The Chairman’s Report for November

In this issue of the newsletter
Update: War and terror attacks make programs more difficult and expensive
New: Food and other necessities become scarce in Bethlehem
New: A non-Christian comedian spotlights the genocide of Christians
Update: Program highlights in the Middle East and Africa

Terror attacks and war complicate Christmas program

Bethlehem in state of crisis

Food costs have become extreme: The cost of a dozen eggs in Bethlehem has increased 33%. Fresh vegetables are mostly imported, and the Allenby Briege closure drove some prices sky high. Some fresh vegetables are up as much as 175%.

The cost of powdered milk, flour, rice, and canned meats we use for food packages have risen sharply as well. Everything is in short supply. Because of terror attacks the borders are never going to be as open to trade as they previously were.

These incredible price increases come at a time when 85% of Christians in the Bethlehem area are unemployed because of the ongoing conflict. Thousands of Christians from the Bethlehem area worked in Israel proper. Because of the war their permits to work have been cancelled.

Tourism is dead in Israel and at the Holy sites around Bethlehem.

Repeatedly, I point out in newsletters that Bethlehem is not in Israel! There is huge confusion. Many messages left at our Internet site show the amount of confusion.

The shortages are drastically affecting our programs to distribute adult diapers and food to the most critically in need in the Bethlehem area.

It is possible the bridge could be open by the time you receive this newsletter, but the damage is done. It would be many months for inventories to come back to normal and prices to level back off …

To carry forward with the Christmas programs in the Holy Land the budget will need to be drastically increased. We cannot cancel the Christmas events. These events help downtrodden children raised in traditional Christian homes to know that Jesus is still present in their lives.

All gifts to programs are still being doubled by the Matching Gift Fund set up by the Leadership Circle. Very generous additional support has extended the Matching Gift Fund deadline.

Please pray for the children of the Holy Land. Please pray for the safety of the children and their families during our worship services.

Our Mission Progress in Nigeria: Orphanage second floor education enrichment center now complete

Library: Over the last few months, the newsletter has featured the continued construction of a second floor to one of our buildings for our orphanage. The construction was completed two months ago and finish out is complete. The computer lab and the library are fully furnished and supplied. The furniture was made in the orphanage wood shop.

Science Lab: The science laboratory is now in use by students. Children who arrived with just the clothes on their backs will be leaving educated to a degree not found in Nigerian public schools. On state tests our students test well above average. The broad education they receive is faith-based and rooted in the Bible.

Food and Diaper distribution in the Holy Land

President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza has brought about the release of hostages and saved many lives. The cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is more or less on track with some promises not yet fulfilled.

Nothing in the agreement between Israel and Hamas concerns any part of the “West Bank” which includes Bethlehem and other traditional Christian towns. The Israeli army has withdrawn to an extent agreed upon in Gaza, but still effectively controls all of the West Bank.

Below is a photo of our agent in Bethlehem delivering food and diapers to a destitute Christian family. Also pictured are some of those we aid.

Christmas in the Holy Land: There is still a ban against public Christmas celebrations in the West Bank which includes Israel. There will be no public decorations and no Christmas tree or other displays in Manger
Square in front of the Church of the Nativity.

The ban on public celebrations of the birth of Jesus will not stop our programs for children this year.

The events will include a worship service, songs, and games for the children along with food and a gift.

This year every child will receive a high-quality hoodie with Matthew 1:21 on the back and our logo of a heart with a cross on the front.

Please pray that our events will be held without incident and the children and families we help will find joy in a day dedicated to our Lord.

Awareness of massacres of Christians in Nigeria?

A comedian says what politicians are afraid to say: Bill Maher is a well-known American comedian, political commentator and television host who deals with controversial subjects on his HBO talk show “Real Time with Bill Maher.” On his September 26th show he cast a spotlight on violence against Christians in Nigeria, a subject that politicians left and right are staying away from.

Maher said, “I’m not a Christian, but they are systematically killing the Christians in Nigeria. They’ve killed over 100,000 since 2009. They’ve burned 18,000 churches. These are the Islamists, Boko Haram,” he said. “This is so much more of a genocide attempt than what is going on in Gaza. They are literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country.”

WOW! A man who says, “I’m not a Christian” complains about the genocide of Christians and is critical of the media for not mentioning that fact. Meanwhile members of Congress and the White House are oddly silent on this issue.

He was also critical of the lack of mainstream media coverage and noted the absence of a public outcry in the United States. There is an outcry lead by us that the media ignores!

I have mailed tens of thousands of letters to Christian activists asking them to mail an enclosed postcard to President Trump asking him to add Nigeria once again as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for Religious Freedom as he did in 2021. (One of Biden’s first acts was to take Nigeria off the CPC list.)

Even if you previously mailed the post card to President Trump, you could also send him a message at the White House Internet site. The form to leave a message for the Administration is located at www.whitehouse.gov/contact. Please ask President Trump to help stop the slaughter of Christians in Nigeria.

Christmas programs in Nigeria IDP Camps

In Nigeria we call our Christmas programs Happy Birthday Jesus. We will hold several special services at the orphanage and many from the Jos community will attend.

Special message for all mankind: These are not Christmas parties, but Gospel centered events for the displaced children, many who lost at least one parent, during attacks by Sunni Muslim Fulani Herdsmen on their villages.

Matthew 1:21 is our theme for events this year: She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

The orphans at our orphanage will not only hold special services there but will also take the good news as well as gifts to the IDP children.

Please pray for the success of the Christmas for Refugees program this year and for the safety of all the children we will reach out to. Please pray for all the Christian children of the Middle East, Africa, and the rest of the world.

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

WE DID IT! – President Trump added Nigeria to the CPC list

On October 30th President Donald Trump placed Nigeria on the Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) list under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. President Trump citing the “slaughter of Christians” in Nigeria in his comments.

During most of this year our organization has distributed post cards addressed to President Trump asking him to take this action. Tens of thousands of these cards, signed by concerned Christians, such as yourself, were received by President Trump. In addition, I have signed joint letters with other Christian leaders demanding Nigeria be designated as a Country of Particular Concern.

President Trump has strongly stated that the United States will take measures that will affect Nigeria if the killings and displacements of Christians does not stop.