Our new believing brothers had been without sleep for almost 24 hours when we decided to stop the teaching for the night," writes a missionary working among the Bozo people of Mali. "We prepared to close the night by praying together, when suddenly one man spoke up and said, ‘We love Jesus, and there is nothing that would make us leave "the Jesus Road." But we have to tell you something. We are scared. Those who follow another religion are strong here, and they are involved in every aspect of life. To be a Christian means that they will not accept us as part of the community and they will not help us if we are in need. They threaten that they will not help in our funerals and will just leave our bodies for the animals. They also say that if we need help getting food, then we should not have followed the Jesus Road. We want to be strong, but we do not know how to be strong. Please tell us how to be strong.' For our brothers and sisters in D-village, within two weeks of believing, persecution had already arrived, and it will only get worse. For Malians, community is life. People need each other to survive and function in their daily lives. Please pray for them as they learn to live and stand strong in a biblical way."

Story adapted from imbAfrica.org.

By Cade Rutledge

When I first heard about the death of Osama bin Laden from people at the mosque in my neighborhood, I was in shock. Little did I know we were both living in the same country — Pakistan.

When I turned to the Internet for more information, I noticed a Facebook friend in America had updated his status: “Never forget 9/11.”

Rest assured, I haven’t.

In fact, I vividly remember that Tuesday morning like it was yesterday. On a rooftop in New York, I bore witness to my generation’s Pearl Harbor. For 101 minutes the towers burned until they were no more.

My older brother was working on the 82nd floor when Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower. He survived and joined thousands of ash-covered New Yorkers in a mass exodus across the Brooklyn Bridge. On the other side of the bridge, thousands anxiously awaited. Some carried photos of their loved ones; others offered free rides to the victims.

At my family’s home in New York, we gathered to watch and wait. The streets had been eerily quiet as I walked home. Phone lines were jammed. Only one TV station worked. Travel into Manhattan was banned. All anyone could do was wait.

In the days that followed bin Laden’s death in Pakistan, all anyone could do was wait to see what would be the end result of this major event. Public transportation was silent as people avoided the subject everyone else in the world wanted to talk about.

In the university classes I was teaching overseas, that silence didn’t last long. My students have always been open to discussing issues of faith, ethics and worldview. They’ll express opinions about Islam that would surprise or shock anyone. They want freedoms of expression and religion. They want choice.

Most here didn’t support Osama bin Laden or his cause. However, when I asked in class whether Islam is compatible with globalization, they answered reluctantly because they didn’t want to be perceived as bad Muslims. This thinking prohibits people from pursuing freedom, love and peace. But peace doesn’t come from Hollywood or not practicing Islam — it comes only from Jesus.

I know this struggle for peace from personal experience. After my family was attacked on 9/11, we waved flags, posted pictures of the New York skyline and chanted U-S-A at baseball games. We wanted to “get those terrorists” and show our solidarity as Americans.

All of that changed for me in September 2003 when I met Jesus.

God replaced my “American” identity with one grounded in His Son. Where I placed my security was no longer in my passport but in His eternal Word.

I used to constantly ask myself, “How can we possibly love the lost — the Muslim terrorists — who attacked my city?” Our answer should always be “yes, we can” because our Jesus-centered faith demands it. Our Christian response must never resemble the world’s.

To this day I’m convinced it was the Spirit who laid this nation on my heart. This country and people that never once crossed my mind became an inescapable thought. So much so, that when I shared this calling with my close friends I couldn’t help but weep.

I still have these heartfelt emotions for Pakistan, especially as I watched the online debate following bin Laden’s death. Another Facebook friend posted on his wall: “I’m a Christian and I’m happy Osama is dead.”

Juxtaposing his reaction with his faith made me wonder how much of our response is more American than it is Christian; more from our fallen nature than from God.

The early church felt the same way about Saul as we do about today’s terrorists and how I felt about those who attacked us on 9/11. However, look at what Paul left behind in Jesus’ name. I believe it can happen again because God can transform even the hardest of hearts. He did mine.

God opened my heart to become friends with someone whom I previously thought was my enemy. He looks like any other Pakistani but this man fought for his country and killed Americans as a member of a terrorist group. That is, until he found a Bible and read, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” That’s a truly radical thought, especially for someone taught to “kill your enemies and fight back.”

My friend now disciples a group of men with similar backgrounds, all of whom he led to Christ. Recently he was beaten nearly to death for sharing the Gospel, but it hasn’t deterred him from continuing to bear witness.

I believe individuals such as my friend can change the world like Paul did. This change will come from a place we least expect and from a people we can’t imagine being anything but our enemy.

This article taken from lovingMuslims.com.

Though the Winter Olympic Games in Russia are still 18 months away, church planters in the host city of Sochi are already hard at work to capitalize on what the “Olympic Spirit” will bring to their city.

And they recently spent time in London during the Summer Olympics getting a grasp on what the opportunities would look like.

“Traditionally Southern Baptists have used Olympic ministry as an opportunity for broad seed sowing. However, Olympic ministry can be much more than that. It can be a catalyst for church planting in the host city itself,” said Earl Gillespie*, a team member for Engage Sochi, an International Mission Board initiative aimed at taking Olympic ministry beyond the opportunity for mass evangelism.

Olympic organizers used the London games to promote the next winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Billboards advertising the winter games could be found in airports, on the streets, and even on London’s iconic double-decker buses.

Gillespie explained the Engage Sochi strategy is for the residents of Sochi to be reached with the Gospel before, during and after the 2014 Winter Games.

“It is our goal to use the opportunities that the Olympics will bring to Sochi to not just reach out to the people of the world who will visit the city for the games but to use this event as a way to build relationships with the people who live and work in the Sochi area,” Gillespie said. “And we have already begun to do that.”

The Engage Sochi church planting team, which formed after the Russian city was named as the 2014 Olympic host, has been actively involved in partnering with Central Baptist Church of Sochi for more than a year. Together they have been exploring ways to use the sporting event to connect believers with the Sochi community.

*Names changed.

Article shortened from imbEurope.org. To go to Sochi, Russia, in 2013, check out WMU's International Initiatives trip.

India is a young mother of two rambunctious boys. She came to faith after hearing the Good News from a worker. For several months she has been learning how to follow Christ and share her faith with others. She now has a small group of four others that are learning the stories as India teaches them. Their New Testament is now worn from constant use. But India cannot read the Word for herself because she never had the opportunity to go to school. So many like India are hungry to know the Word of God for themselves. Recording of the Book of Luke and other Scripture passages in India’s language is beginning this month. Soon many in India’s people group will have access to the Word of God in their own language.

Please ask the Father to protect the recording process, and those who will be involved in the translation and technical aspects of the project.

Please ask the Father to give workers and national partners wisdom as they distribute both the written Word and oral recordings.

Pray for India’s people group, as they respond to the Gospel and are trained to follow Christ, that they would in turn lead and train many others.

Story from namepeoples.imb.org.