Missionary Threat

The title of the story seized my attention immediately: Existence of 200 ‘uncontacted’ tribal people in Brazilian rainforest confirmed.

I clicked the link and started reading:

The Brazilian government has confirmed the existence of about 200 unidentified tribal people in the Amazon rainforest.

Satellite pictures in January revealed this community was living near the border with Peru. A flight expedition over the area in April confirmed that they are about 200 in numbers.

Along with Survival International Funai, an organization working for tribal people’s rights worldwide, Brazilian authorities found that these people are living in three clearings in the Javari Valley in the western Amazon.

According to Fabricio Amorim, who led Funai’s overflight expedition, illegal fishing, hunting, logging, mining, cattle ranching, missionary actions, drug trafficking and oil exploration on the Peru-Brazil border area are the main threats to the well-being of this community and their dwellings.

Brazil follows a policy not to contact these people, instead monitor their land so that they can live without any risk.

The community and its four straw-roofed huts were spotted in the Javari Valley, which is believed to be hiding around 2000 uncontacted tribes in the world.

Eh?! What?!

Missionaries, right there among ranchers and drug traffickers, threaten the well-being of these people. 😯

Threaten, mind you! 🙄

As a former MK (missionary kid) and a former missionary and a current mission board member, I hope missionaries get the Gospel to these folks soon.

Well, to see some aerial photos of the community, click the above link.

Then, for a personal challenge, see if you can locate those tribal people using publicly-available satellite imagery on the Web. 🙂

Bibles to Iran

With links added by me, here’s a current story over at Mission Network News:

Dangerous Bible distribution to get Truth to Iranian youth

Despite the persecution and risk associated with assisting believers there, Bibles are being sent to Iran.

Iran ranks second only to North Korea for its poor treatment of Christians, according to Open Doors’ World Watch List. Believers make up a tiny minority of the nation and pay dearly for their faith.

And yet amid this severe atmosphere, Christ followers are determined to remain in their country and spread the Word. Their persistence is working, and the home church movement is booming–especially among Iranian youth.”

We just believe this is a tremendous opportunity to put Scriptures into the hands of young believers; the youth in that country are incredibly open to the Gospel,” says Ken Leggatt with WorldServe Ministries in Canada. “It’s an incredibly youthful nation as well,” Leggatt adds.

The total median age of an Iranian is about 26-years-old as opposed to the U.S. median of 36-years-old, and the number of these young people in the nation looking for change is high. Many are welcoming digression from the old oppressive regime of Iran and extremism. Getting Bibles into the country so they can read and learn more for themselves is crucial.

With all this in mind, WorldServe has chosen Iran to be the first recipient of their Million Bible Challenge.

We might fault the US Government for failing to support the recent revolution efforts by the youth (and who knows who else) of Iran.

But what kind of spiritual and moral support is Christ’s Church providing to fellow believers and potential believers in the Islamic Republic of Iran?

We Spoil Them Instead

“You don’t spank children today.”
—Judge Jose Longoria

Longer ago, someone much wiser than Judge Longoria wrote:

“Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.”
–Proverbs 13:24

Mr. Longoria, today we need to return to that wisdom from long ago, that wisdom from above.

I recommend for your online reading: Five Pointers for Disciplining Children

And here are some books for your consideration:

Woe to the parent who abuses a child under the guise of discipline!

Too Narrow to Hide

Can I hide my sin behind a hypocrite?

behind fence postWe humans have a disposition to hide behind the failings and shortcomings of another.

That is, we try to.

It really is a dumb effort.

But we’re still prone to try it.

Somehow, we seem to think another’s flaw provides us with the flawless excuse.

Another’s gossip and evil surmisings are too narrow to hide my vengeful thoughts or fight-fire-with-fire speech.

Someone’s hypocrisy is too narrow to hide my apostasy.

Another’s wrong is too narrow to hide my unforgiveness. In fact, my own hurt at another’s misdeed is too narrow to hide my unforgiving spirit. Read it all

Know Who You’re Talking To?

How frequently I forget The Jesus Option in my long-running woes and spur-of-the-moment desperations!

How easily I pray a bit and quit!

How often I petition God earnestly…while suspecting He doesn’t have in mind to satisfy my need!

Now, reading this a few minutes ago, I don’t know what to make of it:

If you and I knew who Jesus was—really, really knew—would we pray differently? […]

He commended people who gave Him no rest in these concerns.

Two blind men gave Him no rest. They cried out to Jesus, and not only did He ignore them, He walked into someone’s house. They had to barge in after Him before they got satisfaction Matthew 9:27-31.

The Syrophoenician woman gave Him no rest. She begged to the point of harassment, and Jesus gave her no encouragement. But she would not be put off until she got satisfaction Mark 7:24-30.

Maybe Jesus was waiting to see how badly they wanted what they wanted, and how strongly they believed He was both merciful and able.

What is it that you wished for today that you kept to yourself and didn’t even think to pray for because you didn’t believe God would be willing to grant it?

Once again, many thanks, Andreé Seu (‘If you knew’).

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Above all, love God!

since November 9, 2005