Story number 2 for 3 Nov 1999

Next, five men have been charged with assassinating the Armenian Prime Minister and seven other government officials. The attack in parliament last week left those with ministries in the country discreetly watching the conditions. The Bridge International’s R.K. Ulrich gives this take on the situation. “It seems that there was dissatisfaction over the corruption in the country, and this group of men basically wanted to overthrow the government. I don’t think it will have an immediate effect on the work, because it is not really a fight against Christians. [But] whenever there is instability, it makes it difficult for everybody, including the church.” Ulrich says despite political troubles, their ministry is seeing fruit. “There is a new surge of people coming out of the old Communist isolationism. There has been a tremendous interest among young people who see a form of Christianity that is attractive because it’s more life-oriented.”