NEWS FLASHES
	Every Home for Christ published this beautiful testimony from North Africa: Hawa Ahmed was a student in North Africa. One day, she read a Christian tract in her dormitory, and decided to become a Christian. Her father was an Emir (Islamic ruler), so she expected to lose her inheritance because of her conversion. She was completely unprepared for what really happened. When she told her family that she had become a Christian and changed her name to Faith, her father exploded in rage. Her father and brothers stripped her naked and bound her to a chair fixed to a metal plate with which they wanted to electrocute her. Faith asked them to at least lay a Bible in her lap. Her father responded "If you want to die together with your false religion, so be it." One of her brothers added: "That will show that your religion is powerless." Although they had bound her, she was able to touch a corner of the Bible. She felt a strange peace, as though someone were standing beside her. Her father and brothers pushed the plug into the socket - and nothing happened. They tried four times with various cables, but it was as though the electricity refused to flow. Finally, her father, angry and frustrated, hit her and screamed “You are no longer my daughter!” Then he threw his daughter out into the street, naked. She ran through the streets, humiliated and in pain. Shaking and tearful, she ran to a friend. People looked at her, curious rather than shocked. Her friend let her in, clothed her and gave her shelter. The next day, her friend asked neighbours what they had thought when they had seen Faith running naked through the streets. "What are you talking about?" they asked. "The girl had a wonderful white dress on. We asked ourselves why someone so beautifully clothed had to run through the streets." God had hidden her nakedness from their eyes, clothing her in a beautiful white dress. Today, Faith is a full-time evangelist with Every Home for Christ. (JOEL NEWS 396).
	God's Timing for Zimbabwe
	“It really was God’s timing to plant 10 000 new churches in Zimbabwe,” according to DAWN missionary, Ted Olson. In the mid-1980’s, the nation’s Christian leaders decided to cooperate in a large missionary coalition. But of the tens of thousands who declared interest in Jesus during evangelistic crusades, very few could be integrated into churches. So the leaders realised that a common proactive strategy was required, and that multiplying new churches was necessary in addition to planning evangelistic campaigns. In 1992, a target of planting 10 000 new churches by the end of the year 2000 was set, and has been reached; Zimbabwe, with its 12 million inhabitants, now has over 20 000 Christian churches, or one for every 600 of the population. A plan for reaching the “lesser and least-reached areas” in the next ten years was worked out during a conference from 3-7 September 2001. “The rapid growth of the Church in a nation plagued by massive political woes, corruption and a failed economy, is an ongoing reality, and an encouraging example for other nations,” says Olson. (JOEL NEWS)
	Israel: The Man in White
	“Yousef, a 16-year-old who recently accepted Jesus as his Lord, accompanied his brother-in-law one evening,” reports Jack Sara, pastor of an Arabic-speaking Christian Church in Jerusalem, in Friday Fax. “They parked their car in a completely dark spot, and his brother-in-law told him to wait in the car until he returned a few minutes later. While waiting in the car, Yousef saw a man clothed in white about 20 yards away who called, asking for help. At first, Yousef was unsure whether he should leave the car, but as the man continued calling urgently for help, he decided to investigate. When he arrived where the man in white had been standing, there was nobody to be seen! Suddenly, he heard a terrible noise behind him. He turned around to see to his horror that a large cement truck had tipped over exactly on the car where he had been sitting only moments before, crushing it! Had Yousef remained sitting in the car, he would have certainly been killed! As a very young Christian, he did not dare to speak of the event for over a week, but when he told what had happened, the entire Church agreed that the man in white was an angel who helped Yousef.” (Friday Fax)
	Afghanistan: Jesus in the Dictionary
	The following is a report from an Afghani Church planter, whose true name and surroundings we obviously cannot reveal: “At the start of 2001, I was imprisoned by the Taliban in Kabul. I was considered an arch-enemy, because I fought under Massud (in northern Afghanistan) and refused to submit to the Taliban regime. That means the death sentence. I wanted to put my time in my cell to some use, and received an English-Urdu dictionary so that I could learn English. Opening it indiscriminately, the word ‘Christ’ caught my eye. I felt a radiance and emotional warmth and strength which I had never previously experienced emanating from that name, and held the book close to my chest for hours. The effects increased to the point at which I felt a strong desire to learn more about this word. By a miracle I was released from the death and torture cell and found my way to Peshawar, where I met Christians who hid me and shared the meaning of the word ‘Christ’ with me.” ‘Omar’ is now planting churches among Afghanis, according to Friday Fax.