Mexico: migrants in limbo at the border
15 Apr 2021
The Catholic-run welcome centre, the last stop for migrants before crossing the border into the USA, offers meals, clothing, medical and legal assistance. It has become a waiting room. The group running the welcome centre attributes lengthened stays (300+ days) to the pandemic and Trump’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy. Many who get into America are ejected by Border Patrol after a few days - creating a revolving population, returning to the welcome centre on a weekly or daily basis. Women give birth, children miss two years of education, girls can’t have a quinceañera (celebration of a girl's 15th birthday). US authorities found 19,000 children traveling alone across the Mexican border in March. It is a major test for Joe Biden as he reverses many of his predecessor's hard-line immigration tactics.
Coronavirus concerns: Thailand celebrations
15 Apr 2021
By 9 April authorities were struggling to contain a growing coronavirus outbreak just days before the country's New Year's holiday (April 13 - 15) when millions of people travel around the country. The government response was to close nightlife venues for two weeks. New infections are expected to rise to 10,000 per day if no adequate measures are taken. Some provinces are preventing travellers arriving from elsewhere, The government’s pandemic control is minimal and criticised. The New Year holiday was cancelled last year during the first outbreak. The slow vaccination drive means less than 1% have had their jabs. The government has field hospitals to accommodate any surge in patients, and said vacant rooms in hotels could be converted to accommodate infected people if numbers keep rising.
Coronavirus concerns: Indian festival
15 Apr 2021
Kumbh Mela began this month. Hundreds of thousands of ash-smeared devout Hindus jostled to dip into the Ganges hoping to wash away their sins, while India reported a record surge in coronavirus infections. Huge crowds entered the river on special bathing days in the month-long festival. Health authorities had to pull back a Covid testing crew to avoid a stampede-like situation. 650,000 devotees bathed in the river on bathing day; many failed to observe social distancing. Infections in the city are over 500 daily since Kumbh Mela. It was just 25 to 30 last month. Hotels are isolation shelters for those infected. The government refused to call off the festival, fearing backlashes from religious leaders in the Hindu-majority country. New Covid cases hit a record 184,372 in 24 hours, more than double the figure at the start of the month. The festival has become a super-spreader.
Scriptures in every language by 2033
08 Apr 2021
One billion people around the world have never heard God's word in the language they understand best. There are 6,000 unique languages on earth today, and 2,000 languages need translating so that unreached peoples can read the scriptures in their heart language. A decade ago, ten Bible translation agencies formed an alliance to end what they call ‘Bible poverty’, and organised the ‘I Want to Know’ campaign, giving people an opportunity to sponsor translation of one or more Bible verses. They hope everyone will have access to the Bible in their native tongue by 2033. Walkie, a native speaker of the Yupik language of Alaska, remembers the moment his mother understood the Bible's message for the first time. ‘Before she died, I was able to read her Psalm 139 in Yupik,’ he recalled. ‘And she said, “Oh! So that is what it means to us!”’
Guatemala: 4,600 survivors cared for
08 Apr 2021
Praise God that the Institute for Victim Care and Assistance in Guatemala has been able to give holistic care to 4,600 survivors of violence in the past six months. 60% of those receiving the trauma-informed support, co-created by the Guatemalan government and IJM, were women and children. Praise God that survivors of violence can now receive free legal, psychological, and medical support in one place. Pray for God's strength for staff members at the Victim Institute as they continue to support survivors of violence.
Ramadan: reaching UK Muslims
08 Apr 2021
On 12 April, 1.6 billion Muslims will begin thirty days of prayer and fasting for Ramadan. Tens of thousands of disciples around the world will pray for them to come to know Jesus and experience new life in him. You are invited to join ‘Beyond’ for a regional update focused on the Islamic world and hear how God is working among Muslim peoples, the challenges and strongholds they face, and how we in the UK can get involved in reaching them with the Good News. The free online multi-week trainings are called Disciple-making Movement Nuggets. Each session focuses on one component - giving a short, practical piece people can ‘try out’. If they find it helpful, they can be connected to more detailed training and coaching. See also
Northern Ireland: bombs and bricks
08 Apr 2021
On 8 April the gates of Belfast's so-called peace wall were prised open and set alight, police were attacked, petrol bombs thrown and a bus burnt in another night of violence. Over the week 41 police were injured, and ten people arrested. The most recent violence saw eight more officers hurt on both sides of an interface between several hundred loyalists and nationalists throwing petrol bombs in both directions in the loyalist Shankill Road and the nationalist Springfield Road. The power-sharing executive has met to consider the situation; the escalation in disorder requires a united response. It is hard to know how ministers will work in unity when they have not been on the same page about why the violence has been happening. Also criminals are orchestrating violence by putting petrol bombs into the hands of 12-year-olds: see
Jesus House felt judged
08 Apr 2021
Sir Keir Starmer apologised for the ‘hurt’ caused by his visit to Jesus House of All Nations after the church was criticised for holding traditional biblical views on homosexuality. He praised the church for opening its premises as a vaccination centre, then later tweeted it was a ‘mistake’ to visit the church, and that he was ‘not aware’ of their views on gay rights. The church was criticised for being anti-LGBT and supporting conversion therapy, but it does not engage in conversion therapy. Pastor Agu, the church pastor, said they provide appropriate pastoral support, including prayer, to all their members, whatever life situations they find themselves in: ‘This is consistent with the fundamentals of freedom of speech and freedom of religion and the government's current position. Over the past 48 hours, in the courtroom of social media, we have felt prosecuted, judged, and sentenced unfairly.’ He said he is very concerned for the thousands of churches and millions of Christians who hold a traditional biblical understanding of marriage and sexuality.