Missions Network News

The employees are quality-control testing. During the firing process, warping can occur which must be watched for. Our partner has a high standard on quality to ensure that filters are eliminating 98% of all pathogens and bacteria.

Laos (MNN) -- Laos ranks 12th on Open Doors World Watch list of countries who support persecution of Christians. According to Open Doors, "The government exercises tight control on all parts of society. Small independent congregations are under pressure and have been refused recognition. Local authorities regard them as enemies; Buddhist leaders and village shamans also watch them closely. Most believers are ethnic minorities."

This wouldn't be a place a typical Christian would want to start a business, but Lifewater International has done just that. For security reasons we'll call our Lifewater contact "Somboun." Somboun tells us about some of the problems in Laos facing Christians. "Christianity can be viewed as being something that is a part of the American government and can be viewed with suspicion. [Laos] is actually a communist country, one of the last communist countries in the world."

Lifewater got involved with a partner in the country, who they trained to drill wells. "He has since started his own company and God has used him to get into government circles to be an influencer."

Now, Somboun says, "Lifewater has been a part of helping us starting a new company that actually focuses on ceramic water filters. So, we're making those and selling those in Laos."

It's not possible to be a missionary in Laos. Somboun says he's a businessman, "But, at the same time we're doing this great social work and just really providing water. At the same time our heart of course is is to see the church grow and build key relationships with local leaders, the registered church, and the unregistered church and just be a support and an encouragement to them."

The business is actually helping the church financially. "We're actually able to employ a lot of Christians, people that we feel like God is going to use these guys -- take them and use their lives to share the Gospel so that they can be equipped to really be some effective leaders in Laos."

The need for clean safe water is great. He says Laos is one of the poorest nations in Asia. He says people, especially children, are dying every day because of poor water. To this end, Lifewater's in-country partner has conducted many promotional activities to raise awareness about the need for safe water and promote their affordable water filters. Activities have included community hygiene training events, booths at festivals, radio advertising, market displays, and door-to-door sales. Their filters are greatly valued by communities and demand for them is steadily growing, to the point where customers are pre-paying for their orders.

Somboun says a side benefit is reaching the unreached So people of central Laos, "donating filters to them, working with national leaders who are going out and sharing the Gospel and building the So church. Basically without Lifewater, we're not able to be there in Laos and see the church grow."

There's always concern they could be targeted by the government. "We've actually had a Lao co-worker in the company. They actually had to leave because the police were looking for them because they led a young girl to Christ in their village, and that kind of caused a little scene."

$50 actually provides a ceramic water purifier complete with all accessories for one family. Click here to help.

Congo-Kinshasa (MNN) -- Violence in the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo has forced the Logo translation team to flee.

The Seed Company reports that the Bible translators now live and work in the town of Isiro. Their home area has become too dangerous, especially since they own expensive equipment like computers and printers.

At the center of the problem is the Lord's Resistance Army, a rebel group formed decades ago that has claimed the lives of thousands and traumatized many thousands more. The group was formed in Uganda, but now makes its home in eastern Central African Republic and northeastern Congo, where the Logo people are found.

LRA leader Joseph Kony is actively being hunted by international forces but has yet to be tracked down.

Thus, the Logo translation team is not the only group to flee their region. Many have fled the area to escape the LRA's indiscriminate burning of villages and kidnapping of children.

But the power of the Gospel cannot be held down.

Recently, church communities in the region created a center for Bible translation (CITBA ) in Isiro. This center has become a haven for translation, especially those from rebel-affected areas. This also represents a new paradigm for national churches as they engage in the central role of creating locally sensitive and locally oriented ministry materials.

To ensure that the effort has the necessary resources and infrastructure, The Seed Company installed a VAST satellite communication dish to serve all translation projects. Two Seed Company projects--the Logo and Mayogo New Testament teams--are using the system, which will remain to support translation efforts in the area for years to come.

There are few families in Congo who have not been affected by the LRA's warfare. Pray that this translation project will be a key to unlocking hope in their lives as they learn about Christ, some for the first time.

To learn more about Logo translators, click here .

Haiti (MNN) -- It's been more than two years since the devastating earthquake destroyed Port-au-Prince, and the rebuilding continues. Churches are especially in need of help. That's why Bible Centered Ministries International , or BCM, has started a new program.

BCM's Tommy Gambrill says, "We're spearheading a project called, 'Restoring Hearts and Homes in Haiti.' The idea is to get U.S. churches to partner with Haitian churches and provide prayer support for them, financial support, and even teams to go."

BCM is partnering with the Union of Evangelical Baptists of Haiti, or UEBH. The UEBH has over 250 churches across Haiti, 25 Christian grade schools, four camp properties, and a post graduate seminar school in Port-au-Prince.

This organization was decimated. Gambrill says, "Many of their churches were destroyed, people lost their lives, pastors and teachers found themselves asking the question, 'What do we do?' By God's grace, we got connected."

The goal is to get the churches up and functioning again. The earthquake saw thousands turn to Christ. So, pastors not only have to function without a church building, "but he has more people coming to him that want to know about salvation. And, so how can we help people spiritually understand what it means that God wants them to have eternal life, but then also help them physically. I think the two go hand-in-hand."

Gambrill envisions teams being made up with construction workers, pastors, trauma counselors, vacation Bible school teams, and even medical professionals to help in the partnership effort. "Even people who like to do sports. Soccer, basketball and other sports could also be a good outreach for the kids."

BCM is looking for 6 to 12 churches to join in the partnership. If you're interested, we'll connect you at our Web site.

North America (MNN) -- It's been over 500 years since the first missionary attempts to reach Native America with the Gospel. Yet only 5 percent of the current Native population in North America knows Christ.

"The very first people that we tried to reach are now, perhaps, the last missions frontier on this continent," notes American evangelist Ron Hutchcraft. "If you look back, the very first missionary to America, the very first Bible translation, was for Native Americans."

"We've done better and know more about missions around the world than we do right here on our doorstep," Hutchcraft adds.

But why, after five centuries, is there so little fruit to be shown?

Hutchcraft says there are a number of reasons that evangelistic efforts have failed, but the most prominent has to do with Christ being viewed as "the white man's God." Many ministries worldwide are working to have fewer foreign missionaries and more native ones. In North America though, white Americans are still typically the ones trying to reach Native Americans.

"There's been a tremendous shortage of Native Americans who would be the leaders of the Christian movement--be the face of Christ, be the voice of Christ for their people over all these years," explains Hutchcraft.

It's a problem that's kept a people away from even considering Christ for centuries. Yet over the last 20 years, change has been on the horizon.

20 years ago this month, Hutchcraft says, the Lord laid the plight of Native America on his heart. Thus spring On Eagles' Wings, a ministry outreach specifically to Native American youth.

On Eagles' Wings has since "demonstrated that there are historic breakthroughs when Native young people are the messengers to Native young people," says Hutchcraft.

At On Eagles' Wings Warrior Leadership Summit conferences, youth from over 90 tribes gather and hear about Christ. From there, a few dozen students choose to spend their summer moving from reservation to reservation, sharing their testimonies of how suicidal thoughts, drug abuse, sexual abuse and depression turned into lives of joy in Christ.

More and more of these summer "warriors" are moving into full-time ministry to Native youth though. One On Eagles' Wings alumna has begun a new youth ministry on the reserves of Canada. Two others are leading The Path youth ministry on the Hopi Reservation. Another is on the staff of a Native Bible School, discipling Native young men for ministry.

Twenty-eight out of 60 "warriors" from last summer are now going to Christian colleges on scholarship provided by On Eagles' Wings to learn how to do outreach.

These formerly lost Native American youth are now paving the way for unprecedented ministry, says Hutchcraft. "They are, I would say, the face of hope for Native America for the future, and why I believe there is really hope of a Jesus generation finally coming."

Native believers are being multiplied, but now so is Native leadership. "People who've been way too long overlooked, and way too long forgotten, and way too long unreached" are finally being reached effectively.

Most of this effective outreach starts through On Eagles' Wings. To support the ministry in prayer, or even financially, visit oneagleswings.com. Any financial support will go to sponsor the Warrior Leadership Summit conference, and to provide scholarships for Native youth who wish to learn more about outreach but do not have the resources to do so on their own.

Tanzania (MNN) -- Reaching the last people groups on earth is no easy task. As one Africa Inland Mission missionary points out, "It's human nature: we tend to save the hardest work for last."

Yet AIM is committed to doing whatever it takes to reach even those most difficult to reach. In an effort to do so, AIM is launching another TIMO team in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania this month.

TIMO, or Training in Ministry Outreach, places a team of new missionaries with an experienced missionary couple who serve as team leaders. Together, they live as learners among an unreached or partially unreached people group with a shared goal of preaching the Gospel.

TIMO is a two-year, intensive program designed to provide the foundation for a lifetime of ministry. Team members in Tanzania this month will begin to learn a new language and then actually begin to share the message of Christ. They will discover methods of outreach, will learn to pray and intercede, and will put into practice every mission theory they have learned.

In order to be most effective, TIMO members will even have homework. They will write papers and do a great deal of reading to help build a solid foundation for ministry.

This month, AIM is asking for prayer for this new team. It is a joint effort between AIM and ReachGlobal, the mission arm of the EFCA. Pray for safety for each of the team members as they arrive and begin to learn about their new surroundings and culture. Ask God to help them through the initial stages of culture shock.

Pray also for the team leaders to provide quality mentoring, discipleship, encouragement, and support for each of the team members as she leads the team. Pray that all this work would result in more lives reached for Christ.

To learn more about AIM's TIMO program and even watch a video about it, click here.

U.S. missionaries John and Wanda Casias were murdered in Monterrey on Tuesday.

Mexico (MNN) -- Violence in Mexico has claimed the lives of a U.S. missionary couple. Yesterday, John (76) and Wanda (67) Casias were remembered for their service to Christ in the Baptist church they founded.

Wanda was discovered in their home by their son on Tuesday evening, who noticed their car and some electronics were missing. His father was found dead in an outbuilding on the property. Both had electrical cords tied around their necks.

Violence has escalated in Mexico, forcing many missionaries to rethink their deployment. John Herrin served with The Mission Society in Monterrey until recently. "When we first moved to Monterrey over three years ago, it was one of the safest cities in Latin America, not just Mexico. And in a very brief time, the city just changed literally overnight. There's a sense of tension in the air, a sense of fear in the city."

Herrin says the increase in violence forced them to make some decisions about staying in Mexico. "When driver's training began to include how to respond to a shoot out and how to drop to the floor-board of the car, we realized we weren't sure our kids should be involved in this." This helped them make their decision to leave Monterrey.

Many American missionaries are leaving Mexico, Herrin says, and the church has had a great deal of uncertainty. "A lot of funding began to drop off, and the church began saying, 'What are we going to do?' Then, the violence began to hit, again the church said, 'What are we going to do?'"

Herrin says the Holy Spirit is empowering people. "The church there is stepping up. They are developing their own plan. They're going out, and they're reaching out. And they're doing things that they haven't done before because they haven't had to."

That may be the silver lining in all of this, says Herrin. "We're now [being reminded] that God is doing it. It's not me doing it. It's not those missionaries over there. This really is the continuation of God's church."

Herrin says he still goes back to Monterrey once a month for ministry. Pray for his safety as he travels in and out of Mexico. He says, "The easy thing [to do] is to give up and walk away. The thing that God calls us to is to be faithful. If God calls us to it, we need to be about it, and God will be with us. He'll carry us through it and over it."

In the meantime, pray for all missionaries working in Mexico. Pray especially for the Casias family, their church family in Mexico, and their supporters in Texas.

Mexico (MNN) -- Early this week, police in northern Mexico announced the capture of a Zeta drug lord responsible for some 75 deaths. In a separate case this week, 119 other suspects were also charged for drug trafficking (among other things), according to the Law Enforcement Examiner.

With all of these arrests in hand, is the drug war actually being won?

Todd Szalkowski with E3 Partners (E3) just returned from Reynosa, Mexico and says the violence may actually be getting worse.

"[In Reynosa], I heard stories of the increased violence across Mexico in places where we hadn't seen it before: Veracruz, Mexico City, Guadalajara. Places that had not been impacted the way that the border had been impacted had seen some of the atrocious, gang-style executions that had occurred along the border now happening in these cities," says Szalkowski.

As evidence of the increased hostility elsewhere, Szalkowski adds, "Women of the church in Reynosa had been invited to a conference in Guadalajara and were afraid to go. These women live in one of the most dangerous cities on earth and were afraid to go to Guadalajara for a women's conference."

The violence is affecting believers' day-to-day lives in a number of ways. Although innocent bystanders are not affected as much, says Szalkowski, nearly every family, it seems, has some ties to drug cartels.

"Just about every family has someone who is impacted directly by drug cartels. Either they're in a cartel in some form or fashion, or a lookout, or being forced to be a lookout. It's just so widespread," explains Szalkowski.

This makes E3's ministry difficult. For one thing, people are disappearing.

"We'll see people disappear, and we're not sure whether or not they've disappeared because they have been executed, or whether they flee simply to try to hide from the influences they no longer want to be a part of," notes Szalkowski.

As if that's not bad enough, the violence makes it hard for E3 to track their own ministry work. E3 knows the only way to end the violence in Mexico is for people to grasp the Gospel. The ministry has planted several "I Am Second" groups--essentially small home churches--across Mexico. The groups naturally duplicate themselves, but Szalkowski says they still only know of a few dozen groups in existence; there are probably more.

"What we're finding is that some people are actually afraid to report to us that groups have been started and to give us names and locations of those groups, for fear of being targeted."

Prayer is a must in this situation. Pray for boldness as Christians attempt to share their faith. Pray that they would feel God's presence. Pray that Christians would not be targeted but would be seen as peace-bearers. Pray that Mexico would turn to Christ in this time of turmoil.

E3 continues to train leaders in Mexico, especially within "I Am Second" groups. To help cover the costs of training, give to the Mexico Border Project.

USA (MNN) -- A meeting held this past Tuesday may have sealed a campus ministry's fate at Vanderbilt University.

In late 2010, Vanderbilt changed a school policy to include a stricter anti-discrimination code. Essentially, the school's idea was that any student should be able to lead any group. If they're prohibited from doing so, it's discrimination.

It seems like a good policy in theory. But for groups like InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, it could mean the end of official ministry at Vanderbilt.

"For InterVarsity specifically, because our constitution says that leaders of InterVarsity chapters have to be Christians and practice their Christian walk, we would be sent off campus because of that," explains InterVarsity's Andrew Ginsberg.

It's been a long battle between Vanderbilt administration and InterVarsity staff (read more here) which culminated in a meeting this past Tuesday night.

"Vanderbilt had a Town Hall meeting that we hoped would be a good sharing of ideas. It turned out not quite to be that way," says Ginsberg. "The administration made their case and heard questions, but there wasn't a free sharing. It seems like the decision has been made."

Technically, the decision of whether or not InterVarsity will be allowed to remain an official campus group will be made in the next couple of months. But Ginsberg seems fairly certain the verdict will be against them.

It's a sad matter, and one that threatens religious liberties. But InterVarsity's response has been one of faith. "This isn't a surprise to the Lord," notes Ginsberg.

InterVarsity is acutely aware that their response to this matter could be a testimony of Christ in and of itself.

"It's a really great opportunity to be salt and light. People are watching us. So how can we love students well? How can we love administration well? What does fighting look like in the Kingdom?"

InterVarsity is fighting for their rights currently but will roll with the punches, so to speak.

"If it comes to the point of them removing us from campus, well, Jesus doesn't leave the campus," says Ginsberg.

InterVarsity students will still be on the campus. Christians will still be on the campus. And InterVarsity can even continue to run off campus, just not as an official university group. The Lord will undoubtedly still work.

Currently, InterVarsity is praying for a change of heart in the Vanderbilt administration. Join them in prayer, and keep yourself updated on the situation here.

Sweden (MNN) -- Growth is a good problem to have, right?

Growing pains, while not fun, mean something good on the other side of transition. That's precisely the process that The Evangelical Alliance Mission in Sweden is reporting.  

Founded in 1993, New Life Church in Stockholm now represents more than 50 different nationalities from all corners of the world, from Albania to Zambia.

As a result, they're looking for a space with more room to grow. They recently put together a down payment for a new building. 

Working hand-in-hand with InterAct, a Swedish church and mission movement, TEAM missionaries are seeing churches grow that bring the whole Gospel to the whole person in Sweden. Their strategy: to transform lives and multiply churches through relational, holistic evangelism and by mentoring young leaders to reach their peers.

The ministry team uses music, art, and social caring to reach children, youth, and those who have been marginalized by their society. It's a catalyst used by the community of Jesus Christ to love and serve the people in Sweden.

This approach has met with success, and people are responding. Please pray for the congregation as they renovate a warehouse, allocating space for the activities of the church while continuing ministry at the present location through the end of February. 

Pray that this intense period will draw the church together and reveal how they can serve the community better.

USA (LPEA/MNN) -- There's a saying that goes, "The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world."

It speaks to the influence of a mother through her children. If that mother is a godly woman, the influence will be godly. What if God were to call an army of wives, sisters, and mothers to engage in intense, purposeful prayer?

Seven years ago, Solid Rock, one of Portland, Oregon's largest churches, hosted a group of women to hold vigil before the Lord all night.

They brought hope for people they love who need Jesus, messy relationships they cannot fix, co-workers who are cold to the Gospel, teenagers taking terrible risks, with a great burden to see hearts rescued by the Redeemer.

The idea caught on, and more and more venues began opening up to accommodate the participants who prayed through a theme simultaneously.    

Last February, 110 women met at the Luis Palau Association headquarters to pray all night long. "The night was a rare experience--intense, intimate, and powerful," said Wendy Palau, who planned the event at LPA. "The time spent with our Lord revitalized my life in a way few events can."

It was so well received that LPA is hosting its second annual Women's Night in Prayer on February 24-25 at their facilities in Beaverton, Oregon. The Palau team hopes to maximize the power of prayer by providing new resources and extending the impact of intercessory prayer in 2012.

"Prayer is an integral part of everything we do--from festivals to staff meetings," said LPA President Kevin Palau. "We're entering our busiest season of ministry yet, and we know that we need to consult and petition the Lord for His guidance and blessing in everything we do. That's what this initiative is about."

Alongside several Portland-area churches, plans are underway for a satellite prayer event in Sacramento, CA, where the Palau team will host a festival this June. Churches in Haiti, Jamaica, Australia, and more will also be mobilized to pray on the night of the event and beyond.

As the event draws closer, there will be more links and tools for participants to access which will enable people across the country to participate.

India (MNN) -- A self-styled Sharia Court is doing its best to silence the Gospel in India. The panel of Muslim clerics expelled three pastors from Kashmir state over allegations of forcible conversions.

However, the row created by the situation has believers raising the alarm. In mid-January, Muslim clerics issued a fatwa against them for "luring the Valley's Muslims to Christianity."

David Bast with Words  of Hope says, first, "The Sharia court is not an official institution. It's not a government court. This is simply a group of Muslim clerics who set themselves up and say, 'We will dictate what happens because Kashmir is Muslim.'" 

Second, the current crisis was sparked by video, posted in October 2011, of a pastor baptizing Kashmiri Muslim youth. There were calls to kill the pastor and to burn down churches and schools in the Valley.

Within hours of the warning, the pastor was arrested. The panel also accused two other Christian workers of being accomplices. As a result, says Bast, "Active ministry has ceased for the moment, as far as we know, and the Christians who were involved in that have had to flee for their lives."

Specifically, the expulsion is costly in terms of outreach. "Our team has experienced directly the results of that ruling because one of those three was heading up the work that we're involved in. The report we're getting from the direct for South Asia where Words of Hope is involved is basically that Christian ministry has shut down in Kashmir."

Bast goes on to say that before this happened, there was one above-ground church in the capital city. Now, there are none. It's unlikely that the situation will improve much. The Sharia court has also called on the government to take over management of missionary schools. There are several media reports indicating the Sharia court wants to introduce Islamic prayer and to allot classes for Islamic studies at these schools.

Jammu/Kashmir is India's only Muslim-majority state; Muslims account for 67% of its population. In the Valley, Muslims are the overwhelming majority constituting 97% of the population.

Bast notes that although there is dispute with Pakistan over the region's identity, "Legally, it's part of India, so it should be governed by the constitution of the state of India which guarantees religious freedom, but that's not happening there right now."

Words of Hope's ministry includes Gospel broadcasts in eight languages to four countries. It is the only region where Words of Hope broadcasts to audiences which are predominantly Hindu (Hindi, Bhojpuri, Dogri, Garhwali, Nepali), Buddhist (Tibetan, Dzongkha) and Muslim (Kashmiri).

Please pray for Words of Hope's continued efforts in South Asia. Bast requests, "Pray for the believers that are still there. They are very much under pressure. They're probably mostly underground. They're being intimidated, so pray that they'll be strengthened, that they'll be courageous, that they'll be able to stand."

Van continues to experience below-freezing temperatures and many inches of snowfall.

Turkey (MNN) -- It's been just more than 100 days since the first earthquake in a three-part series struck Van, Turkey. Each of the three had magnitudes well over 5.0, left hundreds of people dead, and took part in creating a fear that would paralyze a people.

In general, gathering people out of the gelid temperatures in Van since the quakes has gone fairly well. Mark Lewis, the director of EFCA TouchGlobal Crisis Response, says TouchGlobal has managed to house 800 families in 400 double shelters. Most people seem to be off the streets.

Months after the quake, Van has an eerie feeling to it. About half of the city cleared out and has yet to return. Most of the rest stay in shelters with their homes nearby, determined to protect their possessions but terrified to reenter cracked buildings.

Lewis says since the shelters are mostly complete, TouchGlobal partners are moving onto another phase of relief: a mobile soup kitchen. Temperatures are below freezing, and earthquake victims have little left. Christian workers want to be able to offer hot meals to those living in temporary shelters.

But even as hot soup may serve to fill stomachs and "warm the soul," any relief will be fleeting compared to the intense hopelessness surrounding Van.

"Fear is what is driving people right now," explains Lewis. "There's fear of the continued earthquake. There's fear now with thefts. There's fear of the unknown, the future, and the uncertainty."

People relive terrifying memories about family and friends who died in the earthquake. Others hear stories about people who ended up trapped--like one man who was rescued from rubble in the first quake, only to be moved into a hotel which collapsed in the next one, crushing him.

It's a trauma-inducing atmosphere. But Lewis says miraculously, there is hope emerging from the rubble.

"[An evangelist] said he felt that in that context, there was really an unprecedented openness in people," says Lewis. "It's characterized as an emotional crack that has opened that's enabled discussions and relationship to go beyond material things, and to really deal with that element of fear and hopelessness."

"When you're in hopelessness and fear, that's an amazing testimony to hear truth and to experience love, and to receive that in grace, without charge--just because someone else cares about you," adds Lewis. "That's powerfully encouraging."

The Turkish church in Van is excited by God's movement throughout the region and throughout the church itself, which is coming together like never before. Pray for hearts to be open to hearing about hope in Christ. Pray that Christian workers would have the words to say as well as the energy to say them as they continue to provide for victims' physical needs months since the crisis struck.

There are a number of ways you can partner with TouchGlobal's work in Turkey. Click here to read about them.

International (MNN) -- A large proportion of the population in developing countries live on less $2 per day.

The poor spend a large portion of their income on food, housing or medicine, let alone buying something as precious as a Bible.

However, Worldwide Christian Schools is working to change that. Scott Vanderkooy with WWCS says, "Worldwide Christian Schools concentrates on the development of Christ-centered schools in the developing world. But approximately 80% of these children come from homes without a Bible."

Since part of their curriculum uses the Bible as text, owning one seems to be fairly high on the priority list. For sponsored students who attend the schools, though, the reality is their families simply can't afford to buy one. Vanderkooy says, "We started the 'My Own Bible' campaign, or MOB, to raise money for Bibles that are bought by each school locally and then are distributed to the students' families."

What started as an experiment in Africa has now grown to an international project that has taken on a life of its own. "We spend a lot of time as Christian school people trying to integrate faith in all of life in these developing world families," says Vanderkooy. "It's difficult to do that if those families don't have a Bible of their own in their home that they can refer to." 

Presenting need and action in small doses makes this project one that is easy for everyone not only to grasp, but also to participate in. For example, Vanderkooy says, "Grand Rapids Christian Middle School completed a 15-day campaign. They called it 'Join the MOB' and raised enough money for 520 Bibles for schools in Uganda, the DR, Guatemala and India."

The actual results are as follows:

• The 5th grade raised $527.75 or enough for 105 student Bibles
• The 6th grade raised $550.75 or enough for 110 student Bibles
• The 7th grade raised $800 or enough for 160 student Bibles
• The 8th grade raised $621.75 or enough for 124 student Bibles

The goal of this fund is to provide every child in a partner school with a Bible. Because of the strong start to 2012, Vanderkooy adds, "We would love to raise enough money for 20,000 Bibles to be distributed this year. Every $5 will buy a Bible for a family in the developing world that doesn't have one."

The benefits of the My Own Bible Fund will extend beyond simply handing out Bibles. "It's a very simple thing for the teacher to do is to encourage the reading of the Bible, and not only with the students, but there's a lot of parent/teacher interaction as well. These schools are schools that are really integral to the entire community."

$5 buys a Bible for a child. Churches and schools are encouraged to join in the fundraising effort. Check our Featured Links section for details.

MNN's Greg Yoder talks about the matching grant. You can help!

USA (MNN) -- For more than 20 years, Mission Network News has been doing something no other organization is doing. The ministry is producing news and information -- but in a way that is unique. The news and information they're producing is about evangelism around the world. Because of a matching grant, MNN is poised to share this information to even more people worldwide, but they need you to help them.

When MNN was founded in 1991, it was primarily a radio program about missionaries. Broadcasting on about 250 stations in the United States, MNN began airing mission news featuring news about dozens of missions agencies. In 1995, MNN started focusing on news around the world and how current events were impacting missions work. MNN quickly grew to more than 1,000 radio outlets. Then, in 1996, MNN started its first Web site. That opened the door for inspiring Christians to join God's service literally around the world.

Today, their Web site is the distribution point for radio stations in more than 30 countries. The Web site is translated into Spanish so Christians who speak that language can also understand how they can pray more effectively, give more intelligently, or go more confidently. MNNonline.org is also helping link the next generation of Christians to needs around the world through social media Web sites like Facebook and Twitter.

However, their current Web site is nearly six years old. "It's hard to believe it's been that long," says Greg Yoder, the anchor and executive director of Mission Network News. "That Web, which was state-of-the-art then, has served us well. But now it's limiting what we can do for the cause of Christ," Yoder adds.

That's why they're raising $15,000 to help build a new Web site. A generous donor is providing a $7,500 matching grant to encourage people to help with this project. "If people give their best gift, this friend will match it dollar-for-dollar. Isn't that great?" Yoder asks with a laugh.

MNN's Web site is visited by Christians in more than 160 countries. It's designed to distribute radio feeds to radio stations internationally, deliver daily/weekly e-mail updates to almost 10,000 people world-wide in English and Spanish, recruit Christians to go on short-term mission trips, and call Christians to pray. Each day the ministry is reaching more than 2.5 million people. However, MNN is currently being limited by what they can do, especially on their Web site.

According to Yoder, "Our current Web site is designed to release four or five stories a day. That's it. To force it to do any more requires a redesign, and more importantly -- reprogramming. We'd like to be able to release news as it happens, but our current site isn't designed that way. It's designed to imitate our radio broadcast." While Yoder says that was good in 2006, it's not good for 2012 where people want compelling information about God's work now -- when it happens.

According to Yoder, $15,000 is a lot of money, but "we're not just talking about changing the 'pretty pictures' on the home page," says Yoder. "We're talking about reprogramming the entire backbone of the Web site which will allow nearly automatic Web site publishing, create iPhone, Android and other smart phone apps, allow easy creation of custom Web site pages, allow for more interaction with our Fan/Friend pages on Facebook and much, much, more."

For Mission Network News, the goal isn't to grow just to grow. "The goal is to encourage as many Christians as possible to understand that God has called them to do something for Him-- especially young people," says Yoder. "We know Christians want to do something for Christ, but they may not know where to begin. That's the role of MNN."

If you'd like to help fund this new Web site redesign, go to MissionNetworkNews.org/donate/special. When you give, you'll receive a Mission Network News mouse pad, specially designed for people who are on the go.

Watch a video from MNN's Greg Yoder by clicking here.

Africa Director Rae Burnett took this photo of a Kanuri woman who just heard the gospel for the first time from indigenous missionaries.

Nigeria (MNN) -- Five more people are dead as Boko Haram continues its spread of terror across northern Nigeria. Churches have been attacked, Christians murdered, and now even Muslims are being targeted. Mostly those who are trying to protect Christians, or are sympathetic to them.

The most recent attack came when the Boko Haram Islamic Sect on Monday night invaded the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, barracks as well as a police station in Maiduguri, Borno State, killing five people including a soldier, two policemen and two civilians.

It's a quest to force the region into Sharia law

Africa Director for Christian Aid Mission Rae Burnett says missionaries they're supporting are reaching the unreached in these areas, but she's concerned that openness will end. "The fear is that the villagers will get word of this and be afraid to allow the Christian missionaries in. They've seen and appreciated the love of the Christians to be helpful to them. If Boko Haram gets word of it, they'll chase them out."

Up until just recently Boko Haram had been focusing on terror in major cities. But, that's changing, says Burnett. "Some of the villages in the north

This would destroy the work Christian Aid Mission has been able to do. It's already affected some of their partners. "Several of the missionaries have had to leave their fields because of the threats. Of course, these Boko Haram people have relatives everywhere. And if one of them is in one of these villages, then it can cause these missionaries trouble."

Christian Aid Mission supports national Christians who are focused on reaching the unreached. Burnett says, "Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa, and there are many, many areas that have not been reached with the Gospel. The ministry that we have, primarily, helped has been so successful."

Burnett says, "They came into being to reach one particular tribe, and they've grown. Now they're reaching 14 tribes. Most of them are in the north, which has been extremely closed to the Gospel."

Christian Aid Mission supports Nigerian believers who have a plan to reach the unreached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Your financial support can help keep them work in these areas while the doors are still olpen. Click here to help Nigerian missionaries.

Niger (MNN) -- Clashes continue in northeast Nigeria, the part of the country with the greatest Boko Haram activity.

Boko Haram is an Islamism sect with ties to al Qaeda. The group's name in Hausa means "Western education is sinful."

David Bast with Words of Hope doesn't doubt the flare up of trouble in the neighboring country, but he says there's something else to consider. "I think it's important to note that there's some question about Boko Haram. It's always possible for ordinary criminals or thugs to use that in order to cover their activities, so it's very difficult for us to know what's going on, on the ground."

Either way, the atmosphere across the North remains tense among Christians in Nigeria. Bast says while their Niger team is not being directly affected by the persecution, there's reason to be wary. "The tribal and linguistic group straddles that border--they're Hausa speakers, and something like 40 to 50 million."  

Words of Hope's French programs are trying to influence the region for good. Given that radio is the most important means of mass communication, it's one of the best ways to share crucial information.   

An overwhelming majority of the population has ownership or at least access to radios within their household and listens to radio faithfully. From the survey results, the respondents' favorite radio programs discuss news and religion. That's another plus. The Words of Hope team is producing daily radio programs in Hausa. Bast says, "They're on 30 radio stations throughout the country. They're very positive in the way they present the good news about Jesus. One of the things that they report is that their programming has made it easier for evangelists from the church to enter the villages."

Although Niger is majority Muslim country, the history with Christians has been peaceful. Radio capitalizes on that relationship to introduce Christ. "The Muslim population of the villages has already heard from the church, in effect, through the radio. They like the programs, and so they're willing to give a hearing to the evangelists that come in. It's kind of clearing away misconceptions and maybe popular prejudice."

Over the last five years, the number of listeners has grown exponentially because of what the ministry addresses. As a result, they've heard from missionaries and pastors who say the Muslim community is listening. There are several imams who listen to the programs and appreciate them.

As the situation continues to deteriorate in nearby Nigeria, the Words of Hope program director says despite the uncertainty of the time they're living in, "'We have a great duty which consists in loving our Muslim brothers despite the fact that some of them kill innocents every day. It's also the love that brought Jesus to the cross. We must redouble our efforts to bring the Gospel of peace, restoration, and forgiveness wherever it should be.'"

North Korea (ODM/MNN) -- North Korea has announced it will release an unspecified number of prisoners starting today.

The amnesty is in commemorative honor of deceased leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il, who would have been turning 100 and 70, respectively, this year.

Open Doors, USA reports that it is not unusual for North Korea to release prisoners for a leader's birthday, but general amnesties used to be granted twice a year until 2005. After that, only occasionally have prisoners been released before they have served their sentences.

It is still unclear as to how many prisoners will be released, but it's certain that only "re-educated" prisoners will be granted amnesty--prisoners who have been in a re-education camp for several years and have performed well in their tasks and in the mandatory ideology classes.

Christian prisoners will almost certainly not be released. People in political labor camps will never be released because they are labeled as "incurable." Those camps are full of politically-active people, refugees who are suspected to have been in contact with South Koreans, and ideological opponents such as Christians.

The prisoner release in North Korea is a bittersweet event. It's good news for those who will leave, but prisoners make up the bulk of North Korea's labor force. Therefore, as prisoners are released, others will need to be arrested to fill their spots. It would not be the first time that the police are ordered to increase the number of arrests. Those arrested could easily include Christians.

These prison camps have been described as torturous.

"I was in a small camp, not for my Christian activities, but because I was arrested in China," one young Christian told Open Doors. "Every day someone died, and I was forced to take the person outside the camp and bury him or her."

Another Christian spent several years in the most infamous camp, Yodok, a place he describes as "a living mass grave. The whole system made me desperate. I saw people dying of hunger and sickness. I saw executions. But one day we had to assemble in a big hall, and it was made known that in honor of the birthday of one of the leaders, a few prisoners would be released for good behavior. At that moment, I made the decision that I would be a model prisoner and I would survive this. I knew that I would have to stay at least three to five years in Yodok in order to be considered for release. I determined not to make any mistakes."

More than 1% of the total North Korean population wakes up in a prison or labor camp each day. The number of Christians in the political camps is estimated at 40,000 to 70,000.

North Korea is ranked the #1 persecutor of Christians by the Open Doors 2012 World Watch List of the 50 worst persecutors of believers. It was the 10th straight time North Korea has been ranked No. 1.

Pray for Christians during this amnesty. Pray that believers might be released and be safe from arrests. Pray that no matter what happens, the Gospel will not be silenced in North Korea.

International (MNN) -- The world has changed dramatically in the last 60 years.

At that time, missiologist Patrick Johnstone put together the first Operation World. It's a compendium that documents the state of Christianity around the world and has provided helpful insight for Christians to pray for the nations.

With his understanding of the changes in evangelism over the last half century, Johnstone spoke this week at Global Advance on the future of the global Church, trends and resourcing challenges.

Very few organizations are training leaders in some of the most difficult areas of the world. The focus of Global Advance team has always been to challenge Christian leaders to use their influence to advance the Gospel. For some, this means planting churches, going as a missionary to a foreign land; for others, it means using business as the stimulus for evangelism and the spread of God's work.

What's more, Johnstone noted the shift of Christianity with which Global Advance has kept pace. He identified the trend as a move away from a Western-centric Christianity toward a Southern and Eastern Christianity.

It's well noted that in Southeast Asia, Christianity is growing at a staggering rate. Despite rising resistance and persecution, these new believers are also starting to take responsibility for the Great Commission. There are more churches being planted in this region of the world than ever before.

Good news, certainly, but it also presents a unique challenge. Young Christians are working to plant and multiply churches, reproducing new churches ahead of Bible training. Over 90% of them have no formal instruction and will never have the opportunity to get that kind of education.

That's why this month and next, Global Advance's team will answer that need. They're sending training teams to India with 4 separate events in 4 different states. In May, they'll return to Southeast Asia for training events in several more restricted access nations.

Several thousand leaders will be trained in Southeast Asia over the next few months -- reinforcing what God is already doing. Pray for wisdom for those involved in the training events. Pray that the new church leaders will understand the material and be able to implement it as they begin their ministries.

Seth Olsen (right) with a Lifewater worker in Uganda.

Uganda (MNN) -- While most professional American football players were either gearing up for the Super Bowl or winding down from the end of a long season, one was giving back.

Seth Olsen of the Indianapolis Colts just returned from an eight-day voyage in Africa. Olsen traveled to Uganda to explore the work of Lifewater International.

It was an overall eye opening experience for Olsen, who gained a wealth of knowledge about Lifewater as an organization, as well as the severity of the water crisis.

"Before I went, I thought I had a good idea of what life was like," reflects Olsen. "Really you just don't know ‘til you go. I was just so moved by what I saw."

Olsen says the reality of the water crisis in Uganda was unnerving. "The statistics say between 800 million and one billion people lack access to safe water," comments Olsen.

Olsen knew those facts going in. But seeing poverty firsthand made him staunchly aware of how blessed he and the developed world are by having their simplest--but most important--need constantly met.

"There are so many needs around the globe and in these rural communities, in these areas of extreme poverty. But the most basic--and I think was really solidified for me as the number one need for those communities--is water," says Olsen. "It all starts with water."

It does start with water, and Lifewater International is also able to include much more than earthly water in their work, says Olsen. He was impressed by the way the organization truly lived out their mission statement in their love for Christ and others.

"There are a lot of water organizations out there that provide clean water. But [Lifewater] also addresses safe sanitation and hygiene education, and they introduce stories of Jesus through that curriculum," notes Olsen.

The Gospel message was driven home with a showing of the "JESUS" film during Olsen's stay in Uganda. Lifewater was able to reach 50,000 Ugandans that night with one film and one life-changing message.

Back in the United States, Olsen will keep spreading awareness about the water crisis and about Lifewater's commitment to defeating it while proclaiming the Good News. He plans to keep using his professional football platform for the sake of the Lord's work.

Olsen kept a blog while in Uganda, and you can learn more about his trip. Just head to sethrolsen.wordpress.com. Learn more about Lifewater International here.

Christian World Outreach needs support to save AIDS orphans in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe (MNN) -- Children in Zimbabwe may have to go without an education and could go hungry if a ministry doesn't receive the funding they need.

Christian World Outreach works in the region providing for the needs of AIDS orphans in the region. CWO's Greg Yoder says his ministry tries to give the kids everything they need. "We do whatever we can helping them go to school, feeding them, clothing them, giving them blankets -- whatever the needs are -- and we do that by supporting the communities and the families who have taken these AIDS orphans in."

According to Yoder, CWO doesn't have an orphanage, which is why they're working through families. "They want to help the children, they just need the support to do that."

Currently Christian World Outreach is helping 500 children, but Yoder says they don't have the funding. "We're out there beating the bushes trying to find funds so we can support all of them. Currently, we have been able to receive the funds to get them all back in school. But, we're still working on supplementing them with food and other things need."

If they don't get the funding they need they may have to cut back. "We've had those discussions and [they're] hard discussions to have, but at this point we're going to have to cut back."

Yoder says it costs about $40 a month to sponsor a child.

Christian World Outreach is also trying to build a camp/conference center in Harare to help these young people. This facility would be used, "For times when we can take the children outside of the home and the community and just do some Bible teaching and ministering to them."

The conference center will also be used for their monthly pastor's training conference.

If you'd like to help Christian World Outreach, click here.