Story number 1 for 5 May 2000

Headlining today’s news, civil war is intensifying in Sri Lanka. The government has banned all activities that could harm national security. The government is facing possibly its greatest crisis in its 17-year ethnic war against Tamil Tiger rebels in the north. Back to the Bible’s James Kanaganayagam is in Sri Lanka, producing radio programs for the Sri Lankan people. “Physically we are not threatened by the situation at the moment, but there are co-workers of ours who are in the field who are in the areas that are being affected, so we are very concerned for them.” Kanaganayagam says many pastors and lay leaders need assistance as they struggle with the effects of war. “We have linked up with the Lanka Bible College and we are conducting counseling courses for pastors to equip them to be able to counsel the churches. We find that many pastors themselves need to be counseled because of the stress they have gone through and are going through.” Pray that evangelism can continue despite the violence.