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Bible
reading leads murderer to confess his crime
Lima,
May 19th, 2005 (ACPress.net).
Urquiaga was one
of three people arrested in connection with the terrible murder
of Mauricio Ponce de León. Two prisoners with whom he shared
a cell read the Bible to him every day. This led to an unexpected
breakthrough in the trial, as one day while reading the Bible,
Urquiaga broke down and confessed that he alone was the murderer.
According to the testimony of the other prisoners, “Urquiaga
had a Bible, and because he found it difficult to read as he
was so nervous, he asked his cellmates to read it aloud.” During
one of the readings, he became greatly moved, began crying in
repentance and told the others how he had brutally killed the
disabled boy. The authorities had put three suspects in prison,
but Urquiaga’s confession led to the other two being released.
The fact that Urquiaga’s testimony tied up with that of his
cellmates when they were questioned separately, led the judge
to accept it as true. The others were absolved of any involvement
in the murder of Mauricio Ponce, in Chascomús,
Argentina, on February 26th. Now Urquiaga is being held as the
sole culprit of the murder. He tricked Mauricio into leaving
his house before taking him to Lake Chascomús. There he first
beat him with his own crutches, then ran him over with a car,
before finishing him off by stabbing him more than 30 times.
Source: Infobae. Editing: ACPress.net
Protestants on the charge in El Salvador
San Salvador, May 19th, 2005 (ACPress.net).
Evangelicals are
on the march in El Salvador. In the last 20 years, Catholic
Church membership has fallen by 11.9%, virtually the same percentage
by which the Evangelical Church has grown during the same period.
A government report entitled ‘Protestant Religious Movement’
analyses evangelical growth in El Salvador between 1975 and
1985. One of its rather surprising opinions is that the murder
of Catholic priests during the civil war meant that many Catholics
emigrated, and this was one of the causes of Protestant growth.
Other factors cited include repression against the progressive
wing of the Catholic Church by its own leaders, a divided clergy
and the abandonment of the priesthood by a number of clerics.
The report’s conclusions become a little obtuse when mention
is made of the spread of Liberation Theology, and of American
aid to Protestant churches in the region which it says began
around the same time. Yet deeper reasons exist and need to be
explored to explain why Liberation Theology, specifically directed
at helping the poor, failed to ignite the masses in the way
that evangelical Gospel preaching has done. In this regard,
another report hit the target when it highlighted that 52% of
Protestants interviewed had been Catholics who were looking
for the truth. They found the truth, not in the Vatican, but
in the message and teaching of the Church.
In a recent book, Pope Benedict XVI says the USA backed the
advance of Protestantism in Latin America, “convinced that the
Catholic Church cannot guarantee stable political and economic
systems.” Right across Latin America, the numerical gap between
Catholics (528 million) and Protestants (nearly 100 million)
continues to close. Long may such a trend continue.
Source: EFE. Editing: ACPress.net
Juan Luis Guerra
wins Billboard prize
Miami,
May 19th, 2005 (ACPress.net).
The big winners
of the 6th Billboard music prizes, awarded recently in the Miami
Arena, were Colombian singer-songwriter Juanes, Mexican pop
singer Paulina Rubio, and the evangelical singer from the Dominican
Republic, Juan Luis Guerra.
Guerra’s new LP, ‘Para ti’ (For you), is a completely Christian
compilation, and has already won three prizes: best tropical
album by a male artist, best Christian/Gospel album, and ‘Spirit
of Hope’ special prize. The best-known track, ‘Las avispas’
(The bees, or hornets), is based on Exodus 7:20 and Deuteronomy 23:28. Guerra was struck by how God used insects
to protect His people and drive off their enemies. Then one
day he was stung by one, and the two events ‘inspired’ him to
write a song about them.
Source: A. ÓRBITA. Editing: ACPress.net
Miraculous survival
of 400 Christians in Indonesia
Aceh, Indonesia. May 19th, 2005 (ACPress.net).
The tidal wave
which broke over Asian shores on December 26th last year produced
many sad stories, thousands of tragedies and innumerable pain.
But one story, which has emerged from the Indonesian town of
Meulaboh, has seen the tears turned to
laughter.
400 Christians in the town wanted to celebrate Christmas on
December 25th in a day-long celebration, but local Muslim leaders
would not allow them to do so in the town. They only gave them
permission to do so outside the town on a nearby hill. Obedient
and respectful, the Christians had a great service of worship
and thanksgiving to the Lord there, and because they finished
late, they decided to stay on the hill for the night.
That same night, the tidal wave flattened Meulaboh, destroying
80% of the town and killing a similar percentage of the population,
whilst the 400 Christians were safe in their refuge. Muslim
survivors concluded that there were only two possible explanations:
either the Christian God had punished them for banning a Christmas
celebration in the town, or He wanted to make a statement by
the fact that not a single Christian died in Meulaboh. A local
pastor says that the whole island is meditating about the God
of the Gospel, in the aftermath of the tidal wave.
Source: MILAMEX. Editing: ACPress.net
New lease of life
for Sri Lankan Christians after tidal wave
Colombo,
May 19th, 2005 (ACPress.net).
A wave of compassion
from Sri Lankan Christians, who have faced opposition from the
Buddhist majority, is having an impact on the nation which was
ravaged by another wave, the tsunami, last December.
For the body of Christ in this religiously diverse nation of
20 million people, the tidal wave that devastated the Indian
Ocean coastline on December 26th, 2004 provided a door of opportunity
to help victims. "After the tsunami, God changed everything,"
says Angela Mudalige. Angela and her husband, Yogesh, pastor
an Assemblies of God church in Ambalangoda, located in south-western
Sri Lanka. Neighbours who used to eye the couple's church with
suspicion - and even joined in persecuting its members - are
now receiving relief supplies from them. Within two weeks after
the disaster, five families came to Christ and began to attend
the church. Seeing the congregation's compassion for the town's
suffering, a community Buddhist leader who formerly threatened
Yogesh with reprisals if he did not stop preaching the Gospel
came in tears asking how he could help. The couple's enthusiasm
for ministry is being revived by the changing attitudes in the
city.
Source: Charisma. Editing: ACPress.net
A.C.Press:
The News Agency of the AEE (Spanish Evangelical Alliance)
Digital magazine at the website: www.ACPress.net
Telephone: 91 747 14 89; Fax: 91 747 59 24; E-mail: noticias@ACPress.net.
Postal address: Apartado 59198, 28080 Madrid, Spain.
Co-ordinator of A.C.Press News: Jonathan Dawson, E-mail: jdawson@acpress.net
A.C.Press is part of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance, whose
E-mail is: oficina@AEEsp.net (www.AEEsp.net)
The Alliance is a forum for fellowship, reflection and the development
of Christian thought, produces various publications, and is
involved in the struggle for religious liberty. It is also part
of the European and World Evangelical Alliances.
A.C.Press news items may be reproduced as long as their source
is mentioned (ACPress News) |
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