World View
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Relief needed in Goma. When the flow of lava destroyed about a third of the city of Goma in Eastern Congo in January, Baptist work was severely affected. Most of the buildings, including offices, homes, schools, hospitals and clinics of two of the Baptist groups in Goma were almost totally destroyed. Baptist World Aid, the relief and development arm of the Baptist World Alliance, has launched an emergency assistance appeal to raise $250,000 for rebuilding infrastructure of the Baptist communities in Goma, Congo. This is appeal differs from most other relief funds promoted by the BWA in that it aims to help replace destroyed infrastructure, noted Paul Montacute, director of BWAid. For example, the Virunga Baptist Hospital was left with just two rooms standing and is only accessible to those who climb over an 8-foot mound of hard lava. Guest houses and missionary homes, used by many visitors on mission trips, also were destroyed.
___ Serbians & Yugoslavians reunite for missions. Baptists from Serbia and Yugoslavia, separated by years of warfare in the region, have agreed to reunite for the cause of missions. The agreement was reached during a late February meeting between the Union of Baptist Churches in Serbia and the Baptists of Yugoslavia. "We do not have to justify having two unions; it is simply a part of our culture now," said Ralevic Cedo, a pastor from Nis. "What we must do now is work together to accomplish the objective of missions. If we are not doing the work of missions, then we are not doing the work of Jesus Christ."
___ Hungarian Baptist Aid delivers support for Afghan refugees. Although plans did not work out quite the way organizers thought they would, refugees in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, received 15 tons of humanitarian support from Hungarian Baptist Aid. The organization, an affiliate of the Baptist Union of Hungary, in cooperation with the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hungarian Department of Defense, spent six days distributing food, clothing and blankets to refugees in this war-torn area. Explained David Gal, general secretary of Hungarian Baptist Aid: "In the poorest district of Kabul, among pregnant women, malnourished, hurt, mentally handicapped children who can barely smile any more, we must give, give, give. Food items mean sheer survival ... . And they are coming. They keep coming for hours, crying, pleading, sometimes standing in lines, sometimes pushing all over the way. We could hardly manage."
___ Hungary to air gospel in languages. Two major media firms have announced plans to establish facilities in Hungary to support world-wide Christian television programs in different languages. Good News Network International and Excom Group officials said Hungary is set to become a major hub to reach Europe and parts of Africa and Asia with the gospel. More than 50 Christian films already have been dubbed into Hungarian for distribution.
___ Church growth continues in Ukraine. Almost 12 years after the fall of Communism, the result of church growth in former Soviet Union countries is mixed. However, the story of the Ukraine is one of continuous rapid growth. Gregory Komendant, president of the Evangelical Christians Baptists in Ukraine and president of the European Baptist Federation, visited Baptist World Alliance headquarters recently and reported there are now 2,600 churches and mission points in the country. "The Ukraine is very open for evangelism, not like some other countries in the former Soviet Republics," Komendant said. "We want to be an inspiring example for others throughout the country."
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