Arab, Shuwa, Baggara in Chad

Arab, Shuwa, Baggara in Chad Chad is one of the poorest and most illiterate countries of the world. The Arabs of Chad are mostly nomadic, but some live in the villages and towns. The language of the Arabs is the main language of communication in the country, which makes it especially important to evangelize the Arabs. Although the Arabs are respected by the Chad government because of their wealth in animals, they don't play a very large role in Chad's political arena. Ministry Obstacles Chad is a difficult country to access, and the economy operates on a subsistence level. Hardy workers are needed to carry the Gospel into this region. Outreach Ideas Nigerian believers may be able to carry the Gospel northeast to the Chadian Arabs. Pray for the followers of Christ Pray for the few Arab believers in Chad, that they will be faithful witnesses to family and friends, wise as serpents but harmless as doves. Pray for the entire people group Pray for the Arabs of Chad, that they will be able to provide adequately for the needs of their families. Scripture Focus "And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes." Ezekiel 36:23		People Name: Arab, Shuwa, Baggara Country: Chad 10/40 Window: Yes Population: 2,485,000 World Population: 3,182,000 Language: Arabic, Chadian Spoken Primary Religion: Islam Bible: New Testament Audio NT (FCBH): Yes Jesus Film: Yes Audio Recordings: Yes Christ Followers: Few, less than 2% Status: Unreached Progress Level:

Kanuri, Yerwa, Beriberi in Nigeria

Kanuri, Yerwa, Beriberi in Nigeria Initially pastoral, the Kanuri were driven from North Africa by the Arabs, moving to the area around Lake Chad in the late seventh century. The Kanuri became Muslims in the eleventh century, and the area became a center of Muslim learning, reaching its height in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Kanuri were later divided under the rule of the British, French and German African empires. Ministry Obstacles Their present faith acknowledges Jesus as a prophet, but denies his place as deity, the Son of God. Outreach Ideas Nigerian believers of other tribes may be able to communicate the Gospel message accurately and well to the Kanuri. Pray for the followers of Christ Pray for the believers among the Kanuri, that they would be united around the truth of the Scriptures. Pray for pastors and teachers to lead them well in the faith. Pray for the entire people group Pray for each Kanuri individual to soon hear the Gospel message in their own tongue, and in an accurate and understandable manner. Pray the Lord prepares them to understand and receive. Scripture Focus "Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who alone works wonders. And blessed be His glorious name forever; And may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen." Psalm 72:18-19		People Name: Kanuri, Yerwa, Beriberi Country: Nigeria 10/40 Window: Yes Population: 6,585,000 World Population: 7,427,000 Language: Kanuri, Central Primary Religion: Islam Bible: New Testament Audio NT (FCBH): Yes Jesus Film: Yes Audio Recordings: Yes Christ Followers: Few, less than 2% Status: Unreached Progress Level:

Homeless Man Bites Dog?

Homeless Man Bites Dog?

A Shelter Turns to Social Media to Soften the Image of the Homeless

News Release from Jeremy Reynalds at Joy Junction.

Contact: Telephone (505) 400-7145 or email info@joyjunction.org

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (ANS - January 14, 2017)  -- The title got you, didn’t it? Otherwise you’d have probably moved right on.

Okay, there was no homeless man biting a dog. If there was, it probably would have been the leading story on all local network news affiliates tonight. That’s because something is typically considered more newsworthy if is unusual or infrequent.

Because common events appear much less in news, it’s been suggested that news consumers can have skewed perceptions about what is normal and what isn’t.

An unintended result is that a couple of isolated events can end up being considered typical by viewers and readers because of the amount of news coverage focused on them.

That can result in some negative consequences for all the homeless, and unfortunate stereotyping.

For example. Joy Junction Founder and CEO, Dr. Jeremy Reynalds, said, “After seeing a story about an area of Albuquerque experiencing issues with the homeless because of the socially inappropriate behavior of some, I’m betting that some of the “water cooler” talk for the next few days focused on the laziness of ‘all’ the homeless, and how they should be run out of town because they’re lowering housing values.”

However, Reynalds added, “Joy Junction feels very strongly that the good side of the homeless – both acts of kindness carried out by them and for them-isn’t getting noticed enough, and the positive aspects which are out there have been buried or had limited circulation.”

With that in mind, Joy Junction has opened up a new web site and a Facebook page to invite people to share positive stories about the homeless. Reports can be based upon personal experiences, or a link to a story published by a reputable media site.

Some of the encouraging articles already posted at “The Homeless Are People Too” include “This McDonald’s Next to Vatican Will Give Away Free Meals to Homeless,” “Pasadena Apartment Complex is Giving Homeless Families Another Chance, “America’s 10 Most Charitable Cities” and “Iowa Wrestler Turns Past of Homelessness into College Success.”

Reynalds said, “We all know that the homeless aren’t angels, but they out of everyone are probably the least able to defend themselves against negative reports. I hope this site will make at least a little difference by reminding all of us that the homeless are people too, and it’s never a good idea to judge a book by its cover.”

For more information visit www.thehomelessarepeopletoo.com.  Here is the to the Facebook page -- www.facebook.com/HomelessArePeople/.

Photo captions: 1) A clip from a homeless video. 2) Jeremy Reynalds with his wife, Elma.

** You may republish this or any of our ANS stories with attribution to the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net). Please tell your friends and colleagues that they can receive a complimentary subscription to our news service by going to the above website and signing up there.

All-American kid from Christian home became an addict

All-American kid from Christian home became an addict, lived on a couch, then God intervened to save his life

By Mark Ellis, Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (ANS -- January 17, 2017) -- He grew up in a Christian home with loving parents, but something went terribly wrong in his teen years that caused a slow but steady descent into addiction. Then God sent a powerful dream about hell that awakened him to his need for change.

“They were great parents to me,” says Billy Miller. “I knew the truth of the gospel. I played sports. I was a great football, baseball player and basketball player. I had a good childhood,” he recalls.

He grew up in an affluent neighborhood in Arcadia, California, and later, Scottsdale, Arizona. Everything looked good on the outside. The family went to church together on Sundays and Billy attended youth group on Wednesday nights.

“I believed in God and I knew there was a God, but I didn’t have a relationship with him,” Billy admits. “I never prayed. I never read the Word. I didn’t have a foundation in Christ.”

At the same time, he was intrigued with the world. “I started to fall into pornography at 13. I was very addicted to it. It was like a drug. I was ashamed but I couldn’t quit,” he confesses.

Little sins led to bigger sins. At 15 he smoked his first cigarette. Then it was drinking with friends, sometimes after games. “We went out and partied and played beer pong,” he recalls. “The six pack turned into a 12-pack and that turned into hard alcohol.”

Friends gave him marijuana, Adderall, and cocaine. “Here I am the all-American kid and at 17, I was an alcoholic, drinking every day with my friends, even before school. It was getting out of control; I couldn’t stop,” he says.

“I was trying to feel happy by filling the emptiness with alcohol, pornography and pills. But it was like nothing would satisfy me. It would satisfy me for a season of time but not a long period of time."

He found himself sliding deeper into a quagmire, undermining body and soul. “You do drugs and then the next day you wake up and the high is gone and you feel worse. I would wonder who I had become.”

Photo captions: 1) Billy takes a selfie with kids in Romania. 2) Billy in the center with his parents (left) and Jesus 4 Romania leaders, Darius and his wife (right). 3) Mark Ellis.

MORE

About the writer: Mark Ellisis Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net), and is also the the founder of www.GodReports.com, a website that shares testimonies and videos from the church around the world to build interest and involvement in world missions.

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Paris answer to prayer

Paris answer to prayer

Britain’s change of heart reflects moral confusion

By Charles Gardner, Special to ASSIST News Service (Writer’s Opinion)

PARIS, FRANCE (ANS – January 17, 2017) -- Britain’s change of heart over their Israel policy is a welcome answer to prayer, and goes some way to make amends for their shameful betrayal when voting for the recent UN resolution aimed at delegitimizing the Jewish state.

But their refusal to sign the Paris “peace conference” communiqué is nevertheless a contradiction, reflecting the moral confusion of a government no longer recognizing right from wrong.

“There are risks,” the UK government warned, “that this conference hardens positions at a time when we need to be encouraging the conditions for peace.”1

Thankfully, the Paris meeting merely re-stated the oft-repeated position of most nations, calling on Israel and the Palestinians to renew their commitment to a ‘two-state solution’, whereas it was expected to try to impose a settlement on the protagonists despite their absence from the proceedings, derided by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu as “futile” and described by Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Emanuel Nahshon as “flat as a failed soufflé.”2

Indeed, hard-earned taxpayers’ money will have funded a luxury weekend jaunt for diplomats from the 70 participating countries just to read a script.

A hundred years ago, when Britain pledged their support for Jewish repatriation in their ancient homeland through the Balfour Declaration, many of the Cabinet looked to the Bible for guidance. They were, after all, evangelical Christians.

Now most of our politicians choose instead to consult the Politically-Correct Dictionary. On this occasion, however, they have changed their tune which many believers put down to divine intervention in the form of answered prayer.

Tragically, the same government we expect to honor Israel (for biblical reasons as much as anything else) and do right by other nations, passes laws approving what I consider wholly inappropriate behavior between members of the same sex and then disapproves of those, like Christians, who refuse to hold that view because it is plainly wrong and against the teachings of the Bible.

Dame Louise Casey, for example, in addressing a parliamentary committee on the findings of the Trojan Horse scandal (exposing radicalization within certain Muslim schools in the UK), suggested that Christian schools may also be targeted for their teaching of biblical views on sexuality.

She said the issues raised by Trojan Horse were “not okay, in the same way that it is not okay for Catholic schools to be homophobic and anti-gay marriage.”3

What incredibly warped, upside-down, thinking drives our leaders these days? But this is what the Bible says: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5.20)

It’s time to awake from our spiritual slumber.

1) Jerusalem News Network, January 16 2017, quoting the Jerusalem Post

2) World Israel News, January 16, 2017

3) Saltshakers, January 14, 2017, quoting the Christian Institute

Photo captions: 1) Woman in Paris wrapped in an Israeli flag. 2) Pro-Palestine demonstrators in Paris (Photo credit: AFP). 3) Neither Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas , took part in Paris “peace” gathering. 4) Charles Gardner with his wife, Linda.

About the writer: Charles Gardner is a veteran Cape Town-born British journalist working on plans to launch a new UK national newspaper reporting and interpreting the news from a biblical perspective. With his South African forebears having had close links with the legendary devotional writer Andrew Murray, Charles is similarly determined to make an impact for Christ with his pen and has worked in the newspaper industry for more than 41 years. Part-Jewish, he is married to Linda, who takes the Christian message around many schools in the Yorkshire town of Doncaster. Charles has four children and nine grandchildren. He is the author of Peace in Jerusalem, available from http://olivepresspublisher.com, and can be reached by phone on +44 (0) 1302 832987, or by e-mail at chazgardner@btinternet.com .

** You may republish this or any of our ANS stories with attribution to the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net). Please tell your friends that they can receive a complimentary subscription to our news service by going to the above website and signing up there.

Bederia in Sudan

Bederia in Sudan The Bederia are mixed-race Bedouins, in Kordofan, one of the numerous Baggara tribes of northern Sudan. The Baggara, also known as Shuwa Arabs, are a nomadic Bedouin people inhabiting Africa between Lake Chad and the Nile. They are cattle-herding Arabs, although sometimes mixed with indigenous tribes. Ministry Obstacles The Bederia tribe lives in an area difficult for outsiders to access. They also likely have a low literacy rate. Outreach Ideas Christians need to care for the physical and material needs of these people. Trust and friendship are needed. Pray for the followers of Christ Even though there may be no followers of Jesus today among the Bederia tribe, pray for those that will soon be led to Christ. Pray they will faithfully fellowship together, and that pastors and teachers will be provided. Pray for Scripture availability. Pray for the entire people group Pray for the Bederia tribe to be able to care for their families, for good water supplies and adequate food and housing. Pray for peace in Sudan. Scripture Focus "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." Matthew 9:37-38		People Name: Bederia Country: Sudan 10/40 Window: Yes Population: 935,000 World Population: 935,000 Language: Arabic, Sudanese Spoken Primary Religion: Islam Bible: New Testament Audio NT (FCBH): Yes Jesus Film: Yes Audio Recordings: Yes Christ Followers: Few, less than 2% Status: Unreached Progress Level:

Gawaria in India

Gawaria in India The Gawaria consider their ancestry to be from the three brothers Tapasvi Singh, Lakhi Singh and Bhumi Singh, who ruled at some point of time near Jodhpur in Rajasthan. They claim equal status with other nomadic and semi-nomadic communities. Their literacy level is very low due to poverty and their nomadic lifestyle. Ministry Obstacles The Gawaria speak several languages, as most communities do in India. Evangelistic and church planting strategies need to accommodate this. Outreach Ideas Low literacy rates suggest oral means of communication, using scriptural stories, films, and recordings. Pray for the followers of Christ There may be no believers among the Gawaria today, but pray for those that will soon emerge. Pray they will be properly instructed in the faith, and that God will give them capable pastors to help them mature as believers. Pray for the entire people group Pray for workers to take the Gospel message to each individual in the Gawaria community. Pray the Lord will prepare them to understand, and to believe. Scripture Focus "And you shall be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." Acts 1:8		People Name: Gawaria Country: India 10/40 Window: Yes Population: 74,000 World Population: 74,000 Language: Hindi Primary Religion: Hinduism Bible: Complete Audio NT (FCBH): Yes Jesus Film: Yes Audio Recordings: Yes Christ Followers: Few, less than 2% Status: Unreached Progress Level:

Survey Shows Concern about Homelessness Right Behind Albuquerque’s Spiraling Crime Rate

Survey Shows Concern about Homelessness Right Behind Albuquerque’s Spiraling Crime Rate

News Release from Jeremy Reynalds at Joy Junction

Contact: info@joyjunction.org  

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (ANS - January 23, 2017) -- In a revealing new survey carried out for Joy Junction by NM Research and Polling, asked about issues facing residents in the Albuquerque area, seventy percent of respondents felt homelessness is a problem, while 43 percent feel it is a very serious problem.

Hispanics, those with a household income less than $60,000, and residents living in the Valley/Downtown and Mid-Heights were more likely than others to feel homelessness is very serious in Albuquerque.

It is telling that residents felt homelessness is a bigger problem than the lack of good paying jobs and the quality of education.

Homelessness was second on the list behind crime, which 84 percent of those asked felt to be a problem, with 59 percent of respondents saying for them it’s a serious problem.

Attacking Albuquerque’s crime rate is also one of Mayor R.J. Berry’s legislative priorities, with the city saying, “Mayor Berry will support any legislation that will make New Mexico a worse place to be a criminal and supports several crime bills that will be under review this session ... ”

Disturbingly, a Dec. 2016 report by U.S. News and World Report listed Albuquerque as the number one place for the highest rate of car theft in the U.S.

There was more bad news. According to the Albuquerque Police Dept., violent crime is at a 10 year high in the city.

Joy Junction Founder and CEO Dr. Jeremy Reynalds said he is happy that so many people realized the seriousness of crime and homelessness, but concerned about the misconceptions concerning homelessness.

While most residents do attribute drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues as primary causes of homelessness, he said, there are those who believe the homeless are simply lazy or make poor decisions.

Reynalds added, “We will never make headway on the issue if we think in this way,” he said.

Despite these misconceptions, on the upside it was encouraging that most residents appeared to be sympathetic to the issue.

Some of the key survey observations were two thirds of residents disagreeing with the statement that it is hard to understand how anyone can become homeless. Residents were twice as likely to agree than disagree that most homeless people want to get a stable job (44 percent and 21 percent respectively). Residents were almost equally likely to agree (35 percent) than disagree (29 percent) that men are more likely than women to become homeless.

Although 44 percent disagreed that homeless people are more likely to commit crimes than other people, 30 percent believed the homeless commit more crimes.

Residents were twice as likely to disagree (40 percent) than agree (21 percent), that only a small percentage of homeless are families with children.

Interestingly, the U.S. Department of Education’s 2013 count of homeless children in the nation's public schools found more than 1.2 million public school children are homeless-an historic high for our nation.

A 2014 report by the American Institutes for Research revealed that New Mexico was 46 out of 50 when each state was assigned a rank of one (best) to 50 (worst) based on a state composite score that reflected each state’s overall performance across these four domains: 1) Extent of Child Homelessness (adjusted for state population). 2) Child Well-Being. 3) Risk for Child Homelessness. 4) State Policy and Planning Efforts

On the downside, the survey results also showed that Albuquerque still has a lot of work to do when it comes to helping the homeless and hungry.

Reynalds said, “It’s important to remember that whatever the reason for their plight, the homeless are still people too and need to be treated with love, kindness, dignity and respect.

He continued, “Say someone was homeless because of so called ‘bad choices’ or not wanting to work. If we decide not to assist them, what is the end result? Sometimes ‘bumper sticker solutions’ are verbalized concerning the homeless, with people not thinking about the logical extension of what they have said. As a city, let's think, communicate, take responsibility and act. It will help our community and could also save a life.”

For more information visit www.thehomelessarepeopletoo.org or www.joyjunction.org

Photo captions: 1) The agony of being homeless. 2) Jeremy Reynalds greets a homeless man in Albuquerque.

** You may republish this or any of our ANS stories with attribution to the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net). Please tell your friends and colleagues that they can receive a complimentary subscription to our news service by going to the above website and signing up there.

Police Rapes, Acquittals and False Accusations

Police Rapes, Acquittals and False Accusations Highlight Christians' Vulnerability in India

By Jeremy Reynalds, Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service (jeremyreynalds@gmail.com )

RAIPUR, INDIA (ANS-January 23, 2017) -- The acquittal of two suspects in the gang rape of a Catholic nun, and a series of rapes by security forces in remote areas of the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh have highlighted the vulnerability of women from marginalized communities.

“If you are a woman tribal or from a minority, you are a second class citizen. Getting justice is very difficult,” Arun Pannalal, president of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum (CCF), told World Watch Monitor in a story by Anto Akkara .

The gang rape of the nun took place at a convent-run medical center in Raipur, the Chhattisgarh capital, on the night of June 20 2015. The 47-year-old nun was tied to a bed, force-fed drugs and sexually assaulted. She was found the next morning after failing to show up for morning prayers.

The two suspects – 19-year old Dinesh Dhurv and 25-year-old Jitendra Pathak – were acquitted on Jan. 3, the judge citing a “lack of evidence.”

Father Sebastian Poomattam, spokesperson of the Raipur Archdiocese, told World Watch Monitor the judge had described the investigation as “of the lowest grade and totally negligent,” bringing “no evidence though the rape was confirmed” and “even failing to identify the culprits.”

“The youths arrested and tried for the rape were not the real culprits. They are absolutely innocents. It was an attempt to cover up the crime. So the judgment is not surprising at all,” CCF President Arun Pannalal added.

Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai and president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, criticized what he called the “half-hearted attitude of the police” and dubbed the acquittals “a grave injustice not only for our consecrated (nuns), but also for all women who have suffered a similar trauma.

“This acquittal once again brings to our attention the problem of violence against women. It is a huge setback for all of us working for the rights and dignity of women, in particular victims of violence,” he added.

Two months after the incident – when no suspects had yet been arrested – the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) criticised Chhattisgarh’s police, following protests by Christian groups. The NHRC said the state’s police chief had made “hasty and irresponsible” statements.

Pannalal said the police had persuaded the nuns to burn the victim’s clothes, rather than taking them as evidence, telling them the clothes would remind them of the incident.

Compensation for Victims of Police Rape

“It is extremely difficult for women from the marginalised communities to get justice,” Shalini Gera, an associate of People’s Union for Civil Liberties, which documented the assaults on the tribal women, told World Watch Monitor.

Gera said her organisation had filed complaints with the NHRC on behalf of 34 assaulted women – 17 of whom were raped – after police tried “to whitewash” the crimes. Of these, she said the NHRC has passed judgment in 18 cases so far, as the investigators have not yet met the other victims. At least two of the victims were Christians.

“What worries us is the pattern in all these assaults on tribal women,” she said. “The assaults are not one-offs. They took place in three areas over three months in two districts. It is a structural problem.”

Daya Bai, a well-known secular social activist based in the troubled Baxar district, where most of reported rapes took place, said “justice is a mirage for women from vulnerable sections (of society).”

“I am myself fighting a case of the murder of a high-school girl that has been passed off as suicide. Nothing has happened in this case so far, as the victim is from a Dalit family,” she said.

Priest, Nun Acquitted

Meanwhile, on Jan. 10, a trial court acquitted a Catholic priest, nun and female hostel attendant who had been accused of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl – also in Chhattisgarh in Sept. 2015. (The nun’s rape had been in June, three months before).

The Chhattisgarh Citizens’ Joint Action Committee, which was formed to pursue justice for the rape of the nun, said in a statement that it “welcomes this decision.”

“The accuser – a minor 10-year-old girl – could not identify any of the accused, Father Joseph Dhanaswami, Sister Christo Maria and Philomina Kerketta,” the statement read.

Father Poomattam said the accusations had been “fabricated” by Hindu nationalists in retaliation for the strong protests by the Church against police inaction over the nun’s rape.

“Now the truth has come out,” World Watch Monitor reported he said.

Who Are the Dalits?

Dalit means “trampled upon,” and refers to people in low castes who are treated as ‘untouchables” in caste-ridden Indian society. Dalits are a mixed population, living all over the country, speaking a variety of languages and practicing numerous religions.

World Watch Monitor said they often grind out a living working menial jobs such as scavenging while living segregated from upper castes in rural areas.

In pockets of southern Tamil Nadu state, for example, Dalits are not allowed to walk in upper-caste areas. In roadside eateries in neighboring Karnataka state, Dalits may be required to squat on the floor and eat from dishes kept separate from those provided to upper-caste customers, who sit on chairs.

A 1950 law listed Hindu Dalits as “Scheduled Caste,” which made them eligible for free education and set aside jobs in government and seats in state legislatures to improve their status.

World Watch Monitor said the privileges were extended to Sikh Dalits in 1956, and to Buddhist Dalits in 1990. They are not available to Muslim and Christian Dalits.

Dalits account for two-thirds of India's Christian population, who number more than 80 million, or 7 per cent of India's total population, by some estimates.

In a separate judgement on 6 January, the NHRC ordered that compensation be paid to 16 women who were raped or sexually assaulted by security forces between Oct. 2015 and March 2016 in remote villages in Chhattisgarh.

Eight women who were raped were each awarded Rs 300,000 (US $4,000), six women who were sexually assaulted were each awarded Rs 200,000 ($3,000), and two women who were physically assaulted were each awarded Rs 50,000 ($730).

For more information visit www.worldwatchmonitor.org

Photo captions: 1) Indian nuns 2) A protester holds a placard during a rally by hundreds of Christians against persecution in the country. (Reuters/Danish Siddiqui). 3) Dan Wooding with India’s most famous nun, Mother Teresa in Calcutta back in 1975. 4) Jeremy and Elma Reynalds.

About the writer: Jeremy Reynalds, who was born in Bournemouth, UK, is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, www.joyjunction.org. He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. One of his more recent books is “From Destitute to Ph.D.” Additional details on the book are available at www.myhomelessjourney.com. His latest book is "Two Hearts One Vision." It is available at www.twoheartsonevisionthebook.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with his wife, Elma. For more information, please contact Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@gmail.com .

** You may republish this and any of our ANS stories with attribution to the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net). Please also tell your friends and colleagues that they can receive a complimentary subscription to the ASSIST News Service by going to the ANS website (see above) and signing up there.

Kyrgyz in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz in Kyrgyzstan Although they are related to the Kazakh and other Turkic peoples of the region, the Kyrgyz look very much like the Mongols. They are culturally Muslim, but the practice and understanding of Islam is low. Spiritism is widespread, with ubiquitous shrines, amulets, the occult, shaman priests, and demonization. Ministry Obstacles Because of past experiences, misconceptions about the nature of the Christian Gospel must be overcome. Outreach Ideas A recent translation of the entire Bible is available in the Kyrgyz language, as well as many excellent communication tools. Pray for workers to use these means to communicate the Gospel message to all of Kyrgyzstan. Pray for the followers of Christ Evangelicals are growing at an encouraging rate among these people. Pray these individuals will be properly instructed in the faith, and will hold fast to Jesus as their first love. Pray for the entire people group Pray that each Kyrgyz individual will increasingly hunger to know the truth found in Jesus Christ, and that this hunger will then be satisfied. Scripture Focus "Give thanks to the Lord, call on His Name; make known among the nations what He has done." Psalm 105:1		People Name: Kyrgyz Country: Kyrgyzstan 10/40 Window: Yes Population: 4,187,000 World Population: 5,038,000 Language: Kyrgyz Primary Religion: Islam Bible: Complete Audio NT (FCBH): Yes Jesus Film: Yes Audio Recordings: Yes Christ Followers: Few, less than 2% Status: Unreached Progress Level:

Worshiping With a Broken Heart

By

Rachel Coulter

-

January 22, 2017

I looked across the table at my boyfriend and replayed his words in my mind. “I just don’t enjoy spending time with you.”
I never knew a heart could break so suddenly, so rudely—in only one sentence. I was desperately grasping for anything to help soften the sharpness of those eight words. I could only muster three, “Take me home.” As we drove, my thoughts were as blurry as the trees going by. How can a three-year relationship end in three minutes?
The term “broken heart” is so widely used in our society that it often sounds romantic. In those moments, I learned just how terribly unromantic it is—the kind of tearing, ripping brokenness that demands your full attention, the kind of pain that won’t let up.
A broken heart might be a woman who gets the call from her doctor that she has miscarried. It’s the child who learns that his father has cancer. It’s broken relationships, debilitating depression, dreams dying and crumbling in our hands.
I walked into church the day after my heart broke. Broken, aching hearts fill the pews in each of our churches every Sunday. Although surrounded by community, the pain still felt intensely personal. “The heart knows its own bitterness” (Proverbs 14:10). The deep ache can feel as isolating as a prison cell. The enemy wants nothing more than to lock believers in that cell of pain, and keep us trapped in isolation. But God wants the opposite. Here are three things to remember when you are tempted to stay home on Sunday morning with a broken heart.

Broken Hearts Are Open Hearts

There are many sorts of broken hearts, and Christ is good at healing them all. —Charles Spurgeon
Imagine your heart is failing and you require a very risky open-heart surgery. At the hospital, there are several doctors who claim to be proficient at this surgery, but only one has a spotless record—nothing has ever gone wrong with his procedures. Everything he does is perfect.
Would you then choose a doctor with lesser experience, or a poorer record? Not if you value your life.
God is the only Physician who can fully heal a broken heart, and he has never failed in his ability to heal. Sarai, David and Hosea all suffered broken hearts for different reasons—a barren womb, a shameful trail of sin, unrequited love—and God healed them all. A broken heart is an open heart, and an open heart is vulnerable. In this time of vulnerability, let him be your refuge. Let him fill you with healing through the singing, praying and teaching of your church family.

Pain Is Personal, Healing Is Corporate

Have you ever had a close friend going through a great deal of pain, and they didn’t tell you? It’s painful when you finally learn about it. It’s painful for at least two reasons: 1) It hurts you that they are in pain, and 2) it hurts that you were not trusted to carry their burdens alongside of them.
As believers, we are called to carry each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). No one would argue that one man can lift more than ten men lifting together. So why do we often ignore the hands extended to help us carry our burdens, and try to bear the weight on our own? We may always bear the heaviest portion, but encouragement and support from brothers and sisters will significantly lighten the load. Battle hurt with heartfelt singing, loneliness with community and discouragement with the ministry of God’s word.
Surround yourself with God’s people, and you will see that healing does take a village—and that the village is stronger for it. We must combat resounding pain with resolute worship to the Father, alongside brothers and sisters who can pray with us and for us.

Worship Creates Perspective

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in his wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace.
Though suffering is never a small thing, God is always greater. Worship refocuses our minds on God’s greatness, and puts our pain in its rightful place—under the reign of an already victorious Father.
As strange as it may feel in the moment, lift your hands in praise and remember that the victory has been won. Remember that the God who holds your life in the palm of his capable hand is leading the victory march. “He will not leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Standing at the top of the mountain of adoration, we are suddenly aware of our smallness. And it’s not offensive to us at all. We find joy in knowing that Christ is glorious beyond our imaginations and gloriously in control of all things, including every inch or second of our heartache. Nothing can touch you except that which has been carefully filtered through his loving fingers.
Let heartfelt praise remind you of his great love and absolute sovereignty, and let these reminders bring healing to your broken heart. Worship is a balm for even the deepest of wounds.