Bible translation team robbed in Nigeria

igeria (MNN) ― Churches in Nigeria have been under direct attack lately as several bombers have targeted church buildings. But on Friday morning, Bible translation was also threatened when a team of translators was robbed.

A team of IT professionals from Wycliffe Associates was in Nigeria to help with a workshop that mentors Nigerians on how to do Bible translation. En route to a city in northern Nigeria, the team was confronted.

"They were stopped by armed robbers. Everyone was forced to lie on the ground," says David Reeves with Wycliffe Associates. Reeves says money was taken, but he hasn't heard if their equipment was also commandeered.

Reeves could only speculate on whether the robbery was at all related to the string of church attacks over the last month or so in Nigeria. Regardless, he says, tensions against believers are high.

"This is not uncommon in Nigeria or in other parts of Africa to have these sort of events--remote roads, isolated locations and all--although the current environment is one where more of that is happening because of the unrest and the insecurity that's going on in the country," explains Reeves.

The team is safe, but the incident emphasizes the urgency behind the work Wycliffe Associates is doing.

Typically, Wycliffe Associates sends IT teams to Nigeria to deliver Bible Translation Acceleration Kits (TAKs). The full kit includes a satellite terminal, a solar panel, batteries, converters, and a laptop. Those items can change depending on the needs of the particular translation team, but those basic items make translation work exponentially faster.

Reeves says the technology offers huge change to translators. "I know of places where they're even doing Bible translation on yellow notepads," says Reeves. "We're trying to get in to help them have tools like computers and connectivity to be able to move faster than that."

With increasing instability in Nigeria, it's not only vital that translators get their work done as quickly as possible, but that they are also able to move if needed. Computers, internet, and other devices help them to consult faster and to take their work with them should they need to flee the area or even the country.

Just a month after Reeves helped one translation team install their TAK, "500 people had been killed, 21 churches had been burned, and they were sending me e-mails asking me for prayer for their team. They still continued to do Bible translation, sending materials to their consultant, and still moving forward."

Reeves says the courage and perseverance is already there in the translators. The necessary technology is just needed to allow them to keep working through severe persecution.

Wycliffe Associates has placed 45 TAKs in Nigeria so far. It's excellent progress, but there are a total of 80 Bible translation projects going in Nigeria, and many more starting up. The urgent need has thrust Wycliffe Associates to new goals in Nigeria.

"We need to help them scale from about 80 projects to nearly 300 projects. The sooner we do that the better; there's a sense of urgency in light of the conflict and uncertainty of where all this is going," says Reeves. "I'm looking at probably another 100 in the next year that we'll try to do. As soon as we can, we'll try to do all the remaining ones."

It's dangerous and difficult work, but crucial in order for the Gospel to win over the oppression of terrorism in Nigeria. 

Each TAK costs $3,500. If you can help with even a portion of that, click here. If you have IT expertise and would like to volunteer with these projects in Nigeria, click here. 

Brutal forced abortions condemned

Hu Xia, another mother forced to abort her child,
 in the hospital (Photo courtesy of ChinaAid)

China (MNN) ― After an emergency vote last Thursday, July 5, the European Parliament passed a “resolution on the forced abortion scandal in China” that “strongly condemns” officials in the forced abortion case of seven-months-pregnant Feng Jianmei.

According to the resolution, “On 2 June 2012 a seven-months-pregnant woman, Feng Jianmei, was abducted and underwent a forced abortion in Zhenping county (Shanxi [sic] province), sparking a wave of indignation and condemnation in China and around the world…”

Bob Fu, President of ChinaAid Association, says this is the first time the European Parliament has passed a resolution like this, but it’s a huge milestone. “Because the European Union is a huge countries block, it really has support of the international affairs.... It is really important for this voice to be heard. It sends a much stronger signal to the Chinese government that the whole world is now united against this brutal practice of one-child policy, forced abortion, and forced sterilization.”

Fu goes on to say, “I think it will also encourage more Chinese victims to come up to tell their stories, and it will put pressure at least temporarily [on] the local family planning officials to be more careful when they try to do these kind of forced abortion, forced sterilization cases.”

The resolution urges the European Union to discuss the violation of human rights in these forced abortion cases with China in the next round of bilateral human rights dialogue.

However, the resolution didn’t cover everything. According to Fu, “It fell short in the sense [of] condemning the whole China family planning system. In the resolution, it still contends the language….It does not really condemn China’s brutal family planning system of the one-child policy.”

Feng Jainmei and her husband are Christians, and Fu says their family continues to suffer persecution. Their case only begins to scratch the surface of what China and the church there has been facing for over thirty years since the one-child policy was enacted.

Fu shares, “I have received lots of reports from churches in the past. One pastor told me his wife was dragged to the hospital by the family planning officials and, with a poison drug injection into their eight-month-pregnant baby, killed their son. So I was on the phone when that was happening with that pastor in the hospital.”

The Chinese government has prevented the birth of 400 million children since the one-child policy started 30 years ago. With 5.7 million Jews killed in the World War II Holocaust, that is equivalent to losing the population from the Holocaust 70 times over.

Fu says the Chinese church has mostly kept silent, until now. “The churches are now having a wake-up call.... Because of the enormous suppression and the enormous propaganda by the Chinese government, most of the people chose to be silent, because if you dare to speak up, you will face lots of retributions: you will lose your job, lose your property, lose everything. And not only the husband and wife involved, but also family members, the grandparents, your neighbors, all will be part of the calamity if you are found in violation of the one-child policy.”

“Chinese women have the highest suicide rate in the whole world, partially--even according to the Chinese government scholars--because of this traumatic experience of forced abortion,” states Fu. “They need the Gospel of Christ to really bring healing and to comfort their hearts, knowing the Lord has remembered her and her baby. Otherwise, there’s going to be more disaster.”

The Gospel is desperately needed. “This is a matter of life and death, and especially the value of life [is] deeply rooted from the perspective of the Gospel,” states Fu. “There’s no other way to explain why a baby’s life is so precious in his or her mother’s womb except to recognize the image of God, the ‘imago Dei.’ Every human being bears that image, and that is directly from Scripture.”

Fu poses the echoing question, “If the church does not stand up for life, who will? And if the church refuses to speak up and refuses to fight for life, who will?”

Click here to learn more and how you can take action at ChindAid’s Web site.

New charges may be coming in apostasy case

Lakan Prison, where Pastor Nadarkhani is being held.
 (Photo courtesy of Present Truth Ministries)

Iran (CSW/MNN) ― Sunday July 8 marked 1,000 days since Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani was imprisoned in Iran for apostasy.

According to a report from Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani may face fresh charges in September.

The report makes note of new charges that may concern crimes against national security and possibly blasphemy in order to make his death sentence appear more acceptable. September 8, 2012 appears to be the new date for trial, according to CSW sources.

Nadarkhani faces the death penalty. Without the intervention of Supreme Leader or the Head of the Iranian Judiciary, authorities will carry out the Supreme Court ruling, which upheld the conviction.

It means Nadarkhani could be executed if he refuses to recant. Voice of the Martyrs says he has been pressured consistently--offered freedom in exchange for renouncing his faith on at least four occasions--but refuses to do so.

In a public statement, CSW's Advocacy Director Andrew Johnston said, "CSW is deeply concerned at reports that Pastor Nadarkhani may face fresh charges in September. The Iranian government is increasingly bringing charges against Christians on political grounds to mask the fact that like Pastor Nadarkhani and Pastor Fathi Malayeri, they have been arrested and imprisoned solely on account of their faith.

"We are also concerned by the lack of due process in these cases and continue to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Pastor Nadarkhani, Pastor Fathi Malayeri, and others who are unjustly imprisoned or facing execution following flawed judicial processes. CSW urges the Iranian authorities to ensure respect for the right to freedom of religion, which is guaranteed in the international covenants to which Iran is a signatory, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)."

Please continue to pray for wisdom and strength for Pastor Nadarkhani and for those trying to help him. Ask God to change hearts, and pray for open doors.

CSW is a Christian organization working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights in the pursuit of justice.

Pakistan Mob Burns Man to Death for Alleged ‘Blasphemy’

Another shocking extra judicial killing 

By Dan Wooding and Xavier Patras William
Special to ASSIST News Service

BAHAWALPUR, PUNJAB, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- In another shocking case of extra judicial killing in Pakistan, a man accused of blasphemy was killed by a mob outside a police station.

A shocking picture of the man being burnt alive by the mob

The unidentified man was burnt alive close to a police station on Tuesday evening (July 3, 2012), in the Chani Ghoth area of Bahawalpur in Punjab Province.

A mob broke into the police station and brought him outside and dragged him to the Chanighot Chakar (roundabout), where he had allegedly desecrated the Holy Quran, doused him in petrol (gasoline) and set him on fire.

According to a story by Shahzeb Jillani, BBC World Service South Asia Editor, witnesses said hundreds of people looked on as he screamed for help.

“Pakistan's controversial blasphemy law imposes the death penalty for insulting Islam, but it is rarely carried out,” said Jillani. “The area where the lynching took place is home to hundreds of madrassas - religious schools - run by radical Islamist or sectarian groups.

“Police said they detained the man after locals complained that he had desecrated the Koran. But before the allegation could be investigated, thousands of angry people surrounded the police station, police said.”

The Deputy Superintendent of Police for the Ahmedpur Bahawalpur District said, “The Chani Goth police station received a complaint that a person had burnt pages of the Quran, and the police arrested the person and brought him to the police station and put him in the lock up.”

ANS had learned that the trouble began when a group of religious leaders announced on loud speakers that the men had “committed blasphemy against Islam” which then resulted in the out-of-control mob gathering outside the police station and demanded that police had over the man.

They then blocked the main highway and broke down the gates of the police station and attacked the officers on duty, injuring the Station House Officer, Ghulam Mohiuddin Gajjar, along with his four guards.

“I also sustained a few injuries during the attack. Our 14-15 police officers were injured and were admitted in the hospital,” said the Station House Officer. “Before we could know details about the person who was arrested, the mob broke into the lockup and took out the prisoner, threw petrol [gasoline] on him and burnt him alive.

“They also torched the police vehicles in the police station, this continued for over two hours. The mob stood there until the man completely burnt to death.”

The police say that they believe that the man was “mentally unstable”, but so far have not been able to ascertain his identity.

DSP Naveed said, “We have registered the First Information Report (FIR) about the incident and will arrest the culprits soon. We are thankful to Allah that no policemen were killed in the attack.”

The charred body has been sent for autopsy and are awaiting the result and to try and learn the identity of the person who was killed. So far no one came forward to claim the body of the deceased.

This incident has raised fears amongst the minority population of Pakistan of more extra judicial killing for those accused of blasphemy, or those who help the blasphemy-accused.

He paid for this with his life. Salman Taseer pictured with Asia Bibi.

Among those who have been killed in this is the former Governor Punjab Salman Taseer who was assassinated by his own bodyguard for taking a stand for Asia Bibi, the Christian woman accused of blasphemy. She now says that she also fears for her life after this incident.

The Masihi Foundation Pakistan and Life for All Pakistan have both strongly condemned the incident.

In a statement, they said, “Religion should be kept separate from the state affairs, and burning a man alive is an inhuman act. The police has failed to take action against the people responsible and the law was abused by the mob.

“There is no justification for this barbaric act. The authorities must act and take action against such lawlessness. No one is above the law, and there is no justification in killing a human being. It is for the judicial system to decide whether a person is guilty or not.”

The statement added, “It is time to put an end of the law of the jungle. Laws are made to protect men from other men, not to protect God from humans. We urge the Chief Justice to take notice of the incident and take action against the people involved in the incident. He must ensure the rule of the law in the Country.”

The Bahawalpur Catholic Diocese has also condemned the incident. Father Zafar Samuel from Bahawalpur said, “This is a sad incident and we condemn it. This is an inhuman act. There is a strong need to spread awareness regarding blasphemy and the laws associated with it. These naive people have no idea what it’s all about.”

The Bishop of Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Rufin Anthony, said, “We strongly condemn the attack on the police station and the loss of a human life. The law enforcing agencies must act and ensure the rule of the law. Taking the law in one’s own hands is against the law. It is time for some changes in the legislation, so that it will protect innocent lives and ensure the safety of the people accused and under trial.

“How much more blood do we have to have shed for the authorities to realize that it is time to act.”

According to media reports, Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday expressed “profound grief and shock” over the burning of the man. Expressing shock, the president directed the adviser on interior to conduct an inquiry into the unfortunate incident and immediately submit the report to him.

He said that no one should be allowed to take law into in his own hand no matter what the crime is. He also directed the authorities concerned to dispense justice in the case according to the law.

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Xavier Patras William is an international journalist and human rights activist. He is the Regional Director of “Life for All” in Islamabad, Pakistan, which is an organization is working for human rights and the education of the Christians in Pakistan. The head office of “Life for All” is in Lahore, Pakistan and its regional office is located in Islamabad. Xavier can be reached at:xave_william@yahoo.com

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Dan Wooding, 71, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 48 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on the KWVE Radio Network in Southern California and which is also carried throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK and also in Belize and South Africa. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 192 countries and also provides a regular commentary for Worship Life Radio on KWVE. You can follow Dan Wooding on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. Dan has recently received two top media awards -- the "Passion for the Persecuted" award from Open Doors US, and one of the top "Newsmakers of 2011" from Plain Truth magazine. He is the author of some 44 books, the latest of which is "Caped Crusader: Rick Wakeman in the 1970s." To order a copy, go to: http://www.amazon.com/CAPED-CRUSADER-Rick-Wakeman-1970s/dp/1908728302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335474883&sr=1-1 . Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel “Red Dagger” which is available this link.

Iranian Pastor Nadarkhani May Face New Charges in September

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

RASHT, IRAN (ANS) -- Iranian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, who has spent nearly 1,000 days in prison on charges of apostasy, may face fresh charges in September, pertaining to crimes against national security and possibly blasphemy, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)www.csw.org.uk.

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani

According to CSW’s sources, judges have reportedly received instructions to try Pastor Nadarkhani on new, trumped-up charges in order to make his sentence appear more acceptable.

CSW says in a media update that it understands a date for the new trial may have been set for September 8, 2012.

Pastor Nadarkhani is currently in prison facing the death sentence for apostasy, which was upheld following an appeal at the Supreme Court. He was arrested in his home city of Rasht in 2009, soon after questioning the Muslim monopoly of religious instruction for children, which he felt was unconstitutional.

CSW says Nadarkhani’s case has twice been referred to the Supreme Leader of Iran, who has yet to issue a final ruling. He has been offered freedom in exchange for renouncing his faith on at least four occasions, but has consistently refused to do so.

CSW also stated that without the intervention of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, or Mr. Sadegh Larijani, the Head of the Iranian Judiciary, who have the authority to halt an execution, the authorities are obliged to carry out the Supreme Court ruling, which stated that Pastor Nadarkhani could be executed if he refused to recant.

Sunday July 8, 2012, will mark 1,000 days since Pastor Nadarkhani was imprisoned.

CSW’s Advocacy Director Andrew Johnston said: “CSW is deeply concerned at reports that Pastor Nadarkhani may face fresh charges in September. The Iranian government is increasingly bringing charges against Christians on political grounds to mask the fact that like Pastor Nadarkhani and Pastor Fathi Malayeri, they have been arrested and imprisoned solely on account of their faith.

Lakan Prison where Youcef Nadarkhani is being held and where he has been imprisoned for the last 1,000 days. (Courtesy PTM)

“We are also concerned by the lack of due process in these cases and continue to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Pastor Nadarkhani, Pastor Fathi Malayeri and others who are unjustly imprisoned or facing execution following flawed judicial processes. CSW urges the Iranian authorities ensure respect for the right to freedom of religion, which is guaranteed in the international covenants to which Iran is a signatory, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).”

Jason DeMars of Present Truth Ministries (www.presenttruthmn.com ) told ANS, “We received some news that Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill wrote a letter to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khameini, requesting the pardon of brother Youcef Nadarkhani.”

The details are based on an Interfax (www.interfax-religion.com ) report titled: “Iranian ayatollah promises Russian Church to solicit pardon for convicted pastor.”

The report, datelined Moscow, June 27, 2012, says “Iran will probably pardon Protestant pastor ‘Jusef’ [their spelling] Nadarkhani, sentenced to death for his recantation of Islam and coming to Christianity, Secretary General of the World Assembly for Proximity of the Islamic Schools of Thoughts Ayatollah Mohammad-Ali Taskhiri told Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the head of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations, in Moscow.”

The report says: “We are aware that Nadarkhani's life depends on the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, who is to pass the final verdict,” Metropolitan Hilarion said.

It states: “Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia asked the Iranian spiritual leader in September 2011 to pardon the pastor, he said, adding the he himself had referred the same request to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

It adds: “Ayatollah Taskhiri said in a reply, citing his sources, that the death sentence on the Iranian pastor had been overturned and assured Metropolitan Hilarion that after his return to Iran he would hand over the Russian Patriarch's request for the pastor's pardon to the office of the Iranian spiritual leader,” the External Church Relations Department said on its website.

The Interfax report said Taskhiri is the leader of an Iranian delegation that has arrived in Moscow to attend a meeting of the Russian-Iranian Commission for Orthodox-Islam dialogue.

The Interfax report added: “The death sentence handed down to Nadarkhani on September 22, 2010, caused a global resonance. The death sentence was condemned by the White House. Notorious American Pastor Terry Jones burnt the Koran in protest against the arrest of his Iranian colleague.”

DeMars told ANS: “Our sources in Iran have informed us that Youcef has been officially notified of a new trial for crimes against national security in September. We assume by implication that this means the charges of apostasy have been dropped since the new charges have been issued, but we have no confirmation of that.”

DeMars added: “At this point we need to keep Youcef’s case in the news. Please publicize this information. Youcef has not committed any crimes against Iran’s national security. He was the pastor of a network of house churches in Rasht and was not performing any political activities against the state. In fact, they pray for their country and its leaders.”

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a Christian organization working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.

Present Truth Ministries (PTM) supports missionaries in the Middle East, providing relief for families of pastors imprisoned for their faith. PTM may be contacted through its websitewww.presenttruthmn.com 

For further information on CSW or to arrange interviews with CSW staff, please contact Kiri Kankhwende, Press Officer at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on +44 (0)20 8329 0045 / +44 (0) 78 2332 9663, email kiri@csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk .

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** Michael Ireland is the Senior International Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior International Reporter

Iran: Christians Arrested In Khorasan’s Principle Cities of Mash-Had and Neishabour

Part of crackdown on house churches

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

MASH-HAD/NEISHABOUR, IRAN (ANS) -- Plainclothes agents of the Ministry of Islamic Guidance raided a House Church in Neishabour on Friday 25th May 2012, arresting the worshippers.

“Hadi” arrested in Neishabour (Photo: FCCN)

Sources have informed the Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN) -- www.fcnn.com -- of another house church raid by plainclothes agents of the Islamic Regime on May 26, 2012; this time in Mash-had.

A Christian source from Khorasan has told FCNN about “coordinated attacks against house churches, and large scale arrest of Christians in the two principal cities of the province of Khorasan.”

According to these reports from Mash-had (regional capital of the vast province of Khorasan, 497 miles NE of Tehran), plainclothes agents of the Ministry of Islamic Guidance raided a house church in Neishabour on Friday, May 25, 2012, arresting the worshippers.

The report reveals that two of the detainees, identified as “Hadi”, and “Alireza”, were separated from the rest, transported to Mash-had – some 80 miles away -- and were being “aggressively interrogated”.

“Hadi” is new Christian convert from Neishabour, and has been “accused” of organizing and running a house church. He has, for some months, been under not so covert a surveillance, as well as highly visibly overt pressure, by and from the local agents of Islamic enforcement gang of Basij, a paramilitary volunteer militia established in 1979 by order of the Islamic Revolution's leader Ayatollah Khomeini.

This group is sent out into the streets to help enforce Islamic law in Iran.

Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, with Basij commanders

“The formation of its very own ‘black shirts’ are extensively used in its role of domestic spy and intimidation agency,” said a spokesperson for FCCN. “The ‘Basij Force’ is one of proudest achievements of the Islamic Republic.”

Sources have also informed FCNN of another house church raid by plainclothes agents of The Islamic Regime on May 26, 2012, this time in Mash-had, during which they searched of the house where Christians had been meeting, and the subsequent arrest of all those present.

Iranian Christian News Agency has identified one of the detained Christians as a young man, whom they named as Mr. Vahid Zardi, a graduate of the University of Mash-had, and a gifted musician, who they said “is a [relatively] new and active Christian convert in the city.”

Confirming the news of Mr. Zardi’s arrest, sources in Mash-had added that he had been previously arrested in Neishabour in 2007.

“They are of the opinion that the almost simultaneous raids and arrests cannot be a coincidence,” said the FCCN spokesperson.

In April of this year, rumors of the imminent freedom of Mr. Ehsan Behrouz, had raised hopes of “probable moderation of the Islamic Regime’s concerted attacks against Christians in the country in general and city of Mash-had in particular”.

Mr. Behrouz is a 24-year-old student of Industrial Management Studies in the university of Mash-had, who was arrested, for the second time in one year, in November 2011.

The spokesperson added, “Mr. Behrouz has now spent over eight months in prison, and needless to say under Islamic jurisprudence in the Islamic Republic, has never been charged, and there is no news of any impending trials.

“Islamic Justice Ministry officials in Mash-had have banned his family from contacting the media, foreign or domestic, under threat of dire consequences for their son and the loss of their US$80,000 surety posted for his freedom; should they ignore the order.”

Two months after repeated promises of his release, Mr. Behrouz’s family are yet to hear of his freedom, or even informed about his conditions in prison.

FCCN says that Mash-had is Shia’ Islam’s most important site outside the Arab world, and a highly important religious city.

“Rapid growth of house churches in Mash-had has caused considerable unease amongst the Islamic religious cabal running the country; and it seems to have shocked and angered them into taking punitive actions against the new converts and growing numbers of House Churches in ‘The Religious Heart’ of the Islamic Republic”, added the spokesperson.

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Dan Wooding, 71, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 48 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on the KWVE Radio Network in Southern California and which is also carried throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK and also in Belize and South Africa. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 192 countries and also provides a regular commentary for Worship Life Radio on KWVE. You can follow Dan Wooding on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. Dan has recently received two top media awards -- the "Passion for the Persecuted" award from Open Doors US, and one of the top "Newsmakers of 2011" from Plain Truth magazine. He is the author of some 44 books, the latest of which is "Caped Crusader: Rick Wakeman in the 1970s." To order a copy, go to: http://www.amazon.com/CAPED-CRUSADER-Rick-Wakeman-1970s/dp/1908728302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335474883&sr=1-1 . Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel “Red Dagger” which is available this link.