News Feed

A call to prayer for the liberation of North Korea

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 Z

To bring down the barriers around North Korea and set the people there free, we believe that God is calling the nations, including those who delivered His gospel to South Korea in the past, to pray together for the decisive breakthroughs we need to see in the North. Pyongyang was once called the “Jerusalem of the East” during the 1907 revival that swept Korea so we believe that as we pray, the Lord is able to transform and restore North Korea to it former spiritual greatness.

The current situation in North Korea cries out for international prayer. To find out more, please visit http://www.pink2011.org/

Muslims Against Crusades

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 Z

The organisation had planned to repeat a demonstration seen last year, when members burned poppies near to London's Albert Hall.

Mrs May's order makes membership or support of the group a criminal offence. Mrs May said she was satisfied that Muslims Against Crusades (MAC) was "simply another name for an organisation already proscribed under a number of names. The organisation was proscribed in 2006 for glorifying terrorism and we are clear it should not be able to continue these activities by simply changing its name.”

Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 10:37:00 Z

All Interserve connected people in Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen are safe, albeit restricted in their movement. Our Country Team Leaders are advising everyone to stay at home until the trouble dies down, while all Partners are given the option of leaving, if they so wish.

Please pray for the safety of our workers in the Middle East and North Africa regions, and for a good outcome to the political and social changes that appear imminent.

New Year message from Steve Bell, National Director

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 Z

As we move into a new year – Interserve’s 159th – it is good to pause and acknowledge God’s amazing faithfulness to the Fellowship and the work that has been done in Jesus’ name through Partners – including some significant pioneers. That work continues as we head into 2011.

In the year just gone, we joined with others to mourn the loss of saints who served heroically with the Fellowship over many decades. Our current issue of GO magazine (available online and from the office in hard copy) reflects the work of a selection of them. Some of these heroes are un-named for security reasons, but all brought hope to many in their lives - and inspiration to those who read of their life-time service, in their deaths.

As they would acknowledge - and as our 159 years of work among the world’s neediest people testifies -the work has gone on through succeeding generations, during turbulent times and across many new borders – including crossing cultural barriers among Sikh, Hindu and Muslim communities in the UK. This approach is the missionary stuff of today and tomorrow as the Interserve fellowship serves the British church in its cross-cultural missionary mandate.

We are also informing the ongoing debate on Islam by (where possible) increasing our involvement at Westminster, with politicians who (much the same as church leaders) are struggling with the question, ‘how can we engage appropriately with people from other faiths in Britain?’ and 'how can we operate out of the peacemaking spirit of Jesus Christ to show others how to maximise the enriching influence of these communities, while providing a balanced warning about subtle islamicization or violent radicalisation?'

These are complex issues and no one has all the answers. However, our cross-cultural, pioneering work in cities across the UK for nearly 30 years has yielded some of the answers. These have emerged from the development of trusting relationships.

As the Interserve Director in England and Wales, it my role to try to guide, support and inspire others to engage in mission during fast moving times in which we are reflecting hard on the future shape of the mission process in the 21st century.

In order to meet the challenges we face, we need prayer; we need pounds but above all, we need people. In the coming year, we will be focusing on raising up workers to respond to the mission command of Jesus to “Go!”- this has not changed.

In one sense, we are all ‘called’ to do something but putting that call into action is a challenge that we cannot shirk, either as individuals or as mission agencies. This is what we in Interserve will be about in 2011 and beyond. We invite you to join with us.

Huge thanks to you for your support and – whether this is the first communication you have had from us or whether you have known us for years – we look forward to engaging with you in the coming year.

Steve Bell
National Director

Christian areas attacked in Iraq

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 10:06:00 Z

At least 3 people have been killed and 24 injured in Baghdad, as predominantly Christian areas are attacked by bombs and mortars. These attacks come days after 40 people were killed when militants seized a Catholic cathedral.

It is now feared that all Christians in the country are now a target for attack after these attacks followed up on threats from a group called Islamic State for Iraq, which has links to al-Qaeda. This has left the Christian community living in fear.

Please pray for protection of these people, and pray that they are able to stand steadfast in the light of persecution.

For more information please visit; BBC

Violent threats issued in Nepal

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:16:00 +0100

The United National Liberation Front has issued violent threats to Christian leaders in Nepal, if they do not give in to its financial demands. Nearly 1500 government officials from 27 districts have resigned after receiving threats from this group. According to Lok Mani Dhakel, general secretary of the Nepal Christian Society; "The pastors who received the extortion calls do not want to go public for fear of retaliation."

Persecution against Christians in Nepal is not a new problem. Before it was declared a secular nation four years ago, Nepal was a Hindu state. The animosity from Hindus towards Christians still hangs around, with some Church leaders not being allowed to enter public places as well as living with the fear of being attacked. There is also currently a ban on converting people to Christianity, which may not be repealed when the new constitution is written.

Please pray that Christians in Nepal will be protected from the violent threats, and be able to live their lives in increased freedom. Pray also that the ban on converting others will be removed in the new constitution.

Source: Compass Direct News

Medics killed in Afghanistan

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 09:44:00 +0100

As a fellowship we were shocked and saddened to receive news of the 8 foreign medics and 2 Afghan interpreters that were killed at the weekend.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, all the workers at IAM, and we encourage prayer for the protection of all those who seek to improve life for the everyday Afghans.

The 10 people were found on Friday 6th August at about 0330 GMT in the north-eastern province of Badakhshan. They were part of an IAM eye care and medical team working in the area, who were returning to Kabul. Local police claim robbery may have been a motive, however the Taliban have claimed responsibility citing that they had Bibles translated in to Dari, as well as claiming that they were spying for the Americans.

For more information on the news report please click here

For more information from IAM please click here

Pakistan hit by devastating floods

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:13:00 +0100

Pakistan is recovering after being hit by floods which have killed at least 1,100 people and another estimated 1.5 million people desperately need help.

A westerly weather system combined with monsoon rains to cause the worst flooding on record in Pakistan, with the north-western province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa the worst hit.

The Swat Valley has also been badly hit with one area being turned into a 45 mile no go zone, where 29 bridges have been destroyed causing some communities to be turned into islands.

There is also a fear of disease spreading, as water supplies have become contaminated.

More information is avaliable here

Plane crash in Islamabad

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A plane with more than 150 people on board has crashed in hills north of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.

Officials said 20 bodies had been recovered and at least three injured people had been taken to hospital. Police said it was an Airblue flight from Karachi to Islamabad.

The plane came down in the Margalla Hills near the capital, and Pakistani TV showed images of smouldering wreckage on a foggy hillside, with helicopters overhead.

More information is available here.

UN alarm at Kyrgyz unrest

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed alarm at the scale of inter-ethnic clashes in southern Kyrgyzstan.

At least 117 people have been killed in three days of fighting between Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbeks in the city of Osh and surrounding areas, officials say.

Tens of thousands of ethnic Uzbeks have been forced to flee the country.

More information is available here.

Abuse rife in Pakistan

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Millions of Pakistanis live in a "human rights-free zone" in the country's north-west, Amnesty International says.

Residents of tribal areas face Taliban abuse and get no protection from the government, the rights group alleges.

In a report, it says the Taliban secured their rule by killing elders and torturing teachers and aid workers.

More information is available here.

New clashes in Kyrgyzstan

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

At least 14 people have been killed in clashes in Kyrgyzstan's second-largest city of Osh, health ministry officials say.

More than 140 people were also injured when hundreds of youths fought in the streets of the southern city.

Officials say a state of emergency has been declared and armoured vehicles have been sent to the city.

More information is available here.

Strife in Thailand

Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The situation in Thailand has been deteriorating rapidly over the last few days. Anti-government "redshirt" protesters have been launching fireworks and other projectiles at the police and army, who have been responding with live rounds. Some 37 people have been killed and many more injured.

There has been an offer by Thai senators to mediate in the dispute but it is currently unclear whether this will bring the situation to a peaceful end. Several thousand protesters remain in the protest camp in the centre of Bangkok and most of the Thai capital is shut down, with businesses, schools and transport systems paralysed by the crisis.

Interserve Partners in Thailand are safe and are staying away from the protests but are saddened by the scale of the crisis. They ask for our prayers that Thailand will return to peace and stability and that political disagreements can be resolved peacefully.

For more information on the situation please click here (BBC), here (Reuters), or here (Times).

Protests spread in Kyrgyzstan

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Over the last few days there have been protests across Kyrgyzstan as opposition supporters complain about official corruption and rising prices in the country. Large-scale protests have taken place in the capital, Bishkek, and in other places across the country including Talas. There are concerns that the protests could cause disruption and chaos in the country and potentially loss of life. Please pray for stability in Kyrgyzstan, for grievances to be addressed, and for the country to remain peaceful.

For more information on this story please click here.

Ben Jeffery

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:57:00 Z

Ben Jeffery has been appointed as the new Mission Mobiliser for the North of England. Ben writes: “Mission has had a place in my heart ever since I went on a mission trip to Rwanda at 17. I love the vision of Interserve, especially how they are all about reaching the unreached, people who are lost, hurt and marginalised. I am really excited about what God is doing through the Church in the North of England to reach out and change lives around the world.”

Interserve’s Head of Church Relations, Dave Taylor, comments:

“Ben will bring creativity and innovation to the team. His experience and performance in youth work will help us profile our ministry to those in the ‘Radio 1 audience.’ We are looking at new ways to reach those under the age of 40, through both ‘real’ and ‘virtual’ communication methods. As well as developing our relationship with Christian hubs and individuals in the North as a Mission Mobiliser, Ben will have a national brief to help us be an agency of choice for young people. I’m an excited by this appointment. Ben joins us at a time when a new paradigm in mission is emerging alongside post-evangelical expression. The challenge for us is to re-capture the passion of past generations in order to embrace what is to come!”

Bombs kill 72 in Lahore

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 Z

A series of bomb attacks in the city of Lahore, in the Punjab province of Pakistan, has killed at least 72 people. On March 8th a suicide bomber drove a car bomb into a government agency in the Model Town district of Lahore, totally destroying the building, killing 13 people, and injuring 90 more.

On March 12th two suicide bombers detonated explosive vests in a crowded bazaar in Lahore, killing at least 59 people and injuring another 100. Later that afternoon five more bombs were detonated as well, resulting in panic but no injuries. The Taliban in Pakistan have claimed responsibility for all of these attacks.

An Interserve worker in Pakistan said this: "This lunchtime's blasts in RA Bazaar in the Cantonment area, an army area near the main road to the airport, caused many fatalities and 100 injuries. There has since been a spate of explosions in the Moon Market area which sound to have been to create fear and confusion. These were low-intensity without major casualties. Earlier this week it was Model Town, a very focussed attack on a SIA building. Yes, it's worrying - and so untypical of the Lahore we know and love. The prayer request is the obvious one....an end to the terror."

Please do pray that there will be an end to the terrorism and that the men of violence would encounter God in a powerful and life-changing way.

Aid agency attacked in Pakistan

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 Z

Gunmen have attacked the office of a Western aid agency in north-western Pakistan, killing six people, police and the agency say.

The victims, including two women, were all Pakistani nationals.

The attack took place on World Vision's office in Mansehra district, 65km (40 miles), north of Islamabad.

For more on this story, click here.

Anti-Islam MP wins seat in Holland

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 Z

The Dutch far-right, anti-immigrant politician Geert Wilders has won major gains in local elections in the Netherlands, with preliminary results today indicating he may dominate the political scene in the run-up to the general election in three months.

For more on this story please click here.

German Islamists jailed

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 Z

Germany's biggest terrorist trial of recent times has wound up with jail terms of between 5 and 12 years for four Muslim radicals who plotted to blow up US military installations, airports and night clubs in the Frankfurt area.

The men, said Judge Otmar Breidling, were planning to bring the Islamic Holy war to the heart of Europe and spark explosions that would have been several times more destructive than the London Tube bombs of July 7, 2005.

For more on this story please click here.

Temple collapses in India

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 Z

At least 63 people have died in a stampede after the gate of a Hindu temple collapsed in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, police say.

Dozens more were injured in the panic at the temple in Pratapgarh district, 650km (400 miles) south-east of Delhi.

For more on this story please click here.

China angered by US Dalai Lama meeting

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 Z

A visit by the Dalai Lama to Washington has "seriously undermined" relations between the US and China, Beijing says. It released a strongly worded statement in response to US President Barack Obama's meeting with Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

China had earlier expressed "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to the meeting with a man they see as a separatist.

For more on this story please click here.

Pakistan looking for new role in Afghanistan

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 Z

Afghanistan's punishing war is entering a new phase and Pakistan has made it clear it can and must play a leading role.

The sudden significant capture of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, second in charge in the Taliban hierarchy, comes at a crucial point.

Talk of negotiation is now taking centre stage, a strategy in parallel to a powerful military assault against Taliban strongholds in southern Afghanistan.

"There has been a change in Pakistan's attitude," said Pakistani author Ahmed Rashid, who has written extensively about the close links between Pakistan's military intelligence, the ISI, and Taliban leaders.

"Pakistan now wants to dominate any kind of dialogue that takes place."

For more information on Pakistan's role within Afghanistan please click here.

Shelling in North Korea

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 Z

North Korea has fired artillery shells near its disputed maritime border with South Korea for a third successive day.

Pyongyang says the firing is part of an annual military drill but Seoul says it is "provocative" and on Wednesday fired retaliatory warning shots.

For more on this story click here.

Taliban peace talks planned

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 Z

Plans to engage the Taliban in talks are gathering pace, with Afghanistan inviting members to a peace council and reports of a secret UN meeting.

At a key Afghanistan summit in London, President Hamid Karzai vowed to reach out to "disenchanted brothers".

For more on this story click here.

Taliban raid on Kabul

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:00:00 Z

Taliban gunmen launched a brazen assault on targets in the center of Kabul on Monday, with suicide bombers blowing themselves up at several locations and heavily armed militants fighting a pitched battle in a shopping center. More information on this attack is available here.

Yemen struggles with extremism

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 Z

Islamic extremism is on the rise in Yemen, according to an analysis by the BBC. The country's lack of resources and wealth, together with its remote location and mountainous terrain, have made it a prime location for al-Qaeda. Click here to read more.

Christians shot in Egypt

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:00:00 Z

Egyptian police say they have arrested three suspects in a drive-by shooting that killed six Coptic Christians and one security official.

The shooting came as worshippers left a church in Naj Hammadi, southern Egypt after a midnight mass on Coptic Christmas Eve on 7 January.

More information is available here.

Churches torched in Malaysia

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:00:00 Z

There have been more attacks on churches in Malaysia, in a growing dispute over the use of the word Allah by non-Muslims.

The police say petrol bombs were thrown at a church and a convent school in the state of Perak, and at a church in Sarawak on the island of Borneo. Another church in the south of the country was daubed with black paint.

More information is available here.

Fresh bomb attack in Pakistan

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 Z

A suicide car bomb attack on Pakistan's main intelligence agency in the city of Peshawar has killed at least 12 people and injured 40, officials say.

Another five people died in a separate suicide car bomb attack at a police station in the Baka Khel area in the North West Frontier Province.

The Peshawar blast destroyed the three-storey building of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency.

The city has been frequently targeted by militants in recent weeks.

For the full story please click here.

Maoists rally in Nepal

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 Z

Maoist activists have clashed with the police as thousands demonstrated on the streets of Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, against the governing coalition.

Riot police used tear gas and batons to disperse activists who had surrounded the the main government complex and blocked all entry points to the area.

It is among the biggest protests staged by Maoists since losing power in May.

For the full story please click here.

Earthquake in Indonesia

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Rescue teams struggled on Thursday to find people trapped under debris after a powerful earthquake hit the Indonesian city of Padang, possibly killing thousands.

The 7.6 magnitude quake struck the bustling port city of 900,000 people on Wednesday, toppling hundreds of buildings. Telephone connections were patchy, making it hard for officials to work out the extent of destruction and loss of life.

"We need aid as soon as possible. We need food and medicine. Our houses have collapsed," said Siti, a resident of Padang, capital of West Sumatra province.

"There are people still trapped inside after their houses collapsed."

Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari told reporters at an airport in Jakarta before leaving for Padang that the number of victims "could be more (than hundreds or thousands). I think it's more than thousands, if we look at how widespread the damage is. But we don't really know yet".

The national disaster agency put the confirmed death toll at 220. Officials said 500 houses had collapsed.

(Information taken from Reuters news website).

Church collapses in Nepal

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100

At least 23 people are reported to have died when a makeshift church building collapsed in eastern Nepal.

At least another 60 people were injured in the incident, in the town of Dharan, about 400km (240 miles) south-east of the capital, Kathmandu.

Police official Arjun Khadka told the AP news agency the victims had been staying in the building while they attended a Christian conference. Nepal's home ministry said a temporary wall had collapsed on them.

Ministry spokesman Ekmani Nepal told the AFP news agency 23 people had been killed instantly and around 60 were injured. Some of the victims are believed to have been children.

Police inspector Mohan Bikram Dahal told AFP the victims were on the ground floor of the temporary building preparing to go to sleep when the collapse happened.

"The wall was made of bamboo and it could not withstand the weight of the people in the church," he said.

More than 1,500 people are thought to have been inside the building at the time.

(Info taken from BBC News website).

Religious tension rises in India

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Hindu nationalist government in the powerful state of Gujarat, western India is conducting a census of minority populations that could help target persecution, it’s been claimed. The right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been trying to collect data on religious minorities in its stronghold state for a decade.

The BJP has formed a commission to study demographic patterns in the state since India’s Independence in 1947. But social activists have told us that the panel could target the minorities and ‘add to the already existing fear among these groups’.

To read the full story please visit the website of Lapido Media, a media organisation run by an Interserve Urban Vision Partner, by clicking here.

Interserve Partner dies

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100

We are sad to inform you that Ursula Schmidt, an Interserve Partner at Tank Hospital in Pakistan, died suddenly last week. She had had a stomach upset for a few days but became unwell on Tuesday morning. She had tests and was diagnosed with malaria and sent home where she had various visitors and calls enquiring after her welfare. A colleague last saw her about 6.30 when Ursula was downloading emails and playing solitaire on her computer. When a friend took over some plain rice around 8.30 she was dead in bed.

The funeral took place on Wednesday 12th and a large number of people from the local community were there as well as all the staff of the hospital and many others.

There have been many expressions of loss and sympathy from all over, eg one of the suppliers to the hospital wants to donate to all the staff. There have been items in several papers and on the Pashto service of Voice of America. The list just goes on. Poignantly today, Ulla and a co-worker were due to receive an award from the president (The President’s Award for Pride of Performance) having been nominated by the local Superintendent of Police.

Ulla is survived by her mother, sister and brother. Please pray for them and for the Interserve team in Pakistan who are grieving the loss of our dear friend and colleague.

Archbishop condems killings

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has issued a statement condemning the recent killings of 8 Christians in Pakistan's Punjab province. The killings, which were the result of an untrue rumour concerning the desecration of a Qur'an, have been condemned by many authorities in Pakistan and many governments around the world.

The statement reads as follows:

"The recent atrocities against Christians in Pakistan will sear the imaginations of countless people of all faiths throughout the world. As the minister of law in the Punjab has already said, such actions are not the work of true Muslims: they are an abuse of real faith and an injury to its reputation as well as an outrage against common humanity, and deserve forthright condemnation.

Christians in Pakistan are a small and vulnerable minority, generally with little political or economic power. They are disproportionately affected by the draconian laws against blasphemy, which in recent years have frequently been abused in order to settle local and personal grievances. They need to be assured of their dignity and liberty as citizens of a just and peaceful society. Their good, their security, is part of the good of the whole Pakistani nation. Those of us who love Pakistan and its people, whatever their faith, feel that the whole country is injured and diminished by the violence that has occurred.

I appeal to the Government of Pakistan to spare no efforts, not only in seeing that justice is done in the wake of these terrible events, but also in continuing to build a society in which all faiths are honoured and in which the most vulnerable can be assured of the protection of the law and the respect of their fellow-citizens."

Please continue to pray for this situation and for the future of Pakistan, which is facing unprecedented challenges at the present time.

Bomb kills 12 in Herat

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A roadside bomb attack claimed by the Taliban killed at least 12 people in west Afghanistan's most important city on Monday, officials said, amid worsening security before a presidential poll this month. The remote-controlled bomb may have been aimed at a local police chief but killed mainly passers-by when it went off during rush hour near a blood bank in Herat, a relatively peaceful city near the Iranian border and an important commercial centre.

Violence has escalated across Afghanistan before the Aug. 20 presidential poll, seen as a key test for Washington and Kabul. The Taliban have vowed to disrupt the election and have called on Afghans to boycott the ballot, the second direct vote for president since the Islamists were toppled in 2001.

Herat, one of Afghanistan's three largest cities, is usually a safe and prosperous centre because of strong trade links with neighbouring Iran and Turkmenistan.

We ask for your prayers for people in Herat and across Afghanistan as the country prepares for important elections later this month. Please pray that acts of violence would not hinder the country's progress towards a peaceful and prosperous future.

Pakistani Christians killed

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Eight Christians have been killed in religious unrest in Pakistan's central Punjab, after days of tension sparked by the rumoured desecration of a Koran. The four women, a man and a child died as Muslim militants set fire to Christian houses in the town of Gojra. Two men died later of gunshot wounds.

TV footage showed burning houses and streets strewn with debris as people fired at each other from rooftops.
Minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying that a Christian neighbourhood had been attacked by a mob "misled by Muslim extremists".

Pakistan's small Christian minority has periodically been targeted since Pakistan became a US ally in the so-called War on Terror. In May 2007, Christians in the north-west of the country sought government protection following threats of bomb attacks if they did not become Muslims.

Please pray for Christians across Pakistan who will be feeling threatened by this recent event, and pray that they would continue to be courageous and faithful despite the suffering that often undergo.