One of the news items I wanted to bring to your attention today is the story of Gillian Gibbons (Pictured: Courtesy of Reuters) who is a British teacher who is using her gift of teaching in the Sudan.

Recently she was teaching a class of youngsters (in a Christian school)  about Democracy and had asked her students to name a teddy bear.  After a vote, the children named the bear Mohammed.  As a result, some parents were angered and she was eventually charged with "insulting Islam" and "inciting religious hatred" because of the name the children chose.

The English Al Jazeera website is reporting that Ms. Gibbons could receive 40 lashes, up to six months in jail and a fine if she is convicted of this crime.

If you'd like to read a description of what a person will endure when they receive lashes, please click here to read the account of Gavin Sherard-Smith who was given 50 lashes in  1993 for breaking an alcohol ban.  He denied the charges.

Please keep Gillian Gibbons in your prayers and also please pray for the leaders who are going to be making the final decision about whether or not this woman should suffer such severe punishment.   Ms. Gibbons is 54 years old and she is being supported by the pupil who suggested the name of Mohammad for the bear, simply because it is his name.

In Islam naming anything after Mohammad is considered blasphemy.