Barnabas, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, Whats On

Barnabas Update – November 6th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Christians flee “soft ethnic cleansing” in Syria

4 November 2019

Pro-Turkish forces are reportedly carrying out a “soft ethnic cleansing” of Christians in north-east Syria by terrorising them into fleeing, despite assurances from Turkey’s President Erdogan that his forces would not persecute religious minorities.

Syrian armed groups allied with Turkey are preventing Christians from accessing their land during the current cotton harvest.

“We were told, ‘We have orders not to physically touch the Christians but know that you have no land here anymore’,” said Ishak of the Syrian Democratic Council.

He said the armed groups are “repeating what they did in Afrin”, referring to the Turkish invasion in 2018, backed by Syrian rebels and Islamist extremists. “In Afrin, they took the harvest of the Kurds who lived there and now they are doing it to the Christians.  The Christians then ask why should they stay and live under the Islamists.” said Ishak.

Missions, The Persecuted Church Across the World, Whats On

Muslim bus driver saves Christians in Kenya – November 6th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Barnabas Fund, 4 November 2019

A Muslim minibus driver saved the lives of his eight Christian passengers in Kenya in October when he refused to obey the orders of Islamist militant hijackers.

Around ten armed Al Shabab militants attempted to flag down the minibus as it left a building site, but the driver accelerated away. The militants sprayed bullets at the minibus deflating a tyre.

The County Commissioner said, “The driver is a local but most of the passengers were non-locals whom we believe were the target.” The passengers reportedly lay on the floor as they heard the bullets hit the minibus.

Other atrocities against Christians by Al Shabab in Kenya include the murder in September 2018 of two Christians on an ambushed bus who refused to recite the Islamic creed, and of three Christians in a primary school compound in February 2018.

Missions, The Persecuted Church Across the World, Whats On

Christian Houses under Surveillance in India – November 6th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Morning Star News October 30, 2019 

Police in southern India’s Tamil Nadu state have put several house churches under surveillance in order to stop worship, in violation of the country’s secular constitution.  Police have told congregations to stop worship in homes in Tirupur District.

“Christians are not allowed to gather for prayers even within the four walls of their homes,” Pastor Kumar said. “The pastors of these small churches have been harassed to seek permission from district officials to conduct prayer services.”

Courts in India have repeatedly held that no permission is needed to worship in homes.

This level of opposition from government officials is undermining the secularistic values inscribed in the Indian constitution and could lead to deprivation of Christians’ right and freedom to practice their faith, which was upheld time and again in several judgments delivered by the Madras and Madurai benches of the high court.

Jacksons, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, Whats On

Jacksons Update – November 6th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

We need new ideas and resources to offer honest jobs to recently released prisoners so that they won’t return to crime when they’re out as they find it difficult to get work.

Edward, released in August, has no employment but has registered as a bricklayer, is helping others voluntarily and is trusting God to make things happen in the right time.

Marius in maximum is challenged to know how to deal with four “brothers” who try to outdo each other in speaking in tongues. Others in his room who had followed Christ are distancing themselves as a result of the four’s behaviour.

Howard in maximum wants to learn to apply God’s word more deeply to his life.  Though he left the prison gang some time ago, he is finding that some gang members in his room are interested in the way he now lives.

One man in Stellenbosch had his Jordan trainers stolen while he was in hospital.  The Bible classes have helped him forgive the unknown perpetrators.

The last NetACT training session now looks as if it will be the first week of December.  Pray for Fraser as he puts together funding proposals to help some of the smaller colleges with IT infrastructure next year.

Blythswood, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, Whats On

Blythswood Update – October 17th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Daniel Centre

Most of the residents at the Daniel Centre have various issues to cope with in their lives, which creates major challenges for the staff.

They are encouraged, however, by the changes that do take place in most of these young men over the years that they spend there.

Florin’s mental issues are more severe than the staff first realised when he joined the Centre this summer.  Gabi, on the other hand, is more educated than most of the other lads and is writing a novel.  He is generally a quieter and more positive influence on the Centre.

The Christianity Explored course continues to have an encouraging attendance with a core group of regular attenders.  

Talita Kum

The major problem facing the Talita Kum projects stems from government inertia which delays the release of EU funds which are necessary for the ongoing running of Talita 1 and Talita 2.

The missing consultant for the Talita Kum 3 and 4 project has now re-appeared as mysteriously as she first disappeared, and they hope to be ready to claim their first tranche of EU funding for this new project by November 20th.

Missions, The Persecuted Church Across the World, Whats On

Syria Refugee Crisis – October 17th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Steadfast Global, 15 October 2019

Rather than creating a safe zone to allow 3.6 million Syrian Refugees to return home from their camps in southern Turkey, President Erdogan’s so-called Operation Peace Spring has sharply escalated tension, displaced tens of thousands and brought a new front to the conflict plaguing the nation of Syria.

An estimated 60,000 new refugees are waiting to cross the border into neighbouring Kurdistan to flee the fighting. Syrian Kurdish militias are attempting to stop the refugees from crossing into the Kurdistan region through the border checkpoint. As a consequence, desperate individuals and families are now wading the adjoining river to escape Syria.

The north-eastern area of Syria, which is known by Kurds as Rojava, is home to a large population of Syriac and Assyrian Christians who have lived at peace with their Kurdish Muslim neighbours for generations. While this incursion does not appear to be about targeting Syria’s Christians, they are caught up in the turmoil and so, at risk of injury and death.

Barnabas, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, Whats On

Barnabas Update – October 17th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Christian family murdered in Burkina Faso

Barnabas Fund, 1 October 2019

An elderly Christian man and four of his sons were killed in one of five murderous attacks that took place in little more than a week in northern Burkina Faso, where Islamist extremists have already struck against Christian targets at least seven times this year.

A total of 41 people were killed in Bam Province, beginning on 21 September, where assaults on three villages left nine dead. Around 20 gunmen, aged between 17 and 25, roared into the villages on motorcycles.

On 23 September a further nine people died, including the Christian father and his four sons.

Barnabas Fund is providing food, healthcare and trauma counselling for Christian women and children who fled attacks in Burkina Faso earlier this year.

Missions, The Persecuted Church Across the World, Whats On

Early Rain Church Perseveres in China – October 17th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

Christian Solidarity Worldwide, October 2019

It’s been nearly a year since Early Rain Church in China last saw their pastor, Wang Yi.  Arrested along with over 100 church members in December 2018, Pastor Wang has been in detention ever since.  He was targeted for peacefully speaking up for churches and Christians who were being harassed by the government.

Despite experiencing an incredibly difficult year, Early Rain Church perseveres. And while several members remain behind bars, others, including Pastor Wang’s wife Jiang Rong, have been released on bail.

In a statement on Facebook in July, a member of the church wrote:

“We thank God for leading us through these trials and allowing us to share in this calling … We also thank God for giving (us) so many brothers and sisters with obedient and steadfast hearts.  As many churches within God’s kingdom of grace suffer with us, he has shown us that ‘it is good … to share in our trouble’.  (Philippians 4:14)  We have experienced God’s wonderful promises, faithfulness, and comfort …  We do this for the faith.”

Missions, The Persecuted Church Across the World, Whats On

Ex-teacher of Islam who became Christian killed – October 17th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

World Watch Monitor,  October 11, 2019 

Friends of a 40-year-old Egyptian who converted from Islam to Christianity believe his premature death on 4th October is linked to numerous threats he received from his family.

Before Amr Hussein Mohamed El-Sayeh died, he told friends that his family threatened to kill him.

His family did not hold a funeral for him; instead El-Sayeh was buried in a charity cemetery for the poor.  El-Sayeh had left his job teaching Islamic studies in March 2019.

He told his friend that he had watched Christian satellite TV.   “Watching these programmes made him want to know more about the truth of Islam and to read more of the Bible and to compare it and pray.”  On 13 April, he was secretly baptized into the Christian faith.

“He was a very brave man. He loved Christ very much. He kept faith till his last breath and refused to renounce his new faith. He was martyred in the name of Jesus Christ.”

Jacksons, Mission Partners of Castle Street, Missions, Whats On

Jacksons Update – October 17th 2019

by Robert MacNaughton

We held our nerve in the Bible study in Stellenbosch Prison and continued to work through the Gospels. Now more men are attending and saying they want to follow Jesus.

Into day 2 of the Restorative Justice course at Drakenstein prison, barriers were being overcome and strongholds brought down.  

Faiek in Maximum, sentenced to 23 years, is struggling with the thought of his many years behind bars.  He is now in a “Brothers” (Christian) room where he’s finding some support but is greatly exercised over the divisions and stresses in the family he has left outside.

Derryk in medium is still struggling with depression but felt his burden lift after people prayed for him.   He is concerned that his two children (31 and 18) are no longer responding to his phone calls.

Fraser had a good meeting with the NetACT staff last week.  There is enough money left in the budget for a ‘catch-up’ training session here in Wellington for those who were unable to attend the regional training, but Fraser has to arrange it all.