Russia's federal forestry agency said, ‘More than 5,000 Russian emergency workers are battling to put out wildfires raging across forests in Siberia. Over 1,250 square kilometres of woodland are ablaze in at least six eastern regions. Wildfires are a common occurrence in Russia each summer due to the burning of dry grass and can claim lives and damage property. Historically every year many die in southern Siberia as a results of wildfires while hundreds of others are left homeless. The current wildfires have not yet affected inhabited areas. See also World article, ‘USA: California blaze grows, prompting more evacuations’.
France: Urgent medical support needed in Calais
13 Aug 2015
We've all seen the news of desperate migrants trying to cross the channel. But few people know about the conditions people are living in. This is a humanitarian crisis on our doorstep and western governments are turning their backs on it. I know because I’m a nurse in Calais, giving medical support to migrants who have fled their countries because of war and persecution and are now living in horrendous conditions. Whole families are crammed into small tents with poor access to food and water, leading to all sorts of terrible health problems. These include serious skin problems, gangrene, breathing difficulties, diarrhoea and scabies. Many have shattered bones after falling from trucks, have been slashed by razor wire climbing fences or have been beaten up. Some are extremely vulnerable, including children and pregnant women. With needs ever increasing, it is charities and not governments that are picking up the pieces, providing essential medical consultations and psychological support for the many migrants traumatised by their experiences.
After 21 Coptic Christians were brutally murdered by IS, Focus on the Family (a leading US charity) has stepped in with housing and care for their families. The 20 Egyptian Christians, along with their Ghanaian co-worker, were from a poor Egyptian village and working in Libya to support their families. Their beheading was videoed and posted on social media. Focus on the Family is helping the families of the martyrs both materially and spiritually. The martyrs literally had nothing, except the very thing they died for because they would not let it go — their faith in Christ. Their families echoed that faith. They did not curse IS. They did not ask for pity. They did not ask for supplies or money. Focus on the Family has built houses for the families which will meet all their basic needs. The houses are a physical demonstration of unity within the worldwide body of Christ.
Myanmar: Flooding fails to stop local Christians
13 Aug 2015
Myanmar flooding has killed over 100 people in the last 14 days. Fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters left behind are trying to survive without access to food or clean water. People are crying out to their Buddhist and animist gods for help. One million people have been affected by Myanmar’s severe flooding that has never happened on this level before. Houses are underwater, landslides are destroying any remaining roads and people are staying in schools and monasteries. Six indigenous ministries assisted by Christian Aid Mission are responding – sending teams of church members to remote villages. They’re often the first ones to arrive with supplies; making a major difference with food, tarpaulins, clothing and sharing the Truth of the Gospel. Survivors want to know, ‘Why are you helping me? You’re in the same boat as me.’ It’s a powerful testimony, and many come to Christ as a result of it.
Hindu nationalists have converted 39 people from Dalit Christian families to Hinduism in a controversial ceremony aimed at making them eligible for a government benefits programme. ‘We are moving ahead with our initiative and more families from other religions will be reconverted to Hinduism soon. Many people want to come back to their original faith,’ said the District Chief. The Dalits, known as the ‘untouchables,’ make up India's lowest caste and are eligible for certain government benefits if they identify as Hindus. International Christian Concern (ICC) noted that Christians from low-caste backgrounds are soft targets for Hindu nationalists seeking to take advantage of the government benefits programme and lure people of other faiths into Hinduism. ICC said as many as 25 million poverty-stricken Dalits who have converted to Christianity are being forced to choose between their Christian faith and eligibility for benefits.
On Monday President Barack Obama met Nigeria's new leader Muhammadu Buhari and discussed ongoing plans to defeat Boko Haram. Obama praised Buhari's integrity and Buhari claimed to have a very clear agenda in defeating Boko Haram extremists inside his country. The Obama administration has pledged $5 million to Nigeria's military since Buhari's election earlier this year. Obama said Nigeria is ‘one of the most important countries’ in Africa and he and Buhari discussed combatting corruption, public health concerns and climate change. On Wednesday it was discovered that the US Leahy Law which prevents the government selling arms to countries which fail to tackle human rights abuses applies to Nigeria. However the Nigerian military does not possess appropriate weapons and technology to address the ‘human rights violations’ and the two president’s agreement would have released this technology to Nigeria. On Thursday President Buhari said, ‘Unwittingly, and I dare say unintentionally, the application of the Leahy Law Amendment by the United States government has aided and abetted the Boko Haram terrorists.’
Lebanon: Reaching ‘an unreached people-group’
29 Jul 2015
Deaf children in the Middle East are neglected because of their impairment. They miss out in family life, education and economic opportunities. Many Muslim parents believe deaf children bring shame to the family. There are an estimated 21,000 deaf Lebanese to whom no one is proclaiming Christ. Now, by introducing sign-language into existing outreaches to the Muslim people in Lebanon, 90 deaf people have already come to Christ. Last year the same mission group were involved with a child protection programme that exposed the need for education to protect children from various forms of abuse. The ministry plans to hold five conferences to educate deaf children, their parents and schoolteachers about sexual abuse, kidnapping, child protection resources and children's rights. They also intend translating their highly successful leadership training into sign-language. Those who come to Christ would then be equipped to reach other deaf people with the message of Christ. See also: http://www.finishingthetask.com/about.html
Congresswomen and activists demonstrated in front of Mexico's Interior Ministry in Mexico City by lying on the ground, imitating a crime scene, with chalk outlines around their bodies and chanting ‘gender alert in the State of Mexico’. The ‘gender alert’ was created after reports of widespread violence against women. The initiative hopes to reinforce protection and provide more help for victims. The protesters called for the setting up of a ‘gender alert’ mechanism across Mexico State. Mexico is among the world’s twenty worst countries for violence against women with endless crimes of passion and unidentified female body parts floating in sewage canals. Six women are killed in Mexico every day. Only 24% of 3,892 ‘femicides’ the group identified were investigated by authorities, and only 1.6% led to sentencing.