TODAY ON "CHRISTIAN WORLD
NEWS" OUR BEST STORIES OF 2012,
INCLUDING THE SHAKE UP IN THE
MIDDLE EAST AND HOW THE
REVOLUTION IN EGYPT IS AFFECTING
THE COUNTRY'S 2000-YEAR-OLD
CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY.
IN NIGERIA, THE DEADLY TERRORIST
GROUP WAGING WAR ON THE CHURCH.
AND OUR VISIT WITH GRACEA
BURNHAM, 10 YEARS AFTER THE
RESCUE THAT FREED HER FROM
MUSLIM REBELS AND TOOK HER
HUSBAND'S LIFE.
WELCOME TO OUR YEAR IN REVIEW
EDITION OF "CHRISTIAN WORLD
NEWS" I AM WENDY GRIFFITH.
ELECTIONS BROUGHT THE MOUSLIM
BROTHERHOOD INTO POWER.
THOUSANDS ARE FLEEING THE
COUNTRY.
AS THIS WAVE OF UNPRECEDENTED
IMMIGRATION GROWS, THEY MAYBE ON
THE VERGE OF AN AWAKENING.
YOU HAVE AN EMBOLDENED LOCAL
ISLAMIST, THAT ONE OF THEIR
BRETHREN IS IN POWER TO WHAT
THEY SEE IS GOD'S MESSAGE ON THE
GROUNDS WITHOUT A GOVERNMENT.
CREEPING ISLAMIZATION HAS THE
COPTIC CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
NERVOUS.
MANY HAVE LEFT THE COUNTRY.
IT IS AN EXODUS.
DAVID ALTON IS WITH THE HUMAN
RIGHTS CAMPAIGN.
A LOT OF KILLINGS.
CHURCHES BOMBED.
CHRISTIAN WOMEN RAPED.
ALL SORTS OF THINGS TAKING
PLACE.
100,000 COPTIC CHRISTIANS HAVE
FLED THE COUNTRY.
MY LOCAL CHURCH IN FAIRFAX,
WE HAVE SEEN A SERIOUS WAVE OF
IMMIGRATION FROM EGYPT SINCE THE
REVOLUTION.
THAT IS ONE CHURCH IN THE U.S.
IRANIAN PASTOR SAYS SOME OF
HIS MEMBERS FLED FOR THE UNITED
STATES.
THAT IS NOT JUST CHRISTIANS
LEAVING.
THEY FLED THE COUNTRY.
THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE WITH COMING
WITH THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD.
MANY EGYPTIANS REMAIN BECAUSE
THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO GO ANYWHERE
ELSE.
IN THE SENSE OF THE BETTER
EDUCATED, MORE WELL OFF, PEOPLE
THAT ARE THE JOB CREATORS, ONES
THAT GIVE HIGHER DONATIONS TO
THE CHURCH, THOSE WILL BE THE
ONES THAT WILL BE LEAVING.
THAT WILL MEAN LESS
OPPORTUNITY AND HELP FOR NEEDY
CHRISTIANS.
WESTERN AID SHOULD BE STOP UNTIL
THE GOVERNMENT UPHOLDS RELIGIOUS
LIBERTIES.
WE NEED TO BE INSISTING IT BE
THE KEY FOR THE WESTERN
GOVERNMENT.
STILL MANY LIKE THESE SAY
THEY WILL STAY IN EGYPT.
OTHERS SAY THEIR CHURCH MEMBERS
ARE FOCUSSED ON GOD'S PROMISES.
HE CARES FOR US AND WILL NOT
FORSAKE US.
WE BELIEVE IN GOD'S PLAN FOR
EGYPT AND FOLLOW IT.
THE RISE OF THE ISLAMIST AND
INCREASED PERSECUTION IS
BRINGING EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANS
CLOSER TOGETHER.
ALL THE CHURCHES ARE DOING A
LOT OF PRAYER AND TALKING ABOUT
THE FUTURE, GIVING HOPE FOR THE
FUTURE.
EVENTS LIKE THIS IN THE
DESERT NORTH OF CAIRO ATTRACTED
MORE THAN 50,000 EGYPTIAN
CHRISTIANS AND FOUR DAYS OF
PRAYER.
AMERICAN CHRISTIANS ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT BROTHERS AND
SISTERS IN CHRIST.
WE DEFINITELY NEED YOUR
PRAYERS.
LORD TELLS US TO PRAY FOR ONE
ANOTHER.
YOU PRAY FOR US AND WE WILL PRAY
FOR YOU.
YOU CAN LOOK AT COPTIC
HISTORY WITH A SENSE OF SADNESS
OF THE CONTINUOUS DECLINE.
YOU CAN LOOK AT IT TO THE SENSE
OF HOW THE HANDS OF GOD HAS
PROTECTED HIS PEOPLE AND MADE
THEM SURVIVE THROUGH EVERYTHING
THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH.
GARY LANE, CBN NEWS, CAIRO.
THANKS, GARY, A RADICAL
MUSLIM GROUP IN NIGERIA KILLED
800 PEOPLE THIS YEAR.
THE AL-QAEDA-LINKED FIGHTERED
DECLARED WAR ON CHRISTIANS
CARRYING OUT MULTIPLE ATTACKS ON
CHRISTIAN HOMES AND CHURCHES,
INCLUDING A DEVASTATING CAR BOMB
ON CHRISTMAS DAY ONE YEAR AGO.
AS GEORGE THOMAS REPORTS THERE
ARE CALLS FOR REVENGE, ALSO
FORGIVENESS.
*
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY, WE
CAME TO CHURCH TO CELEBRATE THE
BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST.
PEOPLE STARTED COMING AS EARLY
AS 6:00 IN THE MORNING.
IT WAS GOING TO BE A JOYOUS
OCCASION.
REPORTER: BUT IT NEVER TURNED
OUT THAT WAY.
A SUICIDE BOMBER IN A VEHICLE
PACKED WITH EXPLOSIVES DROVE UP
THIS BUSY STREET AND STOPPED IN
FRONT OF THIS CHURCH.
THIS MAN AND 17-MONTH-OLD SON
JUST WALKED OUT THE CHURCH FRONT
DOORS WHEN THE EXPLOSION
HAPPENED.
AROUND ME I COULD SEE BODIES
ON FIRE.
WITHIN MINUTES, HUSBANDS BECAME
WIDOWERS AND PARENTS CHILDLESS.
IT WAS SHORTLY AFTER 8:00
THAT CHRISTMAS MORNING, ONE
SERVICE JUST CONCLUDING AND THE
NEXT ABOUT TO BEGIN.
26 OF THE 44 PEOPLE THAT DIED
ATTENDED ST. THERESA'S CHURCH.
THE PEOPLE THAT CARRIED OUT
THE ATTACK ARE OF THE DEVIL.
BOKO HARAM CLAIMED
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS AND
SEVERAL MORE ATTACKS IN OTHER
PARTS OF NIGERIA THAT CHRISTMAS
DAY.
BOKO HARAM'S GOAL IS TO TURN IT
INTO AN ISLAMIC COUNTRY.
I AM VERY ANGRY.
THEY ARE TRYING TO GET ME TO
RESPOND OUT OF ANGER, I WILL
NOT.
HE AND SON SPENT SEVERAL
WEEKS IN THE HOSPITAL RECOVERING
FROM BURNS, TODAY YOU WILL FIND
THEM PRAYING FOR THE ATTACKERS.
THEY TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE
OF FORGIVENESS.
BOKO HARAM SHOULD REPENT,
STOP DOING EVIL WORK AND
CONFESS.
THAT ISN'T LIKELY TO HAPPEN
ANY TIME SOON, 200 MILES NORTH
OF THE CHURCH.
SO MANY PEOPLE LOVED MY
HUSBAND.
THEY WOULD NOT LET ME SEE MY
FATHER'S BODY.
HE WAS BEYOND RECOGNITION.
HE WAS SHOT IN THE MOUTH,
ELBOW AND BACK.
I AM ASKING GOD TO BRING
PEACE TO OUR CITY.
NORTHERN NIGERIA'S IMPORTANT
CITY OF KANO WITH PRAYER.
ON JANUARY 20TH, 26 DAYS AFTER
THE CHRISTMAS DAY MASSACRE, BOKO
HARAM KILLED 185 PEOPLE IN A
STRING OF COORDINATED ATTACKS IN
KANO.
IT WAS THE GROUP'S DEADLIEST
STRIKE TO DATE.
AMONG THE DEAD WERE LOVED ONES
OF THESE CHRISTIAN FAMILIES.
I CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO BRING MY
HUSBAND BACK.
BIBLE SAYS WE SHOULD LOVE OUR
ENEMIES AND PRAY FOR THEM.
BOKO HARAM SPOKESMAN HAS
DECLARED WAR ON THE GOVERNMENT
AND THE CHRISTIANS.
IN A VIDEO RELEASED HE SAID I
ENJOY ANYONE THAT GOD COMMANDS
ME TO KILL THE WAY I ENJOY
KILLING CHICKENS AND RAMS.
EVENLY SPLIT BETWEEN CHRISTIANS
IN SOUTH AND MUSLIMS IN THE
NORTH.
KANO IS OVERWHELMING MUSLIM.
THEY USE THE CITY AND
SURROUNDING AREAS AS A BASE OF
OPERATION.
THIS IS DIFFICULT TO SHARE
THE GOSPEL IN THE EXTREME
NORTHERN PARTS OF NIGERIA.
JOSHUA WORKS QUIETLY.
CBN NEWS AGREED TO CONCEAL HIS
IDENTITY.
HE SAYS THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
CONSIDER CHRISTIANS AS INVADERS
AND MEMBERS OF A WESTERN
RELIGION.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE.
BECAUSE I AM A CHRISTIAN, I AM
VIEWED AND TREATED AS A SECOND
AND THIRD AND FOURTH-CLASS
CITIZEN.
BOKO HARAM IS PROVOKING
CHRISTIANS INTO ATTACKING
MUSLIMS.
SOME NEIGHBORHOODS ARE TAKING
MEASURES TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.
OTHERS RELY ON GOD FOR
PROTECTION AND TAKE COMFORT IN
HIS WORD.
EVEN WHEN I WALK THROUGH THE
DARK VALLEY OF DEATH, I WILL NOT
BE AFRAID, FOR YOU ARE CLOSE
BESIDE ME.
GEORGE THOMAS, CBN NEWS,
KANO, NIGERIA.
THANK YOU, GEORGE.
UP NEXT, THE GRACEA BURNHAM
STORY, HOW SHE AND HER KIDS ARE
STILL SERVING THE LORD, TODAY,
STAY TUNED.
IN 2012, GRACIA BURNHAM
MARKED 10 YEARS SINCE THE END OF
HER CAPTIVITY AT THE HANDS OF
KILLERS.
I TALK WISDOM GRACIA ABOUT HER
EXPERIENCE AND HOW SHE HAS BEEN
REACHING OUT TO HER FORMER
CAPTORS.
THE COUPLE HAD BEEN
CELEBRATING THEIR 18TH WEDDING
ANNIVERSARY WHEN TERRORISTS
ATTACKED THEM.
ABU SAYYAF FIRST BROUGHT THEM
HERE WHEN THEY WERE KIDNAPPED IN
2001.
THEY SPENT A YEAR IN THESE
JUNGLES, CONSTANTLY ON THE RUN
NEVER KNOWING WHERE THEIR NEXT
MEAL WAS COMING FROM.
COMPLETELY DEPENDENT ON GOD.
IF WE NEEDED A DRINK OF
WATER, I ASKED GOD FOR A DRINK
OF WATER.
IF WE CAME TO THE STREAM, I
DRANK THE WATER.
IT WAS WATER AND GOD PROVIDED IT
FOR US EVEN IF IT WAS DIRTY.
WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER MOST
ABOUT THAT DAY?
I REMEMBER WE HADN'T EATEN
FOR WE WERE GOING ON OUR 10TH
DAY.
I DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD LIVE FOR
10 DAYS WITHOUT FOOD.
WE HAD SALT AND WATER.
WE WOULD EAT LITTLE LEAVES FROM
CERTAIN PLANTS WE WOULD PASS BY.
WE WERE WEAK AND EXHAUSTED.
I TOLD MARTIN, I DON'T KNOW HOW
MUCH LONGER WE CAN DO THIS.
HE SAID GRACIA, I THINK WE ARE
GOING TO GET OUT OF HERE, I
DON'T KNOW WHEN.
ABOUT NOON ON JUNE 7TH, 2002,
SHOTS RANG OUT AS THE PHILIPPINE
MILITARY ATTEMPTED TO RESCUE
THEM.
I IMMEDIATELY WAS SHOT IN THE
LEG AND SLID DOWN THE HILL AND
CAME TO REST BESIDE MARTIN.
HE WAS BLEEDING FROM HIS CHEST.
THEY SAW I WAS ALIVE AND CAME
AND STARTED DRAGGING ME UP THE
HILL.
I LOOKED BACK AT MARTIN AND HE
WAS WHITE.
THAT IS WHEN I KNEW HE WAS DEAD.
THEY KIND OF BANDAGED ME UP AT
THE TOP OF THE HILL AND CALLED A
HELICOPTER.
IT CAME AND LIFTED ME RIGHT OUT
OF THERE.
YEAH.
BEFORE THEIR YEAR IN
CAPTIVITY MARTIN WAS A PILOT.
MARTIN FLEW DR. ALLEN MILLICOR
TO REMOTE VILLAGES.
TO ME MARTIN AND GRACIA, I
SAID WHY NOT MARTIN AND GRACIA.
I THINK THE PEOPLE ABDUCTED SEE
WHAT CHRISTIANS OUGHT TO BE.
GRACIA, THE ABU SAYYAF TOOK
SO MUCH FROM YOU.
HOW DO YOU FIND FORGIVENESS?
I ASKED HIM, WOULD YOU BUILD
FORGIVENESS IN MY LIFE?
HELP ME START TO LOVE THESE
GUYS, HE DID IT.
TODAY SEVERAL ABU SAYYAF
MEMBERS HAVE COME TO KNOW THE
LORD BECAUSE GRACIA BEGAN TO
FORGIVE.
SOME OF THE VERY GUYS THAT
HELD US HOSTAGE GOT A HOLD OF
THOSE THINGS WE PRINTED AND
IMPACTED THEIR LIVES.
GOD SOME HOW USED IT AND SO FAR
FOUR, FOUR OF THEM HAVE COME TO
KNOW THE LORD.
GRACIA ALSO WROTE THE "NEW
YORK TIMES" "IN THE PRESENCE OF
MY ENEMIES" SHE IS ALSO A MUCH
SOUGHT AFTER SPEAKER.
HER STORY RESONATES WITH
EVERYONE.
TODAY GRACIA'S YOUNGEST SON
STUDIES MUSIC, THE SAME SCHOOL
WHERE HIS PARENTS MET AND
MARRIED.
OLDEST SON JEFF A MISSION PILOT
LIKE HIS DAD AND DAUGHTER MINDY
MARRIED A NEW TRIBES MISSIONARY
LIKE GRACIA.
I AM A GRANDMA TWICE, YEAH.
THE CHILDREN ARE GROWN AND FINE
AND LOVE THE LORD.
SO, THE REST OF WHAT HAPPENS TO
ME IS JUST ICING ON THE CAKE.
GRACIA SAYS LIKE THE TITLE OF
HER SECOND BOOK, SHE IS LEARNING
TO FLY AGAIN.
IT WOULD BE AWFUL IF I HAD
GONE THROUGH THIS HORRIBLE THING
AND COME OUT ON THE OTHER END
THINKING I HAD ANYTHING TO DO
WITH IT.
SO IF I AM FLYING TODAY, IT IS
BECAUSE OF GOD'S GOODNESS IN MY
LIFE.
ONE OF THE GREATEST
PRIVILEGES OF MY LIFE COVERING
THAT STORY AND MEETING GRACIA
AND HER FAMILY "IN THE PRESENCE
OF MY ENEMIES" I COULDN'T PUT IT
DOWN.
YOU CAN VISIT THE MARTIN AND
GRACIA BURNHAM WEBSITE.
FIND THE LINK AT CBNNEWS.COM.
COMING UP, ONE OF THE WORLD'S
GREATEST BOXERS, LUCILLE
TALUSAN'S CONVERSATION WITH
MANNY PACKAL.
CHAMPION BOXER MANNY PACQUIAO
BECAME THE LASTEST BOXER TO USE
HIS FAME TO SHARE HIS FAITH.
LUCILLE TALUSAN HAS HIS STORY.
THE BOXER'S ASSOCIATION NAMED
HIM FIGHTER OF THE DECADE.
MANNY "PAC-MAN" PACQUIAO'S
PARENTS SEPARATED WHEN HE WAS IN
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
EXTREME POVERTY FORCED HIM TO
LEAVE HOME AND FIND A JOB IN
MANILA AT AGE 13 TO SUPPORT HIS
FAMILY.
HE SOLD FLOWERS AND WORKED IN
CONSTRUCTION SITES JUST TO
SURVIVE.
HE MANAGED TO BE ON THE
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL AMATEUR
BOXING TEAM.
THE REST IS HISTORY.
THE WORLD WITNESSED PACQUIAO
WIN.
HE SUCCOMBED TO THE TEMPTATIONS
OF THE WORLD.
I WENT TO CHURCH BUT I WAS
DRINKING AND GAMBLING, CARELESS
WORDS CAME OUT OF MY LIFE.
I COMMITTED ADULTERY.
I DIDN'T CARE. MANNY FELL
TO THE GUILT OF HIS SINS WHEN HE
BEGAN READING THE WORD OF GOD.
HE REMEMBERED HEARING THE DREAM
MY SISTER STOPPED GOING TO
SCHOOL BECAUSE I WAS NOT SENDING
THEM THE MONEY.
I CRIED, BLAMING MYSELF FOR
SPENDING ALL THE MONEY ON
ALCOHOL.
ON THAT NIGHT I HEARD THE VOICE
OF GOD IN MY DREAMS.
HIS VOICE WAS 10 TIMES LOUDER
THAN THUNDER.
HE SAID MY CHILD, MY CHILD, WHY
HAVE YOU GONE ASTRAY.
I FORGOT ABOUT THE DREAM.
WHEN I STARTED READING THE
BIBLE, THE FIRST VERSE I READ
SAID GOD TALKED TO MAN THROUGH
DREAMS.
WOW, MY DREAM WAS REAL.
SINCE THEN MANNY BECAME
HUNGRY FOR THE WORD OF GOD
LEADING TO A DEEP PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.
NOW HE HAS BIBLE STUDY EVERYDAY
MEMORIZING VERSES BY HEART.
HE SAYS THE WORD OF GOD IS HIS
WEAPON AGAINST TEMPTATION.
KEEP THIS ALWAYS ON YOUR LIPS
SO YOU MAYBE CAREFUL THEN YOU
WILL BE -- WHEN YOU MEDITATE THE
WORDS AND KEEP THE WORDS OF GOD
ON YOUR LIPS AND HEART AND MIND
YOU WILL BE GUIDED.
THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL GUIDE YOU.
MANNY BELIEVES JESUS IS
COMING SOON.
HE GRABS EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO
SPREAD THE GOSPEL.
HE BELIEVES GOD USES HIM AND
OTHER FAMOUS CHRISTIAN ATHLETES
LIKE TIM TEBOW AND JEREMY LIN TO
SPREAD THE GOSPEL.
THEY WILL LISTEN AND BELIEVE.
HIS PASTOR IS HIS SPIRITUAL
MENTOR.
THESE PEOPLE, TIM TEBOW,
JEREMY LIN AND MANNY PACQUIAO,
IT IS FOR THE WORLD TO SEE, YOU
LIKE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THEIR
LIVES?
HONORING GOD, FINE, WHAT ABOUT
YOU?
I BELIEVE WE ARE IN THE LAST
DAYS AND GOD IS USING THESE
WORLD CHAMPIONS TO REACH OUT.
THIS HE SAYS WILL HELP HIM
WIN THE ULTIMATE FIGHT AND
CONQUER EVIL.
YOU WILL BE HATED BY EVERYONE
BECAUSE OF ME.
WHEN YOU ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST IN
YOUR LIFE AS YOUR LORD AND
SAVIOR, YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.
AND YOU OBEY, HUH?
OBEY HIS COMMANDMENT.
LUCILLE TALUSAN, CBN NEWS,
PHILIPPINES.
FINALLY TODAY IN OUR OPINION,
THE BEST STORY OF 2012 AN
IRANIAN COURT RELEASED
IMPRISONED PASTOR YOUSEF
NADARKHANI FROM PRISON.
HE HAD BEEN FACING A DEATH
SENTENCE FOR THE CRIME OF
APOSTASY.
HERE IS EFREM GRAHAM
REPORTER: THIS THE SCENE
CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE
BEEN PRAYING TO SEE, PASTOR
YOUSEF NADARKHANI ALIVE AND FREE
AND EMBRACED WITH HIS FAMILY.
AN IRANIAN COURT SENTENCED
YOUSEF NADARKHANI TO DEATH FOR
THE CRIME OF LEAVING ISLAM.
HE WAS GIVEN SEVERAL CHANCES TO
RECANT HIS CHRISTIAN FAITH.
HE REFUSED EVERY TIME.
WHEN ASKED TO REPENT BY THE
JUDGES.
HE SAID REPENT MEANS TO RETURN,
WHAT SHOULD I RETURN TO THE
JUDGE REPLIED TO THE RELIGION
OF YOUR ANCESTORS.
A TWITTER CAMPAIGN REACHED MORE
THAN THREE MILLION PEOPLE A DAY.
INTERNATIONAL OUTCRY PUT
PRESSURE.
THE JUDGE CONVICTED HIM OF FOR
EVANGELIZING CHRISTIANS.
HE IS FREE BUT STILL IN GREAT
DANGER.
CARL MULLER TOLD CBN NEWS HE
MAYBE MORE AT RISK AFTER HE IS
RELEASED.
IN FACT WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN
NUMEROUS CASES IN IRAN, SOMEONE
MAYBE JEW DSUDICIALLY ACQUITTED BUT
THEY CAN SIMPLY DISAPPEAR OR
TORTURED AND ARRESTED WITHOUT
ANY JUDICIAL PROCESS.
BY NO MEANS IS PASTOR YOUSEF
NADARKHANI FREE AND CLEAR.
EFREM GRAHAM, CBN NEWS.
WOW WHAT A STORY, THANKS TO YOU
THAT WAS A MIRACLE.
THAT IS ALL FOR THIS SPECIAL E
EDITION OF BEST STORIES OF 2012.
JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR A BRAND
NEW YEAR
