Lausanne World Pulse – News Briefs – April News from around the World

April 2010

AROUND THE WORLD: GoBible Traveler Holds Entire Audio Bible
The GoBible Traveler device is available in two new portable audio Bible editions, The GoBible Traveler and the Spanish GoBible Viajero. The GoBible Traveler is a lightweight, hand-held, portable device preloaded with the entire audio version of the Bible featuring over seventy hours of audio. It is offered in either the King James Version, The New International Version, or The Nueva Versión Internacional. Each GoBible Traveler retails for $59.95USD and includes instructions, earphones, and one AAA battery that can power the device for over twenty hours. Both versions can be played through two GoBible accessories: a set of portable speakers or an FM transmitter for car stereo playback. (Assist News Service)

CHILE: Speaking Hope in the Aftermath of the Earthquake
As the nation of Chile continues suffering from the aftermath of the March earthquake, TWR was also affected as its partner office there, Radio Trans Mundial (RTM), sustained severe damage. According to RTM-Chile national director Sigisfredo Alvarado, “All of those involved in the [RTM] ministry here in Chile are physically well, but the office ended up in a heap of rubble.” Fortunately, no one was inside the building at the time the quake hit. The extent of the damage and what it may cost to repair are still being assessed. TWR’s Member Care Radio, in partnership with Dr. Brent Lindquist of Link Care Center, is responding to comfort the people of Chile by distributing a series of radio programs in Spanish for caregivers and survivors of crisis and catastrophe. These programs, based on the Biblica (formerly International Bible Society) book When Your Whole World Changes, present a clear Christian context throughout while bearing witness to the love and care of God in the midst of tragedy and devastation. The book will also be distributed as part of an on-the-ground ministry to earthquake victims. (TWR)

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Major League Baseball Player Spreads Christ’s Love
While the United States is gearing up for America’s favorite pastime, a Major League baseball player is helping kids learn the game while also introducing them to Christ. According to Kathy Redmond of Compassion International (CI), Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals sponsors CI’s entire child survival program in Batey Aleman, a community of Haitian migrant workers who harvest sugar cane in the Dominican Republic. Sadly, Redmond explains, “The sugar cane industry is defunct. People are living in a dust bowl, where drug dealers come by. You can see men playing dominos in the streets because there’s nothing for them to do.” There is also nothing for the children to do. So, Redmond says, Little League baseball is being brought into Batey. As for Pujols, Redmond adds, “He uses baseball as a platform. But, really what he’s interested in is spreading the Word of God and being a good Christian man and leading people to the Lord.”(Mission Network News)

ERITREA: Cargo Container Program Highlights Human Rights Abuses
Teenagers who attended the Elim Pentecostal Church annual youth department’s Serious4God event, The Gathering, in February 2010 were invited by Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) to watch a human rights film about Eritrean prisoners while caged inside a metal shipping container. CSW’s youth program, Outcry, is showing the film to help raise awareness of the plight of some three thousand Eritreans detained without trial in horrific conditions by their government for holding Christian beliefs. The documentary depicts the story of one such prisoner, a gospel singer, imprisoned and held in a cargo container for three years. The young delegates will be invited to send a postcard of protest to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions, whose remit includes the plight of those held in Eritrea. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

ESTONIA: Funding of Upgraded Transmitter Complete
TWR will soon be able to reach deeper into Russia with the life-changing truth of the gospel with 200,000 watts of power from Estonia. This is because a critical Estonia transmitter upgrade project has been fully funded—the result of over $400,000USD worth of answered prayers. TWR will now be able to reach an additional fifty-two million people and a potential total audience of 159 million people. The next step involves funding the programs that will air on the upgraded Estonia transmitter. Each program is specifically targeted to meet the needs of Russian listeners. (TWR)