DAWN Fridayfax 1997 #22

DAWN News from March for Jesus around the world
plus update from Borneo

Six million on the streets for Jesus

Reports from the International March for Jesus office indicate that over 6 million people were on the streets for Jesus in over 100 nations. This year's motto for The Global March for Jesus was 'No More Walls'. Graham Kendrick describes the March as proclaiming the tearing down of walls between peoples, churches and generations. The March for Jesus started in 1987, when 15,000 Christians marched and praised through the City of London.

In the past decade, the event has mushroomed into Global March for Jesus, in which more than 43 million Christians from different denominations in 170 nations have joined in marches of unity through their major towns and cities. According to the organisers, the march is becoming ever more popular because of the very simple idea behind it, aiming to draw attention to Jesus. It is explicitly not a political or protest march.

1.5 million march in Sao Paulo

Over 1 million Christians joined for marches in 750 towns and cities in the USA; in Burundi, the 4th March for Jesus again united Hutus and Tutsis despite continuing acts of violence between the two tribes. 400,000 marched in Venezuela, and in Australia, Aboriginal Christian leaders offered water to other marches as a sign of reconciliation. Brazil saw marches in over 1,000 towns, with 1.5 million participating in the march in Sao Paulo.

Governor declares 17th May 'March for Jesus Day'

Governor George W Bush of Texas declared 17th May to be 'March for Jesus Day'. More than 3,000 Christians in St. Louis, Missouri, marched through areas known for racial tension. "We believe God is bridging something in St. Louis as blacks and whites worked together on this March," said March Organizer Karen Stefacek. In some towns, pastors openly repented of "the sins of separation, lack of care, and interracial envy". In Oklahoma City, 20,000 people joined the March, and pastors washed each others' feet as a symbol of their readiness to serve one another.

99-year-old celebrates a birthday March

Many marchers across the U.S. were led by church youth groups, as a symbol of the new generation being raised up to be leaders in churches and communities. The March didn't only bring the youngsters out on the street, though: the March Organizer of Hill City, Kansas was 90 years old. In Kerrville, Texas, a 99-year-old lady had her birthday on the day of the March. Her friends had planned to throw her a party, but she refused, saying, "I won't be there. I'll be marching for my Jesus." Most of the invited guests also joined the march.

From A to Z: prayer in England

In 'Operation X', from 10-16th May, thousands of young Christians prayed for change in up to 1000 schools, colleges and universities in Britain, and for more than 200,000 individuals. In 'Operation AtoZ' organised by the March for Jesus, over 13,000 people took part in prayer walks all over Britain; in Nottingham, the Christians prayed for every one of the city's 300,000 houses and apartments.

"A new day for Spain"

3,000 people from 20 villages arrived in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, for a worship march. 15 different churches, all generations and people from each of the island's ethnic groups joined in the march, according to the organisers. Jaume Torrado reported that the March in Spain united more than 12,200 people for the first time, over 8,000 of which were in Madrid. He closed his report with the words "A new day for Spain!"
Source: Tom Pelton, MFJ USA, Tel (1)-512-416-0066, and Nick Curry, 100572.323@compuserve.com

Borneo: from curse to blessing

We have heard reports about a revival taking place amongst the Iban, a previous mostly unreached people group in Sarawak, the Malaysian part of Borneo. Apparently, it started when Derek Prince's book "How to Pass from Curse to Blessing" was translated into the Iban language: "When the two young Anglican vicars who translated the book brought the message to a number of villages, the results were dramatic. Many repented of their occult habits and collected their 'jimats' (amulets) to be burned, and then experienced the power of God setting them free from demonic powers", according to Warren Smith's report. There was particular spiritual resistance in one village, where "the Holy Spirit showed the inhabitants that they should march 7 times around the village's longhouse, as Joshua did at Jericho. As they went around for the seventh time, somebody shouted 'Stop'. An amulet which they had not noticed fell to the ground; it turned out to be the most powerful in the village. After they had burned it, a great and lasting peace rested on the whole village." At the start of April 1997, around 1,000 of Borneo's Christian leaders met for a conference (see Friday Fax 1997/15) during which they prayed particularly that the Iban people would be freed from curses. These prayers have obviously not gone unanswered.
Source: Warren Smith, e-mail 100231.2571@compuserve.com, Derek Prince Ministries, Christchurch, New Zealand

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