"Am I therefore become your enemy,because I TELL YOU THE TRUTH...?"
(Galatians 4:16)

Middle East peace process met with prayer

Middle East-U.S. President George Bush has called for a summit in November to revive the stalled Middle East peace talks. The U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, has said that key Arab states, including Syria, would be invited.Certain sources also cited that Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen are expected to be invited to the November summit in the U.S.However, Syria has already indicated the tone they're taking. Senior Syrian officials said earlier this week that the September 6 Israeli air-strike on a Syrian nuclear facility makes peace with Israel unlikely.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert have gained momentum since the Palestinian unity government was dissolved and Hamas took over the Gaza Strip. But things remain tense between the two sides.The situation is hostile and delicate, but it's also why people respond so strongly to hope.The director of Arab Ministries at Trans World Radio says that's part of the trend they've noticed. For security purposes, we can't name our source. "I would say they're living in a kind of 'despair' moment. They have no hope for a better future, mostly in countries like Iraq, Lebanon, Syria. So in one sense, this is a very difficult situation; in another sense, this is becoming a great environment for ministry."Some of these countries are "creative access," and the church is underground. Only about 6 percent of the people in the Middle East call themselves Christians (with the majority of them in Egypt, Syria and Lebanon). The percentage of evangelicals is far smaller. That makes a decision to follow Christ one that involves great risk.In grounding a new faith, discipleship issues arise. Our source says, "Our teams within the Arab world try to provide discipleship." For example, primarily for unbelievers, Arab Woman Today addresses social issues that Arab women face from a biblical viewpoint. The "Oasis of Hope" partnership also airs programming specifically for youth, non-literates, women and men. Programs are also beamed to the Middle East and North Africa via the Hotbird satellite.But it doesn't stop there. He goes on to explain that the process is ever-growing with the needs. "Even now, we're creating new programs to create discipleship on the air to encourage people to listen to the program, and try to be discipled by themselves. We teach them how to read the Word of God--we even read the Word of God for them."It all boils down to this from a listener in Yemen: "I was from another religion, but I regularly listen to your program. I'm so thankful for your effort in clarifying the Word of God. I shared my Christian faith with many people, and now they ask me for a Bible! Your station preaches the living Word of God, which is full of miracles."
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Source MNN
As in the dasy of Noah....