I was in Indianapolis, IN this week on the way to a television interview, and had the great privilege of visiting the offices of Crescent Project. This organization works to train Christians in how to reach out to Muslims and share the message of salvation through Jesus Christ with them. And their focus isn’t necessarily on people who are going to barge into Mecca and hand out tracts, but on people RIGHT HERE IN AMERICA! You can reach your neighbor…your doctor…the exchange student at the university in your town. Crescent Project reminds us that you don’t have to GO to be a missionary…God is bringing the mission field onto our own soil!

The verdict is in for Gillian Gibbons, she has been sentenced to 15 days in prison and then will be deported from the Sudan according to Fox News sources.

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.

What is Iraq like for Christians these days? Here are some excerpts from a believer there:

LOS ANGELES, November 21 (Compass Direct News) – A West Bank pastor who fled to the United States this week following threats of violence from a Palestinian security official said he feels he is in as much danger stateside as he was in Ramallah. “We know they do have contacts here in the states, so I’m taking it as serious as I would if I were still in Ramallah,” U.S.-born Isa Bajalia, who has ministered in Ramallah since 1991, told Compass. Bajalia, 47, said that a Fatah security official from the Tanzim militia, Nader Dahoud Abu Dahoud, demanded $30,000 and registration in his name of property the pastor had inherited. Bajalia said Dahoud had raised objections to a team of Christian visitors, which he had brought from the United States, praying for Muslims in Ramallah. In a telephone interview, Dahoud denied making the threats and said he was seeking only repayment of money he had given Bajalia for property the pastor had failed to sign over to him. Bajalia, however, told Compass that when the Islamic security official began harassing him in August, he made reference to the ministry project by the Christian visitors in May. “It’s not unusual for the Palestinian Authority to plant people in Christian projects so that they’ll see if you’re trying to convert Muslims to Christianity or if there’s any political agenda involved,” Bajalia said.

I saw this story last week, written by Ethan Cole on the Christian Post website, and I wanted to share it with you because it's just another example of how hard it is to "officially" leave Islam and embrace Christianity publicly.

“Why do you continue these meetings?” the secret policeman asked the Christian. “Do you think your neighbors wouldn’t report you to us?”

Hello Friends!