Story number 2 for 7 Aug 2001

(Russia)–Next, the director of a Russian drug-rehabilitation ministry assisted by Christian Aid Mission has been kidnapped. Christian Aid’s Mike Clinton says a missionary named ‘Dema’ was taken at gunpoint two weeks ago. His car was found abandoned on July 29th, however there has been no trace of Dema. Clinton says there’s speculation that this may be linked to his work. “Their ministry supposedly is being so effective in the city that it is causing drug sales to go down. The Russian mafia controls the drug trade, so that’s made the mafia upset. The best guess is that he was kidnapped by the mafia.” Clinton says the church needs prayer support there. “The driver of the car and Dema were taken. Just pray for their safety, but especially pray that the church would rise up there and pray and be united through this as a testimony those who took them-that they would see that these people are serious about what they believe.”