Friday Focus: Carol services in stadiums
In recent years, Sports Chaplaincy UK has been encouraging its Chaplains to host stadium carol services at Christmas. Sports stadiums have been described as secular cathedrals as many people go there at weekends. At Christmas we remember God moving into our neighbourhood. How might you, or your church, pray for and support one of these carol services to celebrate this amazing fact? Warren Evans, Chief Executive of Sports Chaplaincy UK
China: Crackdown on human-rights
Jiang Tianyong, a prominent Chinese human rights lawyer has been jailed for two years, the latest conviction in Beijing's crackdown on rights activists. He was found guilty of inciting subversion of state power and defaming China's political system. His wife told Reuters that the verdict was unacceptable. Amnesty International dismissed the trial as a ‘sham’. It is estimated that over 300 lawyers, legal assistants and activists have been questioned, and more than two dozen of these pursued as formal investigations. Mr Jiang defended human rights activists and fellow rights lawyers as well as also Falun Gong meditation practitioners and Tibetan protesters. The court also found him guilty of using social media to attack the Chinese government and of inciting others to demonstrate in public. China tortures people in prison see also http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-china-blog-41661862
Uganda: Over 9,000 drop out after registering for PLE (Primary Leaving Examination)
Uganda: Over 9,000 drop out after registering for PLE (Primary Leaving Examination)
Pupils who pass their PLE exam can progress to secondary school. Primary school tuition is free but pupils, especially in rural areas, face serious challenges to finishing their education. They lack books and pens, often having to study all day on an empty stomach since no meals are provided at school, and schools often have poor teaching methods. Information obtained from Uganda National Examinations Board website indicate that out of 333,482 pupils who registered for PLE from 2010 to 2016, a total of 9,320 did not sit. A government official said, ‘Grazing livestock is one of the major reasons for the school dropout.’ The other reasons keeping children out of school, he said, are poverty, underage marriage, trading, tea picking, stone quarrying and mining. However he said they have engaged parish chiefs, sub-county chiefs and chairpersons of school management committees to arrest parents of children who are removed from school See also https://www.theguardian.com/katine/2010/feb/08/education-system-explainer
Israel: Aid for Syrian refugees
UK documentary director David Cohen filmed Israel's humanitarian work treating victims of Syria's civil war. ‘Love Your Enemies’ was premiered at a special Westminster screening. It featured interviews with medics and patients of pioneering surgery on horrific wounds at hospitals in Western Galilee. The film was enthusiastically received by an audience including former Cabinet Minister Stephen Crabb, Labour’s Ian Austin, Andrew Percy MP, and Israeli deputy ambassador Sharon Bar-li. But in a question and answer session following the hour long film Mr Cohen revealed that discussions with the BBC and Channel 4 over purchasing the film had so far proved fruitless. Israel and Syria are two enemy states, however a young Syrian patient said, ‘we are taught that Israel is the enemy – but all I have seen here is humanity.’ Unfortunately a documentary showing ground-breaking medical relief treatment of 4000+ Syrian war victims was considered ‘too Zionist’ for mainstream British television.
