DAWN Fridayfax 1999 #14

News from Russia, India, Gabon

In this issue:
Russia: KGB officer's wife visits husband's ex-prisoner's church
India: 50 Muslims become Christians in the Kashmir valley
Gabon: Openness and church growth in Western Africa
India: Man healed of chronic sleeplessness
India: Evangelisation leads to church planting

Russia: KGB officer's wife visits husband's ex-prisoner's church

"We have a Christian church, Christ Church, directly opposite the St. Petersburg KGB headquarters," reports pastor Sergei Timokin. "I was imprisoned there for two years for preaching the gospel. That was ten years ago. A few days ago, a woman in the church came to ask me to pray for her husband. She said 'My husband used to be a KGB officer, and had been in charge of the jail. I became a Christian some years ago in your church. My husband recently let me in on the secret that he was responsible for keeping you in prison for so long. He has been coming to church every month for the last 4 years to hear you preach, but now has a problem. Following your release, he lost his mind, becoming very easily terrified. He now suffers from paranoia, believing that our house is bugged; for 4 years, I had to shower in the dark, afraid of being watched. But then I became a Christian and was set completely free from the fear.'" She has decided to bring her husband to the church for a meeting with Sergei, so that the ex-prisoner can pray for his persecutor.
Source: Pastor Sergei Timokin, Email: czar@church.stoic.spb.su

Jammu & Kashmir, India: 50 Muslims become Christians in the Kashmir valley

"I find Christianity better than other religions," said Bashir Ahmad Shah, an elder in Mamusa, a predominantly Muslim village some 7 miles from Pattan on the road between Srinagar and Jammu. "Christ's teaching contains more honesty, and he preached against the unjust treatment of the poor." The unusual thing about this comment is that it comes from the Kashmir valley: the area around Baramulla in Jammu & Kashmir state has been an important Muslim and Buddhist center for centuries, and there have never been more than a handful of Christians in the valley outside Srinagar. Is the situation changing? According to Law Kumar Mishra, a reporter for the Times of India News Service, Ahmad Shah played a key role in 50 Muslims' decision to become Christians over the last few months. According to the report, Bashir also contacted people from other villages in the area who also decided to become Christians. Ghulam Ahmad Shah, a village doctor with the same name, said that he also supports the spread of Bible teaching, because Christians "are, in comparison, more honest and devoted than followers of other religions," and commented that the inhabitants of the Kashmir valley would gladly accept Christianity, because they do not follow their traditional religions particularly closely. When asked what he thought of the conversions, Shabir Shah, separatist leader and President of the Democratic Freedom Party replied "We shouldn't get so excited about it. Everyone should have the freedom to follow the religion of their choice."
Source: Times of India newspaper, 13 March 1999

Gabon: Openness and church growth in Western Africa

The Echira, a people traditionally following fetishist religions, are considered one of the least evangelised people groups in the west African nation Gabon. According to a pastor from the Christian and Missionary Alliance church in Colorado Springs, an American team reported that 750 people were interested in becoming Christians during an outreach to the Echira, and that during the "A Church for every People, and the Gospel for every Person" initiative over the last 6 months, over 10,000 people showed interest in Christianity. Many of the seekers could be integrated into one of the 375 fellowships belonging to the evangelical free church, and 15 new fellowships could be planted in 6 months.
Source. Parousia request/Christian and Missionary Alliance

India: Man healed of chronic sleeplessness

Murugan is married and has two children. For over a year, he suffered from such chronic sleeplessness that he lost a dangerous amount of weight. He visited many temples, made a number of pilgrimages by foot and visited witches and witch doctors, all in the hope of being healed. Nothing helped. One day, he came into pastor P.G. Pragasam's Christian prayer house, where he was immediately healed following prayer in Jesus' name. Today, Murugan is a committed Christian, and wants to serve his Lord.
Source: Agni Ministries, fax (+91)-44-4917522

India: Evangelisation leads to church planting

In January 1999, Indian evangelist Sadhu Chellappa held a 3-day seminar in Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu, at which almost all attendees decided to become Christians, according to the report from Agni Ministries. A new church has been planted there, led by a young pastor.
Source: Agni Ministries, fax (+91)-44-4917522

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