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2016-08-04

  • Pastor's Life Spared During Attack


    The Rev. Hamza Alkali at the Federal Medical Centre.
    Photo: Morning Star News

    After being seriously injured in a recent attack, Pastor Hamza Alkali required surgery to have the rest of his severed hand and wrist amputated. Even despite the loss of his hand, the 66-year-old pastor is very grateful. "If God was not with me, the Fulani (herds)man could have succeeded in taking my life," Pastor Hamza testifies. "I told the Fulani man that God -- who created me in His image -- will not give him the power to kill me."

    The church leader explained that when he first saw the herdsman coming onto his farmland, he thought the man was just passing through. So he continued working. Without further warning or greeting, the Fulani herdsman approached the pastor, asking him to hand over his mobile phone. When Pastor Hamza refused, the man attacked him with a sword, severing his hand. A struggle ensued, and the pastor was eventually able to wrestle the sword away from the assailant before further harm could be done.

    Pastor Hamza acknowledges that since Jesus Christ was persecuted, Christians must endure hardship and face any persecution head-on: "Every Christian that is passing through persecution should stand firm, as God will not abandon such a person. Our persecutors should know that one day they will stand before God to (give an) account for what they have done here on earth. So what they should do is come closer to God...repent and leave the evil ways they are following."

    We are grateful that God has given this pastor an opportunity to share the Gospel with the Fulani herdsman who instigated the attack. May the words of truth that were spoken to the perpetrator penetrate the hardness of the man's heart, bringing needed conviction of sin which will hopefully lead to repentance and salvation. Pray also for this dear pastor as he now recovers from the ordeal and adapts to daily life without the use of his hand. May the Lord minister in special ways to this brave spiritual leader by enabling him to continue his greatly needed ministry work in Nigeria.
  • Muslim Neighbours Help Extinguish Church Fire


    A fire-damaged Egyptian church, one
    of many attacked by Muslim militants.
    Photo: Barnabas Aid

    In the early hours of July 16th, flames and smoke engulfed the only church building in the Egyptian village of Al-Madamoud, which is located east of Luxor. Before firefighters arrived, in a spirit of cooperation not typically witnessed in Egypt (where many churches have been destroyed by militants), Muslim and Christian villagers worked together to extinguish the blaze.

    Despite their efforts, the whole interior of the building was destroyed. The next morning, Safwat Samaan, the director of the human rights group Nation Without Borders, was able to visit the scene. Members of the congregation crowded into the blackened shell of the building with great sadness over the devastation. "It broke my heart to see old men, eyes full of tears, and women wailing," he reports.

    Members of the congregation are now concerned that local authorities will claim the fire was merely accidental, which has been the case of so many other church building fires. This was the ruling involving a church within Luxor that caught fire on April 20th under mysterious circumstances.

    Authorities claimed that the Luxor fire was the result of either unattended candles or a short in a wire -- even though there was no evidence of candles, and a church attendant had turned off the main electrical line to the building. Similarities between the fires of the burned churches indicate the possibility that a serial arsonist may be targeting churches in the Luxor area.

    As the congregants of these destroyed churches now deal with the devastating loss of their cherished places of worship, pray that God's comfort, peace, strength and grace...will be tangibly experienced in their lives. May their heavy hearts be uplifted over the fact that they can worship Jesus anywhere, and not even the loss of their buildings can stop them. As the Lord directs them with the rebuilding of their churches, pray that He will also build up their faith -- so that their mission in reaching others of the community will be strong and effective. This includes their ministry to the individual(s) who may be responsible for the fires.
  • Thousands of Children Tune to Christian TV

    A United Kingdom-based charity, known as Sat7, which focusses on broadcasting the Gospel in Arabic to the Middle East and North Africa through an engaging television series, has reported that over nine million children are tuning to the SAT-7 KIDS programming. The television program is imparting truths, positive values and education to children in a fun and engaging way while making it possible for them to learn within the safety of their own home environment. It is invaluable to parents who are seeking a trustworthy source of Christ-centred entertainment and education within their homes.

    The executive director of SAT-7 KIDS says of the report findings: "It is very encouraging, but it really is the hand of God. Our KIDS team is so terribly small and we are working with a very small budget." Additionally, the channel's programming manager adds: "They say that with a million people, you can change a country. With nine million, you can change a whole region."

    In spite of the challenges, SAT-7 KIDS is always seeking to take the programming one step further by improving its interaction with viewers. There are two live weekly programs that currently elicit a lot of direct responses from the audience because viewers can call in and talk to the hosts.

    Last December, a fresh interactive website launched for SAT-7 KIDS. The channel's presence on Facebook and YouTube also lets viewers comment on shows. Overall, the number of responses has quadrupled in the past three years.

    One Iraqi girl states: "Please pray that I will keep Christ in my heart and never leave Him for any reason. This request is not only for me but it is also for you and for everyone on this earth...." The mother of another child in Iraq also appreciates the ministry: "My daughter is six years old. She is always watching these programs. Please send us more Bible stories."