Story number 3 for 28 Aug 2001

(Ireland)–Bomb alerts at the end of last week have put pressure on the Ulster ceasefires in Ireland. Rebel extremists on both sides have been mounting guerilla-like attacks in recent days, creating tension in a nervous population. However, Christian Aid Mission’s Mike Clinton says their work continues. “We worked with a ministry called ‘New Life Ministries’. It’s a ministry that Christian Aid helps work with in Northern Ireland. They’re located on the Shankhill Road, which is the heart of the Protestant Loyalists. It’s just a couple blocks away from where the heart of the IRA is. One of the things that really stood out to me was that Belfast is a small city and areas of tension are rather small areas.” Clinton says, despite religious overtones, the fighting is really a land war. Because of this, the need for the Gospel is great, and hearts are responding. “Most of them don’t even really understand what it really means to be a born-again Christian. While we were there, we saw 30 people come to Christ through a children’s program we did and some ministry we did alongside of ‘New Life Ministries’.”