India (MNN) — The Indian government is taking steps to punish violence against women. Most recently, four men were sentenced to death for the brutal gang rape of a 23-year-old female student in New Delhi in 2012. However, not much has changed at the societal level. Joe Handley with A3 says many Indian women still suffer marginalization, domestic abuse, and sexual assault. “Gang rape is a huge problem in India,” Handley says. “These gangs will pick on a young girl and unfortunately do atrocities in those situations. “In addition to that, there are situations where someone will get married and something will happen in the marriage relationship. It’s so bad that the husband wants to disown the wife, so…they’ll throw acid in their face and then...”
China (MNN) — Pastor Wang Yi of China’s well-known Early Rain Covenant Church was sentenced to nine years in prison last week. The Chinese government never held a public trial for Pastor Wang, but charged him behind closed doors with “inciting subversion of state power” and “illegal business activities.” Pastor Wang was arrested in December 2018 along with several other church members. Prior to his arrest, Pastor Wang prepared a six-page statement refuting what he guessed the government would charge him with as the leader of a popular underground church.
Japan (MNN) – In his New Year address, Japan’s emperor Naruhito greeted his subjects, wished them well, hoped for a disaster-free year, and tried to set a tone of optimism. It was a message that resonated with people now struggling on multiple fronts. Joe Handley, president of A3, said there are various layers on the social issues. “The people are not happy, ...
Nozomi Project Vision Expandsby Rebecca Gutknecht
Hope. It was needed after Japan’s triple disaster in March 2011, the combination of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear plant meltdown. The people in the damaged areas were in shock and despair. Brokenness was everywhere. Hope emerged, initially from those who helped. The Japanese Church gave supplies, care, and empathy. People also came from around the world to provide support and comfort for those left in disaster’s wake. Many organizations responded, including A3. After initial relief efforts were underway, it became clear that economic hope was needed for long-term recovery. The Japanese word nozomi (のぞみ) means “hope”, and, at just the right time, the Nozomi Project was born. Sue Takamoto, pioneer...
Japan (MNN) — Just weeks after the super Typhoon Hagibis, another storm raced in over the weekend: Typhoon Bualoi. Robert Adair of A3 says the area is still in recovery mode. For those who experienced the triple disaster in 2011, the typhoons have dredged up familiar fears. Adair says that visually, the aftermath looks the same. The remnants of the storms show the water’s pathways, and people’s belongings are scattered in the open...
Monday afternoon we were running an All-Ability Festival at the front of Hongodai station. It had been raining in the morning so Samuel, the coordinator, cancelled it. As soon as he did that, it stopped raining. So he told me that we have now cancelled the cancellation… so we were on again. A brave decision as one weather forecast had an 80% chance of rain. God was kind and there was no rain. We set up with a team of over 60 people. During the festival, we played blind football, sit-down volleyball, ran a sensory zone, and also danced and sang to a song written by a blind lady at our church. It was a truly amazing time and we all were blown away by what happened and the impact of Festivals. This is our first festival as a pre-run to many All-Ability Festivals that we want to run during the Paralympics...
Greetings to A3 on behalf of our sports ministry partnership! I enjoy sharing good news…I enjoy sharing good news: Festival in Shizuoka... We had a memorable time there yesterday running a Festival with them. We had trained them earlier in the year and they wanted one more time with us. It had been raining and so they hired a gymnasium and it worked well. After 5 weeks of incredible service, it was Timo- the former All Black’s last outreach event. He did great - signing autographs, sharing his testimony at the end and handing out Bibles. The combined youth group sang their song and everyone danced along. Many people from the community were there. The Churches were excited by the response of the community. There were 10 Churches represented – all part of Shizuoka International Sports Partnership – SISP. The Churches were thankful for all the overseas teams and each seemed to have encouraging stories of their mission teams visit...
Japan (MNN) – Super Typhoon Hagibis—Tagalog for ‘speedy’—left a large and muddy footprint over Japan. Today, thousands of military personnel and first responders remain in search and rescue mode in the wake of torrential rains that caused 20 rivers to burst their banks. Even as the casualty rate climbs, A3’s Robert Adair says the scope of long-term damage means this is just the beginning. “The storm came in just south of Tokyo, kind of in Chiba and that region, and then came across Japan up through Tohoku, which is the area that was hit by the disaster back in March of 2011.“
Hong Kong (MNN) — The China-Hong Kong divide takes center stage today as China celebrates 70 years of Communist rule. A major celebration of China’s military and economic might is underway in Tiananmen Square. Meanwhile, protestors plan to march in Hong Kong despite a police ban, labeling October 1 a “Day of Grief.” China recently increased its paramilitary forces in the semiautonomous region following weeks of civil unrest, Reuters reports. A3 board member Francis Tsui says religious freedom thrives in Hong Kong now, but that could change. “I want the global...
Hong Kong (MNN) — As protests in Hong Kong hit the 10-week mark, some demonstrations have turned violent. Protests at the airport caused the city to ground all flights yesterday. What started as a cry of concern for extradition legislation has turned into a demonstration built upon years of frustrations. Francis Tsui, a board member of A3, says the protests have thrown Hong Kong into the most serious crisis it has experienced in decades. The demonstrations, which are the largest and longest the city has seen in some time, have significantly disrupted daily life. And it is dividing the local Church, too. “Initially, when the focus of the protest [was] quite clear on trying to fight against the...
China (MNN) – Rumors that China’s Central Government ordered its towns to monitor and count Christians appear to be true. More specifically, A3’s Joe Handley says, “What we’re hearing is they’re following up and wanting to get actual names of those who believe in God. It’s not just Christianity; it includes Buddhism, Taoism. It’s spanning the scope of everything, including...
Hong Kong (MNN) — Protests continue in Hong Kong this week. Thousands of senior citizens joined in the latest demonstrations. Meanwhile, Hong Kong police called for protection after one activist allegedly bit off part of an officer’s finger. Those participating in Hong Kong protests want current government officials to step down out, and “an investigation into police tactics,” the Associated Press reports. Demonstrators also want assurance they won’t be punished like those who led the 2014 “Yellow Umbrella” protests. Last week, Hong Kong Executive Officer Carrie Lam said the controversial extradition law which began the current movement was “dead”, but she stopped short of taking the bill off the table. Referencing a recent blog...
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