DAWN Fridayfax 1999 #12

News from Central Asia, Sudan, Nigeria, N. Africa, Middle East

In this issue:
Central Asia: Lame man healed
Sudan: Ex-Imam starts 'jail churches'
Sudan: Muslim fakir recommends Jesus
Nigeria: 4 million attend a prayer meeting
Northern Africa: God performs 65 simultaneous miracles
Middle East: "Jesus is here!"

Central Asia: Lame man healed

Language miracle causes openness to the gospel

"The Holy Spirit just started to speak through me in the local language, even though I can only speak 5 words myself!" exclaimed Kim. She and another Korean Christian had come to pray for the inhabitants of a village in a predominantly Islamic country in Central Asia. "We couldn't do much more than that, because we couldn't speak the language - or so we thought," she said later. One afternoon, they were invited to an old man's house. He lay on a matress on the floor, lame and unable to move. Kim indicated to his family that she would like to pray for the man; they agreed, because they were very religious and respected everyone who prayed to God and was also religious. Kim reports: "The lame man began to wriggle, and then stood up as though someone had just cut his chains. He was healed!" Kim's heart was beating hard, and she knew that someone had to explain what had happened. She thought to herself "Maybe someone will understand a little if I say a few words in Korean," and started to speak. For the next 20 minutes, she explained the connection between the miracle and God, his grace and the risen Jesus Christ - fluently, in the national language, which she had never learned. As a result, over 40 people decided to follow Jesus.

Source: name and address withheld

Sudan: Ex-Imam starts 'jail churches'

El-Faqi, an ex-Imam and lawyer, was imprisoned in March 1998 following his conversion to Christianity. He is slowly becoming a problem for the Islamic government: many people have become Christians as a result of his testimony, and the government don't know what to do with him. The 'Christian Imam' has been transferred from one jail to another, but every time, the same thing happened: he told his fellow prisoners about Jesus, and has started 'jail churches' in all of the prisons he has been in, according to a recent report.

Source: name and address withheld

Sudan: Muslim fakir recommends Jesus

A Muslim woman who believed that she was possessed by demons visited various witch doctors and fakirs, but nobody could help her. Finally, one fakir told her "Go to these young Christians carrying a Bible under their arm. They can help you." The woman followed the advice, and went to a Christian church, where she asked for prayer. She was set completely free as the Christians prayed for her in Jesus' name, and is now transformed. She, her husband and children all decided to follow Jesus.

Source: name and address withheld

Nigeria: 4 million attend a prayer meeting

We just received a report of probably the largest prayer meeting in history, which took place on December 18, 1998. Over 4 million Christians attended a prayer night in Lagos, Nigeria's capital. They prayed for young people, the government, families, the nation's security, Christian churches, people who do not yet know Jesus, and Israel. The meeting was initiated by the Redeemed Church of God's pastor Adeboye. In 1997, 500,000 people attended a similar meeting, and the church expects up to 20 million in the year 2000.

Source: Redeemed Church of God, Lagos

Northern Africa: God performs 65 simultaneous miracles

Many churches in Northern Africa, despite - or perhaps even as a result of - suffering intense persecution, according to one of the region's Chrisitan leaders. Islamic fundamentalists in one north African country heard through informers of a planned church meeting, and were waiting to massacre the Christians. At the agreed time, though, the meeting place remained empty. Not one of the 65 people expected to attend the meeting turned up, not even the preacher who had been specially invited. Every single one had been prevented from coming by some unexpected event: "From a flat tyre to an unexpected family visit, God coordinated and performed 65 miracles, saving the lives of 65 people, and demonstrating that his hand is over the region's Christians," said one observer.

Source: name and address withheld

Middle East: "Jesus is here!"

In some countries, you can order the Jesus film, based on Luke's gospel, by telephone; it is then delivered by courier - similar to pizza couriers in Western countries. When one of the couriers rang the doorbell of the house where he was to deliver the film, it was opened by an Islamic sheikh. "Oh, sorry, I must be at the wrong house," stuttered the courier. "Are you sure? What is it?" asked the sheikh. "Someone ordered a video, and I wanted to deliver it here," replied the courier. "What video is it?" asked the sheikh. "The Jesus film," answered the courier. "Oh, this is exactly the right place, we ordered the video, thank you," said the sheikh, and went back into the living room, which was full of other Muslim leaders, holding the video triumphantly, proclaiming "Jesus is here! Jesus is here!"

Source: name and address withheld.

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