The Friday Fax

Tabea Geipel works as a missionary among children living on the streets of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and often sees Muslim boys regularly come to Christ. On New Year's Day, Rama, who was baptized two days after giving his life to Christ, dared to tell his devout Muslim relatives about his newly-found faith in Jesus, and even about his baptism - despite knowing that his family may disown him and deny him his inheritance. After three days of praying and fasting, Gaspar, another street kid, went with some of his believing schoolfriends into a region known as an Islamic stronghold, to bring the Gospel to several villages. They experienced strong resistance, particularly from the witch doctors, but many people were healed and delivered by the children's prayers. Over seventy Muslims gave their lives to Christ, and are now being cared for by existing churches.

Source: Tabea Geipel, AvC, fax (+49) 6043 8136, e-mail avcnidda (at) t-online.de

"Only a few hours after the news of the tsunami on 26th December 2004, Israeli aid teams were ready to leave to take medical and humanitarian aid to the stricken areas," writes Chaya, member of the Adonai Roi church, who also delivered aid shortly afterwards. They often heard astonishing tales of how people were saved from the tsunami. In Sri Lanka, they spoke with some members of the Veddha, the island's original inhabitants who live in the jungle; only a few hours before the tsunami hit, their animals were restless and fled. The Veddhas followed them, running away from the area. That saved the whole tribe...

The Ark-Church in Batticaloa

At around 9 a.m. on Sunday, 26th December, Pastor Selvantha was preaching as usual in his church in the Sri Lankan harbour town Batticaloa. Besides many visitors, whole orphanages were in the service. Selvantha's wife left the church briefly during the sermon, because their 11-month-old baby was crying. She saw the huge wave approaching, and ran back into the church, shouting "Flee!" But Pastor Selvantha shouted "No, don't run away, pray!" His wife and six others left the church, everyone else stayed. For some unknown reason, someone had just closed all the windows. The wave hit, sweeping everything away, including the pastor's wife and baby. The water rose over the windows, and the whole congregation prayed. The windows withstood the pressure, and everyone in the church was saved. "It was like Noah's Ark," says Chaya.

Source: Chaya, Dugit, Adonai Roi church, Dugit, PO Box 1875, Silverdale, WA 98383, USA

"It is night. In the moonlight, two people, a man and his 12-year-old brother, are hurrying over the fields and hills in the shadow of the Tien Shan mountains near the Chinese border. For hours, they've been searching for their family's most valuable possession, a herd of 280 sheep," reports Andreas Wendel, German missionary in Central Asia. Nurlan, the 12-year-old, had left the herd alone for two hours on the previous day. When he returned, the herd was nowhere to be seen, and that in a region where wolves hunt. Nurlan was afraid of his mother, who would punish him harshly for losing just one sheep - and now the whole herd was missing! After hours of searching, they finally gave up. Nurlan's elder brother had heard the Gospel in jail, and become a Christian. He said "we must pray!" Nurlan was surprised. Pray? He had tried that once. While his brother was in jail, he stood in front of a statue of Stalin, crossed himself and prayed "Stalin, please help us, let my brother be released!" Now he heard his brother praying to Jesus. He too prayed a few words to Jesus, his failings now clearly before his eyes. He also prayed that they would find the herd. As they got up from their knees, Nurlan sensed a deep peace, and suddenly noticed a familiar smell - sheep! The whole herd lay only 150 metres (500 feet) away in a hidden side valley, complete and unharmed. Nurlan's heart leapt, Jesus had answered their prayers. Today, Nurlan is studying at a Bible school with other Kyrgyz youths and praying to find lost people, not sheep, who need to find their way back to their shepherd, Jesus.

Source: DMG Informiert (DMG newsletter), fax (+49) 7625 959109