Missions Blog

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

China’s HIV/Aids cases jump 30% China has announced a big jump in reported cases of HIV/Aids, officials and state media have said.

A Year of Misery and Violence Sri Lanka Presidet Mahinda Rajapakse’s first year in power has been marked by worsening bloodshed

Clerics mull female circumcision Egypt’s top Muslim clerics have attempted to distance Islam from the practice of female genital mutilation, saying the religion does not need it.

Somalia flood waters still rising Flood waters in southern Somalia continue to rise and cholera has broken out, an aid worker tells the BBC.

HIV epidemic ‘is getting worse’ Sub-Saharan Africa is still bearing the brunt of the HIV/Aids epidemic, a UNAids reports has revealed

Tanzanians quiet on witchcraft Two Tanazanian soccer clubs refuse to comment on fines for using witchcraft to affect the outcome of their latest match.

Peace deal ends Nepal’s civil war The government of Nepal and Maoist guerrillas have signed a historic peace accord, declaring a formal end to a 10-year rebel insurgency.

While traveling around India, my friend Matt was told this story about this orphan girl. She lived in an orphanage run by a new-age Westerner who moved to India to take care of orphans and live near a river she considered a god. The story so moved Amanda Story that she wrote this, her first poem. It also moved her to the point of action and is now moving with her family to Asia to minister among the unreached.

———–

She was a young girl of 12
Who woke up one day
Her father came in only to say
Today is the day, we shall go on a trip
She gleaned with excitement and didn’t hesitate, not one bit.

They walked hand in hand, right out of the town
They walked for miles and on to the next town
It was there at the train station
Stood a very tall man, He was dressed rather strangely with a lot of money in one hand

I saw Him greet my father and then to my surprise
He gave him the dough and then turned and greeted my eyes.
My father just left without saying a word.
I yelled and tried to run after him, but he never heard.
That tall man just grabbed me and pushed me on the train
I was surrounded by men with only thing on their brain.

One at a time they each had their way
Each giving the tall man, money for pay.
From one stop til the next a dozen came through.
Each satisfying his lust and beating me too.
With each blow I received my mind began to haze

I don’t remember much until the next day.
They say they found me lying in blood.
My mind started running and the memories began to flood.
My father whom I trusted proclaimed to me that day.
Your life is only worth a small amount of pay.

So they brought me to this orphanage because there’s nowhere else to go.
So I sit beside beside this window, longing to know.
Who is God and where does he dwell?
Does He know who I am, does he know me well?
Does he care for my needs, does he hear my prayers?
I guess I will never know because there’s no one who cares.

The girl in the story is still waiting to hear about a redeeming Savior whose presence is near.
That’s not the end of the story. There is a part two.
And this part of the story, it involves you.

Will you go?
Will you tell?
Will you proclaim the good news?
Or will you hide behind fears and do only what others will do?

-Amanda Storey, Misisonary to Southeast Asia.

———–
As Amanda was writing down this story to share with others, she said it just came out in a rhyme. This is not just a story about one little girl, but the story of countless millions who are orphaned every year and know nothing about the love of Jesus. They are not just numbers and statistics, but individuals just like you who have likes and hopes and dreams and feel pain. What will you do?

Thanks to Nick at Shaking the Gates for typing this up.

Congo poll loser rejects result Presidential candidate Jean-Pierre Bemba rejects election results. Tensions are heightened as people worry about peace. Peacekeepers have deployed extra troops in the capital of Kinshasa, in case of trouble.

Seven killed in Indian violence seven people including three police have died in violence in a small town in India’s north-eastern Assam state.

Afghan ‘threat to wider region Afghan President Hamid Karzai has warned that instability in Afghanistan poses a huge threat to peace and prosperity in the whole region.

Kabila named DR Congo election winner - DR Congo has been described as a “black hole at the heart of Africa”. For 130 years the country has suffered from brutal and astonishingly corrupt regimes. You can read this article about these new elections are supposed to put an end to all that. Pray for a stable and godly government in this sad country.

Suspect admits Poso murder role - A suspected Muslim militant has admitted he was involved in the 2005 beheading of three Christian schoolgirls in Indonesia’s Sulawesi. Pray for an end to the religious violence in this region.

Pakistan votes to amend rape laws - In a country almost devoid of women’s rights, this is a small step. Pray that women would be given freedom and protection by their government.? Under the current law, women must have four male witnesses to back up their claim of rape of be charged with adultery, with the possibility of receiving lashes or being stoned.

India-Pakistan talks ’start well’ Two countries desperately in need of peace with each other start peace talks again. Talks were previously derailed after a train bombing killed 200 people in Mumbai. Pray for peace between these two countries.

Refugees cut off by Kenya floods Somalis’ already suffering as refugees, are now suffering from flooding in Kenya. Thousands of shelters have been destroyed and several have died. Pray for the end of their suffering

Vietnam off Us religion blacklist Despite this decision by the U.S., Christians in Vietnam are still persecuted. Pray for believers to stay strong in the midst of tough times.

As faithful as I can keep up with it, I would like to highlight some international news every few days that you can be praying about. Taking 15 minutes of your day to read international news at news.bbc.co.uk is great way to keep up with the happenings of the world.

Sri Lanka recruits child fighters On a recent fact finding mission, the UN reports they discovered evidence of the Sri Lankan government rounding up children to fight with the renegade Karuna rebel group.

Darfur militias in deadly attacks About 30 people have been killed in Sudan’s Darfur region by pro-government militias.

“Taleban law” passed in Pakistan Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province has passed a bill setting up a Taleban-style department under a cleric to enforce Islamic morality.