CFC on the subject line. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Photo of the Week: When They Preach, People Listen http://www.christianaid.org/pow/pow-4-33.asp Despite the extremely hot weather, gospel workers in India continue their vibrant and energetic witness for the gospel among the tribes and villages. Missionaries reach out in the remotest places among tribal people who have not yet heard the gospel and are riveted by the promise of salvation. This preacher is one of more than 50 who serve with a mission based in Andhra Pradesh, a state about the size of Colorado with about 80 million, mostly Telegu-speaking people. To learn more about their work, write and put MI-433 620-BBF on the subject line. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mission Statement: Missions Insider is a free weekly email report from Christian Aid Mission, your link to the world of indigenous missions. We seek to establish a witness for our Lord in every tribe and nation (Matthew 24:14) by supporting highly effective native missionary ministries based in poorer countries overseas, or where believers are persecuted. Christian Aid has contact with more than 6000 indigenous ministries that have a total of 300,000 missionaries on the field or ready to go when support is available. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Permission to Republish The content of Missions Insider is Copyright 2003. You have permission to share this newsletter with any evangelical Christian whom you think would be interested in reading it. Permission is granted to reproduce articles in whole or in part on websites, e-mail networks or print media as long as the stories are faithfully replicated and credit is given to Missions Insider at http://www.christianaid.org. Please send notices of publication to . Thank you. ------------------------------ Contact Us ----------------------------- Check us out on the web at: http://www.christianaid.org. Christian Aid can be reached by phone at 434-977-5650, or by writing Christian Aid at P.O. Box 9037, Charlottesville, VA 22906. In Canada, visit http://www.christianaid.ca or write to .
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