givengain.org

November 2008

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Join the Club!
• Reaching out to Iraq
• Women of Influence

Join the Club!

It's 8 o'clock in the evening in a shopping mall in downtown Cairo, Egypt; and the Internet café is buzzing with young life. Trendy Muslim women in dazzling headscarves and jeans sit drinking their stylish cappuccino looking at photos and chatting online. In the corner, a more serious student is listening intensely on his headset to something he has downloaded from the Internet.

This generation of Arabs is connected to the outside world in a way that seemed totally impossible even ten years ago. New opportunities for dialogue are opening up all the time. In the month of October alone, the Maarifa website forum was accessed more than 4,000 times.

Next month, AWM Media is launching its new-look virtual café, the Shabiba (youth) Club. By clicking on different items in the café, visitors will be able to download Christian songs, listen to testimonies, engage in interactive games and Bible study and chat online. The club will include a forum and an integrated chat room enabling visitors to share their questions and struggles in a secure environment.

Pray for the launch of the new Shabiba Club - that many young Arabs will be attracted by this idea. Pray for a successful start to the new Maarifa chat room.

Reaching out to Iraq

Iraq has been on the centre stage of world news for years now. Political analyses and predictions have multiplied as a solution is sought to the ongoing conflict there. But are Christians the forgotten people group of Iraq? In recent times, the situation for Iraqi believers has reached crisis point, particularly if they are from a Muslim background. Thousands are being forced to flee their homes and others are suffering extreme persecution in the form of kidnapping, torture and martyrdom. Many Iraqis are in contact with us via email and mobile text messaging.

Pray that AWM Media ministry would strengthen, encourage and comfort the persecuted church in Iraq.

Praise God for all the Iraqi believers from a Muslim background who have come to faith in Christ and pray for their protection.

Women of Influence

Latifa* was a woman who felt she just didn't fit. Growing up as a Tunisian Muslim in secular France had left her confused and disoriented. And so she took refuge in a strong religious identity and hid behind the ritual and observance of her religion. Until one day she met someone who talked to her about the God who cares for her personally and has a plan for her life. Today, Latifa is a radiant Christian involved in church-planting in one of France's major cities. Latifa's story is familiar as many Muslim women are looking for acceptance and searching for their true identity. In the past month, the Maarifa team has introduced a number of features to our website that are crafted specifically for women. Our new radio and Internet series on women in the Bible aims to introduce Muslim women to the God who created them in His image and cares for them individually. An article about wearing the veil has promoted a great deal of comment and interest and testimonies such as Latifa's challenge the status quo, showing that women have a right to ask questions and to affirm their unique value in Christ.

Pray for more women to visit the Maarifa website and enable us to share in their life's journey.

* Names have been changed

'I can tell you that I have learned everything about Islam. I graduated from Al-Azhar University - but I have not learned anything about Christianity ... I wanted to learn about the Christian faith from those who believe in it and not from those who refuse to help me. Many thanks.'
Emad*, UAE

'I need your prayers, brother, and I pray to the Lord and ask him for His help. Thank you for encouraging me and writing to me. Please continue to write for you bring Christ's words to me and they are a great comfort.
Your sister Huda* from Mosul in Iraq.

Find out more about the current crisis in Iraq

AWM is a registered charity.