WEA International Director Concludes East Asia Tour
Geoff Tunnicliffe, International Director of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), returned to Canada Sunday, after completing his trip to East Asia. The trip to East Asia began on May 7 in Thailand, where Tunnicliffe met with the leaders of the Evangelical Alliance regarding its preparations for the General Assembly 2008

WEA Director Solidifies Plans for General Assembly 2008 in Thailand
On May 7, the WEA International Director Geoff Tunnicliffe met with the leadership of the Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand to solidify the plans for the General Assembly 2008 in Thailand.

Belarus: Christian Facing Deportation
We are appealing for your prayer and support for Jaraslau Henryhavich who faces deportation from Belarus by 7 June. He is a Polish citizen, his wife and 2 young children are Belarussian. His “crime” is undermining national security through interdenominational activities!

Micah Challenge: Pentecost Appeal
lCommunication is electricity for our movement but the flow is weak without translation. Micah Challenge needs $8,000 to fund essential translation services between this Pentecost and Pentecost 2008. The Micah Challenge Pentecost Appeal runs from May 18 to June 9, 2007. Please make your donation now through your nearest Micah Challenge national campaign. Click on http://www.micahchallenge.org/english/do/pentecost/  for the information you will need.

Turkey: Where Christians are seen as a Threat - A commentary by Dr. Christine Schirrmacher
The most contradictory social movements imaginable are touching off deadly tensions in the land of Turkey.  We see the European oriented, “enlightened” elite, often educated in government schools, in which women enjoy the freedom to make decisions and set the direction of their lives; we also see the vast numbers of followers of traditional Islam with its conservative separation of men and women into prescribed roles; and we see a combination of radical nationalism with religious extremism which repeatedly responds to a perceived threat from the “Christian” West with violence.

Reminder: WEA General Assembly 2008 - Thailand, October 25-30, 2008
We will keep you posted on the details as they become available in the coming months.

Mission:
Worth Keeping: Global Perspective on Best Practies in Missionary Retention
The WEA Mission Commission announces the May 2007 release of our newest book in the Globalization of Mission series: “Worth Keeping: Global Perspectives on Best Practice in Missionary Retention”, by our colleagues Rob Hay, Valerie Lim, Detlef Blöcher, Jaap Ketelaar and Sarah Hay. Take advantage of the special pre-print 52% discount offer through May 31, 2007. “Worth Keeping” results from an MC 20 nation study called ReMAP II, charged to follow up on the attrition research, but take it into retention and best practices issues. The book was crafted by a team of international researchers and a global cadre of 45 case study writers. The 29 chapters and 58 case studies make the book unique. The pre-pub sale webpage is http://www.missionbooks.org/worthkeeping/

Religious Liberty:
India: How far is Jaipur from Malatya?
Modern, progressive, secular India, which is treading virtually the exact same path, is only a step away from having its own "Malatya" experience (that is: an act of hate-fueled anti-Christian violence so disgusting and horrific it sends shockwaves through the nation).

Iraq and Gaza: Facing Al Qaeda
The remnant Christians of Iraq and Gaza have survived war and civil strife but they may not survive al Qaeda. Al Qaeda is not
interested in nationalism: its goal is total religious cleansing and complete Islamisation.

Serbia: Wahhabi activism in Sandzak
Sandzak (Raska) region in southwestern Serbia is for Islamic imperialists and jihadists highly desirable and enormously strategic
territory. Wahhabi infiltration, radicalisation and agitation have escalated over the past decade.

Vietnam jails its "extremists
On Friday 11 May, the Hanoi People's Court sentenced Christian religious liberty advocate and human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai (38) to five years imprisonment to be followed by four years of house arrest. Dai's colleague, lawyer Le Thi Cong Nhan (28), was sentenced to four years imprisonment to be followed by three years of house arrest.

Pakistan: Christians Defying Purge in the NW Frontier Province
Despite President Musharraf's assurances and his reported alliance with the West in the War on Terror, religious liberty and security for Pakistan's three percent Christian minority have deteriorated markedly.

India: Hindu Nationalists Escalate Persecution
India's Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) forces want their Barantya Janata Party (BJP) to win power at state and federal levels with
absolute majorities so they can rule outright and not have their Hindutva program hamstrung by coalition partners.

Canada:
New EFC Website Serves Constituents
The re-designed website of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) is now live!  And it’s ready to serve affiliate members, EFC supporters, Parliamentarians, the media and other Canadians with information, resources and links especially created for and about the evangelical community in Canada.  Visit often to keep abreast of the latest issues and initiatives.

Caribbean:
St. Vincent Crusade Report
Caribbean Youth Network Being Formed
Regional Prayer Summit in Barbados

India:
Pastor brutally attacked in Jaipur, Rajasthan
Two evangelists arrested in Kolhapur, Maharashtra
Report on Jaipur Case - Attack on Pastor Walter Massey

Italy:
March for Religious Freedom
Religious freedom touches every aspect of human life, as it involves freedom of conscience, freedom of thought and freedom of professing publicly a personal faith. When religious freedom is threatened, the entire system that protects and safeguards everybody’s liberty is then under attack.

Palestinian Territories:
Musalaha Prayer Requests
This e-mail newsletter is coming at a time when the people in the land are celebrating Passover and Resurrection Sunday. Both events are part of our historical narrative, and both can be viewed either negatively or positively.

Sweden:
Freedom of Speech: A Basis for Freedom of Religion -  A paper by Mats Tunehag (General Secretary, Swedish Evangelical Alliance) for Advocates Europe & the European Evangelical Alliance on Freedom of Speech and Religion

United Kingdom:
Micah Challenge Calls Christians to Rally Against Poverty – by Christian Today, May 21, 2007
Leaders of Christian groups are calling on Christians to gather in London to support ‘The World Can’t Wait’ rally aimed at world leaders ahead of the G8 Summit. ……Rev Joel Edwards, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance, a key Micah partner, said: “Christians coming together to demonstrate for the poor shows world leaders the depth of our concern and is also a good witness to people in Britain that the church cares about international poverty.”

Evangelical Alliance Brings Theology to Everyday Life – by Christian Today, May 21, 2007
The Evangelical Alliance UK has launched a new on-line tool to inspire weekend chat. ‘Friday Night Theology’ is a new section of the alliance's website that will explore anything from a news item from the week to the latest storyline in TV soaps such as Eastenders and Coronation Street.

Micah Network: Asia-Pacific Consultation
You are invited to the Micah Network Asia-Pacific Consultation on “A Christian Response to the Marginalized” being held from 1-5 October, 2007 in Malaysia. This Consultation will focus on the cross cutting issues of stigma, HIV and AIDS, gender and advocacy http://en.micahnetwork.org/home/events/asia_pacific_2007

Mission Commission: Member Care information

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