In The Faith - A Chronicle of the Christian Faith

An attorney says a lawsuit filed by the ACLU against a North Mississippi school district is an attempt to try and keep officials there from recognizing traditional morality.

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(Cover Photo by Mike Blyth)

Nigeria (MNN) — Nigeria's Plateau state license plates bear
the phrase "Home of Peace and Tourism." In the wake of Sunday's massacre, it seems to
be anything but.

Police in Jos, Nigeria have 351 people in custody, including
49 Fulani connected with the violence
that seemed to target Christians. The
area is tinderbox that sits between the country's predominantly-Muslim north
and largely-Christian south.

Greg Mussleman with Voice of the Martyrs Canada says believers are still in shoc, and may
not be all that reassured by the government's "swift action." Why? "The military was already on alert.
There had been rumors preceding this massacre on the weekend, and yet, it still
occurred." 

500 people died in the attack. These hundreds have been buried in a mass
grave. The reasons it sparked could be myriad.
Ethnic Fulani Muslims were behind it, but Musselman says they're still
trying to get to the bottom of the problem. "Is this actually Christian
persecution, or is this a land grab? Is this tribal? There are so many elements
here. Ultimately, many Christians have been killed. And those who survived continue to trust the
Lord in the midst of a very horrible situation that will, unfortunately,
continue." 

Compass Direct News reported that Christian leaders believe
the attacks were motivated by religious fervor. 
In a statement, these leaders noted that,  "Dogo Nahawa is a Christian community. Eyewitnesses
say the Hausa Fulani Muslim militants were chanting ‘Allah Akbar,' broke into houses,
cutting human beings, including children and women with their knives and
cutlasses."



Although the military was aware of the potential for violence, they did not
arrive at the scene until after the attackers
had already gone. It's an eerily familiar scene. January 17 saw similar mob violence in
Jos.  

The violence then not only cost 100 people their lives but
also saw the burning of the Christ
Apostolic Church, Assemblies of God Church, three branches of the Church of
Christ in Nigeria, and two buildings of the Evangelical Church of West Africa.

Church leaders are condemning the cycle and encouraging
believers toward reconciliation.
Mussleman says, "It won't stop the evangelistic efforts, but the
big thing right now is for the Christians there to love their enemies."

Pray that Christians in Nigeria will demonstrate the
love of Christ, in spite of the opposition they face.  

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MAF continues to help in Haiti.

Haiti (MNN/MAF) — Nearly two months following the Jan. 12 earthquake that devastated the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) must continually redefine its role in Haiti. What began as crisis management shifted to food distribution to the Haitian people.

Now the aviation ministry is gearing up for the next phase: to assist with rebuilding the nation's shattered infrastructure and partner with ministries serving in the most remote areas of Haiti.

While these steps trace the usual path following a crisis, each disaster presents its own challenges, according to John Woodberry, MAF Disaster Response manager.

"Disaster response always throws something new at you, so you have to adapt. You can't just respond based on the needs following a previous disaster," said Woodberry, who has led MAF responses to other parts of the world, including efforts after Cyclone Sidr hit Bangladesh (2007).

Tragedy Concentrated in City, Ripple Effects Elsewhere

Although this recent earthquake was centered just 16 miles west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital city, many remote communities were affected.

"The earthquake's devastation is the magnitude of the 2004 tsunami, but it's localized," Woodberry stated. "Most of the deaths and destruction took place in the capital. But many remote communities depended on Port-au-Prince for their food supplies."

An estimated 1.5 million Haitian people were left homeless following the earthquake. Camps of the homeless sprung up everywhere. Many Port-au-Prince victims who lost their homes went to stay with equally poor relatives living in remote villages.

"Where there once was a family of five in a home, there are now 20 people," Woodberry said. Towns that had 5,000 people now have 20,000, "but these towns don't have more provisions than they had for the 5,000."

Before the quake, the infrastructure supporting food distribution from Port-au-Prince to the rest of Haiti was in disarray. Now it's in shambles. The nation's seaport just west of the capital sustained severe damage and only recently has been able to receive goods. The commercial sector of Port-au-Prince was decimated.

"Farm plots in remote villages can't provide enough food for additional family members who have arrived from the capital, so there's a need to help feed displaced people," Woodberry said. MAF helped feed thousands of hungry, isolated families in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake because its aircraft could deliver food to areas not quickly accessible by land.

As the ministry addresses long-term needs in Haiti, a huge advantage is that MAF established its presence here in 1986. Since then, MAF has assisted the country through a succession of natural disasters. In 2008 alone, Haiti was ravaged by three tropical storms and one hurricane. Knowing the culture, the language and the people has enhanced the ability of MAF to serve this suffering nation.

MAF Resumes Haiti Flights

MAF has long networked with Christian and other humanitarian groups that were ministering in Haiti well before the latest tragedy. Almost immediately after the earthquake, MAF began flying in partnership with Missionary Flights International (MFI) about 10 times more than it had before the quake. In the eight weeks following the disaster, MAF has distributed approximately 120 tons of food via planes. This food has been delivered mainly to the remote areas of Haiti, primarily using 14 different airstrips throughout the country.

The emergency response by MAF entailed learning of specific needs of displaced Haitians in areas too difficult to reach by ground transportation. MAF then flew in lifesaving aid.



Most Haitians eat only one meal a day. Food boxes contain humanitarian ration MREs (meals ready to eat). These high-calorie meals typically consist of rice and beans, peanut butter and crackers, and fruit slices, all providing a person with a day's worth of nutrition and energy.

MAF staff link aid shipments for distribution by agencies they know are reputable. "Through our partner organizations, we learn where the needs are," Woodberry said. "We're getting food and vital supplies to them."

Much of the cargo arrives designated for specific projects at a particular hospital or ministry, such as Operation Blessing International or World Concern. "But other aid comes undesignated, sent by churches and other organizations," Woodberry said. By knowing an agency's specific needs, MAF can help meet the need. "If we hear from a partner agency that a remote hospital needs crutches, for example, we can get them to the hospital."

Transition to Rebuilding, Long-Term Needs

Most of the food now being distributed will become part of food-for-work projects. "Due to the disaster, countless Haitian people have lost their home, job and income. That's where the search comes in for sustainable solutions. "Haitians will be able to work, whether it's building a road, sanitation system or whatever, in exchange for food," Woodberry commented. Schools, clinics and other infrastructure must be rebuilt as well.

Challenges abound. Haiti is no longer daily front-page news, which means the public won't read about the ongoing misery that still needs millions of donor dollars toward rebuilding efforts. And everyday tragedies still hit. On March 1, a volunteer nurse from a U.S. Christian humanitarian ministry died of a heart attack. MAF, in conjunction with MFI, helped arrange for his body to be flown back to the United States.

As road conditions in Haiti improve, "more and more aid is being transported by truck," Woodberry said. This allows the focus of MAF flights to turn from delivering food to transporting missionaries and humanitarian workers to where they're most needed around the country. MAF will likely add more staff and aircraft to its Haiti flight program in order to address the long-term needs.

"God works through disasters in many ways to open doors that had been closed," Woodberry remarked. He cited as an example the Christian relief agencies that after the great tsunami were allowed to help in Aceh, Indonesia, where previously they hadn't been permitted to serve. The local leadership in Aceh was so impressed with many of these groups' work that they were invited to stay after helping with the immediate disaster relief efforts.

Woodberry knows that Romans 8:28 is true, even when a crisis doesn't result in an apparent silver lining. "God is still in control, and someday in heaven I'll understand the whole picture," he said.

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MNN and Orphan Outreach are teaming up together to take a team to Russia.

Russia (MNN) — There are more than 700,000 orphan and street children in Russia alone. With drug and alcohol abuse, HIV/AIDS, and a poor economy, the situation isn't getting any better. More and more children are becoming wards of the state. That means more and more are ending up in "the system." They're institutionalized. They're placed in orphanages.

While adopting children from Russia has been allowed in the past, it's very difficult now. Sometimes it takes years and thousands of dollars to make a Russian child a part of your family. But adoption isn't the only way you can help. You can help by simply loving these kids.

On August 13, Mission Network News and Orphan Outreach are teaming up together to head to St. Petersburg, Russia to love children that have either been abandoned, abused or orphaned.

Anchor and Executive Director of Mission Network News, Greg Yoder, is an adoptive parent. He and his wife, Ann, adopted their daughter, Anastasia, from Irkutsk, Russia in 2002. "Adoption isn't for everyone. In fact, I would suggest people do a lot of investigation and research before they decide to adopt a child internationally. But anybody can love kids. And that's what we're going to be doing on this trip."

The MNN/Orphan Outreach Team will be traveling to St. Petersburg, to visit Crisis Center #15. This is the first stop in a child's life as a ward of the state. This Center acts as triage for the children of St. Petersburg who have been abused, neglected, abandoned or orphaned. Children who are brought here range in age from infants to teenagers. Many are newborns who have been abandoned on the street or found in dumpsters. The team will also visit and minister to orphans in orphanages in the region of Leningrad.

"This trip with bring both great joy and great sorrow," says Yoder. "We'll spend time holding babies, playing tag with the kids, or kicking a soccer ball around with the teens. While we can't communicate with them because of the language barrier, we can show them they're loved — not just by members of the team, but by God himself."

With the help of local Christians, this team will do hands-on evangelism with orphans at Crisis Center #15 through Vacation Bible school, crafts, soccer clinic and more.

"We're looking for people who love babies, toddlers, young kids and teens and who desperately want to see them turn to Christ for hope–especially when it doesn't seem very hopeful," Yoder says.

Many orphaned children in Russia either end up addicted to drugs and alcohol, involved in organized crime, in prostitution, or they commit suicide — all by the time they're 18. Yoder says, "Because Orphan Outreach works through the evangelical church, many of these kids hear the Gospel and turn to Christ. The team may be the stepping stone for these kids to have a relationship with Christ and get involved in the local church."

MNN and Orphan Outreach would like you to be a part of this team. Deadline to register for the trip is April 14. Click here to learn more and to sign up for the trip.

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Aid that promotes nutrition and food security has wide-ranging benefits compared to its costs in the fight against poverty-related problems, a top humanitarian policy analyst at international aid agency World Vision said Thursday during a Congressional hearing on global hunger.

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Eight in ten Americans say they depend on God for help and guidance in making decisions, according to new research stemming from two national surveys.

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A seminary student in Haiti faithfully holds Bible studies on the rubble of his home. Despite the grim surroundings, Uriel Blanchet says, “I would not want to be anywhere else.”

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Q: What is your definition of a Christian?

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In many nations of the world, there is an all-out war on baby girls. The murder of girls is especially common in China and northern India

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An openly gay priest has received more than the required majority of consents to be confirmed as bishop, the Diocese of Los Angeles reported Wednesday.

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