Record month for our web site

While we still haven't counted Monday yet. We've already set a record for the number hits on our web site. Through October 30th, we have 1.7 million hits on our web site. That's more than 100,000 hits more than our previous record. There are a number of factors for this.

1. The translation of MNN into Spanish on our web site.
2. Word of mouth (or email) of our Russian translation.
3. A great promotional give-away (Celtic Cry).
4. Compelling stories.

This is a direct result of you, our readers and our listeners.

Thank you for helping Mission Network News grow all over the world.

Greg Yoder, Anchor/Executive Director

IDOP getting ready

Mission Network News is getting ready for our 3rd annual International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. We have a great line-up for you this year.

The featured speaker will be Brother Andrew with Open Doors International. We'll also have KP Yohannan with Gospel for Asia, Sergey Rakhuba with Russian Ministiries, Tom White with Voice of the Martyrs, and Christians from all over the world sharing their experiences and prayer. The 55 minute broadcast will also feature the music of Celtic Cry - The Heart of a Martyr from Discovery House Music.

The event will be co-host by Ruth Bliss (our weekend anchor) and me. I'm excited about this broadcast. I believe thiss could be something that could challenge many Christians to get involved in ministry where Christians are persecuted for their faith.

Please pray for us as we begin producing this year's IDOP event.. Pray that many radio stations will air it and that it will encourage many to participate in the Great Commission.

Greg Yoder, Anchor & Executive Director

Wow, what a response!

I would just like to say thank you to everyone who has responded to us in the last few days. As many of you know, we have been offering our 2006 calendar on our website and on our broadcast. the calendars have flown out of the office. In fact, I had to pull the ad off our website just to make sure we have enough. I hope to make the calendar available again next month. We'll see where we stand because we won't be reprinting them.

Also, Mission Avaition Fellowship is offering the CD, "Celtic Cry-The Heart of a Martyr" from Discovery House Music. Those too have be very popular. In just a couple of days we've received several hundred requests. What a bless this music will be to many of you. The CD is still available. Go to MNNonline.org to get your free copy.

It has really been a blessing to hear from so many of you. This is a first in the history of Mission Network News. To put it in perspective we've been getting 20 to 50 responses every 20 minutes. It's been amazing.

The only thing I would ask is that you put the response you made to the 'free' stuff into action that can help Mission Network News continue sharing the needs of missionsaries around the world. There are incredible needs. Needs that you can help with financially, prayerfully or by going overseas. I hope you'll use these resources to make an enternal difference in someone's life.

Greg Yoder, Anchor & Executive Director

Beyond the Gates of Splendor

Hello Faith here, the Executive Assistant/STMDB Coordinator/Secretary Extraordinaire. I'm in charge of much of the behind the scenes, non-radio broadcast responsibilities here at MNN, though I do some writing for the broadcasts as well.

Last month, our free giveaway, thanks to International Aid was an incredible documentary film called Beyond the Gates of Splendor, the story of the 5 missionaries who were killed in January of 1956 by the savage tribe known as the Aucas (now known as the Waodani) in Ecuador. The documentary is not only the story of what happened then, but it also tells what God has done since then. You can see a preview of it and read other info about it by going to their website www.beyondthegatesthemovie.com.

We had an enormous response to this giveaway, more than 800 people! That, to me, is beyond simply a "big" number for our giveaways, but it tells me that people are still interested in this powerful story that happened 50 years ago. I've seen the documentary, and it is a fantastic and moving story, with testimonies from the widows and families of the 5 men and others.

If you didn't get a chance to sign up for a copy during our giveaway, the documentary is now available for purchase in Christian bookstores across the USA. It's definitely worth it to have this film in your library!

Every Tribe Entertainment has also come out with a full length film of this story. The film is called End of the Spear and releases in cinemas in January 2006, the exact month of the 50th anniversary of the killings. I had the privilege of seeing a pre-released viewing of this film, and let me tell you, it is probably the most moving film I have ever seen. It's told from the compelling and powerful perspective of the Waodani tribe. It's a phenomenal film that I encourage all of you to see and take your friends (both churched and unchurched friends) when it releases in January.

That's all for now from me!
Have a fantastic day and may your eyes be open to see God at work in and through and all around you!
Faith Maguire, Executive Assistant

Are we getting disaster weary?

As I look at the news events we've covered over the last year I can't help but wonder what's next? When I came to Mission Network News 10 years ago I could count on one hand the number of disasters we covered between 1995 and 2000. Yes, there were a few, but nothing like we're seeing today.

Here's what we've covered in the last 13 months.

• The Beslan, Russia terrorist attack (Sept. 04)
• East Asia tsunami (Dec. 04)
• Massive Flooding in Bombay (July 05)
• United States hurricanes (most recently Sept. 05)
• Guatemala mudslide (Oct. 05)
• Pakistan earthquake (Oct. 05)

Those are just the disasters I remember. I'm sure there are others that I'm forgetting.

The reason I mention this is that we're beginning to see some of these areas go without. Since many people have already given generously to the people's needs in the tsunami zone or the hurricanes, the people in Pakistan may not get the help they need. Is it because there isn't any more money to donate, or is it because we're getting used to seeing disasters in the world?

What's incredible to me, is to see how God uses each of these events to draw people to Himself. Yes, may people curse God for allowing this to happen, but many understand their need for Him and turn to him with open arms.

We serve an incredible God. Thank you for being a part of this.

Greg Yoder, Anchor & Executive Director

A new week...watch God work

We have a lot on the schedule this week. The United States will be receiving Burmese refugees soon, many of theme children. We'll take a look at how Christians in the U-S can help.

An organization can help your short-term mission team have an evangelistic outreach on EVERY trip. It's pretty cool.

And, MNN will follow up on the Iraqi constitution vote over the weekend.

Obviously, you can't plan the news and we'll be all over that, too.

Keep listening and reading. We'll be here.

Greg Yoder, Anchor & Executive Director

New things

Mission Network News has been pretty busy the last few months. I thought you'd all be interested to know what we've been up to.

1. Spanish translation of our braodcast scripts went live on Monday, October 1oth.
2. The 2006 Mission Network News calendars were delivered and are now available (free).
3. We're getting ready to launch a new language very soon.
4. The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Chruch broadcast production meeting is coming.

These are just a few of the things we're working on. Keep praying for us.

Greg Yoder, Anchor & Executive Director

Excited about Kashmir

I'm getting pretty excited about what God has in store for the Kashmir region of the world. I went back in our archives and looked at all the stories MNN has done on the Kashmir region and while we've done a number of stories on the region, most of them have been negative. The most recent story was about the Christian woman who was kidnapped by Muslim radicals.

This earthquake, I now believe, will be what God is allowing to take His message of salvation to an area of the world that has either rejected Him, or have been prevented from hear the Gospel.

There are now many Christians making their way to the region. This is unprecedented. Most Christians stayed away from the region because of security reason. Now, they're being welcomed in with open arms.

My fear is that Christian organizations will go in with physical assistance and completely forget about what they really need, Jesus. Pray that these groups will not get side-tracked.

On a completely different note, MNN is now being translated into Spanish on our web site only. Tell all you Spanish speaking friends. We can now be read in Romanian, Russian, Spanish and English.

Greg Yoder/Anchor & Executive Director

makes me wonder...

i'm watching all of the natural disasters we're covering--volcanic eruption, mudslides, earthquake, famine, disease, war, pestilence...with the scourging the earth is taking, makes me wonder if it's really the labor pains and the groanings of the beginning of the end.

1 thess 5 talks about this--

¹Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, ²for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

⁴But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. ⁵You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. ⁶So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. ⁷For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. ⁹For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

as we believe the Bible is true, we must think on these things and ponder their implications...if we are followers of Christ, we are put here not only to glorify the Father, but also to be salt and light...

as the earth travails, what more should we do to be more than a lump in the pew? will the stuff matter in the end?

ruth bliss,
mnn producer

Earthquake in Pakistan/India

I think a lot of people are wondering about the earthquake that hit along the Pakistan/Indian border. I know I am. I'm wondering about Roman 8:28, "and, we know all things work together for good…" I know it with my head…

This is an area of the world hard to reach with the Gospel. Many of the 30,000 plus who died probably didn't know Christ. They probably had never heard His name. How is this good?

I have to remember that God is sovereign. He holds the world in the palm of His hand. It's His plan, not mine.

In talking with Dave Stravers of Mission India of Grand Rapids, Michigan yesterday, he reminded me what happening in the tsunami zone. Despite the devastation and death, God allowed fellowships to be planted in areas that were hard to the Gospel.

I'm pray that God will do the same in this area.

Greg Yoder, Anchor/Executive Director