North Korean government agent spied on Christians, accepted Jesus on his deathbed

North Korean government agent spied on Christians, accepted Jesus on his deathbed

By Mark Ellis, Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

NORTH KOREA (ANS – July 24, 2017) -- Her parents were secret Christians in a society where any public expression of faith leads to imprisonment and possibly death. When she stumbled on their closely held secret as a young girl, she almost turned her own parents into the authorities.

“Like so many Christian families, our family was banished in the 1950s to a remote village,” Kim Sang-Hwa* told Open Doors. “They continued to hide their faith from the outside world.”

Their house was very small, and they all slept in the same room. When she was six-years-old, she woke up earlier than usual one morning. “When I opened my eyes, I saw my father and mother under the blanket and I could hear the soft noise of the radio. Later I learned they were listening to a broadcast from a Christian radio station,” she recounted.

A few years later she made an even more dramatic discovery. “When I was 12, I accidentally found a Bible my parents had hidden in their closet. I don’t know why, but I started to feel inside the cabinet with my hand, pulled out a book and began to read.”

Because of her schoolteachers’ indoctrination, she realized her discovery was dangerous and she was obligated to tell her teachers about the illegal book.

“I was afraid to touch the Bible, but I couldn’t just leave it there. I closed my eyes, picked up the book and put it back. I weighed my options. Should I tell my teacher? Should I visit the local security official? For fifteen days I couldn’t think about anything else. I knew it was my duty to report this illegal book. But it was my family which was involved. And I also had all these questions: ‘Who is this God? Or ‘what’?’”

Finally, she summoned the courage to confront her father. “He was very surprised and sat next to me. He asked me: ‘Do you see those old trees?’ I nodded. ‘Who made those?’ I said I didn’t know and he explained the story of creation to me, including how God had made Adam and Eve.”

My mother taught me to memorize Bible verses and the Apostolic Creed and also explained the full Gospel to me. My grandfather showed me how to pray. ‘It is just talking to God. Nothing more, nothing less.’ He spoke a lot about Jesus’ Second Coming. He really longed for that.

“To me all those stories and ideas were so interesting. I also read the Bible for myself. But I realized it was dangerous. My father always emphasized not to share anything with anyone else. Then he would start to pray in whispers, almost inaudible. ‘Father, help the North Korean people to seek your Kingdom first’.”

She learned that her father met people in secret location, as part of the underground church. “Many children of believers came to that location too and learned the Bible. We prayed together.”

But Sang-Hwa and her parents were unaware that government agents had infiltrated the underground meetings. “Among the people visiting the secret meetings were some non-believers too, even spies,” she told Open Doors.

When one of those visitors was dying, her father went to see him on his deathbed. The man confessed his duplicitous intentions: “I know everything about you, your family and your faith. I was a spy and ordered to watch you,” he told her startled father.

Amazingly, the government agent never turned them in. As he observed the believers praying and singing, his heart softened toward them.

“You are a good man. I never told anyone you were a Christian,” he told Sang-Hwa’s father. “Tell me how I can become a Christian too.”

With his feet dangling at the edge of a Christ-less eternity, something amazing happened. “In the final moments of his life, this man repented and entered the Kingdom of God. My father was able to lead him there.”

After Sang-Hwa married, she and her husband became more and more discontented with life in North Korea. “Out of every three people, at least one of them was a spy. We always needed to do what we were told and my father was pretty open about how bad our country really was.”

Because of her father’s success in his work and help from relatives in China, her family was relatively better off than their neighbors, which caused them to be denigrated as “followers of capitalism.”

Afraid for their safety, Sang-Hwa and her husband, along with their two-year-old son and her parents, fled the country.

One dark night in the early 2000s her family crossed the border river into China. Life as refugees was difficult and they suffered at first. “That first year in China was probably the hardest, but there were also good things. At some point, Chinese Christians took care of us and my husband also gave his life to Jesus and after one year we were able to pay a broker to bring our son back from North Korea to us,” she recounted.

Sang-Hwa enjoys her newfound freedom, but her heart is for the people suffering in the north. “I wish I could go back to North Korea and share the Gospel with the people there and have fellowship with the local believers. I love their faith. I’d be ready to die for the Gospel. I think that if I didn’t have a family here in South Korea, I would have returned already and help the people in need.”

“My father always told me to seek the Kingdom first. That will always be his prayer for his country and all believers. This is what I pray in the morning when I kneel at the map of North Korea on the floor of my house and pray for the brothers and sisters.”

Sometimes she feels discouraged because nothing seems to change in North Korea.

She asked God, “Why do you want me to keep on praying for North Korea?”

But then God impressed this on her heart: You know North Korea better than anyone else. You know the people and their suffering. If you won’t pray, who will? Rely on Me. Believe in Me.

*name changed for security

For more about the work of Open Doors on behalf of persecuted Christians around the world, go here: https://www.opendoorsusa.org/

Photo captions: 1) A woman in North Korea (Photo: Open Doors). 2) Underground Christians in North Korea. 3) Secret believers worshiping the Lord in North Korea. 4) Mark Ellis.

About the writer: Mark Ellis is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net), and is also 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. (This is a story used with permission from this website). Previously, Mark co-hosted a TV show called “Windows on the World” with ANS Founder, Dan Wooding, aired on the Holy Spirit Broadcasting Network (http://hsbn.tv/), which is now co-hosted by Dr. Garry Ansdell, Senior Pastor of Hosanna Christian Fellowship in Bellflower, California.

** You may republish this or 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 have a complimentary subscription to our news service by signing up there.

Landoma in Guinea

Landoma in Guinea

The Landomas live much of their lives from hand to mouth, with little or no reserve of money or goods. The harvest of rice and/or millet is always gone several months before the next harvest comes in, resulting in much hunger. Often they find it necessary to go into debt in order to buy food, to buy seed to plant, to build a house, to get married, or to handle other large expenses. When a crop comes in, the debts must be paid. Most Landumas profess Islam; a few are Catholics. Regardless of outward religion, nearly all continue to hold to animistic beliefs.
Ministry Obstacles
Social interdependence and community solidarity make it very difficult for a Landoma person to make important decisions on his own. He must carefully consider how those he depends on will react.
Outreach Ideas
Christian workers need to minister to the physical and material needs of the Landoma, being genuinely concerned.
Pray for the followers of Christ
Pray the few followers of Christ among the Landoma will develop strong friendships with other believers, providing a new support system.
Pray for the entire people group
The Landomas need people to minister among them to help them learn better farming, business, and health practices. More schools are needed, as well.
Scripture Focus
"Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest?' Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest." John 4:35

		People Name: Landoma Country: Guinea 10/40 Window: Yes Population: 28,000 World Population: 28,000 Language: Landoma Primary Religion: Islam Bible: None Audio NT (FCBH): No Jesus Film: No Audio Recordings: Yes Christ Followers: Few, less than 2% Status: Unreached Progress Level:

"Where Are the Christians from the Outside?"

“Are We Alone?”

“Where are the Christians from the outside?” Pastor Matta used to wonder after each bombing or raid by Sudanese government soldiers. “Are we alone?” Today, Pastor Matta knows he is not alone or forgotten. A visit from VOM workers and the gift of Action Packs provided by VOM readers have reminded him that his Christian brothers and sisters around the world are praying for him and other Sudanese Christians. The people of the Nuba Mountains, many of whom are Christians, have always been poor, sustaining themselves with farming and livestock. They have very little in the way of material goods, so the gift of an Action Pack with a few items of clothing, sheets, sandals and other items is precious to them. But a greater blessing than the material goods is the knowledge that it was lovingly packed by a Christian who cares for them. Give to Help Brothers and Sisters in Sudan

Delivering Action Packs is just one of the ways VOM is helping persecuted Christians in Sudan. VOM is also providing Bibles, medicine, medical care and Family Med Packs as well as supporting front-line gospel workers. During the month of July, we invite you to make a special contribution to support persecuted believers in Sudan, who remain faithful despite oppression and repeated attack by a Muslim government trying to eliminate them from the country. Help us show Sudanese believers that they are not forgotten and are never alone. Help Christians in Sudan

A Witch Doctor in a Church

A treacherous boat ride on the Indian Ocean. An eight-hour hike across dangerous terrain. A cold reception from disinterested villagers. Had our team of Mozambique pioneer missionaries endured this grueling journey for nothing? An encounter with a witch doctor in a church would give them their answer…

Read the Full Story Here

Murder in Halamish

Murder in Halamish: Palestinian kills three Members of Jewish family at Their Home during Shabbat dinner

Temple Mount Crisis Reignites Lone-wolf Terror 

By Esther Lehman and Dan Wooding, Special to ASSIST News Service 

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL (ANS – July 25, 2017) – The Salomon family had sat down for a Friday night (July 21, 2017) Shabbat dinner in their home in Halamish, also known as Neveh Tzuf, an Israeli settlement in the West Bank, located in the southwestern Samarian hills to the north of Ramallah.

According to the Jerusalem Post, they had invited their friends to come later that evening for a celebration to mark the birth of a grandson when suddenly a Palestinian terrorist infiltrated their home, and stabbed Yosef, 70, and two of his children -- Elad, 36 and Chaya, 46 -- to death. Yosef’s wife, Tovah, 68, was wounded and hospitalized at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.

It took only 15 minutes from the moment Omar al-Abed, the 19-year-old alleged terrorist, to climb over the fence around the settlement to the moment he killed members of the Salomon family.

IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Ronen Manelis said on Saturday, “It was a horrific, murderous, attack. The house is full of blood,” adding that the photographs showing the aftermath of deadly attack don’t show the entire picture.

The Jerusalem Post added, “Nonetheless, new photographs of the grisly crime scene were released by ZAKA International Rescue Unit Sunday morning which expose some of the extent of the crime.”

The Times of Israel then said, “Following the attack, Abed’s mother Ibtisam al-Abed, appeared in a video that was widely shared on social media, in which she praised her son for the attack, saying she was “proud of him” and hoped he would be released from custody.”

Several hours before making his way into the settlement and murdering the three members of this Jewish family, Omar al-Abed, wrote a message in Arabic on his Facebook status as a bidding of farewell to his family.

In it, he said, “I am writing my will and these are my last words. I am young. I have not yet reached the age of 20. I have many dreams and aspirations. I know that, with Allah, my dreams will come true. I loved life, making people smile, but what kind of life is this? They kill our women and youth [and] defile our Aqsa while we sleep.

“Take your weapons and resist…I only have a knife and it will answer the call of Al-Aqsa. You start a war amongst us and Allah will judge you for it. I hope that after me, there will come men who beat you with an iron fist. I know I am going and will not return.”

Not surprisingly, Hamas praised the attack as “heroic,” and said it came after “Israel’s attacks on the rights of our people in Jerusalem and at Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

As the killing was taking place, thank G-d one of the women in the room had the presence of mind to rush the children into a room, and then she called the police from there.

Omar el-Abed was stopped by a neighbor, an off-duty soldier, when he heard the shouting. He rushed over to the house and shot Abed, but did not kill him. He was arrested and taken to a hospital for treatment, and then transferred to Israeli security agencies for questioning.

Now some Israeli ministers are calling for Omar el-Abed to be executed for his alleged crimes. In Israel, military courts can sentence someone to death, though the option has not been used since 1962, when Adolf Eichmann was hanged after being convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity during World War II.

Let us speculate (Personal opinion by Esther Lehman)

Why would a young man, with so much to offer, decide to leave his house with the intent of murdering Jews? Are Arabs being deprived of their rights, you might ask? Absolutely not! If you came to visit Israel, you will experience firsthand how integrated Arabs are in Israeli life and culture.

Modern Arabs are now going to universities, and are employed in managerial positions at work. Many Arabs run thriving businesses and enjoy the unique combination we have here in Israel, where the west meets the east.

Arab women enjoy the complete luxury of equality in Israel, something which they can only dream about in their Arab cultures. They also hold high positions in the Israeli workforce. In Arab countries like Saudi Arabia, they still don’t allow their women to drive a car. Here in Israel Arabs are treated as equal in every aspect of life.

Many own large homes, even though much of the media loves to portray otherwise. They have nice cars and live well. They enjoy a good standard of living here in Israel, and many of them agreed to accept Israeli citizenship so they could reap the financial benefits of not being a terrorist.

Israeli society supports our Arab businesses. We buy in their shops, employ their services, and allow them into our homes and families.

For how much longer will the Governments of the world tolerate Arab extremists who convince and brainwash young Arabs like Omar El-Abed, at the start of their lives, to go out and murder? Everybody here suffers from this, especially the families on both sides who are directly involved.

Photo captions: 1) (L-R) Yosef, Elad and Chaya Salomon who were stabbed to death in the Halamish settlement on July 21, 2017. 2) Shocking scene of terror attack in Halamish. (Photo credit: ZAKA) 3) Omar al-Abed, the alleged perpetrator of a terror attack in the settlement of Halamish on July 21, 2017 (Facebook photo). 4) An Israeli military vehicle at the scene of the killings. 5) Peter Wooding with his father, Dan Wooding holding his recent award.

About the writers: Esther Leman is originally from the UK, but has lived in Israel for many years. She is a colleague of Cheryl Hancock-Watts who runs Reporting from Israel and supplies stories to ANS. Dan Wooding is an international author, broadcaster and journalist, who is also founder of the ASSIST News Service. He was recently honored with a top “humanitarian” award at a Beverly Hills, California, film festival. It was presented to Dan by his son, Peter Wooding, in front of a large crowd of people drawn from the Hollywood entertainment industry. 

** You may republish this or 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 get a complimentary subscription to ANS by going to the website and signing up there.

Bayad in Mongolia

Bayad in Mongolia

The Bayad people are one of the Mongol tribes, residing in western Mongolia. In the 13th century the term "Mongol" grew into an umbrella term for a large group of tribes united under the rule of Genghis Khan. Ethnic distinctions among the Mongol subgroups are relatively minor. Tribal differences are usually not a political or social issue as the Mongols are a generally peaceful nation.
Ministry Obstacles
Mongolia is a very large country with limited travel facilities. Access to remote tribes requires effort.
Outreach Ideas
The Lord is building his church in Mongolia. Pray that believers in other Mongol tribes will carry the Gospel to the Bayad tribe.
Pray for the followers of Christ
Pray for the few believers in Jesus among the Bayad community, that they will find believers in other tribes to fellowship with, and be zealous to know and follow Christ. Pray they will be a favorable testimony to their own people.
Pray for the entire people group
Pray for the physical and material well-being of the Bayad people, that they will make schooling of their children a priority, and will be able to care adequately for their families.
Scripture Focus
"Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples." Psalm 96:3

		People Name: Bayad Country: Mongolia 10/40 Window: Yes Population: 61,000 World Population: 61,000 Language: Mongolian, Halh Primary Religion: Non-Religious Bible: Complete Audio NT (FCBH): Yes Jesus Film: Yes Audio Recordings: Yes Christ Followers: Few, less than 2% Status: Unreached Progress Level:

Campaign Launched by Christian-Jewish Group to Help Persecuted Mideast Christians

Campaign Launched by Christian-Jewish Group to Help Persecuted Mideast Christians

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is raising $100,000 to aid targeted minorities, including Egypt’s Coptic Christians

By Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net)   

CHICAGO, IL (ANS - July 28, 2017) – A spike in terror attacks targeting the Coptic Christians of Egypt, a community of 20 million that comprises about 15 percent of Egypt’s population, is driving a newly-launched fundraising campaign.

In December 2016, an attack on a church in Cairo killed 25 people; this past April two Coptic Christian churches were bombed on Palm Sunday, killing 43; and in May 2017, 28 died when gunmen opened fire on a bus taking families to visit a nearby monastery.

Now, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) www.ifcj.org is launching a campaign to aid Christians and other minorities in the Middle East who have been targeted by radical Islamist terrorism, including Egypt’s embattled Coptic Christians.

The Fellowship last week began raising an initial $100,000 among its 1.6 million supporters to help Egypt’s Coptic Christians, who have been recent targets of Islamist terror.

Called the “Bless the Persecuted” campaign, the initiative will provide financial and medical aid, psychological counseling, and programs for families and children who have been victims of terror and other forms of religious persecution, according to a media release.

“These cowardly acts betray a hatred of a people for no other reason than their faith,” said Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, the Fellowship’s founder and president.

“Just as we continue to combat anti-Semitism, so we must fight this growing persecution against Christians throughout the Middle East. We cannot stand idly by. An attack on one of us is an attack on all – and we are committed to stand with those who have been targeted.”

The Fellowship has publicly condemned and spoken out against such attacks, and has already begun to provide aid to the Coptic Christian population in Egypt – including a summer camp for children of families who were victims of attacks, food and financial aid, medical aid, and counseling – with nearly $85,000 in funds.

But this week’s campaign aims to provide an additional 80 families with such assistance, at a cost of between $200 and $500 per family.

The effort to help persecuted Christians broadens a longtime push by The Fellowship to stand with embattled and needy Christians and other religious minorities in Israel and throughout the Middle East.

Since 2013, The Fellowship has been providing aid to Druze refugees of the Syrian civil war who have fled to Jordan. Altogether The Fellowship has provided more than $700,000 in aid to persecuted Mideast minorities outside Israel.

Meanwhile, since 2008 The Fellowship has financially aided the 160,000 Christian-Arab citizens of Israel, who make up about two percent of Israel’s population. Aid for Israel’s Christian Arabs has varied each year depending on the community’s needs, but ranged from delivering $90 food vouchers to needy families for Christmas dinners to awarding $1,300 educational scholarships to Israeli-Christian citizens who served in the Israeli Army.

The Fellowship has provided several million dollars in aid to Israeli Christian Arabs in the past decade.

Beyond the current campaign, The Fellowship plans to continue to respond to urgent needs for all persecuted Mideast Christians and other minorities.

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) was founded in 1983 to promote better understanding and cooperation between Christians and Jews, and build broad support for Israel.

Today it is one of the leading forces helping Israel and Jews in need worldwide – and is the largest channel of Christian support for Israel.

Led by its founder and president, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, The Fellowship now raises more than $140 million per year, mostly from Christians, to assist Israel and the Jewish people.

Since its founding, The Fellowship has raised more than $1.4 billion for this work. The organization has offices in Jerusalem, Chicago, Toronto, and Seoul. For more information, visit www.ifcj.org.

Media contact: Ryan Greiss, Puder PR, New York. Office: +1 (212) 558-9400; Cell: +1 (201) 906-0497; from Israel: 03-7220237 ext. 3; Ryan@PuderPR.com

Photo captions: 1) Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein of IFCJ. 2) Rabbi Eckstein with a recipient of help through IFCJ’s fundraising campaign.  3) A great shot of Jerusalem. 4) IFCJ Logo. 5) Michael Ireland

About the Writer: Michael Ireland is a volunteer internet journalist serving as Chief Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, as well as an Ordained Minister, and an award-winning local cable-TV program host/producer who has served with ASSIST Ministries and written for ANS since its beginning in 1989. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China, and Russia. You may follow Michael on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Michael-Ireland-Media-Missionary-234951783610/ and on Twitter at @Michael_ASSIST.  Please consider helping Michael cover his expenses in bringing news of the Persecuted Church, by logging-on to: https://actintl.givingfuel.com/ireland-michael

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

A Dream: Turned Away at Heaven’s Door

A Dream: Turned Away at Heaven’s Door

A Gospel for Asia (www.gfa.org) News Release – For Immediate Release

WILLS POINT, TX (ANS – July 26, 2017) -- Laija awoke with a start, confused by the strange events in her dream. Why had she been refused passage through the door that led other people to a better place? Her mind kept going back to what the man at the door had told her: “This is not for everyone, but only for a selected few.”

Woman Lives Without Peace

Laija faithfully worshiped her family’s gods and delighted to participate in the religious ceremonies, yet her life was devoid of peace. She and her husband raised seven children and watched several of them marry, but love did not reign in their home. Financial struggles created a tense atmosphere, and her family quarreled continually.

Laija had heard about Jesus’ life and had visited worship services led by Gospel for Asia-supported workers, but like most people in her community, Laija had little room in her heart for anything other than her own beliefs.

Wife Befriends Beacons of Hope

Then one day, Laija met Vivaan and Abeyma, the Gospel for Asia-supported women missionaries ministering in her area. Laija heard again about the love of Jesus and the transformation He freely offers, but the seeds of faith still fell on the roadway of her heart and found no good soil in which to grow.

Laija’s friendship with the two missionaries did grow, however, and she soon confided in her new friends, explaining her family's problems and the thoughts of her heart.

“I do not know who to believe,” she shared. “There is no peace in my life, and I am fed up with everything.”

Vivaan and Abeyma prayed for Laija and visited her often to share words of encouragement. Laija recognized the grace of Jesus being lived out in her two friends, and an earnest hunger to experience that same grace developed in her heart. The two women's testimonies of God's hand in their lives inspired Laija, but although she understood the goodness of the Lord, her dedication to the gods she had worshiped for all of her 47 years made Laija hesitant to embrace Jesus.

Dream Bewilders, Explanation Illuminates

Then Laija had a dream. In her dream, she saw a long line of people waiting to pass through a door. When she asked what was happening and why so many people were standing in a line, someone in her dream replied, “Everyone is getting ready to go to a cool and better place because it is becoming hotter here.”

“Oh, that is good,” Laija responded. “I also want to go there.”

But when Laija reached the door, a man stopped her and said, “This is not for everyone, but only for a selected few.”

She woke up, bewildered by her dream and the rejection she experienced in it.

The next day, Laija visited her missionary friends and told them about her strange dream. While Abeyma listened to Laija, she remembered Jesus teaching in Matthew 7 that only those who do the will of His Father will enter the kingdom of heaven.

Abeyma and Vivaan prayed for their friend and spoke into Laija’s life again by sharing passages from the Word of God. Gradually, Laija understood the meaning of her dream, and the many seeds that God had been sowing in her heart finally found good soil. She longed to know Jesus personally, so that day, she decided to follow Him.

An overwhelming peace and joy immediately followed Laija's decision to embrace Jesus as her Savior. But her husband quickly tried to squelch her new hope.

Faith Holds Fast Under Opposition

“At this age, how can you be so serious about [following a different god]?” he demanded. “I do not believe a single word about whatever you are telling me. The sooner you take back your words, the better. I do not want to hear nonsense.”

When Laija stood firm in her faith in Christ, her husband’s aggression reached beyond verbal abuse. He began hitting her frequently, and when he observed her praying before eating her meal, he would take away her food and taunt her, telling Laija to ask her Jesus to give her food. Even Laija's children began mocking and disrespecting her.

Although her husband and children turned against her, Laija steadfastly clung to her hope in Christ. She knew Vivaan and Abeyma cared deeply for her, and she went to them often for comfort, prayer and encouragement.

“God gives me the strength,” Laija said, grateful for the prayer support of her friends.

Today, even in her difficult situation, Laija holds fast to her Prince of Peace, and she prays her family may one day also experience the joy she found in Christ.

Share Seeds of Faith

Laija grew in her knowledge of Christ while her missionary friends shared from the Bible. The Word of God is living and active, and still transforming lives.

Learn more about sponsoring a woman missionary by going to https://www.gfa.org/women/sponsor/

Note: Gospel for Asia (www.gfa.org) has -- for more than 30 years -- provided humanitarian assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially among those who have yet to hear the Good News. Last year, this included more than 75,000 sponsored children, free medical services for more than 180,000 people, 6,000 wells drilled, 11,000 water filters installed, Christmas presents for more than 400,000 needy families, and spiritual teaching available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry.

To schedule an interview with a Gospel for Asia representative, please contactpressrelations@gfa.org, or go to http://www.gfa.org/press.

Photo captions: 1) Laija (pictured) hungered to know Jesus the way her two missionary friends did, but she lacked the courage to embrace Him as her Savior. (GFA). 2) Laija grew in her knowledge of God while Abeyma and Vivaan shared from the Word of God, just as these women learn by reading their Bible. (GFA). 3) Laija began to grow in her faith from the Bible. (GFA).

*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are GFA stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.

** 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 ANS website and signing up there.

OBAT BAGI JIWA MUKMIN - AL-FATIHAH ATAU ISA AL-MASIH?

OBAT BAGI JIWA MUKMIN - AL-FATIHAH ATAU ISA AL-MASIH? (17)

 

Al-Fatihah juga dinamai Asy-Syifa (obat) oleh penafsir Al-Quran. Adakah kuasa kesembuhan dalam Al-Fatihah?

Al Fatihah Menjadi Obat

Seseorang menulis Al-Fatihah pada kertas, lalu memasukannya ke dalam air, kemudian meminum air itu dengan harapan disembuhkan. Sayang! Ini bukan ‘obat’ yang dimaksudkan dari nama Asy-Syifa. Ayat-ayat hanya menyembuhkan hati jika dihayati dalam kehidupan.

Isa, Tabib Teragung

Sebagai Tabib Teragung, Isa Al-Masih dapat menyembuhkan seorang buta dengan salep yang terbuat dari tanah. Jelas, bukan salep dari tanah itu yang menyembuhkan, melainkan kuasa ilahi-Nya (Injil, Rasul Besar Yohanes 9:6-11).

Orang Kristen Afro-Amerika menyusun satu nyanyian indah tentang obat dan kesembuhan.

Adalah salep di Gilead  (daerah di Palestina)
Yang dapat menyembuhkan orang yang luka
Adalah salep di Gilead
Yang dapat menyembuhkan jiwa yang sakit.  

Salep menurut mereka ialah Isa Al-Masih. Anda dapat mendengarkan nyanyian ini di YouTube.  

Kesembuhan Jiwa Anda

Isa Al-Masih dapat membuka mata rohani dan menyembuhkan jiwa kita. Sebaiknya kita belajar tentang Dia. 

 

(Silakan mengirimkan pertanyaan Anda lewat email ke: masukan@idionline.info atau SMS ke: 0812-8100-0718.)

Masukan
IDI Indonesia
masukan@idionline.info

Tai Man, Shan in Myanmar (Burma)

Tai Man, Shan in Myanmar (Burma)

The Shan are one of the most prestigious of the Tai groups in Southeast Asia. They are concentrated in Shan state, Myanmar. For a generation, the Shan Independence Army has fought against the Burmese military to gain independence. The Shan call themselves "Tai Yay", meaning Great Tai. The Shan have been firm believers in Theravada Buddhism since it was introduced in Myanmar in the fifth century, AD.
Ministry Obstacles
To follow Jesus within a strongly Buddhist culture brings the risk of losing much that is important in this life: friends, status, family, and so forth.
Outreach Ideas
Much prayer for the Shan people is needed, to prepare the ground for the coming of the good news of Christ.
Pray for the followers of Christ
Pray the Christians among the Shan will be properly instructed in the faith, and will grow to become zealous disciples firmly established on the truth of Scripture.
Pray for the entire people group
Pray the Shan will live in peace, and will increasingly desire to find a Savior and forgiveness for sin. Pray that Jesus may be known among them.
Scripture Focus
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance." Psalm 33:12

		People Name: Tai Man, Shan Country: Myanmar (Burma) 10/40 Window: Yes Population: 4,593,000 World Population: 4,697,000 Language: Shan Primary Religion: Buddhism Bible: Complete Audio NT (FCBH): Yes Jesus Film: Yes Audio Recordings: Yes Christ Followers: Few, less than 2% Status: Unreached Progress Level:
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Cold, Forgotten Kids in Ukraine Are Warmed, Transformed

Cold, Forgotten Kids in Ukraine Are Warmed, Transformed

July 27, 2017

Former street children find fun at Father's House in Kiev, Ukraine.

Ministry workers found Svetlana, 5 months old, on the streets of Kiev last year, one of tens of thousands of abandoned or orphaned children in the capital of war-torn, impoverished Ukraine.
The native Ukrainian workers find such children in subways, sewer tunnels and empty basements. They learned that it was Svetlana's mother who left her on the streets, a common phenomenon as war and poverty make Ukraine, for three years subject to Russian aggression, one of the poorest countries in the world, according to recent United Nations figures.
Being found by native ministry workers who have the local contacts necessary to investigate Svetlana's past and put her on the path to recovery was the first miracle in her life.
"Her life is full of miracles, which began with her initial, numerous diagnoses, like Hepatitis C and nerve-movement disorder, yet today she is absolutely healthy," said the Ukrainian woman who eventually adopted her.
Some day Svetlana will understand that the workers who found her belong to an indigenous organization, Father's House, whose holistic approach to caring for street kids is both comprehensive and sophisticated. Based on Christian principles, ministry workers rehabilitate children physically, emotionally and spiritually, beginning with a central tenet – that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Early on, troubled kids learn that they not only need help but are made to give it.
They take part in outreaches to poor, lonely or disabled people in their community. "They hand out presents at holiday times and provide necessary items the people cannot afford," said the ministry director and founder, Roman Korniyko. Children who receive Christ through the ministry visit orphanages and juvenile detention centers throughout Ukraine, putting on plays, singing songs and telling other children of God's love for them.

"Step by step their principle changes to, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive,' and it raises a child's self-appraisal," the ministry director said.

The first step for rescued children is a rehabilitation camp called "Treasure Island." To help hardened, frightened kids adjust to a new environment, Father's House brings boys and girls of all ages to the two-month camp, exposing them to the love of Christ. Receiving ample food, medical care and play time, they learn communication and social skills, the importance of following rules and how to get free of harmful habits. Adventures, new discoveries and field trips figure prominently.
"We put a stress on their ability to help, that they have something they could share," Korniyko said. "We organize meetings with children with special needs, and our children make presents and prepare concerts for them. Then they realize that there are people with more complicated lives. Step by step their principle changes to, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive,' and it raises a child's self-appraisal."
Ministry workers diagnose each child's illnesses and challenges and create an individual plan according to their development, education, health and psychological needs, along with addressing legal issues and relations with parents and relatives. The goal: prepare children to live with new families or reunite them with their biological families. Teachers, doctors, psychologists, speech therapists and others might be called.
Recently children at a public school the former street children attended began bullying them because of their disadvantaged backgrounds. Teachers and a parents' committee joined in, accusing the Father's House children of being behind their peers academically and blaming them for re-occurring troubles at the school. To protect them, Father's House was forced to start its own homeschooling program for 38 children, and it seeks assistance to purchase classroom equipment, books, teachers' manuals, notebooks and other essentials totaling $4,450.
The ministry also enables several children to be raised in a family setting through a "My Family" program at its adjacent Family Upbringing Center. Some 50 children of varying ages are divided up into six families, each family living in separate, five-room apartments. Couples are invited to become foster parents. Disadvantaged children are given an opportunity to live in a healthy family where they can realize their talents and become ready for adoption or, if their biological parents are still alive, return to their original relatives.
As the volunteer parents are tasked with showing how to be a loving family and helping children toward an independent life of serving God and others, they go through extensive vetting. Father's House personnel interview them, and they receive training from local state services as parents and teachers. Couples agree to terms and move in to the center to take care of six to eight children. Psychologists and tutors are available to help as well.
"Usually a child lives in the family for a few years," Korniyko said. "Children learn to obey and to respect their parents, to live in harmony with all family members. They plan family vacation together with the adults and do house duties. Parents together with children think over future occupations, organize studying at school or other educational institutions and learn their first lessons on business, independence and responsibility."

Homeless kids struggling to survive in abandoned basements, a common phenomenon in the Ukraine.

The children also have opportunity to participate in sports, music, drama, painting, foreign languages, computer sciences, photography and film training.
The "My Family" program also changes parents' lives. A couple began serving as a host family six years ago to a pair of 17-year-olds who asked them, "Can we call you Mom and Dad?" They replied, "Of course," but a small voice began whispering that they should consider becoming their permanent mother and father. Meantime, two boys whose lives were in danger from conditions with their biological family were placed with them. They soon learned that they had a sister – Svetlana, the infant girl who was rescued when she was 5 months old. It turned out Svetlana had a sister, Sophia, who also came into their home.
"Now there are eight of us – my husband and me and our six children," said the mother, whose name is withheld for security reasons. "In October of 2016, one more dream came true: we officially adopted the children. We are grateful to God that He was with us all this time and took care of us through Father's House. We were never alone on this journey. There were people who came alongside us and who offered support and encouragement."
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