The journey from Pakistan to Sweden costs around $2,400 per person in smuggler fees.
CHR Comment: Omera tells a remarkable story of culture and the courage to improve her life. Along the way, she received help from a family of Indian Christians in the United Arab Emirates. They included her in their observances of Christmas and helped her learn English.
Source: This young mother crossed 45 mountains for her family
Police said Monday they had seized 3,500 fake Vatican parchments that were being sold to unsuspecting pilgrims taking part in Pope Francis’ Holy Year celebrations.
CHR Comment: The counterfeit parchments commemorate pilgrimages to Rome and personal blessings. They would be worth $76,000 U.S. The Vatican sells its parchments as fund raising for charity. They have decided not to outsource the production of such parchments in the future.
Source: Italy seizes 3,500 fake ‘Apostolic Blessings’ in Rome – The Washington Post
Under Caesar’s Sword conference in Rome explores strategies in 100 beleaguered communities.
CHR Comment: Christians are adopting a variety of strategies in dealing with persecution. The article lists responses such as fighting back, seeking help from authorities, fleeing, accepting second-class status, and viewing persecution as normative.
A Syrian priest held hostage for months by the ISIS terrorist group is certain his life was saved due to his interfaith work, despite being threatened with beheading by jihadists if he did not renounce Christianity.
CHR Comment: Mourad, a Syrian Catholic priest, was captured at the Mar Moussa monastery along with a fellow worker, driven to Raqqa, held prisoner in a bathroom, and urged to convert to Islam or die. He credits his efforts at dialogue with Muslims and compassionate attitude toward them as reasons why he was not executed. While a captive, he met c. 250 members of his parish who were likewise held as prisoners. After ministering to fellow captives for some time, he determined it was best for him to escape.
Source: Priest who survived ISIS: “My interfaith work saved my life’’ – The Washington Post
Joe Jonas, Viola Davis and Justin Bieber are among those attending services in Los Angeles that offer texted prayers, neon lights and other 2015 accouterments.
CHR Comment: Mosaic Church and Reality LA deliver non-denominational Christian messages in Southern California style, attracting large gatherings of disciples in their 20s and 30s. Current music, casual dress, immediate relevance, and biblically based messages are key elements that attract worshipers.
One Sunday two years ago, Pastor Rob McCoy, who believes in banning abortion and gay marriage and putting prayer back in schools, stood at the pulpit of his California mega church and announced he was endorsing a political candidate: himself.
CHR Comment: The American Renewal Project, organized by David Lane, seeks to have 1,000 conservative, evangelical pastors run for local political offices. The goal is to support a local, grass roots effort to change the cultural and political direction of the United States toward more conservative, traditional, and Christian values. However, the movement may face the risk of having churches lose their tax exempt status, according to reporter Michelle Conlin.
Source: For God and country: more U.S. pastors seek political office in 2016 | Reuters
Renowned Italian chocolatiers have taken on the challenge to create a 220 pound chocolate crèche for a charity procession taking place in Genoa.
CHR Comment: Many Italians take their food and their faith seriously, but with a smile! The video shows the chocolatiers creating this beautiful nativity to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Merry Christmas indeed.
Source: Chocolatiers Work on a 220 Pound Chocolate Nativity Scene – NBC News
Several Chicago pastors held a press conference this morning, demanding that footage depicting another white police officer shooting an unarmed black teenager be released to the public.
CHR Comment: Three pastors are circulating a petition to remove Mayor Emanuel from office due to the handling of an investigation into a police shooting. While the pastors express concern for social justice, the mayor is likely concerned to keep civil order in a tense situation.
Source: Why Chicago pastors reject Mayor Emanuel’s ‘olive branch of peace’ – CSMonitor.com
Couples who won’t say ‘I do’ to marriage need to say ‘I will’ to financial planning, or they could find themselves in legal, and financial, trouble.
CHR Comment: Financial issues naturally arise when there is no legal basis for two persons living together. Marriage and sex are automatically about family and property rights. As long as those rights are unclear, individuals and households are at risk. A good illustration of why the Bible teaches marriage as the blessed estate.
Source: Forget prenups: Unmarried couples today need ‘no nups’
They were once bitter foes. But two Nigerians, a Christian and an Muslim, are now preaching unity.
CHR Comment: Terrorism has been most deadly in Nigeria in 2015 due to the activities of Boko Haram, which persecutes Christians but also Muslims and other religious persons that disagree with them. The pastor and Imam pictured here run a mediation center together in an effort to foster peace and understanding in their nation.
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