North Korea: State media condemns ‘Bible balloons’
North Korea’s state media has released a proclamation condemning Voice of the Martyrs (VoM) for their balloon launches into North Korea this year. These brightly-coloured, helium-filled balloons either deliver Bibles in the North Korean language in electronic form or have scriptures printed on them. The balloons are released from outside North Korea’s borders. Prayers are whispered, then they are released across North Korean airspace, letting Christian brothers know that they are being supported and prayed for. Despite ongoing tensions between the two countries, VoM Korea say their work is not antagonistic, and they have never endangered citizens of either country. ‘As a Christian ministry we distribute Bibles because the Bible teaches us that all people are valuable and deserve to eat and live in peace; not because of their loyalty to a particular government, but because God created each one of us in His image’.
Kenya: Schools shut amid financial challenges
Kenya’s teachers vowed to continue their strike, which began on 31 August. The government is appealing a court ruling granting teachers a salary increase. President Kenyatta ruled out giving in to teachers’ demands, saying that to do so would ‘seriously distort’ public finances. Meanwhile Kenyan children across the nation are missing out on their education. The Kenya National Teachers’ Union said its members won’t go back to work until the government complies with last month’s Industrial Court order to raise their pay. Kenya’s main opposition party held a rally in Nairobi on Wednesday to back the teachers’ demands. Kenyatta said that agreeing to wage demands would necessitate pay reviews across the public service, inflating the government wage bills and causing it to borrow money or suspend development programmes. ‘This will raise the cost of living, slow down our economy and increase unemployment and poverty. None of these options is tenable’, Kenyatta said.
Israel: Christian schools shut amid financial challenges
Heads of churches in Jerusalem are calling for authorities to respond to ‘modest and just demands’ by Christian schools for financial support. In a statement they said, ‘We are distressed that our schools in Israel have been on strike for more than two weeks. It hurts to see 33,000 students from all faiths and denominations out of their classrooms, while hundreds of teachers and employees are watching their schools empty. This situation is a grave inconvenience to the parents as their children remain at home, while education is a basic human right that no child should be denied. The struggle started almost two years ago, after serious budget cuts imposed on our schools caused a financial deficit. Negotiations between the Office of Christian Schools in Israel and the Ministry of Education failed; all solutions presented by the Ministry were unrealistic and would place further financial burdens on parents.’
Canada: Parents across Ontario stand against inappropriate sex education
A groundswell of concerned parents is making their voices heard regarding a controversial sex education curriculum. Parents' rights and pro-family groups say that the Liberal government's controversial curriculum violates children's innocence by introducing them to age-inappropriate explicit information and by pushing a dangerous sexual agenda. Pro-family analysis of the curriculum reveals that it introduces children to homosexuality in Grade 3, masturbation in Grade 6, and oral and anal sex in Grade 7; it also teaches there are six genders, rather than two biological sexes. A parent spokesperson said, ‘A time of darkness calls for no compromise whatsoever, especially when the innocence of our children is at stake.’ Parents across Ontario are pulling their youngsters out of school in the next two weeks as they protest against the Liberal government's curriculum.
