Worldwide: Legalising prostitution and drugs
A report issued by the United Nations-backed Global Commission on HIV and the Law recommends that nations around the world remove laws against prostitution and decriminalize the voluntary use of illegal injection drugs in order to combat the HIV epidemic. The Commission of 15 former heads of state, legal scholars and HIV/AIDS activists recommends ‘Decriminalise private and consensual adult sexual behaviours, including same-sex sexual acts and voluntary sex work.’ and ‘Reform approaches towards drug use, rather than punishing people who use drugs but do no harm to others.’ The UN backed commission interviewed prostitutes, activists and public health advocates in 140 countries across the world to come to its conclusions. They received funding from Canadian, Norwegian Australian and the US Government plus billionaire Geroge Soros through his Open Society Foundations.
Pray: for the UN would work with Christian organisations for righteous and moral ways to help and heal populations at the highest risk of HIV. (Ps.107:44)
Thousands to receive Bibles in Greece
Tourism in Greece may be way down because of the uncertain economic situation and the highly publicised anti-austerity demonstrations. But this has not prevented 320 volunteers from around the globe descending on the Alexandroupolis in the north-eastern corner of Greece. They will be part of Operation Joshua, a Hellenic Ministries project to distribute modern Greek New Testaments, both audio and printed, to 125,000 households. Operation Joshua began on 17 July and continues through to 25 July. Teams of people from young teens to senior citizens are participating in this special effort to bring the hope of the gospel to a beleaguered nation. Not only will they be bringing the message of hope to the Greeks but also 17,000 Turkish Bible packs will be distributed to the Islamic villages on the Turkish border.
Praise: God for Operation Joshua and pray that the thousands of Bibles will bear much fruit. (Jn.15:8)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/thousands.to.receive.bibles.in.greece/30314.htm
Thousands to receive Bibles in Greece
Tourism in Greece may be way down because of the uncertain economic situation and the highly publicised anti-austerity demonstrations. But this has not prevented 320 volunteers from around the globe descending on the Alexandroupolis in the north-eastern corner of Greece. They will be part of Operation Joshua, a Hellenic Ministries project to distribute modern Greek New Testaments, both audio and printed, to 125,000 households. Operation Joshua began on 17 July and continues through to 25 July. Teams of people from young teens to senior citizens are participating in this special effort to bring the hope of the gospel to a beleaguered nation. Not only will they be bringing the message of hope to the Greeks but also 17,000 Turkish Bible packs will be distributed to the Islamic villages on the Turkish border.
Praise: God for Operation Joshua and pray that the thousands of Bibles will bear much fruit. (Jn.15:8)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/thousands.to.receive.bibles.in.greece/30314.htm
US pastor ‘thanking God’ after kidnapping ends In Egypt
An American evangelical pastor is ‘thanking God’ that he and two others have been released after they were kidnapped in Egypt last week. Reverend Micheel Louis, 61, and 39-year-old Lissa Alphonse, both Boston-area residents, had been kidnapped from a bus on Friday, July 13, along with their guide, Haytham Ragab. The kidnapping took place on a Sinai Desert road by a Bedouin who was demanding the release of his uncle from prison. His uncle had reportedly been detained by Egyptian police on suspicion of drug possession. However, after three days of negotiations, Abu-Masuh released the prisoners to security officials near the northern Sinai city of el-Arish. ‘We are a people of mercy and the hostages don't have anything to do with this,’ Abu-Masuh said in published statements, monitored by BosNewsLife last Friday. Pastor Louis' Presbyterian Church in the U.S. city of Boston takes a trip to Israel every year.
Praise: God for the release of Pastor Michael Louise and the other two people and pray that his testimony will have spoken to his captors. (Mk.6:11)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/22681-us-pastor-thanking-god-after-kidnapping-ends-in-egypt
