14 November 2003 Update from HCJB World Radio A ministry of HCJB World Radio Today's Headlines: ONE OF 22 CHRISTIAN EGYPTIAN DETAINEES DIES, 16 OTHERS RELEASED RIO GRANDE BIBLE INSTITUTE IN TEXAS NAMES NEW PRESIDENT SIM CELEBRATES 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF CHURCH'S FOUNDING IN ETHIOPIA IRAQIS 'MOST RESPONSIVE TO GOSPEL' OF ANY PEOPLE IN MIDDLE EAST MINISTRY BRINGS HOPE TO RUSSIA'S HOMELESS PEOPLE * NEW PARTNER STATION IN MADAGASCAR BROADCASTS TO TRIBAL AREA Today's News Stories: ONE OF 22 CHRISTIAN EGYPTIAN DETAINEES DIES, 16 OTHERS RELEASED All but five of the 22 Christian converts and their supporters who were arrested in Alexandria, Egypt, in late October have been granted bail. One of those arrested reportedly died in police custody. Isam Abdul Fathr had high blood sugar levels and bowel problems before his arrest. He was a Muslim and had been implicated with helping to obtain false papers for the converts. All 22 were indicted on similar charges related to falsifying official documents. The five remaining detainees continue to suffer from degradation and abuse. While in custody, all 22 were severely beaten and tortured, and some were raped. Among those sexually abused was Mariam Girgis Makar (one of the first to be arrested) who continues to be held in the same quarters as prostitutes. Her husband, Yusuf Samuel Makari Suliman, was one of those released. He said that he was "beaten and tortured on various occasions." Once he was beaten in front of his wife by eight men wielding lengths of plastic cord in an attempt to force them both to return to Islam. A hearing for the five remaining detainees is set for Thursday, Nov. 20, when they will either be released or have their period of custody extended. Those released are being kept under close surveillance by the police in the hope of finding out the identities of yet more converts. (Barnabas Fund) RIO GRANDE BIBLE INSTITUTE IN TEXAS NAMES NEW PRESIDENT Larry Windle has been named the next president of Rio Grande Bible Institute (RGBI) in Edinburg, Texas. On Thursday, Nov. 6, the school's board voted unanimously to elect Windle to this position. He and his wife, Ruth, and their four children plan to arrive on campus later this month. Windle will serve as president-elect until the installation service, tentatively set for Friday, Jan. 16. Windle, who grew up in Bolivia where his parents served as missionaries, came to RGBI in 1997 so Ruth could learn Spanish. Then they went to Bolivia to serve with Gospel Missionary Union (now called Avant Ministries) and returned to the U.S. last month. RGBI, near the U.S.-Mexico border, combines a Spanish language school for missionaries with a Bible school for Hispanic students on the same campus. (Rio Grande Bible Institute) SIM CELEBRATES 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF CHURCH'S FOUNDING IN ETHIOPIA Thousands of Christians, members of the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church in Addis Ababa, are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the church's founding this week. The opening ceremony on Monday, Nov. 10, featured a service of praise and prayer. Guest of honor was Ethiopian President Girma Wolde Giorgis who expressed his thanks to the church for its contributions to the nation. Surrounding the building where the celebrations are being held is a "village" of tents displaying the work of the various ministries of the church: chickens from the farm projects, videos of theological teaching, photographs of clinics helping HIV/AIDS sufferers, and many other ministries. For three days the meetings continued, filled with worship, teaching, discussion and testimonies Main speakers were Dr. J.L. Williams from the U.S., Ato Mulatu Belachew, an Ethiopian church leader now working in Kenya, and Dr. John Stott from England. SIM International Director Malcolm McGregor also traveled to Ethiopia (where he and his wife had served as SIM missionaries) to take part in the celebrations. He said that the church is a good example of developing interdependence as it is now an autonomous organization while continuing to enjoy cooperation with SIM and other churches and agencies. The church's name, Kale Heywet, means "Word of Life." (SIM) IRAQIS 'MOST RESPONSIVE TO GOSPEL' OF ANY PEOPLE IN MIDDLE EAST In Iraq, Christians are having a major impact on the lives of Iraqis, says Mike Creswell of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board (IMB) who just returned from a food distribution trip with volunteers. The IMB is in the process of handing out more than 1 million pounds of food. Creswell says that's not all they're handing out. "We've distributed thousands of Bibles, and our people said they only gave out Bibles when they were actually requested. We're helping start churches. Our people who are familiar with the situation in Iraq say that the Iraqis are some of the most responsive to the gospel of any people in the Middle East." Creswell says political uncertainty means the time is now for ministry. "This is what could be a very narrow opportunity for sharing the gospel, meeting needs and building relationships with the people." (Mission Network News) MINISTRY BRINGS HOPE TO RUSSIA'S HOMELESS PEOPLE A ministry that reaches out to the homeless in Russia reported that eight homeless people were recently murdered there. Three were brutally stabbed with knives. "It happens every winter," Yuri Degtar, leader of Works of Faith said. "Drug addicts beat them for money, for clothing or even to take their place to sleep. The homeless are afraid to sleep even in a doorway." Addicts demanding money recently beat one man with a pipe, breaking his arm in three places. To assist these homeless people, the ministry operates a daily food tent. Degtar said that about 20 people were coming for food each day -- four of them were among the murder victims. Two of the victims had trusted in Christ last summer. New converts have the opportunity to attend regular Bible studies where they are encouraged by Works of Faith personnel who talk and work with each one who comes. (Missions Insider) * NEW PARTNER STATION IN MADAGASCAR BROADCASTS TO TRIBAL AREA Christians were dancing with joy in the Madagascar city of Ihosy when the area's first evangelical radio station went on the air Oct. 24, culminating four years of praying and planning. Piet Jooste, a volunteer installation engineer with partner Radio Africa Network (RAN), said he "couldn't have imagined a happier bunch of people" as the switch was pulled, making gospel broadcasts available to nearly 500,000 people in the area. Sandy Day, administrator of RAN in Cape Town, South Africa -one of the partners in the project along with HCJB World Radio, Madagascar Mission and four local churches-says most of the programming is in the Bara dialect, spoken by the region's main tribe. "These people are steeped in witchcraft and practice the exhumation of the dead in a kind of ancestor worship ceremony," Day explains. "Local churches can now use the radio station to reach these people with the gospel." The station also airs informative programs covering community healthcare (produced by a local doctor), agriculture and environmental issues. The Bara tribe, living in the country's south-central plains, comprises 1 million semi-nomadic cattle herders who are known for their dancing and woodcarvings. The people are in bondage to demonic powers. They fear their ancestors who they believe have great power to curse. The Bara people are animists who have had little contact with the gospel. In 2001 there were only five known believers in this tribe. The 250-watt FM station, broadcasting at 104 MHz, is on the air two hours a day, but this will increase to 24 hours daily "as soon as the latest license fee is paid," Day says. In addition to Bara, programs go out in Malagasy, the country's official language. The station also airs some music in French and English. Putting the station on the air proved to be a greater challenge than anyone imagined when plans were formulated in 1999. "First, funding for the antenna was a problem; then a 60-percent import duty that is levied on equipment was beyond our reach," Day explains. "The local authorities were approached to waive the import duty as the equipment was a gift to the people of Madagascar. Civil unrest and change in government then led to many delays in processing the permit." After numerous letters and visits to his office by local people, Dinah Ratsimbajaona of Madagascar Mission in South Africa traveled to Madagascar to meet with the minister of economy who then gave written permission to waive the import duty. Delays continued until the radio equipment was finally delivered to a partner church in Ihosy in mid-October. "There was much rejoicing and excitement as the crate was unpacked," Day says. Jooste then installed the equipment-again a bigger task than anticipated. "Since there were no rungs on the station's 100-foot antenna tower, installers hoisted him up by a rope. He spent 12 hours on the tower, finishing the work in one trip rather than risk being hoisted up more than once!" Day expressed her thankfulness to HCJB World Radio for making this project a reality. "Friends of the ministry provided for the tower and paid for half of the transmitter costs. The engineering team at Elkhart, Ind., also gave very helpful advice. They were a real blessing to all of us. We look forward to hearing what God is going to do through this station." Dick Jacquin, HCJB World Radio's vice president of support ministries, played a key role in raising funds for the project. "Madagascar is a country that needs gospel broadcasts, and we praise God that this station is reaching more hearts for Christ," he says. The Madagascar Mission and local believers are already considering the possibility of starting another radio station in Mahajanga, the capital of Madagascar's Sakalava province. This is area where few people have heard the gospel. (HCJB World Radio) * NEW PARTNER STATION IN MADAGASCAR BROADCASTS TO TRIBAL AREA Christians were dancing with joy in the Madagascar city of Ihosy when the area's first evangelical radio station went on the air Oct. 24, culminating four years of praying and planning. Piet Jooste, a volunteer installation engineer with partner Radio Africa Network (RAN), said he "couldn't have imagined a happier bunch of people" as the switch was pulled, making gospel broadcasts available to nearly 500,000 people in the area. Sandy Day, administrator of RAN in Cape Town, South Africa -one of the partners in the project along with HCJB World Radio, Madagascar Mission and four local churches-says most of the programming is in the Bara dialect, spoken by the region's main tribe. "These people are steeped in witchcraft and practice the exhumation of the dead in a kind of ancestor worship ceremony," Day explains. "Local churches can now use the radio station to reach these people with the gospel." The station also airs informative programs covering community healthcare (produced by a local doctor), agriculture and environmental issues. The Bara tribe, living in the country's south-central plains, comprises 1 million semi-nomadic cattle herders who are known for their dancing and woodcarvings. The people are in bondage to demonic powers. They fear their ancestors who they believe have great power to curse. The Bara people are animists who have had little contact with the gospel. In 2001 there were only five known believers in this tribe. The 250-watt FM station, broadcasting at 104 MHz, is on the air two hours a day, but this will increase to 24 hours daily "as soon as the latest license fee is paid," Day says. In addition to Bara, programs go out in Malagasy, the country's official language. The station also airs some music in French and English. Putting the station on the air proved to be a greater challenge than anyone imagined when plans were formulated in 1999. "First, funding for the antenna was a problem; then a 60-percent import duty that is levied on equipment was beyond our reach," Day explains. "The local authorities were approached to waive the import duty as the equipment was a gift to the people of Madagascar. Civil unrest and change in government then led to many delays in processing the permit." After numerous letters and visits to his office by local people, Dinah Ratsimbajaona of Madagascar Mission in South Africa traveled to Madagascar to meet with the minister of economy who then gave written permission to waive the import duty. Delays continued until the radio equipment was finally delivered to a partner church in Ihosy in mid-October. "There was much rejoicing and excitement as the crate was unpacked," Day says. Jooste then installed the equipment-again a bigger task than anticipated. "Since there were no rungs on the station's 100-foot antenna tower, installers hoisted him up by a rope. He spent 12 hours on the tower, finishing the work in one trip rather than risk being hoisted up more than once!" Day expressed her thankfulness to HCJB World Radio for making this project a reality. "Friends of the ministry provided for the tower and paid for half of the transmitter costs. The engineering team at Elkhart, Ind., also gave very helpful advice. They were a real blessing to all of us. We look forward to hearing what God is going to do through this station." Dick Jacquin, HCJB World Radio's vice president of support ministries, played a key role in raising funds for the project. "Madagascar is a country that needs gospel broadcasts, and we praise God that this station is reaching more hearts for Christ," he says. The Madagascar Mission and local believers are already considering the possibility of starting another radio station in Mahajanga, the capital of Madagascar's Sakalava province. This is area where few people have heard the gospel. (HCJB World Radio) FREE WORLD WALL MAP: Full-color, 22-inch by 34-inch world wall map. To order, e-mail your name and mailing address to . * * * * * * * * * * * * * James A. Ferrier HCJB World Radio U.S. Ministries Communications Director E-mail: Phone: 1-719-590-9800 Fax: 1-719-590-9801 Web: http://www.hcjb.org http://www.beyondthecall.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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. _______________________________________________ HCJBDaily mailing list with subscribe in the subject line. --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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