News Articles by Susie Rain

SOUTHEAST ASIA (BP) -- Who are mission-minded people? How do they see the world? While they could be found in your church, place of work or coaching Little League, what do mission-minded people do differently?

SOUTHEAST ASIA (BP) -- The young woman gingerly crawls off a motor scooter, grateful for the ride. Last month, Kalliyan Seng* could make the two-mile trek from her home on a bicycle. But now that she's nine months pregnant and could give birth at any moment, it's harder to pedal that distance.

SOUTH ASIA (BP) -- It was just a pile of rubble. The clumps of rocks, bricks and splintered wood melded together with mud dotted the mountainous landscape, each topped with twisted and crumpled tin. The two 20-something Americans couldn't believe their eyes. It had been nearly one month since an unusually late monsoon season triggered the worst floods and landslides in 50 years across the South Asia region and no one had reached this village yet to help.

SOUTH ASIA (BP) -- Floodwaters sweeping across northern India and Pakistan have killed more than 450 people. Hundreds of thousands more have fled their homes as helicopters and boats raced to save marooned victims in one of the worst floods to hit this area in 60 years.

[QUOTE@right@180="We are in the business of bringing people to Christ and showing how they are treasured."
-- Nicki Benz]JACKSON, Miss (BP) -- A tear slid down Nicki Benz's cheek as she stared at the television screen. She struggled to watch the news report that focused on imprisoned women. She figured that most of them had probably been physically and verbally abused at some point in their lives. A guard yelled at one of the women, asking why she couldn't get her life on track. "They are not trash," Benz said back to the television. "Those women are treasures." Someone had to take action, Benz thought. This wasn't a report from a distant location. It was happening in her hometown of Jackson, Miss. She bowed her head and prayed for God to send someone. She hadn't yet realized that God would choose to use her, a "senior citizen," to show hundreds of women and children that they are treasures in His eyes. Now 15 years later, Benz's prison and after-care ministry, Buried Treasures Home, continues to impact lives. Last October, the White House presented her with a Point of Light Award. The award honors individuals who strive to improve their community by responding to a need through volunteer service. "I just stand here and weep," said the 71-year-old Benz, a member of First Baptist Church of Jackson, as she spoke about the award. "I've done nothing great. I just did what God called me to do … visit the prison to tell the women that they are treasured by God." What started out as a one-time visit to the local correctional facility in 1999 turned into a daily routine of doling out hugs, lending a listening ear and teaching about God's forgiveness and love. Benz's passion for the women was so contagious that it didn't take long for her husband Dick to join in on the visits. Soon, an officer asked the couple if they'd consider taking in one of the girls. The woman had been in and out of 40 rehab centers and didn't have anywhere to turn. The Benzes had heard this type of story over and over. When the women left prison, they most often returned to the broken lifestyle that landed them there in the first place. The couple knew this cycle had to be broken, so they offered their four empty bedrooms to God and began an after-care ministry. "That first woman didn't stay long, just two weeks. Then she was back on the street and landed in jail again," Dick remembered, adding that she returned five years later and completed their ministry program. "We learned right off the bat that this ministry is hard and doesn't always work. We try to remember that it is up to the women to change their lives. God just called us to be here." The after-care ministry focuses on discipleship and learning what it means to be treasured. Because so many women have no place to go after being released, Buried Treasures Home gives women and their children a place to live for up to a year. During that time, women receive opportunities to earn their GEDs, enroll at nearby community college, study the Bible and reintegrate into society.

WALTERBORO, S.C. (BP) -– Sweat trickled down the small of Mary Saunders' back. Her lips were dry and cracked. She was thirsty but the line at this Somali bush medical clinic was long. She was tired but there was still a lot of work to get done. The people had no food or water. Malnutrition was severe in 1992 during Somalia's civil war.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (BP) -- It was easy to spot a Christian in Pakistan on Monday (Sept. 23). Normally they tend to keep a low profile for fear of persecution. But this day, they wore black bands around their arms as a sign of mourning and solidarity following Sunday's church bombing.

EAST ASIA (BP) -- The middle-aged man smiles and makes a quick bow of greeting to the small audience. He reaches into his left coat pocket and pulls out some cards. Ben Lim's* eyes twinkle as he shuffles the cards. He fans them out in his hands and tells a random person in the crowd to "Pick a card ... Pick any card!" A hush falls over the audience as a young Chinese man pulls one of the cards from Ben's hands. Ben instructs him to look at it but not to show anyone. Then, Ben asks him to act out the picture on the card. The young man gets down on all fours, puffs out his chest and roars. "LION!" the group screams in unison. Ben smiles and grabs the card. He flips it over for everyone to see. It's the ace of clubs -- but with a picture of three lions surrounding a man at the bottom of a den. "Anyone know a story about a lion?" the Christian worker in East Asia asks. "No? Then, let me tell you the story of Daniel and the Lion's Den." That's when God's Word falls on ears that are hearing for the first time. Ben, a master storyteller, takes the audience through the trials of walking by faith and not sight. The rise and fall of his voice depicts emotions and fears when confronted with problems (like hungry lions waiting to devour). His peaceful cadence and soft, confident tone assures that God is always present when we have problems and call on Him. The story ends and everyone looks at Ben, waiting for another. He smiles and fans the cards out again. In his hands are 51 more pictures depicting the Old Testament. Another set of cards in his pocket has 52 stories from the New Testament. The collection is a unique pictorial Bible covering everything from creation to Christ. The uniqueness isn't simply because this wordless Bible is found on a pack of cards but by the fact that Ben's teenage daughters Jasmine* and Jamie* (plus one of their friends) drew the pictures. "I can't begin to describe what it is like to use an evangelism tool developed by your own kids.... It's beyond our imagination because only God can do this," the church planter from Oklahoma said. "All over the world, people are using these cards as part of evangelism and discipleship training."

SRI LANKA (BP) -- We sat there drinking tea; just a small group of people gathered for house church in Sri Lanka. I casually mentioned that some friends in America sent questions for me to ask persecuted Christians and wondered if they'd mind answering.

SRI LANKA (BP) -- It was just a normal Sunday. Around 75 people gathered in the house rented as their church building for worship. Praise music wafted out the door. Prayers lifted to heaven. Pastor Saman Perera* stood behind the pulpit and asked the congregation to open their Bibles.