CHRISTIAN FUGITIVES
Hide the fugitives, do not betray the refugees. (Isaiah 16:3)
By Ben Van der Woerd

Many of the older ones among us will remember how during the dark years of World War II in occupied Europe, these words of Isaiah gave us comfort and encouragement, while Christian men and women stood side by side bringing relief to those hunted down by the Nazis.

This century Christians have suffered more persecution than ever before.

Since World War II, the cruelest persecution on the largest scale has been in Sudan. It continues even today by the Arabic Muslim North in their "Jihad" war against the mainly Christian South. During this 16 year war nearly 2 million people were killed and 4-5 Million people were driven from their homes. To our shame, the church in the free world gave this wholesale destruction little attention.

Yes, some para-church organizations brought relief and purchased freedom for slaves and children captured by the fanatic Muslims of the North. We thank God for these unselfish actions, but most North American Christians were more concerned with local problems and material pursuits. We did not take much notice either of the Christian refugees who managed to escape these Muslim atrocities and fled to countries like Egypt, Lebanon and Kenya. Their number is staggering, but do we hear their cries for help?

One method of bringing Christian refugees to safety is opening our borders and offering Christian compassion and hospitality. In the USA, refugees approved by UNHCR reportedly qualify for the P1 category to enter the country, but must still be approved by an immigration officer.

Canada has the unique advantage of a Private Sponsorship Program, under which churches may sponsor named refugees for a one-year period. As in the US, these refugees too must be approved by the overseas Visa Post.

It is amazing that Canadian churches have made so little use of this program. Even though many denominations have entered a Master Agreement with the federal government, they have restricted their sponsorships mainly to refugees proposed by Canadian Immigration. As a result, churches have sponsored numerous Muslims over the years, while countless Sudanese, Armenian and Iraqi Christians had to wait and pray. These Canadian churches thus became tools of a government motivated by politics.

The fact that so many of us ignored other Christians in desperate need of protection is alarming. It is imperative that we start working in consultation with our missionaries to bring persecuted Christians from these areas to freedom. Should not every church in the free world have a refugee committee to coordinate this work? Imagine the thousands of Christians that could have been brought to safety.

As an individual refugee helper, who has had the privilege of being involved in this work for the last 6 years, I receive two to three new applications every week. All applicants have to supply a Statement of Faith, a Recommendation from their pastor or missionary, and a Case History. This method offers churches the opportunity to make their own choice.

We should remember, that at the end of days, when God will tells us to take our inheritance, He will say: "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." (Matthew 25:34). Is helping Christian fugitives to safety not part of this enormous requirement? May God renew our spirits and may these fellow Christians thank God for the love that He shows them through you and me.

Please implore your church leaders to initiate large-scale action to bring other Christians to safety. This can be done in consultation with missionaries through direct sponsorships in Canada, or with American financial support and encouragement. We should also thank God that we have been spared such deep sufferings and sorrow.

For further information how you can be involved, please contact:
Ben Van der Woerd
Phone/Fax 604-882-1170
e-mail: vanderwoerd@home.com

HOW CAN WE SAY WE HAVE REACHED EVERY INHABITANT IN THE US IF WE HAVE NOT REACHED THE 30 PLUS MILLION HISPANICS?
By Dr. Raimundo Jimenez

In every document and communiqué distributed by MISSION AMERICA, the purported objective of that Spirit inspired, awesome vision is to reach -- with the Gospel -- and pray-by name-for every inhabitant of the United States by year end 2000.

The project begs the question, "Can we say that we have achieved-or attempted to-that objective without having reached -- with the Gospel-- and prayed by name for every Hispanic/Latino living within our borders by year end 2000?"

THE IMPORTANCE OF REACHING AMERICA'S HISPANICS!
* Hispanics will become America's largest minority within a few years.

* The political future of the US may be decided by the large and growing Hispanic/Latino vote.

* Would we want a people who have not been exposed to the Gospel to determine who our future political leaders will be?

* If today's spiritual and moral condition of America leaves much to be desired -- with over half of the population affirming to have had a born again experience -- what condition may prevail when less than 5 percent of a population that may determine America's future confesses to having been born again?

* If the Lord should tarry, Hispanics will become the largest segment in our nation: for every non Hispanic born in the US, eight Hispanics are born (plus millions more will immigrate).

THE HISPANIC/LATINO CHALLENGE
Reaching the Hispanics/Latinos in the US is not an easy task:

* The communication challenge is an important factor -- millions of Hispanics speak only Spanish.

* The spiritual challenge is crucial: between 2 and 5 percent of Hispanics say that they have been born again.

* The denominational divisiveness passed on to the Hispanic/Latino church by their Anglo peers is deeply rooted and difficult to overcome.

* The Hispanic/Latino church in the US is not only fractionalized, but is relatively weak in comparison to its counterpart in Latin America.

* The Hispanic population is comprised of multicultural, multiethnic peoples (there are blacks, whites, brown, yellow and red Hispanic/Latinos), making difficult a simple approach.

THE ANSWER?
Is there any one group or organization that can honestly say that they have the answer to the evangelization of the US Hispanic/Latino population? NO! Rather, God has given the different segments that comprise the Church in the US, pieces of the evangelization of the Hispanic/Latino population puzzle. Only if each one would bring their pieces to the evangelization table would the puzzle be solved!

SUGGESTIONS!
A project called "VIDA PARA MI PUEBLO" (Life For My People) proposes several ways to reach every Hispanic/Latino in the US by year end 2000:

* Massive mailing of selected Spanish literature to every Hispanic/Latino address ("Beyond 99," by CFAN, has translated and may make available their literature and expertise in this area).

* Bible societies may join in providing a Bible for each Hispanic/Latino home (the American Bible Society had envisioned such a project).

* A total Spanish media saturation will reach, in a short period, practically all of the Hispanic/Latino population in the US (CBN has successfully saturated several Latin America nations and, perhaps, may provide the expertise for a US equivalent)

* Part of that media saturation may involve a massive distribution of the JESUS film to every Hispanic/Latino home (which could also be part of a TV blitz).

THE PRICE?
Some may ask, Can the US church afford to take on that challenging task? The real question is, Can the Church of Jesus Christ in the US afford NOT to take on that awesome task? Hopefully the powerful, thriving Latin America church may join US in the effort.

We CAN afford now to accept the challenge -- whatever the cost and sacrifice --than to face the cost and consequences of NOT fulfilling that task.

WHO WILL PICK UP THE TORCH OF EVANGELISM FOR THE HISPANICS/LATINOS IN THE US AND RUN WITH IT? MAY I HELP TO MAKE IT HAPPEN?
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Dr. Raimundo Jimenez is an international interdenominational evangelist/author, founder/president of HCCN: Hispanic Christian Communications Network (also: Hispanics Communicating Christ to the Nations). For over four decades he has conducted mass evangelism in the Spanish speaking world. He has pioneered mass evangelism in several Latin American countries. He has been involved in media ministry since the early 50's. HCCN is a sponsoring member organization of MISSION AMERICA. Rev. Jimenez is a National Senior Advisor to America's National Prayer Committee.
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NOTE: The above is a brochure available to anyone that requests it.
HCCN: P.O. Box 70070
Los Angeles, CA 90070, USA.

You can also contact Dr. Jimenez via e-mail at RJSJ98@aol.com

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