Romanian leader Nicolae Ceausescu has announced he will refuse the Most Favored Nation (MFN) trade privileges granted by the United States. Ceausescu apparently made the move after receiving strong indications that the U.S. was about to suspend the MFN status temporarily because of Romania’s dismal human-rights record.
Several Christian groups had been pushing for a temporary MFN suspension in hopes it would pressure Ceausescuto improve treatment of the Christian population. In recent months, churches have been bulldozed, ministers and lay leaders arrested, and a shipment of Bibles made into toilet paper.
However, Christian Solidarity International At risk: Romanian Christians. President Steve Snydersaid that although his group had favored a temporary suspension, Ceausescu’s arbitrary move leaves the U.S. without leverage and will likely result in increased hardships for the Romanians.
The refusal of MFN status means Romania will lose approximately $600 million a year at a time when the nation is facing extreme poverty, including massive food shortages.
In addition, Snyder said he fears persecution will now become even stronger for Romanian Christians because “there is no longer any restraint.”
“Christians in the West ought to be very concerned about their brothers and sisters in Romania and make it a real matter of prayer,” he said.
THIRD WORLD
Letter Offering Urged
The Christian lobbying group Bread for the World (BFW) has announced the focus for its twelfth annual “Offering of Letters” campaign: legislation that AIDS women in developing countries.
The campaign seeks no money, only letters to elected officials about a specific piece of U.S. legislation on either a domestic or overseas issue, BFW provides interested churches with an Offering of Letters kit. Essentially, the campaign urges congregations to collect and dedicate letters, as they do with offerings of money.
BFW estimates that 1,200 churches (which sent 80,000 letters) participated in last year’s campaign to increase support for the supplemental food program for women, infants, and children in America. Congress ended up approving an increase of $73 million, after inflation, for the program.
Endorsing this year’s campaign, Mother and child. Vernon Grounds, president of Evangelicals for Social Action, noted that Third World women are essential to the survival of their children. He said some of these women have had to decide which of their children they will allow to die so that others can live. “As disciples of the caring Savior,” Grounds said, “we must encourage the funding of projects that intentionally help women in their home industry and garden plots, so they won’t have to make this sort of choice.”
Two Russian Baptist pastors say the new openness—or glasnost—in their country is filtering down to the registered churches. During a recent visit to the United States, Alexei M. Bytchkov, general secretary of the Baptist Union, and Michael J. Jidkov, a senior pastor in the Moscow Baptist Church, said the most evident changes have been in increased youth participation. The two reported that their church sponsored a children’s meeting where the children played an active role. A second children’s meeting is now being planned. Other conferences are taking place around the country for the youth, they said.
In addition, the church officials said more Christian publishing is being allowed, and Bibles and other religious materials have begun to come in from the West.
SUDAN
Aid Groups Expelled
The government of Sudan has expelled humanitarian groups, including World Vision, the Association of Christian Resources Serving Sudan (ACROSS), the Lutheran World Federation, and the Swedish Free Mission. World Vision President Robert Seiple said no explanation accompanied the expulsion notice, although an earlier expulsion announcement said the reasons “were neither religious nor political.”
Many humanitarian groups had kept an active presence in Sudan following the famine in the mideighties, which took a severe toll across Africa.
New threats of famine in the region, along with continued civil strife in Sudan, have raised fresh concerns for the humanitarian agencies. “Our expulsion places the lives of thousands of people in jeopardy,” Seiple said. “It’s a very tragic situation.”
MALAYSIA
Christians Ask For Help
World Evangelical Fellowship (WEF) has issued a call for worldwide prayer on behalf of Christians in Malaysia, WEF International Director David Howard said, “Some of our brothers and sisters in Christ in Malaysia are in prison and need our prayers and encouragement.”
Ten believers arrested in October remain in detention for allegedly being involved in “social issues/social action” and for “witnessing, helping, and encouraging [ethnic] Malay Christians.”
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