Story number 1 for 30 Aug 2000

We begin today’s newscast in the Philippines where another hostage has been taken by Muslim extremists in the south. According to reports, an American was captured this week, renewing western missionaries concerns for their safety. Jack Herman is a missionary with the Christian and Missionary Alliance there. He says workers are taking precautions. “We’re very careful about what areas they work in. And most of them develop a significant network of friends, even within the Islamic community who will warn them if anything is going to happen. But, of course, there’s always an element of risk there.” According to Herman, the need to reach Muslim areas of the world is great. “It’s a critical area of the country to reach out to. They’re some of the final frontiers of missionary efforts. Some of the key needs are laborers among the Muslim peoples. You need to have a special call to minister in the Muslim context. And, we would ask people that God would raise up these laborers.”