Religions and mission in the Arab world
SEPTEMBER 2008: Vivienne Stacey

This issue of our magazine is fully focused on Ms Vivienne Stacey, a lifelong missionary in the Muslim World. You will find her major writings in this issue on our frontpage. If you click the button Vivienne Stacey you find many other articles by her hand; we will continue to upload new articles there, so keep coming back!

This week we received the news that our sister Shirley Madany has passed away; her husband, Rev. Bassam Madany, regularly contributes to our magazine. We wish him comfort of God in the certainty that his beloved wife is now with our Lord. Let us pray for Bassam.

We have also made dozens of articles by Bassam and Shirley Madany available in the past weeks. Under the button Madany's you find them.

Please let us know how we can improve St Francis Magazine so that it serves your needs in mission in the Arab World!

Rev Dr John Stringer
 

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PRAYER REQUEST: update #2 on trial of murderers of Christians in Turkey

The latest hearing in the trial of the five men accused of murdering three Christians in Malatya was held on Monday (14th).

The request by lawyers representing the two widows to have the judges replaced was rejected by a higher court in Diyarbakir. An appeal has been lodged against this decision.

At Monday’s hearing the court heard testimony from three of the five accused.

Greetings in the name of Jesus

 

The latest hearing in the trial of the five men accused of murdering three Christians in Malatya was held on Monday (14th). Recall that Necati Aydin (married to Semse with two small children), Ugur Yuksel (single) and Tilmann Geske (German national, married to Suzanne with three children aged 13, 11 and 8) were killed at a Christian publishing house in Malaya, Eastern Turkey, on 18th April 2007 (i.e. one year ago today). Five men aged 19 and 20 were arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with murder.

 

The request by lawyers representing the two widows to have the judges replaced was rejected by a higher court in Diyarbakir. An appeal has been lodged against this decision. Two concerns are that:

1. a wider investigation into who was behind the five perpetrators caught at the scene is not being pursued properly

2. simple requests by the lawyers for access to information are being denied, e.g. the photographs attached to the autopsy reports.

 

At Monday’s hearing the court heard testimony from three of the accused. Christian news agency Compass Direct reports that each stated they understand the plan was to frighten the Christians in order to obtain information from them about their Christian activities. It was the group’s ringleader that went beyond this and perpetrated the murders. They claimed to be frightened of the ringleader who they claimed had issued threats against them and their families if they withdrew from the plot. A fourth suspect gave the same testimony at an earlier hearing. The court has yet to hear testimony from the group’s ringleader.

 

The next hearing was set for 12th May. However, the appeal by lawyers representing the widows may cause this to be delayed.

 

Turkish Christians request our continued prayers that:

a.       Semse and Suzanne will know the Lord’s comfort and support throughout the trial process

b.      Justice will be done, and be seen to be done, concerning the perpetrators and those behind them

c.       The Lord will give the widows’ lawyers abundant wisdom and perseverance

d.      All involved will consider the teaching of Jesus, experience His love for them and respond to His call.
 
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