DAWN Fridayfax 1999 #16

News from Mongolia, China, Canada, Albania

In this issue:
Mongolia: Parliament heeds Christians, bans gambling
China: Officials ask Christians to pray for rain
Canada: Bikers plant churches
Albania: First Christian radio

Mongolia: Parliament heeds Christians, bans gambling

After reading a report about the social costs of gambling addiction prepared for it by a Christian organisation, Mongolia's legislature passed two anti-gambling laws only one month before a casino was scheduled to open in a luxury hotel in Ulan Bator. The decision costs 600 potential jobs and US$23 million in lost investment from "Monmacau", the Macau-based company backing the casino. Monmacau had offered to fly in up to 180,000 gamblers each year on the Mongolian airline, but sober consideration won. The Mongolian Minister of Justice, L. Tsog, said that only 9 years after shaking off Communism and the introduction of free market economic reforms, the situation in the country is still too delicate to allow the introduction of casinos. The associated drug dealing, prostitution and other crimes would very likely do more damage than the gains from 600 new jobs and dozens of gambling dollars.
Source: Internet "GamblingMagazine", Advance and others

China: Officials ask Christians to pray for rain

"It had not rained in China's northern provinces for 5 years," reports the Singapore arm of the Evangelical missions agency OMF following the return of a Chinese pastor, some American visitors and several government officials from a tour of villages hit by the drought. The situation seemed hopeless. Local officials reported that high-ranking members of the government had visited the area the previous year, but were unable to help significantly because of the lack of water. Suddenly, one of the officials turned to the visitors, asking "Can your God make it rain in the next 20 days?". Without batting an eyelid, the Chinese pastor answered "Yes, of course he can." "So pray that it happens," the official told him. "If it rains in the next 20 days, we will know that it was your God who did it." 12 days later, it rained significantly in the northern provinces. "Now we believe that your God really answers prayer," said the officials.
Source: OMF International, e-mail webmaster@omf.org.sg

Canada: Bikers plant churches

The "Sons of Thunder", ex-members of biker groups such as the Hell's Angels and Devils Disciples are planting new Christian churches in Canada, according to a recent report by the Canadian Broadcasting Company. The group, based in Boston, USA, has already started three churches in Quebec and one in Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, where monthly services are held. "The teenagers in Nova Scotia are more open to the gospel than American teenies," said 'gang member' Fran Merideth. "When we show up on our bikes, they suddenly have lots of questions."
Source: CBC

Albania: First Christian radio

According to a report on 15 March from Tirana, Albania's capital, 'Radio Iliria' is making history: it is the first Christian radio station in Albania, the country in which the Communist government declared to be "the first atheistic country in the world" after banning all religions in 1967.
Source: Ramon Williams/Radio Ilirica; e-mail tralict@icc.al.eu.org

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