DAWN Fridayfax 1996 #14

DAWN News from Egypt, Middle East, North Africa, Ukraine, Lebanon

Cairo: acoustically perfect church - built with dynamite

In order to make repairs or changes, Egyptian churches need official permission - which is almost impossible to obtain. There is, however, no law which forbids to knock something down or, for example, to hollow out a cliff. At midnight during Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, a Coptic priest dynamited caves in the Makkattam mountains near Cairo.

At first, his actions were not noticed - anyone who heard the noise believed it to be Ramadan celebrations. The priest created a church hall with space for 4,000 people. An opera singer who recently visited the now completed 'cave auditorium' said that the acoustics are brilliant.

According to the report, "the singer was too excited to stop singing". Other Christians report that the crime rate in this previously infamous part of Cairo has sunk to such an extent that it is now possible to walk in the streets without fear.

"The government of the predominantly Islamic country does not know what to do", the report continues, "because the positive change can only be attributed to Christianity."

Source: Name and address withheld
more from Egypt

50 new prayer trios in Egypt

Middle-eastern Christians have been inspired by the vision of "prayer triplets". The concept is simple: three Christians meet regularly and each pray for 3 non-Christians personally.

The leader of an Egyptian women's movement told us at the end of March that 50 of these evangelistic prayer groups formed within a very short period. "Two things fascinate me about this prayer movement: firstly, the concept is simple - everyone understands it immediately; secondly, we have experienced right from the start how God answers personal prayer in agreement. We're excited."

Source: name and address withheld

Radio church planting: 5,000 new house churches planned in the Middle East by the year 2000

The Swedish radio mission IBRA is trying out new methods: their first short-term aim is to plant 5,000 new house churches in the Middle East, partly using Radio Moscow's transmitters. Based on experience gathered by the FEBC in China, they are working together with national churches and movements.

An IBRA speaker commented: "In the Middle East, there are perhaps millions of isolated 'radio Christians', people who have become Christians through hearing evangelistic transmissions and who have no contact with a local church. We have to assist these people and via radio will help them to start churches and fellowships. Our first aim is 5,000 new fellowships by the year 2000."

Source: IBRA Radio, Fax (357)-5-332940
More on Radio ministry

Radio church founded in North Africa

"We, a group of 10 people, have decided to meet regularly as a result of your radio transmissions. We believe in Jesus Christ, and meet every day to read God's word and talk about his miracles." The author of the letter received by the IBRA in March 1996 was a respectable person from a North African country in which hardly 2 dozen evangelical Christians were known up to now.

Source: IBRA Radio, Fax (357)-5-332940

Ekaterinenburg: healing in the Palace of Culture

"Once, the Czar, the last official representative of Christianity, was killed here. Today, we sense a great openness for Christianity in the Ukraine", says a report from Hiram Kunzi, one of the members of a team which travelled to Ukraine in February 1996 with Swiss evangelist Florian Bartsch. They were able to plant a new church in Ekaterinenburg, Boris Yeltsin's birthplace.

Kunzi continued: "The evangelistic meetings were held in the Palace of Culture. One person told us that they had been physically healed by God. The Bishop of the region's previously conservative Baptist church witnessed the events, and has now also started healing meetings."

Source: Hiram Kunzi, YMCA Bern, Fax (+41)-31-3331416

Beirut: new converts plant a Filipino church

A few months ago, a young Filipino woman working in Lebanon returned to Beirut after briefly visiting her family in the Philippines. To her astonishment, they had all converted to Christianity and her brother had become a pastor. She also decided to follow Christ and returned to Lebanon as a new convert. Her brother and sister living there also became Christians.

Her brother regularly played poker with friends, so invited them to visit him. When they arrived, there were Bibles on the table and the three young Christians sang both Christians songs which they knew. "The friends were at first astonished, then touched, began to cry and suddenly all sank to the floor", according to a friend of the group. "They then read the Bible together, prayed, and the friends also decided to follow Jesus.

The newly-formed group invited other Filipinos to their regular meetings. Inside 5 months, a church which already has 60 members was formed."

Source: name and address withheld

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