AUSTRALIAN PRAYER NETWORK NEWSLETTER * HOW A BISHOP BROUGHT THE GOSPEL OF PEACE TO THE TROUBLED CONGO * CUBAN CHRISTIANS UNCLEAR ABOUT IMPACT OF CASTRO'S RESIGNATION * INDIAN CHRISTIANS REACH OUT IN MINISTRY TO TRANSVESTITES * MALAYSIAN CHRISTIANS DECRY EROSION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM * HONG KONG CHRISTIANS SEEK TO ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE * KOSOVO MAY OPEN UP TO THE GOSPEL AFTER INDEPENDENCE ----------------------------------------------- HOW A BISHOP BROUGHT THE GOSPEL OF PEACE TO THE TROUBLED CONGO Going into the forest to try to negotiate with armed rebels is not usually seen as part of Episcopal duties, but Bishop Masimando Katanda took the risk in the hope of bringing about peace. At the time of the invasion by Rwandan and Ugandan forces, destabilisation brought about by a million Rwandan refugees, led to Congolese guerrilla fighters trying to over throw a government they regarded as being under foreign leadership. The Congolese based themselves in the forest and cut off main roads, hoping to starve out the Rwandan soldiers controlling the towns by preventing transportation of food. It was a strategy which brought immense suffering to ordinary villagers, and that was one of the things Bishop Katando wanted to convey to the rebels. "I did research into the rebel leadership and found most had links to families in the Church, so I started working to form connections. The second step was to go into the forest and meet the leaders. I found two or three who were church attenders and asked them what was the problem? They said they were fighting the foreign-led Government - they wanted power to be more local. I said to them that many innocent people were being hurt. I told them that cutting the roads wasn't hurting the Rwandans, who were receiving food by air. It was the rebels' own families in the villages who were being condemned." As a result, the rebels decided to open the roads and so more food became available to the villages. It took a month of talks, with both Bishop Katanda and the Catholic Bishop being involved in negotiations, but eventually a peace agreement was made. Some Congolese did not know and continued fighting, so Bishop Katanda went into the forest again to tell them. "They wanted proof," he said, "so I took some UN troops to show them that there was now UN control, and they finally surrendered their arms to UN troops." The war was over but it had left a legacy of devastation, with much of the country's scant infrastructure destroyed, nearly 4,000,000 people killed, hundreds of thousands displaced, and countless thousands of women and children the victims of sexual violence. Source: The Melbourne Anglican ----------------------------------------------- CUBAN CHRISTIANS UNCLEAR ABOUT IMPACT OF CASTRO'S RESIGNATION Cuba's ailing Fidel Castro, one of the world's longest serving leaders, officially resigned on February 19, but it was not immediately clear what impact that decision would have on political and religious prisoners, including Christians, held across the island. In a letter published by the website of official Communist Party paper, Granma, Castro said he would not return to the presidency, following his long illness. "I neither will aspire to, nor will I accept, the position of president of the council of state and commander in chief," he wrote in the letter. Castro, who has not appeared in public for the last 19 months, handed over power "temporarily" to his brother, Raul, in July 2006 when he underwent intestinal surgery. The 81-year-old has ruled Cuba since leading a communist revolution in 1959. He said in a letter in December already that he did not want to stay in power "forever." Castro added that his duty is not to hold on to positions or block the path of younger people, but to share the experiences and ideas from his life. The National Assembly or legislature was expected to nominate his 76-year-old brother as president. Stepping down was a major decision for Castro. Rights groups said they hope his resignation will lead to democratic changes and the release of hundreds of dissidents, including many Christians. In one of the most published developments, more than 70 Christian were detained in a massive government crackdown in 2003 on dissidents demanding more religious and political freedom. Many were sentenced to long prison terms on charges that included "acts against the independence and the territorial integrity of the Cuban state," and there have been reports of torture and other abuse endured by Christians. Source: Intercessors Network ----------------------------------------------- INDIAN CHRISTIANS REACH OUT IN MINISTRY TO TRANSVESTITES A team from the Church of South India (CSI) Diocese of Madras recently attended the Aravani - transvestite - community festival in Koovagam to better understand the group's concerns. They walked with crowds of Aravani and learned about their culture and the harassment and persecution they face. They made an awareness-raising video of the event and handed out pamphlets on available government facilities. Aravani - also called transgenders - are denied jobs; most are uneducated. They beg, work as guards in brothels or run errands for a living. The Diocese of Madras has been working for their social acceptance through welcoming them into congregations, exploring self-employment, and organising awareness programmes on transgender. Marjorie Rathna of the CSI Dioconal ministry said: "It was really interesting to see the whole place full with Aravanis from various parts of India. "God created the world and only created man and woman. At times special beings came into existence in the form of transgenders, who need our love, care and concern, being vulnerable in the community. As God's people it is our moral duty to protect them and shape them as equal to us in the sight of God, to be accepted into our fold." Source: Church of South India Life ----------------------------------------------- MALAYSIAN CHRISTIANS DECRY EROSION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM The Christian Federation of Malaysia has expressed concern over a federal court ruling that a woman does not have a constitutional right to convert from Islam to another religion. Women who wish to convert will now have to take her case to an Islamic, or Sharia, court, which has the authority to impose prison sentences on those it finds guilty of apostasy. Chairman of the Christian Federation of Malaysia Msgr Paul Tan Chee Ing said: "To deny this basic human right of a person to choose his or her religion is to usurp the power of God and the right of the person concerned. It is, therefore, inhuman and uncivilised." All of Malaysia's religious minorities have expressing grave concern about the decision. While guaranteeing full religious freedom, Kuala Lumpur has established that all questions regarding the faith of the Malay be judged by the Islamic courts rather than civil courts. Source: Asia News ----------------------------------------------- HONG KONG CHRISTIANS SEEK TO ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Hong Kong Christians have launched their first manual to help combat domestic violence. In 2006 64 per cent of pastors said they had dealt with confirmed and suspected domestic violence, while 33 per cent of lay people said they knew somebody who had been abused by their spouse. The manual by the Hong Kong Women's Christian Council includes suggestions for training for pastors and congregations; support groups for those affected, and promotion of gender equality. Assistant general secretary of the Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China Rev Bettsy Ng, noted at a seminar on combating domestic violence that it is not easy for male ministers to recognise the experiences of women involved in domestic violence cases. She cautioned the church to ensure it mantained a balanced approach when counsellng people facing domestic violence. Source: Ecumenical News International ----------------------------------------------- KOSOVO MAY OPEN UP TO THE GOSPEL AFTER INDEPENDENCE Kosovo is being praised for its independence bid from Serbia, although border violence has marred it already. Albania has already formally recognized the independent state and has made friendly overtures for future co-operation. Words of Hope's Lee DeYoung says, "There's a sense that although these two countries will remain separate politically, nevertheless there is such a common ethnic bond, that there's a great enthusiasm inside Albania for this historic step by the people of Kosovo." DeYoung says this may signal an opportunity for the Gospel to gain entrance into Kosovo in a bigger way. He says their partners are seeking opportunities to place Albanian radio programs on stations in Kosovo. "We think there will be a greater interaction between the people of Albania and Kosovo, including those believers who are in Albania and the churches that are growing there. So this may signal an opportunity for the Gospel to gain entrance into Kosovo." Source: Intercessors Network
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