Exloring Life Eternal

CHURCH IN IRAQ HELPS BELIEVERS IN NEW ORLEANS
A 300-member church in Iraq's northern Kurdistan governance is providing aid to Hurricane Katrina victims in the U.S. The church is collecting money to help the Adullam Christian Fellowship Church in an area that was hit hardest by the flooding. "We saw the pictures of the devastation on television," said Rev. Hazem, pastor of the two-year-old Kurdzman Church in Iraq. "We were motivated to help the people of New Orleans rebuild so we called our friends at World Compassion to see how to get money to Louisiana." World Compassion has been working in Iraq since U.S. forces entered. Randy Millett, pastor of the Adullam Christian Fellowship, most of whose 359 members are still homeless, was surprised but delighted by the Iraqi church's help. "We've been destroyed, but we will rebuild," he said. "And we're grateful for our friends around the world--including those in Iraq--who are standing with us during this difficult time." [ASSIST 26 Sept.'05]

Please remember India in your prayers – the flooding in Mumbai has affected
ten times more people than the hurricane in our country.

<><
Rcvd from Nate Wilson

Mission Focus #399

"In God there is no East or West, in Him no South or North"

Pray for the victims of Hurricane Katrina which represent many ethnic groups. Pray that people from around the world will lift their eyes up to God and know that "help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth!"

Here are a few (of many) responses from people affected by or helping Hurricane Katrina’s victims:

Mamon, "I knew we would be all right. I knew! Even when I was walking through the water, I knew me and my family was going to all right. Thank God for your kindness and care!"

Another woman said, "We were in hell. You came and we were in heaven."

New Orleans was the home for 30,000 Vietnamese people. Sister Ngyyen, one of 50 Vietnamese Dominican nuns in Texas stated, "This has been an opportunity for us to serve our Vietnamese people. The hurricane has reawaken wartime memories for many of them. God is working and we see hope in their eyes."

Prayer is being answered through the efforts of many people among whom are Christians from all denominations, Jews and Muslims. All working together. Added to this power are people from around the world, some coming in person, some with financial help and all expressing their concerns for this disaster! The following is a list of only a few of these countries: Australia, China, El Salvador, Hungary, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Jordan, Kuwait, Philippines, Azerbaijan, Australia, Britain, France and Germany. May this tragedy which seems like "hell" to many work out for good to them who will turn their eyes to God.

Pray for the many Christians who, as evacuees themselves, are now living in shelters, arenas or in temporary housing around the nation. Let them be shining lights of mercy, grace, leadership, peace and truth. Let the words they speak and every action they commit be mirror reflections of the heart of their Savior. Pray that the media and journalists will give accurate reports that might help draw people to God. Pray that the world will learn to trust God and have faith that He will give the answers needed to difficult problems through those who trust Him!

<><
Pat and David Depew
dpdepew -at earthlink duh- net

Mission Focus #398

PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUFFERED FROM THE TRAGEDY OF HURRICANE KATRINA. PRAY FOR IRAQIS WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM THE STAMPEDE OF SHIITE MUSLIMS WHERE OVER A THOUSAND DIED.

“Pray!” “Pray for the people who are suffering from the tragic disaster of Hurricane Katrina!” From many places of the world people said these words when they heard about the terrible disaster that had hit the south coastal area of the U.S. One Christian woman from India expressed some of her thoughts: “In your country, every one will get a new chance to stat again. Not so in our country. However, there is such gratefulness shown when poor people receive help in India. The very poorest person in the world has the greatest treasure when he finally turns to God and knows His love. I pray that the people in America, especially those who are suffering from Hurricane Katrina will realize that God does not want people to suffer, but He wants them to give all of their hearts and lives to Him. May those who do not know the Lord receive Him through the giving hearts of believers in America who are helping the victims of this tragedy.”

Many of the people living in New Orleans have been participants in various forms of spirit worship, such as voodoo and other cultic practices that cause serious spiritual problems. PRAY that this disaster will draw hearts closer to the true God for comfort, hope and guidance. PRAY that the sovereignty of God’s loving rule will be known to many who are going through this tragic event. PRAY that those who have been caught in darkness, depression, fear and sadness will truly come to give their lives over to God and receive a new life. PRAY for wisdom in regards to all redevelopment from the damage of this disaster. PRAY that a health crisis due to diseases that could happen from this disaster will not happen.

PRAY FOR IRAQ. PRAY for the families who are in shock and who are mourning family members killed in the stampede. It occurred while people were walking to a religious service at a Shiite mosque in Baghdad. The people became fearful when hey received a false warning of a bomb threat. Over a thousand died. PRAY that many will turn to God.

IRAQ: THE GOOD NEWS
Despite bombings, hostage-taking and political wrangling, some positive news has emerged about the growth of Iraqi churches. In Baghdad, 15 evangelical congregations have started since the removal of Saddam Hussein's regime in April 2003. Officially, only two existed before. Now local Iraqi pastors lead all congregations, and many Christians who fled the country have returned. "The people are open like never before," said Pastor Ghassan Thomas, adding, “Muslims too want peace. Many of them are frightened. When the hostages are killed, often a Quranic verse is used to justify it. So many Muslims are scared of their own God. When we preach that God is love, it is so liberating to them." In the northeast, Iraqi Kurdistan offers a haven for Christian activity as the two rival Kurdish governments reportedly grow in their toleration of Muslims becoming Christians. Kurds compose about 25% of Iraq’s population. Pray that the country’s new constitution will ensure freedom of religion. [COMPASS, 8 July ‘05]

RADICALS IN INDONESIA ORDER 8 MORE CHURCHES CLOSED
A campaign by a radical Islamic group to close down Christian churches in the Indonesian province of West Java has escalated in recent days, reported the Christian human rights group Jubilee Campaign. “Members of the Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI), an organization of Muslim clerics that receives 5 billion rupees (nearly US$600,000) in support from the government of Indonesia, entered 8 churches during worship services on Aug. 14 and ordered the churches to close.” The incident brings to 35 the number of West Java churches shut down since the MUI issued a series of 11 religious rulings (fatwas) at the end of July. [ASSIST NEWS/HCJB 16 Aug.’05]

“CHRISTIANS IN CRISIS”
A Filipino pastor and evangelist who was tortured and scheduled for public hanging in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Christmas Day, 1992, now leads an organisation that supports persecuted Christians worldwide. Wally Magdangal had just two days left when he was spared execution through the intervention of international human rights groups, the U.S. Congress and White House. Accused of blasphemy, Magdangal said he was actually imprisoned for leading an underground church in Riyadh for 10 years. This had become one of the largest churches in Saudi Arabia with between 300 and 700 people attending services. After being deported, he and his family moved to the U.S. where he now operates “Christians in Crisis” [http://www.christiansincrisis.net], visiting heads of state to tell them about the persecution and torture of Christians and other groups in Saudi Arabia. [CHARISMA/CMDNET 6 Aug.05]

ARABIC SAT-7 VIEWERS FORM CHURCH IN SWEDEN
Ten Arabs in a small city in Sweden came to know Christ through broadcasts from the SAT-7 Arabic satellite network. Centres affiliated with SAT-7 in Europe often help viewers find and integrate into local Arabic churches. But since these new believers had no Arab-speaking church in their city, they decided to start their own. [MNN 25 July ‘05]

"BOILER ROOM" PRAYER FOR LONDON
The City of London is the latest location for a new type of prayer community known as "Boiler rooms". The centres owe their name to the claim of Victorian preacher CH Spurgeon that his ministry only bore fruit because of his "boiler rooms" of prayer warriors who prayed in the basement while he preached. The new breed of boiler rooms – five have opened so far – are an initiative of the 24/7 Prayer Network. The latest, in Tabernacle Street, Moorgate, includes lunchtime prayer for the business community and evening "complines" and has seen members praying on the tube in the aftermath of the London bombings. The groups seek to echo monastic principles as a refuge for prayer and hospitality. [NEWSWATCH/CHRISTIANITY 9/05]

GROWING MISSION-MINDED KIDS
Through the OMS International "Kids Can Do" education programme, kids can take a virtual mission trips and support project that make a huge difference. Says Susie Howard of OMS: "In a lot of Sunday Schools and Vacation Bible Schools, the children will actually raise money for a project, but sometimes they really don't know what they're doing. By educating the children they have a better idea of who these people are. They have more compassion for them, tend to pray for them more at home, and hopefully someday be even open to the thought of going somewhere else and doing something." It's a programme not just for kids, but for adults who want to help develop missions-minded kids. For games and more info visit the Kids Corner page on the OMS website www.omsinternational.org [CMDNet 16 July ‘05]

RESOURCES
International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is November 6, 2005. Find out more at:
http://www.releaseinternational.org/idop

Treasury of where to look for resources connecting children and missions!
http://missionresources.com/teachingkids.html

Free missionary stories for kids with downloadable coloring sheets from The National Children's Ministries Agency of the Assemblies of God
http://bgmc.ag.org/files/true-missionary-stories/index.cfm

NEWS BYTES is compiled monthly by Debbie Meroff of OM News & Information
[OMNI] in London, England. Material may be freely copied and circulated.
Items do not necessarily reflect OM position and questions should be
directed to the original news source. Html version can be found on
www.om.org. Please do not hit "reply" to this email as subscriptions are
automated. For a free e-mail subscription send a message to:
newsbytes-subscribe@yahoogroups.com