Netherlands: Schools are failing pupils
17 Jul 2015
Secondary school pupils in deprived areas are not getting the education they need, the Volkskrant newspaper reported on Thursday 9 July. There is not enough money to pay for extra lessons or for the care some pupils need, and teachers are working unpaid hours to fulfil that need. Schools get extra money from the government for pupils from deprived areas. There are also additional subsidies available from councils. But school heads say this is not enough. In addition, total school budgets are shrinking which is adding to the problem. At a school in Rotterdam teachers work a 60-hour week on a 36-hour contract to provide extra lessons. A head-teacher in Amsterdam said, ‘We have intelligent pupils but they do need extra attention. We offer additional language and maths lessons, but I lie awake wondering how to keep within the budget.’
The Community of Christian Service Workers are in Montenegro with a training and inspirational forum for Christians working in service to others. They are ministers, missionaries, the staff and volunteers of Christian organisations , charity workers, and others who serve in the name of Christ in Montenegro. It is web-based and incorporates Friends of the Great Commission FB3T - a site created for other Christians and supported by the Friends of The Great Commission in the United States and The Great Commission Foundation in Canada. They produce a ‘Learning Together’ series of coaching modules for people serving in Christian missions and church organisations. The first series of free learning modules includes video tutorials that have been developed by the Prairie Digital Media Program. Each learning session also provides a downloadable companion guide booklet compiled through collaboration with workers in Christian service. The first few modules can be found at: http://christianserviceworker.org/social-media-for-missionaries. They are also on Facebook. See https://www.facebook.com/ChristianServiceWorkers
Monaco: Christian outreach
17 Jul 2015
Trans World Radio has been sending out Christian programmes from Monaco for 55 years. The first programme was broadcast from a 100,000-watt shortwave transmitter in Monte Carlo. TWR now utilises the facility to transmit the Good News of Jesus Christ to millions of listeners daily throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa in 16 languages. Although YWAM Monaco has no website yet, they do have a presence in the country. Monaco has very few people who understand how to be in a living relationship with Christ. Many homes may have traditional icons of the faith but without the power and vitality behind them. Pray that they may start to understand what a true relationship with Christ looks like. Monaco has the world's lowest poverty rate and the highest number of millionaires and billionaires per capita. As a result, this hedonistic society is far from recognising its need of God. See also: https://www.twr.org/news_and_blogs/2010/10-01/celebrating-50-years-of-broadcasting-from-
Moldova faces different problems
17 Jul 2015
Sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe; children are often abandoned by families trapped in poverty with no hope. Moldova still suffers from a Communist legacy and has a large foreign debt with high unemployment. It is heavily dependent on Russia for energy supplies and Russia has not hesitated to take advantage of this fact as a way of exerting economic pressure. The Orthodox Church has strong political influence. Preaching and planting churches in traditionally Orthodox villages is opposed, frequently with violence. (Pray-Europe reports that 800 villages still have no Christian witness.) Two-thirds of Moldovans are of Romanian descent, the languages are virtually identical and the two countries share a common cultural heritage. See also: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17601580
Malta: Buying children
17 Jul 2015
On Thursday 9 July police identified a suspect after two women reported a man trying to buy their daughters while walking along the Sliema front. Police said, ‘Investigations are still ongoing to identify the man who allegedly offered them money.’ On Tuesday Anya Soldatova, 31, felt ‘creeped out’ when a Middle-Eastern-looking man, in his early 30s, offered to buy her two-year-old blonde daughter and kept upping the price until he reached €30,000. Just last month through Project Stop a concert was held in Bugibba Town Centre to raise awareness on the problem of human trafficking in Malta. Many in the audience were surprised that human trafficking also takes place in Malta. Through the performances the message was ‘human trafficking robs victims of choice and freedom, takes advantage of vulnerability and leaves a lasting impact on its victims. Survivors carry physical, mental, emotional, and financial scars the rest of their lives.’ See also: http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-07-08/local-news/Human-trafficking-awareness-concert-held-many-surprised-human-trafficking-exists-in-Malta-6736138529
Police raided homes in the Macedonian village of Vaksintse as part of a people-smuggling investigation - a week after a reporter for Channel 4 News traced a kidnap gang to the area. Four people were arrested and 128 migrants, including women and children, were detained by police in the raids, on ten locations. The migrants were not arrested, but held as witnesses to the investigation into the smuggling of illegal immigrants. A week earlier journalist Ramita Navai visited the village to investigate reports that a kidnap gang was holding migrants at one of the houses there. Using the GPS coordinates from two men who say they were held in the village, Navai found the house where migrants were being beaten and held for ransom - forced to pay anywhere from €500 to €1,000 for release. When police carried out the raids, the house was empty. However, migrants from Syria, Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries were found in five locations.
Building sites could be partially or totally closed if modern slavery practices are found under new powers to be given to Luxembourg's ‘Inspection du travail et des mines’. The body is responsible for checking that employers obey the law when it comes to workplace practices. The new EU directive aims to end criminal exploitation in the workplace where people are paid below minimum wage. Responding to a parliamentary question, employment minister Nicolas Schmit said that in addition to increasing powers to close down sites which illegally exploit workers, the new law will define who is responsible when work is subcontracted. A report claimed that Portuguese construction workers were being routinely exploited. One worker said he worked ten hours per day for 7.50 euros per hour.
Visiting Chief of Staff of the United States Army General Raymond T Odierno says military exercises in the Baltic States will be of ‘greater sizes’ in the future. With joint exercises the US demonstrates NATO’s collective defence commitments at a time when Russia's growing military activity is raising concern. Asked about Russia's military activity, Odierno said, ‘It's concerning that in some ways they are not following the rules that we've set in place with some of their air activity. As part of NATO, it's our responsibility to protect our NATO allies which is why we are here in Lithuania. Major General Almantas Leika, commander of the Lithuanian Land Force, said joint exercises show the US determination to be present here when it's not completely safe in the region, and send clear messages to everyone.’